Chapter 20

It was midnight at the Curtis house and everyone was still up with excitement waiting to hear how Pony's night was at the brown house.

"Man, this is the best Pot Roast I have ever tasted." Sodapop said grinning.

"This apple pie is delicious too." Darry added taking a bite.

"Mrs. Brown made it all herself and wanted to give ya'll some." Ponyboy said with a shocked look on his face, he had never seen his brothers' pig out so much. I mean all three of them put together could eat quite a heavy amount of food, but not that much.

"So, how did you feel about meeting her parents, Pony?" Darry asked taking his last bite of dessert.

"It was great Dar! Courtney's parents are really nice and funny. They liked me pretty well."

"I'm glad it all went well for you." Soda said

"That's not all." Ponyboy said grinning from ear to ear.

"It's not." Darry and Soda exchanged a look and looked back at Pony.

"No, tonight after dinner Courtney and I went outside together and I told her I loved her and then asked if she would like to be my girlfriend and she said yes!" Ponyboy said

Soda and Darry got up and gave Pony a great big bear hug.

"That's wonderful Pony, you sure are the ladies man now. I rubbed good off on you." Soda said grinning and Pony smirked and playfully shoved him.

"We are so proud of you little buddy. You've been through so much and little by little you are overcoming them. I'm just so proud of you." Darry said hugged Pony tighter. Pony looked at both of his brothers and said.

"Thank you both for standing beside me through this even when I got mad and pushed you away. Still you stuck with me through thick and thin and for that I am grateful." Pony hugged his brothers some more as he felt tears forming in his eyes. Darry looked at him with tears in his eyes also.

"Pony, we are your brothers, we love you. We will be with you always no matter what happens." Darry said wiping tears from his eyes.

"Pone." Soda began "You don't ever have to feel afraid to talk to us. If you have a problem tell us about it. Don't let it build up inside you where you can't take it anymore you hear me." Soda said.

"I promise I won't be afraid to tell you guys if I have a problem." Ponyboy said smiling.

All three brothers stood there for a minute until Darry looked up at the clock and read 1:00 A.M.

"Well, boys I think it's time we got to bed huh." Darry said. Soda and Pony looked at each other and nodded, said goodnight to Darry, and headed off into their room. Soda was the first to fall asleep. Ponyboy lay in bed staring at the ceiling and then adverting his eyes out the window, looking at how pretty the stars were shining. He smiled to himself slowly drifting off to sleep with the thought that everything was going to be okay.

Monday Afternoon

Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy were huddled in their truck heading downtown to visit Dr. Heart. Today was going to be Ponyboy's last required visit. Dr. Heart smiled when she seen them in the waiting room.

"Hello boys, I would like all three of you to come back to my office today." Dr. Heart said. Pony, Darry, and Soda followed her to her office where they all sat down.

"So, Ponyboy how have you been doing since the last time we saw each other?" Dr. Heart asked smiling at Pony.

Pony told Dr. Heart the whole story about how he met Courtney at the movies, his progress at school, and how he is slowly learning how to accept and cope with Johnny and Dally's deaths and to be happy about life. Dr. Heart just sat at her desk listening intently to every word Ponyboy was saying. She had a look of amusement on her face a few times when she saw Pony blush when he mentioned Courtney. After he was finished Dr. Heart just grinned and said. "Oh, Pony I'm so happy to hear how well you are doing, I'm so proud of you for overcoming these obstacles. Courtney sounds like she is someone special." Pony looked at Dr. Heart and said

"Dr. Heart Courtney is someone special to me." He couldn't say this however without turning red in the face. Darry and Soda looked at him and smiled.

"Ponyboy, you know after today this is the last time you see me regularly." Dr. Heart said.

"Yeah I know." Ponyboy said sadly.

"Hey, Pony don't be sad. This is a good thing for you. You've accomplished so much these last months. You have so much to be proud about." Dr. Heart said gently.

"I know, and I have my two brothers to thank for that." Pony said looking at Darry and Soda smiling.

"Not just us Pone, you had to rely on yourself too." Darry said.

"Darry is right Ponyboy you had to look inside yourself before the healing could begin or before any of us could help you." Dr. Heart said.

"You're right, I understand now." Ponyboy said.

Dr. Heart looked at him for a second and then remembered something. "Oh, Pony before I forget here is your composition from your English class you let me read." Dr. Heart said reaching into her drawer and giving Ponyboy back his composition.

"Ponyboy, have you ever considered becoming a writer?" Dr. Heart asked looking at him.

"No, I honestly have never thought of it. Why"? Ponyboy asked curiously.

"Because your composition was amazing and beautiful it moved me to tears. You just have a way with words." Dr. Heart said honestly.

"Thank you Dr. Heart." Ponyboy said blushing. No one had ever complimented his work before; he didn't know what to say. Dr. Heart looked at her watch .

"Ponyboy you know what your last session with me is over."

"Already." Ponyboy said sadly.

"Yeah, I'm afraid so." Dr. Heart said getting up and giving Ponyboy a hug. "I'm going to miss you Pony, I truly am."

"I'm going to miss you too Dr. Heart you've really helped and believed in me and I'm so grateful for that." Ponyboy said smiling a teary smile.

"Remember Pony you can call or come and see me anytime you feel the need to."

"I'll remember that goodbye Dr. Heart." Ponyboy said hugging her one last time.

"Goodbye Pony." Dr. Heart said sadly he truly was a very special kid.

Darry and Soda said their goodbyes to Dr. Heart and all three of them left the office one last time. Pony had never felt so free in his life. While he was outside he took one long breathe of fresh air feeling how good and invigorating it was to him. He was officially happy no longer afraid of what the future would hold for him. He knew that he would have more troubles in his life but he also knew he had Courtney, his brothers, and the gang to lean on if he was ever in any doubt. For the first time in a long time Ponyboy Curtis felt free and happy.

Well I can now say that it is officially done. I stayed up till 2:30 in the morning for three nights to get this completed so I hope you like it. I will be doing a sequel that mainly focuses on Ponyboy and Courtney so be on the lookout for that. Thanks to my wonderful reviewers you are the reason I keep writing. Well C-ya next story