Warning time lapse: about 11 months. Soda 18 Ponyboy 16 (Junior year fall) The birthdays are a little off. But that's how they are in this story.

(Darry's POV)

I was setting up the living-room for Soda's birthday party. Steve was out getting food and decorations for the house and Two-Bit was out getting Soda. I hoped that he remembered Soda and didn't end up being on home beer and forgetting my brother. Unfortunately, I begged and plead with the lady at the boy's home to let Ponyboy come home for just one day but the last time I got to take them out, she got in trouble and the only way I got to see my brothers was there. I would've gone done to see Ponyboy but Soda had to be out today and Ponyboy was having a track meet on the other side of the state. I was thinking about having Two-Bit get Ponyboy on his way over but if we got caught Miss Daisy told us that Ponyboy might be taken out of that school and be home schooled in the boys home. I knew that would be horrible for Ponyboy.

Steve was back with burgers and fries and a 'welcome home' banner. While he got the food ready, I waited for Two-Bit. I must have dosed off because the next thing I remember is Soda jumping up and down. I ran to him and engulfed him in a hug. This was the first step into getting my brothers back.

"Soda, buddy, I've missed you."

"I missed you, too, superman. It's great to be home, but you guys didn't have go through so much trouble."

"Of course we did."

I could see the sadness in his eyes. I let him walk passed me to the kitchen with Steve following him. I turned to Two-Bit.

"It was hard to get him to leave Darry. He couldn't leave Ponyboy there. Hell, I almost kidnapped the kid and brought him with me, but mom is finally happy that they cops don't have to visit her so much. So I decided against it."

"I understand. Plus they know where to look for him."

"I don't know. I know some good hiding spots that no one will be able to find him."

"Like your room."

"Funny."

"Come on Two-Bit."

We headed to the kitchen and tried to go on with the celebration. Finally Two-Bit got drunk enough and everyone on the floor laughing by the end of the night.

(Ponyboy's POV)

I was truly alone now. Soda turned 18 today and he was at home with Steve, Two-Bit, and Darry. I wanted to be home with them. I still had two years until I got to home. The last year went by slowly but now with Soda gone, the next two years were going to feel like a lifetime. The last 8 months would feel like an eternity. I was going to be out of school and nothing to do. I wonder if I could get them to let me out early since technically I was a high school graduate. I doubt it. I started wondering if I was ever going to be able to see the gang again. I heard the clock chime 10 times. I got ready for bed and braced myself for a sleepless night.

(Normal POV)

Later that night, Ponyboy was sound asleep. Nick was having another insomnia attack and couldn't sleep. He decided that he was going to try some warm milk. So as he headed down to the kitchen, he could hear talking coming from Ponyboy's room. He knocked lightly on the door and waited, but Ponyboy just continued talking. He thought it was worried. Ponyboy didn't talk to himself and everyone else was asleep. He started hearing thrashing around and decided that he wasn't going to wait and entered. What he saw scared him more than anything. Pony was trashing on his bed, like he was fighting with an invisible attacker. Nick wasn't sure what to do. He quickly ran up to Pony's bed. He started shaking the teenager in hopes of waking him. When that didn't work, he ran out to the hallway. He grabbed the phone and took it back to Pony's room. He quickly dialed the number hoping someone would answer.

"What the hell, it's fucking 2:15 in the middle of the night," screamed the person on the other end.

This almost made Nick hung up but he first needed to make sure he had the right house.

"Is Soda there?"

"Hold on."

Nick waiting, still trying to wake Pony up. Soon someone was back on.

"Soda, here," he said groggily. Almost sounding like he was talking in his sleep.

"Soda, its Nick, there's something wrong with Ponyboy."

This woke Soda up pretty quickly. At this point Darry and Two-Bit were wide awake and came to see what was going on. Steve, who had answered the phone, was pissed until he heard the something was wrong. That's when worry started forming on his face.

"What's wrong with him?"

"I think he's having a nightmare."

"Put the phone to his ear. Keep trying to shake him awake."

Nick obeyed. He put the phone to Ponyboy's ear and continued to try to wake him. He could hear Soda talking to his brother.

"Pony, can you hear me? Pone, you have to wake up. It's only a dream. Wake up!"

Pony jolted up and scared Nick, who promptly fell off the bed. Nick regained his posture and grabbed the phone that was also on the floor. He watched Pony as he started crying. He ignored Soda, asking him if Pony had woken up yet. He sat down on the bed next to Ponyboy. He put a hand on his shoulder. He heard Sodapop telling him that he should try to comfort him. He said that's what he used to do when Pony woke up from a nightmare. Nick gently pulled Pony in an embrace, trying his best not to scare him. Pony accepted, but continued crying. After a few minutes, Pony stopped crying and pulled away from Nick. Nick went back to Soda, who was now screaming into the phone.

"He's fine Soda."

"Ask him what it was about?"

"Pony, what was your dream about?"

"That night," was the only response he would get from the teen. Nick turned his attention back to Soda.

"All he said was 'that night'."

"He's talking about the night that two of our friends died."

Everyone in the Curtis house went quite. That night had affected them all but Ponyboy the most. Two-Bit spoke up.

"Why would he be having a nightmare about the night now? That was a little over a year ago."

"Soda's here now. He probably feels like he's all alone," Steve said.

Darry grabbed the phone from Sodapop.

"Nick, how is he now?"

"I think he's all cried out. He's seems to have calmed down now."

"See if you can put him on."

Nick handed the phone to Pony who quickly accepted it. Nick was going to get up and leave, but he had a strange feeling that he should stay. He listened to Pony talking to Soda without interrupting. When they were done, Pony got up and took the phone back out to the hallway, looking around to see if his nightmare had woken anyone else up. Ponyboy walked back in his room, shutting the door. It was quite for a while. Pony just sat on his bed while Nick was sitting on the chair at the desk.

"I'm sorry, I woke you up," Ponyboy finally spoke.

"You didn't I couldn't sleep. I was walking past when I thought I heard you talking to someone. I thought you were being attacked by the noise that was coming from your room."

"Sorry."

"Don't apologize." Nick moved from the chair to Pony's bed and sat down. "Do you get these nightmares often?"

"Yeah, they started after my parents died, then started getting worse when Johnny and Dally died. About a month after being here they got better. This was my first one in about 4 months. I guess Soda leaving triggered them again."

Nick rubbed Pony's back as he spoke. They had become very close friends. Nick and Ponyboy had told each other everything or almost since this was the first he had learned about these nightmare. Not something you share though.

"Did Soda help, ya? I called him thinking he would know what to do."

"Yeah, I pretty much wake up to the sound of his voice. No one else's usually. Thanks a lot Nick."

"What are friends for?"

Nick patted Pony on the back before leaving. He was glad to see Ponyboy giving him a smile on his way out. Before he shut the door, Nick stuck his head back in one last time.

"Yeah, if you need anything, you know where I am."

"Thank, I don't want to be a bother."

"You're not. Seriously, anything, come get me."

"Thank, night Nick."

"Night, Pony."

TBC….

So sorry this took so long. I had writers block for about 2 month. I only had the first sentence. Hopefully I can have a few chapters up before thanksgiving. More of a decent amount then the 3 month this one took. Thank you for anyone who stays with this story. Please review. I don't own the outsiders.