Well you guys. Here I am again. I've had a really hard last couple of years but I am back and ready to start writing. I plan on continuing my Criminal Minds stories but here is an Outsiders one to get me back into gear! I suppose this takes place right before the book – or after if you like (however you decide to imagine it just know that either way Johnny and Dally are still alive).

He could tell you the exact day they started sharing a bed. It had been years and years but Soda never minded sleeping with his kid brother. He could remember, without any hesitation, how it all started. It was the screams in the middle of the night that shook the entire house; Pony drenched in a cold sweat, tangled in his blankets. How could he ever forget that?

No matter how much they would try to comfort Ponyboy with other things, the only way he could sleep through the night was when Soda stayed with him. At first Pony used to timidly ask Soda if he would sleep in his bed but after awhile asking just seemed pointless; Soda would never tell him no. Tonight hadn't been any different. When it was time to go to bed the two boys brushed their teeth, changed clothes, and crawled into the bed together – Soda wrapping a loving arm over his small frame.

That's why Soda thought it was beyond unusual when he rolled over in the middle of the night to find no sign of his brother. He waited a few minutes in the silent dark assuming that Pony had just gone to the restroom but when he hadn't returned in over five minutes Soda decided to get up.

"Pone?" he asked sleepily as he exited the room, the light in the bathroom was off and Darry's door was closed as usual, "Ponyboy?"

"Soda?" came a meek sounding voice.

"Pony, where are y...ow" Soda let out a serious of curse words as his toe got caught on the edge of a table, "Why's it so dark out here? I can't see a thing – I'm turning on a light."

"Don't, Soda. Please." Ponyboy pleaded causing Soda to pause before his finger flipped the switch.

"What's wrong Pony?"

"I don't want Dare to get mad. We can't afford to waste electricity."

"He ain't goin' get mad Ponyboy. But you better start telling me what's going on right now. I know when something is bothering you." Pony didn't say anything in response. "I'm turning on the light now – okay?"

"Yeah. Fine, Soda." The lights slowly flickered on and the boys both squinted as their eyes tried to adjust to the sudden light.

"What's wrong, Pony?" Soda asked walking over towards his kid brother who was sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of water. Something was off but he couldn't place it. His eyes seemed distant

"I just can't sleep." Soda knew when people were lying – especially when that person was his little brother. He looked the boy up and down; there was definitely something off but he still couldn't figure out exactly what it was.

"Something is bothering you. Talk to me." The older brother placed a hand on Pony's arm but the younger sibling quickly pulled away.

"Nothing's wrong. Just leave it, Soda."

"Pony..."

"I'm fine!" he practically shouted.

"Pony..." just as he was about to say something else Darry's door opened down the hall.

"Pony, Soda, everything okay?" Darry rubbed a hand over his face as he tried to survey the room and figure out what was happening.

"It's nothing, Dare. Go back to bed." Pony grumbled.

"Hey Kiddo," Darry said strongly as he pointed a finger towards Ponyboy, "don't start giving me attitude. I wake up at three in the morning to the sound of my two kid brothers shouting in the kitchen and you think I'm just going to ignore it?" Suddenly everything caught up with Soda and he realized what was going on.

"Lay off him Darry. He ain't feeling well." Soda interjected. It all made sense now; the sensitivity to light, the flushed cheeks – frankly, the kid looked like shit.

"Is that true Pony?" the youngest brother shrugged. Darry walked over and sat down next to him. He placed the back of his hand on Ponyboy's forehead. "Well you do feel a little warm."

"Pony, do you want me to grab you some aspirins?" asked Soda softly. Pony was never one to admit to being sick but once the secret was out it was hard to deny the facts.

"I already took some." He admitted quietly, "But my head still feels like it's going to explode."

"You probably shouldn't take anymore right now." Darry always had to be strong and firm but when someone was hurt or sick he let go of that façade some,

"Ponyboy, I want you to go lie down and try to get some sleep. You're supposed to have school in the morning and the two of us have work. If you don't feel well when you wake up we'll figure something else out, okay?"

"Yeah, Dare. Okay." Ponyboy said as his head nodded slowly. Darry sighed, if his suspicions were correct, it was going to be a long week. Ponyboy slowly stood up from the table and began to make his way back to his room at the end of the hall. Soda quickly followed suit, ready to take his spot as Pony's nightmare guard.

It's a little bit of a slow start but it'll pick up soon – promise. Please let me know what you think and if I should continue this. Thank you for your patience and sorry again that all my stories have been on such a long hiatus. I wish I could explain was has happened in the last two years but that in itself would be an entire novel.