I do not own the Outsiders… Enjoy!

"Ponyboy?" Soda called across the street. "Ponyboy, where are you?"

No answer. Not even a peep.

"Come on Ponyboy! Momma wants us home for dinner."

The wind rustled through the trees, but still no sign of his younger brother.

Minutes ticked by and the only thing heard was the leaves blowing in the wind.

Soda dashed to the back yard praying that his little brother was there. It was just a silly game of hide and seek, Ponyboy had to be somewhere.

"Ponyboy, I'm not kidding it's time to get going!"

Silence.

Soda jumped over the rusted fence racing down the yard towards the street, praying that his brother just couldn't hear him. He wouldn't have gone missing.

"PONYBOY!"

A lump formed at the bottom of his stomach and bile rose up his throat. His mother was going to kill him if he lost Pony. His hands shook as he looked up every tree, trying to catch a glimpse of his brother. Nothing.

He silently turned around as tears pricked his eyes, he was suppose to take care of Pony not lose him. His six-year-old brother could be gone forever. Soda unsteadily turned back towards his house, absentmindedly kicking a coke can on his way. His mom would just die when Soda told her that he didn't know where Pony was.

"Did I win?" Ponyboy's voice hesitantly called from across the road.

Sodapop hurriedly turned around and almost cried with relief when he saw his brother on the other side of the street.

The relief, although welcome, quickly transformed into anger when he realized Pony was safe.

"What were you thinking PONYBOY CURTIS?" Soda practically screamed his hands balling into fists, "I thought I lost you forever!"

"Sorry Soda... but you said to not make any peeps while I am hiding. You said it was the rules."

"I know what I said but don't you ever do that to me again!" Soda gestured Ponyboy over softening his tone as he said, "Come on its time for dinner."

Pony nodded, his tiny legs practically bouncing as he made his way across the street. "It's time for din, it's time for din-NER!" he sang under his breath.

He never saw the red convertible. The driver did not notice the small six-year-old boy. There was a crunch and the six-year-old went down.

Blood seeped into the street while a scream pierced through the air.

~/~

"Let's go Soda or where gonna be late for work!" Steve yelled slamming the screen door closed as he walked into the Curtis's house.

Soda groaned, rubbing his eyes as he tried to get a move on with his morning. He rolled off the bed and lazily grabbed his jeans and his DX shirt off the floor. He staggered towards the door making certain to pick up anything lying in his path or on the floor. Just before he left the room, he bent down to shake Ponyboy awake.

"Hey Darry, we got anymore grape jelly?" Sodapop asked while his head scanned the refrigerator contents.

"If you don't see any in there I'll make sure to put it on the grocery list this week." Darry replied shoveling eggs into his mouth as he got his work belt together. "Ponyboy up yet?" he asked as his eyes checked the room.

Soda shook his head yes grabbing the salsa and dumping it on his eggs. It wasn't grape jelly but it would have to do.

"Hey Steve?" Darry questioned while he cracked two eggs into the frying pan.

Steve grunted, idly scrolling through the shows on the TV.

"Could you make sure nothings lying on the floor in there, I don't want Pony to trip."
"Yeah , Yeah" Steve absently mumbled. We wouldn't want the runt to trip now would we? Steve thought, God forbid Ponyboy gets hurt. He sighed but picked the hazardously thrown shoes and car magazines off the floor anyway.

Ponyboy walked into the living room with his hand gently rubbing itself against the wall.

"Well look who it is!" Steve called across the room and added more softly, "The little smart ass decided to get up." He knew Ponyboy couldn't hear him and he said it too low for both Soda and Darry to notice.

Ponyboy sat down in a worn, wooded, kitchen chair as his hands went searching for a fork around him.

Darry placed a pile of eggs in front of him and lightly ruffled his hair on his way out of the kitchen.

"Soda, can you take care of him right now? I've got to leave in about thirty seconds for work."

Soda nodded grabbing the fork Ponyboy accidentally dropped off the kitchen floor. "Yeah Dar, just make sure you carry one bundle of roofing at a time or Pone and I will skin ya!"

Darry laughed and told him he would. Steve jokingly butted in and said "Darry could probably carry the whole load up there, he is Superman of course."

"Don't give him any ideas!" Soda yelled, Steve just smiled in return.

Pony sat oblivious to the world around him, his hand first touched the eggs in front of him and then he would scoop them up and put the fork into his mouth. Sodapop bent down right next to Ponyboy's ear, "Hey Pone!" Soda said cheerfully. Ponyboy's hearing was so bad he couldn't comprehend anything unless it was right next to his ear. "Your orange juice is at 2 o'clock on your right. Darry put your toast at 9 o'clock, Alright?"

"Yeah thanks Soda," Ponyboy smiled finishing his eggs, his hand started to reach towards the juice in front of him. Sodapop grinned, giving Pone a quick kiss on the forehead while telling Steve he would be ready in two minutes.

"WELL, Hello Curtis family!" Two-bit yelled shoving the screen door open with a bang. "Puh-lease tell me we have chocolate cake or I think I might DIE!"

"I really hope they don't," Steve stated, "The world would be a better place without you."

Two-bit sauntered by giving Steve the finger. He strolled into the kitchen pulled the refrigerator open and started rifling around for cake. Once found, he cut himself a large slice and ate it in one bite. With that craving satisfied Two-Bit bent down, "How's it going Ponyboy?" Two-bit laughed as he saw Pony's body jump from surprise.

"Hey Two-Bit, I didn't know you were here." Pony said his eyes turned looking just above Two-bit's right shoulder. Two-Bit grimaced, no matter how many years it's been he still could not get over the scar that ran across Ponyboy's face. It started on the right side of his forehead, jaggedly cutting down across both of his eyes and landing right at the bottom of his neck. The rest of his body had small cuts running every way imaginable. The doctor said the scars should start to fade over the years but so far, it still looks as gruesome as it did before.

"Just got here, and it looks to me that I'm gonna be here all day with you."

Ponyboy frowned, "I don't need a babysitter."

"Kid, you hurt me deep." Two-bit clutched his chest even though he knew Pony couldn't see him. "Does it look like I babysit? No, I came so I could hang out with my favorite 14 year old."

Ponyboy smirked nodding and then told Two-Bit, if he didn't want to sit around someone who smelled bad then he would allow Pony to peacefully take a shower.

Two-Bit grabbed Ponyboy's arm helping him up. He patted him on the back picking up another piece of cake as he went to go watch Mickey Mouse.

Ponyboy moved his hand against the wall and silently made his way to the bathroom. Soda on his way out the door, quickly stopped Pony in his tracks and told him he had to leave for work and would bring him something home for lunch.

As Soda got into Steve's truck he prayed that nothing would happen to Pony, nobody would dare hurt him. However, nothing comes easy to a greaser and one who is blind and can hardly hear will get in more dilemmas than most.

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