Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders or any of S.E. Hinton's characters

Pony's POV

It was Saturday, so Darry didn't have to go to work that afternoon. His construction job was everyday when they did a housing development, but his other one was only five days a week. I'm not even sure what his other job is, exactly. Something to do with unloading trucks, I think.

Everybody was at our house—me, Soda, Darry, Two Bit, and Steve. I still didn't like Steve. And he still didn't like me, so it was pretty normal.

Soda was asleep on the couch because he hadn't been coming home till after one in the morning all week. He and Darry had been fighting lately. It was weird because they never fought.

Darry was sitting in his chair with a really old calculator and a stack of bills. He would sigh periodically, and reluctantly make out a check. I wondered if we were low on money since Soda didn't have a job anymore. Or maybe he did…maybe he was doing something at night that kept him out so late. But if he had a job, then what did he and Darry have to fight about?

I looked up from the book I was reading. Soda wasn't doing something illegal was he? Something like…no. I quickly dismissed the thought, and tried to get caught up in my book again. But I couldn't get the idea out of my head. Was my brother doing something wrong? I couldn't imagine Soda dealing, but what if was? It would make sense on one level. He and Darry would fight about it, he would be out late, they would keep it from me…it would have gotten him fired from the DX.

I closed my book. Now I definitely couldn't concentrate. I looked over at Soda. He didn't look like a drug dealer. Not that I knew what one was supposed to look like, but still. They wouldn't be a happy go lucky seventeen year old who loved chocolate milk and horses. I mean, Soda was…well, he was Soda. His hair looked golden in the sun, and he only wore shoes when he had to. He wasn't one of those tough hoods who wore dark clothes and didn't care about their appearance or…glory. I thought about what Soda would look like to someone who didn't know him. He lived in the east side, wore grease in his hair, and could hold his own in a fight. He had several scars from rumbles and drag races, and he had been arrested more than once.

"Pony, I know I'm pretty to look at, but you don't have to stare." Soda said, apparently awake now.

"Shut up. Hey, what are you doing tonight?" I asked, trying not to look embarrassed.

Soda sat up and yawned. "I've got another date." He said.

Darry looked over at him sharply. He looked like he wanted to say something, but didn't. Soda avoided his gaze.

"If you wanna do something tonight Pony, I'll go with you." Two Bit offered. "We could pick us up some broads or something." He winked at me.

"I can't." I said, remembering I was grounded.

"No, go ahead and go." Darry surprised me by saying.

"W-what?" He never backed down on punishments.

"Well if you don't want to…"

"No, no I do. I was just um, surprised." I said.

Darry smiled a little and went back to his bills. He sure was in a good mood about something.

"Okay, well now that the prisoner has been set free…what does he want to do?" Two Bit asked.

"Bank job?" I suggested, and Darry raised an eyebrow at me.

"Sure, sure." Two Bit said easily. "I'll drive the getaway car, and you can sneak in there, grab the money, and run like the dickens. Hey, Stevie, do you have one of those bags with the money sign on it? 'Cause that would be really tuff."

Steve shook his head, and got up from his spot in front of the TV. "I gotta go to work. Wanna give me a ride?"

"Yeah, okay. I'll come pick you up later Pony." Two Bit said, getting up. "Oh hey, I almost forgot to ask. You want to be Bonnie or Clyde?" He laughed at his own joke, and walked out the door without waiting for an answer.

"I want you home by midnight, Pony." Darry said, looking at me. "Understand?"

"Yeah, sure."

"You too." He said pointedly to Soda.

Soda finally looked at him. "Darry…"

"No, Soda. You'll be home by midnight from your…date, or you won't go at all."

"I have to go." He said softly.

"Then you'll be home by midnight." Darry said.

"And if I'm not?" He asked just as softly.

Darry clenched his jaw. "How many dates are you planning on going on?"

Soda looked down.

"You might as well tell me what's really going on. I know it's not just a date." I said.

Darry just said "Stay out of this Pony."

"You're dealing, aren't you?" I asked, ignoring him.

At that, Soda laughed. "No. I'm not dealing." He started laughing again.

"Then what are you doing?" I asked him.

Soda looked at Darry with pleading eyes.

AN: xodahmsoirxo: thank you! I'm glad you liked it, and that you thought Darry's reaction was okay. I'm also glad that you liked how Pony described Darry's facial expressions, because that was the funnest part to write.
pheonix013: here you go!

I've already started writing the next chapter, so review quick! I'll probably update today or tomorrow. But don't expect updates to always be this quick because I'm iced in right now and can't go to church or school or anything, so this is basically all I can do. :