I DO NOT OWN THE OUTSIDERS

For those of you who have it on story alerts, or just click it every time you see I updated, the updates will now be slower. I know where I want this story to go, I just got to work out the detals on how to get there.

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(Soda POV)

We were all asleep, when we were woken up with a scream. Not a that-startled-me scream, but a full blown help-me-that-hurt-I'm-scared-to-death-right-now scream. When I heard it, I knew instantly that it was Ponyboy. I jumped out of bed, threw the covers off me, and sprinted to his room next to mine. Darry was right behind me as I threw the door open to see what was wrong. What I saw broke my heart. Pony was in his bed, tears pouring down his face, a cold sweat covering his body, thrashing about like he was trying to get away from something.

Darry and I ran over to him. I sat on side of the bed while Darry sat on the other side. We tried to get him to wake up. After a few long moments, Pony jolted up with a gasp. He looked at us, still waking up. Neither Darry nor I moved, knowing if we moved too soon he would get scared. About a minute later, his eyes lost the dreamy glaze and he lunged forward, wrapping Darry in a hug. He was sobbing.

Some of the gang would think I'm jealous when Ponyboy goes to Darry when he's upset, but I'm not. I learned a long time ago, from first and second hand experience, that you feel safe in Darry's strong arms. I moved behind Pony and hugged him. At first, he stiffened at the contact, but soon relaxed into my embrace.

We sat there, with me and Darry hugging Ponyboy, for about ten minutes before Ponyboy calmed down.

"What happened, Pony?" Darry asked, laying our worn out little brother down.

"Nightmare," Pony mumbled.

Darry and I shared a concerned look. When he was real little. Ponyboy had nightmares a lot. They always scared him senseless. They were about most things little kids were afraid of, like the bogeyman and being left all alone. The ones when he was all alone were always the worst. He would cry and scream and thrash about. When he had the nightmare, only Mom could calm him down enough to get back to sleep. Darry and Iwould stand in the doorway with wide eyes, wanting to help, but knowing we couldn't. The nightmares stopped as he grew older, but me and Darry always remember them because we couldn't protect him.

"About what?" Darry questioned, concern clearly heard in his voice.

"Don't 'member," answered Ponyboy in a sleep deprived voice, "Sorry."

I shared another look with Darry as he got off of the bed. Ponyboy is always saying sorry for things he has no control over. He blames himself, even if he has nothing to do with it.

"Not your fault, Little Colt," I comforted him, "Go back to sleep."

"Ummmmm...'K. Night, Soda," he yawned, "Night, Darry." Then my exhausted little brother fell asleep.

"Well he was sure knocked out fast," Darry observed, pulling the blankets up and tucking Pony in.

I chuckled, "We had a tiring few weeks." Darry nodded in agreement.

We exited the room in silence. We both had something to say, we just didn't want to say it, so we went in to the kitchen. As Darry got the milk out, I got two cups and the can of coco mix.

After we made our chocolate milk, and started drinking it, Darry finally brought up what neither of us wanted to, "Do you think Ponyboy was telling the truth about not remembering his nightmare?"

"Yeah," I said after a pause, "I do. What about you?"

Darry sighed, "I do, too."

"What do you think it means?" I asked Darry. At his confused look, I tryed to make myself clear, "Why do you think he had a nightmare? He hasn't had one in years."

By the look on Darry's face, I know he was remembering Pony's nightmares as a kid, too.

"I think it might just be from the stress of everything that's been going on recently," Darry said finally.

We sat there until we finished our milk. I took the glasses and put them I the sink to be washed in the morning. I was thinking how I was never going to get to sleep when Darry's voice interrupted my thoughts, "Go to sleep, Little Buddy. We have a big day tomorrow...today...you know what I mean."

I smiled at him, "You way more then the rest of us, Dar. You need sleep, too."

He tussled my hair as we both said good night once again. He went to his room and I went to mine.

As I got into bed, I layed awake thinking. I thought about all the changes that had happened, what Darry thinks caused Pony's nightmare. Then I thought about all the changes to come, how we had to adjust because of the two members that would no longer be living with us. Right before I fell asleep I had a troubling thought...

Where was Dad that he didn't come to check on Pony?