A/N! THIS FIC IS HEAVILY INSPIRED BY Stray- EmilyF.6 they're a big inspiration for me but if they don't like this work I'll be more than happy to take it down. :3

Hiii! so this is my second time using FFN! If you know me from Ao3 you'll probably see some differences in that fic and this. Ao3 is a lot different from FFN, so I apologize if there's times I forget to update here or whatnot. Im going to start moving some works from Ao3 onto here as well because I forgot I had FFN... Anyways! I hope you enjoy this! :33

Ponyboy isn't part of the Curtis family. He's from a different family, the Pax's. A big but simple family that resides almost everywhere- including Tulsa. Their wealth was growing all the time, so they didn't care for their child. They sent Ponyboy off to many places and didn't care for him, but still provided.

Ponyboy never thought much of how he moved around towns. He never stayed in a city for longer than a month or two. The people that took care of him also came and went. So, he refused to make friends or relations. His education was easy and he was close to finishing 9th grade.

That was all until he had to go to Tulsa.

"What's with this house?" Ponyboy asked Katherine, his recent caretaker. The house they stood at was old, and in a bad neighborhood. That was the least of Ponyboys worry's though. It was that there was a lot more things coming in rather than out.

"Your parents want you to graduate here before you go to collage," Katherine answered as she helped Ponyboy to his room.

"What do you mean?" Ponyboy looked at Katherine worriedly. She had been the only one that had stayed the longest of his caretakers. So long that he actually considered her more of a mother figure than anything.

Although, she was only 20; Katherine was only an inch or two taller than Ponyboy. She had a kind, fair face. Long brown hair that curled at the ends and soft skin. Petite with a soft spoken voice. Ponyboy really liked how she was kind and understanding and how she wanted the best for him.

She just smiled, "I talked to them and convinced them to let you stay here. At least until you graduate!"

"Could I leave before if I wanted?" Ponyboy asked shyly. Even if he was "spoiled" his caretakers were always humbling him. "If you want but I assure you, when you make some friends, this will be the best time you'll have in a town," Katherine tried to reassure Ponyboy.

Ponyboy took Katherine's word and helped the movers assemble some furniture. Katherine came out of nowhere once he was done. "Ready to meet the neighbors? I think there's a kid your age there…"

Ponyboy froze. He didn't want to go, everything in his body just about yelled at him not to. Yet, Katherine took his hand and led him outside. All the houses in the neighborhood were ratty, but this one had life to it. There were multiple people inside talking.

"S-shouldn't we get them a gift?" Ponyboy asked, trying to figure out a way to stall. Katherine laughed a bit and pulled out a drawstring bag. "I have some homemade cookies here." Ponyboy just nodded and followed Katherine as she knocked on the door.

Instantly the sound in the house died down and a tall man came to the door.

"Hello?" He asked, his voice deep and strong. Ponyboy tried to hide behind Katherine and she chuckled at that.

"Hi! We're your new neighbors! I'm Katherine and this is Ponyboy," she pointed to Ponyboy and extended her arm.

"My names Darrel but you can call me Darry," Darry shook her hand. Katherine gave the cookies to them and some new faces appeared from behind Darry. "Y'all want to introduce yourselves to the new neighbors?" Darry asked the faces. They all nodded and Katherine helped Ponyboy back down for more space.

"I'm Two-Bit! Or Keith…" A guy with a kind smile said. Another one chirped up, "My names Steve, I work at the DX."

"Names Dallas." A tough guy said. A kid next to him started to speak but Dallas spoke for him. "He's Johnny."

Ponyboy just nodded and stayed next to Katherine. Some other guy came from behind all of them. "Just leaving me behind while I make lunch?" He joked.

"Guess what his name is!" Two-Bit said and got close to the person in the doorway. "Uh I don't know?"

"This is Sodapop," Darry said and motioned to the guy in the doorway. Ponyboy poked his head from Katherine and looked at Sodapop.

"What's with my name now?" Soda said as he playfully punched Darry.

"Tell them your name," Katherine encouraged Ponyboy. He shook but stopped hiding, instead he looked down.

"My names Ponyboy…"

Instinctively, he looked up to see Sodapops face. He looked shocked but then smiled. "Guess we both have unique names huh?" Sodapop was smiling. Ponyboy just nodded.

"Well, were the new neighbors we just live right next door!" Katherine was smiling and she motioned for Ponyboy to start walking. He nodded and started walking to his house.

"Please, be friends with him," Katherine asked the guys. They looked at her weird for a moment.

"I can't say anything about his situation but just… this is a new town for him and he's going to stay for a bit, I think he needs some friends."

The guys just nodded and filed back into the house. Katherine hoped what she did was right. Carefully she made her way back into her own house. Ponyboy was helping some movers put boxes down in rooms.

"Need help?" Katherine suggested as a mover put down an especially heavy box. Ponyboy just looked at her, "I'm scared… what if they didn't like me?"

Katherine just hugged Ponyboy. "It's alright… I'm sure they loved you sweetie." Ponyboy nodded into her shoulder. He didn't want to admit it but hearing someone with a name similar to his made him happy.

"I'm going to get started on lunch okay?" Katherine pulled away from Ponyboy. Ponyboy nodded and Katherine waited. He smiled, "can we have what you made last week?"

"Whoa kid again?" Katherine joked, "why would you want Mac n' cheese again?"

Ponyboy just smiled and played it off. "Because I love your Mac n cheese." It wasn't a lie but he always ate it when he was sad. Or when he was going to leave a house. Katherine would get the cheeses and allow Ponyboy to choose his favorite one. Then she would make it for him. Allowing him to follow her every move. He had her recipe down but couldn't recreate it as well as her. Now he waited for her to start the process as he watched.

"Hmmm we're out of your favorite cheese," Katherine said as she came back from the fridge. Ponyboy might as well had been shot. His heart broke and he tried to nod and say it was fine. Katherine spoke up, "No it's not cmon let's go to the store! I need to get the mail anyways."

With that, Ponyboy was walking outside with Katherine. While Ponyboy walked he saw some of the guys- his neighbors. He kept his head down and just followed Katherine to the store. "Do we really have to walk?" Ponyboy asked as they passed the car.

"Why not! We need to see the town fully you know?" Katherine nudged Ponyboy and he kept his head down. They made it to a fairly busy store. Some of the people looked poorer than others and others just didn't care.

Katherine pulled Ponyboy along as she made her way through the store. Ponyboy tried his best to keep his head down and just follow her. Soon they were outside a school. Ponyboy looked at Katherine weird and she smiled sweetly.

"Let me sign you up!"

Ponyboy felt his heart drop. "Sign me up?"

"Yeah! You're going to enroll here but you're almost finished with your 9th year…" Katherine was thinking for a bit but just shrugged. "Wait out here okay? I'll be back soon."

Ponyboy sat outside and waited. He watched as a blue mustang came up. Ponyboy panicked for a moment but didnt do anything. Some guys got out of the car and started to head towards someone. Ponyboy saw the kid and it looked like his neighbors friend?

The guys circled around the kid and Ponyboy just watched. When a guy threw a punch was when Ponyboy ran and just jumped on the guy. The guy was trying to fight Ponyboy off and some other guys went to pry Ponyboy off.

Ponyboy endured the beating, refusing to get off of the guys neck. Soon the kid he was protecting started beating up the guys around him. Ponyboy let go of the guy and helped the kid. Then it came to Ponyboys head who it was.

They all left because the guy had a bloody nose and the other guys were covered in their own blood. "J-Johnny right?" Ponyboy breathed out as he put his hands on his knees.

Johnny looked up at Ponyboy and just nodded. They both assessed themselves before getting back up. "Are you okay?" Ponyboy asked Johnny.

"Yeah, how about you? They roughed you up bad." Ponyboy was going to answer but he saw Katherine. She caught his eye and took the bags to run to him.

"What happened? Why are you covered in blood? Are you guys okay?" She asked many questions and finally relaxed when Johnny spoke up.

"We're fine. He just helped me…"

Katherine nodded and hugged Ponyboy. "Do you want to come to our house to get patched up?" Johnny thought about it for a bit. "Actually sure." Katherine nodded and led the guys to the house.

Darry was sitting on his porch waiting for Soda when he saw Johnny coming with Katherine. Katherine held off on a lecture because of how happy she was that Ponyboy was okay. When Darry saw Johnny he ran over.

"Whoa kid you alright?" Darry asked as Johnny made it to Ponyboys front door. Johnny nodded, "Some socs man. I was just walking… Katherine is going to patch me up."

Darry looked to Katherine and she nodded. "You're welcome to come in if you want. It's empty but it's because we just moved in." Darry nodded and followed her into the house.

Ponyboy settled himself onto the couch, sinking welcomingly into the cushions. Johnny followed and Darry assessed their injuries. "Do you have a flashlight?" Darry asked Katherine.

"Yeah, let me get the first aid kits first…"

"Multiple first aid kits?" Darry asked. Ponyboy blushed, "Ponyboy is a bit clumsy…" Katherine came back and sat next to Ponyboy with two first aid kits.

"Here-" Katherine handed the first aid kit to Darry, "-you can patch him up while I help Ponyboy."

Darry nodded and they both got to work. Ponyboy was the worst off. "I don't know if you broke a rib or not…" Katherine mumbled to herself. Every time that she tried to get a spot that hurt Ponyboy, he would flinch and then hold his ribs.

"Here let me check-" Darry reached over and touched Ponyboys ribs. Ponyboy flinched at first and when Darry pulled away he let out a breath.

"They're just bruised," Darry concluded, "Just put some ice on them and they should be okay." Katherine nodded and went to get ice. Darry grabbed the flashlight and did a concussion test on Johnny and Ponyboy.

"What happened Johnny?" Darry asked after he finished the concussion test.

"I was walking near the school and then some socs came near me. They were gonna beat me up but in one punch Ponyboy just came outta nowhere." Johnny licked his lips nervously, "He just jumped on one and they started hitting him. They ran off after a bit and Katherine came."

"What about me?" Katherine asked as she came back with some ice packs. Ponyboy spoke up, "how you came right when the people who were hitting us left."

Katherine just nodded and handed the icepacks to Johnny and Ponyboy.

"Ponyboy doesn't have a concussion," Darry told Katherine before turning to Johnny, "Are you staying the night at my place or?"

"I'll sleep in the lot tonight," Johnny tried to reason. Darry gave him a look and Johnny just sighed.

"Do you guys want to have dinner here?" Katherine asked after a beat. "I usually make a lot too so if you want me to bring something over…"

"It's fine, I'm sure Sodapop is already working on dinner," Darry answered, Katherine just nodded and walked them to the door.

"So was Ponyboy a good fighter?" Darry asked as he let Johnny to his house. Johnny waited a beat, "not really. He just jumped on the biggest guy and started strangling him until he stopped moving."

"Did he kill him?" Darry asked a bit more concerned. They had made it inside the house.

"Who killed who?" Dally called from the couch.

"Just the kid next door," Darry said before going back to his question. Johnny shook his head, "no but he was really helpful."

Darry just nodded and went to the kitchen. Soon Soda called for everyone to eat and everyone ate green spaghetti. "What do you think his situation is for Katherine to tell us to be friends with him?" Soda asked.

"Do you think his parents died recently too?" Johnny asked. They thought about it. Ponyboy and Katherine didn't look much alike. "She must be a foster or something. Maybe like a family member taking care of someone?" Darry spoke up.

"Maybe his parents don't care about him and left him with her," Dallas said as he disregarded the looks sent his way. "Should we be friends with him?" Steve asked after a beat. Johnny spoke up, "I think he's going to high school. Maybe I should help him in his classes."

"Especially if he beat up a soc," Darry added, "they ain't gonna like him a whole bunch."

Johnny nodded and everyone finished their food. Soon they were playing card games. Steve was about to fight Two-Bit and Darry was making sure no one broke anything. Soon, everything quieted down and they all went to sleep.

In the other house, right next door, two people stayed awake.

"I told you Ponyboy it's fine. You can go to sleep now," Katherine tried to reason. Ponyboy refused to go to sleep and wanted to help with the moving boxes. They stood in Ponyboys study room, where he wanted to organize the library. "No! You do it by author and I do it by like ability!"

Katherine sighed, "how about we do this room tomorrow and for now just go to sleep?" Ponyboy paused at that. Then, with a look from Katherine, Ponyboy walked back to his room. Katherine came in and made sure Ponyboy was alright.

"This kid is going to be the death of me," Katherine joked to herself. She looked to the neighbors next door, their house still alive with sound. She walked to the mail she got and organized it. Most of them were collages trying to get Ponyboy, despite his age. Although one had her name addressed on it.

"-Dear Katherine,

I hope this letter finds you well. I also hope Ponyboy is doing well in Tulsa. Although I think your choice is horrible, if it is as bad as I think then maybe Ponyboy will do well in a British boarding school. Anyways, I hope to see Ponyboy healthy when I come visit. Actually, my husband and I have decided to give you some days off. Maybe for however long we want.

We will go there in a week's time. You will have to go somewhere else. The mail to the other house got sent to us instead. We hope your grandma is doing well- maybe you should visit her.

Love,

Mrs. & Mr. Pax-"

It's bad to get a letter from your boss. Especially a letter telling you that you're basically fired. Katherine panicked, she was getting thrown away. Well not exactly but if they were coming to see Ponyboy…

"Oh my god they want to send him away." Katherine remembered as she reread the letter. Although she couldn't do much about her choice now. If they wanted her gone then they will see to it that she was gone. But what about Ponyboy? Katherine loved him like her own son.

Katherine didn't hear Ponyboy come behind her, but when she did she screamed.

"What's wrong?" Ponyboy asked panicked. Katherine held the letter in her hand and fought with herself for a moment.

"Your parents… they're going to come here. I will be sent away for some days," right as Katherine said that she remembered part of the letter. Her grandmother… Katherine didn't spend much time with family, especially because she had a job that required her to just about make a new family. Although now as she held the letter, she knew that she needed to go to her family.

"There's food in the fridge okay? I'm- I'm not going to be here for a while okay?" Katherine hugged Ponyboy. Ponyboy knew what was happening.

He had told himself to never get attached. This was how all his caretakers went. They would get "vacations" and have to leave Ponyboy before his parents came. Now, the same fate was happening to Katherine.

Although the time spent with his parents was like hell.

"No- please no," Ponyboy cried. He hugged Katherine back. "You can't leave! No please," Ponyboy was crying harder. Katherine just hugged him harder.

"Here's the rest of the money. Be safe okay? You know how your parents get…" Katherine's eyes had tears as well. "If anything happens go to the neighbors okay?" Ponyboy just nodded. He felt the tears fall faster.

"Please come back," was all Ponyboy could say as Katherine left.

He knew it was going to happen. It had been almost 3 years with Katherine. That didn't make it any easier though. He was going to follow her word but he didn't trust the neighbors enough to go to them. Instead, he mentally told himself that he would handle it, all alone.

Ponyboy opened the curtains to the living room, watching the house next to him. He saw how happy and full of life that family was. He envied it, hated how people could be happy. Yet, he couldn't hate them, it wasn't their fault that he was sad. Ponyboy walked back to his study room and got to work organizing the books- in author order. The way Katherine would've…

I hope you enjoyed! Sorry if the formatting is off, just trying to get the hang of FFN again... :33