Ok...I think I'm changing my review rule to four. Some reviews pointed out that the Outsiders isn't that popular, so 4 is good. Plus, I'm getting 4 on average anyway. Hope you like!

I do not own The Outsiders.

Pony POV

I watched as Darry heaved Dally into the house, Dally sobbing into his shoulder. Darry looked down at him with such kindness, for once I saw him as a person, not superman.

We had to keep Dally innocent. We could re-do his childhood, but from the words that Dally was screaming hysterically, I knew that only a few minutes out of the hospital had introduced Dally to some Socs.

I used to be the innocent one, but I've seen too much now. I almost envy Dally for being able to forget, but I would never want to forget my precious memories of Johnny. If I forgot, his letter would have no meaning.

Outside, Darry was speaking soothingly to Dally and Dally was starting to calm down. I smiled. I had always been scared of Dallas Winston. Now I can't remember why.

Dally POV

Darry walked me into the house really nicely. I wasn't sad anymore. Nobody was ever going to hurt me ever again. My brothers would make sure of it.

"Where's your mom and dad Darry? Can I meet them? Are they ok with me staying?" Darry wouldn't meet my eyes for a minute as he fiddled with the doorknob. The door swung open, but he didn't walk in.

"Dally, my parents-they aren't with us anymore." I widened my eyes and Darry swallowed and looked away again.

"What about Steve? And Two-Bit? And what about Johnny? Darry, where are my parents?" Darr shook his head, then plastered a smile onto his face.

"Here, I'll give you the grand tour." I frowned, noticing that Darry had avoided my question, but maybe he was just really eager to show me his house.

Pony was inside and he grinned broadly at me. I went over to him and gave him a hug. I loved Pony. Although technically both he and Soda were younger than I, Pony was the one who I could treat like a little brother, even if he did know more than me.

"Hey Dal! He superman!" I looked around wildly. Superman? Why was superman here? Darry laughed from behind me.

"I'm superman Dally." I widened my eyes in awe. Darry and Pony laughed again. I wondered if they were laughing at me. "It's just a nickname Dal. They call me superman sometimes."

"Oh. Ok superman." The words sounded awkward emitting from my mouth and Pony laughed, flinging his arm around my shoulders.

"Here, I'll show you your new room." Pony showed me upstairs, while Darry started making lunch. I heard the clattering of pans and smelled something delicious coming from the kitchen.

Pony led me to a small cramped room that had a small bed in it. It looked cozy, and somehow I knew that it was the nicest place I had ever slept. "Thanks Pony. Where do you sleep?"

Pony led me across the hall to a bigger room with a bigger bed. "Soda and I share a room."

"You don't have to do that Pony. I could sleep on the couch or something." He smiled, lines appearing around his gray eyes.

"Soda and I have always shared a room. Well, ever since mom and Dad..." Then I remembered that his parents were dead.

We walked back into my room in silence and I sat down on the bed, wringing my hands. "Pony, what happened to your parents? What about the rest of the gang?"

Pony hesitated, but I could tell he couldn't say no to me. He sat down beside me and leaned his face into my shoulder.

I was silent for a moment, completely comfortable with his show of affection as well as the dead quiet of the room.

Then I felt something wet land on my arm. I looked down at Pony alarmed to see he was crying. His gray eyes would magnify for a second as the tears build, and then the tears would fall in pearly orbs. It was pretty cool to watch, but I knew that tears meant sadness, because I cried only when I was sad.

I brushed his tear away, and he smiled up at me. "Sorry Dally. I just...I can't really talk about them. Or Johnny-" His voice broke and his barely contained anguish broke. He started shaking.

All I could really do was say "Shhh. You're ok." To him as I patted his hair. Even though I wanted to break down and cry also, I felt like I shouldn't.

That's when I learned how to be strong for someone else, and I felt a little piece of my innocence slip away.

That night I slept deeply. My room was warm and comforting. Darry had bought me clothes and I had folded them neatly and put them away in my drawers. I decided that my room was gonna be neat. Pony and Soda's room wasn't, and I didn't like it.

I was woken up at about five in the morning by someone bouncing on my bed. I think Pony was trying not to wake me up, but he landed on my leg and I groaned.

"Sorry Dally!" He whispered. I chuckled, suddenly fully awake.

"Hey Pony." I said, stretching. Pony lay carefully next to me and was quiet, probably trying to let me get to sleep again.

"Well, I'm awake now Pony. What is it?" Pony laughed slightly but not as though he found me funny, more in a distracted kind of way.

"I want you to see something. Will you come see it?" I rubbed my eyes, but nodded in agreement to Pony's wishes. I would do anything for the kid.

We walked slowly down the creaking stairs, not wanting to wake anyone else up. Pony headed towards the door and I frowned.

"Pony, we shouldn't be going out at this time of day...night." Pony shook his head.

"No, we're not going far. Just on the porch." I rubbed my face again, surprise to feel some hair on my chin. Darry had some hair there sometimes, and I'd always thought it was weird.

"Ok." Pony led me outside, and the second the cool air touched me, I was completely awake.

"Wow." I murmured. It was the most beautiful thing I could remember seeing-and I had a sneaking suspicion that I had never seen anything this beautiful in my past life.

This time of morning was magical. The sunrise was just starting, and the sky was a pale dusk color. The little ugly houses and the dirt road shimmered like they were covered in silver, although I knew it was just frost.

"Johnny and I used to look at sunsets and sunrises together." Pony said softly.

"Yeah I understand why. It's beautiful." We sat on the front stairs, neither of us speaking, completely comfortable in eachothers company.

Darry POV

I went into Pony and Soda's room at about seven o'clock but only saw one body. I figured Pony was out watching the sunrise. I had noticed that Dally's bed was empty also, and I concluded that Pony had taken him along.

Sure enough, after I had shaken Soda and made sure he got out of bed, I saw the two silhouettes sitting on our porch steps. They both looked so peaceful, I hated to disturb them, but Pony needed to get to school.

I came up silently behind them and lightly tapped Pony on the head. He smiled up at me, and without saying a word to Dallas, he left to go get dressed.

When Dally looked up at me and in the gray light, his eyes looked almost clear. He smiled and followed Pony into the house.

I wondered when I would get used to Dallas smiling.

I tried to show Dally how to make eggs that morning, but he failed miserably. His egg ended up overcooked and clumpy, but he was so proud of it, he ate it anyway.

Soda laughed when he saw this, telling Dally that he had real potential to be a gourmet chef. Dally beamed at him, not getting the sarcasm, and Soda cracked up.

Just then, the door slammed. Two-Bit and Steve walked in. Two-Bit was gonna be taking care of Dal today, and I had given him strict guidelines on how to treat the kid.

I think Two-Bit understood, but he wasn't happy that he couldn't drink.

"Hey guys." Dally said beaming at them. Two-Bit grinned back, probably already planning the things he could do with Dally today. Not the best idea to let Two-Bit watch over him.

"Hey Dally. I see you made some eggs this morning." Dally grinned. Once he had tasted my eggs, he had decided against being a gourmet chef.

"Yeah. You guys want any? I probably shouldn't cook them though."

"Aww, nonsense." Two-Bit chided. "Can't be worse than Sodapop's eggs." At that moment, Soda came back from taking a shower, and he tackled Two-Bit while trying to pull on a shirt.

I smiled at my new gang. At that moment, there was a knock on the door. Nobody knocks on our door unless they're on official business.

I hurried to get it, foolishly leaving Dally in charge of the eggs. At the door was a police officer. I left the screen door closed, not wanting him to come in.

"Darrel Curtis?" I nodded mutely. "Here are the court appointments for Dallas Winston. He will be represented by a public defender."

I was too surprised to speak. The police officer opened the door and handed me the pieces of paper. I stared dumbfounded at his retreating back.

Dally came from the kitchen to where I was standing. He looked up at me, curious. "What's wrong Darry?"

My heart swelled. How could they think of putting Dally in jail now? He was only 17, and he acted like a four year old. He wasn't brain dead, but he was slow and innocent.

I swallowed. I hated lying to him. I couldn't lie to him again.

I ruffled his hair and said shortly, "We'll talk about it when I get home today, ok?" He nodded, smiling broadly again.

He held out the plate he had in hand. On it were some blackened mystery foods. "Eggs and toast?" He asked.