Title: Return to Youth

Author: Berserker Nightwitch

Posted: May 25, 2004

Chapter Title: Getting Settled In

Summary: Now that Johnny and Dally are back, life seems to be going well for the Greasers. Then something happens that takes ten years off of the ages of the Curtis brothers. How will Two-Bit, Dally, Steve, and Johnny take care of an eleven-year-old Darry, a six-year-old Soda, and a four-year- old Pony? Can they do it? Can they stay sane?

The special thanks for the way of making them younger will appear in the chapter after they turn younger. None of you actually emailed it to me, and I don't want anyone to know ahead of time what it will be.

Sorry this took so insanely long to write, but in the last month, a lot of stuff has been happening. For one thing, I got a computer (w/o internet access) in my room, my grandmother flew back to Florida, Mother's Day, my brother turned fifteen, and my best friend started dating this guy she's liked for a few years, but just got the nerve to ask out. The twist, you ask? I'm still just getting over a crush on him myself.... Isn't life ironic? In addition, as if the drama that is being a teenager weren't enough, add in schoolwork and trying to figure out how to have a praise band without a leader or a guitarist. TT The drummer and I are now the "leaders" of our merry little band of: drummer, pianist, bassist, and 2.5 singers. The '.5' is because she can only join us every other week. And for the schoolwork? You would think that with only three weeks left of school they would relax about assigning homework, but I've got at least three different essays to write (one of which will become my two-minute monologue for my drama final)! However, not to worry, I WILL have the next chapter out sooner. Okee, enough of the personal rant, time to let you people read.

"OW!"

"You okay, Dally?"

"Yeah, fine. I just keep forgetting there's a wall there."

"How can you forget that?"

"Hey, after living in nine different houses, it takes me a little while to get used to the layout!"

"I would think it would be the other way around. And we've been in this house for almost a month now!"

"Then why are we still unpacking?" Ponyboy's voice drifted down from the upstairs.

"Because we're all lazy and didn't do it earlier!" laughed Johnny.

All five young men in the Curtis household were finally nearing the end of their boxes. It had taken them over two weeks to actually begin unpacking. Until that time, they would only unpack what they needed when they needed it. They had also begun taking turns with cooking the meals. If Darry cooked breakfast, Dally would cook lunch (or dinner, if they had school). Soda, then Johnny cooked the next meal. After Johnny, Ponyboy cooked.

"Hey, Darry?" Soda asked, coming into his older brother's room.

"What?"

"What's for dinner?"

"Why are you asking me?"

"It's your turn to cook."

"Oh. I'll figure it out when I get to the kitchen. Why? Are you getting hungry?"

"Just a little bit."

"Okay. I shouldn't be much longer here."

They had chicken for dinner, which was reheated and served with waffles and chocolate cake the next morning for breakfast. Thankfully, Darry was a good enough cook that the chicken for breakfast was still edible. After eating, the five residents of the Curtis house went their own directions: Darry and Soda to work, and Johnny, Dally, and Pony to school.

The day passed uneventfully for all five of the young men and their friends Steve Randle and Two-Bit Matthews. Steve worked with Soda at the DX gas station, and Two-Bit attended school with Johnny, Dally, and Ponyboy. The trouble concerning the deaths – and 'resurrections' – of Dally and Johnny had finally calmed down enough that they could enjoy school. Well, as much as anyone could enjoy school.

On the way home from work, Steve and Soda were talking and picking on each other as usual when Soda noticed a new shop on the route. When he saw that it had different cooking spices and herbs, Soda had to check it out. It also had some medicines and good luck charms, so Steve figured he could at least get a good laugh in while he waited for Soda to finish buying the spices for the next meal he felt creative for.

Inside the shop was a little old woman sitting on a stool behind the counter. She didn't look up as the two boys entered, but they both got the sense that she was watching them. Soda immediately walked over to her while Steve had a look around. Soda watched her loose gray bun wobble at the top of her head as the woman looked up at him. Her eyes were a translucent blue color, as if she was blind. She looked right into his eyes before he said anything, however, so he knew that that couldn't be the case.

"Can I help you with something?" she asked in a soft, velvety voice.

"Uh... actually, I was just going to ask about your cooking spices. What kinds do you have?" Soda asked, grinning at her.

An hour passed with neither Soda nor Steve noticing. During that time, Soda told the woman all about everything that had happened since the death of the Curtis parents. When he noticed his watch, Steve jumped and grabbed Soda by the shirt.

"C'mon, Buddy, we gotta get back before Superman sends out a search party. You know how worried he gets all the time."

"Yeah, and I still have to get dinner made."

Before they could actually leave the building, the woman walked up to them and pressed a small pouch into each of their hands. She shooed them out of her shop before they could protest, and slammed the doors shut after announcing that it was "free".

"Well.... That was freaky and strange," Steve announced. "What'd she give you?"

"A bunch of spices and herbs. She was telling me in there that there was a bunch of different results if you mixed them the right way. They could do anything from making the food taste better to making people gat three feet taller in one day. What about you?"

"I don't know. It's just some little charm thingy that I was staring at earlier. You want it?"

"For what?"

"To give to Sandy."

"Nah. Why don't you keep it? You could give it to your girl."

"Yeah, when I get one!"

"Sodapop Patrick Curtis, where have you been?" Darry roared. Everyone in a five-mile radius winced in sympathy for the young man in question.

"I was coming home with Steve, and then we saw this new shop that we never even saw being built, and then we went in, and she had the herbs and spices, and I was talking to her, and I lost track of time, and Steve noticed the time, and we started to leave, but the lady gave us these little pouches, and I've already got a meal planned, and I'm sorry, and I won't do it again, and do you forgive me?" The entire sentence only took one breath for Soda, leaving the rest of the people who had overheard staring at the smiling young man in confusion. "What? Did I say something wrong?" Once he put everything through the 'Soda Filter' and figured out exactly what his younger brother had said, Darry smiled.

"Just go cook dinner, Little Buddy."

"How much should I make?"

"Just enough for three."

"Three? That's not very many. It should be at least five."

"Dally's on a date, and Johnny has an upset stomach, so for this meal it's just the three of us. Steve and Two-Bit left during your explanation."

"Oh... Okay! This just means I can try out the new spices with no complaining!"

"As long as you make it quick. I'm starving!"

"Didn't you eat lunch, Pony?"

"No. I was talking to one of my teachers about a project that's coming up. I figured Soda would be home at a decent time."

"If you stop glaring at me, I'll be able to go to the kitchen and get started on making the meal. Happy?"

"As soon as I get to eat."

"You're spoiled rotten, you know that?" Darry asked, putting his youngest brother into a headlock. Ponyboy fought valiantly to free himself, but when he realized he was no match for Darry's strength, he went limp, allowing his dead weight to weaken Darry's hold. Once Darry had loosened his grip enough, Pony broke free and ran to the other side of the room.

"I don't mean to be spoiled."

"I know. It's the result of being the youngest and quietest of three boys, right?"

"Seven boys. Mom and Dad practically raised the others, too."

"That's true, and Johnny didn't start getting quiet until the Socs got hold of him."

"Before the bonding could go any further, Soda stuck his head into the room and announced that dinner was ready. The other two Curtis brothers headed into the kitchen, following the sweet aroma of steaming food.

"Soda, this is great! What did you put in it?" Pony asked around a mouthful of the meal.

"Remember the spices and herbs I got from that nice old lady?" Soda asked. His brothers nodded with no small amount of trepidation. Soda beamed at his brothers, clueless to their discomfort. "I got them from her. She gave them to me for free, so I figured I had better try them out. That way I can go back after work and get some more if they're good, and so I can thank her. The sooner I try them, the sooner I'll be able to know how good they are, right?"

"If you say so..." Darry was beginning to feel a strange tingling in the pit of his stomach, but shook his head, telling himself that he was just being paranoid. There was nothing wrong with Soda's cooking, really. He just had a little too much fun when he got new spices to try out. Just as he was about to believe that he was feeling fine and the stomachache was all in his head, Pony held his hand over his mouth and rushed out of the dining room.

Darry turned to comfort Soda, since the middle brother took it personally when someone didn't like a new recipe, but Soda was on his way to a different bathroom. With the knowledge that it wasn't just his head playing tricks on him, Darry jumped up and ran to the kitchen, letting the sink test out its opinion on the meal.

When they had returned from their different areas of the house, they decided to throw out the meal and take care of the dishes the next morning. Darry said goodnight to both of his brothers and watched as they trudged up to their rooms. He turned out the lights downstairs, leaving the bathroom light on so that Dally could find his way into the house without waking the entire street, and turned in himself, wondering briefly before his head hit the pillow why he still felt something off about what he had just ate. He knew it had nothing to do with indigestion, but he still couldn't place it.