Thanx to everyone who has been reviewing I don't have very many reviews compared to some stories, but I have a lot more that I thought I would get.

Sodapop02: I am really glad you think this is the best story with Sandy in it. The story is already written so you'll see what happens. And I've been trying to update everyday so don't worry about me updating.

Chapter 5

I must have fallen asleep too because when I woke up it was the next day. Sandy was already awake.

"Hey, how ya feeling?" I asked sleepily.

"Fine."

"Are you sure nothin' hurts?"

"I'm sure."

"Do ya need anything?"

"No."

"Are you sure."
"Soda, I'm fine, really," she said reassuringly.

"I know I'm just worried about you."

"Well, I love you for being worried."

Suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Come in," Sandy called it was Darry.

"uhhh...Hey," he said softly.

"Hey," I said back cheerfully," where were you last night?"

"I stayed with Pony in his room."

"So he woke up?" I asked relieved. He shook his head. "Oh," I said disappointed and depressed," so how is he?"

"ummm...." He said as if debating whether or not to tell me the truth. "Not so good," he finally said in a tone I never heard before.

There was one of those long, awkward silences, but it was broken by Darry who started to cry. He was crying harder then I've ever seen him cry before. The last time he cried was when we found out Pony was ok. The tears he cried then were different. They were tears of joy. Tears like when the sun is shining, but there is still a light rain, perfect for playing outside and splashing in the puddles. Then sometimes you even see a rainbow reminding you of the joy accompanied by the tears. Yet these tears were different. They were a violent rain accompanied by angry thunder and raging lightning. These tears scared the hell out of me.

I got of bed and ran toward him, throwing myself into his arms.

"Oh Soda," he said miserably," Ponyboy is...dying." Suddenly I didn't feel sorry for him, I was angry with him.

"No," I told him stubbornly," Pony is not dying, God would not take him away from me I... I need him."

"But I talked to the doctors lastnight they said...they said there's almost no hope for him."

"Shut up." I shouted at him," would you just shut the hell up!!! I hate the way you're talking about this. Why don't you understand, why don't you see how hard this is for me?"

Darry just stood there shocked. I had never talked to him like that. I wrapped my arms around him.

"Darry," I managed between sobs," I ...I didn't mean it like that. It's I love Pony boy so much and..."

"I know baby, I know," he said gently stroking my hair. After a few moments of being held in Darry's arms I decided that I wanted to be with Pony. I was still scared to see him, but I would have to face my fears.

"Hey," I said to Darry," do you want to go be with Pony?" He nodded I turned to Sandy. "Hey since the doctor said you could leave, I'll drive you home and call Two-Bit or Steve to look after you. I would look after you, but I need to be with Pony." I looked at her, but she just sat there. "Hush...come on I'll drive ya home," I said thinking maybe she went deaf when I told her I'd take her home.

"No," she said sternly," Pony is my brother too, I love him too, and I'm staying with him too."

"Look," I said," I know you love Pony, but you haven't fully recovered and it would be better for you to go home." She gave me one of those looks that said she was gonna do what she wanted, so I didn't argue and we all started walking to Pony's room. I entered the room last. I was still kinda scared to see Pony. When I finally looked at him I fell to the floor bawling my eyes out. He looked awful, he had a bandage wrapped around his forehead and smaller cuts all over his face. There was a humongous bruise that was blue, purple, and yellow on his cheek. He looked like he could already be dead. His little, limp, Lifeless body didn't move and if it wasn't for a little machine that showed his heart rate I wauld have thought he was dead. To see my little brother lying there was like having someone slowly stab a knife into my heart. I loved him, but I couldn't do a thing. I looked at Darry as if to question whether what I was seeing was really happening. When I looked at him I could tell that this was happening. Me, Sandy, and Darry all sat by Pony and just waited.

Hours past and the three of us sat crying, and praying. A nurse came in and asked us if we wanted any lunch. None of us did, but I Sandy eat anyway. I was afraid that since she hadn't fully recovered she would get sick from not eating.

For the next two days we did the same thing: sit, wait, pray, and cry. Darry and I didn't even sleep, but I made Sandy for the same reason I made her eat.

((the 4th day))

I was sitting on a chair with both Sandy and Darry on each side and both of theirs heads on my shoulder. I was sitting there thinking about how hard this must be for Darry. I mean Pony and I were real close, but Darry and Pony had some internal bond that kept each of them going. It wasn't visible to anyone, maybe not even to them, but I know it was there.

I was sitting there thinking about this when suddenly I noticed that Pony's heart rate was going up.

"Darry," I shouted overwhelmed with excitement. "Look, Look, Pony's heart rate is going up." Darry and I ran to the machine. Darry just stood there for a few minutes looking at the machine then he turned around and looked at Pony.

"Hey Little Buddy," Darry encouraged." You're getting better." He touched his bruise gently. "Oh Pony, I'm so sorry you got hurt... it's probably my fault."

I was sitting on my chair by Sandy. He turned around and he looked like he was trying to decide if it was his fault. "Is it my fault?" he asked me.

"No, no," I told him," it's that asshole, Buck Merril's fault."

"No," he said softly, too softly," It is my fault and if something happens to Pony I won't be able to live."

"Darry!" I said in alarm," are you saying that if Pony dies you'll... you're going to ..." I tried to say it, but I couldn't.

"Well," he continued," if I don't kill myself I'd live knowing he's gone and I would loose the joy he gives me and I'd die."

I put my hands on each of his shoulders and made him look me in the eyes. "Darry," I told him sternly," this is not your fault... and you talking about killing yourself scares me...it...it hurts me." He took me and made me face Pony.

"Look at him," he ordered through tears. "Look, you can not sit here and look at our brother and tell me you don't feel the same way."

"I never said I didn't, but even though it's hard I'm trying to make myself believe he'll be ok."

"Soda, this is the reality of life," he said pointing to Pony.

"Darry please," I begged," I don't want to look at him... he looks so helpless."

"I know, but this is the reality."

"No!" I shouted at him," no, no, no, no, no, you've got it wrong. This is your reality, your cold, hard, fact, but my reality is faith and I trust it." Faith must have heard my words because Pony woke up.

The next chapter is probably going to be veeerrrry long. You know what to do. Oh yeah, I've been forgetting to say that all the characters are S.E. Hinton's so the one time I said it goes for all the chapters.