A/n: Man, I am on a roll! Okay, so it's only the second update I've done in eight months, but it's the second one in three days as well. Now, that calls for a cause to celebrate in my books. To think this kind of speedy work used to be the norm for me. Then life happened. Don't ask me what that was, because I don't know, lol. I blame it on my Creative Writing courses at school. I'd recommend them to anyone who has the access to classes like that... they just killed my spirit for a while. When it because a necessity to write – when it was forced – that's when I lost my touch. But anyway, that doesn't matter. What matters is Rock is going to come home to some updates and she'll have the hell shocked right out of her, lol.

Dedication: To Rock for being the best friend someone could ask for. She's my sister and I haven't ever been so close to anyone before in my life. She's also damn good for speaking her mind and telling me when to stop acting like an idiot. :) This is for you. I hope you like it.

A/n2: I should also mention that this chapter is short. It's kind of a filler chapter, but as I once told Tens – we can't always have action packed chapters. Creates too much to follow. Sometimes we need a relaxing break and just a little pleasant chapter. Hopefully this one has the effect I want it to have. It only barely peeked onto a seventh page, so it's not too long, but not terribly short either.

Enjoy!

Chapter Sixteen

"You boys done in here?" Jeff poked his head around the door frame. He tapped his watch as I looked up from scrubbing down my table.

It was a few minutes after curfew and the guards were making their rounds. All the leisure/activity rooms had to be emptied and everyone back in their quarters by nine. All I could figure was it gave the guards license to pick up any stragglers they didn't like and show them who was boss. So, in the end it was worth it to find out which station Jeff would be monitoring that night. He usually chose to stick with his buddies and Marco wasn't among them.

"Yeah, we're finished." I stood up and brushed the clay off my pants. A couple of volunteers from the city Visual Arts Foundation held a class every Thursday night on throwing pots. I wasn't too bad, if I do say so myself. In fact, I could get sucked into this hobby easily. If only I could afford it. Anyway, we didn't get to keep the pots we made. They took them to the local hospitals and old folks homes as room decorations and the like. You could imagine the class wasn't too popular, and there was only a handful of us signed up for it. Derek and I found ourselves at the top of that list. "C'mon, Derek."

He was busy scrubbing his hands and arms down at the sink, determined to loose himself of every sign that he attended the class. His reputation was already feeble enough to get his ass kicked on a daily basis, and he knew it. He didn't need to do anything to make it worse on himself. With the week he had left here he wanted to leave unscathed and with at least one fond memory. Hell, I'd be damned if all he wanted wasn't to leave with no more threats against everything he held dear. He took everything to heart and I can't say that I blamed him, but you would think he'd learn to harden himself at least a little in this place. He really was the odd one out, but he was worth enduring the ridicule to be friends with. I'd started to take to him after he made an effort to say hi to me whenever we crossed paths.

"Coming." He dabbed himself dry with the towel and put on his freshly cleaned glasses. He hurried across the room and passed through the doorway after me. "That really was something, wasn't it, Ponyboy?"

"Uh huh."

"You don't think it was? Your's was amazing! It looked so professional."

"Thanks, Derek." I kept shifting my eye gaze to see who was around and who might be listening. Lately I'd been getting self-conscious like that. I liked Derek, but this was also not the place to befriend a geek and get away without shit. "You, uh... didn't do so bad yourself."

"Thanks!" He broke out in a wide smile. Something told me this kid didn't get compliments too often. Probably didn't have enough friends to do him any good on that front, which was kind of sad. The kid was artistically inclined and he didn't have anyone other than me telling him that. A life without compliments. That had to suck.

"Sure."

We walked in silence for a couple of minutes while we passed through the Guards' Lounge, where Jeff was checking us back in for the night. Their lounge separated our main living quarters from the rest of the place, the door triple bolt locked and eight inches deep. There was a couple of couches and a book shelf on one side and coffee pot and snack machine on the other. Pretty plain and decent, aside from Marco who was plunged deep into one of the plush couches against the wall, his foot resting atop the glass coffee table. He smirked as we passed. I just looked in the other direction.

"You sure you want these kids wandering around in here, Jeff?"

"They aren't doing no harm, so I don't see why not." He shrugged and beckoned us to follow him out the other door leading to the long hall way, colliding head-on with Stewy, our receptionist and foyer security. His main job was to check people in and out and to answer the phones, but I've seen him throw a couple massive men out the doors with ease. We didn't mind him so much. He usually kept to his foyer and let people in that we wanted to see. He stayed out of our way and benefited us. It was kind of nice. "Sorry, Stew. Just taking these boys back – "

"No, no, that's fine. I was comin' lookin' for y'all anyways. Mr. Curtis has a phone call. I know it's after-hours and all, but the youngun' on there sounded somewhat urgent, and I figure what with Curtis's records, he hasn't been doin' too bad for himself and he hasn't received one telephone call as of yet, so --"

Urgent? When someone finally calls it's urgent? Damn them. Why did they wait so long?

"Yeah, it's fine." Jeff shrugged his gigantic shoulders and cupped Derek on the shoulder, who's knees began to quivery under the added weight. "I'll just escort Derek here back to his room. You can take care of Ponyboy. He won't bite ya." He winked at me and walked away, Derek looking solidly in front of him, terrified of his new found massive restraint.

"Who called?" I asked trotting behind him as his lanky legs carried him two strides ahead of me.

"Someun' goin' by the name of Sodapop. Says he's yur brother. And I just had to believe it, en' without the history of any logged phone calls." He grinned. "Sodapop." He laughed.

"Did he say why he was calling?"

"Nah, just said he'd appreciate it if I didn't take my time, that he had to talk to you soon as he possibly could."

"Oh." If Soda sounded urgent... if something was wrong, why wasn't Darry calling? What if Darry was hurt? Maybe he got into an accident a work and Soda was calling to tell me. He could've fallen off the roof and killed himself. Maybe it was Soda who was in trouble. He likes to meddle in my problems... What if Jimmy Crystal was bothering him? Did he know something I didn't? If Rave was now on their tails... Dear God.

We reached the door that separated the foyer from the main hallway. It too was a heavy door with several keyholes, but also bore a fancy new electronical punch code box for extra security. Once on the other side he went behind his desk and handed me the phone.

"Soda?"

"Hey, Ponyboy." His smile shown through this voice which cracked a little in the receiver. "How are you doing?"

How am I doing? How the fuck am I doing? Oh, hell, I don't know... pretty damn bad, Soda. I'm in fucking Juvi with false charges pressed against me, and this is the first damn time I've heard from either of you in three fucking weeks. I'm so agitated and worried right now I'm twisting the phone cord around my fingers, cutting off the circulation and enjoying ever damn second of it. After all, this has been a right old good time and I wish I didn't have to leave at some unknown point in time. Oh, and by the way, what the hell is going on?

"Eh, not too bad, I guess, considering the circumstances." So, maybe I'd keep that outburst to myself...

"Yeah? Man, I'm glad to hear that, Buddy." He really did sound relieved. Curious. "Word's around that you got roomed with Brock Mason."

"Ah, yeah, you heard right," I sighed miserably and dropped the phone cord. There was nothing wrong. He would've told me from the off if there was. Now I was back to being plain pissed off.

"Well, just keep your head low and your senses high and you should be fine. He can't touch you if security's there."

"You'd be surprised," I muttered.

There was silence for a moment. I knew I'd stumped him and he wasn't sure of what to say anymore. I missed him like a war veteran misses his phantom limb, but... he never called before. Two weeks, and no calls.

"You alright, Pony?"

"Yeah." I stood up straight. "I'm fine. Just confused."

"Why?"

"Nothin'. Just my mind playing with me. Don't worry about it." Time for a subject change. I wanted to know his side, and at the same time I just wanted to forget it. "Why are you calling, Soda? Stewy said you sounded urgent."

"Well, I had to at this time of night. They wouldn't let ya talk if I didn't." I could almost see the guilty grin on his face, bordering on ashamed.

"Damn it, Soda. You had me scared. It's not funny."

"I ain't laughing, Bud." Now he did sound ashamed. Good thing too.

"No, but you pulled the stunt and ... Never mind." I pressed my thumb and forefinger to my eyes and squeezed. No use in getting more mad. No use in upsetting myself. No use.

"Well, I'm sorry, Ponyboy. I guess I didn't think it would be that big of a deal."

"It's fine." I turned to look at Stewy, to see if he was listening. Sure enough, he was.

"Five minutes, Curtis." He tapped his watch. That seemed to be the popular informant around here. Watch tapping.

"I only have five minutes, Soda." I bounced on the ball of my feet. "How are you guys doing?"

"Uh, I don't know. Not too good." He paused. "It's like war again, down here, Pon. 'Cept this time it's grease against Rave. We don't leave the house most nights even. It's pretty bad. Steve got jumped a few nights ago and ... But that doesn't really matter. I don't want you to worry about us, 'kay?"

Don't worry? And how does he purpose I do that? My brothers and gang are having their freedom dangled above their heads and they could hardly stand high enough to grasp it. I was locked up in a facility with no way to intervene and they were now suffering for a baldfaced lie framing me for something out of my hands.

"I can't promise I won't." The cord found itself intertwined in my fingers again. "But can you maybe call a little more often so I know everyone's okay? I mean, for Christ's sake, I haven't heard shit from anyone since I got here."

"Pon..." Now HE sounded confused. "We couldn't call. It's part of their... detox or something. I don't know what it's called, but we couldn't call you until today. You don't think we would've if we could've?"

"I dunno. I've been wondering that for a long time now." But I guess it did make sense. I just wish someone had filled me in on this. What a friendly staff we have here. "No one told me nothing about it."

"Damn," he seethed into the receiver. "Pony, I'm sorry. I don't know what to say. But you gotta know we weren't ignorin' or forgettin' about you."

"Yeah, I know. It's okay."

"No, it's not. I'd be stark raving mad if you guys hadn't called me and I didn't know why," he fumed. "What're those guys thinking?"

"I dunno. But it's already happened and there ain't no going back and changing it."

"Maybe not. But when Darry hears about this..."

"He'd probably condone it," I muttered again.

"Don't say that, Pon. You know it ain't true. They'll get a piece of his mind, I guarantee it. And after that, they'll get a piece of mine."

I laughed. "Yeah, I'd like to see that."

"Would you now?"

I finished laughing. "Yeah, as a matter of fact, I would."

"Good. Because you might just get to see that." Again, I could hear his smile and I knew he was enjoying this just as much as I was.

"Speaking of Darry, I've only got a couple of minutes left. Is he there? I guess I kinda wanna say hi."

"Nah, he went grocery shopping. He's the only one who can roam freely without the threat of getting his balls ripped off." Sounds like Darry alright. And of course he chose tonight to do the shopping. Nice brother he is. Real nice.

"Okay, well, tell him and the others I say hi. Maybe I can talk to them next time too. Or sometime anyway."

"Yeah, all right... Oh, wait. Before you go, I'm supposed to tell you that we've found you a public defense attorney and he wants to meet you tomorrow. He's agreed to let the two of us come... if you'd like."

I laughed again. "God dammit, Soda. You waited 'til NOW to tell me this? Course you can come! What time?"

He chucked too. "Around seven. Darry has to get off work early and Steve said he'll cover the last hour of my shift so I could come too. So, I guess I'll let Darry know what's happening." He paused again. "Keep alert, Bud. We don't want any calls to come collect you in a little cigar box or anything like that."

"Yeah, well I'll try."

"Alright. 'Kay, take care, Buddy."

"Thanks for calling, Soda. Really." I smiled. "It's good hearing from ya."

"You too, Kid. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Bye."

"Bye."

-.-

"What're you smiling about, asswipe?"

Ah, Brock. What a bullshit roommate. Lies about needing to use the restroom so he can shoot himself up. Stuff doesn't work too well if I still bother him so much, but oh well. Can't please everyone.

Marco slammed the door behind him.

"Nothin'."

"Then quit it before I knock out those teeth. They fuckin' bug me." He ripped his blanket and sheets away from the underside of his mattress and laid down. He pulled them back up, facing away from me. Yeah... quit smiling when he's not even going to look at me. Nice.

It was half past midnight and I was unable to sleep. Most nights I crashed around ten or ten-thirty, but my adrenaline was pumping too fast to allow that. I was just... happy. Happy. Soda and Darry were coming tomorrow and were bringing someone along who was willing to help out this whole mess. My mind was chugging along at full speed and I didn't see any reason to stop it. Happiness doesn't come often around here.

It was almost a bout of relief.

Happy.

"I thought I told you to stop, bitch."

... Still happy.

:D

-.-

A/n: Please review! I don't mean to sound like a teeny ficcer desperate to know someone is reading her stories. I don't care how many people read. What I care about is that those who DO read show some common courtesy and drop me a line. Thanks :)