Ok, so this took me a while because I got stuck near the end, but here it is =D

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, S.E. Hinton does, nor do I own Victoria or Dennis Winston, or anyone Victoria is directly involved with outside of the gang, texaskid does.

Chapter 7:

Re-cap:

Emma and Victoria are on their way to Buck's so Victoria can train.

When we arrived at Buck's Victoria jumped up the front steps and opened the door, and then before she went inside she turned to me.

"I'll be out in a bit." Then she went inside.

Boredom kicked in within one minute of her going inside, giving room for curiosity to creep in.

I made my way around to the back of the house.

To my right, on the other side of the white wooden fence that started at the driveway, was a large coral.

To my left was the house and the back porch, and in front of me – across the yard, was a big barn. Behind that I could see a pasture with horses in it, and far beyond that was a line of trees – a forest.

Before I could wander off and get in trouble, Victoria came out the back door with three dogs tearing out ahead of her. From what I could tell it was a mutt, a copper and white dog, and a black and brown dog. When the copper and white dog started snapping at the brown and white mutt Victoria turned back to them.

"Would you two knock it off?" She snapped. "You'll have to excuse them. The mutt is Buck's. Ralf is a brown and white boxer and lab mixed. Buck's not completely sure what he is. The copper and white dog with the black ears is Bingo. He's an Australian Shepard and stays outside most of the time. The black and brown one is Asher, he's a collie and he stays inside most of the time. Say hello boys." Victoria said.

All three dogs sat and looked up at me. Asher stuck his tongue out and panted.

"Go on pet him. They don't bite." Victoria said.

I stuck my hand out and after sniffing it he stood up and ran his head under it.

"Come on I want you to meet my horses." She led me into the barn and to a stall. "This is the gentlest one. This is Passion, he's part Quarter part Paint, and if you want he'll probably be the one I'll let you ride. That is if you want to learn to ride."

The horse was a brownish color with a black mane and tail but parts of his coat were white. She took my hand and led me to another stall.

This stall held a horse that was a light brown color. "This is Mouseketeer. We call him Mousey sometimes. He's a Buckskin who's temperamental on his bad days but he can be really sweet." Victoria smiled and petted the horse's nose before leading me to another. "This here is JJ. He's one of my da...my race horses." She paused as though she were about to say dad before changing it. The horse was black and white spotted. "He's a Thoroughbred. He's a real smart horse and he's a fast one too. The last one was my dad's favorite."

She led me to the last stall on the far end of the barn. Even though I didn't pay much attention to horses I could tell he was fast.

"His name is Hotshot's Racing Pride but we just call him Hotshot. He's a chestnut brown, purebred Quarter horse. The fastest horse I've ever ridden. He's a natural racer as long as you know how to handle him. He's only ever lost one race. Anyway today Buck wants me to barrel race so it's Passion."

She walked to a room at the other end of the barn then disappeared inside. When she came back out she had a saddle and what looked like strips of leather over her shoulder. Then she walked back to the first stall she had shown me and made a clucking noise. I watched as she opened the stall door and put a saddle on the horse then put the strips of leather over his head. I found out later that the strips of leather made up a bridle and reigns. After that Victoria took the reigns and led the horse to a big square area. I stood on the outside of the fence and watched as she swung up onto the horse before riding around the three barrels that were set up.

"You're getting faster." A voice yelled beside me. Victoria pulled the horse to a stop and looked around.

"Buck!" Victoria called back.

"What?" Buck answered grinning.

"You screwed up our concentration. I've told you not to yell at me halfway through a run. Passion could have thrown me." Victoria said leading the horse to the fence.

"Yeah, sorry."

"I know you are. Just don't do it again." She said. "You want to try Emma?"

"Um, sure." I'd never ridden before, but heck, there's a first for everything.

"Climb over." She gestured me to come over the fence.

I hopped on the fence and jumped down over beside Victoria who was stroking Passion's nose.

"Have you ever ridden before?" She asked me. Buck slung his arms over the fence and looked at us. He didn't look as bad as Tim and Curly had made him out to be.

"Does a pony ride when I was five at a fair count?"

She shook her head and laughed. I laughed too.

"Ok, first, you always have to get on a horse from their left side."

"Always?"

"Always."

"Why?"

"You just do. Now shut up and listen." Buck said in his deep voice, nodding towards Victoria.

Victoria smiled. "Its habit for most horses, you can train them from either side if they're young."

"Put your left foot in the stirrup, grab onto the horn, that thing that's sticking up from the front of the saddle, and pull yourself up." She said moving to the side so I could get up, but she still held onto the bridle around Passion's muzzle.

I did as she said. Wow, this horse was tall - I sure was high up.

I held onto the reins as Victoria had. "Now what?" I looked down at her. Ha ha, she was even shorter from up here.

"If you want to turn, pull the reins the same direction then you want to go. If you want to go left, pull left and vice versa. To stop pull the reins back." She let go of the bridle but Passion stayed because I had the reins pulled tight, though he was getting restless and kinda tapping his feet around in impatience.

"You ready?" I nodded. "Tap your heals against him to make him go." She stepped back and hopped up on the fence.

I did as she said and trotted Passion around the square corral type area before riding around the three barrels as Victoria had.

I started out going around them slow; almost a walk, then sped up a bit. I was surprised at how well Passion knew what to do on his own, going faster in and out of the barrels.

After a little bit Buck and Victoria called me back over.

"Good job!" Victoria said. "That was really good for a first time – you were pretty fast."

"If Toria is willing to train you, and Dally lets you – you can barrel race if you want." Buck said.

"Why would I have to ask Dally?" I asked, starting to slide off Passion.

Because I doubt he'll like you being in rodeos. He only let Toria because she'd already been doing it most of her life." Buck said.

"He doesn't have to know…" Victoria started.

"Don't tell him if you want to get in trouble, but don't get me involved unless he's approved. I don't need him on my back." Buck said and walked back into the house.

"Keep her on Passion and I'll cover for you with Dal, but at least tell Curtis or someone." He called before the door closed behind him.

"You want to barrel race?" Victoria turned to me.

"Sure. That was actually kind of fun. I like going fast. That's why the guys in New York said I'd be a bad driver; I'd have lots of tickets." I smirked when Victoria smiled. She hopped over the fence and grabbed the reins.

"Let's get started." She smiled.

Victoria taught me lots of stuff; how to put on the saddle and bridle, how to go faster around the barrels, other miscellaneous things about horse back riding.

After a couple hours we stopped and I got down off Passion and we led him over to a water trough for a drink.

"So? You have fun?" Victoria looked at me expectantly.

"Yes. Most definitely." I smiled; genuinely happy.

We put Passion away and his saddle, bridle and bit.

Buck came out when we finished that.

"Hey. Enough for today, get off my farm and go find something to do." He told us.

After we left there Victoria suggested we get some lunch so we wondered into town.

"Hey, follow me." I said leading her in the direction of the Shepard house.

After we walked for a bit she caught on to our destination.

"Why are we going to Tim's?" She asked me.

"Do you got any money?" I asked letting a little of my New York lingo slip. She shook her head. "Me neither. I figured between the two of us we could sucker some money outta him." She nodded in understanding and agreement.

When we got there I ran up the porch and went to open the door but it was locked. I knocked and the door opened, Tim standing there.

"Hey, come on in."

Victoria and I stepped inside.

"Hey Tim…" I said in a way that said I wanted something.

"Yes?" He asked me cautiously.

"You love me… right?"

"Yes…." He was even more wary now.

"So you would give me something if I really needed it?"

"What do you want?" He asked flatly, realizing my intent.

"Well, Victoria and I are hungry… Can we have some money?" I rushed the last part but he understood fine.

"Get your own. I fed you for two weeks that's enough."

"Hey Curly…" I started.

"No." He said from his seat on the couch.

"Aww come on Timmy…" Victoria started.

"No, now the two of ya get outta my house." Tim said pushing us out the door and closing it behind us.

"Well that worked like a charm." Victoria said sarcastically.

I thought hard of who else I knew that I could sucker money out of. Duh. I thought knowing exactly where.

"Come one – I know someone who will give us some money." I said grabbing her wrist and pulling her down Tim's steps. I headed a bit deeper into his turf, wandering the streets and keeping an eye out for the guy I wanted.

I circled his turf and headed back into midtown where all the hangouts were; The Dingo, Dairy Queen, the arcade, The Dock, and lots more.

Passing by The Dingo I didn't see him, so I continued onto the arcade. I saw him the moment we walked in and headed towards him. I just assumed Victoria was still following me.

I came up behind him; he was taller than me; about Curly's height. I think he was the same age as Curly, too. A pretty fit kid, good looking, too – and not as mean as most of the rest of Shep's gang. I think that's why we hit it off so well, he was like Curly, and much nicer than him even. I stood up on my tippy toes and whispered in his ear.

"Hey Billy…" I started the same as I had with the Shepards.

He turned around in surprise, looking as if he was about to hit me, but realized it was just me and Victoria and smiled at us.

"Hey Em, how's it going?" He smiled, nodding to Victoria.

"Good." I hopped up on the game beside him.

"Hi ya Billy." Victoria said. "I'm hungry."

"Get your own. I ain't gonna feed you when I know perfectly well you've got a boyfriend who could feed you." Billy answered.

"Fine." Victoria sulked away and I turned to him.

"We're friends right?"

He looked at me funny. "Ya…"

"And friends help friends… right?"

"Emma…"

"Think you could help a poor, starving friend." I tried my puppy dog eyes on him, trying a sad face.

He raised his eyebrows. "You've got no money?"

I had to smile at his horrible grammar – he had no excuse, he didn't grow up in NY. Then again, Tulsa – and Shepard… ya he's got an excuse. I shook my head.

"Here ya go." He handed me a couple bills. I was surprised he didn't ask if I had hit up Curly or Tim yet. But I guess he didn't want to chance getting in trouble with Tim in case he had sent me here.

"Thanks." I smiled hopping down off the game.

"Bye Billy." I said walking away.

"How do you know Billy so well?" Victoria asked somewhat surprised when we got outside.

I stuffed the bills in my pocket – but not the one my blade was in. I shrugged. "I lived at Tim's house for two weeks and trailed Angel and Curly around most of the time. It wasn't like I could follow Tim – he has 'official business'. I met most of Angel's friends, to include Evie, Sandy, and Sylvia – though Angel doesn't really like Sylvia – too much of a slut, always trying to get with Tim." She raised her eyebrows at that. "Curly hung out with Billy all the time, so I did too. And when I couldn't be with Tim, Angel or Curly, usually they made me stick with Billy – they trust him best. So we naturally became friends." I finished.

"I see…"

"Ya. So where do you want to eat?" I asked Victoria.

"I don't know." She shrugged.

"Dairy Queen?" I suggested, stumped.

She shook her head. "The Dingo." I nodded in agreement and we headed there for lunch.

Billy had given us enough for a burger, fries and milkshake each. And we still had some money left over.

When we were finished I paid and we left.

"Hey, I'm gonna go give the change back to Billy. I'll see you later." I said to Victoria.

"Ya, I'm going to head over to the DX, the boys will be on break. Oh and Emma...Be careful." She waved and we headed our separate ways; her to the DX, me to the arcade.

I got to the arcade, and Billy was still there, but at a different game. I snuck up behind him again.

I looked around to make sure no one was watching, and I was glad to see no one else from Tim's gang, or anyone else I knew or recognized. I smirked and slipped my arms around Billy's waist, putting on my best sexy-girly voice.

"Hey Billy…" I cooed slipping the left over money from lunch into his front pocket. "Just thought you'd want that." I said changing back to my normal voice and stepping back as he turned around.

"Emma." He warned in a hushed voice. "Don't do that."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Because people will think and say things."

"So?" I shrugged.

"So; do you know what Tim and Curly would do to me if they heard that kind of stuff about us?"

I nodded. "Ya. Sorry, I was just kidding around."

"Well don't do it that way, people will think you're a slut."

"But I'm not a slut!" I objected.

"I know that, but they don't. So just be careful." I nodded. "Were you headed somewhere?"

"Just the Shepard's." He nodded.

"You better get going then. See ya around." He smiled.

"Bye Billy." I waved, leaving the arcade and heading to Tim's. I was bored; and Angel could cure that easy.

When I got to his house I walked in and Tim was on the couch watching tv.

"What are you doing here again?" He snapped seeing me.

"I'm here to see your sister." I snapped back.

"Hey don't get smart. I just asked a question." He turned to look at me as I went to the stairs. "Find someone to sucker money off of?"

"Yes." I resolved to not tell him I got it from Billy, he'd probably be mad.

"Hm. From who?"

"Someone."

"Emma." He bit off my name like a warning.

"Billy." I looked him in the eyes, and then quickly dropped my gaze seeing his anger.

"If I don't give you money don't go screwing over my boys to get what you want. Cuz' all that's gonna get you is a nice kick in the pants." He said fiercely. "Got it?"

I nodded.

"Angel's not here." He said turning back to the tv.

"Where is she?"

"How am I supposed to know?" He flipped the channel.

"Uh... She's your sister; you're supposed to know…"

"Shut up kid. You don't know anything about siblings; you grew up an only child." He barked. "Angel's not here, get outta my house. Go home." He growled tossing something that I think was a beer bottle cap at me. He missed and it when straight in the garbage can.

"Goodbye Tim." I said softly, closing the door behind me.

Now what? I thought.

I ended up wandering town. I wandered all of Tim's gang turf, circling it a few times; bored – maybe hoping to see Angel. I was too lazy and tired to actually give my heart in it and go to any of her girl's houses.

After who knows how long of wandering I ended up at the playground. Nobody was there at the moment.

There was a jungle gym, some swings, and a big fountain in the middle of the park. I wandered over to the merry-go-round.

I sat there for a while wondering what to do. Victoria was at the DX with Soda and Steve, but their break would be over by the time I got there. I had no idea where Pony, Johnny or Dally were, and the same with Two-bit. Darry was working, and Tim was being pissy today.

I kept thinking of where to go, who I knew.

In the end I came to the conclusion that I needed to make some friends of my own; not just hanging onto my sister and brother's gang and the Shepards. Besides, the Shepards were unpredictable; one day they're nice, the next they're acting like Tim was today. Or you couldn't find them when you needed them.

With all the thinking I was doing I started to get home-sick for my gang. I kinda missed the guys. Thomas I hadn't seen since probably September last year, what with him disappearing and all, but I really missed Max and Mark. James, too – but I didn't want to have to think about him.

He was the person who knew the most about me; making everything I did and felt his business, so he knew stuff I didn't tell anyone. But now, with him, well… gone, things were different with the gang. And I felt kind of guilty, too, because I was the one who arranged that rumble; seeing as Thomas was gone. Though the gang tried to tell me it wasn't my fault what happened; I hadn't planned on him getting killed; which was true, but still I felt responsible for his death.

I ran the gang when Thomas left us. Though I had pretty much ran it since I was about ten anyways. They listened to me and respected me; as did almost everyone on my side of New York. Anyone that knew anything knew me, and that included a lot of people. They knew I was super protective of people I cared about, which was a lot of people, and that I would use my fist to back up any warnings I issued.

The only place I could go where no one knew me was school; I was nobody there. But on the streets I was definitely Somebody. I had worked my butt off for years making sure of that. Everyone knew me, and there was no way I could escape that fact; I'd purposely made myself an air-tight rep.

A couple kids running over to the playground and jumping on the jungle gym snapped me out of my thoughts.

I got up and wandered.

I was deep in thought and I didn't pay attention to where I was going. I didn't even realize how far I had wandered until I noticed that the houses had gotten bigger and fancier, and the cars were shinier and there was lots of Mustangs.

I was in soc territory.

But I don't remember crossing the train tracks…That can't be good; crossing train tracks and not paying attention to what you're doing. Kind of like sleep walking out onto a busy New York street at night. Yes – I'd done that.

I turned and booted it out of there; stopping only for the train going by.

I kept running until I was downtown.

I headed to the DX; maybe Victoria was still there. Or Pony and Johnny had stopped by.

Pony was nice. And somewhat good looking…

Ok, a lot good looking. I smiled to myself as I headed to the DX and saw Pony and Johnny walking in.

I walked in through the garage entrance.

Steve was working on a car and Soda was talking to Pony and Johnny; Victoria, too.

I walked over and sat on the bench beside Pony.

"Hey Em!" Two-bit exclaimed from behind me. I jumped. "Haha, sorry."

"Naw, it's ok. I just didn't see you when I came in."

"That's because I just came in." He grinned.

"Hi Emma." Soda said.

"Hey."

"What's up?"

"Nothing much." I shrugged.

"Did you find Billy ok?" Victoria asked.

"Ya, he was still at the arcade." I looked over at her. "I went to Tim's after to find Angel… but she wasn't there."

"Was Tim being pissy again?" She asked sighing.

"Ya, he's in a bad mood today." She nodded. Then Steve came out from under the car and she went to talk to him.

"So, what did you do today Emma?" Soda asked politely, wiping grease off his hands with a rag.

"Victoria took me to Buck's when she went to train. She showed me the horses and I watched her barrel race. She even let me try. I'd never ridden before; and it was fun."

"Sure is." Soda grinned. A horn honked outside. "I'll be right back." He said, going to help the impatient customer.

"Hey Emma how do you know Billy?" Two-bit asked just as Pony asked a question, too. "Emma, do you want to go to the beach tomorrow with us? Steve and Soda have the day off and we're all going. Even Darry's coming – somehow he got the day off, too."

I ignored Two-bit's question, I didn't feel like answering it at the moment. "Sure! I've only been to the beach a couple times before."

"Isn't there a beach in New York?" Johnny piped up.

"Yes, but my mom didn't have a car and the gang didn't really have a need to go to the beach. So I only went a few times." I shrugged.

"Hey, the beach will be fun! I haven't been there for a while." Two-bit said, immediately distracted from his original question.

We talked for a while. I didn't pay much attention, though – it was mostly trivial things, or they talked about people who I didn't know.

After a while Dally came into the DX.

"Hey Dally!" Two-bit said enthusiastically.

"Hey Dal." Johnny said quietly.

"Hey kiddo." Dally mumbled and headed over to where Victoria was sitting and watching Steve work.

"Randle, Curtis." A balding man said walking into the garage.

"Yes sir?" Steve asked.

"Get them out of my garage." He said. I'm guessing it was their boss. "I will not have hoods loitering and scaring off all my customers."

"But Mr. Wells you're such a kind man and..." Victoria said.

"You can stay but the rest of them got to go." Mr. Wells said.

"Why does she get to stay?" Two-Bit asked.

"'Cause she's a pretty face." Mr. Wells answered. "And she doesn't look like she'd rob me blind. Now scram." Two-Bit, Johnny, Dally, Pony and I walked out of the garage and down the drive.

"Hey Two-Bit." A pretty, young red-head said.

"Hey Jackie." Two-Bit answered bored.

"We were just wondering if you guys wanted to go bowling with us." Jackie said.

"No thanks." Two-Bit said.

"Pony, Johnny? Uh...I don't think we've met I'm Two-Bit's sister Jackie, you are?" She asked.

"Emma." I answered.

"You're more than welcome to come." Jackie said.

"Uh… Sure why not?" I smiled, shrugging. "You two are going, right?" I looked at Pony and Johnny.

"Sure. Nothing better to do." Pony said and Johnny nodded.

"Ok, let's go." Jackie smiled, motioning for the two young, good looking boys standing nearby to join us. I guessed they were not really involved with gangs or anything, because they weren't smoking, and looked kind of awkward. They smiled and walked over beside us.

"Hey." They greeted simply, nodding to us.