In this chapter: Pony and Darry had an argument, Soda got caught in the middle, and Kate wants to help.

After my shift at the diner, I drove to the Curtis household, eager to spend time with my boyfriend and his gang of friends, or whoever was at their house. I was pretty sure I'd beat Darry to his own house after work, but I figured I could get started on dinner for him so he had one less thing to worry about on a Saturday night.

Darry's truck wasn't parked out front, so I knew I was right and that he was still at work. What surprised me, though, was that I spotted Soda smoking on the porch, all by himself. That's odd. Soda rarely smoked, even more rarely did he smoke alone, and I could tell just by looking at him that something was going on.

It didn't seem like he noticed me at first, but when I started walking up the porch steps, his head snapped in my direction. When his eyes met mine, he let out a sigh. "Oh, hi Kate. Darry's not here," he said, his voice completely monotone.

"I know," I said gently as I approached him. I stood next to him and copied his posture, leaning my arms against the railing and looking towards the street. "What's wrong, Soda?"

"Nothing," he muttered before taking a drag on his cigarette.

"Come on, Soda. I know something's bugging you," I said softly, then I placed my hand on his shoulder, trying to provide support and get him to open up. "You can tell me anything."

He glanced at me, then gave me a small grin. "It's fine, Kate. You don't need to worry about me."

I laughed a little at that. "You lot always seem to give me a reason to worry, especially you Curtis men," I said. "And I know you too well, Soda. I know something's bothering you, and I want to help."

He smiled, but looked towards the street. "It's about your boyfriend, Kate."

"Darry?" I asked automatically, then I wanted to slap my forehead. Of course he's talking about Darry, you idiot. Who else is called your boyfriend?

That got Soda to laugh. "Well yeah, unless you're dating someone else that I don't know about."

I was glad he found a little humor in our exchange, then maybe he'd be more likely to open up. "What did he do now?"

He glanced at me again with a nervous expression on his face. "I don't know, Kate. I don't want to cause any problems between you two."

I gave him a soft smile. "It's okay, Soda. You can tell me anything, and I don't need to go blabbing to your big brother. Lord knows he ain't perfect, and I'll be the first one to tell him that."

I loved Darry with all my heart, but I knew he had his flaws, which usually stemmed from some of my favorite things about him. Darry was a smart and dedicated man, but that also made him stubborn. He also cared about his brothers more than anything, which meant Darry got stressed and worried whenever they gave him a reason to be, and he tended to lash out or yell whenever that happened.

No, Darry wasn't perfect, but he was the best man I've ever met, and I loved him.

Soda seemed to contemplate what I said, and finally, he let out a stressed breath. "He and Pony had a yelling match again last night."

Oh no, not again. It was hard enough to see Darry get upset, but it was even harder to see the relationship between him and Pony suffer because of it. "What was it about this time?"

"Pony got a B- on a math test, and Darry about lost his mind," Soda said, then took another puff of nicotine. "Glory, I would've loved to get a B- in math, I never scored that high! But if Pony does it, it's like the world is ending." I nodded, understanding exactly what Soda was talking about. "They started shouting at each other. Pony said it was a hard test and that he did the best he could, and Darry said Pony should've studied more or asked him for help when he was doing his homework. I got caught in the middle, trying to calm them both down, but they both went to their rooms and haven't spoken since. Darry left this morning before Pony even woke up."

I let out a sigh. Darry and Pony are two of the most stubborn people I've ever met.

"Sure, Pony has been goofing off a little recently instead of studying, but it ain't like he's getting in trouble or even failing his classes. He's just a kid," Soda added. "He's trying to live up to Darry's expectations, but sometimes they seem impossibly high. Pony went to the library earlier, and I told him to be back before dinner so there'd be one less thing for Darry to yell about, but he still ain't here. I just know they're gonna argue again tonight."

"And you'll be caught in the middle again," I said. I knew I was right, and Soda knew it too.

"Yeah. I don't want to pick sides, but I don't want either of them upset with me either," Soda said sadly.

I rubbed my hand along his back, hoping it could help ease the tension in his muscles. "I'm sorry you have to deal with all of this, Soda. Maybe I can talk to Darry, try to get him to ease up a bit."

He shook his head. "No Kate, I don't want to be the reason you two have an argument. I'll deal with it."

"Soda," I said sternly, hoping he heard how serious I was being. "That's too much for you to deal with on your own. Let me help you."

He opened his mouth, probably about to continue arguing with me, but someone was walking towards the house, which caught Soda's attention. His facial expression relaxed. "Pony."

I turned my head and saw the youngest Curtis closing the gate behind him. Well, at least he made it back before dinner. "Hey guys, what's goin' on?" Pony asked, eyeing the cigarette in Soda's hand. The poor kid looked worn out, and I knew worrying about arguing with Darry didn't help.

"Just talking," I said plainly. Then I straightened up. "I'll make you boys some dinner."

Soda looked at me with a look of gratitude. "Thanks, Kate."

"Don't mention it," I said with a wink.

While I cooked spaghetti and meatballs, Soda and Pony stayed out on the porch, likely talking and smoking together. Once the food was done, I left it on the stove and went to go tell them that dinner was ready. When I approached the door, I heard Soda's quiet voice, making me stop in my tracks.

"-just wants the best for you," Soda said.

There was a pause, then I heard Pony's irritated and tired voice. "Why does he have to be so harsh about it?"

"Because he worries," Soda said. "Believe it or not, he worries, he just ain't good at showin' it."

There was another long pause, and when nobody else spoke, I opened the door. It was getting dark out, and I silently wondered where Darry was, but then I spotted Soda and Pony, temporarily taking my mind off my boyfriend. The two of them were sitting on the steps, looking out towards the street. I was glad Pony and Soda could freely share their feelings; something that I knew Darry struggled with.

"Dinner's ready you guys," I said softly, trying not to disturb them. They turned to look at me. Pony was obviously crying and he started to furiously wipe his cheeks. Soda looked more tired than anything, and I just hoped I could do something to help him.

Soda stood up first, then offered a hand to Pony. "C'mon Pony, this will be the best cookin' we've had in weeks!"

I rolled my eyes, but smiled, as the two of them walked past me to go eat. I was about to follow them inside when I heard the familiar rumble of Darry's truck. Moments later, it turned the corner and parked in front of the house. Finally. Where's he been?

Darry got out of the truck, grabbed his tools, and walked across the lawn. Even in the dark, I could tell he looked exhausted, and the fact that he didn't seem to notice me made my suspicions grow. Glory, he's out of it.

"Hey babe," I said as I walked down the porch steps.

He had been looking down at the ground until he heard my voice, then his head snapped up. He gave me a smile that seemed genuine, but slightly forced. "Hi Kate. Sorry, work went a little late. I hope you haven't been here long."

I shrugged as I approached him. "Long enough to spend time and chat with Soda," I said, then I wrapped my arms around Darry, interlocking my hands behind his neck. His free hand instantly wrapped around my waist. "And long enough to make dinner."

Darry's eyes widened a little, and I knew he was worried about what Soda had told me, but it seemed like he was going to ignore that part. "You didn't need to make dinner, Kate. I could've-"

"I wasn't about to have you make dinner after a long day at work," I said.

He gave me a soft smile. "Thank you so much."

I gave him a smirk. "Don't thank me yet." He quirked an eyebrow, obviously confused. "Drop your tools off, then we need to talk before we eat."

He suddenly looked really worried. "Kate, what-"

"Leave your tools, then come with me," I instructed.

Darry was suspicious, but he put his tools just inside the door of the house before walking back towards me. "Care to tell me what this is about?" Darry asked, his voice displaying how worried he was getting.

"All in good time," I said with a playful grin. "Come on, we're going to the lot."

It only took a few minutes to make it to the lot; Darry held my hand the entire way, and he stayed eerily quiet the whole time. One we got there, we sat on the bench, and he looked at me expectedly. "What's going on, Kate? Are you okay?"

I smiled. He's always so worried about the other people in his life. "I'm fine. How are you?"

He looked confused again. "Me? I'm- I'm fine."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Really? Because the bags under your eyes tell me otherwise. And I know you didn't work past sunset, so why are you home so late?"

He studied me, looking right into my eyes, like I could provide answers for him. After a few moments, he sighed. "Soda told you what happened last night, didn't he?"

I nodded. "Yes, he did."

Darry sighed, then he leaned forward so he could rub his hands over his face while keeping his elbows resting on his knees. "After work, I had to just sit in the truck for a bit… try to figure out what I was going to say to Pony when I got home."

"And did you think of something?" I asked.

He shook his head. "No. I can't figure out how to talk to him without us fighting." Then he dropped his face into his hands and let out a sigh. "I just don't know what to do."

I put an arm around Darry and leaned forward so I was as close to him as possible. "You just have to talk to him and hear what he has to say. Really listen to him."

Darry groaned. "You sound like Soda, you know that?"

I grinned at that. "Well, we both have a unique perspective when you and Pony argue because we can understand where you're both coming from. Some would say he and I are both emotionally sensitive and wise."

This caused Darry to slowly straightened up, making me sit back with him. "Yeah? And what do you wise people suggest I do?"

I smiled and tried to speak softly, hoping I didn't sound like I was lecturing him. "Listen to understand Ponyboy. Sure, maybe he could've studied more, or maybe that test was really hard, and even if he had studied more, he just couldn't understand the material. What would yelling at him do to fix all that?"

"Get him to study more for the next one," Darry offered. "Or ask someone for help, like me. I could've helped him."

I gave him a look. "Babe, I know you mean well and that you'd be happy to help your brother with his math homework, but look at it from his perspective… his older brother, who works long hours to provide for him, yells at him when he doesn't get an A on something. Would he really want to bother that brother about math after he gets home after a long day of roofing houses?"

"It wouldn't be bothering me," he said immediately. "I want him to do well. He knows that."

I smiled. "I know you're right, but from Pony's view, it would be bothersome. He knows you're always busy and tired, and that might be his way to make things easier on you: to not ask for your help."

He let out an agitated breath. "He doesn't need to worry about me."

"But he does worry," I insisted. "Just like we all do, and just like you worry about everyone else too."

Darry glanced at me, giving me a look that made me think he didn't quite believe me.

I took both of his hands in mine and looked straight into his eyes. "Listen, Darry. Ponyboy tries hard, but he's scared to fail you. He wants to make you proud, but since you keep yelling at him, I'm worried that he only thinks that he disappoints you, even though I sure as hell know that isn't true. I know you love him more than anything, you're proud of him, and you want him to succeed, and I think you should calmly tell him that."

Darry's eyes got soft as he listened to me. I had the feeling my words were starting to sink in, so I kept going.

"Soda's been stuck in the middle between you two for a while, and I think it's taking a toll on him," I said. I didn't want to put words in Soda's mouth, but he wore his emotions on his sleeve, so it didn't take a genius or a mind reader to know that I was right. "Like I said, he and I can see both sides, and I know he'd appreciate it if his brothers weren't always fighting. It's not just hard on you and Ponyboy, it's hard on Soda too."

Darry continued to stare at me, like he was processing everything I said. Part of me felt guilty that I forced him to have this conversation after a long Saturday of roofing, but I had to do it. Finally, his stare broke, and he tilted his head down and let out a shaky breath. "I'm no good at this."

"No good at what, sweetie?" I asked, suddenly worried that I threw too much information at Darry all at once.

"Being a guardian, and taking care of my brothers," he said, his shoulders shaking a little. It happened so rarely, that it took me a moment for me to realize that Darry was crying. "I try my best, but I keep messing it up. I know I'm hard on Pony, but glory, he's a smart kid. I know what he can accomplish, and I just want to help him."

I moved my hands so they were on Darry's shoulders, hoping that I could provide some stability while he was in a delicate and emotional state. "I know, Darry. Believe me, I know. You love your brothers so much, and you've done a great job at being their guardian. I'm just asking that you look at things from Pony's perspective before you yell at him for something; he's more emotional than most." Then I put my hands against Darry's cheeks, making him look at me. "The only thing I've ever seen you not be good at is showing your true emotions, but I think you can do it."

He looked at me with glassy, tired eyes. "Okay," he said, barely above a whisper.

I smiled at him. "You know I love you, right? I'm proud of you, and I love you," I said, hoping to lighten the mood and make my boyfriend know that I'll stick with him to the end, even if he does argue with his kid brother sometimes.

He gave me a teary smile before taking my face in his hands and pulling me into a kiss. It was tender and soft, just like I knew Darry could be. "I love you too."

We stood up and started walking back to the house. There was a slight chill in the air, but Darry pulled me against his side as we walked, keeping me warm and safe next to him. When we approached the gate, Darry stopped, causing me to freeze mid-step. "Hey Kate?"

I turned to look at him. "Yeah?"

Then Darry gave me smile, and pulled me closer to him so he could kiss my forehead. "Thank you," he said genuinely and softly. "I'm sorry you got dragged into this."

I leaned into his touch with a smile on my face. "It's okay, I just want to help." With that, the two of us walked into the house, making sure the door didn't slam behind us.

Darry and I walked into the kitchen, where Pony and Soda were already washing the dishes they used to eat with. I glanced at the food on the stove and wondered if it was still warm.

"There you are," Soda said when he glanced at me. Then his eyes moved over to Darry. "Oh, hey Dar. Finally back from work?" At the mention of Darry's name, Pony went rigid and he kept his eyes trained on the plate he was drying.

"Yeah, long day," Darry said nonchalantly. Then his voice got softer. "Hey Pone, can I talk to you for a minute?"

Ponyboy looked at Darry with his eyes wide. Then he glanced at me and Soda, like he wanted us to protect him.

Soda looked at Ponyboy, then at me. After we exchanged a look, Soda looked back at Pony with a grin. "It's alright, Pone. I'll finish the dishes. You go ahead."

After some hesitation, Pony nodded and walked slowly towards Darry, who led Pony to the porch. Once I heard the door shut, I took Pony's spot at the sink to help Soda with the dishes.

"I talked with Darry," I said, knowing that Soda deserved to know.

He turned his head and looked at me, surprised. "You did?"

I grinned at him. "Yeah. I hope it helps, but if things are still rough, let me know, okay? I don't want things to be hard for you all."

"You are truly an angel, Kate," Soda said as he finished washing the last plate in the sink. Once he handed it to me to dry, he gave me a serious look. "So how did Darry react? Is he alright?"

I let out a breath and thought about my answer as I dried the plate. "I think you know how he reacted." Once I put the plate down, I turned to face Soda. "He loves Pony, but he struggles to show that in a way Pony understands. But I hope after the talk we just had, they'll be able to communicate better."

"I hope so," Soda said with a nod of his head. Then, he perked up a bit. "Hey, you still need to eat. Sit down, I'll make you a plate."

Soda and I sat at the table, him talking while I ate and listened. I had no way to know how the conversation between Darry and Pony was going, but I silently prayed the two of them could be civil and talk things out.

My prayers were answered when the door eventually opened and both Darry and Pony walked in with smiles on their faces and eyes filled with unshed tears. Darry's arm was slung cross Pony's shoulders, and as they walked towards the kitchen, I could feel the lightness radiating from them.

"Everything okay?" Soda asked once Ponyboy sat down next to him.

Ponyboy nodded, smile still on his face. "Yeah, we're good." Then the youngest Curtis looked at me. "Thanks Kate." I gave him a grin and a nod since my mouth was full of spaghetti.

Darry made himself a plate and set it down next to mine. Then he kissed my temple and whispered in my ear, "you were right." Once he sat down, he looked at me like I was the most marvelous thing he'd ever seen. "What would I do without you?"

I smiled at him, feeling incredibly happy that he was finally starting to understand the little brother he loves so much.