This is the chapter stuff finally starts happening, after this small segment to prove I haven't forgotten about the story.

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I ended up on the couch after I complained to Darry. It was fine, he probably wanted to keep an eye on me anyway. The room didn't seem different, except a lot cleaner. The only time Sodapop ever cleans was either when Darry was hollerin' at him, or he wanted to keep his mind off things…the house was pretty spotless.

I closed my eyes for a little while. Dar was being awful quiet, prolly didn't want to wake me up. 'Course at fiveish tires braking woke me up anyway. Soda bounded into the room with more than the usual spring.

He looked at me, then back at Darry.

"Hey Ponyboy, out and about I see!" He made a running start toward me but Darry caught him.

"No rough stuff little buddy." Soda made a hurt face but settled for sitting next to me on the only part of the couch I wasn't hogging.

"How ya feelin' kid?" He placed a hand on my head for a second and pulled it away kinda quickly settling for tossing an arm over my shoulder. Soda made to fill me in on everything for the last six months while Darry cooked dinner and kept looking over at the both of us.

Before long(the smell of food I bet) Two-Bit and Dally showed up, shortly followed by Johnny and Steve. Two-Bit made a few smart comments to welcome me back and even Dally seemed to care. I'd already talked to Johnny, and Steve didn't bother to say a thing to me. Old habits die hard.

The lot of us spent the rest of the night sprawled out in front of the t.v., until Darry kicked everyone out 'cause he had work the next day. Everything seemed like nothing had happened and I kinda appreciated it.

I woke up the next morning to Soda and Darry talking.

"Aw, come on let me stay home today Dar!"

"Soda, you know we need the money."

"But he can't be alone—"

"Johnny is staying here. Come on Soda, what would Pony say if we lost our jobs because of this! I want to stay home too but you know we can't do that."

I heard Soda sigh and start walking toward our room so I closed my eyes and acted like I was asleep. He 'woke' me up a bit later and told me what was going on.

"You sure you don't want me to stay home?" He asked half out the door.

Soda wanted to stay far more than me. "Fine, but if you need anything you know my work number."

When he finally left Johnny, Dally, and Two-bit came by. The guys acted the same as always, 'cept Johnny kept glancing over at me. There wasn't much to do around the house and about noon Two-Bit announced he was taking us all out to lunch.

"Shit, Mattews, you know Darry's gonna kill you."

Two-Bit grinned like a maniac. "Shoot, we'll have the kid home 'fore he even gets back from work. Come on Dal, you can't say nothing either—drivin' his car drunk and all." Dally flipped him the bird but grabbed me by the arm and kinda pulled me up. Between and Johnny I ended up sitting in the back of Two-Bit's car and holding onto the side while he cruised down the road. We pulled into a local Dairy Queen and came to a halt.

"What'do ya'll want? I'll go in to get the order?"

Johnny listed off some stuff and I said the same. There was some fight going a few cars down. We all looked over with semi-interest, only 'cause it was just a soc fight. They jumped each other just for fun.

One of the guys came into view and I recognized it.

Bob was dead… No…and he couldn't have been there the night we got jumped right?

I was staring off for a minute trying to figure out my thoughts before I looked off at Johnny. There was something about his expression—he was waiting for something from me. I'd realized it after a minute, Johnny remembered, he had to.

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Short, yeah, but I needed to update. The hurricane knocked out my power, then I got called into work and am having test after test screams yeah, but next chapter things start happening.

I'll admit this one was a little scratchy but I didn't have time to find an appropriate way with the time jump.