Darry and Soda pulled away from Ponyboy but Soda had his arms around his waist and Darry was still holding his hands. "Baby can you tell us what happened?" The oldest of the three asked. "Darry" He whined. More than anything both brothers were worried about Ponyboy. Not just his physical well being but his mental state too. They knew he was strong was but was he strong enough to handle this.

"Ponyboy, please just tell us. We have to know." Soda added. "They won't hurt you no more." The fourteen-year old leaned forward burying his head in his oldest brother's muscular chest. "It was after practice so everyone was gone." He was so quiet Soda had to lean forward to hear him.

"I finished changing and walked around the Field house and six socs were waiting there. They smelled like cheap beer and cigarettes. They started beating me up then started talking to each other about how much more fun I could be."

"I didn't understand what they were talking about until…god until one of them was on top of me." Pony chocked out pausing for a minute to wipe away the constant tears as his siblings rubbed his back and stroked his hair. "They kept talking and laughing about it, acting proud and stuff. I tried to get away, I fought them as much as I could but they were so strong and it hurt a lot. I might sound crazy but I still hear their voices, I can't get them out of my head. Help me."

Soda's eyes were welling up with tears. Hearing what those bastards did to his baby killed him inside. He couldn't image what his brother went through or what he was thinking. "Oh baby I can't believe them. Are you okay?" He asked tightening his hold around the boy's waist.

"I don't know"

"What do you mean?" Darrel inquired. "I just feel so many emotions right now, I don't know what's right." He keeps his head buried in Darrel's chest. "You can't help how you feel baby especially because of this." Soda stated. "I'm sorry guys, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for it to happen."

"Ponyboy Michael this is not your fault. So you have no reason to be apologizin' you hear me?" Darry said firmly, his emotions shining right through his usually tough voice. "But I-"

"Ponyboy it ain't your fault. If it hadn't been you it would've been somebody else. And I don't know why they would do this to anybody. You were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time." At this time Pony was clinging to Darry for dear life while Soda sat back trying to keep his emotions in check.

This was too much for Soda, Darry too but he was better at hiding his feelings. Soda promised to protect his brother from everything but this just tore him up. Deep down he knew there wasn't a damn thing he could've done to stop them but that didn't stop him from feeling horrible.

Darry finally looked up and Soda was sitting with one knee pulled up to his chest and his cheek resting on that. "C'mere Soda." The young man replied by joining his brothers in another hug. "What about the guys?" Pony had only briefly thought about his friends. "I can't."

"You want us to?" Sodapop asked even when he knew the answer. "Yes please" It took a lot for Pony to tell Johnny and even more to tell his brothers, so he was wiped out for the night.

"Want Johnny to come in?" Pony denied the offer. With one last hug and a kiss from each brother Pony laid down in bed ready for the day to end.

Anybody's POV

Back in the living room the remaining greasers were trying to figure out what the hell was going on. Earlier Two-bit and Dallas were walking when Darry offered a ride and explained what Soda said. All three (even Dallas) agreed something was amiss.

Dally tried to get Johnny to talk but stopped when he saw the sad and pained expression on his 'little brother's' face.

So now Johnny was as quiet as usual staring down at his shoes. Dally was staring at him. Two-bit was thinking about what could've happened while Steve was silently convincing himself that nothing was wrong. Needless to say it was pretty quiet in the room. Until the bedroom door squeaked open and the two oldest Curtis' emerged.

Two-bit's POV

Darry came in and sat down in his armchair and Soda stood next to him. Their heads slightly bowed down. Soda looked sadder than I've ever seen him or have wanted to see. To me a sad Soda was like TV with no Mickey Mouse and that's bad. "What's goin' on?"

"Guys" he begins his voice is cold, tough, and void of any emotion like his blue eyes. "Ponyboy was raped." No, no, no, no, no this can't be happening Not to Ponyboy, he's just a kid a good kid at that. I sank back into the couch and felt Steve do the same. I can't even think straight I'm so stunned. "Who?" I honestly didn't think Dally's voice could be colder.

"Socials" Those bastards as if jumping him wasn't bad enough they had to go pull some shit like this. "Fuckin' pigs!" At this point Soda got up and left to the front porch Steve followed suit. "Like they don't have enough they gotta do this." Dally is steaming mad his normally icy eyes are now filled with more hatred and more anger. If he leaves alone tonight he'll probably end up in a fight or two. Darry leans forward resting his elbows on his knees and massaging his temples with his hands. He does that a lot when he's upset or frustrated or mad or all out pissed.

"How's he holdin' up?" I ask. "Okay I guess. Shaken up but you know." Darry answers. Damn the socs they'll pay but Pony has to be scared out of his mind right now. Not just cause he's a kid but because he takes stuff to heart he's different that way. I've noticed before but never really thought about it Pony is sensitive and still so innocent. "I hope he won't change."

Darry looks up and me nods his head. I guess he understood. "Johnny you knew?" Dally asked. "Yeah he told me this afternoon but made me promise not to say anything." It figures but I bet Pony didn't have to say anything to have Johnny's confidence. They have more of a non-verbal relationship it gets me sometimes.

"He say who?" Johnny goes back to quiet mode and shakes his head. We all look up as the kid in question walks in. The bruises on his face ain't that bad, a purple-ish mark on his jaw line a black one on his right temple. They'll fade in a couple days I expect there are some on his chest and upper arms. "Hey kid. Those bruises make ya look kinda tuff." He gives me a small smile. "Think so?" He walks over to Darry and is pulled onto his lap. "You okay kid?" Darry asks. Now Pony is in quiet mode and he shrugs his shoulders. That is as much of an answer anybody is getting.

"Where are Soda and Steve?" He asks looking around the dim room. "Out on the porch." He nods his head. After a few minutes Dally gets up and leaves, no goodbyes that's his style I guess. "Probably get in a couple fights." Darry mumbles

"Or have a couple drinks." I add, shit I could use a beer or two but I can't got to baby-sit tonight 'cause my moms got stuck with the graveyard shift. I try not to get drunk or buzzed around my little sis Karen. See I am responsible.