A/N: Hey guys! I hope you enjoy the second chapter! I know this is a pretty slow-paced and short chapter, but worry not! The good stuff will officially begin next chapter. :)

Please leave a review letting me know what you think! Reviews are really appreciated! Stay gold.

XxX

*Darry's POV*

I got home from work much earlier than usual today. Boss sent us home at lunch time since it was pouring buckets outside and we couldn't get any work done up on the roofs. I knew I was supposed to pick Ponyboy up from school after his track meet when I got out of work, but I figured I would just go back downtown later.

He definitely didn't look too hot this morning, I thought. His voice seemed strained, and his cough was a little worrying, not to mention he was paler than usual and he didn't have much appetite. Even though I knew I had to trust his judgement more, I couldn't help but worry. Last time he said he was fine, he had ended up in the hospital. I thought of the pouring rain outside. I hoped his coach had the common sense to make them run inside instead of outside. If Ponyboy was coming down with something, running in this weather would definitely not be beneficial.

When came the time to go pick up Ponyboy around five, Soda wasn't home yet. He had told me this morning that he was finishing at five, so I figured he would be home in the next fifteen minutes or so. I left the house to pick up my youngest brother, leaving the door unlocked for when Soda got home.

XxX

When I pulled into the school parking lot, what I saw infuriated and worried me at the same time. Ponyboy, walking down the front steps of Will Rogers High School, looking pale as a ghost, weak, soaking wet and downright miserable. He opened the passenger door and engulfed into the warmth of the car, shivering from head to toe.

"He made you guys run outside?" I said in disbelief, trying to control my temper as I drove out of the parking lot.

"Yeah-" Ponyboy answered. His voice was cut short by a fit of coughing. His voice sounded hoarse. He was shivering pretty bad.

"I can't believe it," I said, anger filling my voice.

We stopped at a red light and I shot a sideway glance at my youngest brother in the seat next to me. His head was leaning against the window and his eyes were closed. He looked utterly miserable. I stretched out my arm across the seat and rested my hand on his cheek. My eyes widened.

"Ponyboy, I think you're burning up," I said, eyebrows furrowing in worry.

Ponyboy only coughed in response.

"When we get home, I want you to take a warm shower, I want you to change out of your wet clothes and take some Aspirin and I want you to go to bed, am I clear?" I said as I kept driving.

Usually, Ponyboy would've protested. He hated going to bed during the day. He must've felt really bad because he only nodded.

"How long have you been feeling like that?" I asked.

"Lunchtime," Ponyboy mumbled.

"Why didn't you call me?" I exclaimed angrily.

Ponyboy winced at the sound of my voice rising. His head must be killing him.

"Coach'll kick me off the team if I miss more practice," he answered.

"Pony," I started. I took a deep breath. Don't get mad, I thought. "I understand how much you care about athletics, and I was the same, but your health has got to come first, do you hear me?"

Ponyboy nodded, his eyes closed.

"If you ever get worse than that, I swear I'm gonna have a word or two with your coach," I threatened as we pulled in front of our house.

Ponyboy didn't say anything in response. He slowly opened his eyes, pulled his head off the window, picked up his bag and slowly pulled out of the car. I followed him into the house, almost worried he would fall, since he looked so weak.

We both walked into the house to hear Sodapop fixing dinner in the kitchen.

"I'm home!" I called.

"Hey, Dar!" Soda called back from the kitchen.

Ponyboy didn't say anything. He just walked right past the kitchen and locked himself into the bathroom. I walked into the kitchen to find Sodapop frowning questioningly.

"He's worse?" he asked as I joined him in the preparation of the dinner.

"Yeah," I answered. "The coach made them run outside in the rain."

Sodapop's eyes widened.

"You gotta be kidding me," he said in disbelief.

"I wish I was," I answered, rolling my eyes.

"How is he?" Sodapop asked, nodding towards the bathroom door, where the sound of the shower running came from.

"Well he was shivering like crazy earlier, his head hurts and he seems to have a fever. His cough is the worrying part though."

"Darry, it's probably just the flu. Don't worry too much about it," Soda said in a reassuring voice.

We went back to preparing dinner as we heard the shower turn off. A few minutes later, Ponyboy walked out only to disappear into his bedroom.

"Ponyboy!" I called.

"Yeah?" he called, his voice sounding hoarse, probably irritated from coughing so much.

"Come here, I wanna take your temperature," I said.

"Hang on," he answered. I dropped what I was doing and Sodapop took over and I went into the bathroom to get the thermometer. I walked out of the bathroom just as Ponyboy walked out of his bedroom, wearing sweatpants and a t-shirt. He was still shaking pretty bad.

"C'mere, Pone," I said more gently. I lead him to the kitchen and made him sat on one of the chairs. Sodapop glanced over and his face immediately displayed worry. He dropped what he was doing to sit down in the chair next to Pony.

"Why didn't you call me, Pone?" Soda asked.

"Darry already wrung me, alright?" Pony shrugged. He was really pale except for his cheeks that were bright pink. His eyes were shiny and bleary and he was still raked with chills.

"Dar, can I just go to bed?" he asked, his voice sounding vulnerable.

"Let me just take your temperature, Pone. Open up," I instructed.

Ponyboy complied and I slipped the thermometer under his tongue. He closed his mouth and held it there for a few minutes. Sodapop brushed Pony's wet hair back, trying to comfort him as much as possible.

"101.4," I said, pulling the thermometer out. "Did you take some Aspirin?"

Ponyboy nodded.

"Are you hungry?" I asked.

Ponyboy shook his head.

"Okay, well, why don't you go to bed?" I suggested.

Ponyboy nodded, too weak to protest. He slowly stood up and walked out of the room at the same pace.

"Should we call the doctor?" Soda asked me.

"Let's see how he feels tomorrow, we'll see then," I answered, getting back to work on dinner.