Author's Note: Okay, I'm sorry I took so long to update. Don't be mad, please and I hope there are still people reading this. I'm getting stumped with this story but I've got a few ideas rolling around. The end for this will be coming soon and I'm still thinking of what is going to happen. So if there are any ideas throw them my way of wut u'd like. Can't promise anything but it might trigger something who knows. I know the ending will be sad though. :( This chapter is okay i guess, maybe you'll like it better than me or you'll go meh its ok. I've been really stumped but i felt bad bout not updating. Cant start something and not finish it rite. SO, enjoy.

Thanks goes out to:

Volleyballlover: Thanks a lot, that means a great deal because I wasn't really sure bout the last one. This one hopefully will have more drama and action. That's what I like in stories. Build up and then end it. Anyway, hope you like this chapter. Sorry again about not updating quickly enough. Maybe this will make up for it?

Dreamy4lyf718: OMG, Soda is totally hot in the movie! Jeez, even without being in that movie I thought he was hot just as a fictional character, Rob Lowe just made it better :D How you didn't pop because I didn't update too soon. LOL. I'm so glad you think Two-bit is good in this story. He's one of my favorites and I didn't want to mess up his character. :P Keep readin and review. Hope you enjoy.

Ninaelis: Okay, I know the review was for chapter 1 but I'm thanking you in this one. I'm so happy more people like my story. Ya, I think I'll include some more Timmy in here, around the very end. :o who knows. LOL. Well I do, but besides me. Okay, keep reading :D

Chapter 11:

After my interview, I spent the rest of my day dragging myself around Tulsa, finally ending up at the Dingo by six. It hadn't really gone as good as I would have hoped. The woman who managed the shop was rude, wore too much mascara and had a voice as dry as sandpaper. I just sat across from her, staring at the clumped pieces of black dangling from her lashes. It was disgusting. You'd think she'd notice that her makeup wasn't on well. Than, the woman had the nerve to flash me these awful glares, the same ones I'd received many a times before from Socs. Those looks that said 'I'm better than you and I know it.' I just kept my mouth shut though, and let her do her job, asking me question after question for about fifteen minutes and then, it was over. I couldn't wait to be out of that place but I had nowhere to go. That's when I ended up at the Dingo.

I was sitting alone in a booth next to a wide window that faced the parking lot. My lips were wrapped around a straw that was sunk far into my dark fizzing Coke. A good dose of cola was all I needed to get me through the day. I tried to smile, hopping to take my mind of the woman who still had my blood boiling. Outside in the parking lot, a few greasy hoods I'd met only once, leaned back against their banged up cars and trucks, and passed around a freshly rolled joint. Smoke hung above their heads, the fumes coming back down and intoxicating them a second time. They seemed so care free and happy. It made me want to go back to the Curtis' and just relax and not worry so much. Who cared if I got the job? I didn't need all that money really. And just because I had to be tough didn't mean I had to be a stiff bitch, especially towards Two-bit.

The rest of my Coke I chugged hurriedly and took off at a slow jog out into the early night air. My watch read six fifteen. Still enough time to make better with Two-bit and have a good time. Parts of my body still ached and throbbed horribly from the night earlier. Walking wasn't really my forte at the moment, I'd probably give up my last two dollars for someone to give me a ride, but no one I knew drove by. Hitchhiking wasn't really something I enjoyed either, not since when I was thirteen and I got picked up by the wrong guy. Nothing happened, and nothing was going to. So, I walked.

A pin and needle feeling crept up the back of my neck as the cool wind sliced through me. The sun was setting off in the distance; I smiled picturing a dreamy eyed Ponyboy sitting on his front porch, staring back at the sky. What a kid, I thought.

I was no more than two or three blocks from the Curtis' when I felt my side cramping up. The bandages were getting loose around my ribs, letting them bounce around torturously. There was an alley that opened up near a field not too far from where i was. The guys used the field to play football a lot and I knew by cutting through there I'd be saving myself ten minutes. Little did i knowthat wasn't all I'd be saving though.

Stepping out of the alleyway, I began my long trudge through the ankle high grass, the cool dew soaking the ends of my jeans. I was humming, kicking the stray pebbles that had found their way onto the green. Up ahead, about a yard away was the next street over and then after that I'd be all warm and cozy in the…

Something rustled in the grass a few feet to my left. My heart beat hard against my chest, daring to tear through my shirt. I wouldn't be able to put up a fight, nota good onein my condition anyway. I searched the open area for any signs of a tough looking hood or a clean cut Social. There was no one. Again, I heard moving. I stepped to the left and heard the faint sound of a whimper. I cringed inside myself but ventured forward until I found the source of the noise.

A crumpled figure, with his knees pulled to his chest lay on the ground. Beneath a muddy jean jacket, the body vibrated, moving his side against the dirt some more. I bit my lip, held back the pitying tears that were aching to fall and reached out for the person. My strong, thin hand gripped the right shoulder and the body stopped. I turned them over to face me, the jacket sliding down from a pale, tear stained face. Big, greenish grey eyes looked back at me. I could feel my legs growing weak and I let them bend and hit the earth below. My fingers combed back some stray hairs that shadowed the kids eyes.

"Oh, god…" I mumbled voice as tough as I could make it. The eyes went over me, taking in my form before the mouth opened in a crooked unsure smile.

"Doe?"

Ponyboy slowly forced himself into a sitting position. Dark purple replaced the lightly tanned skin beneath his left eye and a few not very deep cuts marked up his cheeks and neck. He was holding his stomach where he'd undoubtedly felt most of the beatings. I didn't bother to ask him how he was, because the pain was evident in his glazed eyes. Soda's jacket, which I know recognized, hung off his shoulders awkwardly, revealing a track shirt.

"You okay kid?" He grunted and struggled to his feet. I followed suit, getting up before him and looping an armaround his. I felt him shrugging it off, but I only held on tighter. "What happened?"

Together, with the help of my guiding arm and the extra support, Pony and I made it out of the field. He didn't answer my question right away, only muttered a few swears into the air and let out a few sounds that I'd never heard before. We were only a couple of minutes from his house when he finally stopped, pulled me further away from the road and began.

"I was" he sighed, took a deep breath and exhaled before continuing. I felt bad that he had to muster up that much strength to tell me. "I was coming home from track. Coach kept me a bit later because of the meet in a few weeks. Didn't think I'd be there too late but by the time I got out Steve was at work and I didn't want to hassle him for a ride. He hates it enough as it is." I nodded. Steve really didn't care for Pony that much. He'd told me.

"And" I pushed.

"So, I walked home. Darry told me not to cross through the field. I shoulda listened to him." He began to trail off, giving himself shit for cutting through the field.

"Pony!" I snapped. He nodded.

"I was almost on the street again when I heard these feet running through the grass behind me. When I looked all I saw was this checkered top and then I was on the ground. Next thing I know there's three Socs surrounding me and I'm getting the tar beat outta me. They had a blade." Pony shivered and pointed to the nicks on his neck. "They finally left when I passed out."

He started to walk ahead, without so much as calling for me to follow. I couldn't believe this. Pony, the kid who didn't bother anyone, got jumped. Those Socs were going to pay. If I had to I'd go around the entire area of Tulsa and find the Socs who were responsible and turn them inside out.

"You passed out?"

"Yeah, after about five minutes everything just turned blacked."

I swallowed the thick lump that had risen in my throat. The ebony. I hated it and hated it even more now that I knew Pony had suffered with it. We were both standing on his porch, staring at the door, looking from one to the other, waiting to see who would be the first to open it.

"Come on."

I pulled on the knob and held open the thick slab of wood for Pony. The fresh smell of chicken and barbeque sauce filled my nostrils with its tantalizing odor. My stomach rumbled and burned, eating away at itself. The smell of food only made me more hungry and made it hurt evenmore. Darry was staring at Pony, who had stopped a foot in front of me, hands shaking at his sides.

"Where have you been. You know your thirty minutes late?" Darry didn't sound mad really, just very concerned. His rough voice didn't seem to ease the fear that I could see rippling underneath Pony's skin. I rested a hand on his shoulder, the rippling stopped.

"He was at track" I piped up. Darry flashed an anger glare my way.

"Why weren't you here resting?" I rolled my eyes and shrugged, regretting it after feeling my ribs move around a bit more.

"Had an interview. Since when am I the fourth Curtis' kid anyhow?" He just shook his head.

"Pony what happened to your face." Darry's attention was again directed at his little brother.

He lowered his head before replying. "I got jumped by some Socs. on my way home."

"What!?!"

"Cool it, huh Darry"

"You mind your own business Doe. This is my kid brother. I gotta be the one to worry about him."

"Look" I threw an arm around Pony's neck. "He's fine just a little beat up is all. Ain't nothing you can do to change what happened so don't go lecturing him. Okay?"

"Doe…"

"Darry, I'm real tired. I think I'm gonna go to bed."

Darry looked from Pony to me then nodded. "Lets get those cuts cleaned up a bit first huh."

I walked into the semi quiet living room and found Two-bit watching the weather channel, legs stretched out across the couch. Johnny was sitting on the floor with a bag of peanuts, eyes heavily engrossed in one of Pony's novels. I took a seat next to the rusty hared greaser, pushinghis lanky legs onto the ground.

"Hey, welcome back Mac" Two-bit grinned.

"Back from where?"

"Awe, you know."

"No I don't know. Enlighten me."

"Just one of those places chicks go when they get all moody and sutff."

"Moody?" I cocked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, like PMS or something." Johnny blushed.

"Matthews what the hell are you babbling on about."

"Not quite sure. That's why I know it's a woman thing."

I slugged him in the arm and then let the couch's cusions engulph my body while i waited for Darry to come back from tending to Pony's cuts.