Johnny, Johnny Come Home

I got this idea from a YouTube video I watched.

Johnny Cade is tired of getting beaten up and being scared all the time. Finally he runs away from it all but, not before he stopped to say goodbye to a really important friend.

Ponyboy/Johnny

Chapter One,

Johnny Cade's P.O.V

I just stood there and watched. Frozen with fear as my best friend got the fire beaten out of him by a bunch of Socs.

"Darry! Sodapop! Someone! Help!" Ponyboy yelled.

"Hey! Shut up kid!" One of the Socs yelled as they kicked him.

I wanted to yell for him or do something. I finally ran to the Curtis house and looked around, franticly, for someone.

"Darry! Sodapop! Anyone!" I yelled as I looked around.

Finally I heard footsteps running to the living room, where I was. Dally and Tim Shepard ran in from the back room.

"John, are you okay?" Dally asked.

"It's Pony. He's getting beat up by some Socs." I told him, running over to the door.

Dally and Tim followed me all the way back over to Ponyboy.

When we got there he was alone, sitting against the fence. I was the first to get to him.

"Pony… Are you okay?" I asked wiping some blood off his cheek.

Ponyboy shook under my hand. "They said they'd be back… With blades…" He said, noticeably holding the tears back.

I felt my heart drop. It was my fault. If I had done something they wouldn't come back. I should have cut them. "I'm so sorry Pony… I should've done something." I told him.

Ponyboy gave me a weak smile. "It's okay Johnny. You didn't need to get into it anyway. I mean not while your back's all messed up." Ponyboy said putting his hand on my shoulder. "Could you help me up Johnny?" He asked.

I nodded and put my hands under his arms as I stood up.

As I did, Dally came over to us. "Look Pony, I'm going to go tell Soda and Darry. Johnny could you clean him up, he looks like Hell." Dally asked looking Ponyboy over.

"Sure Dal." I whispered, helping Ponyboy walk over to his house.

I got Ponyboy to his house and told him to take his shirt off while I got Darry's first aid kit. I came back and saw Ponyboy sitting on the floor in only his old jeans. I stood at the doorway looking at his back. It was all bruised up and there were a few small cuts on it. The large bruises stood out on his pale back and I cringed at the sight. My eyed moved to the back of his head where blood mixed with his light hair that just started turning back to its original color.

Ponyboy finally turned to me and smiled. I felt like my heart stopped right then.

I walked over and put the kit down in front of him. "Look at me." I told him, putting my hands on the sides of his face to look at the damage. His lip was busted and he had a large bruise on the side of his head. I grabbed a rag that I had put hot water on and put it on his lip.

Ponyboy jumped a little then let his head rest on my hand. "Johnny… I was real scared. I don't feel real tuff right now…"

"No one does when they get jumped." I told him in a soft voice.

"You got jumped and beaten bad but, you're still tuff. But, I guess I was never tuff in the first place…" Ponyboy said.

I felt my hand move up and down with his lip. "Ponyboy you're tuff but, I'm… I'm nothing like that. I can't even keep my cool around the fuzz." I whispered taking the rag away.

"Johnny you're something… I can't think of it right now. You've done a lot… You've been through a lot. I guess if you're not tuff you're tough." Ponyboy told me.

I smiled at him. "Believe what you want Pony. Turn around…" I told him.

He did and leaned over so that I could see his whole back. "Johnny… what am I going to do when they come back?"

The question struck me like I'd been hit by a truck. I remembered that I could be dead tomorrow and there'd really be nothing I could do for him. The old man might just off me tonight.

I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my switchblade. I put it on the floor and pushed it to him. "Here… I want you to keep this with you. Don't ever go anywhere without it, ya hear?" I asked.

"Johnny what are you gonna…"

"Ponyboy… Don't talk back." I said, putting some alcohol on the rag.

Ponyboy let out a gasp when I pressed the rag against his back.

"I just never want to see you like this again…"