Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders.
Thanks to all reviewers and finally here is the next chapter!
Pony's POV
I was still in ICU on my birthday. The doctor had told me I should be out sometime today and go back to my own room. I really felt awful too, and I still had to take the chemo. It was just making me sicker. How could something like that possibly cure me? The whole gang had come in to see me, and I knew they wanted me out of there soon. A doctor walked in, and I looked up to see a smile on his face. I knew he had good news.
"Well, Ponyboy, your fever is gone. I believe the antibiotics have knocked this out, so you can go back to your room. I'll make arrangements to move you back." He turned to walk out of the room.
"By the way, I heard today is your birthday. I hope you have some fun." He said.
"Thanks." I said.
Soda's POV
Pony was finally coming back to his room, and we were there waiting for him. This was going to be great. We had all the lights off and the whole room decorated with a banner, streamers, and all that stuff. The door opened as we ducked under the bed and behind chairs. Pony was rolled inside in a wheelchair.
"Surprise!" We yelled as we jumped out of our hiding places.
Pony looked shocked as his eyes wondered around the room, and he smiled.
"Thanks, guys." He said.
"Hey, we got presents for you too!" Twobit yelled.
"And cake." Darry said.
Pony made a face at that. We didn't really expect him to be able to eat the cake with the chemo and all, but what's a birthday without cake? He hadn't eaten anything in days. He got up slowly and sat down on the bed.
"This is great, guys. You really didn't have to do this."
"We wanted to. We want you to have a good birthday." I said.
This made me remember what had happened three days ago. I fought back the memory and reality. This was going to be a fun day.
We sung "Happy Birthday" to Pony, and he looked happier than I had seen him since he had first gotten admitted to the hospital.
"Open your presents." Steve said.
Pony opened his presents, and then said he wanted to have some cake. We hadn't given it to him because we thought it would make him sick, but he wanted it.
"If you don't feel like you can eat, you don't have to." Darry said.
"I know, but you guys got it for me, so I should at least try after all the trouble you went to. Besides, it's my birthday. I have to have cake."
"It was no trouble, little buddy. No trouble at all." Darry spoke again as he cut the cake and handed out slices to everyone.
Pony's POV
Everyone was devouring their cake, and I slowly took a bite of mine. It sure was good. I loved chocolate cake, but I was starting to feel nauseous. Oh, great. I thought. Chemo spoils everything. I finished the cake and then headed for the bathroom. I hoped no one noticed. They had done so much for me, and I didn't want to ruin it. I knew I had to stop thinking like that. My friends and my brothers wanted to help me no matter what. I didn't need to feel guilty. I had just gotten chemo today, so it was hitting me hard. After a few minutes, I came out of the bathroom. Everyone turned around and looked at me sadly. This was yet another reminder of how much my life had changed and what cancer was doing to us.
"What are you all looking at? I'm fine. I'm just a little sick. That's all. Let's just go on with the party." I said.
"Okay. Whatever you say, birthday boy!" Twobit said laughing. That lightened the mood in the room, and everybody laughed. I could always count on Twobit to joke around even if the situation wasn't funny. While we were still laughing, a doctor walked in. He looked at us amused.
"It's nice to hear laughter around here. I have good news."
We all looked at him expectantly.
"Pony, your bloodwork is showing major improvement. Your blast count has gone down significantly. Chemo is working great for you. I don't think it will be much longer before you will be declared in remission." The doctor left, and the reality of what he had just said hit us. I might be out of the hospital soon. I would go home. Back to my own house and my own bed. Now, that was a great birthday surprise!
Twobit's POV
This was the best news. Pony was getting out of the hospital soon! We all laughed some more and hugged Pony telling him how happy we were for him. Even Steve joined in. All of this had dramatically changed him. It had changed all of us. We looked at life differently, and we were closer. Pony still looked sick, but he was definitely happy. This had turned out to be a great day in spite of the chemo, but I couldn't help but think about how fast things change. How long would this last? Would the cancer keep responding to treatment? It had to. That was the only way Pony would ever get to go home. This was a huge step forward!
Thanks to all reviewers and finally here is the next chapter!
Pony's POV
I was still in ICU on my birthday. The doctor had told me I should be out sometime today and go back to my own room. I really felt awful too, and I still had to take the chemo. It was just making me sicker. How could something like that possibly cure me? The whole gang had come in to see me, and I knew they wanted me out of there soon. A doctor walked in, and I looked up to see a smile on his face. I knew he had good news.
"Well, Ponyboy, your fever is gone. I believe the antibiotics have knocked this out, so you can go back to your room. I'll make arrangements to move you back." He turned to walk out of the room.
"By the way, I heard today is your birthday. I hope you have some fun." He said.
"Thanks." I said.
Soda's POV
Pony was finally coming back to his room, and we were there waiting for him. This was going to be great. We had all the lights off and the whole room decorated with a banner, streamers, and all that stuff. The door opened as we ducked under the bed and behind chairs. Pony was rolled inside in a wheelchair.
"Surprise!" We yelled as we jumped out of our hiding places.
Pony looked shocked as his eyes wondered around the room, and he smiled.
"Thanks, guys." He said.
"Hey, we got presents for you too!" Twobit yelled.
"And cake." Darry said.
Pony made a face at that. We didn't really expect him to be able to eat the cake with the chemo and all, but what's a birthday without cake? He hadn't eaten anything in days. He got up slowly and sat down on the bed.
"This is great, guys. You really didn't have to do this."
"We wanted to. We want you to have a good birthday." I said.
This made me remember what had happened three days ago. I fought back the memory and reality. This was going to be a fun day.
We sung "Happy Birthday" to Pony, and he looked happier than I had seen him since he had first gotten admitted to the hospital.
"Open your presents." Steve said.
Pony opened his presents, and then said he wanted to have some cake. We hadn't given it to him because we thought it would make him sick, but he wanted it.
"If you don't feel like you can eat, you don't have to." Darry said.
"I know, but you guys got it for me, so I should at least try after all the trouble you went to. Besides, it's my birthday. I have to have cake."
"It was no trouble, little buddy. No trouble at all." Darry spoke again as he cut the cake and handed out slices to everyone.
Pony's POV
Everyone was devouring their cake, and I slowly took a bite of mine. It sure was good. I loved chocolate cake, but I was starting to feel nauseous. Oh, great. I thought. Chemo spoils everything. I finished the cake and then headed for the bathroom. I hoped no one noticed. They had done so much for me, and I didn't want to ruin it. I knew I had to stop thinking like that. My friends and my brothers wanted to help me no matter what. I didn't need to feel guilty. I had just gotten chemo today, so it was hitting me hard. After a few minutes, I came out of the bathroom. Everyone turned around and looked at me sadly. This was yet another reminder of how much my life had changed and what cancer was doing to us.
"What are you all looking at? I'm fine. I'm just a little sick. That's all. Let's just go on with the party." I said.
"Okay. Whatever you say, birthday boy!" Twobit said laughing. That lightened the mood in the room, and everybody laughed. I could always count on Twobit to joke around even if the situation wasn't funny. While we were still laughing, a doctor walked in. He looked at us amused.
"It's nice to hear laughter around here. I have good news."
We all looked at him expectantly.
"Pony, your bloodwork is showing major improvement. Your blast count has gone down significantly. Chemo is working great for you. I don't think it will be much longer before you will be declared in remission." The doctor left, and the reality of what he had just said hit us. I might be out of the hospital soon. I would go home. Back to my own house and my own bed. Now, that was a great birthday surprise!
Twobit's POV
This was the best news. Pony was getting out of the hospital soon! We all laughed some more and hugged Pony telling him how happy we were for him. Even Steve joined in. All of this had dramatically changed him. It had changed all of us. We looked at life differently, and we were closer. Pony still looked sick, but he was definitely happy. This had turned out to be a great day in spite of the chemo, but I couldn't help but think about how fast things change. How long would this last? Would the cancer keep responding to treatment? It had to. That was the only way Pony would ever get to go home. This was a huge step forward!