After Darry had dropped Steve and Soda of at DX he looked over at Ponyboy crossly. "Now, was all that stuff that Two-Bit told us this morning a tall tale or are there some things that you 'forgot' to tell me last night?"

Pony looked down at his faded shirt and studied it carefully as he spoke. "Well I got home safe, didn't I?" Pony said smartly which was a bad idea. Darry was already upset enough and angering him more wouldn't help the situation.

"That's far from the point and you know it." Darry said. "It aint safe for a kid your age to be staying out that late and it aint safe getting into any kind of trouble with Tim or anyone else who wants to have a laugh." Darry pulled back onto the street. "Especially after the rumble. Things haven't gotten better. They've gotten worse and I don't like you getting involved in it. I want to keep you and Soda close by for a while, in early at night, and away from people who'll get you involved in something. Tim is the perfect example of one of those people. I don't want you kids getting hurt and you tend to get hurt easily. Especially you." Darry said.

"But Darry, the rumble happened months ago."

"Not any more than three months." Darry said, "And you know that trouble's been springing up all over the city since. You've got to be more careful. If I could move us to a safer neighborhood I would but I can't so you're gonna have to watch what you do. Now, just what else aren't you telling me about what happened that night?" Darry asked. "Were you in that fight with Tim's group and the Socs?"

"There wasn't any more than five of them." Pony mumbled.

Darry looked over at Pony quickly and turned onto the next block ahead of them. "Five Socs, Pony?"

"Yeah." Pony said staring out the window and looking at all of the passing people on the street. He liked to watch people. They were interesting. It was almost like watching a movie.

"And how many of you?" Darry asked.

"Four." Pony answered again. "It was pretty good odds."

Darry sighed. "It was just skin against skin though right?" Darry asked. "No blades or chains?" Pony didn't answer.

"Ponyboy…" Darry started with realization in his voice. He couldn't believe this. What had gotten into his baby brother?

"I was careful Darry." Pony groaned. "I'm fine, ok?"

"Pony! Getting into a skins fight with the socials over slashed tires at two in the morning is bad enough. Getting into a KNIFE fight though! Ponyboy, that's a different story and no it's not ok! You know better than to get involved in that kind of stuff. You're a smart kid. Why don't you use that head of yours? Haven't you learned to think things through by now? After all that's happened haven't you learned?

"Darry I was careful and look, I'm fine. I'm not four, I'm fourteen. What's the big deal anyways? I got home all-right and I didn't get hurt so why do you have to go nuts about it? Besides Tim was looking out for me. It's not like I was out there all by myself.

"Ponyboy, all of that is not the point. You're a smart kid. You know what I'm getting at."

"But Darry…"

"I don't wanna hear it." Darry said. "If something like that happens again you run out of there and come home."

Darry then realized something else. "You don't even have a blade. Were did you get one? Did Tim give you one?" Pony shook his head. "Well then where?" Darry asked again.

"What's it matter where?" Ponyboy asked.

"Just tell me where you got it." Darry said with an exasperated sigh.

"Fine." Pony reached deep into his bag and pulled out a small switchblade. "I've carried one ever since Johnny and Dally died." Pony explained.

Darry looked at Ponyboy shocked. "Give me that this second." He demanded.

"Awe c'mon Darry lemme keep it." Pony whined. Darry held his open hand out waiting for Pony to give it to him. Pony handed it to him and sighed.

Darry took it and stuck it in his pocket. "What are you doing with this?"

"Well, I figured I might need it some time." Ponyboy said. He Looked over at his big brother who appeared to be very upset. "Why does he have to overreact?" Ponyboy asked himself silently.

"You don't need a blade." Darry said angrily. "What you need to do is keep yourself out of trouble. Why can't you just do that? And you know you'll catch it if they see you with this at school."

"I only bring it out if I need to." Ponyboy said.

"You shouldn't even have it!" Darry said. Ponyboy groaned and looked out the window again.

They pulled up to his school just a minute or two later. "We're not through talking." Darry said as his youngest brother got out of the truck and gathered his stuff. "I'm gonna sit you down tonight and there's gonna be a long discussion."

Pony sighed. "Do I ever get my switchblade back?" he asked.

"No." Darry said. You don't 'need' it because you're not gonna be out late at night with Tim anymore or out late with anyone for that matter." Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "All right, I'll see you later kiddo." Darry said. He sure didn't want to start fighting all the time again but he was worried about Ponyboy. "Why can't he see that?" Darry thought.

Pony waved and started walking to class. He was already beginning to worry about whatever kind of "discussion" Darry wanted to have with him when he got home.