It's here and it's back so get hype, y'all! I didn't die, woooo! Anyway, obviously you can tell this is a shorter chapter, but I'm not planning on making any of the next ones as short as this. Read on!

Ponyboy hadn't been walking long before he began to regret saying all those things to Soda and Darry. He knew they both tried their hardest to be there for him at all times.

Perhaps he should just head back and apologize; besides, even he could realize now that he'd overreacted before.

He quickly turned on his heel and started the walk home. Would they both be upset with him? He sure hoped not.

It was then that Pony realized he still hadn't gotten down to the bottom of what was bothering Darry, and his guilt almost tripled. Darry had seemed close to telling him and Soda what was going on, but now, Pony wouldn't be surprised if Darry chose not to speak to him for the rest of the day.

It was a silent walk home. Not a single car passed him on the road.

Pushing their door open without bothering to knock, Pony nearly ran straight into Johnny, who took a step back, startled.

"Ponyboy! Hey! I was just going to come looking for you with Dally, but since you're back, Soda's in Darry's room if you want to join them."

"Okay," Pony responded, nodding to Johnny and slipping hurriedly by the rest of the gang to return to Darry's room. He knocked tentatively three times before entering.

Soda's gaze was immediately on him and Soda reached out a hand to beckon him over.

"C'mon, Pony. Sit," Soda said to him gently.

Soda was sitting cross-legged on Darry's bed in the same position he'd been in prior to leaving, and it made Pony feel almost like the last thirty minutes hadn't even happened. Pony took a seat right next to Soda and looked up at Darry anxiously.

"I'm sorry for getting upset."

"Don't be," Darry simply said with a slight shrug.

"Okay."

No one spoke again for a couple of beats until Pony started, "So...what's going on, Dar?"

He didn't miss the glance the Soda shot Darry. It was like Soda already knew.

Did he?

"Soda? What's going on?" Pony repeated.

Soda ran his hand through his hair - an old habit of his whenever he was nervous - and then propped his head up in his hand with his elbow resting on his leg.

"Darry ain't got a job no more."

Ponyboy stared at Soda. Was this some kind of joke? It wasn't a very funny one at all.

"Fired, you mean? You're kidding!" Pony responded, shocked.

"He isn't kidding," Darry interrupted. "I was lucky to be kept on with that job for how long I was. This town doesn't like Greasers working jobs that Socs could be working."

Darry didn't sound as angry as Pony would have expected. Disappointed, maybe, and absolutely tired.

"How could your boss do that to you? Remember all those days you went in even when you were sick? And when you had a job to get done, you were the one who stayed longer to complete it! This is ridiculous!" Pony growled unhappily.

Darry dropped his face into his hands. He was slumped over and looked almost defeated - something that Pony wouldn't have dreamed in a million years to ever describe Darry as.

"I have to get another job by the time the social worker shows up. She'll take you two away in an instant if she catches wind of this whole thing."

Pony hadn't even remembered that one of the conditions of Darry remaining their guardian was that he had to have a job, and the knowledge hit him like a ton of bricks. He could sense his anxiety bubbling to the surface at a mile a minute.

"I don't want to be sent away! I'll help you search for a job, Dar, I'll get you one. Let's go out right now and ask around. Two-Bit's mother works in that bar down town. Maybe she could set up something temporary!"

"I can talk to Goody!" Soda added. "If I explain the situation, I'm sure he'll let you work at the DX until you can get something else sorted out. There's plenty of options."

Darry smiled a little at the two of them.

"Thanks, guys. I'll go ask Two-Bit about your idea, Pone, right now, and Soda, talking to Goody is a cool idea too."

With that, Darry swung his legs over the side of the bed and headed out into the hallway. Soda and Pony followed closely behind him.

No one had gone home yet, but someone had turned on the TV while Soda, Pony, and Darry were talking. It was switched off the second Two-Bit noticed that the three had returned.

"News?" Dally prompted.

"My boss decided to fire me," Darry said bluntly. He didn't see any reason to beat around the bush on this particular subject any longer; it was either he told them now or he told them later, and in his opinion, sooner was always better. Besides, he needed their help now, not in a couple of days.

Two-Bit looked almost disbelieving. His expression reminded Darry of Pony's own no more than a three minutes ago.

"That son of a bitch!" Dally cursed. "He has no right!"

"No right at all!" Two-Bit agreed heatedly. "Why'd he go and do that?"

Darry shrugged dejectedly.

"I don't know. I think it has something to do with some Soc trying to get a job there, and I guess I was the obvious choice to let go."

Disgust was apparent in the expression of every single boy in that room. It was no secret that the whole of Tulsa seemed to favor Socs over Greasers, and since the Socs were the only ones able to get positions of power, it was a losing battle to go up against one of them regardless of how unfairly they acted.

Soda looked in Steve's direction and caught his eye before declaring, "I was gonna see about Goody hiring him temporarily until he can get something better set up. You know how it is with the social worker coming and all."

Steve immediately nodded vigorously.

"Let's hurry up with it, then. He stays late some days, d'you want to see about talking to him right now?"

"Why wouldn't I? Darry? Are you in?"

"Absolutely," Darry agreed.

That's a wrap for Chapter 3! Let me know what you guys like and want to see by reviewing; that's the only way I can get your feedback and help you enjoy the story more!! Regardless, this is about to be great because I'm excited to get back into the whole writing thing.