.::I do not own the Outsiders::.

"I have to know
If you flew away with me
The faster I go
The further away it seems we get
And floating our way out"

Pony was watching television laughing at The Addams family attentively, he was fascinated by their dysfunctional lifestyle. How dark their humor was but it was funny to him. It was Sunday meaning that his brothers were home all day out of work. Darry sat in his usual spot, the recliner, reading the newspaper trying to find something entertaining. Sodapop was getting ready for a date, his girlfriend Sandy wanted to go with Steve and her friend Evie for a picnic. Before heading out the door he gave a quick kiss to Pony's forehead rushing outside.

"Be back by your curfew Pepsi-Cola." Darry said in a serious voice.

Soda shouted behind him, "Sure thing Dar!" Then slammed the door.

Pony went back to watching television when the door opened up again, it was Twobit. He sat beside him stretching his arms above him. He looked at the television seeing that it was The Addams family. Pony giggled after something comical occurr then he said, "Twobit! You remind of Uncle Fester!"

Twobit raised his eyebrow, "'Cause he's so handsome right?"

"No! 'Cause you both awe so silly!"

Darry stifled a chuckle from behind his newspaper, Twobit narrowed his eyes smirking, "And who does Darry remind you of Pone?"

Pony thought for a minute, "He weminds me of Lurch."

Twobit laughed this time, Darry mumbled some words they couldn't hear turning the page of his newspaper. After half an hour the show was over. It was only one in the afternoon with much spare time to kill. The day was already boring, Sodapop was hanging out with Steve, Dally was God knows where and Johnny was probably at home. Twobit sighed standing up, "Hey squirt, let's get some ice cream."

The little boy extended his arms out, "Yes!"

Twobit shook his head, "Nuh-uh. Don't be a lazy bum like me and walk."

As they headed out Darry told them, "Be back by his nap time Twobit, around 4."

"Yes sir." Twobit responded, on their way down to the park where there was the ice cream stand Johnny mindlessly walked until his eyes caught his two friends.

"Hey Johnny Cakes! We gonna get Ice Kwim! C'mon!" Pony said tugging at his black shirt.

Johnny nodded smiling, "Sure thing Pone."

All the three of them walked down, Twobit cracking jokes, Pony laughing. Johnny enjoyed their happiness. His family was broken, he didn't have anybody to call Dad or Mom and not because they were gone, because they didn't act like one. His father was an alcoholic who worked in a factory nearby, his mother wasn't the same when Johnny had turned 7. At that age his father started drinking, hitting his wife and child ignoring the pain he was causing. His mother stopped being nurturing, she paid no attention to Johnny what so ever. She would only make dinner and clean, that's about it. Sometimes she screamed at him for something so simple and it was the only way to blow off steam. It hurt him so bad when that happened, the Curtis parents helped him heal treating him as one of their own. He looked up to them very grateful for this.

When they died Johnny cried that night wishing it was him instead knowing his friends (Darry, Soda and Pony) didn't deserve it. Everybody lost something, he lost the people who made him better. He glanced down at Pony who was holding his hand listening to one of Twobit's silly adventures in la la land. Apart from loving his friends, he loved Pony the most. When he was born Johnny was thirteen, he looked at those green eyes for the first time in his crib when Soda was showing off his newborn brother and felt a strong bond at that moment. Johnny liked the fact that he was like no other child. Yelling, crying, annoying, needy. Pony was different, he liked being calm looking up at the sky or watching the sun go down in the afternoons while the rest played in the lot. Pony was his little brother like everybody else's.

The young Curtis pointed at the other side of the street, it was Dally. He had his hands in his pants pockets nodding at them, "Where are ya greasers heading to?" His hands ruffled Pony's hair.

"We're gonna get some ice cream, this little squirt deserves an afternoon with us." Twobit said.

They arrived, Twobit got Pony chocolate flavored ice cream Johnny had vanilla while Twobit got strawberry. Dally didn't want any saying it tasted nasty. They sat on a bench under tree's shade watching children playing around. Mother's talking, pets taking a leak on bushes. Ponyboy licked the last of his ice cream licking his finger, looking around he pointed to a sandbox nearby.

"Twobit can I go pway there?"

"Sure thing squirt, just be careful."

He darted to the sandbox excitedly sitting down waving back at his friends. Johnny shyly waved back still finishing his ice cream Dally took out a smoke watching attentively at the little one's every move. His ice blue eyes watched as Pony took some small rocks from the ground making a circle. His little hand tried making a sort of deformed sand hill. Finally, he put a leaf lying around on top looking like a flag. Pleased he grinned showing off his small white teeth. Dally grinned back, he remembered not liking the boy in the beginning. When Mrs. Curtis announced she was pregnant with a third child everybody was excited. A new member! Dally was happy for them but not liking the idea of a little brat hanging around them since there was a big age difference. He thought of a little kid bawling over everything like every other child. Dally didn't care much for him until one special evening.

Dally walked inside the house after a slight rain not feeling too hot. The rest of the gang were in the lot playing football. Mrs. Curtis was with two year old Ponyboy cleaning the house up, she ordered Dally to lay on the couch for some rest. Giving him some medication for his upcoming cold he laid down covering his face with his arm, minutes later he felt someone staring at him. Dally peeked from under his arm seeing Pony looking at him curiously with furrowed eyebrows.

"What are you staring at pipsqueak?"

Pony bit his lip not scared one bit by his harshness, "Dalli, you sick?"

Muttering he rolled his eyes, "Yes now go away."

He heard hurried footsteps go into the kitchen, with sigh of relief Dally went back to his interrupted nap. Minutes passed by when again he felt a presence beside him. Knowing who it was he asked irritated, "What is it kid?"

"Hewe. Take Dis."

Dally saw Pony's extended arm with a cookie in his hand, "It will make you feel beder. You can't get sick. You too tuff."

The teen hood was surprised by his small affection. His green eyes stared up at his with concern filled in them. Dally was in awe, he took the cookie from his hands delicately as if it were fragile. Pony beamed and went back to his mother.

From that moment Pony won his heart, of course Dal wouldn't admit it not even to himself. Deep deep deeeep down, that feeling of caring...of love he had once tried killing inside of him gushed out like a needle poking a balloon filled with water. It flowed slowly out. Dally now had only two things he actually cared for, loved un the world...Johnny and Ponyboy. From that day on...

He snapped out of his thoughts when a boy that looked about ten years old stomped in the sandbox destroying whatever Pony had created. He pouted disappointed seeing his 'castle' into a mess. The boy sneered at him, "What? You gonna cry? Crybaby!"

Dally puffed in the last of his cancer stick dropping it to the ground his shoe stepping on it. He stood up walking to them with Johnny and Twobit behind him. The boy's sneer faded when Dally appeared with a glare on his face. The boy backed away carefully, Ponyboy smirked folding his small arms.

Twobit cracked his knuckles, "Ya better beat it out of here kid."

The boy ran as fast as his legs could take him glancing back if he was being followed. The gang laughed at this, Johnny kneeled down to Pony's level, "Want to rebuild a new castle?"

His response was a loud yawn, Twobit snatched him into his hands tickling his stomach, "I see it's almost your nap time squirt, better head on home before superman busts a nerve. C'mon kiddo."

Dally said goodbye saying he was off to Buck's. Johnny shrugged staying with Twobit. The sky was getting cloudy and the air cold making Pony shiver a bit. Johnny took off his his jean jacket placing it over him, they walked quickly with the toddler falling asleep in Twobit's arms. Just as the drops of rain began to fall, the three of them stepped inside the house before getting wet. Darry was in the kitchen, he popped his head in the living room. Soda emerged from the bathroom, his curfew was at 12 but the weather was getting lousy so he had to come home early.

"Uuf, here take the squirt. He's already snoring." Twobit said handing him to Sodapop carefully.

Johnny sat down on the couch with Twobit turning on the TV. Sodapop carried his sleeping brother to his bed careful not to wake him up. After many long nights of interrupted sleeps because of the nightmares, Soda decided to sleep with his baby brother. Ponyboy was more comfortable that way, his big brother felt like a security blanket. Steve ran inside with his clothes all wet.

"Jesus Christ it's pouring out."

Soda shushed him up, "Quiet Steve! Pone's sleeping."

Steve waved him off, "Hey I gotta talk to you 'bout that uh-that thing."

Darry interrupted, "What thing? "

"Just some girlfriend problems, let's go to the porch." Soda said leading Steve out, even though it was raining they didn't mind as long as they had their talk.

"Boss agreed on having you in the DX extra hours, extra cash."

"Really? Gosh thanks, how did ya convince him?"

Steve shrugged, "I have my ways."

Soda rubbed his chin, "The problem will be telling Darry I want to drop out of school."

"What?"

It was Darry.

(Sorry for any grammar mistakes)