I went home anxiously. "We did well." I said, seeing that all the boys looked a bit demoralized.

"Pony, you can make it to a half day of school. I expect you to go." I said to Pony who looked like he was getting ready to make a run for his bedroom.

"Dar-" Pony protested, but looking into his eyes I knew he was protesting pro forma and was looking forward to going.

"Steve, Soda, drop him off on your way to work." I said, bracing myself for the inevitable fight.

"Steve, Soda." I said, my voice patient. "I need both of you to keep your jobs. I need you both to keep up your schedules."

Soda nodded, but I saw that he took Two-Bit outside a moment before he went to get ready.

I ignored Two-Bit, pulling out a newspaper for once, settling into my chair.

"Don't you gotta work, muscles?" Two-Bit finally said, an hour later.

"Not for another hour." I said. My boss hadn't wanted to risk the hearing going over and being left short handed and so had scheduled me only for an evening shift.

I watched him get nervous and shifty over my paper and lost my patience. There was enough going on without dealing with Two-Bit. I put down my paper deliberately. Usually that would be enough to get Two-Bit to stop squirming, particularly as Two-Bit was not an idiot, he knew the stress I was under, but he continued to look nervous until I got up and walked deliberately over to him. "What. Is. It. Two-Bit."

"I gotta go to work, but Soda said he would flay me if I left you alone." Two-Bit said.

"Ah." I smirked to myself. That made sense. Soda never threatened to flay anyone, but when he did…

But this was good to hear too. Of all the gang, Two-Bit was one person I worried about. He was a good kid, but it frustrated me that he didn't settle down in life more. It was good to hear him getting responsible about a job.

"I will protect you against Soda." I promised him, smirking.

He hesitated a minute, but I flexed my muscles and then tossed him on his backside.

I wrestled with him for a minute before getting of him gently. "Go on." I said, pushing him.

Two-Bit left, but not before shouting. "Pleease do not do anything that will result in Soda coming after me for not watching you."

"You need a baby-sitter. Not me."

Two-Bit threw a wadded paper at me. But it was a sign of his newfound, and slightly puzzling, dedication to his job that he kept going out the door.

I sighed and regaled in the rare peace and quiet in the house before I got up and made some quick dinner. I packed some for myself and left enough for the rest of the guys. I didn't need them blowing money eating junk outside.

I called Greta quickly on my way to work. "Greta, what did the judge ask for?"

"Just some more information on you, Darry." Greta said, her voice absent-minded.

"Thanks." I said, hearing that she was busy in her voice

"Please feel free to call me anytimes."

I laughed to myself slightly at the bad grammar coming from a lawyer, but knew it was further sign of the fact that she was busy.

I went to work and then got up early the next morning. I knew the judge could call any day.

I worked as long and hard as I could to try to avoid thinking about what could happen that day. Avoid thinking about Pony being removed from my custody, some judge saying that I was not a good parent to Ponyboy despite my work and best efforts.

I went home and saw that it seemed that Soda had a similar plan as the house was sparkling. He had obviously put himself and Ponyboy to work.

The next day the judge still didn't call and I was thrown for a loop again. On the fourth day, Greta called. "I got a call from Judge White's office. She would like to schedule us to come in tomorrow morning."

"Is morning good or bad?"

Greta was silent and my heart dropped.

"It's Judge White. No way to know." Greta said, her voice calming.

But in my heart I knew that Greta felt that this was probably bad news. She obviously knew that I knew because she added. "Darry. Please don't think on it too much. There really is no way to know what she is going to do. all this means for sure is that it is not going to be a short hearing. I would recommend scheduling all morning for it."

In a panic I quickly looked at my work schedule, but luckily I found that I was not scheduled to work the next morning. I sighed audibly. "Good. I am not scheduled to work til 2 PM tomorrow anyways."

"We will definitely be done by then. Just so you know, I do think the Judge has spoken to your boss."

I sighed, but knew that my boss would likely only say good things about me anyways so in the end that would help, not hurt me.

I got home that night and the boys saw something in my face. "Tomorrow morning." I said, quietly.

Pony looked nervous and I knew that I needed to calm him down. But before I could say anything, Two-Bit came forward and put his arm on Ponyboy's shoulder. "As Steve has said before, ain't nothing the state can do that we can't undo."

"Tim owes us a favor." Steve added, grimly.

I wanted to get everyone off this line of thinking fast. I knew that Ponyboy didn't like Tim and was leery about us being in debt to him.

"Come on." I said, at last, sick of everyone looking at each other. "Football."

I ran the boys outside and let them run off energy throwing the ball at each other. I stood back for a moment, struck by how much my life had changed. Just a few years ago, I was a member of what people would call a real football team. I had had friends my own age, intellectual equals, however I have to say that this was the best team I had ever had. I smiled at them. "Dinner." I hollered.

I raised an eyebrow as Two-Bit, smiling like a Cheshire cat, brought in 15 pounds of hamburger meat to grill up.

"Thanks." I said, suspiciously, throwing them on the grill.

He shrugged, "figured it was probably my turn."

I shrugged, and got to work on dinner. I wanted everyone in bed early so everyone would be well rested for the hearing.

The next morning I woke up early and once again went to my drawer and counted the money I had in there to ensure I had enough to get us to Canada if need be.

I sighed, nodded, then went out putting on my public face. "Everyone. Eat." I barked coming inside, seeing all the kids morosely staring at the food but not eating.

They all ate fast and piled to the court morosely. My biggest concern was, as usual, Ponyboy. I watched as Soda comforted him.

We met Greta outside. "It will be fine." She said, calmly, obviously seeing the distress in all of our voices and faces.

I went inside. "Is everyone present?" Judge White asked.

"Yes, ma'am." I said, standing up.

"Well, I know you have all been waiting." She said. "So, let me just get down to it. Before I give my verdict, I wanted to thank you Mr. Curtis. Darrell, if I may, you are the type of parent the state and justice system crave. You put everything after your love for your brothers."

I got a sense of foreboding here. she was going to take Pony from me…

"But, Mr. Curtis, honestly I cannot justify giving you full custody of Ponyboy."

My heart caught in my throat. I saw spots in front of my eyes and dreams of driving as fast as I could. "NO." Ponyboy's anguished cries drove me out of my thoughts.

Greta looked at me slightly, but I took comfort in the fact that she didn't look defeated. "You have done the best that you can, but after talking to everyone involved in your life I have come to the conclusion that I would be ruining at least three lives. Yours, Sodapop Curtis's, and the minor Ponyboy Curtis's."

Something in the judge's smile made me pause though…. I saw Soda get up, but raised my hand.

"I am making Ponyboy Curtis a ward of the state effective today." The judge said, signing a piece of paper.

"Thank you, your owner." Kathleen Renart said, getting up to take the paper.

The judge raised her hand. "I am not finished. I am ordering that Darrel Curtis be named the permanent foster parent of Ponyboy Curtis-"

My eyes started to water. Soda grabbed Ponyboy tightly. "PROVIDED." She emphasized, "that the state monitor to make sure that Darrel Curtis is satisfying certain conditions. The first is that Mr. Darrel Curtis must attend college. A four year institution. I will relax this condition if Mr. Curtis does not get into a four year institution his first year. however, then I will expect you to transfer. I think of the message your not being in school sends, and it dismays me. I am worried about the effect on Ponyboy and the other boys you call your family, whom you treat as your kids. If there is someone who can succeed in college it is you. If not now then later you will resent Ponyboy in part because you gave up college for him. You never achieved all that you could have materially and economically."

"And you can do it. I have gone over your finances and spoken with your boss. With the state money plus part time work you will be exactly where you are. On her own time, Donna here has researched schools and scholarship options for you."

I, somewhat dazed, took the list from the lady Donna.

"I also want you in a support group for teenage parents." The judge said, her smile a bit less bright now. "Just a week or two a month, but a support group where you can talk to others in your situation I think slapping Ponyboy was a sign of how tired you are and at times how out of your depth you are. I order the state to monitor the situation, preferably with a new social worker."

"Yes your honor." Kathleen said, obviously reeling from the decision as well.

"Is this understood, Mr. Darrel Curtis?"

"Yes… yes your honor." I said, still having not fully absorbed everything that had happened today.

"Mr. Ponyboy Curtis."

"Yes?" Pony asked, slightly timidly coming forward.

"You run away once more and you will have to do a stint in juvenile hall, understood?"

"Yes ma'am."

"If you are having a problem, talk to your social worker, talk to me, but I want you to stop running."

"Yes ma'am."

"Good." She said, smiling at him. "We will reconvene here in six months."

I watched, amazed, as Judge White nodded at Bruce who I thought winked at me briefly and then left.

"Congratulations." Greta said to me, smiling. "Let me know if you need anything else."

"Thank-thank you." I said, still dazed.

"So." Pony said, when we got home and all the boys had finally left. "What colleges are you applying to?"