Hiii! So once again I am putting fics from Ao3 onto FFN. I really like this fic and hope you like it too! :3

The sheets of the bed I was in were ripped off of me. Instantly, I curled into myself to keep myself warm from the sudden cold. Groggily, I opened my eyes to see who was trying to get me up.

Darry had a smile as he stretched his hands to me. I cocked my head tiredly to the side. What did he want?

Suddenly, Sodapop jumped onto the bed and started tickling me. I was laughing, trying to get him off.

"Soda!" I cried out as he tickled me. Soon, Darry joined in, smiling as he did so. It only took about two minutes before I caved and got up.

"Cmon Sodapop, let him get ready," Darry said as he left the room, Sodapop following him. Before they left, Soda gave me a small smile that I gladly returned.

When I finally was ready, I went to the living room. Everyone was there; eating breakfast. Johnny greeted me as I settled with the hard eggs Darry made for me. Looking around, I realized this was almost how everyday started.

But something seemed off…

It was just like the calm before the storm. Something that was so normal, but so off? Almost like… someone else was here? I looked around and tried to pick out what seemed the most wrong.

There seemed to be another person on the couch; with a sinister smile. When I got a better look, I almost fell in shock.

"Hey Baby-Curtis," the figure said. Curly was smiling at me deviously. The eggs I had didn't seem as appealing anymore. Everyone else ate, even Curly.

They were acting like it was normal! Usually I knew that the gang didn't mind when anyone else came. But this person was Curly Shepard! The hood that barely got out of reformatory…

I helped with the dishes, trying to ignore Curly as I did. I could hear him trying to make some small talk with the gang. The only person really responding was Dally. Although, his responses were more to get a reaction out of Curly.

It almost sounded like me and Steve bickering. I understood why Darry always hated it now. They sounded like little kids fighting, with "tuff" insults.

"Shut it you pee-head!" Dallas retorted. "You first poop face," Curly yelled back. Soda spared me a look that told me he felt bad for me; the entire time we did dishes. Darry got ready in the background, getting his work shirt on and most likely trying to ignore the childish bickering as well. As I finished the dishes with Soda, I decided to get my stuff for school, ignoring Curly every time he tried talking to me.

"What's got his panties in a bunch?" I heard Curly ask the gang. "Because you're here," Dally retorted. I could almost hear the eye-roll that Curly did.

Walking out of my room, I saw Two-Bit near the door. "Ready your Highness?" He jokingly asked me. I rolled my eyes before nodding and making my way to the door. Before I could make it, Curly had a grip on my bag, holding me back.

"Why don't we walk together instead?" He asked. I looked at him, cocking my eyebrow up. Then, he leaned in.

"There's something I need to tell you," Curlys voice was down to a whisper, but I could tell he was serious. I nodded, looking to Two-Bit, "I'll walk with Curly."

Two-Bit looked shocked for a moment, before deciding to just let me. Although, I could see the glance Johnny worriedly spared me. I walked out calling out a goodbye to Darry and Soda who were leaving soon too.

Curly and I walked, with him looking around. Then, he decided to take a detour.

"Curly, you know I gotta get to school," I said annoyed as he tried to cross the street. He rolled his eyes, "Boring." I stopped in my tracks and he looked at me.

"What did you need to tell me?" I finally asked him. He looked at me, almost as if trying to size me up. Then, he nodded.

"There's some people after you."

I stood shocked at that. Why would someone come after me? Not only was I a bit too nervous to talk to strangers, I knew the score, I couldn't get in trouble. Curly nodded to me, "Some socs said they're planning on jumping the youngest of the Curtis gang."

"What- why?" I asked him. He shrugged his shoulders, "Tim just told me to watch out for you. I think he knows something though…"

I nodded, "Tuff enough. I don't need a babysitter; I can take care of myself."

"Really? Can you take care of the group of socs that have been following us this entire time?" Curly said in a low voice, his eyes going somewhere behind me. I looked at where he was looking and I saw it. A blue Mustang was sitting, parked, across the street with everyone inside looking at us.

The sight made the hairs on my neck stand.

"Why hadn't Tim told Darry?" I asked Curly, trying to derive my attention from the car. Curly looked at me, "Tim knows that Darry is too rough. If one of those socs called the fuzz on him it'll be over for you."

I looked at him incredulously. "Yet Tim is fine with you going to jail?" Curly gave a devious smile, "Damn right he is."

"Just take my help Baby-Curtis, if Tim sees that you're out for dead then it'll be on me," Curly finished. I sighed, grudgingly agreeing to it. "So can we go to school now or what?" I asked, annoyed. Curly rolled his eyes, "What's with the Curtis's and school? I only understand Sodacans view on school."

I rolled my eyes as we started walking to school, not even being bothered to correct Curly. Boy, if Soda knew how Curly said his name, he would beat Curly up in a millisecond. Even as I tried to walk in silence, Curly ended up rambling the entire time.

When we finally made it to school, I tried to split with Curly. When he said he was gonna look out for me; I didnt expect him to follow me everywhere.

I tried to make my way to Two-Bit and Johnny. They both spared me a sheepish glance as Curly continued following me. Curly greeted them louder than what I couldve.

"Hey Johnny, hey Mathews."

"Oh hey, Curly?" Johnny sounded confused as to why Curly was still near me. He gave me a questioning look and I shrugged my shoulders.

Me and Johnny stared at each other for a moment, talking to one another.

"Talk about riveting conversations," Two-Bit joked. I rolled my eyes, drawing them away from Johnny. Curly slung his arm around me, using me as an armrest.

"Ought you better get to class?" Curly asked. I rolled my eyes, "A hood telling a greaser to get to class. How riveting"

Curly gave me a lighthearted shove, "Get to class." Rolling my eyes, I made my way to class. Before I could enter, Johnny stopped me.

"What's up?" I asked him, trying to stand away from the door. Johnny gave me another questioning look again, "Why didya walk with Curly today?"

"Oh- it's because-"

"-Because I'm his best buddy," Curly interrupted me. I turned to him, shocked. Johnny gave us a weird glance.

"What?" Curly asked as if he had done nothing wrong. I had to suppress an eye-roll as he did so.

When the bell rung, signaling class, Curly stalked off. Although, he only left after Johnny did. Sitting in class, I couldn't help but let my mind wander.

Why were the socs after me? Why- why did Tim know? *How* did Tim know? Why is Curly keeping me from telling Johnny?

As I thought about the questions I had. While doing so, I felt pieces of paper hit the back of my head. For a moment I thought I imagined it. I looked around the room confused before hearing some chuckling.

"Boys!" The teachers reprimanded, "Pay attention."

Instantly the chuckling behind me stopped. Even as I tried to pretend not to feel the paper, I couldn't pretend not to read the notes put on my desk. The letters were sprawled out.

"You're dead grease."

It had the obligatory red crayon on the paper, simulating my blood. For some reason, it scared me. Usually, I was fine with the bullying. Sometimes the teachers would stop it if it reached a certain point. But the teacher was oblivious as more and more notes were shoved on my desk. My mind read them, integrating them deep inside my mind.

When the bell finally rung, I was the first out of the class. To my disbelief, Curly was waiting for me outside the classroom. "What are you doing here?" I asked him instantly. He rolled his eyes, "Waiting for the kid I gotta babysit."

Before I could retort, I was slammed- face first- into a locker. The air in my lungs was instantly knocked out of me as the locker met my chest. I turned around, watching as Curly decked the soc that slammed me.

The soc fell to the ground, holding his chest.

"Take that fucking bitch," Curly said as he went over to me. He pulled me up, briefly checking me before dragging me to a bathroom. I could briefly hear a teacher being called for as Curly slammed the bathroom door shut.

It took me a while to regain my breath as I leaned heavily on the cool bathroom tiled wall. Curly watched me, his cool blue eyes on me. I tried to ignore how it made me stressed and instead focused on regaining my breath.

"Was that the guy?" I breathed my question out. Curly looked at me, cocking his eyebrow up. It took him a moment to realize what I meant. "Oh, yeah. Just one of the twenty that are after ya." His tone didn't help the fear steadily brewing in my chest. Not to mention that my face had a small bruise on it already. While looking in the mirror, Curly stood near the door.

"Tim got you on security too?" I joked as I pressed around my ribs. Nothing felt too off, other than the small tender part of my face where I had been pushed into the locker. Curly laughed, humorlessly. "They didn't get ya too hard in the head, did they?" Curly pushed himself off the wall and made his way to me. I shrugged, "They didn't get me too bad. Not even a bruise comin' up."

"Nothing broken?" I rolled my eyes, "It was just a locker and a small shove."

"Speaking of that shove, ya think the teachers'll be after me?" Curly asked. I thought back to the full hallway that had witnessed the entire thing.

"Wouldn't be surprised, I'm sure that soc has probably already gone to the nurse. Why didya get 'im in the ribs?" I found myself slipping into a "tougher" way of speaking as I asked. Curly shrugged, "Thought it'd be fair." With a small eye-roll, I started to make my way to the door. Before I could reach it, Curly held me back. "Yes?" I asked, annoyed.

"Ya sure you're good Baby-Curtis? Can't have ya hobblin down the hallways all pathetic and ready to be beaten up."

"I'll just walk with Johnny." Curly gave me an incredulous look. "You're gonna tell Johnny?" He asked me. I nodded, "Why wouldn't I?" For a moment I could see some thoughts in his head. It scared me; I never knew Shepards could think.

"I don't think it'll be all that good if ya tell 'im. Ya never know when they'll be ready to switch targets," Curly said. I thought about it too. I thought about how badly Johnny was jumped and the aftermath of that. He was already scared enough; I didn't need to go and make it worse…

"Maybe you're right…" I agreed with Curly. He put a lighthearted arm around me, "Don't worry, I'll be here for ya." Part of me wanted to retort about not needing a babysitter, but it felt nice not having to worry about having to protect myself just this once.

We walked out of the bathroom and saw that the hallways were nearly empty. "Curly," I groaned, rushing to my locker to savor the last seconds of passing period.

Curly loped right next to me as I got my books out. "Isn't your class almost across the entire school?" He asked. I thought about my schedule- shit, he was right. I started to run to my class right as the late bell rang. Shit.

"Smell ya later!" Curly called out. My feet ran as quickly as they could, pushing my athletic limit. When the classroom was in sight, I slowed down and walked in.

I let out a sigh of relief the second I saw that the teacher wasn't there. Socs were just talking amongst themselves, not even bothering to look at me. I carefully walked to my seat, in the back, and settled down.

At my desk, was a note. "Kill yourself grease." It made me sick and I tried to wipe it off. After a while, the words finally came off in sticky ink clumps.

When the teacher came in, she took attendance and started math. My mind wandered through all the formulas while I wrote down notes. The second I looked down at my notes, I felt a paper ball hit my head- hard.

The note hit my desk with a soft bounce. Brushing it off, I continue my notes. Although, I could tell that it pissed off some different socs. Their laughs weren't heard as I tried to work on the assignment.

It wasn't until I felt a pencil hit me that I finally let them know I was paying attention. A girl next to me tried to scoot farther away as some of the notes even hit her. When one note was opened on my desk again, I read through it.

"*You're dead grease. You and your greasy friend."*

The note had a locker on it and it hit me why they were even angrier. I tried to suppress a groan of annoyance as I balled up the note and put it in my pocket. Finally, the bell rang, signaling lunch. All the notes I had accumulated were either on the floor or in my pocket. Even as I tried to be the last one out of the class, I could see a soc ready to get me.

However, the soc was in a staring contest with Curly.

"Heard ya broke one of my buddy's ribs," the soc sneered. Curly tightened his fist, probably wondering where I was. "Heard yer buddy likes to go after smaller greasers. Was only fair I got 'im back," Curly retorted. "You wanna fucking go grease?" The soc demanded, stepping closer to Curly. Curly stood his ground, sizing up the soc. "I'll go if you go, white trash," Curly sneered.

I could see the crowd gathering around the two. Curly's side was full of greasers and the Socs backing up the guy. There were no teachers to be found as Curly got his fist ready. But then, I saw someone walk to Curly.

Shit!

"Oh Curly, is Pony still in class?" I heard Johnny's soft voice ask. Curly looked inside the classroom, looking me right in the eyes. "Yeah, he is," his voice sounded a bit relieved. Taking my chance, I walked out of the classroom and to Johnny. Johnny looked at the soc and then at me. Curly waved him off, "Go get lunch."

I knew the rule, don't ever leave a buddy behind. But, as I walked with Johnny through the halls, I saw the sheer amount of greasers ready. It looked like before a rumble. I walked with Johnny to the parking lot where Steve and Two-Bit were waiting for us. "Took y'all's sweet time," Steve retorted as he hopped into his truck. Two-Bit looked at me and Johnny with an eyebrow raised. I shrugged it off and hopped into the truck as well.

"Want to tell us the riveting story as to why it took y'all so long?" Two-Bit asked jokingly. Johnny looked at me, obviously waiting for my answer. "I… uhh-" my mind couldn't think of a lie fast enough, "-I just took too long to get my things." Steve looked at me through the rearview mirror. "Is that so?"

"Curly was also going to fight a soc in front of Ponyboy's classroom," Johnny informed the two. I panicked as Steve looked at me and Two-Bit turned around to look at me. "You didn't get hurt didya? Don't think the nurse's ice will help if ya did," Two-Bit joked. I rolled my eyes, "Naw, I think Curly will need the nurse's ice though. 'Less he actually thinks 'bout what he's doing." Two-Bit laughed and turned back around, "Shepards don't think."

My mind flashed to the bathroom. "I think it's rare to see 'em think," I found myself saying before I could stop it. "Maybe it's a superstition that something bad's gonna happen," Two-Bit joked. I caught Steve rolling his eyes at Two-Bit's antics.

Then, I felt a small tug on the sleeve of my jacket. I looked to Johnny confused. Part of me was scared that he had seen the place where I had been shoved into a locker. The invisible bruise lightly pounded as I looked at him. Yet, all I could see the questioning look he had in his eyes.

"What's goin on with you and Curly?" The question rang loudly through his eyes. He didn't say anything but I knew. Still, I pretended not to know what he was trying to convey to me.

Instead, I flashed him a weak smile and turned back to look at Steve and Two-Bit. I saw us get closer to the DX. Two-Bit parked and looked at me and Johnny. I could see that Johnny was still confused and wanted to ask me about everything…

We got out of the car and went inside. The DX was empty for the most part. Only Sodapop was there, sleeping peacefully on the counter. I looked at Steve and gave a mischievous smile. He must've known what I was up to because he didn't do anything as I crept around to Soda.

I saw how peacefully Sodapop was sleeping. So, I thought it was time for some payback from this morning. Instantly, I slammed my hands onto the counter, "WAKE UP YOU DIRTY GREASER!"

Sodapop shot up and looked at me dumbfounded. It wasn't until he realized that it was me that he jumped over the counter and tackled me. I laughed as he threw me into a headlock while everyone else laughed. "Just had to give me a scare of a lifetime, huh kiddo?" Sodapop said.

I continued to laugh as I finally tried to detangle myself from Soda. He stood back up and made eye contact with Steve and Two-Bit. "Do y'all want some of this too?" He asked, punching his fist into his hand. They laughed and Sodapop jumped over the counter again.

I walked back to Johnny while Soda got us some drinks. Gratefully, I took the drink and went outside. Johnny stayed inside with everyone else, only giving me a look that told me he'd talk to me later.

I stood outside, drinking my Pepsi and enjoying the soothing atmosphere that came with it. There was still the small fear that a soc would come out of nowhere and attack me. But I pushed that fear down as I thought about the gang and even Curly. He *did* say he'd watch my back.

I looked around the parking lot, watching as a familiar blue Mustang came up. There were about three people in there, big socs. One caught my eye, and the second he did, he nudged his friend who started to stare at me. The hair on the back of my neck stood up as they got out of the car.

I looked to the DX, watching as everyone else laughed about something. They didn't realize that I was in trouble! If I screamed, I thought, would they even hear me? My mind seemed to blank as the socs got closer, enclosing me in a half circle.

"Hey there grease," one of them said with an overly friendly voice. I slouched, putting my hands in my pockets and trying to look tough. It didn't work as the other one continued. "Heard one of your greasy friends broke my friend's ribs."

"I also heard they didn't do shit to him," another one added. I looked between them, only knowing two- Randy and Bob. The friend near them had spoken out of turn. Randy just stared at me, his hands also in his pockets. Part of me wondered what was in his pockets.

Was it a switchblade?

Just the thought of that made me even more scared. I tried to back up, only hitting the end of Two-Bits car. The socs smiled, stepping closer. It was only then that I realized that no one in the DX could see what was happening.

"H-heard your friends like to pick on kids not even their size," I found myself saying. They started at me, Randy pulling out a switchblade. My eyes widened at the sight as he pulled it up. Shit shit shit shit!

"Mouthy aren't we grease? Maybe we oughta cut that mouth off to shut ya up," Bob said. Randy nodded, stepping closer. Everything in me screamed to run, or even scream! But, I was paralyzed by fear as the other soc put something in my mouth.

"Maybe we gotta start by gettin' 'im in the stomach. Heard where he comes from there ain't much to eat. Some air oughta fill him up real quick," The soc snarled. That gave Randy an idea as he aimed. My mouth was still covered even as I tried to beg for my life.

I choked for a moment before feeling a pinch. Did they- DID THEY JUST STAB ME?

My mind went haywire as I did too. I started screaming and trying to fight all of the socs at once. I threw my pop bottle at Randy, watching as he winced. Some of his blood trickled down to me, hitting the stab wound. Bob saw and slugged me good until all I could see were stars in my vision.

"Pony? PONY!" A voice distantly called out to me. I could barely see who it was but before long, all of the socs were gone. "Pony? Stay with me. Baby please stay with me," it was Soda. My hands went to the spot that was bleeding on my stomach.

"Soda? S-soda I'm scared," I whimpered. Soda tightened his hold on me, "Shhh baby, it'll be okay. Steve already called the ambulance." I felt as Soda used my hand to press down on the wound. I cried out a bit, feeling some tears try to fight their way and fall.

I clenched my mouth shut and closed my eyes. "Pony? Stay awake for me, please honey," Soda practically begged. I tried to nod but felt the wound burn as he tried to put pressure on it. I just wanted to sleep.

There was someone right next to me as I tried not to cry out. They held my hand and when they spoke, I knew it was Johnny. "Pony? Glory, Pony?" Johnny frantically called out. His hand held onto mine tight as I felt some of his tears fall down.

I opened my eyes to look at him. His eyes were set on the wound in my stomach. I could tell that he wanted to be sick, but that he wanted to be there for me too. It was only then, that I realized that I was watching Johnny lose his cool.

Usually, he was almost as tough as Dally. Or, he held a face that made him look as tough as Dally. Johnny could be a real hood if he wanted to. But at that moment, I realized that was not what he wanted. At this moment, he wanted me to be okay.

Even as I bled out in the parking lot of the DX, he wanted me to be okay. He held my hand, making sure that it didn't go cold before the ambulance came. "You're a good buddy Johnny. My best buddy," I whispered. His hold tightened as my eyes seemed to close.

Thank you so much for reading!