Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders or the song Saturday Night's All Right.

A/N: Thank you to my anon reviewer, Kasiey. Glad you're enjoying it. :) Also note, today is the lovely Jensen Ackles' birthday! If some says something about Justin I'll kick you in the fucking face...thanks. :)

Well they're packed pretty tight in here tonight. I'm looking for a dolly who'll see me right. I may use a little muscle to get what I need. I may sink a little drink and shout out "She's with me!"

"You shouldn't let her do this to you!"

"I cared about her! I thought maybe she actually wanted to talk!"

"She's killin' you, Pone. You gotta let her go, man."

"That's easy for you to say...why don't you take your own advice!"

The sentence hung in the air like a hovering storm-cloud that wouldn't go away. Ponyboy grumbled and folded his arms, ignoring the fact that he'd said that and hoping no know else caught it. Soda's face hung low to the floor, lost for words.

We all caught it.

It was quiet for the first time tonight. Darry was out with Kat, leaving Soda to deal with all this. Pony came home about thirty minutes ago reeking of beer and tears. He stumbled down the hall and into Soda's room and that's when the fit started.

I remained quiet, just listening to the conversation and contemplating what all had been said. We all knew what the last sentence was referring to...or better yet, whom.

Pony cleared his throat. "Hey...I didn't mean it like that."

Soda nodded half-heartedly, his face still on the floor. "You're upset...I understand." He looked up. "I really hate seeing you like this bud. I'm just tryin' to help...I really am."

"I know you are," Pony said calmly.

I crossed my legs on the bed. "Did she say why she wanted to meet you?"

Pony shook his head and threw a pillow on the floor in frustration. "To make sure I knew she didn't want me back."

Soda leaned in. "She didn't-"

"Yeah...she did."

It didn't sound like Cherry to do something like this but right now, shock wasn't what any of us were feeling. Soda wanted to fume and rant and rave until he was blue in the face. I wanted to march straight to her house and tell her exactly what I thought of her. Right now though, Pony was our main focus. Nothing good would come out of anger.

Ponyboy began to sweat. Soda reached forward and placed his hand on his forehead. "How many beers did you drink?"

"Just half of one," he answered, a little embarrassed. "Stuff tasted awful."

Soda chuckled and grabbed the back of Pony's neck and ruffled his hair. "Good. Keep thinkin' that way kiddo!"

Ponyboy shook his head and half giggled. He rubbed the sweat off his face and grinned. "Hey, now I can go out with you and Two when you hunt out girls, right?"

Soda slugged him across the arm and smiled. "Damn right you can! The ladies can't resist two Curtis brothers side by side. We're bond to get lucky across the line."

I grinned at the two. "What about Jen? She one of your ladies, So?"

"Nah. Jennie's pretty boss." He lightly shrugged.

I shoved him gently. "Ask her out again!"

Soda cut up and covered his mouth. He composed himself and sat back up on the bed. "Maybe...been outta the game for a while." He chuckled.

We all knew what Soda had been doing since Sandy left. It was no secret that he was spending a lot of time at the hot party houses until late hours with smudges of lipstick on his neck and cheeks. He was eighteen and while Darry had spoken to him a couple of times, it was one of those things you just pray about and hope he knows what he's doing.

"What's stoppin' you?" Pony asked.

Soda's faced changed a little and he slumped back against the wall. "Still hung up on a few things I guess."

"I really didn't mean that-"

"You were right," Soda jumped in. "I don't love Sandy," he said sternly. "I'm over her and don't go thinkin' I'm lying either because I've been over her for a while. I just don't want to go rushin' into nothin'."

Pony and I exchanged a look. "You're scared...aren't you?"

He crocked and eyebrow. "Scared? Of what?"

Pony rubbed through his matted wet hair. "She ain't gonna be like Sandy, Soda."

Soda grew offensive. "I know that! I-I'm not scared of Jennie." He nervously laughed. "Guys c'mon!"

"You've been on two dates and have talked on the phone for hours before," I listed. "You see her every day at lunch when you come into the diner but you haven't even kissed her yet...you won't even go pick up the phone right now and invite her out."

Soda stared at both of us dumbfounded. He made a face. "I ain't scared!"

Pony playfully grinned. "Then go call her...tough guy."

Soda slammed his hands down on the bed and stood up. He stood by the door and pointed a finger. "Yeah you remember who the tough guy in this house is now. Don't be goin' round sayin' I'm scared after this now."

Pony and I smiled. "We won't." He ran out the door and down the hall to the kitchen.

"Do you think he'll really call her?"

"Yeah," I answered. "Sodapop doesn't back down to dares...or whatever this is."

Pony coughed and awkwardly looked down at the bed. "Sandy...did you hear the news about her?"

The whole town knew. "We have to tell him sometime."

"I know but she's getting married, Dan," he stated obviously. "It'll kill him."

I knew that. I knew the minute I heard that she was marrying the baby daddy that Soda would have a hard time. That was supposed to be him. "It's better he hears is from us than anyone else."

Ponyboy studied my face and then scooted over on the bed, near me. "You ok? You seem...weird."

"No. Why do you ask?"

"We're twins," he said with a shrug. "I know can tell what you're feelin' and all that good stuff...or when you're mad at Dal."

I rolled my eyes, pulling my knees up to my chest. "You're too good."

"Spill."

"There's not much to spill," I said. "He just made me mad. I kinda overreacted and took it the wrong way."

He got in closer, eager for more. "What'd he say?"

"Just something about Ronnie," I lied. "Sometimes I forget Dallas Winston has a baby brother and can have protective feelings about him...it's so weird you know?"

Pony laughed but nodded. "I say. Dal's always been protective though. Look at him and Johnny."

"I know...it's just so weird seeing him as the big brother type. I mean he reminds me of Darry." I stuck my tongue out, disgusted with the mere thought.

He smirked. "That's a nice thought to have about your boyfriend. Hey you kinda remind me of my big brother!"

"Shut-up!"

There were footsteps coming up the stairs quickly. Soda busted into the room with a big smile. "Tomorrow night. Buck's place. Seven o'clock. Be there or be square!"

Marilyn sat on the arm of the sofa, filling her nails and listening to the yelling. Randy was at the edge of his chair, wondering when the right time was to jump in and stop it. Though like Mike, Randy wasn't exactly in his right mind.

"How many times have I told you not to hassle me about my drinking?" Michael roared at Jane, making her hide her face. "I can take care of myself, missy!"

Jane backed away. "I was just looking out for you! You've been drinking all day!"

Michael's eyes bugged out. "I can take care of myself."

Jane fumbled around for her bag. "You don't care about me. I hear about the girls you cheat on me with. Bunch of white trash!"

Michael grabbed her arm and squeezed. "What did you say?"

Jane tried to break loose and eyed Randy and Mar. Randy got up, Marilyn just continuing what she was doing before. Right now, she was even scared of her brother and dared not to get involved. "Come on, man. Why don't we-"

"You're lucky to have me! Every girl in town wants me," he boosted. "I could have anyone I wanted. I chose you! Some worthless, no good, bitch!"

Jane's mouth flew up. "And you're a worthless prick!"

Jane's scream caught Marilyn's ears and she looked up for the first time now to watch her fly back down to the ground. Her filler shook in her hand. She knew this was going to happen. Her brother, like their father, couldn't handle more than a couple of drinks.

Randy stood beside Michael, baffled by what he had just witnessed. Jane lied on the floor and clenched her stinging cheek. Michael stood over her, fuming.

Randy woke up and grabbed his buddy's shoulder. "Hey, come on, why don't we get out of here for a while?"

Michael didn't move. He stared Jane down making sure she didn't move. Jane hid her face as did Marilyn. She didn't want to see this again.

Randy shook him lightly. "She ain't worth it, man. Let's go."

Michael stared her down for a few more seconds as if mentally warning her - telling her that they were done. She was going to pay for all of this. He was in charge of this whole time. She was just a pawn in his hands he could throw away at any moment.

Randy stood in his vision. "C'mon. I'll drive."

Marilyn stuck her eyes on her friend lying on the ground, hurt and scared. She gazed up at her brother, immediately catching his eye and making a gesture for him to go. She'd clean up the mess here. Inside though, she was just as frightened as Jane was. The quicker Mike left, the better they'd all be. Randy could sober him up ok.

Randy took his friend by the arm and led him outside. Everyone knew Michael hit Jane. She wasn't much of a Houdini with her bruises and scrapes. Tonight had been the first night Randy had witnessed it firsthand but it didn't take him back much. Mike was like that when he was drunk. Everyone else was just smart enough to get out of the way when he acted this way.

Once outside, Michael kicked the tire of his car and hissed about how stupid she was. "I could have someone any time I wanted! I could have anyone I wanted! She's lucky I chose her!"

Randy kicked his tangled shoe-string. Michael cheated on Jane multiply times, many of them in Randy's face. At first he contemplated telling Jane but this was his friend. Buddies are supposed to keep secrets for each other.

"Are you guys done now?" Randy asked.

Michael opened a fresh box of fags and lit one. "Who knows. Can't deal with this crap right now. We got bigger fish to fry."

"You didn't tell her about-"

"You think I'm stupid?" Michael snapped with an eye roll. "We gotta focus on the prize. She'd ruin it all if she found out. We'd all be out then. I got a big prank that will scare them all for a good while, though! It's going to be good."

Randy fiddled with the ends of his fingers. He wasn't so sure about this prank Michael had cooked up for the rumble (if there was even going to be one). Marilyn and him had kept things low key and had only their heads together at all times plotting. It was causing more eyes to stare than the two normally gathered. Randy knew the prize though...and he wanted that.

"What are we going to do?" Michael asked, throwing Randy the box.

Randy jumped in the car and started her up. "The night's young."

"That it is," Michael said, jumping right in the passenger's side. "We could go pick up some chicks. Might be some whores down by the Mini-Mart."

Randy backed the car out of the parking lot. He cut up, "I got a whole pack of rubbers in the glove compartment."

Michael grinded his teeth. "What?"

"Yeah!" Randy beamed, opening the drawer and letting the box fall in Michael's lap. "Good for a whole month, no sweat!"

Michael stared at the condoms like they were foreign objects. He held his hands up, scared he might touch one. He finally shook his head and tossed them all in the floor.

"Hey man!"

"Their mine, man," Michael warned with a sly grin. "Or should I tell my Pops what you and my sister have been up too?"

Randy didn't seem amused. He rolled his eyes. "Come on, man-"

Michael slumped down peacefully in his seat. "Nice try. You're stuck my friend. I warned you about hooking up with my sister. You touch any other whore, you're dead meat. Sorry it's the way of the land. Gotta protect the family and all."

Randy scooted down in his seat, disappointed. "Yeah, whatever."

"Let's go to Buck's. I hear some of our greasy friends are going to be there tonight," Michael said. "Let's go pay them a long overdue visit."

Randy shook his head. "You really wanna do that?"

"Get the liquor first...then we go play with our little friends. This is part one in the biggest prank of all times...or part two depending on how something else ended up I've been working on. Take notes though, my friend. They're going to be talking about us for decades."

Jennie stood in front of the mirror, swishing her hair every which way and spraying enough hair spray to light the town on fire. Her palms were sweaty and knees tight. She could hear ringing in her ears.

As she applied her lipstick she thought about the party tonight. She thought of the people who were going to be there and how little they knew about the make-up caked woman she really was. About what was behind all the foundation and black goo.

She slipped off her shirt, folding it in her arms, preparing to lay it down when the door busted open.

"Hey Jen, did you-"

"Soda!"

He didn't even look up until he heard her scream. He covered his eyes as she covered her chest and shooed him out. His feet felt locked to the ground and it was as if she was in slow motion, screaming and cussing for him to get out.

Suddenly he came too and quickly apologized and slammed the door as he went out. He was slightly shocked by her initial reaction, it was only her back, but an image was burned in his mind. An image that explained why she acted the way she did...and he couldn't get it out of his head.

He stood close by the door. Maybe he'd go back in and say something. He couldn't move right now though.

He brushed his hand through his hair and slumped down against the wall. This was burning in his mind. It was haunting him, making his blood boil even. He wanted to say something but-

The door slowly opened. Jennie slowly walked out and looked down at the ground where Soda was at. "Um..."

He knew she wouldn't finish. He rose up, his eyes locked on hers. "Jennie, what-"

"Just don't mention it," she said quickly. "It was a long time ago and it's not important. Just don't mention it."

Soda's mouth hung open. "Jennie your-"

"I know what it is, Soda." She sighed, releasing her frustration and fear. "Don't mention it. It's not important so let's go!"

His eyes followed her as she quickly hurried down the stairs and out of his view. He couldn't just forget about it could he? What he saw...that was going to make him wonder all night.

By the time we got to the party, mostly everyone had already shown up. Soda, Jennie went into the kitchen for drinks and from the corner of my eye I saw Two-Bit and Bryon slapping hands with other bachelors and eyeing possible meat for the night.

"Are you even allowed here?" Tim smirked, drowning a beer.

Tiffany quickly met his side before I could say another word. "Hey, Tiff."

She smiled a small smile and latched her arm around Tim's which he shook off. Tim didn't like to be touched. She had to have learned that by now. "Smooth things over with the big guy yet?"

I sneered. "No. Has he told you anything?"

He held up is hands. "No. I ain't gettin' into the lovey-dovie-goo-goo drama. No fucking way." He searched around the room and then back at Tiffany. "I gotta got do something." He pointed a finger. "Don't get into nothin'. The big guy put me in charge and I don't wanna deal with him if you die or something stupid like that."

I chuckled as he grabbed Tiff and started walking away. "I'll try not to die tonight….just for you."

He grinned, leading his warm body for the night away.

The room was caked in smoke. Everyone smelled like beer and smoke and grass. Everyone was laughing and throwing back jokes. The night was young. Very young. It had only just begun.

Don't give us none of your aggravation. We had it with your discipline. Saturday night's alright for fighting. Get a little action in. Get about as oiled as a diesel train. Gonna set this dance alight. 'Cause Saturday night's the night I like. Saturday night's alright, alright, alright.

A/N: What do you think Soda saw and what do you think will happen when Mike and Randy show up? Review please! :)