Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders.

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The next few days were a blur. There was just so much to do before Friday. I finished cleaning my room and I started painting it a nice dark blue, and I was willing to stay up and paint it but Darry sent my home to my grandmothers to pack up her things. He stayed up late into the night finishing it for me. I hadn't seen Dally since that night, he hasn't been around the Curtis's at least when I'm there. Pony was scares to I haven't seen him since he left for Johnny's my first day. I think Darry and Soda wanted it that way. I'm not really sure. I tried asking the Soda why Dally had come over that night, but all he said was no one knows what goes threw his mind and Darry had just nodded.

Today was Judgement day. The social worker would be coming by, later on that evening. Soda said all of the gang were band from coming until Saturday. Which was probably best. There is still so much to do Darry and Soda both took off work. Darry's been packing the boxes of my grandmother's things into the truck, and then he's going to move them to a storage place he rented. When Darry gets back soda and I am going to the grocery store to buy food for tonight for dinner. Because no one is sure how long the social worker is going to be staying.

While at the general store Soda seemed to be taking a long time. He was walking slow, slow in making decisions, he wasn't acting right, but I figured there had to be a reason, I'd just wait to find out. The trip should have only taken about 30 min. taken almost two hours. By the time we were walking home he was joking around like normal I was so frustrated. We still had to move my bedroom set and clothes into my new room and make sure my grandmother's home was empty, and start to cook dinner. With all that to do soda decides that he's gonna be a moody slow poke I could have hit him. But I didn't last time I attempted to hit him I sprain my wrist, and he said it tickled.

Arriving back at the Curtis's, my new home, I could see that Darry ad been busy the grass had been mowed, the porch was cleaned up, I couldn't wait to see the inside.

"Steve and Two- Bit are over helping Pony and Darry" Soda said as if he saw my train of thoughts, I looked up at him questioningly.

"After they are done helping they are not allowed back till Saturday. But knowing them they'll try to stop over tonight." Soda said with a grin as we were walking up the front steps.

"Why don't you go and start dinner and I'll go see what the guys are doing." I nodded my head and headed towards the kitchen.

Glancing at the food we bought I was glad I had made the final decision. Soda had wanted green mashed potato's with chocolate cake, and nothing else. So I decided on meatloaf and mashed potato's with corn. It was going to be a good meal. It had to be for the social worker.

I was just finishing placing the meatloaf in the oven when Darry entered the kitchen looking tired and dirty for all the work he'd done today.

"Mmm, smell good in here. What are you making?" Darry asked as he washed his hands in the kitchen sink.

"Meatloaf, mashed potato's and corn, with chocolate cake for dessert." I said quietly with a grin thinking of Soda's horrified expression when I said no chocolate cake. Darry's smile got bigger when I spoke.

"Well come on I gotta show you something" Darry said tugging on my arm, pulling me away from pealing the potato's.

"What?" I asked in a whisper

"I can't tell you it's a surprise." Said Darry with a grin

"Now come on." He said walking out of the kitchen I followed wonder what was going on. Darry lead me to my new bedroom and the said "close your eyes" I did as I was told I didn't have time for games and neither did they what about moving my stuff into my room that still needed to be done.

Darry turned the knob and guided me inside; the fresh paint smell surrounded me. "Open your eyes" Darry said. I did and I gasped. My room they had finished it. My bed and dresser was there it was a copy of the room in my grandmother's house except the walls and floor was blue. I almost started to cry. Soda, Steve and Two-bit grinned at me. Soda walked up and gave me a hug.

"Don't worry about thanking us we wanted to do it." Soda whispered in my ear, I smiled into his shoulder

"Where's my hug?" Two-bit asked right before Steve slapped him on the head. I giggled softly.

"Okay guys we still have a lot to do and only an hour to do it. Rachel why don't go take a shower and get ready, I'll watch the food." I nodded to happy to object or to notice that Pony was absent for the happy occasion.

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Darry POV (Rachel in the shower)

I had lied when I said we had a lot to do. We'd been rushing all morning and had almost everything done thankfully. I sent Steve and Soda to go get Pony at Johnny's I didn't trust him to come home when I said, he really doesn't like Rachel I don't understand why.

I was watching the food, more staring off into space when Two-Bit entered and sat across from me. I didn't feel like talking but obviously he did. I looked over at him expectantly. He sighed.

"What's up with Ponyboy why ain't he here?" Two-bit asked seriously. He's been way to serious as of late I feel as though it's my fault.

"I'm not sure he don't like her, his excuse she's to needed" I told him with a frown

"Well duh she's gonna be needy she don't know no body or how the world works, you can't just expect her to be one of us right away. Damn that kids real thick sometimes." Two-bit said I couldn't help but wonder if he was always this smart and we never noticed or if it's a one-time thing.

"I think it has something to do with Johnny" I said and glanced over at him Two-Bit looked thoughtful, not a expression I was used to coming from him.

"Makes since if you think about it Johnny was needy, and him and Pony were best friends and look what happened. Maybe he just doesn't wanna get hurt again. You know him and Dally blame themselves but there was nothing either of them coulda done." Two-bit said.

I sat in shock. Wow I had definitely underestimated him. I feel like a real dumb ass. Here Two-bit is having a intelligent conversation with me, one I didn't know he was capable of having I feel like a soc. One who think all greasers are dumb as wood. God this wasn't my week.

"True" I said after a moment

"But Dally's got some kind of interest in Rachel, and I'm not sure what that interest is. That worries me. A lot" I said with a deep frown

"Old Dally won't hurt her, Well hopefully not. He just might think this is a way to redeem himself for what happened with Johnny." Two-Bit said

"Yea that's along the lines of what I was thinking, but what if is interest is more than 'brotherly'?" I asked. Not sure when in this conversation we switched roles.

"Then we'll handle it when it comes. He isn't gonna go and do nothing stupid. It would be like cornering a scared lion. He wouldn't get anywhere. Don't worry we all like her, we all will take care of her. Its not sole your responsibility." Two-bit said.

Then we just sat in silence contemplating everything that had just been said. Until someone cleared there throat hesitantly. We both looked up, and gaped.

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Rachel's POV

I walked into the kitchen but only Two-Bit and Darry were there, and they looked deep in thought. I was hesitant to disrupt them but Darry needed to get cleaned up. I cleared my throat, their heads snapped up and they looked at me like an alien, again. Great I must look terrible. I suppose my disappointment showed on my face cause Tow-Bit quickly cut in.

"You look hot" Two-Bit spoke with a grin, then Darry slapped him in the back of his head I giggled, and blushed at the words said to me.

"You look great Rachel" Darry said with a small smile "Well I'm going to go get cleaned up. Two-bit you're welcome to stay. Try anything and I'll brake your hand." Darry warned and then walked down the hall to his room. I laughed silently.

I didn't do anything different to my appearance. Oh wait I no. All week I'd been in either funeral clothes of work clothes, my hair up in a bandanna. Tonight I had my blonde hair down I was wearing my light blue cardigan with my dark blue jean skirt and my Mary Jane's. I laughed silently at Two-bit's still dumb found look. I waited to see if he'd say anything else. When he didn't I began pealing potato's again, the meatloaf had about 15 more min. I was just finishing cutting the potato's up when Soda and Pony walked in. Pony headed right back to his and Sodas room. I gave a questioning look to Soda who gave a look to Two-bit then back to me and he shrugged. Glancing at the clock, I began to panic. The social worker would be here in like 10 min. and dinner wasn't ready, Soda and Pony weren't cleaned up and Two-bit was still here. I pointed to the clock and Soda did a double take then hurried to his room.

I had just finished mashing the potato's when Darry came out all cleaned up.

"I'll set the table" Two-bit said

"I'll starting bringing the food over." Said Darry

I started making up the chocolate cake mix. I was putting it into the oven when Soda and a very grumpy Ponyboy came out all cleaned up. Just as someone knocked on the door. Everyone but Pony, whom kept his head down, glanced nervously at each other and than at Two-bit.

"Two-Bit go out the back door." Soda whispered urgently. Two- bit practically ran, we all heard the door open then close then a big thump, as if he had tripped. If it weren't such a serious situation I would have laughed.

"I'll get the door," Darry said with such a heavy voices that you would think he was meeting his death, which in a way it could be.

I nervously began to pit pat around the kitchen. I checked on the cake, covered the food on the table. Straightened my hair and pulled down my skirt. I heard Darry open the door and welcome the social worker I glanced at Soda and he tried to give me a reassuring smile. It didn't do much but at least I wasn't the only one worried.

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Later that night after the social worker left we all breathed a huge sigh of relief, well everyone except Pony he just glared and walked away. All I wanted to do was settle down and sleep, but Darry had other plans.

"Pony, get back here and do the dishes." Darry said Pony came back stomping I couldn't understand why he was so upset.

"Rachel, Soda and I are going to go threw her Grandmothers House one more time before we close it up. When we get back I want those dishes done. Then do your homework." Darry said

"But Darry, its Friday." Pony said "I already couldn't go anywhere because of her. " He spit it out like I was the worst person ever. What had I done? I saw Soda ready to hit him, but Darry spoke first.

"Soda take Rachel over a while. I gotta talk to Pony I'll meet you there." Darry said his voice with a hint of steel to it that made me shiver. Soda took my hand and led me out the door, still upset about what pony had said.

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Darry (POV)

"Pony what has gotten into you?" I asked and couldn't figure out if I was more upset or confused. The only answer I got from him was a 'whatever' shrug. I slammed my hand on the counter. "Dammit, Pony what's wrong with you? What do you have against Rachel? You guys have always been okay. So what changed? Don't give me that shit about her being to needed, you didn't stay long enough for her to be needed." I said I was really becoming pissed off.

"I don't wanna talk about it." Pony said trying to put all his concentration on the dishes.

"That's bull and you know it. You can't say something like that then not expect to explain yourself." I said. Watching for a reaction from him I got nothing.

"Damn Pony I thought mom and dad raised you better." I said It was a low blow and I new it but if he was gonna act like a drama queen then to hell with it all. "Pony you gotta tell me what's going on, we can't keep living like this, it's shitty and it's only her first full day here." I said and sighed in frustration.

"Well then call social services and get them to take her. Then everything will go back to normal." Pony said. My jaw dropped who was this kid? Where was my baby brother?

"Yea well that ain't gonna happen because if they take one of you then they're gonna take you all. So if you really wanna go to a boy home, let me know and I'll call. But other than that get used to it because Rachel's apart of this family now. Got it?" I asked staring him in the eye.

"Darry I don't wanna go to a boys home. " He said his voice horse

"I know that Pony, but you gotta get over whatever problem you have with Rachel. Or you both will be heading to homes. Got that? You don't gotta be her best friend, just be civil, if you got nothing civil to say then don't say shit. Savvy? I asked praying this would work

"Yea I get it." Pony said

"Okay good I gotta go over and me Soda and Rachel, finish the dishes and start on your homework." I said as I started walking out the front door.

"Bye" He said

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Rachel (POV)

"Soda is Pony alright?" I asked as he led me down the front steps and over to my old house.

"Yea, he…he's fine just a little moody. He didn't mean no harm with what he said. "Soda said with a half-grin

"You sure? He's not mad at me or nothing right?" I asked

"No he's just stressed over Johnny getting better." Soda said

"Oh, that's why he was late the other night." I said more as a statement then a question.

"Y..yea that's right, Johnny was making progress and he didn't want to leave right away. The time just slipped by." Soda said I had a feeling he was only telling me half of the true but, I trusted him to tell me what I needed to know so I didn't say anything.

Authors Note: Let me just tell you I have the worst trouble with beta. I get one and then they can't do it anymore. Men oh man lol. So if anyone is interested in being a beta, I have plenty of stories and chapters I need help with. Even if you can only do one chapter so something please. This is me begging lol. –on knees- Anyway if you have anything you really want to see in the story feel free to let me know. Thank you for all the reviews. I'll get into individual thanks next chapter. Oh but keep reviewing they help my motivation, Also this chapter hasn't been beta. SO sorry in advance for any errors.