The second Darry walked in the front door that night Pony jumped up from the living room couch and ran into his room. Darry was following him two seconds later. Pony slammed his bedroom door shut and leaned against it. "Ponyboy, you come out here." Darry said.

"Not in a million years." Pony said.

"Do you have any idea what mom and dad would've done to me if I were to make that gesture towards them?"

"No and I don't care." Pony said. "You were getting on my nerves this morning. Besides you ain't dad and I certainly don't owe you the same respect as I gave him!"

"You are turning into a real brat, Ponyboy Curtis. You outa hear yourself."

"Yeah well you should hear yourself. You're turning into a real jerk! Won't you just leave me alone already?" Pony hollered sick of being scolded, of being corrected, and pushed around.

Soda covered his ears and hummed as he laid on the couch in front of the television. He really didn't want to hear them and didn't think he could stand them fighting anymore.

"Leave you alone?" Darry asked. "Dang it Pony why do you wanna grow up so fast? You ain't as old as you think. You're hardly even fourteen and weather you like it or not you're still just a kid and you need guidance."

"Well what if I don't want it?" He asked.

"I don't care if you don't want it!" Darry barked so tired of these conversations that he thought he would burst.

"That's just it ain't it? You don't care what I want. You've never cared what I want. All you care about is you!"

"That's the biggest load of crap I've ever heard. If I only cared about myself why would I be here right now? Why would I be living in this run down neighborhood, working twelve hours a day, cleaning, cooking, and never doing anything for myself. For that matter why would I be standing here having this conversation with you if I didn't care?"

"I don't know. Maybe you're just stupid." Pony said.

"That's it!" Soda yelled from the living room. "I can't take no more of this! I'm leaving! You two can bicker and fight all you want but I ain't gonna stick around and listen to it." He jumped up off the couch, ignoring his pounding head and walked back to his room were both of his brothers were. "Pony open the door and let me come get something."

Pony backed away from the door and opened it, hearing Soda's voice. "Soda you can't just walk out of the house. Go lie back down." Darry said, watching his angry and sick little brother march around the room, gathering his things and pulling some jeans on.

"I told you I don't wanna listen to you both at it all the time." Soda said, grabbing his jacket. "I'm going to Steve's or Two-Bits or somewhere but I ain't staying here." He pushed passed both his brothers who followed him closely as he headed for the door.

"Soda." Darry grabbed his arm. Soda looked back at his big brother weary, tears pricking at his bloodshot eyes. He then yanked his arm free and headed out the door. "Soda, baby please c'mon back here and lie down." Darry begged knowing it was a really bad idea for a kid with a fever of a hundred and two to be out at night.

"You promised you'd quit fighting." Soda said turning back momentarily. "You didn't so I'm leaving or at least until you both figure things out if you ever do!"

Pony ran out the door after his brother. "Soda, let me come with you."

Soda jerked away. "You're wrong to talk to him like that Ponyboy. He only wants to help and he doesn't know how. You're not helping the situation. And Darry your wrong too. You're too strict with him sometimes and that ain't gonna do nothing except making him a rebel." Then he turned back away from his brothers and sprinted down the street and out of sight."

Pony stood on the sidewalk, staring off into the distance, longing to be in Soda's arms right then. "Ponyboy." Darry broke the silence after a minute or so. "Come back in here. We need to talk and without yelling." Pony shook his head and started walking down the street to find his brother. "Pony!" Darry yelled.

"We have to find Soda!" Pony said desperately.

"We will but we'll have to settle this first." Darry knew Soda wouldn't come back home until they did and the sooner he could get him back in bed the better.

"I don't wanna settle anything. I just wanna find Sodapop."

"Pony, I said come here." Darry said, not in any kind of mood to wait. Reluctantly Pony loped back into the house, wishing he'd ran down the street with Soda when he'd had the chance.

***

Soda ran down the street as fast as he could, unsure of where he was going but letting his legs carry him to wherever that was. He simply couldn't stand to here them both yelling like that all the time. That's all they ever did. all they ever had done since their parents died. No matter what they said or what they promised they'd do it just didn't happen and Soda had, had as much as he could stand of it. Sick or not sick he wasn't about to hang around and listen to them continue their quarreling. He knew Darry'd be worried. He'd probably come looking for him sooner or later but Soda kind of hoped it would be later because he really wanted some time to himself. He just hoped his disappearance wouldn't cause more problems.

He stopped momentarily and leaned against a nearby stores wall, catching his breath. Now that he'd slowed down and was trying to think clearly he was starting to realize how much his head really hurt. His chest was pounding just as hard as his head and his throat was dry and sore. It would be dark soon and he knew he should go home but he also knew that if he did he'd have to hear more feuding and at that moment he thought he might rather spend all night out here then go back home and listen to that.

WELL? DID YOU LIKE IT? I'VE GOT SOME BIG IDEAS FOR THE NEXT FEW CHAPTERS SO REVIEW BECAUSE IN MOST CASES THE SOONER AND THE MORE YOU REVIEW THE QUICKER YOU GET MORE CHAPTERS!!!!!