Ok, guys, I'm back. So, this story is going to be based on the entire gang. Everyone is there same age.

I don't own the Outsiders.

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Johnny's POV

I laid in the backyard of the Curtis household. Ponyboy was currently on his way home from the movies, Two-Bit was chilling out on the front porch having a smoke, Darry and Soda were about to get off work, and Dally... well, he was a different story altogether. Unlike everyone else, he was pacing the house, worrying over Ponyboy's safety. The last time that he had gone off on his own Pony had gotten jumped and we all know how little he uses his head. I couldn't help but remember what had happened after the court case. Ponyboy had become cold, trying his hardest to be more like the rest of us in order to survive in a world that was against him.

We've all been trying to get the old Pone back but it seems like it's still a million miles off. He was almost impossible to talk to anymore, any conversation we had usually ended with him storming off to get some air. Within the past week alone he'll come home with bruises lining his tan skin and his green eyes were shining with pride as a soc warily followed behind him, collapsing to the ground at our doorstep and begging to be forgiven for fights that would have happened later that night. Anytime someone confronted him about what happened he would shrug his shoulders and claim he was "doing what he needed to" without further explanation. His grades never slipped surprisingly, even when he refused to do his homework that night.

"C'mon man, you gotta let me go after 'im you know he can't handle himself," Two-Bit stormed into the house with Darry and Soda following close behind him.

"Lately it seems he's doing fine," Darry said bitterly, "Besides, if you go after him he'll just run off to god knows where." It seemed that Darry was appearing more and more drained the longer he spoke of his reckless brother. I glanced at the door warily, expecting Ponyboy to run through the doors at his usual time only to have him run out of the house minutes later after getting into a fight with someone in the gang.

It became a normal routine that hasn't been broken in weeks.

That's why Dally was pacing the floor, afraid for the youngest member of the gang who was walking the streets of Tulsa alone, with the sun seeming to set faster with every passing second. The socs were bound to get to him and, even if everything would go by as it normally did, if there was enough of them he would be terrified and probably wouldn't make it five minutes. God, I sure hope he's alright. I know he's been handling himself lately but it still seems the old Ponyboy is around somewhere, trapped within the tough greaser

"I'm goin' after him," Dally finally said, heading towards the door. No one stopped him, instead, Darry just let out a sigh that was usually saved for Pony and Soda when they got hurt and did something incredibly stupid. He didn't make a move to stop Dally, rather choosing to follow after the hot-headed greaser.

"Stay here in case he comes back," Darry said quickly, only to have Two-Bit attempt to protest.

"I don't want to hear it, Keith," Darry was using the same tone he did when he was getting onto either of the boys. His voice raised but dropped an octave lower. making him seem more threatening than a towering man who has extensive knowledge in fighting, "Pony will need you here when he comes back. You seem to be the only person who can get to him right now." Two-Bit simply grumbled and glanced toward the door.

"Don't take long," he said quickly, choosing to go upstairs into the familiar bedroom he and Ponyboy were in more often these days. Two-Bit didn't even bother worrying about Pony being upset anymore. The youngest seemed to be cool with the jokester in the group hanging out in the room whenever.

I glanced out the door and saw the sun setting beyond the horizon and felt my stomach flip when I realized that within minutes the sun would be set completely and darkness would cover Tulsa, and no greaser, no matter how tough, wants to be caught alone when it gets dark.

"I'll be back soon," Darry moved out the door and I felt my stomach sink when I started imagining what would happen if Ponyboy wasn't found in time.

"You better be."

*Time skip 10 minutes*

Dally's POV

I glanced around the streets wondering where on Earth the kid had gone. Darry and I had split up but it seemed that we weren't faster than the Sun which was no longer in the sky. I cursed under my breath for not going after the kid sooner but with everything that has been going on with him, it's not like I would really bother.

"Dally," I turned around and caught sight of Steve who was following closely behind me. His breathing was heavy as beads of sweat fell down his face. His eyes were full of worry and he seemed jumpy, as though there was a gang of socs not too far away, "Pony... track... chased... lot," I didn't bother listening to the rest.

"Go tell the others they're at Darry's," I sprinted away from my location and ran towards the Lot. My heart was racing and my lungs felt like they were going to collapse but I could have cared less at that moment. The youngest was at the lot and if the socs got to him.

I sprinted faster. The lot was coming into view slower than I cared for. I could make out the form of the youngest greaser sending glares to socs who had him cornered by the fountain. He looked unamused, as though it was nothing more than a game he's been through a million times before. In his hand was a beer bottle which set me off. He took a sip from it, one long gulp, and slammed it against the side of the fountain. His look changed as he stood up and stalked towards one of the socs.

"Ponyboy," I shouted. He glanced at me for a brief second but his eyes expression changed quickly when one of the socs attempted to punch him the gut. He was around in seconds and slammed the side of the bottle into the guy's wrist, breaking the bottle even more. The guy fell to the ground, holding his arm as I caught sight of a liquid dripping from the cut on his arm.

The others stared in shock, giving Ponyboy enough time to take some of them down, lifting one of them up by the collar. His eyes seemed to change, gold filling them as he growled out his next words.

"Follow me. Do not fight back," he threw the guy to the ground and stalked over to me, anger seems to be controlling his movement as he stopped in front of me.

"What was that," I yelled out.

"I had it covered," he growled out. I felt my anger increase as I gestured to the five socs that were all on the ground in pain. I could only imagine what type of damage Ponyboy had done to the others after seeing his reaction to just one punch.

"What's happened to you," his glare deepened and his body tensed incredibly. I knew I had hit a spot that no one has dared to touch since we first started noticing his odd behavior.

"Nothin' happened," he turned and sent a glare towards the socs on the ground, "follow. now." They all got up quickly and ran over to Ponyboy in hopes that they wouldn't have to face his anger again.

"Ponyboy," Two-Bit ran over and wrapped the youngest in a hug who growled.

"Apologize. Beg." All of the socs fell to their knees, begging for us to forgive them before scampering off when Ponyboy sent them all a glare.

"What the hell, Ponyboy," he didn't say anything. He simply attempted to walk past me so I grabbed his wrist in an attempt to get him to stay put. Ponyboy simply ripped his hand out of mine and turned away from me. Two-Bit ran after him and gave us all a look that said to head back to the house. We hesitated for a moment before leaving the two of them in the lot. I had to glance over my shoulder constantly in order to make sure Ponyboy wasn't going to do anything. He was on the fringe of snapping and should a fight break out I feared for Two-Bit's safety.

"You better not hurt him," I muttered under my breath.

Two-Bit's POV

"The hell has gotten into you, Pony," I growled out sending him a glare. He simply shrugged his shoulders and walked forward, meeting my eyes and glaring until he was sure that I was going to snap and back down.

"Nothin'," I scoffed.

"Nothing my ass. Look at you, what the hell happened," he looked down eyes full of shame as if he knew what was going to happen if he told me his reasoning.

"I was protecting you guys. You get tough you don't get hurt so I joined one of the socs gangs. I've been using it to my advantage so they back off," my eyes widened at the confession from the youngest greaser.

"That explains a lot... Pony, you have to be careful, man. None of us can afford to lose you. You're the youngest and the one who we need to protect the most so don't act so tough." He looked away as though he knew my statement was true.

"I know, but I saw a chance and I jumped for it," his eyes met mine and I say a single tear, "can we just go home."

"Yeah," I said quietly, wrapping the youngest of our gang into a tight hug.

"Hey, Two-Bit?"

"Yeah, Pony."

"Don't tell the gang about any of this. I'm not in the mood to get my asked kicked."

"Let's go to my place."

"That would be best," with that we went off towards my house, stopping at a payphone to call Darry and tell him the plan. He warily went along with it but agreed which means Ponyboy is in the clear now.

Guess sometimes it takes a while to see something in someone that you never thought you would.

I do know, that this isn't the end of the line for our youngest though. He still has a long way to go.