I do not own The Outsiders.

Pony scribbled pointlessly on the sheet of paper on his desk. He
looked up dully to the teacher droning on in front of him every few
minutes to give the impression he was paying attention.

He was English class, and unfortunately the only greaser in the room
at the time. Usually there were a couple other guys and girls though
none of them showed today leaving him stranded in a room of socs
alone. Of course there were a couple of okay middle classers who
although weren't greasers they didn't glare at him or ignore him every
time he walked in the room.

He liked English, he really did. Before Johnny's death it was probably his
it and couldn't wait for it to be over. His teacher wasn't bad, he was the
one he wrote his theme for. No, it wasn't the class or the teacher that
was making him zone out, it was what he was saying. The teachers mouth
was moving, yet none of the words were legible to Pony. He might as
well been speaking Korean.

Pony jerked awake from his trance along with half the class when a
loud bang shattered his thoughts. He looked to the door to see Dally
stalking in.

Dallys eyes scanned the room quickly. He was briefly aware of the
stuttered sounds that may had been protests if they had been fully
formed coming from the teacher.

There. His eyes finally found Pony in the back right corner.

Ignoring all the socs that leap up from their seats prepared to fight
he made his say to the back and grabbed the collar of Ponys shirt
yanking it up and dragging him behind him. "Common were going," he
ordered gruffly.

Pony leapt up from his seat and followed Dally happily out like a
puppy. Anywhere was better than that class. "Where we going Dal? How'd
you find me? Is Darry gonna get ma-"

Dally turned and faced Pony. "You'll find out. Two-Bit told me. No, Darry knows.
And if you open your mouth on more time I promise you would be able to open
it for a while." Pony didn't speak again until they were driving away.

"So can I know now?" he asked slowly but after the look he received
shrunk closer to the door of the truck. "Can I at least know how long
it'll be?" he asked after a few minutes.

Dally swerved to avoid a car pulling out of a driveway and stole a
glance at Pony out the corner of his eye. "Its going to take a while.
Just sleep or something, and stop talking."

Although Ponys curiosity was still striving, he looked out the window
at the passing trees and houses, and fell into a deep slumber long before
the the sun set.

. . .

Ponyboy stirred restlessly in his sleep. He tried to open his eyelids
but they felt too heavy. After a few moments he managed to open them
open into slits. He looked around and saw Dally driving in the drivers
seat. Sun streamed in through all the windows from the sun which just
peaked over the forest of trees.

"Dal, I gotta go. Can we stop."

Dally glanced over to see Ponyboy looking at him with half shut eyes.
"No bother, we're here."

Ponys eyes snapped open immediately and he looked around as Dally drove
the car to the side of the road. On the far side of the road there was
a forest, on the side they were on it was just some long stranded
grass that lead up and over the hill. He looked at him incredulously.
"You dragged me all the way out here to see this?"

Dally didn't reply and started up the hill. Pony had to jog to catch
up with him. He was still complaining when they reached the peak of
the hill. The only word he could manage was 'wow'.

Beyond the hill there sat the ocean. Deep blue water stretched across
the planet for what seemed to be never ending. At the bottom of the
hill sat dunes of golden sand. Pony forgot to breath.

"So where are we?"

Dally breathed in the fresh air as a warm breeze swept by them. He
glanced over to see Pony staring entranced by the beautiful sight.

"Just a little place I know," Dally grinned.

After a couple of minutes he nudged the kid. "So, what do yah think."

Pony looked at him with wide eyes. "It's astonishing." he whispered.

Dally shook his head. "Astonishing?" he snorted. "No wonder Steve
calls yah a fruit."

Ponys eyes narrowed into slits. "Steve called me a fruit?" he
demanded.

Dally laughed evilly before gently pushing Pony and running down the
steep hill towards the water. Once he reached the water had didn't
slow down, he sped up. He only managed to take about five steps before he
face planted the water with a splash.

Seconds later his head popped above the water and he shook his head
shaking water from his hair. Pony heard a rough laugh and smiled. He
had never seen Dally so playful. With on last look at the view he let
out a war cry and raced down the hill after Dally.

. . .

Pony traced a figure eight into the sand beside him. Beside him say a
silent Dally. They had spent the entire day fooling around in the sand
and water and had found their way on top of a sand dune hours later.

"Why'd you take me here?" Pony asked after a bit. Receiving no answer
he looked up and over to Dally.

Dally was staring longingly into the distance. Pony followed his gaze
and took a sharp intake of breath when he did.

The sun was setting on the water colouring the water and the sky in a
beautiful collage of pink and orange. Long thin clouds hung low in the
sky coloured a fiery red. The water waves crashed into the shore, in
pink, red, then orange waves. "Glory, that's beautiful," Dally
breathed still entranced by the sight.

Pony could only nod in agreement.

Slowly the shades of red and orange deepened to a violet then a dark
purple and finally black.

Pony returned his gaze to Dally once again. "Sure was a nice one huh?"

Dally glanced over. "I guess..."

Pony smiled. "Betcha you've never watched one before. Johnny'd be
proud."

This caught Dallys attention. "What? Why?"

Pony smiled. "Johnny wrote a note 'fore he died. I'll give it to you
when we get home."

Dally nodded. He wondered what it said.

"So your trials tomorrow..."

Dally looked to the ocean again. "Yeah, it is. So were going to head
out at sunrise tomorrow so I'll be able to go to Jakes and prep, yah
know."

Pony nodded. "How long do you think you'll get?"

Dally shrugged. "Well armed robbery, threatening the cops, resisting
arrest. Normally it would be over 2 years. But, with my good behavior
I could shorten it down to about a year and a half, maybe even a year.
Plus I could plead criminally insane, or at least show them I wasn't
thinking straight. And Jake got me a real good lawyer, so it may be
even less than a year. Only if I'm lucky, though. Real lucky..."

Pony nodded. "That's not so bad..."

Dally sighed. "I don't know if I could last if it's over a year."

Pony looked at him frightened. "You ain't thinking of killing yourself
are you Dal?"

Dally didn't answer. Pony rambled on. "You can't Dal. You just can't.
I don't want you to. And neither does the gang. Johnny wouldn't
either. You can't Dal..."

Dally interrupted. "Pony, I just can't. You don't know what it's like
in the cooler. It kills you..."

"Thats what you said when Johnny said he was going to turn himself in."

Dally nodded. "It would have killed him. Guess the kid couldn't have
won either way. Someone out there really wanted him dead"

Pony looked down sadly. "Johnny really looked up to you. You were his
hero, you know that right?"

Dally shrugged. "Some hero. Couldn't even save myself. Kid just
respected me, I was no ones hero."

Pony shook his. "You got it wrong Dally, Johnny loved you. When we
were in the church, and I was reading Wind and The Willow to him, he
said you were like the southern gentlemen."

Dally absorbed this. "What were the southern gentlemen like?"

Pony smiled as he remembered. "They were gallant, real gentleman."

Dallys face screwed together in confusion. "Johnny thought I was like
a gentleman?"

Pony laughed. "Don't worry, I didn't get it either."

After throwing a weak punch that Pony easily dodged he fell back so he
was facing the stars. "Pony, can you do something for me?"

Pony nodded enthusiastically. "Do your schoolwork, get good grades, and
get the heck outta Tulsa. Your too smart to get trapped here like the rest of us."

Pony groaned but nodded non the less. "Oh, and go easy on Darry, he's
doing his best, lifes been tough on him."

"Yeah, yeah..." Pony groaned as he to laid down.

"Now get some shut eye, got a long drive back tomorrow." Dally ordered.

Pony tried to muffle a laugh. "You sound just like Darry when you try
to give orders."

Dally lifted his arm to hit him, but found it felt heavy and barely
managed to get it off the ground before he let it drop again. He shut
his eyes and faked sleep to cover his defeat. He fell asleep to Pony's
laughter.

. . .

Dally shot awake from his previous slumber. But it wasn't from his
normal nightmares, no this time it was from something else. Pony
nightmares to be exact.

Grabbing Ponys shoulders he shook him violently until Ponys eyes shot
open. The only sound heard was the echoes of Ponys ceased screams.

Ponys body tremble slightly and he felt a whimper escape his lips. He
squeezed his eyes shut as he tried to push the vivid pictures from his
nightmare away longing for Sodas arms to wrap around him and hold him
tight. For his voice to tell him it was alright.

He stiffened when he felt an awkward arm get thrown around his
shoulders. "You 'ight Pony?"

He looked up to Dally. "Yeah," he started, his voice shaking. "I'm
fine." he said in a stronger voice.

"Well I'd guess you'd be used to them by now," Dally laughed trying to
lighten the mood. "How long have you had 'em?"

Pony stared to the distance. "Since ma and dad died, but you know that.
But since...Johnny, it's gotten worse."

Dally nodded. "Yeah," He kept his arm around Pony until he felt his
breathing return to normal.

"Try talking to Darry," he said lying back down. "He'd help."

Pony shook his head sadly. "He wouldn't get it."

Dally smirked. "You'd be surprised, he helped me,"

Pony looked shocked. "He helped you..." he led off suddenly
understanding.

"Yeah kid, he helped me, and he'll help yah, he'll always help you, and so will the rest o' us." he closed his eyes finding sleep once more.

. . .

Okay hope you liked review :) I have one chapter left most likely,
maybe a epilogue, I dunno.

POLL: SHOULD I INCLUDE THE TRIAL IN DETAIL?
PLEASE VOTE YES OR NO, INA REVIEW IS FINE BTW :D

Ps I'm not familiar with the law systems so I doubt it'd be right but I'll try :)

Thanks to everyone who reviewed, they mean so much to me :)

Review if you liked or have something to say :)