Cherry kept a close eye on the twins as she readied herself for dinner at the Curtis house. She had owned a nice blouse and skirt and that still didn't seem to be enough. She'd dressed the girls in nice outfits as well. Hopefully, they could start moving into their new house tomorrow. She looked in the hotel mirror again. Why did this feel like a job interview? She wondered what Pony would think. But they were so far past that. They were already parents to twin children. When they barely knew each other.

"Andrea? Isabel? You ready to go have supper with Daddy?"

"Yeah." They said happily.

She wondered if they really knew what she was talking about. Did they understand Pony was someone important? That the gang might be important one day? They probably didn't even know what a dad was. They hadn't had one before. It had taken them forever to say "mama". But boy was she happy when they did. She grabbed their small hands in hers and led them out to the car. She buckled them both in and hopped into the driver seat. Taking the opportunity to look at herself one more time in the mirror she was pleased. Preparations were happening at the Curtis house as well.

"Pony ain't ya excited?"

Pony looked at Soda questionably.

"Well after having some time to think I've decided I kinda like the idea of being an uncle. I always did like kids. Hadn't got to interact with one since you was a little runt."

"I ain't that much younger en you. To tell ya the truth I'm more nervous than anything."

"To see the kids or Cherry?"

"All of em. I ain't seen Cherry in two years. An I don't even know the kids. My daughters and that don't even make sense in my mouth."

"Ah, you'll get used to it. "

"I don't know if the gang al gets used to it or not."

"They will and anyway you getting used to it is the most important idea," Darry said as he prepared the meal.

"Dar whatcha making?" Soda asked.

"Spaghetti."

"Wow, ya don't make that often."

"No, but I thought it would be something for the kids to eat."

The door opened to reveal Two-bit, Steve, Johnny, and Dally all coming in."

"The blushing bride to be here yet?" Two-bit asked loudly.

"What are ya talking bout Two-bit?" Pony asked.

"Well, ya already got her pregnant. Ya don't marry her she might try to get money from ya."

"He needs to be paying her money. Or helping how he can since their kids too. It's hard for a single mother." Darry said.

"Yeah xactly. I know that pretty well." Two-bit said.

"Make sure the broad knows you ain't a Soc. Otherwise, she'll start expecting all kinds of dough." Steve said.

"Still can't believe ya kid," Dally said chuckling.

"Well, I think it's good she will be here tonight," Johnny said speaking up.

Since he nearly lost his life he'd become a little more outspoken. Just a little. They heard a knock at the door.

"Looks like she's here," Steve said.

"Really?" Pony said in annoyance.

"Well somebody oughta go get the door." Soda said.

"Anybody but Dally," Two-bit said as Dally headed for the door.

"Whatever the broad will be awful happy to see me."

"Yeah right." Pony said when he was out of site.

Cherry sure wished someone had come out to help her. She was doing her best to balance two children, a diaper bag, and knock on the door. That was only after she put an unhappy Isabel down to knock. She had jumped up and down since she was picked back up. Cherry hoped the girls would be well behaved tonight. She knew they were kids and toddlers at that. So she shouldn't expect them to understand her fears. Secretly she feared scaring Pony away. The gang's opinion might sway him as well. The door opened and she smiled thinking she'd see Pony. That smile left her face when she saw Dally.

"Well, you don't seem happy to see me. Specting Pony?"

"Actually yeah." He chuckled.

"Don't worry he's inside. I have ta say I never thought I'd see you with two kids. Must be rough. I give the kid credit. Though he might be regretting it bout now."

Cherry was angry enough she could really tell him off. But she was a quick thinker and tried to be as cool as she possibly could. After a second she smiled.

"Here how about you be a gentleman, and help me with the kids?"

She pretended to start to hand Andrea to him. He stepped back in shock and possible disgust.

"No thanks. I don't do kids."

That look and response were enough for her. She hadn't really been planning on handing either of the girls over to him. She hadn't forgotten who he was. So she wouldn't place her kids in danger by doing that. Granted she figured being Pony's kids he wouldn't touch them. He had helped save the kids from the church anyway.

"Well then take my bag."

Dally smirked again but took it. Cherry sat both girls down and took them by the hand to go inside.

"That's a real nice look, Dal," Two-bit said as Dally came walking in with the bag.

"Thought I'd help the lady out." He said playing it cool.

Pony barely heard the exchange. His eyes were on Cherry and the girls. He realized they hadn't been properly introduced yesterday. He felt compelled to walk over and meet them.

"Hey." He said as he awkwardly got down on his knees in front of them.

"Umm which one's which?" He asked Cherry quietly.

"That's gonna be tough. They look justa like. I wouldn't be able to tell em part if they were different genders. Never mind being identical." Two-bit whispered to Steven who nodded.

"Might help if they wouldn't' dressed justa like." He said.

"This is Andrea." Cherry said gesturing to the little girl on her right "And this is Isabel."

"Hey, Andrea Hey Isabel." He greeted them.

The little girls shyly got behind their mom.

"It's okay this is your daddy," Cherry said comfortingly.

"Daddy," Pony thought in his head. He just found himself not really knowing what to do.

"Dinner is ready. I hope you and the girls like Spaghetti." Darry said coming into the room.

"Spaghetti?" Cherry repeated.

"Yeah, I hope that's alright."

"Yeah," Cherry said uneasily.

Sure it was fine, she and the girls liked it. The problem was it was extremely messy. She had dressed the girls in their best outfits.

"Okay let's eat everyone."

They headed into the kitchen and Darry frowned.

"I don't have any high chairs for the girls. Shoulda thought about that." Darry frowned.

"It's okay. They can sit in my lap."

Yeah, this would be difficult.

"Pony ya can sit with Cherry and the girls," Darry said.

Pony had actually been thinking of sitting next to Johnny so he was glad Darry had said that. He sat next to her as she balanced both girls on her lap. He realized that must be really hard for her to do.

"Hey Cherry I can hold one of them if ya won't."

"Really?"

"If it makes it easier for ya."

"Thanks." She said handing him, Andrea.

"Hey there Isabel." He said to her.

Cherry chuckled.

"What?"

"That one's Andrea."

Pony felt his cheeks turn red.

"I don't know how ya tell em apart."

"It isn't always easy but I'm their mom so I learn pretty quick."

I'm their dad so I should know. Pony thought.

Darry served her and the girls their plates first.

"Thank you, Darry it looks nice."

She was a little nervous as she'd only met him once and that wasn't really meeting him when it was about the rumble.

"Thanks. I can tell ya you're more thankful than any of these guys."

"Whatever we ppreciate it," Steve said sitting down with his own plate.

Pony frowned as Andrea started putting her hands in the spaghetti.

"Here Andrea use your fork." Pony said handing it to her.

"No." She whined pushing the fork away from her.

He looked to Cherry for help. Isabel was using her fork to take a bite.

"Sorry, Andrea likes to use her hands more than Isabel. You wanna switch?"

Pony did want to switch. But he wanted to prove he could do it. Whether that was to himself, to Cherry, or to the gang he didn't know. Maybe even to the girls.

"You sure?" She asked.

"Yeah, I got it."

Andrea put her messy hands on Pony shirt and he frowned. He carefully tried to reposition her back to her food. He tried again to get her to use her fork but she pushed it away. Dally, Steve, and Two-bit looked amused. Darry and Soda frowned as Johnny looked at him in sympathy. He didn't know much about kids either. Pony frowned as he saw noodles land of Andrea's dress.

"Sorry I didn't mean to get her messy."

"It's alright. Isabel is a little messy too."

Though she wasn't as messy as Andrea.

"Maybe I shouldn't have picked spaghetti," Darry said.

"No, it fine," Cherry assured him.

"Say where'd those kids get that black hair and blue eyes from?" Dally asked.

"I have no idea. But I can assure you the girls are Pony's so let's not even open that discussion." Cherry said briskly.

"Sorry," Dally said happily as he was still getting to her.

"They look like Pony in the face." Soda said.

Pony hadn't noticed this but he was happy to hear that.

"So ya found somewhere to live yet?" Soda asked.

"I have, should be moving in tomorrow."

"Need help moving things?"

"You're offering to help?"

"Course yer family now cause those girls are."

Cherry smiled as she was deeply touched.

"Thanks, I appreciate it. But I don't have much to move."

"We can still help." Pony offered. "Besides ya gotta keep an eye on the kid's right?"

"Okay but like I said I don't get a lot."

"Not a problem," Two-bit said. "Me, Pony, Johnnycake, and Dal can help whenever ya need us."

"Who said I'm helping?" Steve said

"Yeah same here," Dally said

Cherry felt a little uncomfortable but she knew she should have expected this.

"Well Dar, Soda, and Steve are working. So it's only us. Besides, we gotta be gentlemen and help the lady. Ya heard Soda. We're family."

"Yeah yeah, I'l think about it," Dally said.

"Dally don't smoke there are kids." Pony said suddenly.

A shocked Dally took the cancer stick from his mouth.

"You gonna stop smoking too kid?"

"Least around the kids."

"You turning into a daddy." Two-bit chuckled.

"It suits you." Cherry smiled.

"It does." Dally chuckled again.

"Anyway Cherry do you think we could maybe talk alone?" Pony asked.

"Sure kid, that's what got ya in this mess, to begin with," Two-bit mumbled. Only he couldn't mumble so it was rather loud.

"Knock it off," Steve said though he chuckled as well.

"You guys go talk. I wanna meet my nieces." He said reaching for Andrea.

She went to him willingly making Pony feel a little sad they hadn't reacted to see him the same way. Though he supposed they had time to get used to everyone a little bit.

"Can I hold her?" Darry asked Cherry as he gestured toward Isobel.

"Of course." She said smiling as she handed her over.

Again she went to him without a fuss. Pony and Cherry stepped outside to talk. He settled on his porch steps and she followed suit. She never imagined herself sitting on the step of the Curtis house but here she was.

"Cherry I want to be involved in the kids' lives. I haven't for two years."

"I know Pony. You don't know how glad I am to hear that. I never meant to not tell you. It was my parents. They sent me to this all girl's Catholic school."

"All girls Catholic school huh? Must have been tough."

"It was but it's all in the past now."

Pony knew the important thing they needed to discuss was the children. Though he really wanted to discuss what had made the children possible.

"Pony I know it's not easy. But I know my father and you knew yours. You seem to really want to be there for them. I want that too. They should have both their parents."

"I completely agree."

"I think they should know their uncles too. And the gang who are like family."

"Are they close with your parents and family?"

"Fairly. Though they don't provide much help financially. They do love them and warmed up to the idea as much as they could."

"As much money as they have they should be helping provide. Sorry." Pony said.

"It's alright. I feel that way too sometimes. Their kind of in the right. We made a mistake that resulted in this."

"So it was a mistake?"

"That's not to say I regret the girls." She said quickly misunderstanding his question.

"I love them very much. For better and worse they changed my life in ways I could have never imagined."

"Looks like their gonna change mine too."

"Pony I understand if this is hard for you and you need some time…"

"No, it's okay. I have had enough time to be a kid. I gotta grow up now that I'm a dad. "

"Sixteen is young I know."

"I know you know. You were dealing with being pregnant at sixteen."

"Yeah." She sighed.

"Did you do it mostly by yourself from the beginning?"

"Mostly. My mom is on call if I have questions about anything. They will provide medical care should the kids need it."

"Sorry, ya had to do it on your own."

"No don't be sorry. That was my choice. I'm just sorry you didn't know about this till now. You should have much sooner."

"Maybe but I think I'm more ready for this at sixteen then I would be at fourteen."

"Ponyboy you've grown up. I can tell you're more mature. You always were though."

"Thanks."

"Truth is no one is ready for this at our ages. It just happens and you deal with it best way you can."

"Ya think we can do it?"

"I think we can." She said smiling.

"Then let's head back in and make sure our kids are okay."

He loved saying "our" kids. As though it bonded them somehow. It did bond them just didn't mean they were going to be together because of it. He knew that and knew he must accept it. He had to stop thinking like a kid and start thinking like a man. Like a father. His own father had done it with three boys. Granted he was much older but that didn't make a difference. He really wished his dad was here to help him. And his mom. They would never do what Cherry's parents had done.

Maybe if he was a girl it would have been different. When they came back inside they saw Soda sitting on the floor with the kids. Two-bit was making faces at them which were causing them to laugh. Johnny, Darry, Steve, and even Dally watched the scene in amusement.

"It's getting late. We should probably head back to the motel."

"Why don't you stay here? That okay Darry?" Pony asked.

"Of course," Darry said.

"No, I couldn't. It'd be too much trouble."

"It's not a problem. You're our family. Besides its awful late to be driving with two kids at dark." Darry said.

"Plus we can play more." Soda said as he gently threw Isobel in the air.

"Alright, then we will."

Thank you for reading and special thank you to Caity78998, Sirena D, and ChillPillBerry for your lovely reviews!