The Outsiders Alternate Ending

Part One :D

This takes place after Johnny died, whenever Ponyboy came back home from the hospital. :)

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Pony's POV:

What was left of our gang was in the living room. Steve was stretched out on the sofa, his shirt unbuttoned and his side bandaged. His eyes were closed, but when I shut the door behind me he opened them, and I suddenly wondered if my own eyes looked as feverish and bewildered as his. Soda had a wide cut on his lip and a bruise across his cheek. 

There was a Band-Aid over Darry's forehead and he had a black eye. One side of Two-Bit's face was taped up—I found out later he had four stitches in his cheek and seven in his hand where he had busted his knuckles open over a Soc's head. They were lounging around, but I felt tension between everyone.

"Where's the party?" I thought dully. Weren't Soda and Steve planning a party after the rumble? They all looked up when I walked in. Darry leaped to his feet.

"Pony, Dally told us what happened." He said calmly.

So that's why it feels dark here. Johnny isn't dead, though. I thought about Dally, running out of Johnny's room like the devil was after him...did he come here? Suddenly, I was worried about him. The greaser I liked least, was the most I worried about.

"Where's Dally?" I panicked.

"He's in the backyard," Soda answered. "we don't think he's doing too well." I looked at him, barely grasping anything thrown at me. "Pony, you don't look too good. Sit down."

I backed up, shaking my head. "I'm fine." I felt horrible, but I shook my head. "I don't want to sit down."

 Darry took a step towards me, and I backed up even more. I thought of Dally, who was right outside the back door. I don't know why, but I felt that I had to talk to him. Without saying anything, I turned around and headed toward the back door, but Darry grabbed my arm to stop me.

"I wouldn't go out there, Pony. He's..." I jerked my arm back, and continued to the door.

Surprisingly, he let me go. I walked through the door, and the backyard looked like a tornado went through it. Huge tree branches were scattered on the grass, and one of the trees had a big dent in it like someone had been punching it for two years straight. I saw Dally sitting on the edge of the patio, his elbows resting on his knees with his face in his hands. I've never seen him like that.

"Dal?" I said cautiously, lightly shutting the door behind me. "You okay?"

He looked up at me, with tears in his cold eyes. He stood up and started limping towards me, he must have pulled something in his leg running here. I looked at his face, and he didn't look like Dally. He didn't look like a tough, dangerous guy that's arrogant and standoffish, nothing like that. He looked like a lost kid that's just trying to get through a hard life. For a second, he didn't look dangerous at all. 

He went up to me, and wrapped his arms around me tight. I was confused, because I don't think he's hugged anyone in his entire life. Not even Johnny.

 "I'm sorry, Pony," He said, trying to hold back his tears. "if only i'd been able to get him out fast enough..." I didn't know what he was talking about at first, but then I remembered what Darry told me the day after the church fire. He told me that one of the teachers said that Dally ran into the church to get Johnny after I blacked out, but as soon as he got in there the church almost collapsed on both of them. 

 Dally kept going on and on about how it was his fault Johnny was gone, blaming every little thing on himself. It wasn't his fault. If he hadn't even gone into the church, Johnny would have died right then and there.

"Dal, it wasn't your fault," I let go of him. "nothing you did caused this." He scoffed and looked away. Nothing I say would change anything, he'd always believe that Johnny is gone because of him. "Come on, let's go inside." 

He didn't say anything, but slammed his fist on the hard brick before storming inside. I heard Soda say something from inside, then I heard the front screen door open, then slam shut. I sprint inside, and see Soda and Darry holding the screen door open, looking down the street. It took me a few seconds to realize Dally wasn't here.