Darry was off on Saturday. I was thankful. The days were long and boring, with nothing to do. I hated just sitting around all day.

It was late afternoon, and Darry got up to get us something to drink. I was allowed to get up, but Darry didn't like me to anymore than I had to.

I w as looking out the window, enjoying the pretty day, when a group of Socs came up our sidewalk. They weren't just any Socs, they were the ones who had beaten us.

"Darry!" I yelled, frightened out of my skin.

Darry came rushing into the room. "What is it?"

It was then that we heard a knock on the door. Darry looked outside to see who it was, and when he turned to my pale face, he said, "It's okay, Pony. They won't hurt you."

Darry walked purposefully to the door. He opened it up, and stood in the door frame, not letting the Socs get through.

"What do you want, ass holes?" Darry said. He wasn't known for cursing at people, but I guess those guys deserved it more than anyone. I noticed that they were short one guy.

"We just came to talk." The one who I assumed was the leader, said.

"So talk." Darry said.

I got up and walked over to the door, and hid close behind Darry.

"We came to apologize. We were wrong to hurt you, just because of your beliefs. But you have to believe us, we didn't know Ted had a gun. We never would have let him come with a gun if he had one."

"Why should we believe you?" Darry said, his eyes colder than ever.

"Because we turned Ted in." The leader said.

"Then how come you're not in jail with him?" Darry asked suspiciously.

"They let us go since we turned Ted in. We still got community service, but that was it."

"Sure." Darry wasn't buying it.

"No, listen, call the police. Talk to them. They'll tell you it all.

Look, we're sorry for what we did you two. We didn't really expect it to go so far, though we took it that far. We're all sorry. We never meant to get you shot. We just wanted to get back at you."

"For doing what!"

"For being for the war. Look, we just fought against you because we're all too chicken to go to war. Your brother was brave enough, and we were jealous. But what happened to him was what we were afraid would happen to us. We didn't want to die, not that he did. But he made the choice, and we didn't.

We don't expect you to believe us, but we wanted to say we're sorry."

The group of Socs turned and walked away. I got in front of Darry and called to them, "Thank you."

The leader turned around and smiled at me. It was the first time he looked human to me.

Darry closed the door and we went back to sit down. I had gotten kind of tired from standing for so long.

Darry sat in the arm chair. I slumped down on the couch. A few minutes later, the phone rang.

Darry got up to answer it. I watched him walk to it and answer it.

"Hello?" Darry said into the phone. "Yes, this is Mr. Curtis. Yes. Really? Thank you for telling us. Right. Yes. Thanks. Bye." Darry hung up the phone and sat back down in the arm chair.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"The police station. They said they found the guy who shot you. Someone turned him in."

I smiled. They were telling the truth after all.

Darry's POV

I sat on my bed that night, and I couldn't help but think about those Socs.

They apologized. But an apology doesn't make things easier. They did so much to us. But Pony was able to forgive them? That was something I couldn't understand.

I slowly fell asleep, and I was comforted by the images that greeted me.

Flash back(yay)

"Soda, rub harder! You're starting to put me to sleep." I barked at my younger brother as he massaged my back. I had pulled another muscle when I was trying to finish up earlier. I carried too many bundles of roofing at once again.

"And what would be wrong with that? You don't sleep enough as is. You're always worrying at night, pacing the floors like some ghost come to haunt us. Don't think I don't notice." Sodapop said.

"I know. But I have a good reason."

"Humor me. What is it that keeps you so awake at night? What's this 'good reason' you speak of?"

"I'm thinking. I don't get to think during the day. And, yes, I do worry, but it's my job."

"How many jobs do you have?"

"Too many." I grumbled.

"I know, Darry. It's hard, but we're getting through it, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess." I started drifting to sleep, silently cursing Soda for putting me to sleep.

When I woke up next, it was early in the morning. The clock read 3:12. Time to pace the floors.

I got up and went to the kitchen. I made myself some coffee and sat down at the table.

I heard a noise coming from Pony and Soda's room. I got up and peeked in their room.

Soda was sitting up in bed, looking to the door, like he had been expecting me.

"Could you not sleep soundly for one night?" He asked in a quiet voice, so not to wake Pony.

I motioned for him to come out in the hall so we wouldn't wake Pony up and he came grumbling out.

"One night, that's all I ask. You need some rest, Darry. You'll kill yourself if you keep this up any longer!" Soda lectured me.

"You know I can't sleep. I got a good seven hours in, from you putting me to sleep. I don't need anymore."

"Yes, you do! That was the most that you've gotten in a month, no doubt." His voice turned to pleading. "Please, Darry. You need your rest. I don't want you collapsing on a roof and then falling off and breaking your neck."

I placed a hand on Soda's shoulder. "Don't worry, little buddy, I'm fine. Don't worry about me."

Soda looked angry for once. He was always so happy-go-lucky.

"Not worry about you? Darry, you're always the one worrying about Pony and me. You need someone worrying about you, you know. Damn it, Darry, Pony and I are both worried about you. You've got dark circles under your eyes. You look like the walking dead. Get some sleep, for once!" Soda said loudly.

We suddenly heard a noise from inside his and Pony's room. It was Ponyboy.

We went hurriedly inside, and found Pony reaching out for Soda, but he wasn't there. So he started screaming Soda's name. He was asleep, but his words were so clear that it was as though he was awake.

"Soda! Soda!" He screamed.

Again, I felt the pang of jealousy go through me. He was always calling Soda's name, not mine.

Soda got in bed beside Pony and took him in his arms.

"Sh, sh. I'm here, Pony. Sh, stop yelling. You're all right. I'm here." He rubbed Pony's back and slowly set Pony back down on the bed.

I was surprised when a few minutes later he yelled for me.

"Darry! Darry! Where are you? Darry, I need you. Darry!"

I was almost too shocked to react. I suddenly snapped out of my shock and rushed to Pony's side.

"Sh, baby. I'm here." I said, and I got in on the other side of Pony. All three of us were in that small bed. Two of us were afraid to move, for fear Pony would get scared again. The other was afraid of us leaving.

Mom and Dad had only died three months ago. Pony had nightmares almost every night and it was killing Soda and me to see him hurting and so afraid. Pony was only thirteen.

Soda and I both stroked Pony's back and hair. The poor kid had been through so much.

I realized that we both had been worrying too much. It wasn't just me. It was Soda, too.

"All right. I'll try to sleep more and slow the worrying, if you do too." I said to Soda.

"Deal." He said. We shook hands on it, and Soda grinned from ear to ear at me.

Pony stirred a little, and then we heard him mumble, "No one's going to get any sleep if you keep yappin'."

Soda and I smiled at each other. Then we got under the covers and we all slept soundly. Even me.

I was suddenly awakened by a scream. It was Pony.

I ran to Pony's room, where he was thrashing about on his bed. He was reaching for something, and I realized it was Soda.

It broke my heart to see him searching for Soda, when he wasn't there. I got in on Soda's side of the bed, taking his place.

Pony grabbed hold of my arm and squeezed tightly. He slowly settled down, and I soon heard him say quietly, "Darry."

I smiled through tears at my brother's words. He wasn't reaching for Soda. He was reaching for me.