Johnny, Johnny Come Home

Chapter Eleven

Johnny Cade's P.O.V

For the next few weeks everyone treated us differently. I felt like we were doing something wrong, but they told us they were just getting used to this. I had stayed at the Curtis home without stepping foot into my own yard. I knew I needed to confront my parents for the last time I just didn't want to go alone and I really didn't want Pony tagging along.

One day, while Ponyboy was at school, I found Two-Bit. "Hey Two-Bit, you think you could help me with something?" I asked, looking at the floor.

"Yeah, what ya need Johnnycake?" He asked, grinning at me.

"I need you to come to my house with me. I want you to stand on the porch and no matter what you hear, don't move." I told him.

Two-Bit frowned at me. "Okay Johnnycake." He said patting me on the shoulder.

We walked to my house slowly and I knew my old man was home. I took my jacket off and gave it to Two-Bit before I went in.

"Johnny he's going to go right for your back. You need this." Two-Bit told me holding it out to me.

"I know. I don't want protection. It won't do any good anyway. He'll just rip it off." I explained before walking into the house.

It was dark and I saw my mom sitting on the couch watching TV with a bottle of beer in her hand. She looked at me and her eyes grew. "Boy," she whispered, "you better just get out of here."

"No…" I told her firmly.

She walked over to me and slapped me in the face. "He's up stairs right now. Get out of here." She whispered.

I shook my head and tossed my arms around her, holding her tightly.

I felt he try to push me away, but I didn't let go. She was my mother and I deserved a hug for all the times she wasn't there.

I heard the old man stumbling down the stairs. He looked at me and hit me right away.

I just held on to my mom and let a tear slide down my face.

He started just punching me in the back. "I hate you, Boy! Get out of my house!"

"I hate you too!" I yelled, pushing my mother back.

She stumbled to the couch and held herself up.

I saw a tear fall from her eye and I lashed out on my 'father'. "Look at this! This is your fault! Why you couldn't just be a good father and husband, I'll never know. How I came from such a hateful man, I don't know! Why don't you just leave before you kill someone?" I asked.

He didn't answer, but he punched me in the jaw. "Don't talk to your daddy like that boy."

I took all my courage and punched him in the stomach. "Don't talk to your son like that, man." I said.

He starred at me and grinned. "Is that it?" He asked.

"Yeah…" I told him softly.

I walked over to my mother and hugged her one last I received a hug this time. I smiled and slipped my new knife into her hand. "If he ever gives you anymore trouble…" I whispered, before leaving.

When I walked out of the house Two-Bit grabbed me and looked me over. "Johnny was you trying to kill me. You screamin in there. I thought he done killed ya."

"I'm fine." I said with a smile.

Later that day, when Ponyboy got home, I told them what happened.

Ponyboy gave my back a look over then hugged me tightly. "Don't do anything like that again." He whispered.

I nodded and kissed him on the head. "I won't." I promised.

The rest of the day was uneventful, until I washed my pants. I was standing in the kitchen, nothing but my boxers, taking stuff out of my pockets when I found the picture I took.

The seven year old Ponyboy smiled up to me and I raced to Ponyboy's room.

Ponyboy was sitting at his desk, doing homework when I looked at his head board.

"What are you looking for?" Ponyboy asked, turning to me.

"Remember when I left you the note on the head board?" I asked.

"Yeah? What about it?" Ponyboy asked, sitting on the bed with me.

"Well I left a picture with it." I explained.

Ponyboy got off the bed and went over to his mom's old jewelry box. "Here it is." He said taking it out.

I took mine out and gave it to him.

He put the two sides together and smiled. "I remember that day…"

"So do I…" I told him, kissing him softly on the cheek.

A few weeks later Darry drove Ponyboy and I out to Windrixville. He dropped us off a t Jay Mountain.

"I'll be here to pick you guys up tomorrow at three. Be here." He said driving away.

I smiled at Ponyboy and lead him to Jerry's house.

I saw Jerry's old car in the front and knocked on the door.

Jerry's wife opened the door and smiled at us. "Johnny. Come in. You must be Ponyboy." She said shaking Ponyboy's hand.

Ponyboy gasped when he saw all the kids.

I saw Kate push her way in front of her brothers and sisters. She hugged me tightly and I picked her up.

"I told you I'd be back Kate. This time I brought a friend." I told her.

She looked at Ponyboy. "Just a friend?" She asked.

"Maybe not just a friend." I told her with a grin.

"Looks like love to me."

The End