"I see you aren't following doctor's orders."

I could hardly hear the voice over the heart beat pounding in my head. I turned around to look at Maria. She looked just as good in the sundress as she did her nurse uniform, maybe a little better in the uniform. I had gotten bored sitting at home and decided a small run would clear my mind. My brother's weren't home, but I guess I got caught anyways.

"Are you following me? There are laws about that," I said. I watched a car full of greasers drive to the opposite end of the park.

She put her hands on her hips, and gave me a clear look of disapproval. "Very funny. It's my turn to watch my brother's and sisters."

She pointed to the jungle gym. It was crawling with dark haired, dark eyed kids. I smiled. "You got room for two more at your place?"

"Sure, I'd take Soda any day. With the way you are going, you'll be dead soon anyways." She dug around in the basket she had, and then held up a water bottle.

"You are just prepared for any situation, aren't you?" I asked taking the water and sitting down next to her. "That's a good thing. You'll need it for Ponyboy. That kid is excellent at throwing curve balls."

"Darrel, I have nine other brother and sisters. They range from ages seventeen to six. My Mom and I are the only incomes. I can handle any curve ball he wants to throw at me."

"Did your Dad die?" I asked picking at the dirt.

She nodded. "Two years ago."

"Mine too, well both my parents did. It's just me and my brothers."

"Wow, I thought this was rough. It's nothing compared to what you deal with."

I let out a fake laugh. "Nah, I don't have little kids."

"Teenagers are a lot worse. I think you past situation has been_" She drew her lips into a thin line.

I knew she had read the newspaper article. The one that came out after Johnny and Pony saved the little kids in the fire. She had probably been working when he was hospitalized.

"You play this game better than I do," I said to end the awkwardness.

She looked me up and down. She had the ability to make me feel as if she could see right through me. It sort of gave me the creeps. "What's wrong?"

I thought about telling her thanks for the water and high tailing it out of there. For some reason, I didn't. It was the first time in over a year that someone might actually understand what I am going through. So, I told her everything that had happened in the past month between Pony and I.

"When he told me I wasn't Dad, and needed to stop acting like him, and then when he said if I a little bit of intelligence. That just left me speechless. I didn't even say anything, or do anything." I was stammering like a fool.

"You should have. First you should have put a bar of soap in his mouth. Then you should have turned him around and whipped him to the point where he couldn't sit for a week," she said.

I didn't like her telling me that. He was a good kid. "This whole thing probably started from me thinking he needed to be tanned."

She shook her head sent her dark locks to scatter all over her face. "I don't think his attitude has anything to do with you," She started.

I realized what the car of greasers was after. I didn't have time to let her finish.I felt my heart jump and I took of running. You had to be kidding me. They were two little kids being jumped by four guys that we my age. I had to hand it to my little brother. That kid was holding his own really good. I watched as one of the guys pulled out a blade. He turned and advanced toward Pony. They had beaten Curly to a good pulp. They weren't about to cut Pony. I charged the guy and threw him to the ground, and stepped with force in his wrist. I felt his wrist snap, and he screamed.

"Get the fuck out of here," Tim's voice came from behind me.

The guys took of running. I jumped off the guy on the ground. He scrambled to the car. I couldn't figure out why they took off so fast. I looked Pony up and down. He was a little banged up.

"You okay?" I asked.

He just nodded. His face had gone whiter than snow. He looked like he might pass out cold, as he wobbled around.

"Good fighting there. You held out pretty good, kiddo." I grabbed him by the shoulders and tried to steady him.

Tim stepped over and helped Curly up. I realized what made those guys run, and Pony go white. Tim had a gun between his belt and pants. "Damn it, you got a blade on you Curly. Why the hell didn't you use it? You have plans to let those thugs slit your throat? You moron. I ought to re beat the crap out of you."

"What did they jump you two for?" I asked.

"It doesn't concern you guys. You're brother was just in the wrong place at the wrong time," Tim answered.

"Can we go home?" Pony asked gruffly.

I looked down. He had gotten pretty busted up. I could already see a red lump forming over his temple. I could only imagine how much that had to hurt. "Yeah, you need to clean yourself up."

I put a hand on his back and guided him foreword. Maria was over by the sandbox now. I wasn't sure how she'd feel about fighting. I wasn't sure why I cared. I could tell by her facial expression she didn't approve. She looked at us from her spot.

"This is Ponyboy," I figured I might as well be polite an introduce him.

Maria smiled. "Hi there."

Pony looked baffled. "Hi," he said slowly.

"Darry, he has a concussion; his eyes are dilated. Make sure he doesn't fall asleep."

"What do you know? I'm going home," Pony said. He shuffled foreword.

Maria raised he eyes brows at me. "You're right, face of an angel, and the attitude of a demon."

I couldn't help but laugh, but Pony didn't see to find the humor in it. He scowled back at the two of us. I was pretty embarrassed by how he was acting. I waved to Maria and ran jogged to catch up with him.

"Darry, he's sleeping," Soda called out. "Maybe we should let him be."

I dropped the spoon down and ran into their room. So much for him just wanting to read a book, the little liar; he wasn't happy with me. When he went into his room, and slammed the door; I let it go.

"Ponyboy wake up!" I shouted shaking him.

"Ow! Stop!" He took a weak swing at me.

I snapped my fingers. "Sit up."

Soda slowly hauled him into sitting position. "Come on Ponyboy, lets go grab a Pepsi. Something to get your blood going."

Pony grumbled all the way into the kitchen, but stopped when he saw Steve. I was never happier to have him there. Both of my brothers had the innate ability to annoy the living daylights out of me when they whined. The whining always seemed to magically stop when the gang was around.

"Good Lord, they clocked you good," Steve laughed.

"I know, you think Curly would be a little quicker on his feet, but he isn't," Pony growled. He sat down at the table with his head in his hands. "He's a moron."

"That's what you get for hanging around with hoods, Ponyboy. You're lucky Darry and Tim got there when they did. You'd be lying in a coffin right now with your head and body separated."

"Lay off him," Soda defended placing a Pepsi in front of Pony. "Darry said he held his own just fine. Besides, Tim even commented, he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"No, he was with the wrong person," Steve said, but he shut up after that. He always did when Soda told him too.

"Why can't he sleep?" Soda asked me.

"Because his stupid girlfriend said I couldn't," Pony snapped.

Soda jumped out of his chair. "Did you call the nurse? Is that who you were with today?"

"Pony you got a lump on you're head the size of a baseball. There is no way you don't have a concussion. I know you're tired, but sorry about your luck pal. You ain't going to sleep."

"Are you going to answer me?" Soda asked. I could have answered him right then and there, but it wouldn't have been quick enough for Soda. "Ponyboy did she have long black hair?"

Pony must have nodded because Soda went on. "Tan skin, really pretty? She has the biggest butt and spend bumps ever?"

"Sodapop Patrick!" I shouted turned around to face him. Steve sat there laughing and Pony looked UN phased by the whole thing.

"What? It's not like it's a bad thing," he said grinning from ear to ear.

It wasn't a bad thing, but I couldn't say that. I had to be the adult. Not to mention, Maria did deserve respect. She had to put up with me. "Shut your trap before Mama comes back from the dead, and beats you over the head."

"I'm pretty sure she would be a lot more mad at you being disrespectful to a priest, than Soda checking out some broad," Pony smarted.

I chose to ignore that comment. I wasn't happy how the morning events played out. I grabbed a few plates and dumped food on them. I set them down in front of my brothers. "Shut up, and eat," I said.

Pony pushed his plate out of the way. "I'm not eating that crap."

"Ponyboy just try it," I barked out.

"This whole health food thing is about as stupid as you are!" He shouted getting up and storming down the hall.

Steve sucked in a breath of air. "As much as I would like to see that kid get his attitude adjusted, I'm going to go."

Soda sank back in his chair. "He didn't mean it. You know he didn't. He's probably confused or something."

I shook my head. "Soda please, just don't start that crap now."