What If Things Were a Little Different

By: Kimberly

Summary: What if Ponyboy was 3 and everyone else is the same age as they are in the book/movie. The events still take place, but a little differently

A/N: I read two stories that had this kind of plot, one was not finished the other was ok. So those two stories inspired me to write a story like that. Also in the story Pony is going to have a stuffed doggy. It is one of those stuffed animals that feel like they have sand (like a bean bag) or really fine beads in them instead of cotton or whatever. The toy should be the only thing that does not belong in that time period.

A little information on the story, the Curtis parents died a little over a year ago. Darry is still in charge of his brothers and he has a girlfriend named Lisa. Sodapop still has Sandy for a girlfriend, for now. The gang is still there: Dally, Johnny, Two-Bit & Steve. Also Dally has a soft spot for Pony, but he is the only kid.

Disclaimer: S.E. Hinton owns the Outsiders. All I own is this story's plot.

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Darry just got home from his roofer job and was planning on a little relaxation before dinner since he did not have to go to his other job that night. As he was sitting in his chair reading the newspaper he would occasionally look out the window to see his youngest brother, three year old Ponyboy playing with his stuffed dog and his favorite red ball in the yard. Darry was not concerned about his little brother playing out in the yard because he knew that Pony was not out there by himself, that was one of the major rules that he laid down when he first took charge/guardianship over his brothers. He knew that Johnny was out there with him as Johnny took a liking to Pony and vice versa.

Darry turned from the window to look at his other kid brother Sodapop. Soda was currently rough housing with his best friend Steve with Two-Bit and Dally making wise cracks and laughing at the two from the sofa. He just shook his head and went back to his paper.

All of a sudden everyone in the house stopped what they were doing when they heard a terrifying scream coming from outside the house. Both Darry and Soda heads shot up as they knew the owner of that scream. They then both bolted toward the door and slammed the door open, the rest of the gang followed after them. When they got to the yard where Johnny and Ponyboy were suppose to be playing they could not find them, it was Dally who spotted the two first and said, "There over there on the corner!"

Darry and Soda followed Dally's line of sight and there was Johnny and Ponyboy, but also a few Socs. The gang saw at least five socs standing in front of Johnny and Pony. Johnny had Pony by the wrist and trying to keep him behind him, but Pony was not having it. They all could see that one of the Socs had taken Pony's doggy and was holding it in his grip. Ponyboy crying and was trying desperately to get out of Johnny grip and get his favorite toy back.

(A few minutes earlier)

Johnny and Ponyboy were playing with Pony's red (playground) ball when all of a sudden Pony kicked it a little too far. Both Johnny and Pony walked after it. Just as they got to the ball a black mustang pulled up and five socs got out. One of them picked up the ball. The second Johnny saw the car and who was in it, he grabbed Pony by his arm to stop him. Just as Johnny was going to turn them around and walk back to the Curtis house the socs came up to them with the ball.

"Hey is this your ball?" one of the socs asked.

"Yes it is can we please have it back?" responded Johnny.

"Why would I want to do that? I just found a real nice ball."

"Come on now man, he is just three give him back his ball and we will be on our way." Johnny exclaimed.

"How about no." one soc said and he then whipped out his switch knife and opened it.

He then took the ball from his friend and then stuck his knife in the ball. The Soc then let the ball fall from his hand and then closed his knife. Johnny by then was trying to get Pony and himself back to the house. As Johnny was trying to walk real fast, Pony's little legs could hardly keep up. Pony accidentally tripped over a rock and fell forewords. As Johnny was helping him up Pony lost his grip on his dog. Just as Pony was going to grab his favorite toy a hand from behind them grabbed the dog. Pony screamed and began to bawl.

"Come on now man can you give Pony back his dog, we want no trouble." Johnny told the soc.

"Yeah will it is mine now." one of the socs said laughing along with his friends.

"Give me back doggy now, you's bigs meany!" cried Pony who was on the verge of crying again.

"How about no you little shit greaser!" the same soc said. "As a matter of fact I think I will keep it."

Johnny was about to say something when the first soc pulled out his switch blade again and waved it making Johnny stop and swallow what he was about to say, Johnny just tightened his grip on a crying, angry and scared Ponyboy.

(Present scene)

Just as the soc, the one with the blade and the one who popped the ball, was going to cut the dog Darry seemed to come out of nowhere and punched the soc in the head. The soc went flying back and into his other two friends. After the punch the other greasers came and began to try and beat the socs up.

After Darry struck the guy he quickly went to Ponyboy to get him out of the way of the fight and to check him over. The socs started to flee to their car. They all managed to get back into their car, but not without at least two more punches being thrown at the two next to the doors. They drove off.

As Steve, Two-Bit, Dally and Soda all began to make their way over to Johnny, Darry and Ponyboy; Dally saw Pony's dog on the ground where the soc dropped it and picked it up.

"Hey Soda! Here, I think your brother might want his friend back." Dally gave the dog to Soda.

"Thanks Dal!" A relieved Soda replied.

Dally just a gave small smile and shrugged his shoulders and then continued his walk back to the meeting place.

When they all got over to Darry, Johnny and Pony, they saw Pony crying in Darry's arms. Both Johnny and Darry where trying to comfort him, but Pony was not having it and kept saying between sobs, that he wanted his doggy back.

"Here you go Pony, Dally found your dog." Soda told Pony.

Ponyboy looked up from Darry's chest and with a watery face he gave him a smile. Pony then reached for his dog and then hugged his friend tightly to his chest.

"What do you say to Dally, Pony?" Darry prompted his little brother.

"Fhank you, Dally!"

"Your welcome kid." Dally replied.

"And thanks to you too Johnny for sticking up and protecting Ponyboy." Soda added.

"Aww it was nothing. I was not gonna let them hurt a little Pony." Johnny replied shyly.

"It was not just nothing, you did a brave thing Johnny and you have mine and Soda's thanks." Darry added.

Johnny just smiled.

Darry said thanks to the rest of the gang and then picked up a little worn out Ponyboy and took him into the house.

"Hey I wanna go see a movie tomorrow night at the drive-in any one want to join me?" Dally said out of the blue.

"Yeah I will." Johnny answered.

"Soda and I are gonna meet up with our girls, so we can't." Steve answered from him and Soda.

"And Darry can not go as he's gotta work." Soda added.

"I planned on getting drunk, but if I don't I'll meet you guys over there." Two-Bit added.

The gang then went their separate ways, either home or some other place.

Author's Note: So what do you all think so far. I have never really done anything like this before, so I like to hear from you on what you all think about the story so far. Thanks! I know some of the grammar sucks, but that is the way some of the characters talked and I am trying to keep it as close to the book as possible.