Ponyboy's POV

It was high in the afternoon the next day. I was sitting in the kitchen, drinking a beer, then I started thinking about my gang back in New York. I felt like I was forgetting something. Something important. It was driving me crazy. I felt restless and fidgety. I couldn't sit still. I thought over all that happened. Me stabbing Rickey. Chris taking charge. Chris telling me what to do…

Then I remembered. I was supposed to call Chris when I got here! Shit!

I got up and went in the living room. Soda and Steve were sitting on the couch, talking about the girls me and Soda picked up last night. Steve laughed, when Soda told him how bad he lost in our game of pool. I sat down on Darry's recliner, and picked up the phone.

"Who ya calling, Pone?" Soda asked, watching me with interest.

"I have to call one of my gang members. I promised I would call him, once I got here." I said.

He nodded, and went back to chatting with Steve. Steve watched me carefully. What was his problem? I set aside Steve and dialed Chris's number. The phone rung a couple times, before a voice answered.

"Hey, Chris." I said into the receiver.

"Runaway! How are ya? Why didn't ya call me sooner? Did ya get there okay?" Chris fired away with questions.

"Chris! Chris shut up! Ya I'm fine. I got here." I say. Soda and Steve look at me.

"Good. So, I assume I should inform ya on what's goin on up here." he more stated than asked.

"Well yeah! So what did ya guys do about the fuzz?" I asked in a low voice, that got Soda and Steve's attention. But I ignored them. They didn't know what I was talking about anyways. And if they asked, I could make up a lie. I'm good at that.

"Well they took us in for interrogation. Been there done that, am I right Runaway? Anyways they took the whole gang in for the question game." he said.

I gasped. "The whole damn gang? What did ya guys tell em?" I asked in the same low tone.

"We all made up a story, sayin ya were headed for California!" he laughs.

"Did they believe ya?" I asked.

"Yup. The poor suckers." we both laugh.

"Well, what are ya guys doin now?" I ask. Soda and Steve are still listening to me talking on the phone.

"Well, uh, there's a small problem." he says in a timid voice.

I don't like the sound of that. "What is it?" I ask, getting a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"Well, uh, it might be a good idea to hide out there a little longer." he says.

I pause. "Why?"

"Because snakes is after ya."

He says this so fast I nearly miss him. I'm silent for a long time, taking this in. oh my god.

Chris is talking to me. "Hello? Pony are ya there?"

I feel my face pale. Oh my god! Crap. This is really REALLY bad. Soda looks concerned.

"Pony? Are ya okay?" he asks in a gentle voice.

I jump out of my seat, still holding the phone. I yell into the receiver, "WHAT!" I take a deep breath and ask, "And why is that?" I'm angry, but I keep my rage down at a level.

"He's mad that ya killed Rickey. He says if ya show yer face in New York again, that he would murder ya." There's a pause, then, "And I think he was serious." he sound grim.

This is bad. "So when should I come back?" I ask.

"Not for a while. Ya should wait till things cool down. I'll call ya to tell ya what's goin on."

I sigh. "Okay."

"Remember, don't tell anyone. It would blow yer cover. Man, yer real famous on the street now. Yer like the baddest down kiddie there is!" he says. Chris likes to think positive.

I smile. "Really? That's tuff."

Chris's says, "Yup. But listen. Just lay low. I'll call ya tomorrow. Don't say anything, and the gang got the cops controlled. Sort of. But I got to go. Bye Runaway!" he hangs up.

"Damn it, Chris! Shit. I hope ya know what yer doin." I mutter angrily, as I hung the phone up.

Soda looked worried. "What's wrong? Is it bad?" he asks.

"No soda," I lie. "its nothin." I search my brain for a believable lie. "Just someone in my gang is runnin from the fuzz." Its not really a lie. That guy is me.

Soda calms a little. "Oh. So yer okay then?" he asks.

Yup. The same old Sodapop. "I'm fine, Soda." I say.

Soda looks relieved, and I feel a little bad about lying to him. Only Soda can make me feel bad about things like that.

"Good." is all he says.

I get up from Darry's recliner and head towards the door.

"Where ya goin?" Soda asks.

"Somewhere. I'm gonna take a ride on my cycle." I tell him.

"Okay Pone. Be careful." Soda says.

I walk out the front door, and down the steps. I put my motorcycle helmet on, covering my face fully, and ride down the street. The day was still young…

Sodapop's POV

Me and Steve watched as my little brother rode down our street in his motorcycle. He was real good at driving that thing. I was a little proud that my fifteen year old brother can ride a motorcycle. My little brother is tuff.

"Ponyboy's motorcycle is tuff." Steve said. He likes anything on wheels.

"Yeah…" I say.

"Where do ya think he's gonna ride off too?" he asks.

"I ain't sure." I say, then think about it. "But he can look after himself now. I'm sure of that."

Steve looked at me in surprise. "Yer not even worried a little?"

I look at him. "I'll always worry about him. I'm just sayin that he don't need to be watched twenty-four seven. He is a gang leader from the tough streets of New York. Not to mention, riding around the streets of Tulsa on a tuff ass motorcycle. Do ya think he's still a kid, after all he's been through?

Steve considered this. "Well, not really, I guess." he sighs.

I grin. "If I know the new Ponyboy, he's probably doin somethin against the law. Like drinkin, or shoplifting. Ain't that what he said he did in New York? Shoplifting?" I ask Steve.

He nods. Then surprisingly, he chuckles. "Ya know, he kinda reminds me of Dallas."

I look at him in shock, remembering my thoughts so long ago, back when Pony scared off those socs. The look in his eyes were all too familiar. Dallas Winston. Ponyboy looked like Dallas. A picture of Ponyboy flashed in my mind. He doesn't look like Dally. At least, not now. the voice in the back of my mind said. That thought scared me.

"Soda? Ya okay?" Steve asked me.

I nod and smile a bit, trying to reassure him. "Yeah. I'm fine." its not very often I lie.

Steve doesn't looked convinced, but he leaves the subject to hang. "Okay. Well, I better get goin. I have a date with evie."

He waves me goodbye, and I watch him walk down our drive way. I rethink what Steve said to me earlier.

Maybe I should talk to Darry about this… Ponyboy, what's goin on in that head of yer's?

AN: You guys are the nicest! Yer reviews are so awesome! The next chapter is gonna be about what Pony does while he's out on his motorcycle. I will fulfill some of yer guys requests in the next chapter also! R&R!