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Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders

Chapter Four

Worried

Darry was glad when he didn't see any cars parked at the DX station. He jumped out of the truck and walked into the garage and saw Steve's legs sticking out from under a car.

"Hey Steve," Darry said, tapping on the hood of the car. "Where's Two-Bit?"

"Hey Darry," Steve said, poking his head out from under the car and looking up at Darry, grease covering his face. "He's supposed to be in the store watching the counter."

"I need to talk with both of you, you got a minute?" Darry asked.

"Sure, just give me a sec to finish up here," Steve said, moving back under the car. "I'll meet you inside."

Darry walked into the store to find Two-Bit lounging behind the counter smoking and leafing through a magazine.

"You call this workin'?" Darry asked with a laugh.

Two-Bit grinned at him. "Shoot, I'm easing into it," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk to you and Steve about something," he said just as the bell above the door rang behind him and Steve walked in, wiping grease off his hands with a dirty rag, either ignoring or unaware of the grease smeared across his face.

"What's up, Darry?" Steve asked.

Darry took a deep breath. "I think Soda's having a hard time adjusting to being back," he started. Steve and Two-Bit both immediately looked serious. "He… last night he woke up in a panic and thought he was back in Vietnam. It took me several minutes to convince him that he wasn't." It pained Darry to have to tell them this, but he knew it had to be done. "I think… I think he would have attacked me or Pony if we had rushed at him. He had broken the lamp beside his bed and was holding a large piece of glass like a weapon."

Two-Bit swore. Steve looked pale. Neither of them seemed to know what to say.

"He was also pretty jumpy this morning," Darry continued. "And when he made breakfast he forgot to turn off the stove. I'm really worried about him and I'm not real sure what to do about it."

"What can we do to help?" Steve asked. Steve and Soda has been best friends since they were little and clearly it pained him to hear about Soda's condition. He had taken it just as hard as Darry and Pony when Soda had been drafted.

"If one of you could drop by during your breaks…" Darry said slowly, letting the thought hang. "I don't like the idea of him being alone all day."

"Yeah, we can do that," Two-Bit said.

"Just don't tell him that I told you to check up on him," Darry said. "I think that might upset him." Steve and Two-Bit nodded in agreement. "And just… be careful with him."

"Don't worry, Darry, we got his back," Two-Bit said.

Steve kicked at the floor with the toe of his shoe. "I can't believe that this is okay," he mumbled. "That the government can just force this on someone as soon as he turns eighteen."

"It's not fair," Darry agreed. "But it happened, and now we all have to deal with it."

"I'll stop over at lunch time," Steve said.

"Make sure you check the stove," Darry said seriously. He had to be blunt about this situation. "If that place catches on fire, Soda will have a hard time getting out."

"I will," Steve said, looking a bit distraught as he turned. "I gotta get back to work."

"Sure," Darry said, watching him go. "Thanks guys."

XxXxX

Steve took his car over to the Curtis house, even though it was only a ten minute walk. He didn't want to waste any time. He had seen worry etched in Darry's face, and that had scared him. The night before Soda had seemed fairly normal… but after hearing about what happened over night Steve felt worried as well.

"Anybody home?" Steve said, sticking his head in the door.

There was no answer. Dread filled Steve as he walked inside. The TV was off, but the radio was on playing Elvis music. The living room was deserted. The kitchen was also empty, though he noted that at least the stove was still off. He walked down toward the bedrooms and checked them all. Each one was as empty as the rest of the house. Steve began to feel panicked. It made no sense for Soda to leave. He had no car and probably couldn't make it far with his limp.

Finally Steve went to push the back door open and hit something solid.

"Hey!" came a voice and relief filled Steve.

"There you are," Steve said. Soda leaned forward allowing Steve to open the door a little farther and slip outside. Soda was sitting on the back step leaning up against the back door, a lit cigarette in one hand, his cane held loosely in the other. "What are you doing out here?"

"It seemed quieter back here," Soda said. Steve didn't quite understand since the entire neighborhood was quiet on a week day with adults at work and kids at school, but he brushed it off. "What are you doing here? Though you were workin'."

Steve shrugged as he sat down on the step next to him. "I'm on break, thought I'd pop over." He pulled out his own pack of cigarettes and lit up as well.

"Darry tell you to check up on me?" Soda said lightly, not looking at him.

"Naw, man," Steve said as casually as he could. "You've been gone for over a year Soda, I can't just want to hang with you?"

"And as a bonus you can see that I haven't burned down the house," Soda said glancing at him with a light smile before taking a drag.

Steve grinned back, glad that Soda was in a joking mood. "Well, that is always a plus," he remarked.

"I'm going crazy being in this house already," Soda said, leaning his head back against the door. "Think I could go back to work tomorrow?"

"You sure you're up for that?" Steve asked, surprised. "You just got back yesterday, man."

"Yeah, and I'm already bored out of my mind," Soda said. "It'd be nice to not be left to my thoughts all day. I need something to do."

"I'll check with the boss," Steve said. "But I'm sure even if you can't work yet you could at least come down and hang out with us tomorrow."

"Yeah, that'll save you from having to come out here on breaks to babysit me," Soda said with a dark laugh.

Steve sighed, seeing that there was no hiding it from him. "You know Darry, he worries," he said.

"What about you?" Soda asked.

"What do you mean?" Steve asked, not comprehending.

"Are you worried?"

Steve was silent, not liking the question. Soda knew him too well. What he wanted to tell his friend was that he was more than just worried. He was scared. Really scared. Not just for Soda… but he was scared for himself. He looked at Soda and he wondered if it would happen to him too. Would he be drafted too? He felt selfish thinking these thoughts. He should be focusing on Soda, not himself.

"I'm just glad you're back," Steve said finally.

Soda nodded, finishing his cigarette and tossing it on the ground and stepping on it. Then he pulled out a pack and shook another stick out. Steve was vaguely surprised, watching Soda light up again. Soda hardly ever smoked before he left.

"You mind grabbing another pack from the gas station?" Soda asked, waving the pack of cigarettes. "I stole these from Pony's room, I feel kinda bad."

"No problem," Steve said. He tossed his cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it out. "How 'bout some lunch?"

"I don't need you to make lunch for me," Soda said with exasperation.

"Naw, man, I was thinking you would make me lunch," Steve laughed. Soda finally grinned.