Staying Gold

by Kiamii

Note: Okay so like a lot of people have noticed that I'm a total Child-fic writer. Master of Fluff! Kidding... Anyways, I'm going to attempt to try something with the Outsiders, one of my most favorite books a few years back. This is for the reviewers who wanted me to attempt it. Hope it goes well. I can't do 'Tuff' and 'Tough' stuff as much as Hinton can. Therefore you can obviously tell I do not claim the Outsiders.

"I'll get them, don't worry!" Ponyboy Curtis started at a dead run and Johnny, panicked by his best friend's rash behavior, chased after him. I cursed at them and ran after the two boys only to be held back by a flurry of cops who had unfortunately arrived right then, unable to stop the other two teens. No one had seen the two boys enter, or even know they were here.

Dallas Winston, namely me, could only watch in dismay as kids came out of the window before a furious scream of pure agony from Ponyboy came from inside and I fought. I yelled for Johnny and Ponyboy until a small figure could be seen running out of the church just before it collapsed in, none of the children inside. Johnny was holding something in his arms, wrapped up in the clothes that I could tell belonged to Ponyboy Micheal Curtis. We were rushed to the hospital immediately and a Doctor came up to Johnny, who was fine and still clutched whatever that was in his arms.

"Why are you still holding a child?" The doctor asked, stunning me.

"He doesn't belong to that group of kids. He's a friend of mine," Johnny said and I stared in shock at the little bundle. What kid could that be that Johnny knew? Hold up... The clothes and Johnny's defensiveness struck me and I was no idiot. Somehow, some damn way, that was Ponyboy...

Dallas had gone to call the Gang as I clutched the sleeping child in my arms who was unharmed, yet not who he used to be. I knew this was Ponyboy. I had seen it with my own two eyes. Somehow, Ponyboy had turned into a little kid, about five or six by the looks of it. Maybe that lady from Dairy Queen was right. Stupid fortune tellers just had to come up to Pony when we sat in the car, and tell us that a fire would forever change us all. Damnit.

A whimper drew my attention and I realized that Pony was shivering violently, naked with just the clothes wrapped loosely around him. I quickly and awkwardly covered him up fully and the child settled. Child... Golly...

"Johnny!" A yelp catches my attention and I look up to see the entire gang right there in front of me. I was never more happy to see them than I was now. I was, Pony taught me this word awhile back ago, relieved to see them. Darry came over to me and knelt down, staring at the bundle in my arms. I uncovered the cloth to reveal the face, which anyone could tell without a doubt was Pony. Only if you've seen the baby pictures that was in Soda's old photo album. Darry gasped and a flood of emotion followed that.

"I saw it. We were in that old church and Pony started to scream before he just got a whole lots smaller." I tell him before I slide Pony into Darry's open arms. The eldest Curtis held Pony real tight and firm, yet gently and loose. Such an overprotective brother that guy was. I smiled only the tiniest bit before frowning at the current situation. The doc had told me that I was gonna have all charges of murder dropped from me and Dally and I were made out as heroes, to Dally's chagrin. That was another word Pony taught me. I looked at Soda who had come up to Darry and now peaked at the tiny boy in Darry's arms.

"Christ, it really is little Ponyboy," Soda whispered in shock.

"At least he aint blond," I murmur and they all look at me before they paused. I knew what was coming and Two-bit didn't miss a beat.

"Glory! Look at this here bum!" Twobit couldn't stop but add gleefully.

"Blonde?" Darry asked, sitting down and holding Pony easily.

"We bleached his hair and cut ours. Shaddup Twobit," I huff, to their amazement. Probably `cause I never say things like that. Seeing your best friend shrink, Killing a guy, and running from the cops sure can change you.

Darrel Curtis' Pov

Holding the bundle in my hand was something awfully amazing. I was only six when little Ponyboy was born, four when Soda came into my life. Pony looked so damn innocent like he used to before Mom and Dad died, right here covered in his old dirtied shirt. I smiled slightly as he snuggled against me. Eyes fluttered open to reveal my baby brother's greenish-gray eyes as he stared up at me. A cold feeling struck me as I noticed there was no recognition in his eyes. I hoped that what I thought was about to happen, wouldn't... but it did.

"Who are you?" My littlest kid brother asked, his childish voice something real adorable, not that I'd say THAT in front of the guys. The gang grows quiet as they hear what was just said. A doctor, that same one that oddly enough had been here since we came in, sighed sadly.

"It seems like the boy has amnesia. From what you said over there, this boy shrunk to a child which is very much impossible to most." The doctor told us, filling the dread in my stomach. Pony didn't hear thankfully, instead he played with my dogtags that dangled on my neck.

"I'm your older brother, Darry." I say softly, careful not to raise it. This was the voice I used on him before Mom and Dad died, when he was 10.

"What's my name?" Ponyboy asked this time, looking at me with curiousity. That same look he had for the longest of times, always wondering about the world.

"Pony. Ponyboy Micheal Curtis." I answered as Soda sat beside me, "and this here is your other brother, Sodapop." I smiled when Pony giggled, seemingly at our names. Pony had always been proud of our unique names. When he was younger, he'd always laugh about it.

"I like my name," Pony said, smiling brightly. He looked around at everyone, blinking in confusion.

"Pony, do you not remember anything?" Soda asked. Pony looked at us with his wide, very much innocent eyes. I stared at them.

"Nu uh!" He said, almost sad, shaking his light-brown, almost-red hair around. I bit my lip as comprehension dawned on me pretty quickly.

My little brother was not only really little again, but he had lost his memory.

Author's Note: I know this is short but, I'm only gonna take this story little at a time. Fast Updates, Short Chapters. Win-Lose Situation. Review if you want me to continue this. I'll be working on Ring Child and Little Wizard as well as MatchMaking Agent while I work on this. I tried to Switch Pov's without having to put whose it was but it was harder with Darry. In order of Povs; Dally, Johnny, and then Darry. Next chapter will be Pony, Soda, and Steve if I continue this.