Summary: The third story in the series about Soda and his daughter, Brianna. Brianna is five now and is going to be starting kindergarten a few chapters into the story. This is also the first story in the series that will have Brianna's POV included.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders.

Soda's POV

I closed the box I had been packing and looked around the room I had shared with my younger brother, Ponyboy, since our parents died seven years ago. It had seemed empty enough with Pony away at college, but now with my things packed into boxes, it seemed even more empty. Only the things Pony had left behind remained. My stuff would be unpacked later in an apartment a few blocks away.

"The room looks empy," My older brother, Darry commented as he stepped inside the room. "The house is going to be quiet without you and Brianna here."

"Ponyboy will be home for summer break in a week," I reminded him.

Darry sighed. "Yeah, but it still won't be the same. We've lived here all of our lives."

I grinned. "Well, now you finally get the house to yourself. I'm going to check on Brianna."

Brianna had just turned five two months ago. Her dark gold hair was half way down her back and her brown eyes usually sparkled happily. She's a cute little girl with a sweet personality and I couldn't have asked for a better daughter.

"Hey sweetie," I said as I entered her room. Boxes were also piled in her room, waiting to be taken to the apartment. Only a few toys were left out for her to play with.

"Hi daddy," Brianna said softly. She had been staying in her room a lot lately. Ever since I said we were moving, she had played in her room more than out in the living room. She was also quieter than usual.

I sat down next to her on the floor. "Uncle Darry is going to start puuting our thigs in the truck soon."

"Okay," Brianna whispered.

"Tonight, we'll be in our new apartment," I told her. "You'll have a new room to sleep in and maybe there will be some kids in the building who you can play with."

Brianna hugged her teddy bear to her chest and looked at the floor.

"Sweetie, what's wrong?" I asked putting my arm around her and pulling her close to me.

Brianna's POV

Daddy was happy about moving to the apartment. He had spent a long time putting things into boxes and he had bought a couch a few other things at a thrift store. Everything was about the new apartment.

But I didn't want to move. I wanted to stay where we were. I was happy in the house with daddy and uncle Darry.

"Brianna?" Daddy asked. I could smell the soap he had used that morning and felt the softness of his shirt against my cheek. "Honey, tell me what's bothering you."

"I don't want to move," I cried. Tears ran down my face as I cried into daddy's shirt. "I like it here."

Daddy pulled me onto his lap and held me. "Brianna, you'll still come here a lot. It's not like you'll never come here again."

"All my stuff will be at the apartment," I said. "This won't be my room anymore."

"This will always be your room," Daddy told me. "Uncle Darry would love to have you stay over night sometimes."

"He would?" I asked, looking up at daddy's kind face.

Daddy smiled. "Of course he would. And I'm sure uncle Pony would like that, too. He's coming back next week for the summer."

"Next week?" I repeated.

"That's right," Daddy told me.

"How many days is that?" I asked.

"I think that's seven days," Daddy said. "He's looking forward to seing the apartment. I told him he could stay with us for part of the summer, too."

"Will uncle Darry come to the apartment?" I asked.

"I'll come every day unless you're coming here." I turned to see my uncle Darry leaning in the doorway, his hands in his pockets.

Darry's POV

I had been listening to the whole conversation between Soda and Brianna. It didn't surprise me that Brianna was upset about the move. But what she didn't know was Soda was having a lot of the same feelings she was having.

Despite the excitement of having his own place, Soda also had mixed feelings about moving. After all, this was the only home he knew. Like Brianna, this was also his first time moving away even if it was just a few blocks.

"Are you ready to start loading the truck?" Soda asked me.

"I'm ready if you are, little buddy." I replied.

Soda looked at Brianna. "Do you want to help us or do you want to play some more?"

"I want to help," Brianna answered standing up. She still didn't seem happy about moving, but she didn't seem as upset about it either.

Steve's POV

I arrived at Soda's apartment in time to help him and Darry set up the furniture. There were boxes everywhere waiting to be unpacked.

"Come see my room," Brianna said as soon as she let me in. She took my hand and led me down the short hallway to her room. It was pretty much empty except for the pile of boxes and the frame for her bed laying in the middle of the room. The blinds on her window were open and when I looked outside, I could see the small yard that the building had.

"Well, I see Brianna's already giving you the tour," Soda joked coming into the room. "Since you're here, you can help set her bed up."

"No problem," I said. I noticed that Darry was already moving the bedframe so the head of the be was against the wall. Soon, Brianna's bed was set up and made so that she could sleep in it later.

"So Steve," Soda said when we finished with Brianna's bed, "what do you think of the apartment?"

I smiled as I put my hands on Brianna's shoulders. "I think it's great, Soda. I couldn't have asked for a better neighbor."

My own apartment was kiddy corner from Soda's. WHich meant we'd be seeing a lot of each other especially since we also owned the DX station. Yes, the same gas station that we started working at as teens was now ours. And with a few changes and a new garage, the station was busier than ever. Which was why Soda was able to afford an apartment.

"It is a nice apartment, Soda," Darry commented. "And it's just the right size for you and Brianna."

Soda grinned and looked at Brianna. "I think it's time to start unpacking these boxes. Or at least some of our clothes so we can have something to wear."

Darry left shortly after that, but I stayed to help Soda unpack. "How is Brianna handling the move?"

"She finally admitted that she didn't want to leave the house," Soda replied. "I knew that moving was upsetting her but she would go in her room to play instead of telling me what was bothering her."

"She seems okay now," I commented.

Soda nodded. "I think she's still having a hard time with it. Thehouse was the only home she's known. It's the only home I've known."

"I guess this is a first for both of you," I commented as I sat down on the couch that Soda had got at the thrift store a few days earlier.

Soda'a POV

I sat down next to Steve. It was probably the first time I'd sat down since arriving at the apartment. Darry and I spent the whole day moving in boxes and getting everything set up. Brianna ended up spending a few hours with Two-Bit so Darry and I could focus on getting stuff from the house to the apartment.

"I remember when Pony first went away to college," I said. "He left with Darry in the truck and looked out the window with a look of loss on his face."

"Speaking of Ponyboy," Steve interupted, "Isn't he coming home soon?"

I nodded. "He'll be back next week. I guess that's something I've learned from him. Even though we're moving, we can always return home."

"Unless Darry ever decides to move," Steve said.

"He won't," I replied. "Darry has plans for that house."

"Like what?"

"I'm not exactly sure, but I do know that he's been wanting to fix up the attic and make the house a two story home instead of the small one story home that it is now," I told him.

"Sounds like a big project," Steve commented.

"A project that darry will enjoy working on," I added as Brianna entered the room. "Hey Brianna, are you ready for bed?"

Brianna shrugged. "I don't think I can sleep in there."

"It might seem strange at first," I told her. "But you will get used to it. Both of us will."

I stood up and took Brianna to her new room to put her to bed for the first time in our new apartment. It was going to take a few days for both of us to get used to the apartment. But I knew that moving was a good decision. After all, I couldn't live with darry my whole life, he probably wanted to get married someday and start a family of his own. So, like Pony, I was making a move out on my own. Only, I had a five year old daughter to join me in the move.