Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.
Thanks to all reviewers! You guys are great!
Pony's POV
I woke up and looked at the clock. It was 3:00 a.m., and I had a bad case of nausea. Besides that, I felt so weak, and I had also developed mouth sores from the chemo. They hurt constantly now. They were another reason for me not to eat. I lay in my bed thinking about the day before. We sure had fun, and I had a good birthday considering I spent it in the hospital. The best part was the news about my cancer. That was great news, but I couldn't help wondering if it would last. Would I relapse? The doctors had said that was likely. That thought alone made me sick. My stomach suddenly turned on me, and I took off for the bathroom once again. I kept thinking this would be over soon trying to convince myself, but it was hard to believe at the time. I hoped I wouldn't wake Darry up. He had stayed tonight so Soda could go home. I wished I could go home and sleep in my own bed.
Darry's POV
I was asleep in one of the chairs in Pony's room, and when I awoke I could hear him coughing and throwing up. When would this be over? Hadn't this cancer already done enough to him? He had no hair, no appetite, and he could only sleep when he wasn't getting sick to his stomach. That was happening more and more. I hoped it meant the chemo was still doing its job. I got up out of my chair and went into the bathroom. I didn't even knock. I just walked right in. My brother was sitting on the floor up against the wall breathing hard and as pale as a ghost. I sat down next to him.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I guess so. I'm just sick again. Sometimes I feel okay, and then suddenly I feel like this again. I have mouth sores from the chemo too, and they just hurt more when I throw up." Pony said.
"It will be over soon, little buddy." I put my arm around him, and he put his head on my shoulder.
"I hope so, but what if it comes back?"
"Then, we'll fight harder. Cancer is not going to win. We're not going to lose you." I said with my voice starting to crack.
"I'm ready to go back to bed, Darry."
"Okay. Can you sleep now?" I helped him up, and we walked out of the bathroom.
"I think so." Pony said lying down.
I pulled my chair over next to the bed and sat down. What Pony said had got me thinking. I had never thought about him relapsing, but it was possible. I just wanted him to get through what was happening now. My baby brother was already sound asleep. I closed my eyes and slept too.
Soda's POV
It was afternoon, and I had just gotten off work. Steve was staying a little later to finish up with some cars. I went to the hospital, and Twobit was in Pony's room. He said Pony was getting more chemo, and Darry was with him. I hated that they were pumping him full of that stuff, but from the news yesterday, I guessed it was working.
"Twobit?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you really stop drinking?" Steve had told me he did, and I was surprised.
"I sure did." He answered proudly.
"Why?"
"I just figured I should. After what happened the day Pony was diagnosed, I realized I don't need it. It won't help Pony get better, and it won't make anything easier."
I sounded like Steve had gotten through to him. I was glad for that. Just then, Pony and Darry came back. Pony immediately got in bed, and Darry sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. The doctor came by and stuck his head in the door. He had a grim look on his face. He can't have good news. I thought. The doctor slowly walked in.
"I have more news for you concerning the bloodwork we did before Pony got his chemo today."
We all just looked at him with fear written all over our faces, and Steve walked in. He saw us, and the smile left his face.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"The news isn't good, and I need to see Darrel Curtis alone for a few minutes." The doctor said.
Darry stood up silently and left the room with the doctor. I looked at Pony, and I could tell he was terrified. What was wrong now? It had to be horrible or the doctor wouldn't ask to talk to Darry alone. Tears were running down Pony's cheeks, and I sat down next to him.
"It's okay, little buddy. Whatever this is, we'll get through it." I was trying to convince myself too, but it wasn't working very well.
Thanks to all reviewers! You guys are great!
Pony's POV
I woke up and looked at the clock. It was 3:00 a.m., and I had a bad case of nausea. Besides that, I felt so weak, and I had also developed mouth sores from the chemo. They hurt constantly now. They were another reason for me not to eat. I lay in my bed thinking about the day before. We sure had fun, and I had a good birthday considering I spent it in the hospital. The best part was the news about my cancer. That was great news, but I couldn't help wondering if it would last. Would I relapse? The doctors had said that was likely. That thought alone made me sick. My stomach suddenly turned on me, and I took off for the bathroom once again. I kept thinking this would be over soon trying to convince myself, but it was hard to believe at the time. I hoped I wouldn't wake Darry up. He had stayed tonight so Soda could go home. I wished I could go home and sleep in my own bed.
Darry's POV
I was asleep in one of the chairs in Pony's room, and when I awoke I could hear him coughing and throwing up. When would this be over? Hadn't this cancer already done enough to him? He had no hair, no appetite, and he could only sleep when he wasn't getting sick to his stomach. That was happening more and more. I hoped it meant the chemo was still doing its job. I got up out of my chair and went into the bathroom. I didn't even knock. I just walked right in. My brother was sitting on the floor up against the wall breathing hard and as pale as a ghost. I sat down next to him.
"Are you okay?" I asked.
"I guess so. I'm just sick again. Sometimes I feel okay, and then suddenly I feel like this again. I have mouth sores from the chemo too, and they just hurt more when I throw up." Pony said.
"It will be over soon, little buddy." I put my arm around him, and he put his head on my shoulder.
"I hope so, but what if it comes back?"
"Then, we'll fight harder. Cancer is not going to win. We're not going to lose you." I said with my voice starting to crack.
"I'm ready to go back to bed, Darry."
"Okay. Can you sleep now?" I helped him up, and we walked out of the bathroom.
"I think so." Pony said lying down.
I pulled my chair over next to the bed and sat down. What Pony said had got me thinking. I had never thought about him relapsing, but it was possible. I just wanted him to get through what was happening now. My baby brother was already sound asleep. I closed my eyes and slept too.
Soda's POV
It was afternoon, and I had just gotten off work. Steve was staying a little later to finish up with some cars. I went to the hospital, and Twobit was in Pony's room. He said Pony was getting more chemo, and Darry was with him. I hated that they were pumping him full of that stuff, but from the news yesterday, I guessed it was working.
"Twobit?"
"Yeah?"
"Did you really stop drinking?" Steve had told me he did, and I was surprised.
"I sure did." He answered proudly.
"Why?"
"I just figured I should. After what happened the day Pony was diagnosed, I realized I don't need it. It won't help Pony get better, and it won't make anything easier."
I sounded like Steve had gotten through to him. I was glad for that. Just then, Pony and Darry came back. Pony immediately got in bed, and Darry sat down on the edge of the bed next to him. The doctor came by and stuck his head in the door. He had a grim look on his face. He can't have good news. I thought. The doctor slowly walked in.
"I have more news for you concerning the bloodwork we did before Pony got his chemo today."
We all just looked at him with fear written all over our faces, and Steve walked in. He saw us, and the smile left his face.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"The news isn't good, and I need to see Darrel Curtis alone for a few minutes." The doctor said.
Darry stood up silently and left the room with the doctor. I looked at Pony, and I could tell he was terrified. What was wrong now? It had to be horrible or the doctor wouldn't ask to talk to Darry alone. Tears were running down Pony's cheeks, and I sat down next to him.
"It's okay, little buddy. Whatever this is, we'll get through it." I was trying to convince myself too, but it wasn't working very well.