Disclaimer: In case you're wondering I still don't own the Outsiders.

Soda and Darry jumped into the truck and sped away to the high school. Meanwhile Soda just stared blankly out the window still getting over the new information he just heard.

"I don't think I'll be able to tell him." Soda said.

"Good because we're not going to." Darry said concentrating on the road very hard.

"You're kidding me right? We can't just hide this from him. It's bad enough he doesn't feel safe with us with Lynch running around somewhere." He continued now turning his full attention to his older brother.

"That's exactly my point Sodapop! I already told you last night, we're not going to worry about him."

"How can we not worry about him Darry?! He's after people like our brother!"

"And what do you think telling him that 'Lynch likes to kidnap and torture kids for fun' will do to him? He's more scared then he's letting off Soda. It's like you said, he doesn't feel safe with us." Soda's eyes went wide as he realized what Darry was talking about. He took a deep breath to calm himself down and finally gave in.

"I'm sorry Darry. I know what he said hurt you."

"It's not what he said that hurts. I'm the oldest brother. It's my job to protect you and Pony. If he thinks I won't be able to save him from Lynch then I've failed him; I failed mom and dad."

"You're not alone in this Darry. I'm his older brother too." Soda told him giving him one of his world famous smiles. "We'll protect him together; just like we always do." Darry grinned and as he stopped at a red light, he looked at Soda and put his right hand on Soda's shoulder.

"Thanks little buddy." He said and Soda took Darry's hand that was on his shoulder and they both squeezed.

"The state can't split us up and neither can Lynch. Sorry Darry but you're stuck with us." Darry then half-hugged Soda who did the same quickly before the light turned green. Once it did, the two let go and continued towards the high school. Just as they were pulling up, Ponyboy came out of the school. Soda scooted over and Ponyboy got in but didn't say anything.

"Hey Pony. How was school?" Soda asked.

"Fine."

"Are you okay? You seem a little tense." Darry said.

"Well I just got done with track so yeah I'm a little tensed."

"Alright." Darry said and they drove home in complete silence. When the Curtis' came home, Soda went inside while Darry sat outside with Ponyboy.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

"I told you Darry I'm fine! Can you quit asking me that already?!" He shouted and Darry just turned around to get some stuff from the back of his truck. That's when Soda came back out holding something behind his back.

"Hey Darry think fast!" Soda shouted. Darry turned around quickly and caught the football that Soda had thrown. Soda started running out the yard heading for the lot with Darry and Ponyboy close behind. Ponyboy ran ahead of Darry and turned around just in time to catch the ball Darry had thrown at him.

"Curtis catches the ball but is tackled by his own brother." Soda said doing just as he said and tickling Ponyboy who dropped the ball.

"Soda…haha…stop it!" He said laughing. Soda let off him and the two started running when Darry picked up the ball again. The three continued playing catch with each other for a good hour laughing and goofing off; something they really didn't get a chance to do anymore. After they had some fun, the brothers started back to start making dinner. They arrived back at the house just as Johnny and Dally came back as well.

"Where have you guys been?" Pony asked.

"Just walking around. Chased a few kids off and beat up a Soc who looked at me funny." Dally responded.

"You sure it's a good idea to be walking around town like that?" Soda asked.

"No one's stupid enough to try and attack me except for dumb Socs. Beside we're not letting a murderer stop us from having a good time. Right Johnny?"

"I guess so. Well guys I really should be headed home now. See you later." He said and started walking towards his house.

"Hold it kid. You're not going anywhere by yourself." Dally said blocking Johnny's way.

"Dally, I gotta show my face to my dad or he'll come and hunt me down. I don't want you getting involved."

"Well too bad. If you have to show your face then I'm coming with you."

"Dal…"

"Nope! This isn't up for discussion. Either you stay here and forget about your folks or I go with you. What's it going to be Johnnycakes?" Dally said crossing his arms.

"Fine. You can come with me." Johnny said.

"Oh and I'm telling your folks that we're not staying long."

"Don't do anything stupid. I don't want to get into even more trouble."

"Trust me, there won't be any." Dally said and the two were off promising to be back soon. It only took a short walk to reach Johnny's house but Johnny dreaded every step. Taking a deep breath, Johnny went inside his house to the living room where his father was sitting on the couch watching T.V obviously drunk and his mother was ironing some clothes.

"Well, look who decided to show up. Don't expect to get any food around here kid. You can't expect to just waltz in here and eat our food just to leave and hang out with those hoods again. They're nothing but trash."

"Who the hell are you calling trash?!" Dally shouted making his presents known.

"You brought them into my house now?! That's it you son of a bi***! It's time I teach you about discipline boy. You think I've been going hard on you all these years well you're in for in now!" His father said getting off the couch trying to gain his balance due to the alcohol but before he could make his way to Johnny, Dally came over and punched his dad's face causing his eye to swell.

"Get out!" Johnny's mother shouted as she started hitting Johnny with her hot iron burning a small portion of Johnny's forehead.

"Ow!" Johnny screamed clutching his forehead.

"Hey! Get the f*** off him!" Dally shouted at the top of his lungs getting his switchblade out of his pocket and walking towards her.

"Dally no! She's not worth getting your blade all dirty." Johnny said blocking Dally's way with a few tears rolling down his cheek.

"You better hope I don't see your miserable faces ever again. Johnny's staying with me for a while so don't expect him to show up here."

"Fine! Leave for all I care! Just don't come crying when that serial killer comes and takes you away. Hell he can have you for all I care and serial killers like to keep their victims for a long, long time; killing their prey slowly and painfully. When he gets through with you, you'll be wishing for the discipline I give you." Johnny's father said only to get punched in the nose by causing him to fall on the floor and be kicked and stomped on by Dally. Once Dally had finished, him and Johnny walked out of the house without another word. Johnny had gone pale again as the two walked back to the Curtis house.

"Come on Johnnycake. You're not thinking about what your old man said are you?" Dally said.

"A little." Johnny replied.

"Forget about it man. You got the whole gang backing you up."

"How do you know?! How do you know he's not watching me right now Dally?! This guy's dangerous; more dangerous than the Socs and my father put together. You all keep telling me and Ponyboy that everything's going to be fine but it's not!" Johnny shouted stopping as did Dally.

"I don't know where he is but like I told you; I'll kill him if he finds you. That little demonstration back there is just a sneak peak at what's in store for him but ten times worse."

"I'm not going to lie but when you punched dad it kind of was…funny, but it makes it no different then what they do to me."

"They deserved everything I gave them! They hurt and burned you." Dally said motioning to the now bruising mark on Johnny's forehead.

"And they still can't stand the sight of me! I hate fights man; they don't solve anything." Johnny said and the two didn't say a word to each other for the rest of the walk back.

Break*Break*Break

Meanwhile Darry was making dinner in the kitchen while Ponyboy was also in the kitchen finishing his math homework, and Soda was in the living room watching T.V. All Ponyboy kept thinking about was what had happened earlier on the track. He looked out the kitchen window and just replayed the scene where he was running away from Lynch and Darry getting shot.

"Ponyboy quit daydreaming and get your homework done!" Darry yelled at him snapping him out of his little vision.

"Sorry." He said and went back to his problems. Once he was finished, he walked outside to the side of the house to have a smoke. As he blew the smoke out, he leaned his head against the wall and closed his eyes.

'Come on Curtis. Quit acting like a little kid. None of that was real.' He told himself. 'It wasn't real. You're safe here. You're safe with Darry and Soda.'

"Pony?" Soda called out from the porch. Ponyboy put his cigarette out and walked back to the porch. "Don't be wonderin' off now Pony." Soda told him.

"I won't." He told his brother and the two went back into the house after Darry told them that dinner was ready. Just as the brother sat down, Dally and Johnny walked in the house.

"Just in time for dinner." Ponyboy said.

"I'm starved." Johnny said.

Did anyone else feel real good when Dally gave Johnny's dad a black eye? Thank you Dally for doing something that every one of us wanted to do to Johnny's dad. So I hope you enjoyed and tune in next time for when something is going to happen to the some members of the gang.

Spoilers: It's not going to be good.

Review

LaurenHardy13