I do not own The Outsiders, all rights go to S. E. Hinton.

I write this for pure enjoyment, I do not obtain money from these fan-fics.

Enjoy, everyone :)

-Stay Gold.

Secrets in November

A letter addressed to his deceased Mother
A man claiming to be his biological Father.
A fragile bond tested between his Brothers.
Asking a million questions, having no answers.

J. H. M. Lancell

It all started with a letter.

A blank letter addressed from out of state, for his deceased mother. Ponyboy tossed the junk mail and bills on the table, keeping the mysterious one in his hand.

I should wait for Darry.

That was obvious. But, what if it was a friend of his late mother that didn't know of her death? What if it was nothing? Ponyboy's head was spinning and before he knew it, he found himself opening the mail.

There, sitting on the couch in his living room, his life changed.

X x X

"Any mail today, Ponyboy?" Darry asked, eating a mouthful of Sodapop's blue mashed potatoes.

How could he forget? "Erm. . . No." Ponyboy mumbled. He couldn't worry Darry with such nonsense. It was nothing, he lied to himself. It's probably a joke Steve was playing.

"Hey, Darry, can I go to a race with Steve? Please? We're not in the cars."

"Sodapop. Even if you weren't in a car, you'd find anyway to be in one." Darry sighed, "Be home at a reasonable time."

Sodapop thanked Darry and wolfed down his food.

Ponyboy picked at his, having lost his appetite a long time ago.

X x X

"Darry?" Ponyboy asks quietly.

For once it was just the two of them in the house. Darry read the paper in his chair while Ponyboy nestled close to him on the floor with a book. Darry looked down at Ponyboy from the paper. Ponyboy didn't look up, he stared straight forward at the wall, trying to find the words to even as Darry his question.

Whether it was the loss for words, or he didn't have the heart, Ponyboy didn't finish.

Darry mistook this for distress and told Ponyboy to wash up for bed.

X x X

In the bathroom, Ponyboy examined himself in the mirror.

Everyone tells him he looks like Sodapop. He could see it. Same chin, same nose and they even had the same forehead. Then again, Sodapop looked just like his mother, meaning those traits were also passed onto Ponyboy.

Ponyboy fearfully searched for any trace of his father on him.

His breath hitched when he found none.

X x X

Ponyboy couldn't fall asleep that night. Sodapop was still out with Steve, and he didn't want to bother Darry. Darry had enough on his plate already with taking care of him and Sodapop and working like a dog.

Still, this was so much for Ponyboy.

Ponyboy left his bed to return to his desk where he hid the letter under a flap in his desk drawer. He took it out, read it for the thousandth time that day and then shoved it away.

It's a joke. It has to be a joke. Some sick game Steve is playing to get back at me for beating him at cards last week. Or maybe I owe Curly Shepard but forgot, I hear he does some twisted things to get what he wants.

Oh, how Ponyboy wished this was just some pun. But no. It sounded too elaborate to be a lie.

Ponyboy closed his eyes tightly. The words floated all around his head.

X x X

Lara,

This is the hundredth letter I have sent to you. I know you have to be getting these. I don't know why you are keeping him from me. You and I both know that what you are doing is childish, immature and it needs to stop. I deserve to see the boy! I don't care who Darryl Curtis is, I don't care how big he is, I am coming to Tulsa once more. I want to see him, Lara.

I want to see my son.

-James.

Alright. Good for a first start? Tell me what you think. I'll continue if I have a minimum of 10 reviews.

-Stay Gold