A/N: Hello! Yes, I am still alive. And so is this story. I could go on a long spiel about why this chapter has taken so long, but you guys probably don't want to hear it. I honestly feel terrible that I made you guys wait so fricken long. Sorry, Bookies... Anyways, so here is the next chapter finally. Enjoy!

Paige's POV

"DARRY CURTIS!"

Darry turns to me, wide eyed. I can't tell if it's from fury or shock. "I..."

"What is wrong with you Darry?!"

"I..."

"Why would you do that?!" I demand.

"I don't know okay! I don't know... it just happened..." Darry raises his voice, and then lowers it to a whisper, staring at his hand.

"Darry you can't just slap your brother!" I yell furiously.

"I know... I'm sorry..." Darry says, looking ashamed.

"It's not me that you need to say sorry to," my voice lowers, but doesn't lose it's edge. "It's Ponyboy."

Darry just stares at me and I glare back. Then I tear my glare away from Darry's stoney eyes and let them rest on his other brother and sister who are in a heap on the floor.

Elena lay sobbing in Sodapop's arms, and the two of them are crumpled together on the floor. I'm not quite sure what happened with Elena, she was already upset when she came in, but when everything was over and Darry confronted her, she just lost it. I suspect that it had something to do with Johnny.

I glance back up at Darry to see him staring sadly at Elena and Soda. His eyes flit back up to meet my green ones and I shake my head. My boots clunk of the floor as I make my way over to Elena and Soda.

Crouching down beside them I sigh. My hand lands on the top of Soda's head, in the dark brown greased back hair that now falls in front of his face. He glances up to me with tears rolling down his face. Shock, pain, sadness, confusion. They are all etched into his features at the same time.

His blue eyes suddenly look dull and his voice sounds pained and he whispers, "What are we going to do, Paige...?"

"I don't know, Sodapop. But I'm going to go and find Ponyboy and Johnny, okay?" I say softly and slowly.

He sniffs. "Okay."

I offer him a small smile.

My focus shifts to Elena.

"Elena?" I whisper, stroking her black hair lightly with my hand.

She opens one eye, allowing more tears to flow down her face. I purse my lips for a second before I speak. "It will be okay, Elena. Now, I know that something else happened with you tonight right?"

She nods meekly against Soda's chest and he leans down and kisses her forehead. A smile twists the corners of my lips at this small gesture of love between the two siblings.

"Honey, I promise that I will help you figure it out as soon as I get back." I soothe.

That must get her attention because she looks at me shocked. "Where are you going, Paige?"

This time I do smile. "I'm going to find your brother and Johnny, and bring them back here. Then we can sort this all out, okay?"

At the mention of Johnny, Elena bites down hard on her lower lip. So whatever is going on does have to do with Johnny...

She nods at me. "Okay," her weak voice says.

I run my hand over her silky hair one last time. "It will all be okay, El. I promise."

She smiles weakly and nods.

"I'll go with you, if you want."

At the sound of Sodapop's voice, my head turns in his direction. "That's sweet Soda, really, but you should stay here and take care of Elena."

He glances down at Elena, who looks exhausted, and sighs. "Alright."

"I'll be back soon."

The two of them nod and I nod back with a smile still playing on my lips.

I go to stand up, but am interrupted by a mumble from Soda.

"Thank you..." he says. "Thank you for going to look for my brother and Johnny."

"It's no problem at all," I say. Although, that could be a total lie for all I know. I have no idea what sort of trouble they could be getting into. Although, I doubt it's anything serious. I mean, it's not like they're gunna kill a guy or somethin' like that, right?

I chuckle silently at myself, then smile at Soda once more. He smiles back.

I stand up, dusting myself off. My boots clunk on the floor once again as I make my way to the door. I can feel Darry's eyes burning into my back. I turn to look at him. They don't look mad, just upset.

The smile slips off of my face and I shake my head at him. "I can't believe you, Darry."

"Paige..."

I shake my head, turning on my heal.

"Where are you going?" Darry's voice sounds desperate, something I never thought I'd hear from him.

I answer him without looking back, my hand resting on the door. "To find Ponyboy and Johnny. We need to sort all of this out."

I hear a heavy sigh escape his lips.

My eyes glinting, I storm out of the house and down to the road, the door slamming behind me. When I reach the road, I stop, pondering where I should look first. I remember how many times I've heard Elena mention the lot, and decide that that would be a good place to start.

I walk down the road, tugging at the thin jacket I'm wearing, willing it to give me warmth in the brisk wind. It's freezing out here. And from what I can remember, I don't think that Ponyboy had a jacket. Only Johnny did. The poor kid must be freezing out here.

I reach the lot and find the embers of a dying fire, but an otherwise vacant lot. They were definitely here before though.

Where else would they maybe have gone?

The park maybe? That's a possibility. After a minute more of thinking I decide to head there.

Jogging in the dark, I try to avoid tripping in the shadows where I try to avoid the prying eyes of lingering Soc's if they happen to still be out. I really hope not.

I reach the park, and it looks like something out of a crime scene from a movie. Although, maybe it is. The fountain water is a blood red and the ground is stained with blood. I pace a few more steps and freeze. A body. Dead.

Shit, shit, shit! Maybe they really did kill a guy!

Oh no, oh no, oh no, no! This can't be happening! It just can't!

My brain reels as I rack it for any clue as to where the two boys could possibly be.

Think Paige, think, dammit!

My head hurts from the amount of thoughts running through my mind yet an enormous lack of answers. Then suddenly I'm sprinting because I know where to go. I know where they are. They have to be.

Dally.

A/N: So how was it guys? Did you like it? Am I rusty for not writing for so long? I hope not. Anyways let me know what you thought of this chapter with a vote or a comment. Or both... ;) Anyways, thank you guys so much for sticking with this story! Hopefully now that I got this chapter done that stumped me for so long I can actually get back into the swing of things and update more regularly. I don't know for sure, but I definitely hope that I do! Anyways, as always, thanks for reading guys. Next update hopefully will be soon. Until next time, Bookies! -Ella :)