Welcome back.

~~~~~Pony

Johnny came up and sat at the edge of the bed. He sighed and satrted with the usual 'don't let steve get to you' and 'he dont mean it.' Man, I don't think Johnny wants to believe Steve hates me. I just listen to him then he grins at me and pokes my foot.

"So, you and Dal looked pretty cozy." he smiled at me. Nobody but me knew what a gossip fiend that guy was. he knew everything about everybody and made sure I knew it too. Sometimes I helped his little addcition by telling him the things I hear my classmates talk about. He could single handely ruin some one's life with the shit he knew easily. I always felt words held more power than a punch.

"Oh my god Johnny no. He was just making sure I didn't fall! Y'know my brothers would kill him if he let me hit my head." I defended.

"Sure keep tellin yourself that." He smirked.

I really feared the side of Johnny, the side that was devious and smirked. I decided that I'd introduce him to Curly's older sister Angela. I knew from school that she enjoyed a good scoop of gossip more so than Johnny.

"I will because its true! Johnny I need your help."

"What is it?" He asked, his face became more serious.

"Something is wrong with me."

"Like what?"

"When Dallas touches me, my body gets really warm where he touched me. I think I'm allergic to his cologne! Then my stomach gets all twisted and I can't function! Johnn am I dying?" I asked him close to hysterics. Then he started chuckling, then it was full on laughter! What the hell was he laughing about?!

"O-oh my *giggles* y-your s-oo innocent!" He was holding his sides and laughing. Not liking that he was laughing at me I threw a pillow at him. This seemed to sober him up and he wiped tears from his eyes. "Oh Ponyboy you're in love with Dallas Winston! Oh my lord this is too great. "

"W-what the hell are you talkin about?!" I cried. No way! I had to be allergic to him or something! No way was I in love with the scariest hood in Tulsa! No freakin way! I refused to believe this!

"Oh Pony...it's okay! Don't worry! I'm pretty sure he likes you just the same!" Johnny was trying to reassure me but I wasn't having any of it.

"Come off it! That is stupid! Even if I did what would Dally like some one like me?! I mean I ain't his type!" I argued.

"He's got a type?" Johnny asked blinking stupidly.

"Yeah and his type comes witth tits!" I snapped. Why didn't Johnny just tell me I was allergic or that I was being silly like he always does? He just started laughin against so I threw my pillow at him. he quieted down and then put a hand on my knee.

"Oh come on Pony, just admit it! You like him!"

"Get out."

"Pony-" but whatever he was gonna say was caught off by Darry hollerin' it was time for dinner. Which I wasn't going to eat. "Come on, let's go eat."

"No."

"But-"

"I said NO." I didn't mean to raise my voice but I was just so confused and I don't like being confused. Not understanding something made me angry because I couldn't figure something out. I was stubborn and everyone knew it. Johnny flips his collars up and huffs at me. He gives me an annoyed stare and I flip him the bird. The door slams shut and I feel bad. I shouldn't have been so rude. Johnny deserves better. I decided to apologize later but right now I was content with hiding from everything. From apparent feelings about Dally, from the hurt I caused Johnny and the degrading comments Steve makes.

~~~~About 5 minutes later

When Dallas came up to talk to me I was surprised. Everytime he touched me or said my name my stomach turned inside out. I didn't get what that feeling was and I thought maybe something was wrong woth me. Then I tripped in front of him and he caught me. He held me like one of those ladies you see in those fancy movies. Then he dropped me and I fell. Well he wasn't getting away with that one so I tripped him. I was glad I was in track because I easily lept over him and ran. I slid into my seat and Johnny looked at me surprised. I just smiled at him and put on the most innocent look I had.

Dally skidded to a halt in the doorway and we all raised an eyebrow at him. He just huffed and sat next to Two-Bit and Johnny across the table. Dinner goes normally that is until Johnny kicks me from under the table. I kick him back and he pushes his potatoes silently saying to make a move. I stab my chicken roughly and glare at him, a firm no I will not. He rolls his eyes clearly annoyed that I refused. Dallas is staring at us. Johnny see's this too and we stop our silent discussion.

Dinner is finished and everyone departs for the living room or porch to smoke. Johnnycakes and I do dishes since he vulnteered and like I'd make him do it alone. Apparently he knew me well and knew I would volunteer to help. He seems to have planned my help because he starts in on me again in whispers.

"You'll never know if you don't try."

"Try what? To get my ass kicked? No thank you!" I hiss at him.

"But what if I'm right? What if he does like you and you don't respond?"

"Then he gives up and I don't have to deal with this." I say, if Johnny keeps this up I'll feel guilty. He knows just how to guilt trip me and he knows it.

"You see this as some math problem you can't get? News flash Dallas don't give up on nothin if he really wants it."

"Good thing he don't want me..."I mutter, "Anyone but me.."

His eyes soften, "Aw come on Pone, y'know your a star stallion."

"I swear to god Johnnycakes one more horse pun and I'll throw water on you." I threaten.

He laughs softly and hands me the final glass cup, "Come on. Just try and see. Try something flirty and see if he responds!Oh I know! Let's talk to Angela Shepherd in the morning at school!" He suggests. I know I ain't getting out of this so I just sigh and nod.

~~~Dallas

I walked in as the two kids started walking out, "Y'all okay?" They both nod and Pony brushes past me, he could've walked by without touchin me but his body brushes against me and I feel warm. Johnny joins him and I hear him whisper, "Seriously? That's all you got?"

"Shut it Cade." Pony hisses at him. Normally I would've scolded him for talking like that to Johnny but Johnny didn't seem to care. He just laughed and Pony shoved him into the wall playfully. Johnny retaliated by shoving him back. I followed them silently and watched as the two sat on the porch together. They were shoving each other still and the rest of us watched in interest. Those two were never physical, much less with Johnny. I know Soda and Two-Bit shove Pony but Johnny didn't usually. Johnny seemed to enjoy it though, then as we watched I heard Johnny whisper, "Just try it."

"Hell no!" He whispered back. It was like the rest of us didn't exist.

"Come on! What's she gonna do, kick us out?" He asks Pony. They totally forgot we were out here with em because they were talking in normal voices.

"I ain't talking to her! She'll probably get all weird!" Pony retorts.

"No she won't! Just explain and maybe she won't kill us." Johnny responds.

"What if Curly hears?"

"Who cares?! He's cool ain't he?" Johnny asks.

"Well yeah but..."

I decided now was a good time to chime in, "Y'all talking about Angela Shepherd?"

"No" Pony retorts at the same time as Johnny responds with "yes."

"What chu talkin about her for Pony?" Soda asks.

"None of your concern..." Pony says softly. Johnny slings an arm around him and laughs. "Oh shut up you fiend!"

"What's a fiend?" Two-Bit asks dumbly.

"Oh my god Two-Bit, do you even read?" Pony asks.

"Nope, who needs a book when I got you?"

"What do you need me for?" Pony asks.

"Well I could think of a few~" He wiggles his eyebrows suggestivly. I punch his arm hard and he yelps. Thankfully Pony missed the underlying message and he just tilts his head to the side. Soda cooes at how cute his baby brother is and how he'll kill Two-Bit if he touches his baby.

"I don't get it." Pony whines.

"And I don't want ya to." Darry says glaring at Two-Bit who just smiles.

"ANYWAYS, I don't want you around those shepherds." Soda says to Pony.

"Why not?" Pony challenges furiously. I kinda liked it when he was angry, there was a burning fire in those green eyes and I liked it. He stood up facing his big brother. Whatever he wanted to talk to the Shepherds for he wasn't going down easily. Normally Pony did whatever Soda told him to but this time Pony challenged him.

"Because I agree with him. I don't like you hanging you around them anymore. Especially Angela, she ain't any good for you Pone." Darry says as he looks at Pony.

Pony turns to glare at Darry, "I've known Curly since I was a kid! We're friends and that makes him part of my family! So Angela and Tim are also part of that family! If I wanna hang out with them then I am gonna!"He fumed and he walked off. I looked at the Curtis brothers and their jaws were on the floor. Pony had never so much as dared to speak in such a tone. Ever. Pony was out of sight by the time that they got their wits about them.

"PONYBOY CURTIS GET BACK HERE!" Darry hollered as he opened the gate. We walked next to him and saw that the kid was gone. "God dammit!" Darry cursed and he kicked a rock. Soda looked really worried.

"What's gotten him so worked up Darry? He's never yelled at us before..." Soda looked like he might cry.

"Ah he'll come back Soda. With his tail between his legs and a kicked puppy look. He just wants to cool off." Two-Bit said.

"I...just don't know. What if he doesn't? What if he runs off again?" Soda fretted. We all frowned, none of us liked to mention that horrible week. I heard Soda talking to Steve once saying that sometimes he has nightmares that his baby brother didn't come back. That he died in that fire and he never sees him again. That was Soda's greatest fear, that he'd lose his baby.

"Ah hell, come on Johnny. Let's go find him before he gets jumped or something." I said and Johnny hopped up and fell into step beside me. We checked the park, the empty lot and the Dingo. He wasn't anywhere we knew and that worried me. An emotion I was still coming to terms with lately. Johnny was starting to become more and more worried.

"Where could he be? It ain't like him to just disapear!" Johnny said.

"He wouldn't go to Buck's."

"No he wouldn't...knowing him he'd go exactly where he was told not to."

"He's with Shepheard ain't he?" I asked him, I growled when he nodded. I didn't like him around Tim because Tim would let anything happen to him. I didn't like Curly because I felt he was a possible threat and Angela was obvious. We went to Tim's and knocked on the door. Tim answered the door, "What do you want Winston?"

"Where's Pony?" I asked looking over his shoulder for him.

"He ain't here." Tim said starting to shut the door.

I stopped him, he glared, "Well where is he?"

"With Curly and Angela. You just missed em by 10 minutes. Probably went to harass some kids or storecleark. Now get outta here." He slammed the door and went back to his own business.

"He ain't dumb enough to help them rob a station is he?" Johnny asked his voice filled with nervousness.

"In his mood, he would be. Just to piss off his brothers for tellin him to stay away from Curly and Angela. God I hope he didn't get arrested!" I said angrily.

~~~~Ponyboy

I ran to Curly's house in a fuming rage. How can they tell me who I'm allowed to be around?! Buck's i understood because there were some shady people there. But Curly and I were buds. We didn't hang around together much, mostly because he had his own gang and he ain't one for mine. Darry and Soda don't let any Shepherds near the house. It made me mad and I stomped up the steps and knocked. Angela answered the door and she let out a happy hum.

"Hey there Ponyboy~" She said sweetly.

"Hey Angela, is Curls here?" I asked her nicely. I'd heard stories about her. I heard she was the toughest gal in Tulsa and how she liked things she wasn't allowed to have. And I was something she wasn't allowed to have. I smiled at her and she let me in. Curly came downstairs with some of his buddies, he saw me and grinned.

"Well if it ain't the littlest Curtis!" He said loudly and put me in a headlock.

"Ow! Curls! You are messin up my hair!" I whined.

He let go and said smirking, "I did? Thought you messed it up yourself."

"Oh ha ha." I said dimly.

"So what are you doing here anyhow? Thought you were under tight lock and key!"

"I don't like being told who I can hang with." I said with a scowl.

Curly and Angela seemed to get why I was here and they just patted my shoulder. Angela looped an arm around me and smiled down at me.

"So Pony, how's about you and I hang?" She asked sweetly.

"Uhhh.."

"Ah Pony don't wanna hang with a girl! He wants to do manly stuff!" Curly smirked and Angela rolled her eyes.

"Like you know what manly things are Curls." I responded playfully. These were the only people that let my mouth say what it wanted to. I didn't have to fear them beatin the tar outta me for saying my opinion and I liked it. Curly tackled me and we wrestled. I knew he didn't go full force on me becuase we were just messin around.

"Let's go get some jollies shall we?" One of Curly's gang said smirking deviously.

"Alright, you wanna come Angel?" I looked up at Angela and smiled. She looked surprised at the nickname and invite but nodded.

We walked to a local liquor store and Angela and I got to work doing our job distracting the clerk. Angela on the way had babbled on and on about how I should hang around her more. She seemed to pick up on the fact I wasn't interested in her because she babbled about how her friends would just love me. Then at some point both she and Curls and the his gang were talking about how much stuff they were gonna be able to lift. When I asked what he meant he just said, "because you and Angela are real good lookin'." and that left me feeling good. I guess it felt so great because they weren't saying I looked like my parents or brothers. they saw me as my own person and that made me feel special.

Angela and walked in first and the others migrated in slowly.

"Excuse me sir but could you help me?" I asked sweetly.

"O-okay, what do you need help with?" He asked nervously eying us all. The boys just went about their own business like they didn't know anyone at all.

"Well y'see my little brother and I need some advice. I've got me a real bad headache and we was wonderin if you got any medicine for that." Angel responded with a pout. She leaned onto the counter and I copied. We were really makin him sweat, not from nerves of gettin robbed but something else.

"Yeah, she's in really bad pain. Won't you help us?" I asked putting on my best 'melt-your-cold-heart' pout. My father was never able to resist the look, I had mastered it. No one was immune, nobody. He was funbling with multiple boxes behind him. By now the boys had lifted a good amount and they left innocently. Once he saw that the gang was gone he relaxed, slightly.

"W-well I uh..got these right here..and uhm th-this one here.." He wiped his balding brow with his sleeve. Angel put on a sweet smile and she winked at me.

"Well I don't know, I've already got those brands and they don't work. Hey little brother go see if they got anything back there." She said and I knew this was my turn to lift something myself. I knew she was testing me. I don't like failing tests so I walked around. The only thing I liked was gummy bears and chocolate. I walked back innocently even though I had a good 10 bucks worth of cady in my jacket.

"Sorry big sis but I didn't see nothing. But I did see this bar of chocolate." I set it on the counter and she rolled her eyes. Obviously she thought I'd chickened out and inteneded to pay for the candy.

"Aw sorry baby brother but I ain't got enough for that." She said putting on her saddest look. "I'll go check and see if maybe you missed it." she pranced off to lift her own stuff. I sighed and smiled at him. I waited till Angel was back and she came back with a shrug. "Okay let's go. thanks mister." she waved and I left but before I did the guy put the candy in my hands with a creepy wink. I just winked back and blew him a flirty kiss and fled. We ran and met up with Curls.

"Damn Curtis! That was some distraction! You too Angie!" Curly said with a wide proud gleam in his eyes. I felt my pride well up and I grinned.

"Too bad he didn't lift nothing." Angel says pulling out a bunch of cosmetics and some pretty earings.

"Who says I didn't? It ain't my vibe to steal the stuff y'all do but I got my own." I said smirking and took out the shit ton of candy. The boys and Angel started howling with laughter.

Tray, a member of Curly's gang ruffled my hair and said, "Let's bring those two with everytime we lift. That was pure perfection." I smiled at him and he grinned back. We went to the Dingo and caused mayhem. We ate my treats and enjoyed our spoils. Curly slashed some Socs tires and we fled before he could do anything or even realize it was him. We sat in the park laughing and Angel and I just sat on top of the monkey bars.

"Well Angel, this is Greaser kingdom." I said throwing my arms out wide and grinning.

"Well I call being Queen!" She announced loudly.

"I call knight!"

"Nuh-uh! I call it!" another shouted.

Soon enough the Curly Shepherd gang were our knights and Curly was our bishop. Angel and I decided I was King and it was great fun. It was funny watching some of the toughest greasers in Tulsa act like children. But if one were to really think about it, none of us ever really got the chance to truly be children. Angela and sat atop the bars and I sighed.

"What's wrong stallion?" she asked. I really liked the nickname the gang had come up with. Normally it was 'Colt' or 'Ponykid' or something. I liked this name.

"It's just, it's gonna be hell going home. " I said sadly.

"From what you told us they had it comin'. They can't control who you want to hang out with and you callin us family really means a lot. You're one of us and that makes you super special." She said looping an arm around my shoulders. The boys came back from their 'jousting' (which was really them riding branches they broke and long sticks and whacking each other) They sat on top or hung off the bars with us and Tray smiled at me.

"Hey, we don't like very many people and we like you so you must be pretty cool. You're one of us, part of the gang for life y'know." He smiled at me. I was really starting to like Tray.

"Yeah, don't even try to escape or we'll kill ya." Curly threatened jokingly. We all laughed and we stopped when I heard two throats being cleared. I jumped and nearly fell off. Angel caught me and held my legs. I looked through the upside down world at a very pissed off Soda and Darry accomponied by the rest of the gang.

Ah shit! He's in for it now!

R&R pretty please~