The Paths We Take (The Outsiders fanfiction)

(Stand Together)

The gang gathered in the living room. All eyes filled with so many different emotions, but there was one that they all shared that night...hate. All of them felt the hate for Chris Cooper and couldn't wait to get revenge for what he did. To Braid, this all felt very familiar. She sighed silently in frustration as he remembered the last rumble with Bob Sheldon. She hoped that Ponyboy's wish to be a lawyer would come true one day, just so she could rest easy knowing that Jason and Ruby had their dad to protect them. Not only them, but all greaser youth that had no one to help them.

"Baby girl, you ok?" Braid turned and saw Ponyboy giving her a concerned look as he reached his arm out to rub her back. "I'm ok Pony. Just thinking."

"Ya know Braid...you can stay back at the house if you want. I know you wanna get revenge on Chris but-"

"No Pony! I don't wanna, I have to! This son of a bitch will not get away with hurting my family!" Braid made sure she raised her voice. She wanted the gang to turn their heads and focus all their attention on her. Braid took a step back. She wanted everyone to see how serious she was. "Listen to me, all of you! I know I've changed. I know ya'll think that I shouldn't fight, but that ain't gonna stop me! If one of us gets hurt...we all get hurt! If one of us needs help...we all come to their aid and if one of us needs to stand tall in the face of danger...we all stand together. Not as a gang, but as a family."

Braid watched as all the gang stared in silence. She wasn't expecting much of a reaction, but was surprised to hear suppressed laughter escape Steve's mouth. "Stephen Randle!" shouted Diana in a frustrated tone. "You quit acting like an idiot!" No sooner had her sentence left her mouth, that the whole gang (including Braid) burst into laughter. They couldn't help it. The mix of a serious moment, with the uncertainty of foreseeable rough fight made all their nerves haywire at that moment. All they knew at the time was that it was good to let out a chuckle to hide the worry in their minds and hearts.

"Please. Stop this insanity!" Braids Grandmother pleaded in an bossy voice as they all made their way out the door. "This is no way to solve a problem. You fools will get yourself killed!"

"Hey now beautiful" said Dally with a side smirk so big that he looked like the cat that got the cream. "We ain't gonna die tonight, but we are gonna kick some soc ass. Just you wait here and rest that pretty face of yours. If your lucky, I might give you a victory kiss when I get back." The second fit of laughter hit the gang as Sodapop ran out the house with Steve running right behind him. Two Bit and Braid quickly pulled Dal out the door while fake gagging from his continuous flirting of the elderly woman. Johnny and Pony walked behind Braid as they discussed who was gonna swing the first punch at Chris. Darry though, he was lagging behind. Walking slower than the rest of his excited and pumped up gang. He couldn't stop thinking of his dream the other night. The dream of Chris Cooper laughing maniacally over an injured Ponyboy.
He watched his brothers ahead of him, laughing...talking...having fun. Both so unaware of the stress and worries going around and around in his head like a carousel. "Please" Darry whispered as the gang got closer and closer to the lot. "Don't let my nightmare come true. Don't let anything bad happen to my family, my gang. We're all we got."

As the distant bonfires died down and the street lights lit up the large lot, the sound of young adolescent youth could be heard for miles. Laughter and chatter filled the ears of the approaching gang. Some of them were greeted with hard back pats and a beer from old school friends and members of the Shepherd gang. Others walked around, got the score from other greasers about how many socs were coming. Surprisingly, Chris Cooper got a good size group of peers to agree to the fight. Johnny scowled when he heard this. He could bet money that Chris probably told all his preppy friends that he was completely innocent when it came to the brick throwing and that Dally jumped him for no reason. Everytime Johnny thought of Ruby's little hand...he would be filled with rage instead of the pitiful sadness he felt that night. He almost hated that Two Bit made him hand over his switch blade this time. All the gang handed over their blades. All except for Dallas. He claimed he misplaced it, but Darry still made him turn his pockets out.

Braid, Ponyboy and Johnny made sure they stayed right near the front, keeping an eye out for Chris and his minions to show. They also wanted to get some peace from Darry. They didn't know why he was being so over protective for this rumble, but they all promised him to stay close and to split if they hear the fuzz coming or if the socs start playing rough. Ponyboy usually didn't care much about rumbles. He was always a lover, rather then a fighter. Tonight was different though. He wasn't fighting for territory. He wasn't fighting for pride or for dominance. He was fighting for his family. For is gang, but more importantly...his children. He was honest that he wanted to make the world a better place for Jason and Ruby. For all future greasers with no one on their side when society rejects them. He believed one day he would be a great lawyer that could use his knowledge and experience of being an underprivileged youth to help make the world a little less shitty. For now though, he will have to use violence. To finish what Chris Cooper had started. To send a message to all the cruel and conniving people who dared mess with the people he called family.

Unfortunately for Ponyboy...he didn't know about the final phase of Chris Coopers plan.