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Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

Johnny

Two-Bit opened the door for me and had my chair our. He offered his hand. I don't need anyone's pity. Its why I don't go to school. The teachers already had me pegged for some stupid little hood. If I came in my chair they'd start the pity poor. Poor little Johnny Cade in his wheelchair.

I just want to do stuff for myself. I'm not helpless. I didn't tell this to Two-bit though. Greasers don't feel sorry for themselves.

"I'm fining Two-Bit. I can get it."

"You sure kid?"

I tried raising an eyebrow, his little trick. He grinned. I smiled at him. "Yeha I'm sure."

"Okie-dokie." I wondered briefly if he was blitzed. It's hard to tell sometimes but who uses Okie-dokie anymore? That went out of style when we were all in grade school.

Steve shook his head. Apparently he was thinking the same thing.

I plopped into my chair. "Ya'll ready?"

They nodded. We went along. "Bout time ya'll got here." I looked up. Dallas was sitting on a t-bird, most likely a stolen one, smoking a Kool. He breathed out smoke. Dallas is one tough old guy.

Steve laughed. "Hey Dal. How ya doing? Got Officer Krink running around crazy?"

Dallas smirked taking another puff of his KOOL. "Na, slow week for me."

Two-Bit grinned. "You staying out of trouble. I may have to call the press, I do believe the world is coming to an end."

Dallas smirked. " It's only Saturday Matthews." He noticed me and blinked. "Hey kid."

I nodded. Dallas is one cool old guy. Aint nothing out there that can touch him but I think my chair kind of rubs him the wrong way.

"Can I bum a weed?" Dallas nodded and just like that he had his cool back, He hoped of and handed me a lit cigarette. Aint nothing like a weed to calm a guy's nerves.

"I'm hungry. Who's up for the snack bar?"

Dallas chuckled. "Matthews you and that bottomless pit of your are always hungry."

I reached in the small pouch on the left side of my chair but then remembered I was broke.

Steve ruffled my hair. " Don't worry kid, pay day. I'm buying."

"Hey what about me?" Two-Bit asked.

Steve winked at me. "I don't think a Soc has enough money to fill you up. You're on your own." I laughed. It felt good to be out with the guys again.

We went off toward the snack bar. It wasn't really crowded for a Saturday but then again, it was awful cold out.

"Hey Randle aint that Soda?" I looked up to where Dally was pointing. A guy was leaning on the wall smoking. That couldn't be Soda. He hardly ever smokes. But it was.

"Yeha, it is. Let me go talk to him. " He tossed me a dollar. "Here kid get whatever you want." He walked over to Soda. I really wanted to get a better luck. But I didn't want to intrude.

"Come on ya'll. Let's let them talk." I knew what Two-Bit was saying. If he'd talk to anyone of us, Soda would talk to Steve.

* * * * * * *

Steve came loping along with Soda at his side. Soda looked awful, just awful. I'll bet he hand't slept in days. He gave a week sort of grin.

"He ya'll."

I nodded.

Two-bit patted him on the back. "Good to see ya."

Soda shrugged. "What's playing?"

"Torn Curtain. It's a Paul Newman flick. Better then some old beach movie…"

I bit my lip when Dallas said this. Paul Newman is Pony's favorite actor. He told me all the time how tough the guy was. How Pony wish he was that tuff. And how Paul Newman was way better looking and cool.

If I remembered correctly he even saw this movie when it made its first run. I looked at Soda who fiddled with a string on his shirt.

"Oh."

It was going to be a long night………..

Curtis House Darry

I sat in my old armchair rubbing my temple. I couldn't get the phone call out of my head.

"Hello, Curtis residence Darrel speaking."

"Hi Darrel I'm sorry to be calling this late…"

"Its not to late.. Mrs…"

"McMullen."

"Oh Miss. McMullen. How can I help you."

"Actually Darry I have some news for you about Pony."

"Pony is he…" My heart pounded.

"He's fine. Actually this is very good news. I found a rehabilitation center for him."

, just thirty minutes from Tulsa.

That was all well in good but we couldn't afford to pay it. Those things ran awfully high. "We can't…."

"I also got in contact with a nonprofit organization called Golden Angels helping hands. A neighbor of mine is actuality a member. They usually only help senior citizens but when I explained about Pony to them they were more than willing to help."

I hated charity. "The home costs $1500 a month. The Golden Angels will pay three fourths of that leaving you to pay just about four hundred dollars a month.

I sighed. Even with both of us working full time we couldn't afford that. My poor Pony. "That all sounds good but we still aint…" I hated admitting anything like that.

"I wasn't finished. The home has agreed to lower the cost to $1100 a month leaving you to pay $275. The state will pay forty eight percent of that leaving you to pay$143. The only catch is Ponyboy would have to come home on weekends. Now I know that this is also difficult with your working schedule so I have arranged for an old friend of mine who is a retired nurse to stay from 8 in the morning until 5 in the after noon every Saturday."

I didn't know what to say. "Thank you."

"You're welcome Darrel. I'm just glad to be able to help. You have a very special brother. He deserves to have the best life he can be given. Now my boss wants me to make sure you can handle your brother so my friend will come by Thursday evening and train you lot in his care. Then Friday he will arrive home by ambulance. You'll have to spend this weekend taking care of him yourself. If my boss is impressed you'll retain custody and after his time in the center he can live with you full time."

Pony, home, here with us, forever. We could be a family again. He could be given some sense of normalcy, Soda might even perk up. "Thank you, thank you."

"Your welcome Darrel."

I sighed. Of course this was all well in good but the reality was different. In many ways right now my brother was like a baby trapped in a teenage body. It hurt like hell to see him like that. He would need catheter changes, someone to feed him, wash him, dress him. Even as he got better he would need help. It would be tiring and I knew my stress levels would rise.

And who's to say Soda would be happy with it all. He's been having difficulty with the fact that even though part of Pony is gone he's still our brother. How he would react? Why is it that life is a double edged sword? Nothing can be all good or all bad.

Just then the door slammed. Soda walked in. "Hey little buddy."

He looked up. "Oh, hey."

"How was the movie?"

He shrugged.

"Soda?"

"Yeha?" he asked gloomily.

"I have something to tell you."

"What?" He flopped down on the sofa. This wouldn't be easy.

"Pony's coming home."................................