A/N- Sorry I take so long to update! Me+Updating=Terrible. Anyway. I really hope this chapter doesn't offend anyone, If so, it's unintentional! I am very much against racism and I support gay rights, but it's just how things were back then unfortunately! :(

Disclaimer- I don't own The Outsiders! Ms S E Hinton does, and that's what makes it so special!

Chapter five

Steve's POV

I heard someone at my cell door and braced myself for more interrogations.

Unfortunately for them...I wasn't a traitor, and they could torture me all they want, I still wouldn't give them information.

I plastered a loathing scowl on my face and eyes the door coolly- If looks could kill, they'd be dead 100 times.

The door to my cell swung open and two dark silhouettes walked in. I glared at them.

"Steve?" The glare was wiped off my face the second I heard him speak.

Ponyboy Michael Curtis.

Holy shit! I blinked a few times. Maybe I was imagining him being here?

"Pony?" My voice sounded unsure.

"Yeah, It's me buddy."

A second later I was on my feet with my arms wrapped around Pony tightly, he hugged me back just as tight.

"I missed you too." He chuckled.

I didn't want to admit it, but I had missed the kid an awful lot. It wasn't the same without his smartass comments and 'I love everything' attitude.

I looked him over and was happy to see that he wasn't hurt in any way.

"How ya been, Curtis?"

"I've been better," He grinned "How 'bout you?"

"Oh, great. I'll tell ya, this place is like is like a damn vacation." I said sarcastically.

He looked at my sympathetically.

"You hurt?" He asked.

"Just my pride, bud." I said grinning, trying to lighten up the mood. It worked, he chuckled.

"I can't imagine." He smiled. "C'mon, let's go. I have to get a few more out."

I followed him out of the cell along with Doug. I hadn't realized Doug was here until he clapped me on the back, scaring the crap out of me.

Ponyboy had got at least 25 soldiers out in the past 20 minutes, that was more then what the rest of us had done.

"I wonder why we haven't come across any Vietnamese soldiers yet." A kid named Billy said. Man, he was uptight.

"Be greatful we haven't, kid." I replied, earning a glare back in return.

"Steve's right," Good ol' Ponyboy! "I have one more cell left and then we'll go."

I nodded and followed behind him.

He yanked on the lock and pushed the cell door open.

The boy was curled up on the ground, shaking. Pony walked over to him a kneeled down.

"Hey." Pony put a hand on the soldiers shoulder, but he gasped and shied away from Pony's hand.

Pony looked up at me and said.

"He's dark-skinned. He's probably got the worst of it."

I nodded my agreement, knowing very well what black people had to go through at home, let alone here.

"C'mon." Pony tried again, his voice gentle. "I won't hurt you."

The soldier shook his head whimpering. Pony sighed.

"We have to go before someone spots up." Pony said patiently.

"Why would you help me? I'm black." The soldier whispered so low that I almost missed it.

"I wouldn't care if you had three heads and six eyes, I'd still help you." Pony replied.

That was something I most admired about Ponyboy. He didn't care about your skin colour, or whether you were gay, in his eyes, everyone was equal.

Even Soda felt uncomfortable around black and gays, and he was the most understanding person in the world.

If it was anyone else but Pont who had found this soldier, they would have left him here, cussing him out or spiting at him.

"Please, we need to go and I'm not leaving 'till you come."

The soldier looked up at him, still unsure. Pony gave him a reassuring smile and offered him his hand.

Hesitantly, he grabbed it and Pony lifted him to his feet.

"What's your name?" Pony asked.

"Shane, what's yours?" He whispered, still a bit unsure.

"I'm Ponyboy, but you can all me Pony if you want, and that over there is Steve." Pony replied, pointing at me. I gave him a curt nod.

"How old are ya?" I asked.

"16, I'll be 17 next week though, I think." Pony smiled sweetly.

"I'm 17 and Steve is 20." I smiled, Pony was real nice to the kid.

"C'mon, let's get back to the others." I said.

"O-others?" Shane stuttered.

"Don't worry, there's only 5 or so, the rest of them are already on their way out of here." Pony said quickly, trying to calm him down.

"Okay." He replied

Pint, Shane and I all walked out of the cell and towards the others boys down the passage that were waiting on us.

"Eric left. One of the boys started panicking so he took him out." Billy said.

"I hope he had his gun." Pony replied. Billy nodded.

"Why'd you rescue that piece of dirt?" I looked over and saw the hot-tempered boy I had rescued sneering at Shane.

Pony tensed beside me, his face turning red with anger.

"You better watch your mouth or I'll lock you in one of the cells and leave you here, you dig?"

I stared at Pony in awe, he rarely lost his temper but when he did, you'd better hope you weren't that made him.

The hot-tempered boy grumbled under his breath but shut-up. Shane looked like he wanted to dig a rather large hole and bury himself in it.

"Okay, let's go." Pont said.

Pony's POV

The walk out of the hall was shorter than the one going in, and there was still no sign of a Vietnamese soldier.

As we walked out into the fresh air, Shane clung onto my arm like a snake holding its prey.

"What's the matter?" I whispered.

"It's not dark out here, it'll be easier for them to spot us and then they'll lock us up. I don't want to be locked up again!" Shane's eyes were wet with tears, he was clearly losing it.

"We'll keep you safe." I smiled reassuringly.

"I won't." Came Eugene's reply.

"Like I said in there, you better keep ya trap shut or I'll shut it for you." I said angrily.

I really didn't like him. He reminded me of old Steve. The Steve that thought of me as a tag-along kid, Steve grew up though, and I was certain that if Eugene didn't soon, I'd break his nose.

"But he's black!" He shouted.

"Yeah, and your eye will be to if you don't stop being an inconsiderate dick."

I never really got sassy like that unless I was joking around with Two-bit.

Looking over at Steve, I saw that he was proud. He caught me looking and grinned.

"I can't believe you support that filth!" He said.

I felt my face get hot, what he had just said was too far. I turned to face him and belted him so hard he staggered back, causing him to topple over and fall on the ground.

"Asshole." He said.

"You deserved it." I replied. I heard Steve chuckle behind me.

"Don't mess with the kid, kid." Steve said, smirking.

Eugene glared at both of us but didn't say anything else.

"Ponyboy!" My name was shouted from behind us.

I turned around to see Eric running towards us, a grin on his face.

"Shh! Someone will hear you!" I shushed him.

"Nuh uh! Ralph took it upon himself to make a scene out here while we were in there. All the Vietnamese soldiers are either dead, been captured or have ran off."

"And yet, you're cheerful, enlighten me." I replied.

Well yeah, it makes it a hell of a lot easier for us."

I shrugged. I still didn't like the idea of killing people, it just wasn't me.

"C'mon, everyone's waiting for you."

We followed Eric to the rest of them. At least 60 soldiers were there.

I looked around, trying to find the rest of my troop.

"Where's Marcus, Ralph?" I asked Eric.

"They all went into the bigger hall, he said there is going to be a least 100 more soldiers coming out. A few ran back to camp to inform someone that we have rescued them, they said that most of them will get picked up later on tonight and early tomorrow morning." Eric explained.

I nodded, a little sad. That meant I only had a few hours with Steve and then he'd have to leave.

Steve seemed to sense my disappointment and rested a hand on my shoulder.

"Maybe I could try and stay with ya?" He said, hopeful.

"Why'd you do that when you have Soda, Darry and Two-bit in your troop?" I replied, really jealous.

"Because a week before I got captured, Soda said that he wished at least one of us was with you, to keep you safe." He said.

"I can take care of myself." I said, blushing beet red.

"Oh, I know you can kid. But what's wrong with a little backup huh?" He grinned.

I grinned back. I wanted Steve to stay, and I'd try my damned hardest to make that happen.

"Okay." I said, smiling.

A/N- I hope you enjoyed it! :) Sorry it's short! I'll try and make the next chapter longer for y'all :)
Also, Thankyou so much for the Reviews/Follows/Favourites! They mean a lot, and I do read all of them. If anyone has any requests for chapter 6, I'm all ears! Might do a Soda/Darry/Two-bit POV :)
~Stay Gold you lovely people! :)