(Ponyboy's POV)

After Darry agreed to let me go with him whenever he wanted to go on a walk, Dally and Johnny hung around the house the rest of the day, watching tv. By the scowl on his face, I knew something was still bothering Dally, but since Johnny stayed quiet and let him stew, so did I. I sat on the couch with them, but I was pretty sure I was watching Darry more than the television. He sat in the recliner and looked beat, which made sense because he somehow hobbled on crutches all the way to James Ave. What if he fell and couldn't get back up? What if he passed out or Socs tried going after him?

"Pony, I can hear you worrying from here," Darry mumbled. I wasn't sure how he knew I was looking at him since his head was tilted back and his eyes were closed.

"Maybe quit givin' him something to worry about then," Dally shot in Darry's direction.

I raised my eyebrows and looked at Dally. He still had a scowl on his face, and I wondered if it was going to be a permanent fixture. He was obviously real upset with my big brother, and I had a feeling it was about something other than Darry going on a walk alone, but I didn't dare ask about it. I didn't want to get socked in the jaw.

"Lay off, Dally," Darry said tiredly. I looked back at my brother, and I was pretty sure he was close to falling asleep in his recliner.

"Darry, maybe you should-" I started, but I never got to finish my suggestion.

The door suddenly slammed open and Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit all walked in. I noticed Soda and Steve were wearing their DX uniforms, while Two-Bit's clothes looked a little dirty. It's not like he was working at the DX with them, so why are his clothes dirty? What has he been up to?

"Hey guys," Soda said while Steve and Two-Bit immediately went into the kitchen, probably to rummage through our food.

"Hey Soda," Darry said as he opened his eyes and straightened his neck to look at our brother. "How was work?" Darry asked, his voice sounding sleepy. I knew he was about to fall asleep.

Soda looked at Darry carefully, then apologetically. "Sorry for waking you, Dar. You feelin' okay?"

"Yeah, I'm-"

"Your older brother decided to go on an adventure today," Dally interrupted. "He about put himself in an early grave trying to prove how tough he is."

Soda's eyes widened as he stared at Darry. "What?"

"It's nothing," Darry said, trying to get Soda to calm down, but that was easier said than done.

"What's he talkin' about Darry?" Soda asked, obviously concerned.

"Don't lie to him, man," Dally said bitterly. "He should know how dumb his big brother was being today."

I stiffened. Nobody talks to Darry like that, and absolutely no one calls Darry dumb.

"Knock it off, Dallas," Darry spat. It had been a while since I had seen him look so angry, and I instantly remembered how much I hated seeing him like that. "I know you're mad, but get over it. It's not happening."

I couldn't keep my curiosity contained. "What's not happening?" I asked.

"Another rumble," Darry said harshly, but I didn't take the tone personally. I knew his irritation wasn't towards me, especially since his eyes stayed trained on Dally. "I already told you, I don't want to put anyone else at risk. Who knows what the Socs will do next? I thought you-"

"You thought I what, Darrel? Agreed?" Dally spat as he shot up to his feet. "Well I don't! I know you want your brothers out of it, but how can the rest of us let those Socs walk around like nothing happened after what they did to you and Soda, huh? They almost killed you two, and you decide that we can't do nothin' about it? That's bullshit, man!"

"Because I don't want anyone else to get hurt!" Darry shouted back. "That means any of you!"

"What's goin' on in here?" Two-Bit asked, suddenly reappearing in the living room with Steve right next to him. Both of them looked shocked at the loud voices coming from the small living room.

"Darry said we ain't rumbling with the Socs," Dally explained shortly. "He wants to let them get away with trying to kill him and his brothers."

There was a quick movement from the recliner, and suddenly, Darry was on his feet. "That's enough!" Darry hollered. "We aren't talking about this anymore!"

There was a pungent silence, and after a moment, Soda approached Darry slowly. He put his arms out, trying to demonstrate his peaceful intentions. "C'mon Darry, let's-"

"I'm fine, Soda," Darry said, moving his arm out of Soda's reach. From the movement, Darry became unstable on his feet, and he only stayed up because Soda caught him and stood by his side. I noticed that Soda winced at the sudden effort that was required to keep Darry from falling to the ground. He's still recovering from a stab wound. He shouldn't be holding our big brother up by himself. I immediately got up and moved to Darry's other side and put my arm around his waist to alleviate some of the load Soda was carrying.

"Let's just take a breath, Darry," Soda said, his voice firmer than before. "Can't have you hurtin' yourself."

"Not again anyway," Dallas mumbled, not able to help himself and keep his mouth shut.

Before Darry could say anything, Two-Bit spoke first. "We don't need to rumble. Tim's guys are already dealing with that Soc."

"How?" Soda asked instantly, probably to prevent Darry from saying anything for a while and avoid a full-out rumble in the living room.

"Ran into Tim earlier. He said a few of his guys are trying to get hauled into the station in hopes of running into that Soc the cops arrested," Two-Bit explained with a grin on his face. "If one of Shepard's boys finds that Soc, he's gonna wish he never even thought about hurting someone with the last name Curtis."

It wasn't the world's best plan, but I was still grateful that other greasers were willing to have our backs, even if we didn't ask for it. It also meant that nobody from of our gang was going to get in more trouble, which was another good thing.

"Good," Steve said simply, but bitterly. "Maybe they'll put him six feet under while they're at it."

Darry shifted his weight a little after Steve's remark, but it didn't seem like his legs were going to be able to hold him up much longer because he stumbled a bit, causing me to suddenly need to use more of my strength to hold him up. From the sound of effort I heard from Soda, he experienced a similar thing.

"You should get off that leg Darry," I suggested, being very mindful of the tone I was using.

"Pony's right, Dar. You're supposed to be taking it easy," Soda added. So are you, Soda. Then Soda looked at me. "C'mon Pony, let's help Darry get to his room."

Before Darry could argue, Soda and I led him to his bedroom while the rest of the guys immediately started conversing quietly in the living room. I could hear Dally's frustrated voice, but it seemed like Two-Bit was trying to calm him down, which was a difficult feat for just about anyone.

As soon as the three of us made it to Darry's bed, he practically collapsed onto it when he sat down. Soda and I both sat on the bed next to Darry. There was a strange tension in the air that I didn't like, and thankfully, it seemed like Soda wanted to extinguish it immediately.

"So what was Dally talking about earlier, Darry? What sort of adventure did you go on?" Soda asked.

Darry groaned and wiped a hand over his face. "I went for a walk… went further than I planned. He was driving by, saw me, then brought me home."

Soda's lips formed a thin line, and I knew he was holding back what he really wanted to say in order to keep things light. "That it? He was makin' it sound like you were gonna fight in a cage match or something."

Darry let out a short laugh. "No, I'm not quite ready for that yet. He's just mad that I said we aren't going to rumble."

It was quiet for a moment while the three of us let Darry's words hang in the air. None of the guys turned away from a fight, least of all my brothers, and I never heard Darry completely back down from a rumble. Still, I thought Darry made the right decision, and I needed him to know it.

"I think that's real smart of you, Darry," I said. "I don't think we should rumble either."

My brothers both looked at me, surprise evident on their faces. Even though I didn't like fighting, I never backed down from a fight either.

"Really?" Darry asked softly.

I nodded. "Yeah. Things went real bad last time. I mean, you and Soda almost…" I trailed off, not wanting to utter the horrible word. They knew what I meant anyways. Darry put a comforting hand on my knee and gave it a squeeze. I took a breath and kept talking, focusing my eyes on a spot on the floor. "There's no telling if the Socs would fight fair after what went down. You guys barely made it last time. We shouldn't test our luck again just for pride. If something even worse happened, I don't know how we'd handle it."

I don't know if I could handle it if one of the guys died. And if it was one of my brothers… I'd completely lose it. I couldn't go on.

I realized my eyes were getting watery and my body was shaking slightly, but neither of my brothers said anything about me crying yet again.

Darry moved his hand from my knee to the top of my head so he could ruffle my hair. "You're right, kiddo. I couldn't live with myself if I put you and Soda in harm's way just for some stupid revenge. I don't want any of the guys getting hurt either. We're all home safe, and that's all I care about. Forget trying to look tough to some Socs."

I nodded in agreement and understanding. "Fighting doesn't do any good anyways," I added without thinking. "Even when we win a rumble, things always go back to how they were. They're still Socs, and we're still greasers. None of it means anything."

Darry's hand moved to my shoulder, then he shook it a little in a display of love and support. "You sure are one smart kid, Pone," Darry said. I could hear the smile in his voice, and it caused me to look up at him. He was indeed smiling at me. "You're right. Fighting doesn't really solve any of the bigger problems."

I felt my eyebrows. "You think so too?"

Darry nodded, and he suddenly looked real proud. "Don't you change, Ponyboy. Not for anything. You're too good for this place. Someday, things will be different, and maybe you're one of the people that'll change things for the better."

I looked at my big brother intensely, almost not believing those words came from him. Did he really just say all of that to me? Does he really think that highly of me?

"You might be right Pony, fighting might not solve everything," Soda said, breaking the silence once again. "But if anyone even thinks about laying a finger on either of you, I'm gonna pound them into the dirt."

That got all of us to chuckle a bit.

"I'm not saying there isn't a time and place for throwing a few punches," Darry said to Soda with a sly grin on his face, which made me have to hold back a laugh. "If it means protecting the people you care about, then sometimes a few teeth need to be knocked out."

Fighting doesn't solve everything, but it could solve some things.

It was then that I realized that Darry and I were more alike than I ever thought before.

Starting the next day, Darry and I went on regular walks together while everyone else was out doing their own things. I thought it would be awkward at first given the slow pace we went with Darry using his crutches along with our ever-evolving relationship, but I quickly started to look forward to our walks. They gave us a chance to talk, which was something we struggled to do ever since Mom and Dad died.

The first couple times, we just went to the lot and back. Darry insisted that he could go further, but I told him it probably wasn't a good idea to push himself too hard, too soon. He reluctantly agreed, once again stating that I was a smart kid. During those shorter walks, he would ask how I was doing, but I quickly deflected and asked how he was doing and feeling. Surprisingly, it seemed like he was being honest with me. He said his injuries were uncomfortable but not too painful, and the crutches were a pain in the ass to use. I laughed at his rare use of a curse word, and he grinned. I noticed that he was short of breath a lot of the time, so I was mindful not to go too fast or make him feel like he was going real slow.

As the walks got longer, the conversations got deeper. We started talking about the nightmares we both experienced. I didn't think Darry really suffered from nightmares, but ever since he returned home, we'd run into each other in the kitchen or living room in the middle of the night on a regular basis. It was obvious why we were both awake, but we tended to wait to discuss it until we went on our walks. Only when one of us looked really bothered did we talk sit and talk about it right away at night. I think both of us were cautious of Soda or any of the guys that slept on the couch overhearing us.

It didn't take long before Darry only had to use one crutch to walk around, and by then, we could walk farther and we had gotten a lot closer. I was also thrilled to see Darry get stronger and healthier by that time too. He wasn't nearly as short of breath as he was when our walks started, and I could even walk at my normal pace and he'd keep up with me.

We made it to the park, and when I spotted the bench, I suggested that we sit down and rest for a bit. Darry was doing a good job, but I wasn't going to risk him pushing himself just to prove something to himself and me. He had already proven himself to be Superman when he survived two bullets.

I looked forward, and my eyes landed on the fountain; the location where everything started. I remembered ending up in the water multiple times during the rumble, Soda getting stabbed, and Darry getting shot. This place will always be home to those awful memories.

"Pone? You with me kiddo?"

"Huh?" I looked at Darry, and he was giving me a look that told me he was probably trying to get my attention for a while. I had no idea how long we had been sitting on the bench. "Sorry, I-"

"Yeah, I know. Don't worry about it," he said, ruffling my hair. I was used to him yelling at me about my head being in the clouds, but his brush with death apparently changed his attitude towards my mind wandering. "What's going through that head of yours?"

If it had been months or even just weeks before, I probably wouldn't have opened up to him. But things were different. He saved my life, and we were closer than we ever had been before.

"Just thinking about what happened here," I said with a sigh.

"It's not something that's going to be easy to forget, that's for sure," Darry said calmly.

I continued to stare at the fountain, and I absent-mindedly wondered if there were still blood stains anywhere. I thought Darry was going to say something else, but it seemed like he was waiting for me to speak, so I obliged.

I took a breath and tried to keep my voice even. "I'm real sorry, Darry. I didn't want you or Soda to get hurt, especially not for me." Next to me, Darry stiffened and let out a long breath, which told me he was preparing for a potential argument, but that wasn't my intention. "I know you and Soda and Two-Bit already told me it ain't my fault, but I can't help but feel like it is. I don't know if I'll ever feel differently, but I just wanted you to know I'm sorry."

"Ponyboy-"

I turned to look straight at him, making him know that I was being completely serious. His eyes, which I once thought were cold and unfeeling but now I know they're full of love and concern, looked right into mine. "You and Soda saved me. I won't ever be able to repay you two for that." Then I wrapped my arms around him and savored in the fact that he was alive. "Thank you, Darry."

He returned the embrace and put a hand on the back of my head. "We'd do it again in a heartbeat, Ponyboy. Don't you ever think you need to repay us. It's what brothers do. We protect and take care of each other."

I couldn't help but grin. That's what Two-Bit said too.

"I know it's hard to change how you feel," Darry continued. "But I really want you to try to let go of that guilt. It's not doing you any good. Everything is okay now. Soda's already back to work, and I will be soon too."

That made me pull away from him so I could look him closely. "You sure, Darry? I know you're tough and all, but you're still healing."

I wasn't stupid; I knew we needed the money. Still, roofing wasn't an easy job, so if Darry wasn't completely healed, I didn't think it was a good idea for him to be working on rooftops.

He smirked and ruffled my hair again. "Don't worry about me, kiddo."

"You're my brother, it's what I do," I said with a small grin and a little attitude.

Darry smiled at that, then he slung his arm across my shoulders. "I guess I should be thanking you for looking out for your big brother, huh?"

One again, I reveled in the new state of our relationship. Before, if Darry had known I was worried about him or even hinted at what I thought he should do, he would've hollered at me and said nobody needed to worry about him. Now, even though he still didn't want me to be concerned about his wellbeing, the atmosphere surrounding the conversation was completely different.

We understood each other better, but I just wished it didn't take him getting shot and almost dying for it to happen. When I told Darry that, he let out a sigh that somehow sounded disappointed, but I knew it wasn't directed at me. "Me too, Pone. But on the bright side, we can move forward and have talks like this for the rest of our lives. We don't need to keep having screaming matches; we can just talk to each other, man-to-man."

I beamed at him. "I'd like that." He clapped a hand on my shoulder and smiled.

We sat there for a moment before Darry started standing up, using his crutch for support. "Ready to head back, Pone?"

I stood up next to him, and by habit, I made sure he was steady on his feet before I dared to move. Once we were both up on our feet, we started heading back towards the house.

The walk home seemed to go pretty quick. We talked about the upcoming school year, Darry's plan to return to work, new movies that were coming out, and what the gang was probably doing while we were gone. We made it back to our neighborhood in what felt like five minutes, and as we approached our house, I saw Two-Bit's car pull up to our house.

"Darry, where does Two-Bit go every day?" I asked. It was a question that popped into my head constantly, but even when I asked Two-Bit directly, I never got an answer.

"He, uh-" Darry started but never finished, then Two-Bit hopped out of his car and interrupted my brother.

"Howdy Curtis boys!" Two-Bit said after slamming his car door shut and turning to watch us continue walking towards him. "How was your stroll?"

"It was good," Darry replied for both of us.

I looked at Two-Bit carefully as we approached him, trying to figure out what he was hiding. "Where have you been, Two-Bit? You said you'd tell me one day-" I stopped talking once we stood in front of him. I spotted a familiar tool belt wrapped around Two-Bit's waist, and he stayed quiet as I studied him, putting the pieces of the puzzle together. He's gone most of the day. His clothes get dirty. And for Two-Bit to get custody of us, they had to say he had a job. Could it be true? "Two-Bit… are you working?!"

Instead of looking shocked or offended like I anticipated, he just smirked at me and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "You sound so surprised, Ponykid."

I was more than surprised, I was shocked. I wasn't sure I believed it. Two-Bit Mathews has a job?! Who would've guessed?!

The smirk was wiped of his face after he saw my expression. Once again, he spoke far too seriously for my liking. Two-Bit was supposed to be light-hearted and a jokester, not mature and serious. "I told you I wasn't gonna let anything happen to you guys."

I felt myself staring at him with my jaw dropped, but I couldn't do much about it since it felt like I was frozen. No wonder I haven't heard anything about the bills piling up or the state taking me and Soda away… Two-Bit's been working!

"Wh- where are you working?" I asked when my brain finally connected to my mouth.

"I'm filling in for Darry while he's gettin' better," Two-Bit said, his voice starting to sound a little lighter. "The guys sure miss him up on those roofs, but I think ol' Two-Bit is leaving quite the impression on them. I bet they miss me the second I'm gone."

"Wait, you're working for Mr. Harrison?" I asked. I never met the guy, but I wasn't sure why Darry's boss would allow some random greaser to fill in for Darry without meeting him.

Two-Bit nodded. "Remember when I told you about signing those custody papers with Darry months ago? Well, Mr. Harrison had offered to let me work in place of Darry, so I took him up on it. He's a good guy, and he trusts Darry's judgement, so he let me join his guys." Then he pointed to the tool belt. "Your big brother's even letting me borrow his stuff."

"They're called tools, Two-Bit," Darry said pointedly.

I was stunned that Two-Bit was working, let alone roofing houses, but it all started to make more sense as the news sunk in. Two-Bit has done everything he possibly could to help us out, including doing the unthinkable and getting a job. I couldn't help it– I stepped forward and hugged him. "Thanks, Two-Bit."

"Aw shucks, kid… you've already thanked me enough," he said as he wrapped one arm around me and used his free hand to mess up my hair. "I told ya I was gonna take care of ya. Did you think I was lying or something?"

I pulled away from him to fix my hair, but I couldn't even manage to put a scowl on my face, I was too thankful for everything he had done. "No, course not. It's just… you've done a lot for us."

"We're family, Pony," Two-Bit said simply, like it was a well-known fact. "You do what you have to for family."

I looked at Darry, who was grinning at Two-Bit before looking down at me with a look that told me we were thinking the same thing: Two-Bit's right. You do what you have to for family, including protecting your brother from a crazy Soc.

"Already guys, let's go inside. I'm getting sick of this thing," Darry said after a moment, motioning towards the crutch under his armpit.

"We'll need to swap it out for a cane before you know it, grandpa," Two-Bit quipped. Darry raised the crutch to hit Two-Bit with it, but our buddy easily moved out of the way.

The three of us walked up to the house, where I could hear the radio playing loudly before we even stepped onto the porch. Two-Bit went first, holding the door open for Darry as he slowly moved forward. I followed close behind my big brother, just in case he needed my help.