Title: Memories

Chapter Eight: Tulsa Talk

Author's Note: Thank you once again for more reviews, this is great! This is the longest chapter I have so far written, and there going to start getting longer. Just a note here so it doesn't' come up; there is no special reason Johnny is not in Pony's dream. I just wanted some Dally and Pony time alone.

Enjoy this chapter, the next one is one its way.

"Come on Pony, you're the brains when it comes to our gang. How can you not get this kid?" The blonde haired guy said exasperatedly. I groaned, clutching my head. The pain had turned to a dull throb, but it was still making my vision spin.

"Can't you leave me alone?" I asked tiredly. I half wondered where the other guy was. I preferred him to this one. At least he seemed nice and wasn't as pushy. "I was having a good time till these headaches started." I opened my eyes and glared up at him. "If that was your doing I swear I'll kill you." I was really sick of this.

"Little late for that." The guy said sarcastically, taking a long drag from his cigarette. I gave him a confused look. Did this guy have fun making no sense? I had a feeling the answer was 'yes'. He ignored the look and continued. "But enough of this. Right now we have to talk about Tulsa."

"What about it?" I said simply. "Sounds like a bad place with a bunch of shitty hoods." I really didn't like the sound of that place. Sounded like a place where a guy could easily get his head cracked……Ah shit. "That's where I'm from, isn't it?" I groaned.

The guy grinned toothily. "Now you're getting it. You bet, your Tulsa born and bred."

That scared me a little. I had only heard a few words from the sheriff, who I knew wasn't a good sheriff anyways because he had let two teenagers sit next to him and drink without batting an eye. But he had been worried about that place. He had said there would be a fight, and he hadn't sound surprised that something like that was going on.

The guy was looking concerned at my silence, and when he spoke his voice tried to sound gentle. "You have to go there kid, that's where your family is. Your whole life is there. You may not remember it not, but with each new memory and massive headache is going to come some of that." He flicked his smoke away and turned to face me fully, folding his arms over his chest. He looked different without a cigarette, because I had always seen him with one. I had began to think of it as a trademark or something. I may not have any memories but I sure do have random thoughts! "Did you get any new memories this time?"

I thought for a minute. He was right, there was something. I could remember fear of walking alone at night, the tension that came with mustangs, and the sight of blood. I shivered.

"Well?" The guy asked expectantly. "Don't leave me hanging here!"

"No," I said shakily. "I don't really remember anything." I didn't know why I was lying, but I had a feeling that if the guy knew the truth he would keep pushing me.

The guy looked at me disbelievingly. "Remember Pony, you can't lie to me." He said seriously. "I'm going to let this go for now sense you been through a lot and I don't want you to go insane or something. But you can't run from this, or else all hell is going to break loose over there."

I didn't understand how me not going immediately back to Tulsa would make all hell break lose, but I nodded anyways. The guy turned and walked away, and this time I was glad to see him go.

I guessed where I was even before I opened my eyes. I was back in that room in Nick and Alan's house, safely tucked under the sheets. My head was no longer hurting, but I was really tired. I looked over at the window across from me. The shades were drawn, but I could tell it was dark.

"You were asleep for the rest of the day." I heard a voice say from the desk and I turned to see Alan sitting there, reading a book by a light from a small lamp. He looked up and gave me a half smile, then marked his page and set the book down. "I think you should know you scared the shit out of half the town when you collapsed. Everyone saw Nick carry you back here, and so far they haven't shut up about it. This is the most interesting thing that has happened in ages."

I groaned and put a hand over my eyes. Just great. "Sorry about that. I started to remember stuff and my head felt like it exploded."

"Want to tell me what you remembered/" Alan asked seriously. His hands were clasped and he was leaning on his elbows which were resting on his knees. "I'm not really that deep, neither is Nick. But when you grow up with parents like ours you learn you should at least listen."

I looked at him steadily. I could tell he was dead serious when he said he would listen, but for some reason the words were hard to form. Alan waited patiently as I sat there, not saying a word. When I finally shook my head he just gave me another grin, stood, and patted my shoulder as he past. "Maybe tomorrow then." He said as he closed the door behind him.

I turned over in bed and starred at the wall. I thought of the few things I had remembered. None of them were very good, and all of them made me fear Tulsa. I had gotten this injury there, there was going to be a fight there, there were hoods there. Why should I go back?

I shouldn't. I realized. At least, not right now. I was happy here, and safe. I could stay here, and if I got some memories that made me want to go back I could. But for now I would stay here.

"But you can't run from this, or else all hell is going to break loose over there."

I batted the voice away and closed my eyes. I was asleep within moments, and this time I didn't get any annoying visitors in my dreams.

The next morning I woke to the smell of bacon. The clothes I had worn to the bar yesterday were still there, and I pulled the jeans and white t-shirt on and raced to the kitchen. Alan was flipping pancakes and Nick was setting the table. They both looked up and gave me a cheerful good morning.

"Have a good night sleep?" Nick asked as he set the last fork down. I nodded and went and grabbed the napkins to help out. He batted my hand away and pushed me into a chair. "No, no, no." He said firmly, waggling a finger at me. It was so comical I had trouble stifling my laughter. "You are a guest, and guest doesn't work. Why do you think I'm always visiting my friends' houses so often?"

I had to laugh at this point, which made Nick grin as he went to put the napkins with the rest of the setting. When he was done he stepped back and viewed his work, looking quite proud. Alan came forward and set down two plates full to the brim with bacon and pancakes. We all took as much as we could hold and chatted about nothing important.

I was just finishing my third helping when the door banged open and a woman stepped in. The slight aged look on her face told me she was older then Alan. She was wearing a pair of boyish looking jeans and a bright red t-shirt. She had a bandanna tied around her neck, and her blue grey eyes were glaring at Nick.

"What the hell happened yesterday?" She almost shouted, making Nick drop with his fork with a clang. "Why am I hearing this shit about someone passing out in my bar. I swear do you want to give me a bad reputation or what!"

"Calm down Sarah." Nick said quickly, holding up his hands like he was surrendering. I was sinking lower and lower into my seat, hoping the floor would think that this was a good time to swallow me whole. Stupid floor didn't even take it into consideration. "It was our guest, Ponyboy." Nick said quickly; pointing to me as my head slipped under the table suddenly as I fell of my chair, landing with a thump on the ground. "He's got a nasty injury on his head and it hit him with a headache when we were at your bar."

I heard Sarah let out a humph. "If you say so. But if that's the case be careful with him. The town's talking about him enough, we don't need him to go and die." Her head suddenly appeared under the table and she gave me a sly grin. "Don't worry kid; I'm not mad at you. It's this thick head up here that really gets me riled. Why I still let him near my bar is beyond me."

I heard Nick make an indignant noise as I got back into my chair. Alan had already retreated to the kitchen with the dirty dishes, and I could tell by the look on his face that he was trying very hard not to laugh. "I'll see you all later." Sarah said simply. She gave a pointed glare at Nick and slammed the door behind her.

Nick let out a sigh of relief and slumped into his chair. "That was close. Girls alright, but she has a nasty temper. One time she dumped a barrel full of beer on me when I called her a slut. Smelled like a drunk for a week."

That I could believe.

Nick and I did the drying again, and then Nick had to go and do his chores. I wanted to help, but Alan put his foot down. Quite literally actually, I was surprised it didn't go through the floor. "You stay here and relax. I don't want you passing out again." I grumbled and moaned, but eventually agreed.

I made my way to the living room and shifted through the books on the shelf. I picked one called To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and sat down. It was pretty interesting and I found myself really getting into it. The main character may be a little girl, but I liked the story.

I must have read for a couple of hours because the next thing I knew Nick came in and was grabbing himself some water from the kitchen. "Damn its hot out today." He sighed as he slumped onto the floor and leaned up against the couch. He downed his glass of water, wiped his mouth on his arm, and then turned to look at the book I was holding. "So you're a reader to, huh. Both of my parents loved books, so that's why we have so many of them. My brother likes to read to, but I don't really take much to it." He set his cup down and rested his head back, his hat hiding his eyes. "Just confuse me. He's reading this really odd book right now, something about wind. Don't get it one bit.

"I guess I like to read, can't remember, and remember." I said, setting the book down. "And I really like this book, it makes me think."

"If yah ask Alan, I bet he can let you keep it when you go back to wherever you came from."

I felt my face fall at those words. Nick noticed my silence and looked over me. "What's up?" he asked, sounding concerned. "Not another headache?"

I shook my head, and then said, a bit shakily. "I have a feeling I'm from Tulsa. I don't remember any memories or nothing, but when that sheriff said something about Tulsa that was what triggered the headache. And when I was out, I remembered emotions." I told Nick the emotions I remembered.

He looked really serious, and I mean really serious. "Sounds like you may have had a cruddy life back there." He said softly. I nodded; surprised that Nick had understood what I was afraid of. "I really don't know what to tell you Pony. Like you said, you don't remember any actual memories, so we can't go jumping to conclusions." He rested his head back again. "Our offer still stands. Stay as long as you want, and you can decide yourself when you want to go back.

I nodded dumbly, pulling my arms tightly around my chest as if I was cold. "I'll take you up on that offer." I said softly. But as I sat there in silence with Nick, who I had a feeling had dosed off, my brain began to work. The more and more I thought about it, the more I decided I defiantly did not want to go back.

Author's Note: Uh oh, looks like Pony isn't going to be ready to head back to Tulsa any time soon. That's going to make things complicated when….well, lets just say when certain things happen.