This is very long, you have been warned.
Also there are some lines straight from the book and I do not own any of it. Sadly.
Baby jolted awake to the front door slamming closed, opening her eyes she saw that it was well past midnight. Looking to the door she saw it was Ponyboy finally coming home, Baby told Darry that Pony was in the lot with Johnny and both Soda and she volunteered to go get him when he was 5 minuets late for curfew but Darry wanted to see if Pony would get home on almost on time by himself. But obviously he didnt and Darry was pissed off. Darry looked up at Pony from his chair, putting down the newspaper he was reading. He was on his feet in a second. Ponyboy stood there, chewing on his fingernail. "Where the heck have you been? Do you know what time it is?" Baby never saw Darry madder than that in a long time. Ponyboy shook his head. "Well its two in the morning, kiddo. Baby said you were in the lot, how did you lose track of time?" Pony stammered,"I.... I went to sleep in the lot....." "You what?" Darry shouted, and Sodapop sat up and rubbed his eyes. "Hey Ponyboy," he said sleepily, "where ya been?" Baby could tell this wasnt going to end good. "I didnt mean to." Pony pleaded with Darry. "I was talking to Johnny and we both dropped off..." Darry shook his head, "what is the matter with you? Cant you use your head? You havent even got a coat on." Baby saw Pony get angry. "I said I didnt mean to..." Darry didnt like that answer, "I didnt mean to!" Darry shouted. "I didnt think! I forgot! That's all I hear out of you! Cant you think of anything?" "Darry..." Soda and I started, but Darry turned on us. "You two keep your trap shut! Im sick and tried of hearin' you's stick up for him." Baby was shocked, Darry had never yelled at Sodapop or her like that before. Baby watched as Ponyboy exploded. "You dont yell at them!" He shouted. Darry wheeled around and slapped Pony so hard that it knocked him against the door. Suddenly it was deathly quiet. They all frozen. Nobody in our family ever hit anyone. Soda was wide-eyed and Bay bet she looked the same. Darry looked at the palm of his hand where it had turned red then looked back at Ponyboy. Baby could see his eyes were huge with regret. "Ponyboy..." Ponyboy turned and ran out the door and down the faster than Baby ever saw him run. Darry screamed, "Pony, I didnt mean to!" but Pony was long gone by then.
The whole gang looked all over for Ponyboy and Johnny. But no one could find them. Baby was worried about her brother and boyfriend, she felt as if this might of been her fault. She let Ponyboy go to the lot, she should of went with him to make sure he got home on time. But she hadnt and now for all she knew Pony and Johnny could be all the way to Timbuktu by now. The day the police found Bob's body the police had brought Dallas in for questioning. If it was anyone who knew anything about the killing and where Ponyboy and Johnny were it would be Dallas. The police knew that, Baby knew that, the rest of the gang knew that. But Dallas denied any part in being involved in the killing but said that he heard that Pony and Johnny had taken off to Texas. Babygirl didnt believe that for a second, Dally wouldnt turn in Johnny for anything. But Two-Bit believed it and had tried to convince them all to go search for them down in Texas. Two days after the discovery of Bob's body Baby walked in on Soda writing a letter to Ponyboy. "I know that Dally knows where Johnny and Pone are, he just wont say. I saw Pony's sweatshirt in Dally's room yesterday at Bucks. So Im going to give this to Dallas to give to Pony." Baby nodded, so she was right Dallas did know where they were. Once Soda was finished and had sealed the letter Baby asked if she could take it to Dally. Sodapop hesitated, "I dont know Baby, he might be at Buck's and you know Darry hates us being there." "Please Soda, I want to ask Dally where they are. I dont know maybe he'll tell me or give me a hint. I could use the 'Johnny's my boyfriend' point." Sodapop sighed, "alright. But don't stay any longer than needed ok?" Baby nodded. "Promise?" Baby held out he pinky to Soda, "pinky promise." Baby hated being at Buck's alone but if it meant finding Pony and Johnny then she'd stay there forever.
She knocked on Dallas's door and waited. "Damn it Sodapop, I told you I dont know where your brother is!" She heard Dally from behind the door, "its me." She said softly. The door opened and Dallas stood in front of her, "What'd ya want? Here to bug the hell out of me too?" "No! Yes. Eh, sort of.....Can I come in please?" Dallas stared at her for a moment and opened the door wider for her to come in. Baby looked around, this was the first time she had been in Dallas's room and she couldnt help but feel nosey. "Well? What ya want?" Dallas asked impatiently. Baby held out the letter to Dallas. He took it, "What's this? Wrote me a love letter sweetie?" Baby gave him a bored look, "no. Sodapop wrote a letter to Pony. He wants you to give it to him." "How am I suppose to get this to Ponyboy? I dont know where he is." Baby wanted to get this over with, "I know you know where they are Dallas. You told the police that Johnny was in Texas, you and I both know that you would never ever tell anyone where he really was." Dallas didnt say anything, he didnt want to admit Baby was right. "So when are you going to visit them? I wanna go" "NO!" Dallas answered immediately. "Your not coming." "Oh come on Dallas, you're not the only one who cares about Johnny you know? I love him too. He's my boyfriend." "Baby no-" Baby interrupted Dallas, usually if someone talked when Dallas talked you'd get your teeth knocked in but this was Baby. And whether Dallas wanted to admit it or not but he had a soft spot for her just like Johnny and plus he would never hurt Johnny's girlfriend. "Please Dallas. You can even blindfold me on the way. Please. I want to see Johnny and Pony." She whispered. Dallas sighed angrily, "alright. Fine you can come, so so help me you say anything to anyone. Sodapop. You are not going." Dally threatened. "I wont. I promise." "Be here at 5am tomorrow morning. And dont wake your brothers on your way out."
Baby was up and out the door by 4:30 the next morning. She wanted to get to Buck's early, she didnt trust Dallas not to leave without her. The drive to Windrixville was a almost 4 hour drive and it sucked being in the car for that long with Dally. Sure a lot of times he drove her to and/or from work but that was only like 10 minuets not hours that seemed like it would never end. Baby wasnt picky with who she drove with, Soda was a fast even careless driver at times and Baby didnt mind, she knew Soda would never put her in danger. But Dallas was 10times worse. He almost didnt care if they got into a crash, but Baby didnt dare ask him to slow down. She already pushed her luck by pushing Dallas to take her with him and she was pretty sure Dallas might really leave her at the side of the road. Near a gas station of course, Johnny wouldnt like if Dallas dumped his girlfriend in the middle of no where. Finally after what felt like forever they made it to the church, her stomach churning with excitement. She had missed Pony and Johnny so much while they were gone, and she ran to keep up with Dallas. "Stay here." Dallas requested when they were close to the church. "What? Why?" "Who knows, they might not be here for some reason. Let me check." Whispered for Dallas to hurry up but he ignored her. Baby heard talking from inside the church and waited a few moments for Dallas to to tell her to come in but when he didnt she went in anyways. Dallas looked behind him, "didnt I tell you to wait outside? I could be in here talking to a serial killer for all you know." Baby ignored Dallas and looked at the bleached blond boy, "Ponyboy?" Pony smiled. Baby ran and hugged him tight, "you stupid stupid boy. Dont ever run away again." She whispered. She broke the hug and saw Johnny and he grinned at her. Baby hugged him so tight she thought she might of accidently of suffocated him but by the way he was hugging her back she knew she didnt. "I missed you." He mumbled to her. "I missed you more." "Alright. Alright, brake it up. You guys make me sick. Anyway, do y'all want somethin' to eat or not?" Johnny and Pony eagerly answered, "you'd better believe it."
Pony let Baby sit in the back with Johnny, Baby was thankful. She had missed Johnny more than she originally thought. His hand felt perfect in hers. They stopped at a Dairy Queen and Johnny and Pony gorged on BBQ sandwiches and banana splits. "Glory," Dallas said, amazed, watching them gulp the food down. "You dont need to make like every mouthful's your last. I got plenty of money. Take it easy, I dont want you gettin' sick on me. And I thought I was hungry." Baby couldnt help but agree with Dallas. She herelf could eat sloppily but not like this. "I didnt tell y'all something. The Socs and us are having all-out-warfare all over the city. Thay kid you killed had plenty of friends and all over town its Socs against grease. We cant walk alone at all. I started carryin' a heater...." "Dally!" Ponyboy yelled. "You kill people with heaters!" Dallas gave him a look, "Ya kill'em with switchblades, too, dont ya, kid?" Johnny gulped and Baby squezed his hand. "Dont worry it aint loaded. Hey, I didnt tell you we got us a spy." Baby looked up at Dallas, this was new news to her too. Darry and Soda had been keep stuff from her and she supposed this was one of them. "A spy?" Johnny asked. "Who?" Baby asked after him. "That good-lookin' broad I tried to pick up that night you killed the Soc. The redhead, Cherry whats-her-name." Baby didnt like that, she didnt trust her. "The soc, Cherry?" Pony asked. "Yeah. She said she felt that the whole was her fault, which it is, and that she'd keep up with what was comin' off with the Socs in the rumble and would testify that the Socs were drunk and lookin for a fight and that you fought back in self-defense." "Bullshit!" Baby couldnt help but yell. The 3 looked at her and Dally asked, "what you think Im lyin'?" Baby shook her head,"no but. I don't know. I dont like that Cherry, are you sure she's on our side? The dead guy was her boyfriend, are you sure she would testify for Johnny?" Sure she didnt like Cherry but if she testified for Johnny she'd let her go. "Yeah Im sure. I was there myself." Baby clenched her jaw, "Ok." Dallas went on asking Ponyboy what they didnt around here in the country side, because it looked boring as hell to him. "You dont want Cherry to testify for me?" Johnny asked her quietly. "No! Johnny I didnt mean that, honest. I would be so greatful if she did but I just dont trust her thats all. What if she says something that hurts you?" Johnny smiled, "I dont think she would. I dont exactly like her but I dont dislike her. Dont mind her." Baby gave Johnny a small kiss and agreed she wouldnt mind her.
Baby listened to Dally and Pony talk about his hair. Johnny finished his 5th BBQ sandwich and announced: "We're goin' back and turn ourselves in." Baby frowned and Dally swore. Then turned to Johnny and demanded: "What?" "I said we're goin' back and turn ourselves in," Johnny repeated in a quiet voice. Baby was surprised but not shocked, she had a feeling Johnny might want to do that. She held tight on Johnny's hand. "I got a good chance of bein' let off easy," Johnny said desperately, and Baby didnt know if it was Dally he was trying to convince or himself. "I aint go no record with the fuzz and it was self-defense. Ponyboy and Cherry can testify to that. And I dont aim to stay in that chruch all my life." Baby was proud of Johnny, yes she was scared to death he would get charged with murder but that was some speech. "We wont that you helped us, Dally or that we saw you at any point Baby. And we can say we hitchhiked back. Okay?" Baby nodded in resurance to Johnny. Dallas wasnt sure, "You sure you want to go back? Us greasers get it worse than anyone else." Johnny nodded. "Im sure. It aint fair for Ponybot to have to stay up in that church with Darry, Soda and Baby worryin' about him all the time. I dont guess....."-Johnny swallowed and tried not to look eager-"I dont guess my parents are worried about me or anything?" Baby couldnt look Johnny in the eye. "The boys are worried. Hell you should of seen Baby lookin lost without ya Johnny. Two-Bit was going to Texas to hunt for you." Johnny smiled at Baby, he hated seein' her worry but he couldnt help but be happy she was worried about him. "My parents did they ask about me?" Johnny repeated. "No," Dallas snapped, "they didnt. Blast it, Johnny what do they matter? Shoot, my old man dont give a hang whether Im in jail or dead in a car wreck or drunk in the gutter. That dont bother me none." Baby wanted to yell at Dallas for not understanding. Yes it may not bother Dallas that his dad doesnt care for him but it matters to Johnny. His parents dont pay attention to him and never would but Baby knew he was still hoping that by some miracle they suddenly loved him. Johnny stared at the dashboard with such hurt bewilderment that Baby could of bawled. "Dallas." She hissed. Dallas swore and nearly tore out the transmission of the T-bird as we roared out of the Dairy Queen. "Blast it, Johnny," Dally growled as we flew long the red road, "why didnt you think of turning yourself in a few days ago? It would have saved a lot of trouble." Cause he was scared, Baby thought to herself. "I was scared. I still am." Johnny rubbed the inside of Baby's hand with his finger, it made Baby stomach fill with excitement. She loved when he did that. "I guess we ruined our hair for nothing, Ponyboy." Ponyboy nodded, "I guess so."
"Johnny," Dally pleaed in a high voice, using a tone Baby had never heard from him before, "Johnny, I aint mad at you. I just dont want you to get hurt. You dont know what a few months in jail can do to you. Oh, blast it, Johnny you get hardened in jail. I dont want that to happen to you. Like it happened to me....." Baby felt he eyes getting round. Dally never talked like that. He never talked about his past or being in jail that way- if he talked about it at all, it was to brag. And Baby suddenly thought of Dally.... in jail at the age of ten... Dally growing up in the streets... "Would you rather have me living in hide outs for the rest of my life, always on the run?" Johnny asked seriously. Baby knew that if Dally said yes, JOhnny would have gone back to the church without hesitation. But Johnny never heard Dally's answer, for they had reached the top of Jay Mountain an Dally suddenly slammed on the brakes and stared. "Oh, glory!" Pony whispered. The church was on fire. "Lets go see what the deal is," Pony said, hopping out. "What for? Get back in the car before I beat your head in." Dally sound irritated. But Ponyboy was already out of the car, Johnny following. "Stay here." He said to Baby, but she got out anyways. She didnt like not listening to Johnny but Pony was her brother, she wasnt letting him go anywhere without her. Pony tapped the nearest grownup. "Whats going on?" "Well we dont know for sure. We were having a school picnic up here and the first thing we knew, the place is burning up. Thank goodness this a wet season and the old thing is worthless anyway." Then the man shouted to the kids, "Stand back children. The firemen will be arriving soon." "I bet we started it." Pony said to Johnny. About that time a lady came running up. "Jerry, some of the kids are missing." "They're probably around here somewhere. You cant tell with all this excitement where they might be." "No. They've been missing for at least a 1/2 hr. I thought they were climbing the hill...." They all froze. Faintly, you could hear someone yelling. And it sounded like it was coming from inside the church. Baby went white. Before she knew what she was doing she said, "Ill get them, dont worry." And started at a dead run for the church, and the man caught her arm. "Ill get them. You little lady stay out!" Baby jerked loose and ran on. Pony and Johnny behind her. Baby wasnt about to go through the flaming door, and looked at Ponyboy. They had a split second conversion. Pony picked up a big rock and slammed it through a window and pulled himself in. "Stay here!" He yelled to her. But Baby ignored him, lifting her leg to go in when Johnny caught her arm. "What are you crazy? You arent going in there-" "The kids Johnny!" "I could care less about the kids, I care about you going in a burning down church. Ill go in. Stay here." "Johnny!" Pony called from inside the church. "Im going Johnny whether you let me or not. Ponyboys in there, hes my brother." Johnny could see there was no arguing with her,"okay, but stay right next to me. Please." He pleaded. Baby promised she would. The smoke filled Baby's eyes and they started watering. Oddly enough neither Johnny, Ponyboy or Baby were scared. They pushed open the door, Johnny holding Baby' hand the whole time, to the back room and found 4 or 5 little kids in a corner. Baby blinked Johnny wasnt behaving his usual self. He was telling the kids to stop crying and help get them out. Baby couldnt help but grin at him, this was Johnny. Not the scared puppy dog Johnny. Handing the kids out a window Baby noticed that Dally was there and when he saw her he screamed, "For Pete's sake, get outta there! That roof's gonna cave in any minute. Forget those kids!" But Baby didnt pay him any attention. Pony dropped the last kid out the window when the church started to crumble. Johnny shoved Pony out the window and tried to shove Baby out too, "Johnny come on. Together." Baby wasnt about to leave before Johnny. Baby heard timber crashing and Johnny pushed her out the way and the timber fell on his back. "Johnny!" She yelled, then proceeded to pass out from the smoke.
Holy cow. That took me over 2 hrs to write. I was going to do it all in one but my hand is so cramped its not funny and its 1230 am. One more chapter and then this story is done. I hope this VERYYY long chapter keeps you satisfied for a bit before I get the next one out. Yes I know the dates of how long they were gone for aren't right but oh well. Go take a look at my other Outsider stories please. Back from the Dead, Caught in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, and Praying isn't enough. And I have one original one shot, so please take a look at that. Please and thanks!! Reviewwwww!!