Soda was getting really excited to see Two Bit and Steve. It had only been a couple of days, but the gang is usually always together and it wasn't the same being without them. We heard a knock on the door and without even waiting for an answer Steve cam running through the door.

"Heeeeey buddy," Steve shouted running over to Soda. Soda had him in a bear hug and they were arm wrestling before we knew it, yeah and Soda was supposed to be taking it easy. After a while, we all started playing poker.

"Man I was so worried about you," Steve told Soda as he laid down a straight, "I was ready to beat those socs so bad," he started swearing under his breath.

"Take it easy buddy. I'm ok, ok?"

"No, not ok, I swear I'm gonna put them through the same shit they put you through."

"Steve, you don't have to."

"Oh yeah I do. They made you sick and hell I know that Darry and the kid were worried half to death themselves this whole time so I'll get them for that too." Soda just shrugged and decided to let it go. When Steve was mad it was better to drop it than to try and reason with him.

"Hey, where's Two-Bit," I asked trying to ease the tension.

"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you guys. Two-Bit's in cooler."

"What for this time, disturbing the peace again?" Soda said remembering the time he and Two-Bit got hauled into the station for doing handstands in the street, which was supposedly disturbing the peace.

"Na man, "Steve said hardening, "it was serious this time…"

"What happened?" Soda asked.

"The fuzz got him for public intoxication. He was drunk…real drunk. Not like his usually boozed up self though. He wasn't his joking drunk self…he was just mad…just plain mad. He started talking about going and jumping people. It's unlike Two-Bit to go looking for fights, but I kinda encouraged it. I guess I was kinda hacked off too since my old man was after me and all the night before, but….but I thought he just wanted to go look for those socs who got you or some other guys who have given us trouble before or something, maybe find Shepard and bully around, mostly just to blow of steam, ya know? But, he started going after these little kids. I stopped him but he was real mad by then. He ran off. I went looking for him and found him going after some girls pretty bad and I mean it's one thing to go and jump some guys ya know, but these were girls man. Some one called the fuzz and he got hauled in. It was pretty bad… I don't know what happened. He just drank pack after pack after pack more than I had ever seen him drink before and it affected him differently. You know how some people get aggressive when they're drunk. Well Two-Bit don't usually get like that or nothin', but this time he did. Boy he sure did this time." I was shocked. It was hard to picture Two-Bit like that. He wasn't innocent or anything, but he would never hurt people intentionally especially girls and little kids. I didn't understand.

"How long's he gonna be in the cooler for?" I asked Steve.

"Well he can either pay a fine, which is out, cause we all know he doesn't got the money for that, but he can get off with doing community service. He said that's what he's gonna do, so he's getting out tomorrow. He said he'd come by and see Soda then." Steve stayed for a while longer and then left. It was silent for a while, but Soda finally spoke.

"That really didn't sound like Two-Bit."

"You ain't a woofin'," I answered, "You sure ain't a woofin…"

I woke up in a cold sweat. I was sitting up with my heart was pounding in my ears. I had had one of those nightmares. I never remember them, but I know it's always the same one and it always scares me something awful.

"Ponyboy," Soda said sleepily," are you ok." I laid back down.

"I had one of those dreams again." I heard Darry wake up.

"You guys ok," I could hear the concern in his voice.

"Ponyboy had that dream again," Soda told him. Darry sat up.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, but it was pretty bad this time,"

"You're probably just upset about Two-Bit and you have a lot on your mind." Darry said.

"Yeah, I guess so."

Soda let me sleep in the middle of him and Darry. I felt safe having my brothers on either side of me, but it was still a while before I could get to sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about Two-Bit.

In the morning I brought Kally to Soda's room again. They were two of a kind, happy-go-lucky and fun-loving. Nurse Lauren was coming out of the room when I went to get Kally.

"Hey," she said with a smile. I noticed she always had a smile, "Are you taking Kally to see Soda and Darry."

"If she wants to go,"

"I'm sure she will, I'll go get her and maybe I can come and get her after a while," she said, this time with a wink. I knew she just wanted to see Darry and I couldn't help but grin.

She got Kally and I took her to Soda's room.

"Hey look who it is," Soda said cheerfully, when we got there. I sat Kally down on the bed.

"Hey Darry," I said, trying my hardest not to laugh, "Nurse Lauren is gonna be coming to get Kally when it's time for her to go back."

"Well how about that" he said with a crazy grin on his face. He went over to the mirror and began fixing his hair. Soda, kally and I just about died laughing. We got into somewhat of a competition about who could tease Darry the most. I remembered a time when I thought only Soda could tease Darry, but I think he liked being teased by Kally the same way and well I had sort of gotten good at teasing him too. He didn't mind, if he did, we would have stopped, but I actually think he was enjoying it.

Suddenly the phone started ringing. Darry answered it.

"Who was it?" I asked.

"It was my boss; I gave him the number in case of an emergency."

"Well what's the emergency?" I asked impatiently.

"He lowered my pay check this month."

"What? Why? Is he crazy? You're the hardest worker I know!"

"Well I haven't exactly been to work lately, now have I?" He sounded really upset.

"I'm sorry Darry," Soda said softly.

"It ain't your fault. I just don't know how I'm gonna pay the bills this month, what with Soda taking off. And don't think I'm gonna let you go back to work anytime soon and get yourself sick, so I just really don't know how I'm gonna pay the bills."

"Well what bills do we gotta pay?" I asked.

"Telephone, gas, water, electricity, you name it, I pay it."

"What about the car, we don't have to pay nothing for that really do we?"

"Insurance, man I forgot all about that." He sat down on the edge of Soda's bed. "I guess I'm not doing such a hot job as a big brother anymore." Kally went over and sat beside him. She looked so small compared to him. Darry is a pretty big guy.

"Oh come on, I'm not even related to you and I know you're the best big brother alive. Ponyboy told me all you gave up for him and Soda. I don't know anyone who would do that, and then the way you stayed here with Soda when he needed you. Look, don't worry about the bills. I mean, what's the worst thing that could happen?"

"Gee I don't know, we could not have electricity or water for a month."

"Well what about Two-Bit. Ponyboy told me that Two-Bit is at yalls house all the time, so go camp out over there for a few days!"

"Oh really, just camp out over there for a few days huh!" Darry said with a crazy grin again. "I suppose we could camp out at Steve's place too?"

"Yeah or with me! That would even be fun,"

"How do you do it?" Darry asked Kally.

"Do what?"

"Make it so simple. Just take the burden right off like it's no big deal. How do you do it?"

"Don't worry so much, that's how."

"Well how on earth do you do that?"

"Well try to look at the good things. I mean you may not have electricity, but other things will go right and you're not going to go down by yourself anyway even if nothing goes right. And hey don't forget about your girlfriend, I bet that will make things a lot better, yeah?

"You're getting as cocky as Sodapop, Heck I bet you could even give Two-Bit a run for his money."

"Well you're an easy person to make fun of."

"Do you really wanna start that? I mean, Ponyboy went there yesterday and it wasn't pretty, so do you really wanna go there?"

"Ummmmm, yep, I do!" Well we couldn't help it. Darry, me, and Soda tickled her until she about died laughing. All of a sudden Nurse Lauren walked in.

"What in the world is going on in here? I could hear Kally laughing all the way down the hallway!"

"I was just teasing Darry about how you and him are boyfriend and girlfriend," Kally answered so proudly. Nurse Lauren blushed.

"Oh, I see." She walked right over to Darry and kissed him softly.

"Now, what do you say to that?"

"Wow," Kally said, "I don't know, but I'll think of something good." Nurse Lauren and kally left, Darry was left dumbfounded in a daze, and Soda and I were left grinning wildly at him.