(A.N. The rewrite is coming along rather nicley! The sister fanfic will be posted today hopefully!)

DISCLAMER: I do not own the Outsiders or any characters but Danielle!

Chapter 5 – Life is a Highway

Ponyboy's POV

I couldn't believe it, I just couldn't! Danielle Winston was mine and I was her's. I thought about this the whole time we were walking to the barn together.

"Ponyboy?" I heard her ask faintly, "I was wondering if you wanted to be my jumping coach, if I don't have one me and Jack won't win any competitions and we'll only knock down rails." I looked to my left and smiled at her,

"Sure, no problem," She then smiled back at me and went onto her tiptoes and kissed me on the lips, she had been doing a lot of that today! We had been walking for about five minutes, but I think we both noticed a black Mustang was tailing us for half of that time. Danielle felt really tense and for the first time ever I think she was actually scared, she always seemed rock solid and cool.

"Pony," She whispered as the car pulled up next to us,

"Just shut up and run," When she didn't respond I yelled at her, "GO!" She still didn't move, she was frozen in fear.

About five Socs emerged from the mustang, "Hey greasers," They all said that at least once while they circled us, one of them flicked out a knife and I had a flashback to the first time I was ever jumped, I heard the voice in my head,

"Need a haircut Greaser?" I quickly remembered that Danny was drinking a bottle of Pepsi. I took the bottle out of her hand and smashed it against the brick wall we had been backed against, I held the broken pop bottle out for everyone to see.

"Now the next person who touches me or my girl gets it alright, get outta' here cause' I mean it!" I gritted my teeth and knew I seemed tougher than I really was cause' they backed off and drove away. I was still clutching the pop bottle when Danielle came behind me and engrossed me in a hug,

"Thank-you Pony, I,I was so scared of what they might have done to us." I just dropped the bottle and we continued walking towards the stables...

Danielle's POV

I was still shaking and wished that Pony still had his arm around me. I know that Ponyboy had been jumped before, but I never have been, and I was scared stiff because of the stories Dallas had told me. I had also seen Johnny's scar and a small one Pony carried on his neck. I never had to worry about Socs when Dallas had been alive, he pound anyone's face in that hurt me, so people left me alone. I guess I just wasn't that lucky anymore.

I looked over to Pony, his greenish gray eyes were blazing,

"It's okay Ponyboy it's not like they hurt us..."

"They shouldn't be on our side of town, after the rumble they were supposed to leave us be! They aren't supposed to come over here, it's going to start all over again..." The fire left his eyes and was replaced with longing, I knew what he was longing for, something better than this. Somewhere where people don't hurt each other, where people don't die, and a world where people didn't kill each other. A place where you don't have to be poor or afraid to walk out your front door in fear of being hurt or killed, I want that too.

Pony exhaled a deep breath and looked back over at me, he put his arm back over my shoulder,

"Do you have to work today, I can help you if you need it," He smiled, I knew he just felt like going for a ride with me.

"Sure, I have a couple horses to look after probably, especially Snowstorm..." Snowstorm was a beautiful 15 year old Arabian mare, she was pure white with a set of beautiful chocolate brown eyes. She used to be a real good jumper, but her new owner abused her badly. Every now and again you'd see a new whip mark on her flank or chest.

"Alright, I guess I'll take out Pointer, he hasn't been ridden for a day or two." I knew the perfect place to take us,

"Sounds good, I want to pick the trail though!" I was so excited to get back on a horse! We slowly walked up the driveway to the barn. The smell of horses and the sight of the old ramshackle barn welcomed me back.

"Pointer should be in his stall next to Jack's, we'll work Jack when we come back from our ride." I slowly paced to the field farthest from the barn to find Snowstorm standing there, she was dirty and scruffy, no one had paid her any time in weeks, at least she was fed though.

I rolled my eyes and grabbed her lead rope from the fencepost.

"Snowy! Come on Snow!" She quickly trotted up to me, happy to have some human contact. I led her back to the barn and slowly tied her to the rail of one of the stalls. I collected her brushes and got to work. Pony was further up the aisle grooming Pointer, Pony told me he was his favorite horse out of all of them. He was sweet, but sometimes bursted out with anger. He was around 18 years old, he had a chocolate brown coat and a crooked white mark that ran down his face. I think that they are sort of alike sometimes.

It took us about a half an hour to finish up and be ready to ride. We led the horses out and Pony gave me a leg up onto Snowstorm, she actually looked white since I cleaned her! I adjusted my helmet and watched Ponyboy mount, he did it like a pro!

"Here, follow me Pony," I pressed my legs gently against Snowstorm's side and she bounded off into a walk, I felt so graceful sitting on her. She was my dream horse I only wish that I could have her for myself, but when your a Greaser, you know the score. I looked behind me at Pony, he wasn't having any trouble, had perfect position, and was extremely confident in the saddle. I guess Soda wasn't lying about how much experience he had.

"Quit looking back here and control your own horse!" Pony laughed at me. I heard him press pointer into a trot and he pulled up next to me, forcing me to speed up. We both rose and fell with the bounce of the horses beneath us.

"So you really can ride Pony, you never seemed the type to be into horses." I giggled, he just laughed back.

"Well, whenever Soda decided to try something new when we were younger, I always had to do it with him." He smiled at his fond memories. I stopped listening and recognized where we were.

"Hey Pony, slow down," He pulled Pointer to a halt and I did the same with Snowstorm,

"Up ahead there is a four foot fence, Pointer can jump it easy, but you need to guide him over, don't force him okay. I know you can ride and everything, Pointer just gets really picky about where he goes..."

"Don't worry Danny, while you were in the hospital I exercised the horses for you. I know all about Pointer's jumping issues, he's even dumped me a couple times."

"Well, then let's go!"

I slightly pushed back my leg and added pressure to Snowstorm's sides and she set off at a sloping canter. I wish I could ride her all the time, no scratch that, I wish she was mine. Her owner would sell her cheap. I stopped thinking and focused on the fence that would soon be coming up in front of my eyes. Soon enough the fence emerged and in five canter strides I rose out of my saddle and leaned forward. As I felt Snowstorm's front hooves hit the ground I leaned back into the saddle and slowed her to a halt to watch Ponyboy. He was a few strides from the fence and Pointer didn't even flinch, Pony rose and leaned forward. They cleared the fence without and issue.

"I think I finally found my match when it comes to riding!" We both laughed and continued to trot down the trail. I ended up turning off of the trail to go onto a smaller less traveled spot, we could only ride in single file and there were a lot of low hanging branches. The horses could fit fine but with riders on their backs, it doesn't work out so well,

"Are ya' sure you know where your goin'? This doesn't seem like a good idea to me." Pony didn't seem to happy about all of the branches whipping him in the face.

"Just trust me, I know where I'm going," I didn't even check to see if he was still behind me, I just listened quietly to the sound of the horse's hoof-beats.

Soon enough the small trail widened into a small apple grove. The meadow in the center was large enough for a quick gallop, there was even a stream to water the horses that ran through the center of the meadow.

"How did you find this place Dan? It's beautiful," Pony said as he dismounted. I dismounted too and showed him a small makeshift hitching post that had been fashioned out of 3 branches next to the stream. Dallas had made it for me,

"Me and Dal used to ride here all the time, it was our special place. It's ten times prettier when the leaves are actually on the trees! Ooh, and you should see it in apple season!" I walked over and sat down next to Snowstorm. I looked up at the sky, the clouds were blocking the sunset.

"It's a shame huh," I looked over to Pony who had sat down beside me,

"What's a shame?" I said as I leaned up against him.

"That life is the way it is... that Johnny and Dal died, were poor and have to worry bout' getting jumped every five seconds, that you can't have that damn horse cause' I know you want her, and, and, I just don't know anymore." I saw the tears in his eyes,

"Pony, listen, we both lost friends that night, you lost two friends. I lost my best friend, maybe he was more than my best friend and my brother too. He was the only person I had left Pony, that's why I did it, that's why I tried to die. I understand that you lost your parents and your friends Pony, but you still have Darry and Soda. I ain't got anyone left anymore, I mean, It's that I am the only Winston left. I wish I knew what happened to my mother, my father probably drank himself to death, but it doesn't matter..."

"Nothing matters as long as we have each other," He finished my sentence for me, like he always does before he kisses me, Pony but his hand across my forehead, pushing the hair out of my eyes, and he planted his lips on mine.

"You know Pony, my birthday's next week,"

"Isn't Christmas next week?" I giggled at him, he didn't know I was older than him, that was the only reason why I had any classes with him considering the fact that that he had gotten moved up a year in school!

"Yeah, my birthday's the day after Christmas, I'm turning fifteen you know." He just looked down at me and said,

"Yeah, I know, but who really cares if I'm fourteen and your almost fifteen, it doesn't matter." I looked away from him and started looking around us, it was snowing! I literally pulled him off of the ground.

"Pony, we have to get home!" He looked at me with a very confused look on his face,

"Why, what's wrong?"

"I,I, I, need to go to, I need to go to the cemetery before the snow covers everything, I haven't ever been there since their funerals, I was planning on bringing Jack, would you come with me?"

He looked at me and just wrapped me in a hug, I knew we were both crying, "Yeah I will,"

"Pony,"

"Yeah,"

"Do you think that they might get cold?"

"No, no, they'll be fine."

We both mounted and rode as fast as possible towards the barn to take Jack to the cemetery...

Ponyboy's POV

We were already back out on the trail with Jack instead of Snowstorm. I still rode Pointer, he was secretly my favorite horse, Danny was the only other person that knew. We were cantering pretty fast to reach the cemetery because the snow was already piling up and soon it would be unsafe to be out with the horses.

As we slowed to a trot and begun to approach the black iron cemetery fence. I dismounted Pointer and opened up the gate for Danny, she dismounted and led Jack through the gateway, I followed after her with Pointer. I leaned up against the tree that was a few feet away from the graves. I tied Pointer to the tree and allowed him to graze while Danny led Jack straight to Dally and Johnny's graves. I listened to every gentle, quiet word that Danielle uttered.

"Hey big brother," She began by saying, "I brought someone here to see you," We both stood silently watching as something remarkable happened, Cracker Jack lifted his head into the snow filled air and seemed to be inhaling someone's scent, we both knew whose scent it was. "I'm glad you like that I brought him. I just really miss you Dally... you too Johnny," I heard her choke up at the mention of Johnny's name, lord only knows why. "I just want you to know, The Curtis' are taking real good care of me, me and Ponyboy, we even started going out! I know that you'd be proud of him Johnny, and Dallas, I am going to use my money from my job at the stables and keep Jack for you, I might even compete on him, Pony is helping me train..." She started crying,

"I only wish I knew what could have happened between us Johnny, after we kissed... I guess I'll never know, but maybe that's because Pony is the one for me. I miss you guys, I will see you all again someday," She kissed the palm of her right hand and the palm of her left and pressed them against the headstones. I came up behind her and wrapped her in a hug.

"It's going to be okay Danielle, I'm here, it's all going to be okay..." I rocked her back and forth and felt her sobs rocking through our bodies.

The walk back home after we dropped off the horses was quiet. You could see the snow falling each time you passed under a streetlamp. I could tell Danielle was a wreck, but she had to feel at least a little better for letting her feelings out. I remembered when Johnny told me that he kissed her, he was the happiest guy in the whole wide world, I now know how he must have felt. I kind of feel like I'm betraying him, am I? It was around probably six so we'd be back in time for Danny's welcome home dinner, I'm a little scared of Soda's cooking, we'll probably end up eating blue mashed potatoes! I put my arm around her and pulled her close to me and kissed her on the cheek. We traveled the rest of the way home in silence...

"They're home!" I heard Soda yelling from inside, we both smiled at his enthusiasm. No matter what, Soda was always happy. We walked in and were welcomed by everyone, even Two-Bit's little sister, Jenna, had come to welcome Danny home. I was a little confused at first when I saw the extra two chairs at the table that we didn't need, but Danielle caught on real fast. I sat next to her and she whispered into my ear,

"Those two seats are for Dallas and Johnny, we can't just leave them without any seats..."

The rest of that night was simple, we had fun, Soda actually cooked a half decent dinner even if the mashed potatoes were blue! And that whole time, we all knew that Johnny and Dallas were there. I thought everything was finally back to normal. Everyone went home as soon as we found Soda passed out on the couch and Darry was sleeping in his chair, it had been a long day. I was just sitting in the dining room trying to read my book when I heard Danielle screaming, a high pitched scream that sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Soda woke up and Darry quickly emerged from his room. They both stood at the bottom of the stairs watching as I rushed upstairs, she was still screaming.

I sat down next to her and cradled her head in my lap. I started to sing the first verse of the lullaby,

"Hush-a-bye, don't you cry,

Go to sleepy little baby. When you wake, you shall have,

All the pretty little ponies..."

"Where did you learn that?" I heard Danielle ask faintly, almost so quiet that you couldn't hear, "It's really pretty," She didn't even make an effort to sit up.

"My mom used to sing it to us when we couldn't sleep, I thought I could do it for you too." I kissed her forehead and sat up to leave when she grabbed my arm,

"Please Pony, don't leave me," I laid back down on her bed and pulled myself under her covers. I wrapped my arms around her and I fell asleep in Danielle Winston's bed with her head resting on my chest...