I quit trying to thump Curly and scanned the road ahead. Parked up along the side of the street was Will's Lincoln and a couple of Mustangs. The cars of soc's.

The soc's themselves were standing around their cars showing off the size of their wallets, or whatever it is that soc's do together. I had forgotten this strip is a place where they like to bring their fancy cars to race, I had been down here to race them a few times myself.

I guess in his drunken state Wade had forgotten too. But drunk or not, I normally wouldn't let something like that slip my mind. I had to get my head together fast.

"You think I oughta turn around?"

Wade had slowed the car to nearly a stand still, he readied one hand on the handbrake and looked at me. Everyone always wanted me to tell them what to do. Sometimes I wished they would understand I didn't always know either.

The soc's were barely twenty meters ahead of us, and had already turned at the sound of the approaching car.

"You think they'll know the car?"

"Nah, Wade." I felt tired out. "They only see ya driving it every fucking day."

"Damn it Tim, what'd ya want me to do?"

"Floor it" Curly said sharply, leaning forward. "Just fucking floor it."

Wade gunned it, without hesitating.

So maybe Curlys not just a kid to everyone else. Maybe they can see something I don't, someone to be listened to.

I saw Will turn as we passed, saw recognition on his face. I knew they would follow. They would follow me like Curly did, and Wade and my gang, and the girls, and the fuzz; they would all follow me.

"We couldn't stop Tim, they outnumbered us too much" Curly spoke up suddenly.

There was an edge to his voice, like he thought he'd been outta line speaking in my place. He had been, but it was the same decision I'd have made anyway.

"Outnumbering us is the only kinda fight they like."

I looked out the rear window and saw headlights behind us. I'd expected nothing less, Will was too much like me.

Curly looked too.

"Fuck it" he said, his tone soft and resigned.

I guess he had learned already there would be no peace in this life, not for us.

"Just head back to the East side" I told Wade. They were unlikely to follow us there, seeing as they wouldn't outnumber us back on our own turf.

Wade nodded and lifted his gaze to the rearview mirror.

"Here comes the good fight" he said warily. "The bastards gonna ram us."

I turned again and could see nothing but the lights of the Lincoln.

"Shit they wouldn't…" Curly was cut off abruptly as we were slammed from behind.

I was thrown forward against the dash board, and felt Curly hit the back of my seat. I shoved myself back off the dash and looked over at Wade. He was hanging onto the steering wheel, but the tires had lost traction with the road.

I was flung upwards when the car hit the curb next, and there was a metallic crunching sound as it carried on up and over. I could do nothing but sit tight and wait for the car to slow over the rocks and scrub as it went off the side of the road.

It was just lucky we weren't in a residential area, where we likely would have been stopped by the side of a house. Wade took control of the car again, bringing it to a stop and turning it off.

"Goddamn bastards!" He slammed his fist against the steering wheel. "You okay Tim?"

"Yeah." I looked back at Curly. "Okay buddy?"

"Yeah, cool. I guess they didn't wanna take their Mustangs off road then?"

I looked around, none of the soc's were anywhere to be seen.

"Yeah, fucking pussies. That was some getaway plan." I grinned at Wade.

"Yeah, I knew they wasn't gonna wanna scratch their paint jobs!"

He laughed, then sighed and glanced out at the darkness surrounding us.

"I think I lost my muffler over the curb, and one of the tires blew."

"You gotta spare?"

He just looked at me. For Christ sake, just because he's a hood he can't chuck a spare tire in the boot?

"Let me see…" Wade turned the engine on, and the harsh sound of the V8 filled the night.

"Shit, the mufflers gone all right."

He turned the key again and silence fell.

"So this ain't the best car to go unnoticed in…" he said tactfully.

"Yeah, we'll leave it here for the night, walk to the Curtis's."

We got out the car and I let Wade get ahead a few paces and dropped back with Curly.

"Sure you okay?" I asked him.

I had noticed him holding his arm, the one he had previously broken. It had been a bad break, he had a couple of pins in the bone now.

"Yeah. Hey look."

"At what?"

"Look up."

I looked up at the sky blanketing us, stars and shit didn't interest me, I liked the night because it provided extra cover.

"Full moon, see."

"So?"

"So, cool huh?" He sounded kind of embarrassed now.

Just a little earlier I had thought maybe he was growing up, now I thought maybe he never would. Maybe he would always be a kid to make up for me never having been one.

"Look where ya walk and you'll do better" I said as he stumbled.

He didn't reply, and I felt like an asshole.

My dad once told me I didn't know how to dream.

"But I do, son," he'd said, giving me a slow smile. "I dream of everything in the world, another life."

And look where that got him. But at the time I had just said "I guess if I was banging up I'd see shit too."

"Don't ever, Timmy" he'd said, lowering his eyes to his scarred arms. "It's a bad kind of love."

I hadn't needed him to tell me that. If Curly ever touches that shit, it'll take the doctors a month to pin all his bones back together after I've dealt to him.

"Fuzz! Hit the ground!" Wade yelled suddenly.

The words weren't out his mouth before the three of us were on our stomachs in the low bushes of someone's front yard.

The lights of the police cruiser swept past us. I raised my head a little to watch them carry on down the road and turn off down a side street. I wondered if they were looking for me, and thought again of the boy who was now dead.

I could feel the dampness of the ground through my tee shirt, and smell the sharp scent of the plants I was lying amongst, feel my heartbeat slowing again as the police disappeared from view.

Was this what the rest of my life would be like now?

"Clear now?" Curly asked, pulling himself to his knees. He was holding his arm awkwardly to his chest.

"This house much further?" Wade asked, getting up too.

"Not much."

I wasn't real sure, I was used to driving everywhere. But I didn't want Wade deciding to hotwire a car, I had enough trouble already.

"Those fucking soc's" Curly said. "I'm gonna take a baseball bat to their cars tomorrow night."

"You won't do nothing" I said, more quickly than I meant to.

Both of them knew well enough to keep their mouths shut, but their thoughts were almost loud enough to hear.

They thought I was scared.

Hell not for myself I wasn't, I ain't scared of nothing. Even so. You and yours Will had said, and someone like him don't kid around.

How could I explain that to Curly, that Wade would hurt him because it was the only way he could really hurt me? Tough hoods don't go round telling their little brothers that they love them.

"They was coming for me, and I'm going after them. I don't need you to go fighting no battles for me, kid."

I emphasized the last part, and ignored the hurt, angry shrug of his shoulders. He hates it when I treat him like a kid, but what he likes ain't my concern anyway. Keeping him safe is.

We arrived at the Curtis's house to find it in darkness.

"Maybe they all asleep" Curly said.

"Fuck it ain't late is it?"

I shrugged. It ain't like none of us wore watches, I only paid any mind to the time when I was at work.

"They always leave the door unlocked anyway" I said.

I strolled up to the house and let myself in, making out like it was something I did every other day. Well it was almost getting to be a habit I guess, this would make it the third time I had stayed here.

The room was in darkness and I stood in the doorway feeling around for a light switch. Curly pushed past me and went in, a second later there was a thump and his pained yell.

"Aw shit!"

"Damn it keep it down Curly" I told him, locating the light finally.

Curly was bent over rubbing his knee with one hand, his other arm held carefully still. Despite my annoyance I felt a bit of sympathy for him.

"Ain't our night is it?" I asked him rhetorically, resting my hand on his shoulder for a second as I went past him to the kitchen.

I got a glass of water and was standing at the sink drinking when I heard Darry's voice.

"Hey guys, how are ya?"

I went back through to the lounge.

"Hey Darry"

"Tim, how's it going?"

He didn't look exactly thrilled to have three hoods standing in his house at whatever hour of the night it was.

"Did we wake ya up man?"

"Nah, I was just having a shower" he said.

"Our car's broken down round the corner, so we was just gonna stay here if that's cool?"

I was only saying it to be polite, I planned on staying whether it was cool or not.

"Yeah, that's okay. There's a spare bed in Soda's old room one of you can take. I'll see ya'll later, I gotta work in the morning."

He went off back down the hallway.

That reminded me so did I, but it didn't look likely now. I wasn't too worried anyway, I'd have plenty of money tomorrow, after selling those pounds of marijuana.

"You take the bed" I told Wade.

Me and Curly could sleep anywhere, that's what seven years in foster care does for ya.

We found a couple of blankets, and me and Curly each took a couch. It had been a hell of a day, that's for sure, and I felt myself dropping into sleep straight away.

A/N: Sorry this update was a while coming, I have been through a bit of a stressful time and writing was the last thing on my mind. Anyway things are getting back to normal, and I hope to get the rest of the story up pretty quickly, before you all get sick of it dragging on and quit reading!

I'm trying to reply to everyone so…

Hawaiichick14: I know I suck at updating! I'll be getting the next chapters up faster though.

Star414: Thanks for reviewing, I'm glad you like it.

Marti: I'm trying to keep everyone in character, good to hear you think its working. I've finally decided on the ending so I hope will you like it.

Kelly: Thanks for the compliment :) I'm surprised there's not more Tim / Curly stories on here actually, they're really fun to write for. Since S E Hinton didn't go into too much detail on them there is heaps of room for interpretation.

Ninaelis: I'm glad you like how I write Tim, I'm trying to show his good side as well as his criminal side!

Aslan: Thanks for the encouragement; I don't think anyone ever knows if their own writing is any good! I love writing but always have doubts if anyone will actually like reading it. I think I'm a bit of a sucker for the brotherly bonding thing, so it's cool that people are liking Tim and Curly's relationship.

Vripta: That's so cool that you reviewed every chapter, of course I don't hate it! I love getting reviews, and I get a buzz to know people are reading my story.

Locket the lookout: True he is probably the Outsiders character most like Dally, I think Ponyboy says something like that too in the book?

NalunaSolna: It's great that you thought that chapter was realistic, never having committed any crime, let alone such a serious one, it was hard to put myself in Tim's shoes!

ChronicSarcasm: Cool someone who writes Tim / Curly stories! I love them too, I'll have to check yours out.

Kate: Your review totally made my day! I loved how you said you could feel what Tim was feeling, as that is what I'm trying to achieve. It's really cool that you got it.

Nittanylizzard: Thanks what a cool review! I like how you give details on the parts you like, you seem to pick up what I am trying to get across. Yeah I hate sappy writing, but try to describe Tim's feelings so that, hopefully, the reader can feel what he's going through. If you got it then I'm wrapped.

Starbryte234: Yay I'm so glad you thought it was funny. I always like a few comic moments in a story, but usually suck at actually writing them!