Summary: It always bothered me that Sodapop and Darry never went looking for Ponyboy when he ran away. If they did, would things have been different?

Disclaimer: The Outsiders was published in 1967, and I wasn't born until 29 years later in 1996. I am pretty sure I did not write The Outsiders, therefore, I do not own anyone in this story.

I Didn't Mean To

"Pony, you got a lighter? I found this butt, man." Johnny said to me as we climbed up onto a play scape in a vacant lot by my house.

"Yeah, here ya go Johnny." I was still a little shaken up about what happened, and I felt terrible for bringing Johnny into this, but there was nothing I could do. I didn't want to go home, not yet, and I knew Johnny wasn't going to let me stay out here by myself. We were just sitting there when I noticed an all to familiar mustang pull up into the lot.

"Uh oh, Johnny, look what's coming." I warned him, and he turned around to face the car full of socs, "This is our territory." I was a little mad that they would come here, but where else would they be. Jumping us is their hobby.

"Bet they're looking for us." Johnny said, "Wanna split?" Truth is, I did want to. I knew that I could probably make it close enough for someone to hear me by the time they got to me, but I wasn't ready to face Darry yet. I knew that I was being selfish, but I couldn't hep it.

"No, just stay cool." I told Johnny and we climbed down, preparing ourselves for a fight.

They stepped out of the car, and the leader of them, Cherry's boyfriend, walked towards us.

"Well, well, well. What have we got here?" He asked

"They're drunk." I whispered to Johnny. Now I really wished that we had run away, but it was too late now. Hopefully we'd get out alive.

"It's that guy with the rings man!" Johnny whispered back after seeing the Super Soc's hands. Damn, he was right.

"Aren't these the greasers that tried to pick up our women?" He asked the general public.

"Hey, you guys are out of your territory now y-you better watch it." Johnny yelled to them. He was trying to be brave, but I could see that he was scared out of his mind. I felt really bad for not running now.

"No pal, you better watch it." Super soc snapped back. Then continued, "You know what greasers are? White trash with long, greasy hair." And then super soc threw some of whatever he was drinking in my face. That was it.

"You know what socs are?" I retaliated, "White trash with mustangs and beer bashes." And then I spit on them, and they came after me at full force.

I felt them grab me, and I tried to do the best I could to fight them off, but there were too many of them. I was kicking and screaming, but none of it was working. I was doomed.

Next thing I know, my face was submerged in water. They were drowning me. They were going to kill me.

I tried yelling for anyone to come save me, and I tried kicking and screaming, but they had me by the shoulders now and was holding me under the water. I couldn't breath anymore. I was as good as gone, and I finally blacked out.

"Pony, breathe, common Pony!" Something hard hit my chest, and I had a feeling it wasn't a soc. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, and yet, I couldn't muster up the energy to identify it. The water that filled my burning chest wouldn't leave, although I was coughing as much of it up as I could. Even so, I couldn't find the air and the oxygen I needed to breathe.

That same something hit my chest again, and yelled, "Common, baby, breathe, you're okay, you're safe now just breathe!" Then, something clicked. Sodapop. They found me. Maybe I wasn't dying after all. I was still coughing, but I found enough strength to at least open my eyes.

"Ponyboy." Soda said, pulling me into a hug very carefully. I felt very dizzy, but I had a feeling the worst of it was over. Soda called Darry over who must've been dealing with Johnny. Oh god, Johnny. Was he okay? If he got hurt, I would never forgive myself.

"Hey, little colt. Are you okay?" He stood a safe distance away from me, I think he thought that I was afraid of him.

"Darry, I'm so sorry for running away like that, I was just scared and I didn't know what to do, and-"

"Baby, shh, it's okay. I understand, and I guess I owe you an apology too. I know I yell at you all the time for saying this, but I didn't mean to. I was scared too." He sat down next to me, and pulled me and Sodapop into a big hug. "I love you two more than you could possibly know." He whispered, and I think I even heard him crying a little.

"Hey, superman, you should get the kid home before he dies of pneumonia." Two-Bit came over and interrupted our moment. "Dally, Steve, and I are gonna bring Johnny back to your place and get him cleaned up."

"How bad is he?" I asked, quietly. I didn't think he heard me because he ran back to where the rest of the gang was.

"He's just a little shaken up little buddy, not nearly as bad as you are, though, so don't worry about him." Darry answered for me, and then stood up. "He's right though, you're soaked. WE need to get you home and warmed up before you can catch something, although I'm sure by now you're gonna get some damage."

"Common, baby. Let's get you home." Sodapop agreed and helped me get up, but Darry just took me from him and picked me up and carried me to his truck.

In the truck, I was forced in between Darry and Soda. I shouldn't say forced, because I liked the security I got from it. I was really tired though, so I rested my head on Soda's shoulder, and he started running his fingers through my hair.

"Darry?" I asked him, and he looked at me before returning to the road.

"Yeah, kid?" He asked.

"You know I love you, right?" I needed him to know that.

"Yeah, I love you too baby, now get some rest."

"And that I'm sorry?"

"Yes, Ponyboy." Darry said, and I could tell he was getting a little annoyed.

"Okay, just checking." I said, before I drifted off into a blissful sleep.