I do not own The Outsiders, S.E Hinton does.

Chapter 10

Darry's POV

I wake to hear footsteps and the bathroom light blinding me. I sit up and look at the clock. It's 3 in the morning. I would wake up again in three hours. I hear the sink running and I groan then sit up. There are more footsteps and I hear Soda talking to Ponyboy. I go into their room and see Soda putting a cool cloth on our youngest brother's forehead. I look at Ponyboy. He's still pale and he's cheeks are flushed and there's a thermometer in his mouth.

"Nightmare?" I ask Soda coming over to the bed.

"Yeah, but his fever is worse I think." He says pulling the thermometer out of Pony's mouth. He reads it and I want to snatch it out of his hands and read it for myself, but I resist the urge. I pray that Pony isn't sick again. The bills were already pilling up and I can't afford to take him to the hospital. I will if I have to though, debt be damned.

"What's it say?" I ask him rubbing Pony's backside.

"102.1. Is that bad?" he asks me timidly.

"It's a fever, but 102 isn't that high." I say rubbing Pony's shoulders now. "Ponyboy? How do you feel?" I ask him.

"Not so great." He says. I can tell that he's tired. "Can I sleep? You got work tomorrow." He says trying to get me back to bed. I feel guilty, I'm suppose to be able to be there for both of my brothers, but right now Ponyboy doesn't even want me here. I look and give him a look.

"Go ahead, Dare. I got him." He says. I nod and bid my brothers goodnight. I go back to bed and think about what I should do. Liz said that if Pony gets a fever above 103 I should take him to the hospital, but its only 102 so far. If he gets worse I'll take him. I fall asleep and dream of when mom and dad were alive and would take care of us.

When I wake up I go cheek on Ponyboy and Soda. They are both sleeping and holding each other close I go over to Pony and check his forehead. It's still warm, but it hasn't changed. I go over to Soda and gently nug him. He wakes up.

"Hi Darry." He says yawning. "How is he?"

"He still has a fever. Where did you put the thermometer last night? I want to check it again." I ask him.

"On the nightstand." He says getting up. I pick up the thermometer and go back over to my sleeping brother. I don't want to wake him up, but I know I have to. I brush his hair out of his eyes and he groans. Ponyboy is not a morning person at all. He opens his eyes and looks up at me.

"Morning Darry. What are you doing in here?" he asks me confused.

"I just need to check your temp again, buddy. Open your mouth for me. And hold this under your tongue." He does what I ask him to and puts the thermometer under his tongue. I make him hold it there for a few minutes until it's done. It says 102.4; it had changed some, but not much.

"What's it say Darry?" he crocks. I decide not to B.S him so I tell him the truth.

"102.4, it's not that high. Just relax, okay. I need to put antibiotic cream over your stitches again." I tell him going to the bathroom. Soda's in there taking a shower, so when he sees me in there he shouts at me to quit ogling him and get out. I know he's only joking when I hear him laughing. I roll my eyes grab the cream and go back to the room. Ponyboy is putting on a clean shirt and a pair of jeans.

"What are you doing?" I ask him.

"Come on Darry I feel fine I really do. Let me go to school." He says.

"Number one, kiddo: Your running a fever and Number two: You don't have school today. You got the day off. That just proves you shouldn't be up. Now put your pjs back on and get back in bed!" I scolded him. He groans and takes off his jeans.

"But I feel fine Darry!" he argues bending over to grab his pajama bottoms. He groans and almost doubles over, but I catch him in time.

"You feel fine, huh?" I say helping him over to the bed. He holds his side and leans his head back. I give him his bottoms and he shrugs them on.

"How's your side feel, Pone?" I ask him a bit more nicely.

"Like shit." He mutters. I smack him across the head.

"Watch your mouth. Take your shirt." He sits up slowly and takes off his shirt. I gasp. His stitches are red and swollen. There is yellow puss leaking thru the thread and the skin around it looks sickly.

"Wow, okay…um lay back down Ponyboy. I'm going to call Lizzy over. I think your stitches are infected." I say as calmly as I can. He tries to hide the panic in his eyes and nods. Soda comes in with a towel around his waist.

"What's wrong?" he asks seeing the fear in my eyes. I lean closer to his ear.

"Pony's stitches are infected. I'm going to call Elizabeth. Get dressed and keep him calm." I whisper to him. He nods acting as calm as possible. That's one thing that I envy about Sodapop, he can be calm and comforting without looking sissified.

I go dial Lizzy and after the fourth ring she answers.

"Hello?"

"Liz, its Darry. Listen I know it's short notice, but I need you to come over here." I say.

"Whats wrong Darry?"

"I think Pony's stitches are infected. They are red and there is yellow puss coming out of them."

"Darry I can't come over today."

"What do you mean you can't come over?" I nearly shout into the phone.

"I have to go to work. I can't take another day off. I'll get fired. But listen take him to a free clinic and get him treated or take the stitches out, pour some alcohol over the incision site, put more antibiotic cream on it, re-stitch it and then wrap his side up." She says into the phone. I calm down and rub my temple.

"Thanks, babe." I say.

"You're welcome. I'll come by after work, alright?"

"Yeah alright. Bye, Lizzy."

"Goodbye."

I go back to the bathroom. I think about what I should do. I could take Pony to some crap state free clinic and hope that the interns know what they are doing, or I could take care of Pony by myself and send Sodapop to work. I know what I have to do and go into the boy's room.

Soda now fully dressed is sitting next to a panicky Ponyboy. Pony is sitting next to Soda trying to calm himself down. I go over next to him and rub his hair.

"Soda, go to work. I'm going to take Ponyboy to the free clinic." I tell him.

"NO!" I look at Ponyboy and see him freaking out again. "Darry, I do not want to go to another hospital. I don't want to deal with doctors poking me with needles. Please Darry I don't want to go!" he begs. I know how scared of doctors and needles he is, and I know that he trusts me more than the doctors at the clinic. I rub his hair again and look at Soda. Soda sighs and takes Ponyboy's hand. I look at Ponyboy again.

"Ponyboy, I can take you to the clinic or I can take care of you here. What do you want to do kiddo?" I ask him nicely.

"I want to stay here. You can take care of me." He says shyly. I look at Soda and motion him to follow me.

"Darry, maybe you should take him to the clinic. He might be getting worse." He says nervous.

"I know but I don't want him hyperventilating in the middle of the free clinic if the doc takes out a needle. I called Lizzy and she said I just have to take out his stitches, clean out the infection, and re-stitch him. He won't be as scared if I'm the one taking care of him. I know how to do stitches, Soda. He'll be fine." I tell him.

"Okay, I need to get to work. The boss said he wanted me there today anyway." Soda goes back to the room to say goodbye to Ponyboy. I go into the bathroom and get the first-aid kit and the bottle of alcohol. Soda has already left and I hear the truck zooming off. I roll my eyes and go into the bedroom. After I'm done taking care of Ponyboy, he's going to hate me.

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