Darry was on his way home. He was exhausted from his long day at work and he dreaded coming home to a mess he hoped hadn't been created while he was gone. He'd let them have if he found beer stains on the ceiling again. Who knows how beer got up there in the first place, but it did. Finally Darry made a turn into his neighborhood. He drove for a few minutes and as he passed by a local pharmacy something caught his eye. A kid was walking, or limping all by himself through the dark parking lot.

Darry rolled down the window. "Hey kid? You all right?" he asked. The boy looked up and Darry stared at him shocked.

"Darry!?" Pony said looking at his big brother wide eyed. Darry noticed Pony had a black eye, a bloody nose, and a bruised up face. He walked slowly and limped.

Darry didn't know what to say. All that came out was "Get in the car Pony." Pony did and sat worried and stiff in the front seat, afraid to look over at Darry. They got home quickly without a word from either one of them. "You've got some explaining to do, Ponyboy Curtis." Darry said getting out of the car and starting up towards the front door, Pony close behind.

They walked in and Soda looked up. "Hey Darry." He said. Then he saw Pony standing behind Darry, bruised all over and blood smeared on his shirt. "Pony." Soda stood up, his face white.

"I found him a few blocks away walking by his lonesome. You told me he was in bed." Darry said.

"Well, I thought he was, honest Darry I did."

Darry walked into the kitchen and came back with an ice pack and some wet rags. Then he went into the bathroom and came out with a first aid kit, instructing Pony to sit down. He cleaned of his injuries and bandaged him up. He didn't say a word. And neither did Pony or Soda. Finally, Darry broke the uneasy silence. "What were you doing out?" He asked speaking as softly as he could bring himself to.

Pony shrugged. "We ran out of hair grease. I went out to get some more."

Darry got firmer with his brother then. The calm and collected approach apparently wasn't working. "If you're going to lie to me you ought to think up a better story than that." Darry looked at Pony sharply.

"I aint lying."

Darry rolled his eyes. "All right then Pony. Were is it?"

"Where is what?" Pony asked.

"Where's the grease?"

"I don't have it." Pony said.

"And why is that." Darry asked.

"I hadn't picked it up yet. I was on my way to the store." Pony said.

"Oh, well that explains why you were walking in the opposite direction of the store." Darry said with strong sarcasm in his voice. Pony sighed and Darry continued. Soda had sat back down by then and was listening to them. "You expect me to believe that you went out to buy hair grease at eleven thirty?"

"It's the truth though, Darry."

"Well, how did you get so roughed up?"

"I fell."

As much as Darry was mad he was beginning to find this a bit humorous. "You fell?" Pony nodded. "Where?"

"I tripped." Pony said. "I tripped on a tree root and fell." Darry nodded, now more annoyed than amused.

"I'm going to bed." Pony got up and attempted to walk to his room but Darry forced him back on the couch. "You give me the truth, kid."

"I did." he insisted.

"Ponyboy, if one more false excuse comes out of your mouth, I'm gonna hit the roof. Tell me what you were doing right now, Pony. I mean it!" Darry spoke in such a tone that anybody would've obeyed.

Pony had tried not to be frightened by Darry but he couldn't help it. He gulped and said, "I went to the movies." Darry looked at Pony furiously. "I just wanted to have some fun." Pony pleaded.

A wave of realization and anger spread over Darry. He thought of how Pony could've been killed the other night when he'd gone out and gotten into a knife fight. He thought about how Pony could've been killed walking all alone like that so late were he'd found him just now. It was dangerous and stupid and Darry thought of how it would nearly kill him and Soda if anything were to happen to Ponyboy. And Pony was standing there telling him that he just wanted to have some fun. Darry felt sick just thinking about it. "Yah?" Darry looked at him and spoke firmly. "Well you sure set yourself up for a truck load of punishment, and we'll see how fun that is." Pony groaned.

"I want you to think about this for a minute, kiddo. What's more important to you? Staying alive or having a little fun?"

"Darry." Pony tried to argue but Darry wouldn't have it.

"Answer the question Ponyboy!" "Staying alive." "Why did you take such a big risk then? Why were you out by yourself at nearly midnight? You know how dangerous that is. You know it aint safe Pony. What if I didn't find you? You could've gotten hurt bad and stayed out there all night because Soda and me thought you were in bed. Which leads me to another thing. You don't end up looking like that when you trip on a tree root." Darry pointed to Ponyboy's bashed up face. "What happened? You look like you got in a fight."

"I did." Pony said. "A couple guys jumped me and took my money."

"Socs?"

"No, middle class guys." Pony shuffled his feet. "If you had let me keep that blade I'd probably be fine." Pony yelled suddenly.

"If I had let you keep that blade you'd be in the hospital at the least." Darry roared. "You pull a blade out and they are for sure gonna pull something out on you and guess who usually wins Pony? Who wins? Two against one or one against two?" Pony pretended to study his fingers but he knew Darry was right. He went on "I refuse to lose anybody else. Do you hear me? Look at me!" Pony looked up. "I refuse! I am gonna keep you and Soda safe if it means I have to lock you in the house."

"How long were you out Pony?" Darry asked after he'd calmed down a little. He wanted to know everything from the second Pony left to the second he found him in the parking lot.

"I left a little before nine." Pony said.

Darry and Soda looked puzzled. "But I went to check on you at nine and you were in bed." Soda scratched his head. A sudden idea sprung on Darry. He walked into their room, Pony and Soda followed. A long lump lied under the covers. Darry threw the covers of and found rolled up blankets, pillows, and a football. Soda sighed. "Well, I thought it was Pony."

Darry looked at Pony, annoyed. Nobody said anything for a minute. Ponyboy stared down at his feet. "We'll talk in the morning." Darry finally said and exited the room. He turned back and looked at his youngest brother sternly. "Don't ever go sneaking out again. Understand?" Pony nodded and Darry left and went to bed.

Ponyboy looked up at his other brother. "You mad?" He asked.

"I aint mad." Soda said. "But I have to agree with Darry for the most part on this one, Ponyboy. It aint safe going out alone like that. The black eye and bloody nose you got proves it."

"I'm sorry Soda. I didn't want to just leave without letting you know but I knew you'd stop me."

Soda nodded. "I probably would have." He plopped down on the bed. "C'mon lets get some shut-eye." Ponyboy laid down next to Sodapop and fell asleep easily.