AN: Ok! This chapter will have some requests in it. But not all. There was a lot of requests. Maybe I can fit some in the next chapters. Read on!

Ponyboy's POV

I parked my bike, and climbed off. It was about seven o'clock at night now, and I was at the drag races. It was busy as always. Noisy, loud, and active, was how the drag always was. I pushed through the crowd, as I tried to reach the front to see who was about to race. I was almost there, when a hand was set on my shoulder. I turned around.

"Ponyboy? Ponyboy! I heard ya were back, but I didn't believe it. Until now!" Curly said loudly, trying to talk over the noisy crowd.

I smiled. "Yeah. I got back a couple days ago." I said.

He shook his head. "Man, we need to get somewhere more quiet. I need to hear this."

We walked over to a spot away from all the noise of the cars and crowd. Curly and I sat down on a bench.

"So," Curly starts. "Where the hell did you go!"

I grin. "To New York." I say. Now what? Do I have to tell the whole story over again?

Curly's shocked face is enough to make me laugh. "W-What? Ya went to frickin New York!" I nod and he continues, "I knew ya looked different. Ya want to head to Bucks for a beer? I want to catch up with ya."

"Sure, but can we take my cycle? I don't want to leave it here." I ask.

He looks at me in disbelief. "What! Ya got a motorcycle?" I nod. "But ain't ya only fifteen?" he asks.

I grin, and take out my license. He takes it and shock is shown on his face once more. "How did ya get a license at yer age?"

I laugh. "Its forged." I say.

He looks at me with a grin. "Yer alright, Curtis. Come on lets head to bucks." he says. I lead him to my cycle and we both climb on.

Darry's POV

I came home to find Ponyboy not there.

"Where's Pony?" I ask Soda who's watching TV. I didn't see Steve or Two-Bit anywhere. They must not be here.

"He went to take a ride on his motorcycle a couple hours ago." Soda tells me.

"Hours ago?" I ask. "Where was he going?"

He shrugs. "I don't know. He probably ended up at bucks by now. He likes it there." Soda says, totally relaxed.

I couldn't believe soda was acting like this. He wasn't even a little worried. He didn't even seemed bothered that our baby brother was hanging around a bootlegging rodeo clown! What the hell has gotten into him? He knows not to let Pony go there! Ponyboy knows he is not supposed to. Ponyboy likes it there? I remembered a time when he couldn't even stand buck, and now they're best friends? Not in my house.

"What! Soda, ya know he's not allowed to go anywhere near bucks! What has gotten into ya?" I was yelling at him.

He looked at me. "Ponyboy is not a kid anymore, dar. He has certainly proven that. He doesn't need us to watch him as much. He can look after himself. He's been living on the streets of New York for a whole damn year, and yer worried somethin is gonna go down at bucks?" he retorts.

He has a point. I still don't feel any better, though. Trouble seems to have a way to find Ponyboy, and everyone who hangs around him knows it. I worry about the kid. He doesn't use his head enough. But Soda's right. Ponyboy is not a kid anymore and he can look after himself. He has proven that. I wasn't very happy about what Ponyboy came back as. He came back a no good hood. I didn't even think it was possible to make someone as innocent as Pony, turn into a hardened criminal, in only a year! He almost reminds me of… Dally.

"No." I say to Soda, rethinking this all over. "He can go to bucks, yer right." I say. It wasn't like me to just let go of things like this, but Soda is right. Pony can look after himself just fine.

Sodapop looks surprised. "Really?" when I nod, he continues, "So, yer gonna allow him to go to bucks now?

I nod again. "Yeah. He's not a kid anymore. And I don't think I can make him do anything anymore. He was stubborn before, and he only got worse." As soon as I say this, I know its true.

Soda looks shocked. "Uh…" Soda doesn't seem to know what to say, which is very odd. He usually knows exactly what to say in situations like this. What I must of said was true. That didn't make me feel good.

"Its okay, Soda. I always knew this day was comin. But I didn't know it was gonna come this way." I say, referring to the running away to New York thing.

He nodded, then In a hesitant voice, he asks, "Does, uh, Ponyboy kinda remind ya of Dal?"

The world seemed to stop moving after Soda says what I've been thinking over for a couple days now. I think this over and choose my words carefully.

"Sometimes. When he's angry, usually." I say.

Soda's eyes get wide. "That's exactly what I think." he says.

Oh boy. I wonder if Two-Bit or Steve think this about our brother.

Ponyboy's POV

Me and curly were having a pretty good time. We were sitting in the booths, at bucks, Drinking some beers. I was telling him a story about this one mugging that I did. It was pretty gruesome.

We both took a gulp of beer when I finished telling the story.

"Man, yer one tuff hood Pone. Being a gang leader an' all." curly drawls.

I smile. "I'm known as the baddest down kiddie in my neighborhood, back in New York." I tell him.

Curly looks confused. "Down kiddie? What's that?" he asks.

"Its New York slang for a tough guy." I say. I forgot that Tulsa and New York don't use the same type of slang.\

"Oh." is all curly reply's.

I look at the clock on the wall. Its almost midnight. I better get back home so I don't worry my brothers. "I better get goin, curly. See ya around." I say goodbye and leave.

I ride down the street on my motorcycle. I still love my cycle. Darry found out I took back my license, but oddly, he didn't try to take it back. I guess he knows that he cant. Ha.

I park my bike in the driveway, and walk up the front steps. The lights are on, so I know they are waiting for me. But I don't care too much. I walk through the front door and I see Darry sitting in his recliner, reading the paper as usual. I expected him to explode on me as soon as I walked in the front door, but he didn't. strange.

Darry looked up. He had a relieved look on his face. "Where ya been, Pone? Ya didn't get jumped or anything, right?" he came over and looked at me closely.

"No. Sorry to worry ya, dar. I was with Curly at bucks." I say.

He nods, but the flicker of anger that passes in his eyes don't go unnoticed. Okay. Get to bed. Soda is already in the there. He went to bed early tonight."

I nod and head for my room. "Night, Darry." I say.

"Night, Pone."

I climb in bed with Soda. Darry's taking my new attitude well… is the last thing I think before falling into a dreamless sleep.

AN: This chapter seems a little short to me somehow. Please review! I will continue writing some requests in the next chapter. Oh yeah! Visit my profile and take my poll! I will need the results for the next story I'm planning to write! Review!