.::I do not Own The Outsiders::.

"When you've suffered enough, and your spirit is breaking
You're growing desperate from the fight
Remember you're loved, and you always will be
This melody will bring you right back home

When life leaves us blind
Love keeps us kind
When life leaves us blind
Love keeps us kind"

=Two weeks later=

Twobit laughed seeing Ponyboy run around in the playground hiding from his friend playing a game of tag. his cast had come off one day ago so he needed some slight exercise on that arm. Johnny was chasing him getting a bit tired. This past week has been reallynice. Those 14 days helped to settle down after the horrible months of separation and terrible moments. Now the gang felt somewhat at peace together again. Pony ducked under a slide his eyes looking around for Johnny thinking he had won. That is until Twobit sneaked up then his hands tickled his sides yelling, "Got ya squirt!"

"Hahaha! Twobit! L-let me go!" Pony laughed loudly.

Johnny took a deep breath after running a lot, "Gee Pone you really are a fast kid."

Ponyboy panted, "Youw just too slow Johnny Cakes."

Twobit raised an eyebrow, "Smart mouthed kid huh Johnny?"

Dallas appeared walking towards them a smoke in his mouth, he ruffled Ponyboy's hair playfully. Twobit nodded a hello, Johnny cracked a small smile. Ponyboy nudged his leg with his elbow, "You wanna play Dally?"

"Actually we need to get you home Pones, we found something you need to see."

"Weally?! What is it Dally?"

Dally shook his head, "Not telling you kid, that's why we need to get home right now."

Johnny gave a look at Twobit already knowing what was going on. Ponyboy pouted frustrated that his friend couldn't just tell him already. Dally just grinned amusing himself by frustrating him even more by ignoring his questions.

"Is it a dinosauw?"

Twobit snorted, "You have one hell of an imagination kid."

Outside of the Curtis house Dally held out his hand telling them to stop by the porch. Twobit wiggled his eyebrows at Johnny giving him some sort of secret sign. The tanned greaser understood kneeling down at Pony's level ready to begin with the plan. Dally with Twobit walked inside the house. Ponyboy frowned not happy that everyone was acting strange.

"What's going on Johnny?"

"Ok listen to me Pony, can you do me a favor?"

"Suwe."

"Close your eyes ok? Keep 'em real shut you got me? No cheating."

Ponyboy nodded excitingly, his hands covered his face even though his eyes were already closed. Dally stuck his head out the door motioning Johnny to lead Ponyboy inside. The small Curtis stepped in the house with Johnny's help. His heart raced feeling eager to see what the whole ruckus was about. Johnny let him go still ordering Pony to keep his eyes closed. Suddenly he heard many voices shouting, "Happy birthday Pony!"

His hands uncovered his eyes seeing his friends and family in the kitchen surrounding the table. A big chocolate cake with 4 candles lit, on the cake his name was written with chocolate syrup, Ponyboy!. There were balloons around, presents next to the cake, colorful napkins. Pony's mouth was shaped of an 'o'. He did not expect this, his birthday was ruined when the masked man attacked. Sodapop planned this telling his friends to help out. Everybody agreed saying it was a wonderful idea. Twobit threw away the present from last time not wanting to let it be a remembrance of those terrible events.

Ponyboy stood frozen totally surprised until a big smile grew on his face revealing his enthusiastic attitude, "But it's not my biwthday!"

Soda chuckled, "We know...It's just that we didn't get to celebrate your birthday last time. You like it?"

"Thank you..."

Pony hugged his brother Soda tightly, "Oh, I love you Ponyboy..." His middle brother whispered.

Then his other brother, "Thank you Dawy."

Darry embraced him, "No need to thank me 'lil colt."

It was Twobit's turn to hug him, "4 years old ,huh, squirt? Getting old my small friend."

"Shut up Twobit!" Ponyboy giggled.

Steve was next, "Happy birthday kid," the teen grumbled not wanting to show any emotion.

"Thank you Steve..." Pony said sincerely.

"Heck, no need to thank me, just-just enjoy the party." Steve muttered blushing a little.

Johnny wrapped his arms around the kid, a small chuckle escaped his lips, "Happy birthday Pony. You're such a good kid. I hope you keep it that way."

"I will Johnny! You too. Youw very nice to me. Youw my bestest fwiend."

"And you're mine Pone."

Dallas..."Hey, my present is in my car wanna take a look?"

He took his small hand in his walking him out, the rest were chatting away with Elvis music on the background enjoying the small humble party. Dally led him to his car opening the side door, inside revealed a small orange kitten curled up in a ball sleeping soundly. Pony gasped, he remembered Pepsi. How his brothers sadly told him what had happened. Or well, the important stuff anyway.

The second day he was home after the custody hearing, in the morning he woke up wanting to look around for Pepsi. "Hewe Pepsi Pepsi! Whewe awe you?!"

His brother Sodapop sat up in bed hearing Pony's shouting. He knew this would happen soon, Pony would have eventually ask for his kitten. Darry also woke already by the hallway up giving him a look knowing what was coming. Their young brother was in the living room searching under the couch, behind the television, in the kitchen. Darry cleared his throat, "Pony...Can you come here for a sec?"

Sodapop sat down on the couch, Darry lifted Pony from the ground seating him in the middle. Soda sighed scratching the back of his head feeling nervous. He didn't like seeing his little brother upset, not again after all that had happened. Darry pursed his lips thinking of the right words to say. Soda bit the inside of his cheek doing the same, Pony folded his arms frowning. Finally Darry spoke.

"Ponyboy, baby, Pepsi...Pepsi is gone."

"Gone?"

Soda sighed again, this time very slowly, "Pepsi ain't coming back Pone."

Pony furrowed his eyebrows trying to grasp the words he had been told. The same words were given when his parents died, Darry said that they weren't coming back ever. That meant Pepsi wouldn't either. That he was really gone like his Mama and Daddy. Pepsi wouldn't be here playing, sleeping licking himself or meowing for attention. Pony's lip began to tremble his eyes getting watery, in a quivered voice he asked, "S-so he's gone...? Like M-Mama and Daddee?"

Darry gulped, "Yeah buddy...he is."

Tears streaming down his face, Pony slid off the couch and walked to his room without another word. The whole day he grieved for Pepsi crying silently. Soda's heart broke also crying, if he had known the masked man was so cruel to harm an animal he would have taken better care of the kitten. Darry felt more angry, he even punched the wall making a hole. Watching Pony suffer was unbearable, none of his friends or brothers should have gone through so much.

Dally gave him a slight push from behind, "I found him yesterday walking by his lonesome in the streets, car woulda killed him but I saved the little rascal. I thought you could give him a home, he don't have no friends or brothers like you."

Ponyboy sniffed wiping away his tears, his arms reached out to the kitten carrying him. The kitten's eyes opened revealing 2 blue ones peeking up at its new owner. It simply stared back with curiosity, Pony bit his bottom lip, "Youwe alone, I'm going to take cawe of you and love you so much! I have 2 brodews. We awe going to be family now!"

The greaser gazed at the toddler, This kid ain't going to be like the rest of us. He's different... I'm going to make sure he won't become like any of us.

Walking inside the house again, the baby Curtis began showing off the new Grease member. Darry rolled his eyes smirking, "Soda..."

Soda waved him off, "Yeah yeah, I'll get him to take a dump outside don't you worry!"

Twobit held the kitten making faces at it, Steve puffed , "You keep doing that the cat will die from your gorilla face!"

The gang laughed, Johnny patted the orange kitten's head making him purr with pleasure, "What are you going to name him, Pone?"

"Owange..."

Twobit cackled up, "Orange? Really?"

Pony nodded, "Yeah! He weminds me of owange juice."

Steve rolled his eyes, "What is it with this family and beverage names..."

The party continued, Steve started a poker game in the living room laying the cards on the coffee table. Dally, Twobit and Soda started arguing on who was the cheater. Johnny was playing with Pony on the ground with Orange making him chase a piece of string around the house. Darry sat on his recliner watching everyone. They've been through so many things. Their parents deaths, the new life style with Darry now as the Guardian, the separation afterwards, the masked man attacking not only Pony but Twobit and Johnny. Many awful incidents. Yet there is always a light of the end of the dark black road.

He looked at his brother Sodapop now laughing away, his eyes alive with joy. Sandy's problem was beginning to fade away in his heart. It would take some time however he would make it in the end. Darrel was thankful for his friend's support, maybe they weren't related but they were brothers by soul. Then he looked at Pony giggling with delight at Orange's jump for the string in his hand. That face...That boy...That brother of his...Of Soda's...Of everyone's... That kid, that pipsquick, that squirt, Ponyboy, could make any of them fill their heart with happiness. Even though he lived so many rough days, he proved to be a tough kid because in the end he still had a smile to show it.

The joy he felt made Darry crack one of his rare grins , Soda caught him grinning too, "You too?" You're happy like me aren't you big brother?

"Yeah...me too."Darry understood his silent question without needing to say the whole thing.

The Curtis brothers knew that if Mom and Dad were still alive they'd be proud. They imagined them smiling from wherever they were and thanked them in their prayers for keeping Pony safe. Keeping him alive. The Greasers promised themselves to take care of the smallest Greaser, each of them loving Ponyboy Curtis in their own special way.

Darry, Sodapop, Steve, Twobit, Johnny and Dally will be with him watching him grow every step of the way...

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(Sorry for any grammar mistakes)

=Well this is it folks. I hope you have enjoyed every chapter. I really appreciate the fact that you have read, reviewed, favorited and followed this fanfic! Maybe I'll do a sequel but for now a small break! I will put up an alternative ending so I hope you'll be interested in reading it, just look it up on my profile for it soon. Really, thank you! =