Chapter 2. Inextricably Linked

"Who?" Johnny whispered beside Pony.

"Jace Stylinson." Pony repeated as he pulled another book from the shelf and placed it in his already filled hands. His finger continued to run along the fringes of the books as he tried to locate the correct call number that he had memorized. "I met him a couple of days ago. He's new around here."

"Yeah?" Johnny crouched down and pulled another book out from the lower shelf. "What's he like?"

"He reminds me of Dally."

Johnny grinned at the mention of his war hero. "Golly, he must be really something then."

Pony nodded as he went on his tippy toes and reached for a book on a higher shelf. It slipped from his hand and slammed down on the tiled floor with a bam. The sound resonated down the whole corridor causing many people to look up from their books either startled or annoyed. An elderly woman from the circulation desk gave them a disapproving frown. She probably wished that they would ban greasers from the library now.

Embarrassed, Pony quickly picked up the book again and apologized. He and Johnny quickly scampered down another aisle of books to hide from the glares.

"Sorry, Johnny." Pony could still feel his ear glowing hot with humiliation. It was almost as bad when the gang had embarrassed them at church.

"It's okay." Feeling sorry for his friend, Johnny smiled and nudged him slightly in the ribs. "Hey, tell me about the new guy. How's he like Dally?"

"He cusses real good." They both took a seat at a table secluded in the far corner. Pony cracked open a book about the War of 1812 while Johnny flipped to a page that talked about George Washington.

"Probably not as good as Dally though." Johnny stated absentmindedly. Pony agreed. There was not that many people who could cuss as good as Dallas Winston.

"He got in trouble with some socs." Pony started to list some bullets about the war. He tore some scratch paper out and handed it to Johnny. "He asked me to hide him. Him didn't seem all that worried though. He seems real wild."

"Like the rest of us."

Pony laughed. "Yeah. He even told me that he got a house here for a real good price, too." Pony paused for a second before adding, "I think he came here by himself."

"Golly," Johnny started to bite the end of his eraser. He always did that when he got nervous about something. "I wish I could live by myself."

Pony suddenly felt bad for his friend. "You know you could always live with us, Johnny."

"Yeah, I know." Johnny mumbled out of habit. He had been offered many times to live with the Curtises but he didn't want burden them with their already financially strained situation. Besides, Johnny already knew that he could never leave his parents. He always felt like he could fix their relationship somehow.

Feeling uncomfortable, Johnny asked what the gang thought about Jace.

"Steve hates him. He almost hit him, too. And, well, Darry thinks he's trouble." Pony frowned at the deduction of the gang's feelings. "I don't think Soda likes him that much either because of what Steve said and Two-Bit doesn't seem to care."

They became silent for a while, each of them taking down notes for their essays before Pony breached the silence again.

"I want to get to know him."

"Pony, I don't know," Johnny was nibbling on his pencil again. "I don't think Darry will like that. Maybe it's not a good idea with him gettin' in trouble with socs all the time."

"Darry isn't always right." Pony flipped a page with some force, causing the ends of Johnny's pages to flutter. Pony continued to take out his frustration on his book. "Darry doesn't know him. He just had it rough, but I don't think he's bad. He was nice to me."

Johnny only sighed but decided to not counter his best friend.

Darry usually had some insanely accurate intuition and if Darry thought this guy was trouble then Johnny believed it to be true. Hell, Dally had his long record with the fuzz but Johnny had never heard Darry referred to Dally as being a bad person. And that was the difference between Dally and this so called guy that resembled Dally's character.

Johnny looked at Pony scribble something down in his journal furiously and sighed again.

He bent his head down and took his own messy notes.

Hopefully, for Pony's sake, Darry's intuitions weren't right.

Pony shook Johnny's elbow gently and watched as his friend stirred awake. Johnny had finished his assignment an hour ago and had fallen asleep while waiting for Pony. It wasn't that Pony was slow, far from it, it was just that he always wrote his essays in a manner that secured him an A if not more so.

Johnny startled awake and accidentally kicked Pony in the shin. Pony suppressed the yelp as Johnny sat up.

"Pony?" Johnny drawled groggily. "You done?"

"No," Pony felt bad for having Johnny wait for him. Johnny sat up and started to massage his neck. Seeing that, Pony felt even worse. Johnny must have gotten a neck cramp from sleeping in such a funny position. "Maybe you should go home, Johnny. You don't have to wait for me."

"Nah, I'll wait for you, man."

"I won't be done for another hour or so." Pony pointed at the clock that read four thirty. "You're probably hungry now anyway. There's food at my house."

"I don't know, Pony. Darry doesn't like it when you're by yourself."

"Don't go treating me like a little baby, Johnny. I already get enough from Darry and Soda." Pony huffed.

"I ain't treating you like one." Johnny stated softly causing Pony to feel guilty for being angry with Johnny. "Just worried, that's all."

"I promise I'll come home right after I'm done, Johnny." Pony pointed a finger outside the window. "The house is only ten minutes away. I'll be fine."

"Are you sure, Pone?"

"Positive."

"If you say so," Johnny got up and started to gather his things. He threw his backpack around his shoulder and deposited the books back in the dropoff table before coming back to Pony.

"See ya later, Pony."

"Bye, Johnnycake."

He was finally alone.

Jace was relieved to finally see the black haired kid leave.

Ponyboy had been going at it for hours and it surprised Jace how studious the kid was. He was never that hell bent about school and never understood those that were.

His legs were propped up against the table and crossed at the ankle while his chair was tilted so far back that it stood with two wooden feet instead of four. A few people gave him disapproving looks but he merely flicked them off and very eloquently coupled it with the words:

"Climb it, Tarzan."

In his left hand, he had a book open to the tenth page to feign that he was reading. It was a book that he was advised to read by his boss to help ease his job and possibly even be a future conversation starter. Since he had followed Ponyboy into the library, he thought he might as well see what it was about.

To put it bluntly, the book was boring.

He would never consider himself a book person but he held it in his hand all the same. It made him look like he was doing something anyway.

He had all intentions of talking to Ponyboy today. Whenever he tried to get close to the kid, he was always with somebody making it harder for him to approach. But now was a perfect opportunity - his plan had been delayed long enough.

Of course, he couldn't make a scene here. There were too many witnesses.

He was three tables down from Ponyboy and the kid hadn't even looked over in his direction once. He was too absorbed in the multitudes of books that were surrounding him. With the way his head was inclined so close to the book, he would be needing glasses soon if he kept that up.

Jace smudged the edges of the pages with his saliva as he turned about a dozen or so pages. Just when he was about to stalk up to Ponyboy and get him to leave himself, he saw Ponyboy stretch and close the last book that he needed to look through.

Relieved, he dropped his legs back to the ground, grabbed his book, dropped it off, and ran out of the library.

He would wait for him outside.

"Done." Pony scanned his essay another time and nodded with satisfaction. "I should probably get Darry to read this for grammatical errors though."

With that thought in mind, he got up, packed his stuff, and brought all his books to the cart that was filled with all the other books that the librarians needed to re-shelf.

As he aligned his books neatly on the cart, he saw a book had fallen off the cart.

He picked it up and found his lip curling into a smile.

Somebody had recently been reading 'Gone with the Wind'.

He quickly crossed the street and practically ran into the phone booth. While bringing the collar of his jacket higher, he breathed into the phone steadily as he listened to the ring of the phone.

"Dammit, pick up you lazy ass." Jace mumbled impatiently as the ringing still went on. A few seconds later a groggy voice replied.

"Hello?" Jace could hear the sound of a bed creaking and bedsheets being pushed aside. It was late in the afternoon and his lazy partner was still sleeping.

"It's me. Stylinson."

"Styles?" The others voice started to sound more awake. "Don't tell me you got your cover blown already."

"No, asshole." Jace looked around and spotted Pony climb down the stairs of the library and promptly went to wait at a streetlight. He watched Pony kick a rock that sat next to his foot. "I need you to get the boys down here now."

"What's this?" The man on the other line chuckled. "I never knew that you understood the concept of synergy."

"Damn you, Stein!" He spit back fiercely as he fervently looked back at Pony. He didn't have time for this. The light had turned green but Pony had yet to move. He was mesmerized by the purple and golden hue of the sky. Jace was grateful that the kid was so empty headed at times. "I can do this alone if I have to. Fuck your stupid synergy."

"I was just teasing, Styles." Jace could hear the bed creaking again and a sound of a woman's voice. There was a second where he thought he heard Stein tell the woman to shut up and none too gently either. "What is it that you need?"

"I need the boys to ambush the kid."

"You move fast." There was another moment of Stein yelling at the woman and a distinct sound of a slap before going back to Jace. "Where are you?"

Jace leaned forward against the cold glass of the booth as he tried to make sense of the faded words on the lopsided street signs.

"On the corner of Paragon and Bristol."

"How many of em do you want?"

"Three."

"Three? Styles, I think you're getting soft."

"Shut up, Stein. Send em over now."

Pony had finally noticed the change in street light and was finally walking again. His gait was slow and relaxed, he was obviously relishing in the calm before the storm.

"You plannin' on playin' The Greaser- in -Lousy -Armor?"

Jace didn't even bother answering the question before slamming the phone back in its cradle roughly.

Pony was relieved that he had finally finished his History report over the War of 1812. He was hanging between the cusp of an A and a B in that class. Darry would kill him if he got a B in history so he was happy when the teacher gave them a chance to boost their grade with an assigned essay. While the other kids in his class groaned, he was genuinely happy.

He could write essays. He was good at em.

But his happiness only lasted so long before he heard the familiar hum of a mustang. And not too later came the vile name calling and sneering. He kept his head down as his grip on his backpack straps tightened. He didn't even try to look tuff. His bloated backpack only made him look like a nerdy little greaser. His gait was no longer slow, it was fast and unsteady.

He was really regretting sending Johnny home early now.

He didn't have a blade on him and he didn't see any greaser around. It was late, they were probably all at home eating or partying at Buck's.

"Hey, greaser!"

If they stayed in their cars and just jeered at him it wouldn't be too bad but then they got out of their mustang and started trailing after him on foot.

"Hey, you little shit! We're talking to you!"

"Yeah, don't act like you're deaf. Who the hell do you think you are? Ignoring us!"

It was on instinct that Ponyboy swung when one of them grabbed his forearm and yanked him around roughly. He got the guy good in the nose - he could even feel the blood on his knuckles. It was a punch that would make Dally proud.

"Leave me alone." Pony went to his pants pocket and felt around for something. There was something. It was long, it was slender, and it was a … writing utensil. A very blunt writing utensil. Pony fisted his hand around his pencil and swore how wrong Darry was for not allowing him to carry a blade, but those socs didn't know that. "I have a blade. I'll cut you good if you get too close."

Two of them seemed a little fazed by his words but the other one, which seemed like the leader of their little pack, didn't buy it.

One of the socs laughed. "Ain't he a funny one? Grease, I gamble like there's no tomorrow. I know a bluff when I see one."

I'm so dead. Oh, god.

And before Pony could blink, they lunged at him.

One of them, the ring leader, immediately saddled his waist and punched him so hard in the head that he felt as if the asphalt was pushing back against his head. The others held down his feet and arms.

He bucked wildly as they tried to secure their hold. In the midst of all the movement, they had somehow pulled him down a dark alley.

"Damn it! For jesus christ, Rich, hold him down!"

"Soda! Darry!" Pony tried to scream as loud as he could but it was difficult when there was a 170 pound man on him. "Dally! Two-Bit! Ste-"

"Dammit, shut the kid up!"

They slugged him in his stomach, knocking the air out of him. He could feel something metallic gurgle up his throat, choking him. His head was aching so bad he could barely tell if they were still hitting him there or if they had moved on to other parts of his body.

The one whom he had punched in the nose earlier punched him right across the jaw. He could feel his world reeling. He could even smell blood. His blood.

With his body being limp, they now occupied their undivided attention with hitting him instead of restraining him.

He didn't have the energy and neither did he have the air intake to scream or tell them to stop. He was so dizzy.

"Ah, look! The baby's crying!" They were laughing at him.

Pony didn't even know that he was crying. He was too numb to feel anything at this point.

And then he heard a shout that the socs didn't hear.

"Hey!" That voice, it was a voice that he did not recognize with his current muddled mind.

The socs continued to hit him even with the quickly approaching footsteps. And then he felt light - the pressure finally alleviated from his chest.

And when he opened his eyes next, the socs were off him with the ring leader on the ground, sporting a black eye.

He stared at the figure that was dancing with the other two socs dazedly. His rescuer's back was to him, but it was a back that Pony recognized.

He took down another soc, and was now facing the last one. His rescuer turned around, almost as if to see if he was still okay, and that was when they finally made eye contact.

"Jace..." Pony barely whispered. It was the only coherent thing he could say at the moment and even that came out bloody and airy.

Jace smirked at him briefly before turning around and dodging an attack from the soc.

Before Jace could finish taking down the other soc, Pony's senses failed him. But before he became dead to the world, one thing registered in Ponyboy's mind:

Jace Stylinson was his saviour.

Jace had watched the struggle go on from on the top of a tree. He was impressed when the kid sent one of his boys reeling with a right hook.

"Kids not that bad of an actor," Jace surmised as he watched two of his charge become fooled from the bluff, but then realized he wasn't supposed to be applauding for Ponyboy. "Fucking idiots."

At least one of them called on the bluff.

The kid went down easily and he watched for a good few moments as he debated on when to come down from his tree.

When he saw blood drawn, he decided that it was finally time. He put on a face that was enraged with anger and concern. He had to admit, the enraged emotion concealed most of his concerned emotion. But, hell, the kid would be too out of it too notice anyway.

"Hey!"

He ran up to them and punched Richard right in the eye, when he tried to get up, Jace subtly gave him an indication to stay down. He did so.

Michael quickly went down himself.

Jace turned around, hoping that Ponyboy had finally fainted - he still hadn't.

He faintly heard the kid call his name and him smirking to it before turning back around to face his other charge. Jace sighed inwardly, that meant continuing on with the charade.

Just as he was about to knock out Lance, Rich was calling him.

"Jace, stop! Stop!" Richard nudged Ponyboy in the ribs. There was no reaction, not even a flinch. "He's out."

He sighed loudly. "Finally."

Michael stood up from the ground and grimaced as he realized that his clothes were dirty with sewer water. "You know, Stylinson, your timing was off. You came too soon."

Jace flexed his wrist and rolled his shoulders. "Maybe I just felt like punching you, Slade."

Michael made a face of annoyance but didn't retort.

"So our job done here then?" Lance crossed his hands against his chest.

"Yeah," Jace crouched down next to Pony and shook him a few time - still no response. He was probably going to be out for a few hours.

They started to leave and gather all the things that they had lost in the struggle.

"Wait." Jace stood again and walked toward Richard.

"What now?"

Jace smirked before tapping his cheek.

"Styles?" Richard gave him a confused look. "What the hell do you want?"

"Bruise me a good one." Jace pointed toward his cheek again. "Right here."

"You kidding?"

"No." Jace hooked a thumb toward the unconscious Ponyboy. "I need to give him a realistic show. It was three against one, after all."

"Well," Richard started to crack his knuckles, obviously eager. "Who knew that I would ever get the chance to punch the famed Jace Stylinson."

"It'll be your last time, too." Jace snorted. "Hurry up."

As Richard pulled his fist back, Jace could officially declare that he had successfully befriended Ponyboy Curtis.

A/N: Well, there's chapter 2! I would like to thank those who reviewed/followed/ and favorite! Those little actions are greatly appreciated it!

If you guys didn't notice the phrase Greaser- in -lousy –armor was me playing a parody off of 'knight in shining armor'. I just made it up. Haha. Pretty lame, I know, but oh well.

Hmm, so this story is still moving kind of slow but I'll try to make it more interesting.

What do you guys think? Love it? Hate it? Made you want to vomit?

Anyway, please R&R. Reviews inspire me and make me happy. No flames please.

Reviews before this posted chapter: 13

(My goal is to have this number always go up after every posted chapter. So, help me bring it up. ^^)

3/11/2014