Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders

Sorry I meant to get this up earlier but at least it's up now, right?

Also, silver wolf thanks for the review and awesome idea! I'll be sure to get that in somewhere. Either next chapter or the one after it.

Lastly, Ponyboy is back to being 4 in this chapter. Enjoy!

"Are you sure about this?" Darry asked, a bit concerned for his baby brother.

"Sure." Tim Shepard shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly. He was going to take Ponyboy to see a movie. He didn't see anything wrong with that but, however, Darry didn't exactly trust him. Or his movie choices. He was like this with the gang as well. Even Darry himself would think twice before taking Pony to the movies. The fights that almost always seemed to occur there too often for his liking only made him want to lock his baby brother at home, where he could always keep tabs on him.

Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, Sodapop began firing question after question at Tim. "Which movie are you gonna take him to?"

"I don't know. Some kiddie movie. He'll like it." He glanced down at Pony who was hiding behind Darry, clinging to his legs with all of the strength his little hands could muster. Tim always scared him. The four year old slowly looked up and found himself staring at the long scar on the older greaser's face. He hurriedly ducked back behind Darry.

Soda looked like he believed Tim but once he looked down at Pony's frightened face he didn't know what to do so he turned to Darry as if he was waiting for him to save the day. Luckily the eldest Curtis brother knew exactly what to do.

Darry turned around and glanced down at Pony before kneeling down to the toddler's height. "Do you wanna go with Tim?"

Ponyboy would've shook his head but he wanted to see this movie. He didn't know what it would be about but when the gang would take him, which was almost rare since their overprotectiveness made them extremely picky on what they wanted him to see, he would always love the movie. He nodded.

"Are you sure Pone? You don't have to." Darry wished he could go or even send someone else to go with them but everyone was busy. Soda and Steve were going to a drag race, Two-Bit had a date, Dally and Johnny were going to 'hunt some action' as Dally had put it, he also said that they could take Pony with them but Darry and Soda, being the overprotective brothers they are, objected to that, saying that it wasn't safe enough. And Darry himself had a date, though he wouldn't admit it to anyone.

Luckily for them though Tim Shepard came in, out of nowhere, with no plans, eventually offering to take Pony out to the movies for them.

Once again Pony nodded. Darry ruffled his hair and stood up and looked at Tim with a warning expression. "Nothing inappropriate or I'll skin you. Savvy?"

Tim gave a curt nod and watched as the two older brothers said a longer than necessary goodbye to their youngest brother then watched as the rest of the gang said their goodbyes as if the kid was going to a summer camp or something. They're a weird bunch, Tim thought to himself.

Giggling, Pony, almost shyly, stepped up beside Tim. "Bye Soda! Bye Darry!" Tim sighed as this continued until Ponyboy got through everyone.

"C'mon kid," Tim gestured for Pony to come over to him. The youngest greaser complied, happily skipping over to Tim. He groaned when the kid's hand latched onto his own, gripping it tightly. He wasn't used to a clingy kid. When he went anywhere with his younger brother Curly he would always lead them with Curly trailing behind him. But for Pony he was remembering how Darry and Soda would continuously chide him about how he shouldn't just walk around on his own, so it was almost second nature for him to latch onto somebody's hand.

Tim sighed. "Okay, let's just go," he said to break the moment of silence. He sighed as Pony's surprisingly tight grip on his hand tightened as they made their way outside.

It was going to be a long night.

xxxx

When the two were finally seated after a rather long attempt at sneaking in the movies instead of paying Pony whined, he really just asked but of course Tim didn't see it that way, for a drink and some popcorn.

Sighing, Tim stood up, walking off to the concession stand, quickly followed by Ponyboy.

"What do ya want?" Tim asked him, staying a few steps in front of him.

"Pepsi!" Pepsi? Was he even old enough for that? Tim shook his head. He couldn't be. And even though he gave Curly pop all the time, since he turned four, he didn't want Pony's brothers, or the rest of the gang for that matter, to come after him if Pony got sick or too hyper.

Tim quickly found himself kneeling down next to the excited toddler. When did I become so soft? Tim asked himself. He'd forgotten that Ponyboy had that influence on everybody. "They don't have any," he lied.

"Oh." He didn't sound disappointed he only skipped up closer to the menu to see what else was there. Since he couldn't see Tim, much to his chagrin, had to lift him up. Pony eventually decided on water.

The older greaser hurried to get the popcorn and drinks so he wouldn't miss any of the movie. He knew that Pony wouldn't like it at all since it was supposed to be 'the scariest movie of the year.' He almost even felt bad for the poor kid when the movie began.

"Tim," he heard a small voice call to him a short whole longer. He turned his head slightly to look at Ponyboy, nearly wincing once he saw the frightened expression. He immediately knew what was wrong. In the movie one of the main characters was just killed off. Tim didn't think it was scary but he should've known this would make a little kid squeamish. He was just happy that he decided to sneak in and that nobody noticed the four year old greaser. And he was especially was grateful that Pony's brothers and gang hadn't decided to tag along.

"What?" He glanced down at Ponyboy for a moment before he looked back at the screen.

Pony's only response was placing his small hands over his eyes as another shrill scream could be heard from the movie, and from some of the people watching the movie.

xxxx

Right when the movie ended Pony decided to open his eyes, looking around rather nervously before tugging on Tim's sleeve. The latter stood up, not at all disappointed with what he had just seen.

Yet again Ponyboy latched onto Tim's hand as they continued their walk, both thinking about the best/scariest movie they had ever seen.

Back at the house the gang was anxiously awaiting for the youngest greaser to return. And even though they knew he was coming back they couldn't help but feel a bit empty without his presence.

Their little night out didn't quite turn out they way they wanted. There had been some sort of incident at the drag race when Steve and Soda got there, forcing them to turn around and go back to the house with Steve cursing the whole time about how he had wasted gas for nothing. Darry's date wasn't the best either. She wouldn't shut up about herself to save her own life. In fact, she wouldn't stop talking at all, causing Darry to make up some story about how he had to go home. Dally and Johnny's night was 'ruined' as Dally later told Johnny when Two-Bit had decided to crash their little 'party.' Two-Bit might have been the only one who had any fun that night.

Those memories were soon forgotten when they heard footsteps approaching outside on the porch. They all watched the door expectantly, each ready to greet Pony as soon as he walked in. What they didn't expect, however, was a teary eyed Ponyboy.

He ran over to Soda who had his arms opened, anticipating for his brother to come over to him. Soda lifted Pony up and rubbed his back soothingly. "Aw. What happened sweetheart?" he questioned solicitously.

Pony didn't answer and Soda didn't push him, unaware of what was upsetting his baby brother which was the movie he and Tim had just gotten back from. It was still fresh in the young greaser's mind.

Dallas immediately stood up, shooting a sharp glance in Tim's direction. "What did you do Shepard?" he growled out dangerously.

While Tim was explaining about the whole movie situation Steve face palmed. He sent a look to Two-Bit who nodded, placing an arm around Johnny to drag him out of there while Steve went to grab Pony off of Soda.

"Hey Two-Bit and I are gonna take the kid out to walk around for a bit, okay?" After Soda's slight nod Steve went to grab Pony but Soda's grip on Pony tightened to where it was next to impossible for Steve to get him. "Soda.." he started. Sodapop nodded again, this time letting his best friend take his baby brother, never breaking his intimidating stare down with the eldest Shepard.

Pony looked up at Steve innocently. He recognized it as the same look he gave him when he first held Pony. Curious but a bit afraid and timid.

"Wanna go for a walk Pone?" Steve asked even though they were already heading out the door. He only hoped they could get a far enough distance to escape the yelling of a lifetime Tim was about to receive from Darry, Soda, and Dally.

Steve and Two-Bit didn't want the two youngest of the gang to be there for that and they also wanted to help get Pony's mind off the movie.

Soon enough Ponyboy was wriggling to get put down so Steve set him down on his feet, making sure to keep a hold on his hand so they wouldn't lose him.

Johnny, Two-Bit, and Steve were lost in their own little worlds until they heard Pony shout, "Doggy!" And he ran up to pet the puppy that Steve guessed was a beagle.

"Pony maybe you shouldn't.." Two-Bit started hesitantly but stopped when Steve waved him off.

"It's fine. And it'll make him forget about that movie."

"Can we take him home with us?" Pony giggled as the puppy licked his face.

Steve was just about to answer when a group of either Socs or middle classers came up to them and asked, "Have you seen our dog?" They then proceeded to describe what the dog looked like, which turned out to be the same dog Pony was currently playing with.

He was about to say yes before he heard a slight mutter of, "Why the hell would our dog come here?" Definitely Socs..

"No." Steve answered. He glanced over at Pony and Johnny, knowing that they couldn't see the dog with the two of them, mainly Johnny since Pony was too small, blocking it from their view.

The two sighed and trudged back the other way.

"Thank god," Steve mumbled sitting down beside Pony.

"So were taking it with us?" Two-Bit asked excitedly. Pony looked up at Steve to see his reaction.

He only shrugged. "Yeah I guess so."

Smiling, Pony jumped up and ran back to the direction of his house, with Johnny on his heels. They let him go since they knew Johnny would get him if he ran too far off and they were only about five minutes from the house anyway.

Steve rolled his eyes as Two-Bit left him to carry the dog back. He was gonna get him back..

Pony was the first one to reach the house but he had to wait for Johnny to get there so he could open the door for him. Once the door opened Pony ran inside and jumped on the couch next to his brother.

"Soda we got a dog!" Pony told him excitedly.

Soda raised an eyebrow, looking at Johnny and Two-Bit, who had just stepped inside, curiously. "You did?"

"Uh huh! Steve has it! Can we keep it? Please?" Pony even threw in a pout, even at his young age he knew Soda wouldn't say no to him when he pouted.

He sighed and nodded. He didn't think a dog was a bad idea anyways. Let alone a free dog. "Okay Pone, but a dog is a big responsibility. Okay?" Soda didn't really want to lecture his little brother about responsibility so he just said, "Promise me you'll take good care of him?" Pony nodded happily and held out his pinky for a pinky promise, eliciting a laugh from Soda who linked his own pinky with Pony's, making the promise official.

Just when they finished, Steve came in with the puppy with an annoyed expression. "If this dog hits me with his tail one more time I swear.." He left the threat unfinished mainly because Ponyboy was in the room.

"So where did you manage to find a free dog?" Soda questioned Steve while he and Pony were petting their new fury little friend

Steve shrugged, crossing his arms. " He must've ran away or something because some Socs were out looking for this same dog."

"So you said you didn't see it?"

"Oh come on man. They're Socs." Soda sighed. He really didn't care where they got this dog, just as long as they didn't just take it from someone who was out walking their dog.

And as long as Pony was happy it didn't matter.

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