Two-Bit get's the gang together and Pony explains why he grew hard. I had a major writer's fart(lol, that sounds funny) (or writer's block) and I couldn't think! But, I got a longer chapter up this time! LOVE ME AGAIN! (fake tears) Anyways, I do not own The Outsiders! But I wish I did...

Two-Bit POV

Ponyboy was standing there, glaring at Dally and me. Dally was dumbfounded, being glared at by Pony. Both stood there, glaring at each other. Me and Johnny were just looking at each other, kind of surprised. Neither of us had seen Pony glare at Dally.

"Dallas."

"Pony–"

"Michael." he interrupted. "It's Michael now." Dally sideways glanced at me, cocking an eyebrow.

"Really now?" he asked as he turned back to Pony. Pony had his fists on his hips, continuing to glare at Dally.

"Yes. And I don't like that you come in here and bother one of my workers."

"'One of your workers'?" he asked, "Ain't Johnny your friend?"

"Yes, but here, he's one of my workers. And if you don't mind, Mr. Winston, I'm afraid I have to ask you and Mr. Matthews here to leave." Dally cocked an eyebrow again.

"We were not making a scene and you know it, idiot."

"You were disturbing the peace, Mr. Winston. And if you refuse to leave, I'll be forced to call the police!" I grabbed onto Dally and pulled in down to my level. I pulled Johnny over too.

"Alright, guys. Pony is not going to give in, is he?" I asked Johnny.

"Naw."

"I need to speak to everyone together at three and it's 2:49 now. Dally, can you help?"

"Sure."

"Just pick him up and sling him over your shoulder or something, that's it."

"Okay." We broke apart and Johnny and I stepped back. Dally approached Pony, who was still glaring at him, and picked him up. He slung him over his shoulder and walked over to us. Pony was kicking Dally and pounding on his back, yelling at him to let him down. Dally was grinning as he came to us. I was clapping for him.

"Good work, Dally. Operation: Kidnap Pony complete."

–x-X-x–

"PUT ME DOWN!"

"No."

"DALLAS!"

"Yes?"

"PUT ME DOWN, DAMN IT!"

"Aw, Pony said a dirty word." Dally teased. I was watching Pony pound on Dally's back. Pony just refused to sit still in the car, so Dally found some rope in my back seat and tied Pony up. He was still tied up, but now he was just slung over Dally's shoulder. Johnny was laughing hysterically at all this. I was just beaming, walking a head of everyone else. We got to the house and Dally looked so happy to see everyone there: Soda and Steve were on the porch, Darry was standing next to the tree in the front yard. Darry looked up and saw Dally carrying Pony on his shoulder. I grinned.

"Two-Bit... why is Pony tied up?" Darry asked as Dally put down Pony.

"He wouldn't come willingly." I said, grinning. Johnny had made his way over to Soda and Steve an had sat down next to them. Darry was untying Pony and lecturing Dally about not tying Pony up. Pony guessed he had no choice and sat down on the stairs. Darry and Dally joined him, leaving me standing in the front. I dug in my pocket and pulled out the group picture of us from about ten years ago. I didn't like to be in front, but I gotta talk to them. I also pulled out the piece of mirror. I didn't exactly know what I was going to say, so I decided to wing it.

"Guys, you know that it has been about ten years since I moved away and since Dally was put in jail. Well, I've noticed that since the five years that I haven't visited, everyone has changed." I said, looking at the picture. I held it so that I was pointing at Darry. I showed the picture to Darry, then held up the mirror to him. "Darry, can you see the differences in these?" I asked him. He stared at them, looking from the picture to the mirror and back again. He nodded, having a sad look on his face. I adjusted my finger so I was pointing at Steve. I showed it to him, then raised the mirror to him. "Steve, can you?" He nodded, so I moved on. I kept it up until I showed everyone their differences. They were exchanging looks; I think they were noticing differences in each other. "Everyone see what I mean?" I was scraping blood off of the mirror. I noticed that Soda was rubbing his head with a defeated expression on his face. I chuckled lightly, then looked back at everyone. "Does growing up really mean growing apart?

"I've noticed that as we grew up, we grew apart, and I was here only for two days. Pony and Johnny grew a lot apart. Pony, well... you don't think of Johnny as a friend, only a worker. Steve and Soda, you two are still together even after ten years, but you two are so damn hard. Dally, I don't blame what happened to you on jail, I blame it on me. I was the one who actually got you in there. Darry, you are an awesome father to Toby..." I began, "But you're an even better friend." I stopped and took a breath, "I've been naming your changes, but not my own. So, anyone who has a difference for me, go ahead and say it." I waited.

"You're not a drunk bastard anymore." Steve said.

"Now, is that an improvement, or...?" I trailed off. He opened his mouth, then closed it. He looked like a fish. He sighed and looked up.

"I guess you've improved." he said. I waited for someone else to say something. No one said anything. So I decided to provoke them.

"Darry, I know you have a difference for me." I said.

"You grew up." he said after a moment to think.

"Good thing or bad?"

"It depends on the person."

"True. Okay," I turned to Johnny, "Me being grown up, good or bad?"

"Good, you're responsible now-a-days." he said.

"Alright, Pony, good or bad?"

"Bad." he said without a thought.

"How come?"

"I've lost one of my best friends."

"I'm sorry..." I said. "Dally, good or bad, from what you've seen."

"I don't think you've changed all too much, Two-Shit. You're still a little idiot."

"Gee thanks." I rolled my eyes. "Soda?"

"Good."

"So, mostly it's a good thing?" I said to myself. "Alright. Now, if there are no more differences in me..."

"You're a selfless idiot who didn't give a damn about us for five years! That's how you changed, Two-Bit!" Pony finally yelled at me. I knew it was coming, but it still hurt.

"I'm sorry, Ponyboy, I really didn't..."

"Mean to, I know! But still! Because you left, me and Johnny were jumped more often by Socs. That's why I got hard! That's why I hate you... I mean, Soda and Steve were in the Army, Dally was in jail, Darry had to take care of Kendra's kid..." he stopped for a moment, then continued, "So I was counting on you to come by every weekend to hang out and to help with the Soc jumping's! But you never came back for five years! So for five years we were jumped more and more until I became hard. I had to to be able to protect myself!" he finished, crying. It hurts to see a man cry, even if it isn't you. I sighed. I had hurt him so bad and I didn't even know I did it. Then, I bent down to Pony and wrapped him in a hug, to tell him I was sorry.

"Ponyboy, I'm sorry... I really didn't mean to. I didn't know Soda and Steve went to the Army, and I'm sorry for leaving." I said.

Even though we're in our twenties, we're still kids inside. The only part of us that grew up were our bodies.

I guess being grown up doesn't count unless your childhood grows with it. I guess mine didn't.

REVIEW!