Here is chapter 4. Hope you like it. Please read and review.

"Dally, you shouldn't have yelled at him." Two-Bit said going to the door.

"I know that, it just came out." The tow-headed greaser replied.

Darry came in and sat down with a sigh.

"How's the kid?" Two-Bit asked.

"Sleeping for now. Soda is staying with him. Did Johnny leave?"

"Yeah said he was expected at home." Steve answered. "Is it okay if I go in with the boys?"

"Go on. Soda would prolly like the company." Darry told him. "Come on Two-Bit, let's see if we can find Johnny. Dally, stay here in case he comes back." Darry opened the door.

"Maybe I should come too, Darry."

"No! Dal, you're the reason he left. Stay here and I'll bring him back." Darry promised.

"All right." Dally agreed.

After leaving the Curtis house, Johnny went home. He didn't really want to, but he didn't want Dally to holler at him anymore. He hated it when Dally was mad at him. Johnny was feeling scared when he crept up the stairs, hoping his old man was asleep or passed out.

"Bout time you came home, Punk, where ya been?" His father snarled at him as he backhanded the teen. "Go to bed. I don't want to see or hear from you the rest of the night."

His father said kicking him in the ribs. Johnny grabbed his side and ran to his room. Lying on the bed, he wished he had the courage to go back to the Curtis house. Curling up on his side, Johnny felt so alone. Was the rest of the gang mad at him too? He really couldn't blame Darry and Soda. He'd let them down and let his best friend get hurt.

"Stay here, and I'll get him." Darry told Two-Bit.

"All righty." He said sitting on the ground as Darry slowly climbed up to the second floor. Tapping lightly on the glass, he waited on the boy to get off the bed.

"Hey Darry." Johnny whispered letting him in.

"Hey Johnnycake," Darry said noting the new bruises on his face and the way he held his side.

"Is Ponyboy okay?" Johnny wanted to know.

"I think he will be. We're all kind of worried about you. Come back to the house with me."

"Nah, I better stay here." Johnny said.

"Johnny, I need to get back, but I don't want to leave you here."

"Go on home Darry. Ponyboy needs you."

"Not without you. I can't take care of one brother when I know another one is alone and hurting. Please Johnny."

"All right. Let's go." Johnny gave in and they were soon on the ground with their other friend.

Soon after that they arrived back at the house. Darry went to bed with Pony and Soda. Steve and Two-Bit went home leaving Dally and Johnny alone.

"Johnnycake, I didn't mean to yell at you. We were just worried about you both."

"I know. It's all right." Johnny said as he lay down. "Goodnight Dal."

"Night Johnnycake."

"Pony, get up. You'll be late for school." Darry hollered the next morning.

"I don't want to go." He shuffled into the kitchen.

"I know you don't, but you are. It's the last day before summer break. Now go get ready."

When Pony came back in his brothers along with Steve, Two-Bit, and Johnny were seated around the table.

"Eat your breakfast." Darry told him handing him a plate.

"Soda, do you work tomorrow?" Darry asked.

"Nope. Stevie and me have the day off."

"All right. I want you to keep an eye on Ponyboy."

"I will." He replied as they went to work and school.

Rachel caught up with the boys after school and told Pony a few things before they went by Johnny's house. Pony didn't want to believe her, but why would she lie? He wanted to ask but was afraid of the answer. So he kept quiet.

It was quiet when Soda and Steve walked into the house. Pony and Johnny were sitting on the couch with their heads together. Nothing unusual about that. Soda looked again, Pony's shoulders were shaking. He walked over to the couch.

"What's wrong Pony?" He asked.

"Nothing! I'm going outside." He went to the porch. Soda followed and put his arm around the younger boy.

"Pony, tell me!" Soda demanded, but Pony ignored his brother until he went in the house to start dinner. Soda sighed knowing he would have to tell Darry, but decided to do it later when he was relaxed a little.

"Darry, can I talk to you outside a minute?" Pony looked at him. His face was pale, and he looked terrified. Now Soda was worried.

"Sure." They walked out and leaned against the rail. "What's up?"

"Something's wrong with Ponyboy." Soda quickly told him how he'd found their baby brother.

"He's prolly just stressin about Rachel. I'll talk to him later." Darry promised.

When Soda and Darry went back in the house, there was no sign of Ponyboy.

"Him and Johnny hightailed it out the back door." Two-Bit told them.

"Soda, I'll take care of it before he goes to bed." Darry told his middle brother. "Stop worrying so much."

"All right. Stevie, let's play cards."

When the boys came back an hour later, neither looked happy. Johnny was actually mad at Pony.

"I'm going to bed." Pony announced.

Johnny stood up. "I'm going home." He said still looking at Ponyboy. What was going on? Darry knew one thing for sure was that he didn't want Johnny at his house. He'd walked by earlier and his parents were already fighting.

"Johnny, I want you to stay here tonight." Darry told him in a firm voice.

Johnny sat back down while Darry followed Pony to his room.

Pony wanted to cry when his older brother came into his room. He was hurting from Johnny's dad hitting his side and didn't think he could handle Darry yelling at him tonight.

"Darry, please don't yell at me, I can't take it right now." He begged as his voice broke.

"I won't yell. Pony, what's wrong?"

"Nothing! I'm tired is all."

Darry grabbed Pony's arm and was shocked when he cried out as his side was jarred.

"What the?" Darry bit out.

"Pony, are you hurt?" He still had a hold of his arm.

"Of course not. Let me go." He tried to pull away and his face got pasty. Darry noticed how he favored his side, he pulled Pony to him and raised his shirt.

"What happened Ponyboy?" Darry asked when he saw the huge bruise on his side. He hoped Pony's ribs were not cracked. When he wouldn't answer, Darry yelled for Soda.

"Sodapop, get in here."

"What Dare?" Soda asked standing in the door. Then he saw Pony and went to get Johnny because he had to know something about this. The gang came back with them. Darry was busy checking Pony's ribs, which were sore.

"Talk to us Pony. What happened?" Darry said.

He shook his head and they looked at Johnny.

"Johnny, what happened?" Soda asked.

"No Johnny." Pony told him before Darry silenced him with a look. Soda sat down beside Pony and hugged him.

"Johnny, tell us." Dally told him. They all knew Johnny would listen to Dally. Pony whimpered and Darry sat by them, reaching for him.

"Come here, Little Man." He said giving Pony a hug as Johnny started talking.

"We went by my house after school so I could get my jacket. I thought mom and dad were gone. He wasn't. Dad was pissed off and I told Pony to run, but he wouldn't. After hitting me, Dad got hold of Ponyboy. Darry, it's my fault. Don't be mad at Pony. I knew not to take him there, but I did anyway."

Johnny looked at the floor waiting on Darry or Soda to tell him to leave.

"Johnny, look at me." Darry said, he did since it was hard not to listen to him.

"It's okay. I'm not mad at you or Pony. I'm a little ticked off because he wanted to hide the fact that he was hurt from me. Guys, I want a word alone with Pony. Soda, go to."

When Soda recutlently stood up, Ponyboy grabbed him. Darry sighed.

"Both of you sit down." He waited till they did, then knelt in front of them.

"Look at me." He demanded. Pony looked up.

"Pony, you gotta stop hiding stuff from us. Soda and me are here to help you, but if we don't know what is going on, we can't."

"But Darry, I'm already so much trouble for you. Maybe it would be better on you and Soda if I was gone."

Soda pulled Pony to him and let his little brother cry.

"Don't you ever say that again." Soda snapped at the crying boy.

"Soda, calm down. Ponyboy, why do you feel that way?" Darry asked.

"You two have to work so hard to keep me. If I wasn't here, you could both go back to school and not work all the time."

"No! Don't feel like that. Pony, we would be so lost without you."

"Pony, we love you." Soda told him.

"Can I go to bed now?" Pony asked.

"Yeah I'll be in later." Soda told him, watching him lay down then followed Darry into the hall.

"Something is really bugging Pony." Soda said.

"I know. I don't think we should leave him alone right now." Darry said.

"We won't but let's give him a few minutes."

Pony was trying to sleep, he was nothing but trouble to the people he loved. Lying there he made a hard decision about his life. Once he'd done that, he felt so lost and alone that he went to find his brothers. They were in the living room. Soda, Steve, Two-Bit, and Dally were playing cards. Johnny was watching TV and Darry was reading the paper.

"Darry?" Pony called.

"Hey Pony, thought you were going to bed? Wanna play?" Soda wanted to know.

"What's up Pony?" Darry asked when his little brother went to stand by him.

"Can me and Soda sleep with you tonight?"

Darry looked over at Soda.

"Sure if you want to Little Man."

His eyes grew darker and the fear Soda saw therein the green depths worried him.