Johnny and Ponyboy were doing what they usually do on a Saturday. They were walking back from the movies and were headed for the lot to just hang out for a bit before walking back to the Curtis's for cake and cards.

Johnny had an unusual light and happy presence that day. It was easier to get him to laugh and he had a goofy little grin on as he watched Ponyboy try to balance and walk on top of the fence like a tightrope performer.

"If you fall I ain't gonna be the one to tell Darry how." Johnny laughed.

"You won't need to to tell nobody nothing because I ain't gonna fall." Pony smiled.

Johnny laughed a little louder before Ponyboy jumped down beside him. They kept walking and laughing down the sidewalk till they came across someone stumbling down the path.

"Is that Dally?" Pony asked. Johnny cocked an eyebrow before looking at the man.

"That's Dally alright." Johnny huffed.

Dally saw them and drunkly walked over to them. Johnny could smell the alcohol off him and it was honestly intoxicating. Given his track record alcohol and Johnny did not mix well at all.

"Hey Dally. Are you okay." Ponyboy asked hesitantly.

"I'm......jusssst fine..... Ss'just a little......vodka...." He slurred. Johnny turned to talk to Ponyboy.

"Pony he's drunk off his ass. We can't just leave him here." He whispered. Ponyboy nodded in response.

"Dal how about we get you to Ponyboy's house, you can hangout there if ya like." Johnny said.

"I don't need to gooooo...nowhere...... I'm fine." Dally argued.

"Dal you're drunk. Come on let's go." Johnny urged.

"Lay offf..." He stumbled trying to sound menacing. He shoved Johnny away a little hard. It kinda hurt a little bit.

"Dal—" Johnny tried to grab Dally's sleeve.

Johnny shouldn't of done that. He grabbed Johnny by both wrists real hard. Johnny's eyes went wide and he paled. Dally was hurting him on purpose.

"Dal...?" Johnny said in a small shaky voice.

"You listen here you little shit!!" He yelled at him. Johnny looked at his hurting wrists only to see Dally's knuckles turning white.

"Dally cut it out!! You're hurting him!!!" Ponyboy yelled trying to intervene. Dally kicked him away.

"You think you're so special trying to tell me what to do!! Well guess what dipshit!!! You're just as much of a loser as the rest of us!!!" He yelled in Johnny's face.

Tears started to form in Johnny's eyes. He was having flashbacks to moments with dad. He was scared and he kept jumping every time Dally raised his voice. He was losing feeling in his hands as well.

"Oh surprise surprise!!! The little baby's gonna cry!!! I forgot how much of a weakling you could be!! Can't even go a day without crying!!" Dally jabbed.

"Shut up..." Johnny chocked out quietly.

"Now I understand why you're parents hate you—!"

"Shut up." Johnny forced out.

"If I was stuck with a disappointment like you I'd beat you up too!!!!"

"SHUT UP!!" Johnny screamed tears running down his face.

Dally lost what little of his sense he had left. He let go of Johnny and punch him right in the cheek. The force sent Johnny down onto the sidewalk. Ponyboy ran up and grabbed Dally by the collar.

Johnny was shocked and upset while Pony was getting madder by the minute. Dally had broken their most important rule.

Don't hurt Johnny.

Johnny turned and look at Dally while he touch his hurt face. The tears weren't stopping they just came down hot and faster. Ponyboy and Dally were starting to fight physically now. He couldn't take it. He got up and ran.

"JOHNNY!!!"

He ignored Pony's voice and kept running. He couldn't go to the lot he'd have to turn back around and he couldn't go home his parents would beat him. There was only one other place he could go. He ran faster to his desired destination, quickly wiping the tears out of his eyes but failing to stop crying.

He made it to the front door of The Curtis's house, ran inside, slammed the door closed and slumped down against it crying. He fell to his knees sobbing into his hands.

"Johnnycakes what's wrong! What happened!" It was Soda who had ran over from the kitchen. He took Johnny's hands away from his face and held his hands gently to calm him down.

Darry, Two-Bit and Steve were there to and crowded around to see what was happening.

"Johnny what happened. Your wrists are all bruised and you're bleeding." Soda asked concerned.

Johnny felt the blood drip down his cheek. The punch from Dally had torn his scar from the Socs back open and it was bleeding worse than before. Johnny looked at him through teary eyes and simply shook his head frantically.

"Okay, Okay you don't have to talk about it." Soda said pulling him into a hug.

Johnny clung onto Soda tight and continued to cry on his shoulder. Soda picked him up and looked at the others with a concerned gaze. He drew small circles and lines on Johnny's back to soothe him a little before the door was throw open and Ponyboy stomped in.

"Ponyboy what happened!!!" Darry asked.

"Dally happened!!!" Ponyboy yelled in anger. A hush fell over the room with everyone going silent and the only noise being Johnny's muffled sobs.

"What..." Steve said breathlessly.

"Dally was drunk off his rocker to the point where he could barely stand and Johnny was trying to convince him to come here and Dally went off on him!!! Started yelling horrible things and punched him!!!" Pony explained.

Soda's grip tighten on Johnny. He pulled Johnny's head away from his shoulder so that they were face to face.

"Johnny is Ponyboy telling the truth? Did Dally hit you?" Soda asked sweetly.

Johnny just nodded weakly. The tears had slowed slightly but Johnny's eyes just wouldn't stop. Soda wiped the younger boys face with his sleeve trying avoid the blood.

"It's okay he's ain't gonna hurt you no more." Soda whispered. "Let's go clean up that cut okay."

——————————————————————————————————————————————

Johnny sat on the couch next to Darry who was stitching his cheek closed. It stung and he winced but he just had to grit his teeth and bare it. His face was still all red and puffy from crying.

"Stop fidgeting Johnny. I don't wanna take your eye out with this needle." Darry said.

"Sorry." He mumbled.

Darry muttered something as he tied the thread. Johnny shook slightly from the cold. Ponyboy had taken his jacket to wash the blood off.

Everyone had jumped into action to make sure he felt safe as soon as Ponyboy took his jacket. Steve had hopped into his car and drove to the store to buy cake, Darry had got the first aid kit and started to take care of him and Two-Bit and Soda went to find pillows and blankets to make a fort.

"I've got blankets!!!" Two-Bit yelled. Johnny laughed as he saw his friend carrying too many for him to hold.

"I think I have every pillow in this here house." Soda chuckled as he balanced pillows in both arms.

"Y'all don't have to do this." Johnny muttered.

"We don't have to but we wanna." Steve laughed carrying the cake.

The rest of the night was laughs, cake, pillow fights and Mickey Mouse cartoons. Darry agreed to let Johnny stay the night after Pony and Soda's pleadings became annoying, but Johnny knew Darry would've let him stay no matter what.

Steve and Two-Bit left around midnight and Johnny slept in the pillow fort they'd constructed in the living room.

"Night Johnnycakes." Soda said before heading to bed. "If you need something just holler."

"G'night." Johnny yawned.

——————————————————————————————————————————————

"Wake up! Breakfasts ready!" Darry called from the kitchen.

There was the loud sound of scampering feet and shouts that made Johnny get up and out of his temporary sleeping place. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he walked into the kitchen. Two-bit was already digging through the fridge and Steve was wrestling Pony.

Soda came up behind him and picked him up. He laughed and kicked as Soda started to tickle him.

"Soda!! Stop— I'm ticklish— stop—!" He laughed.

"Soda cut it out. At least let the kid eat first." Darry chuckled.

Soda put him down in a chair at the table before sitting down beside him. Darry made pancakes and handed them out to everyone.

"You know Johnnycake you look mighty peaceful when you sleep." Two-Bit blurted out.

"What?!" Johnny choked. "Y'all watched me sleep?!"

"Nah course not." Steve laughed.

"We all got up early and you's were still asleep, so we checked on ya." Ponyboy said through bites.

"You look like a baby when you sleep." Darry added.

"Yeah! You curl up into a ball with your arms all against your chest." Two-Bit giggled.

Johnny's face was going bright red.

"You also make this cute little face." Soda said booping him on the nose.

"And you have the quietest most adorable snoring." Ponyboy giggled.

"Not to mention how fluffy ur hair is!" Two-Bit snickered. Johnny was the only one who washed the grease out of his hair before bed so his hair was always super fluffy when he woke up.

"Alright! Alright! I get it! Would y'all quit patronizing me!" Johnny blushed.

"Come on Johnny were only doing cuz we love ya." Soda said rustling his hair. Everyone just laughed.

Suddenly the door was slung open. Everyone went deadly quiet. Johnny's breath hiced in his throat and Soda pressed his hand on his back.

Dally walked into the kitchen looking confused as everyone just stared at him. Everyone had a stern and almost angry gaze where as Johnny had a look of terror.

"What are y'all staring at?" Dally asked. No one spoke. He looked at Johnny.

"Johnny what happened to your cheek?" He walked forward but Johnny just jumped out of his chair and backed up.

"Johnnycake?" He reached out a little bit but Soda got to him first.

"Don't touch him." Soda said in a low tone as he grabbed Dally's wrist.

"Get your hands off Curtis." Dally said gruffly yanking his hand out of his grip.

"You don't even remember what you did. Do you?" Ponyboy said in disbelief.

"I didn't do anything! Why are y'all acting so strange!" Dally yelled.

"Didn't do anything?! DIDN'T DO ANYTHING!!! WERE YOU SO DRUNK THAT YOU DON'T REMEMBER THAT YOUR THE ONE WHO HURT JOHNNY!!!" Soda yelled pointing at Dally's chest.

"Wha-" Dally began but was quickly cut off.

"YES DALLAS!!! YOU'RE THE REASON JOHNNY'S FACE AND WRISTS ARE BRUISED!!! YOU'RE THE ONE WHO HURT HIM!!! YOU—" Soda was yelling and he might of punched Dally if Steve hadn't stopped him.

"SODA!! Stop you're scaring him!!" Steve yelled grabbing his wrist and pointing to the boy curled up on the floor.

Johnny was hyperventilating and crying with his back against the wall. Soda immediately felt guilty and rushed over to him scoping him up into his arms. Johnny wrapped him arms around Soda's neck and let himself cry. He'd never cried this much since the Socs got him.

"I'm so sorry Johnnycakes. It's okay, I'm not gonna yell no more." Soda said softly.

"Soda maybe it's best you take Johnny to your room, we'll take care of Dallas. Just make sure Johnny can't hear us." Darry whispered to him.

Soda nodded and carried Johnny off to his room. He set him down on the bed and closed the door behind him. Johnny was still crying and trying to dry his eyes. His sobs were heartbreaking.

"Hey Johnny look at me! Look at me!" Soda said hastily trying to calm him down. Johnny looked up at Soda, everything was spinning and he couldn't breath.

"It's okay just breath." Soda said calmly. "Follow my breathing." He placed Johnny's hands on his chest so he could feel Soda inhale and exhale.

"See easy does it." Johnny's breathing was making its way back to normal. Soda sighed in relief when Johnny seemed to have calmed down.

"You want anything?" Soda asked. Johnny shook his head and flopped down on the bed. He curled up into a ball and started biting his nails.

"Good lord Johnny I'm sorry for scaring ya." Soda whispered. Johnny simply made muffled noise of forgiveness.

"Soda I'm scared..." Johnny croaked.

"It's okay Johnnycakes there's nothing to be afraid of." Soda cooed. There was yelling from the other room. Johnny flinched and covered his ears.

"Come here." Soda said gently, sitting on the bed crisscrossed. Johnny looked up tearily and crawled over to the older boy. Soda pulled him into his lap and held him tight like he had the day before.

"I am never ever gonna to let him or anyone else hurt you again. As long as I'm around you're gonna safe Johnny. I promise." Soda whispered. Soda gave him a kiss on the top of the head.

Johnny shivered slightly in Soda's arms to which Soda grabbed a blanket and began to wrap him up. Johnny laughed as Soda tightly wrapped him like a baby.

The shouting in the other room had gone eerily quiet and footsteps coming towards the door got louder. The door creaked opened and Dally walked in, he shut the door behind him.

"Johnny can we talk." He said in a soft whisper.

Johnny cuddled closer to Soda and turned his head away.

"Johnny...... please." Dally whispered with slightly more force. Johnny looked up in shock. Dally never said please.

Soda gave Johnny a look asking 'do you want me to stay?'. Johnny tugged his shirt slightly before mumbling.

"I'll be okay."

"Okay, I be right outside the door if yous need me." He whispered back giving him a slight kiss on the cheek.

Soda put Johnny down still wrapped up in blankets. He gave Dally a deathly glare before leaving and closing the door. There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment before Dally spoke.

"Pony told me what happened..." His voice was slightly shaking.

"Johnny I'm-"

"Did you mean what you said?" Johnny asked cutting him off. Dally got down in front of him and held his shoulders.

"Johnny are you crazy of course I didn't mean what I said-I-I would never ever say that to you. I don't know what I was thinking— I was pissed and drunk and— I'm so so sorry Johnnycakes..." Dally said rushed and apologetic.

Johnny smile slightly.

"I forgive you." He said.

"Johnny I don't deserve—"

"I forgive you Dal." Johnny repeated. Dally looked close to tears and hugged the younger boy with a breathy sigh of relief.

"Let's go get cake!" Johnny laughed.

The rest of the day was quiet and everyone had made up. The whole day was spent eating cake and watching Mickey in Johnny's pillow fort. They stayed like that till night fall and Johnny had fallen asleep cuddled up with Soda.

"Guys I'm gonna sleep here." He mumbled softly trying not to wake up the baby sleeping on him.

"Kay." Darry yawned.

"G'night Soda." Pony said excited since that meant he got the bed to himself.

Darry turned off the lights and Soda snuggled as close to Johnny as possible.

"Soda?" Johnny mumbled sleepily.

"Yeah Johnnycakes?" Soda said softly petting his hair.

"Love you." Johnny said nuzzling closer to him.

"Love you too Johnnycakes." Soda chuckled.