Sodapop leaped out of Two-Bit's car and reached the front door of his house in two jumping strides. Once inside he froze, listening to the silence and trying to find an occupant. His eyes swept the living room, dining room, kitchen entrance, hallway to bedrooms. He was about to conduct a second visual sweep when he heard the basement door shut and Julie appeared in the doorway of the kitchen carrying an overflowing basket of clean laundry to fold. They matched wide-eyed expressions, then Soda saw his baby sister's face start to crumble. They took

matching steps forward and as soon as Julie dropped the hamper on the table, Soda wrapped his arms around her.

Julie held her breath, willing the threatening sobs to dissolve before they fully formed. Soda held tight for a few moments before saying, "You have to breathe, baby." He rubbed her back. "Take a breath." The air she released was a sob, and once the first one escaped, there was no holding back the rest.

While Soda succeeded in moving his near hysterical sister onto a chair, his fear increased. She showed few signs of calming, even as he knelt on the ground in front of her and whispered as many reassuring platitudes as he could think of. He tried to leave and get her some water, but her vise-like grip on his arm prevented it.

"Come on, baby. You're scaring the shit out of me. I need a hint as to what's wrong."

Julie took a quivering breath and said, "S -s -sorry."

Soda tried a different tactic. "Does Darry know you're here?"

Julie nodded and wiped at her eyes.

"Are you sick?" After she shook her head, he said, "Oh, shit, you got suspended, didn't you?" This caused another round of wails as she neither confirmed nor denied his suspicion. "Ok," he rose, pulling away from her despite her hold. "I'm gettin water and Kleenex. You pull yourself to tell me what the hell's going on." He would not normally be that harsh, but God dammit, they warned her so many times to behave.

She settled a bit by the time he returned, but ignored the water and Kleenex, preferring to swipe at her cheeks and plunge the heels of her palms into her eyes. She took another quivering breath and muttered another apology.

"It's ok. Just tell me what's going on." He sat diagonally from her and covered her hand with his.

"I don't know where to begin," she said, but continued without waiting for a reply. "When I left detention yesterday, that prick Roberts gave me a letter to give to Darry."

"Where is it?" Soda asked.

"Desk drawer. Top left."

He rose to retrieve it and returned placing the unopened envelope on the table. "So I'm guessing this says you're suspended."

"Well, I didn't know that!"

"Why didn't you give it to Darry?"

"Are you kidding? You remember how mad he was last night? No way I was giving him that! Plus, it's not like I knew it said I was suspended."

Soda let out a soft chuckle. "Well, it wasn't gonna be a birthday card."

"Yeah." She took a sip of water.

"Ok, so go on. You got to school and they called Darry."

"Yeah. But it's not what you think. Darry got me out of it."

Soda grinned in relief. "Way to go, big brother. So why're you home?"

"This is where it gets a little weird," Julie said, and she told him everything. Mr. Harper's treatment of her and how it had progressed, Darry's reaction to it, everything.

Soda listened without interrupting, eyes widening at certain parts, and when she finished with Darry telling her to get Two-Bit to drive her home, he sat back in his chair.

"Oh, wow, Julie. I'm so sorry. None of that should have happened. Why didn't you tell us?" He reached for a tissue and dried the few tears that trailed down her cheeks during the telling.

Julie ignored the question, opting to ask one of her own. "Why did Darry do that?"

He furrowed his brows. "Why did he do what?" When she did not answer he added, "Defend you?"

Julie looked up at her brother for the first time since she sat down. "Yeah." She took another tissue and squeezed it in her hands.

"Because that's what big brother's do! What Harper was doing was wrong. Because he loves you and would never let anyone get away with mistreating you. Julie, a teacher can't act that way."

"But do you think he's mad at me? He must be, right?"

"A little year. I mean, you've been keeping a pretty big secret. You hid the letter. He's probably got a few loud things to say about that."

"Soda, I'm scared."

"I know, baby. But it's ok. Everything's out in the open now. We can all figure this out."

"I don't see how." She continued to sniff and dry her eyes, her tissue crinkled and wet.

Soda tried to think of what to say and how to help her, but this all seemed so unreal. The phone ringing offered a temporary reprieve. He gave her another Kleenex and walked to the living room to answer it.

Julie took the moments alone to try and settle herself. That ended though when Soda's hushed voice called her name. She looked over and saw him holding out the receiver. "It's Darry. He wants to talk to you." The heat rose through her body as she shook her head.

Soda covered the mouthpiece with his hand in hopes that their older brother wouldn't pick up on her refusal. "It's ok," he whispered. "He doesn't sound mad."

Seeing no alternative, she gave him a disbelieving smirk, made her way to him and took the phone. After a deep breath, she said, "Hello." She sniffled, feeling more like a five year old than a twelve year old.

"You hanging in there, baby?" he asked with weariness but no anger.

"Yeah."

"Ok. I'm leaving work now and going back to the school -"

"No!"

"Principal Roberts called and asked me to come in and talk more."

"No! Darry, you have work. You can't miss any more. And he and Mr. Harper are going to try and trick you. They're gonna lie!"

His tone became stern. "First off, you don't worry about my job! Second, they ain't gonna lie to me. I just want to make sure your story is straight -"

"Oh, so now I'm the liar?" She knew better than to make things worse with her tone, but sometimes that stayed out of her control.

Soda, who had not ventured from her side, hissed out, "Julie!"

"I ain't saying that!" Darry said. "I'm asking if there's anything you've left out. I'm not walking in there and hearing anything new."

Julie's defenses rose. This day proved too much for her. She snipped, "No. I've told you everything."

"Great," he snipped right back. "Put Soda back on the phone."

"No, wait!" Her tone changed. "I can't not be in that class, Darry. I've got all my courses planned out for the next two years."

Darry sighed, calming with her calming. "Yeah, I know, kid. And I'm real proud of you for that.. But you ain't spending another day sitting in that man's classroom." After a pause he added, "I'll do what I can. Now, put Soda on."

Julie handed the phone to her brother and slunk back to the table. Once he had talked to Darry and hung up, he joined his sister. "Alright," he said, "Darry'll be home in an hour or so. You work on folding this laundry and I'll start dinner."

"What's going to happen?"

He stood and kissed the top of her head. "We'll work it all out."