*I don't own the Outsiders and I don't own Mickey Mouse or his friends.

(DPOV)

............................................................................................................................................................

A bitter, grim, satisfaction ran through me as I ground the good for nothing Socs's face into the gravel and dirt. All the hurt, pain, fear, and right out horror they put Pony, Soda, me, and the gang through, I used to fuel my anger. Believe me, there was a lot of anger.

When I was finished with my guy I straightened out and looked around. I wasn't surprised to see the assholes running like chickens without their heads. I saw the fear on their faces when we pulled up. They tried to act all innocent and talked down to us asking what made us think we could step within five feet of them, then they saw the smiles. The hard, cold, "I hate you" smiles we all had on our faces.

Considering how messed up they're faces looked now, they won't have a reason to smile for a long time, not that they'd be able to if they wanted to, we could cause a lot of pain when we wanted to.

"You all good?" I gave them all a quick glance over. Two-Bit was nursing a busted lip, Soda looked fired up but otherwise okay, which impressed me, Steve had a wrist that might need to be looked at, Dally looked alright except a bruise that was forming across his jaw, and I'd taken a few hits but I was alright. I balled my hands into fists to keep them from shaking from the aftermath of the adrenaline rush.

The damage on us was nothing compared to the damage we caused on those Socs, I was excited to see what us Greasers would do on Friday night at the rumble.

I allowed myself to flash one of my rare grins at the rest of the gang, they were all hooting and hollering how great we were.

I was already feeling a bit anxious to get back to Ponyboy, but everyone needed a breather before we stepped into that white hell.

I have no clue what Pony has remembered from the other night. The doctor said they're was a chance he might not remember due to trauma, also the drowning could have had a small effect, but the doctor doubted it. He's been so out of it from the drugs, I really have no clue what's going on in that head of his, I usually don't anyway, but it's bugging me more than usual. That thing about his health teacher had really thrown me.

We all headed back to the house to clean up and get some grub.

As I passed through the door the yelling dimmed and I saw a pair of gray/green eyes starring back at me in betrayal.

...........................................................................................................................................................

(PPOV)

I opened my eyes and blinked as I looked around the dark room. A small television in the corner was the only light, Mickey Mouse danced across the screen with some of his friends.

I looked over and saw Johnny munching on a bag of chips from a vending machine I'm sure. He didn't notice me waking up, even when the bed squeaked as I shifted a little bit, I gritted my teeth as pain washed over me like a tidal wave, ugh at this moment I almost wished I'd gone ahead and died.

"Hey Johnny, what are you still doing here?" My voice sounded better than the last time I woke up, or was compsred to the first time I mean, I think I woke up after that.

He turned around, "You alright, Pone?" No, I wanted to say, it hurts, and I now remembered what happened the other night, what landed me here, I shivered.

"Pony?" I looked up at Johnny, he looked real worried.

"Just freezing, but I figure there's not much more we can do about that." I had a mountain of blankets on me, I smiled, "I think I must've said that before, glory where'd all these quilts come from?"

He chuckled, dragging the chair over next to me. "You sure you don't need anything?"

"I'm fine. What are you doing watching cartoons without sound? That can't be too interesting, you can't even lip read what they're saying."

"I didn't wanna wake you up...I don't think I could lip read whether it's a human or not, Pone." I chuckled, then grimaced at the amount of pain just laughing caused.

"Whoever said laughing was the world's best medicine, was never stabbed in the rib cage." Johnny smiled a little but he still looked worried, maybe even a little nervous.

"They didn't hurt you too bad, did they, Johnny?"

"Naw, I'm fine, we all just been worrying about you."

"I'll be fine." I sighed.

"I didn't know if you remembered the other night or not. The doctor said you might not remember due to trauma, I was hoping you might not." He said the last part almost inaudibly.

"I just remembered now, I was too messed up when I woke up before. I don't know what's going to happen with me and Darry. When do I get out of this place? And how many times did I wake up? Did I say anything? I can't remember."

He starred at me in silence for a second, a small smile playing at his lips, then I realized his shoulders were shaking from laughter. "What?" I demanded.

"Pony, you say some funny stuff when your high. You were cussing out your health teacher 'cause he said drugs are bad, you couldn't get over how great you felt on the morphine, you even wanted to get up, and you got pissed at your brothers when they told you no. You told them off at that point and Two-Bit's jokes were dirtier than ever and you didn't understand a single one." Johnny didn't bother to hold back the laughter anymore, I was too stunned to speak for a minute.

"Well at least I had a good time! Even if I don't remember it." I felt a slight blush redden my face, I hadn't even realized I had an audience as Johnny told me what was going on.

I looked to see everyone holding in their laughter, they were all looking at me but I couldn't really see them 'cause they were all in the shadows. They couldn't hold it in any longer and they all burst, I knew I was turning the color of a tomato.

"Yeah, yeah, so what if I was a little off when they gave me the drugs." I set my jaw.

Soda came and sat down on the bed at my feet and patted my leg, "It was just really funny hearing you go off, Pony." He grinned at me, a crazy grin that made it hard not to grin back, I failed miserably.

Then I saw Dally's face.

"Dal, did you get into a fight?"

"What do you think, kid?"

I was glancing at them all, they're postures, most of them wouldn't meet my eye either. Then it clicked, the only reason my brothers would have left me here.

"You didn't! You guys went after them Socs didn't you?! Like it's not bad enough I'm hear, and you go out and fight 'em. Not to mention I don't get to go to the rumble and you guys do, yet you still went after them! What the hell were y'all thinking!?" My voice was raised a few notches by then end, were they trying to get themselves beaten or worse killed? What about the rumble, they could've gotten too hurt to fight.

I glared at them. No one met my eyes or even looked at my face, except Dally.

"This was too personal, kid. They could have killed you and Johnny, they needed a taste of their own medicine. Plus Friday is a bit away, we needed to blow off steam." I just glared at Steve in response.

"Hey Soda, Pony's got your glare." Two-Bit pointed at my face.

I glanced at Johnny, who was looking at his feet, "You knew they were gonna do that too, didn't you?"

"Yeah." I sighed, I knew I couldn't blame Johnny. He knew I wouldn't have wanted this and would have said something against it if he'd thought it do any good. I bet Johnny didn't even want them going after those Socs. Soda would know too, he was probably too mad though. I shook my head.

"Aww, come on, don't be mad at us, Pony, we were only giving them what they deserved." I glanced at Soda and Darry, who was now standing behind Soda. I still couldn't believe he hit me, but he sure had a weird way of showing he cared, like beating a Soc up for me, he wouldn't do that if he didn't care right?

I glared still and looked at Steve but mostly Darry as I said this, "You all say I don't use my head, but you go after the guys who ALMOST KILLED ME and find that a good idea? What are you all thinking? You could have ended up in a bed next to me." I shook my head again.

"I don't see the problem." Two-Bit said, eyes on the silent Mickey. "There was plenty of us, it wasn't a death wish, and how could you expect us to let this go? Don't get your undies all tied in a bunch, Pone." He looked over at me. I scowled.

Soda sighed.

"I'm tired, I'll see y'all tomorrow." It wasn't really a lie, I was tired. I was mad at them though, well not so much mad as worried...I didn't want any of 'em to get hurt 'cause of me, though it did feel real good to have people there to stick up for me. I felt Soda's hand brush back some of my hair, and then repeat, I sighed sleepily.

I wasn't mad, but I was worried. Steve was wrong, Friday was too soon.