Title: Without Chapter 2

Author: SP

Disclaimer: The Outsiders is the property of SE Hinton, not me.
Rating: T, for language.

Word Count: 878

Summary: …And how do you live without the closest thing to parents you've ever known? The other boys' reactions.
Author's Notes: More of an interlude than an actual second chapter yet. In third person, a few snapshots. Some of this repeats chapter 1 directly.

The door banged open, and Steve Randle and Johnny Cade entered the Curtis house, as they did most mornings. They stopped dead when they saw Ponyboy and Sodapop on the sofa, crying, and neither of the Curtis parents in sight.

"Oh glory, what happened?" Johnny asked.

"Mom and Dad," Ponyboy whispered. "They…"

Johnny knew instantly what must have happened. "I'm sorry."

Steve looked concernedly at Soda, his best friend. He sat on his other side and put a hand on his shoulder. "Hey," he said awkwardly. Ponyboy stood and crossed the room to stand at Johnny's side.

"Are you okay?" Steve asked Soda quietly.

Soda turned and looked at him incredulously. "No."

Steve winced. "I meant…will you be?"

Soda sighed. "Yeah, more than likely."

"Listen…don't try to be strong for Ponyboy. Let yourself go sometimes."

Soda laughed, a strange laugh that didn't sound like him at all. "That's not even a problem. Tell that to Darry."

Steve didn't know what to say in response.

"Steve, you wanna toss me a cigarette?" Soda asked.

"Sure," Steve said, and handed him one.

"Thanks."

Meanwhile, Johnny hugged Ponyboy, and then stepped back. "I should probably go…" he said, thinking that he ought to leave the Curtis brothers alone. They'd need each other.

Pony shook his head. "No…not yet. Please."

"Okay." Johnny gave him a look similar to the one Steve had given Sodapop.

"You got a cigarette Johnny?" Pony asked him.

He reached into his pocket, surprised that Pony has asked. "Sure man. I didn't think you smoked much."

"I don't," he replied, taking the proffered cigarette and match. He lit up and then inhaled the smoke slowly.

"Look, we should get going," Steve said awkwardly.

"Yeah," Johnny replied, and they both headed for the door. "Let us know if you need anything."

Soda nodded. "Hey Steve," he called, as Steve was about to shut the door behind him.

"Yeah?"

"You wanna toss me a few more cigarettes?"

Steve tossed the whole mostly full pack at him, along with his matches. "Sure," he said again.

"Thanks."

Steve let the door slam behind him. He and Johnny walked down to the sidewalk in silence. Finally, Johnny broke the silence.

"Wow. I can't hardly believe it."

"Me neither," Steve replied. "Man, they don't deserve this. They were a perfect family, and that's something that's real scarce around here."

"The Curtises were everyone's parents, kinda. We'll all miss them," Johnny said thoughtfully.

"Ain't that the truth?"

---

Johnny and Steve met Two-Bit in the front of the school building. Two-Bit was normally at the Curtis house in the morning too, and so he explained, "I had to walk my kid sister to school this morning. Mom's got the flu or something." He paused, and then said, "Hey, speaking of having the flu, where are Sodapop and Ponyboy at?"

Johnny and Steve exchanged a look.

"What is it?" Two-Bit asked, becoming uncharacteristically sober.

"Their parents died," Steve finally said.

Two-Bit sucked in a breath. "Jesus."

"Yeah."

"When? How?"

"Last night I guess, I don't know how. We stopped by this morning, like usual. I talked to Soda for a couple minutes, but he didn't tell me anything specific, and I sure as hell wasn't going to ask."

"Man."

---

"You no good bitch! I don't know why I ever married you!"

"The feeling's mutual, bastard!"

More shouts, not exactly distinguishable, followed. Johnny carefully shut the door behind him. He thought about turning right around and leaving, but that wasn't really an option. He needed to change his clothes. He quietly snuck into his room and undressed. As he did, he wondered whether it would be better to have parents who were alive, but were constantly fighting with each other and you, or to have parents who weren't alive, but had been loving and caring.

Johnny winced as something, probably a chair, smashed into the wall. Definitely the second option.

He finished buttoning his jeans, then shrugged on his jacket and slipped out his door. He was almost to the front door when his father caught sight of him and reeled around and slapped him across the face. "And you! You're just like your mother! Get out!"

Johnny quickly did so. He hesitated at the sidewalk. He had nowhere to go. Finally, he headed for the lot, and sat down in a corner.

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew, someone was shaking him.

"What are you doing out here, Johnnycake?"

"My folks were fighting," he answered, then squinted up to see who was shaking him. "Dally?"

"Yeah, it's me," Dally replied. "Listen, it's freezing out here. Why don't you go to Pony's place or something?"

Johnny stood up and brushed dead grass off his pants. "I can't. Not now."

"Why not? You know his folks wouldn't mind."

"You ain't heard yet?"

Dally shook his head. "No, what?"

"They're dead."

"They're dead?"

Johnny nodded.

"Christ. What happened?"

Johnny shrugged.

"Damn. Well…look kid, you can't stay out here. It's gonna rain. Go to Two-Bit's place, okay?"

"All right."

As Johnny walked down the street, Dally turned and punched the fence that surrounded the lot. Then he took off in the opposite direction. He hoped some Soc was stupid enough to cross his path…