AN: Sorry if I seem to rush into things. I might skip a couple months in the chapters ahead. I might not use as much POV on Darry or Sodapop. But I'm still not sure. I do a lot of research on Gangs in New York and stuff like that. And let me tell you, writing this story ain't too easy, but its fun. Please review! Reviews are what keep me writing!

Ponyboy's POV

I followed them down the street, and through some alley's, until we finally reached a dead end when we came to a large metal fence. Or so I thought. We followed the fence down some ways, to a tree at the far end. The tree's branches were pretty low and looked easy to climb. And that's exactly what we did. We climbed the tree until we got to the branch just a little above the fence, and then we hopped over.

The jump down wasn't that high, but I got kind of dizzy when I landed on my feet. The gash on my cheek started bleeding a little more heavily. I could feel the blood dripping down the side of my face. Suddenly I didn't feel so hot. I started to sway on my feet. I saw black spots dance in front of my eyes. I fell to the ground.

"Ponyboy!" Someone dropped down beside me. I didn't know who, I was too out of it. "Kid! Ya okay? Talk to me." A deeper voice said. My eyelids started to get real heavy.

"I don't feel too good." I murmured, and gave way to unconsciousness.

When I woke up, I was lying on a mattress, in what looked like an abandoned warehouse. "We should get to the warehouse before it gets dark…" I heard Tony's words ring in my head. This must've been what they were talking about. I looked around the room. The windows were all boarded up, and the floors were grimy. Moon light came through the holes of the boards on the window. The only furniture in the room was a nightstand to my left, and the mattress I was lying on. My backpack and jacket were on the floor next to me. There was a door in the corner if the room. I assumed that was the entrance and exit to the room.

The door opened and Chris walked in. "Your awake! That's good. How ya feelin'?"

I felt like crap. My head was throbbing, the cut on my cheek burned, and I was exhausted. But I didn't say all that. Instead I said, "I feel like shit."

This made Chris laugh. "Yeah. I'd think so. You passed out right outside here." He told me.

I looked at him surprised. "Really?" I remembered passing out, but I didn't remember seeing any buildings around. I must have been more out of it than I thought.

He nodded his head. "Yeah. We just hopped over the fence, and the warehouse was only a few yards away, when ya collapsed." he explained. "Mike had to stitch up yer cheek though. That was a nasty cut, ya had there."

I looked at him blankly. What? I lifted up my hand to my cheek. Sure enough, I felt three stitches, on my right cheek. Great. That's gonna leave a scar, alright. My head really started hurting now. I got up and grabbed my backpack, digging out the aspirin. I popped four pills in my mouth, and swallowed them dry.

"So, since yer up and about," Chris began, "Want to come meet the rest of the gang?"

The rest of the gang? I've only been in New York for a couple hours and I've already been slashed at, and am making new friends. So far, I've been lucky.

"Sure." I get up and follow him out the room. We walk through a long hallway and down a flight of stairs. We enter a very large room at the bottom. And when I say very large, I mean huge. The room is filled with stuff wrapped up in sheets and bubble wrap. Everything is covered in dust, so I assume that the stuff has been there a long while.

I continue to follow Chris through the maze of old junk, and we end up in a clearing, in the center of the warehouse. I saw Tony, Jay, and Snatcher, sitting around a camp fire, with four other guys I didn't recognize. They were probably the other gang members Chris was talking about. I looked at all of them calmly, while they looked back at me the same.

"Ponyboy, this is Dean, Eric, Danny, and Michael. Michael's our gang leader." Chris introduced me. "Guys, this is Ponyboy."

They all greeted me, and looked at me differently. The one named Eric looked at me with disgust, but I naturally ignore dirty looks. I'm used to it, from putting up with Steve. Dean looked at me with a cold look, but not necessarily an unfriendly look. Danny looked at me with interest, and excitement. He seemed friendly. And last but not least, Michael looked at me with calm curiosity.

Michael opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when Danny asked, "So, is Ponyboy yer real name?" Chris shot him a warning look. This time, I didn't find the question annoying. Something in Danny's voice made me relax. "Yes." I answered in a calm voice. "You can just call me Pony if ya want. That's what my old gang called me." They all nodded, and Michael invited me to sit down. I sat down, and looked at them all carefully.

Dean had black hair, that curled behind his ears, and dark green eyes. He was lanky, but had a heavy build. By his size, I guessed he must be seventeen. His eyes were cold, and bitter filled, but I could see his friendly side. He had high cheek bones and a sharp nose. He reminded me a little of Dallas, but a friendlier version, that didn't hate the world. He had a scar that ran down from his left temple to his chin, a really long one.

Eric was the tallest, with long dark hair, and black eyes filled with hate and bitterness. He had a pretty good build. His nose was sharp, like Deans, but he had a pointed chin. He looked like the oldest, I'm not sure, maybe nineteen? By the looks of things, I'd say that we wouldn't get along. He did not look too friendly.

Danny was defiantly the youngest of the gang. He's thirteen, I know it. I guess it's a gut feeling. He has light brown curly hair, that has no grease in it at all. Unlike all the other gang member, he looked happy. He was real friendly, I could tell by the look in his eyes. His eyes were a dark brown, that were real hyper, and eager looking. His ears are pointed, so he kind of looked like an elf.

Michael looked a lot like Jay. He had the same dark brown hair, and facial features. I looked between him and Jay. They must be brothers! Every one back in Tulsa who knew me, also knew my brothers, because we all had the same good looks. Michael and Jay looked like that. Michael had ice blue eyes, that looked friendly and caring. He was well-built, and not too tall, but also not too short. His hair was heavily greased, and pretty long. He didn't seem as bitter as everybody else.

"So, Pony," Michael started, "How did ya get mixed up in that fight with snakes gang members?" he asked giving me a curious look.

I knew what they were asking me. "I was just walkin', and they jumped me. I didn't know I was on his turf." I answered honestly.

Michael nodded. "Its not really his territory. Its ours. He's been tryin to drive us out for over a month now. He's been jumpin anyone that walks alone and his gang is no better."

Now I nodded. "That one named Ricky, he slashed my cheek, I sure don't like him." I voiced my thoughts out loud.

"Yeah. Ricky's one of Snakes members. Snakes is the leader of his gang. He's called Snakes because of his snake tattoo on his arm. He's real nasty. Always beating innocent kids up. His gang is slightly bigger than ours. Snakes gang has eleven gang members. We only have eight." Michael told me. "So, what happened to yer old gang, Pony?"

I bit my lip. "Well, nothin really. I kinda just ran away. Its not because of them though, I just couldn't handle all the bad memories anymore." I trusted them enough to tell the truth. Michael nodded, but didn't ask anymore about the matter.

"Yer not from here. Are ya Ponyboy?" Danny asked excitedly. I shook my head and he went on. "Where are ya from?"

"Tulsa, Oklahoma." I said.

Danny went wide eyed. "Whoa. Ain't that real far?" He asked.

I thought a moment. "Well, I don't think its too far. It was only a day and a half travel." I said.

Danny nodded than grinned. "That's cool." I grinned too.

Michael spoke up then. "So, what are ya doin in New York, Ponyboy?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. One of my friends used to live around here, before he died. I don't know why, but I thought it would be nice to start a new life in New York."

Michael looked at me thoughtfully. "Do ya have a place to go?"

I shook my head. "No." I looked down, getting lost in my thoughts.

"… stay with us." Michael was saying. "Huh?" I shot my head up at those words.

He looked at me, slightly amused by my spacing out. "I said, if ya don't have anywhere to go, ya could stay with us… and maybe ya could join us." He added.

I looked at him stunned. Was he asking if I wanted to join his gang? "Ya mean, join yer gang?" I asked dumbly.

He nodded. "If ya want."

I looked at the rest of the gang. They looked as stunned as me. I didn't know what to say. I only just met them, and now he was asking me to join his gang. I didn't really have anywhere else to go, so I nodded my head. "Yeah. That's tuff!"

Michael smiled. "Welcome to our gang." And I was officially a member of Michaels gang.

AN: Sorry I haven't updated in like 2 or 3 days! I was on a vacation with my dad! I tried to write something long though! Please review! I love reviews! Thanx readers!