A/N: This is not the most exciting chapter, but it is needed. Definitely not my favorite, but that's the breaks.
Dediction: This goes out to Tensleep – and she knows why! Have a great day Tens!
Darry's POV
I slammed the alarm off my bed stand and groaned deeply at the thought of getting up after only four hours of sleep. I was planning on staying home with Pony that day considering how drugged up they had him, but only the boss could determine such things.
I dragged my tired body out of bed and splashed some cold water on my face for temporary energy. Then I thought about the night before. Sure enough it had been self inflicted, and the doctors figured it out. They didn't, however get after us, they just fixed up Pony as best the could for the time being and set up some visits with a psychologist. They gave me some tips for the mean time, as the visit wasn't until the next day when he wouldn't be too drugged up. Just things like not pushing him and trying to talk things out. Things that any knowing human would think of, but not me.
Still, things were bleak in that house. The night before had been my worst nightmare since my parent's death. And things weren't going to work out all fancy either, they never did. The doctors said Pony's hand was really messed up. They did tons of stitches, and whatever else it is they do for things like that, but the doctor said that if it didn't heal right, and even if it did, he might have to have a surgery or two. No matter, the bills would be pounding on our door all too soon.
I sighed and leaned down to open the brown textile curtains we had had since as long as I could remember. What I saw when after the blinding brightness had scarred my eyes told me I had not to worry about taking a day off, we wouldn't be able to work anyhow. I was glad for that.
"What're you doin'p?" the slurred voice startled me at first, but then it registered to be Soda.
"Gotta call the boss and make sure he aint insane. You?" I looked behind me to see Soda stretching and then rubbing his eyes with both his hands. He gave me an odd glare to avoid the light of the outside glow, but dismissed it quick enough.
"'eard ya…I got work anyhow…" He yawned.
Closing the curtains I scuffled into the kitchen and turned on the light, "Coffee?" I asked Soda.
"Yeah…that shit will get me through my shower at least." I understood exactly what he meant.
"Soda." I stopped him.
He turned my way, "Wha?"
"Maybe you should just stay home today. It was a hard, long night, and…" I shrugged, "It might be good for us to get more sleep and both be home with him today."
"Nah, s'okay. Bobby took the week off, and me and Steve are both pulling all day shifts since Frank has been real sick. I cant get it off. I'll be fine, jus make the coffee." He scuffed into the bathroom and shut the door.
The bags under Sodas eyes worried me, but I shook it off and went back to pick up the phone.
"Want some eggs?" I asked the more than distant Pony sitting in my dining room chair.
He shrugged his shoulders, not moving more than that or caring to acknowledge that I was staring at the back of his dark hair.
"I'll take that as a yes? You get the usual unless you speak up." I tried. He didn't.
Walking back into the kitchen, I wondered what it was I was going to do with him. We had been up an hour, well, he had, and in that time not a word had been said out of his mouth. He wouldn't even make any eye contact with me. Was he really that mad? I supposed it didn't matter at the time and started cooking up the eggs.
The door opened and slammed hard against the snow chilled wind that was running hard around the corners of the houses on our block.
"Who's here?" I called out. The last thing I had expected that morning was a visitor, not with the weather outside right then at least.
"Just me…" It was Soda, and he didn't seem in the best mood. I stepped from the kitchen as the eggs cooked, and poked my head around to the front door. Soda was sitting tearing his boots off along with a coat.
"You're home early. I thought you worked till three. It's not even noon yet." I wasn't mad, but it was a little odd for him to be home early. Soda loved his work so much that he was likely to work over for free instead of leaving as soon as he could.
"Yeah, well, the boss decided to shut down early. No one is out there anyway, just kids playing around. No one to get business off of." He finally stood up, striped down to only his pants, which were soaking wet and surely cold. Then he walked past me, "Im taking a shower." He called back. Couldn't blame him there.
By the time I got back to the kitchen, the eggs were nearly burnt, but luckily edible enough. I dished them onto a plate and set them in front of Pony with a glass of chocolate milk and a piece of perfect toast.
"Eat up, kid. The doctor said you need to eat with that pill I'm going to give you."
Pony stared at the food, then picked the toast up and took the smallest bite I had seen him take since he was six years old. I shook my head, still behind him.
"Pony…" my tone wasn't angry, and I was surprised it didn't convey my boiling feelings, but I was happy also. I knew the last thing that I needed to do then was lose my patience, but I was wearing thin. I still didn't even know what had happened to Pony's hand, or why he had hurt himself, and it ate at me like a wood tick. I just hoped I could keep the reinforcements in place long enough.
At my little insistence, Pony stuffed the entire piece of toast in his mouth. Then he pushed his chair back hard into me, stood up and stalked out of the kitchen.
I stood bewildered and wondering what I had done. The line to cross was far past saying his name in a bored tone…right? Picking up the plate, I stuffed some eggs in my mouth and walked back into the kitchen. What a waste of time, I thought. Then again, this whole day seemed to be geared for that anyhow.
"Why's Pony so upset? He wont even talk to me. Went into the bathroom as soon as I started asking him questions." Soda was leaning in the doorway between the kitchen and dining room.
"Dunno. He hasn't talked all morning, refused to eat, and left when I said his name." I handed the still mostly full plate of eggs to Soda, "Not your favorite, but eat up." Then I rummaged around for some jelly and took it out to Soda.
Pony's POV
I sat in the bathroom, wondering how I could get out of the hell I found myself in. It hadn't left, no, it had been there too long. Was I not allowed to break? I couldn't tell anyone, but I couldn't break. I had to eat, and I had to sleep; I had to be this normal person, but I wasn't.
I sighed, looking down at my bandaged hand. It sure hurt, still did. But the pain was good. Even as it got worse and coursed up my arm, even as I wished it away; the pain was keeping me there. It would be so easy to just take the medicine that they had given me for pain, but I couldn't face the thought of being so weak as to do that. I deserved this pain, and I wanted it.
I had broken, and that was bad. This was my punishment, I thought. I coudn't even face Darry, and of course he didn't understand. I couldn't explain this, and that's what he wanted. Not even Soda looked at me the same. I could see the change behind his eyes, in his half-hearted grin.
Now I was being punished, but the punishment, as bad as it seemed, I knew was not enough. I had caused too many things to get off with this little. And now I had gone and broke.
Soda's POV
It had been two hours since I had eaten Pony's eggs, and I hadn't seen him since. Darry had tried to give him some medication for pain, but he refused, started throwing things and slammed the door in Darrys face once he was in the hallway. If I hadn't been so worried over his behavior, I might have found it humerous, but this wasn't.
The last few weeks had presented Pony as bad to worse. First he started acting weird, then we got calls from the school for odd behavior, and then calls from a counselor at school who was very concerned about his well being. Luckily, we had avoided Social services so far, but it was looking more and more bleak.
Then things came home. Darry started dating more just recently, when things got serious with Cory, so he wasn't home much between that and work, and when he was he was in lala land over the lady. And well…Pony and I were kinda left to fend for ourselves. The gang was over a lot, and we just had fun. But soon Pony started to withdraw. He didn't do things, or laugh or smile or anything. Like a switch had been turned and he lost his light.
Sure, I was worried, and Darry and I talked about it. He tried to be home more, and has been, we worked with the school and tried to talk to Pony. We even thought things were going better. But Pony got the best of us yesterday. Something went haywire in his brain, and a spark flew him off the hook.
"Soda?" I looked up to see Darry staring at me from his armchair.
"Wha-Yeah?" I stammered.
He grinned slightly, "What are you doing?"
I looked around. The TV was off, there was nothing in my hands, the window curtains were down, and I was just sitting. What was I doing?
"Ummm…thinking?"
Darry shook his head slightly, "Don't think too much, it gets dangerous. And it could kill the likes of you."
He was trying to make a joke, so I smiled and went along with it. Of course the underlying meaning hurt too much to not pretend it was only a joke.
I chuckled, "Well, I better start taking your advice then. But if I ever grew up, you might die of boredom."
"More like bask in it" Darry mumbled as the door shot open letting the screaming wind and snow shock us out of our playful banter.
"Don't you love the snow!" Two-Bit walked in, looking as if he had rolled all the way here. He was soaked and still had clumps of frozen snow all over his less than winter ready clothing and body.
I chuckled slightly at his antics. Only Two-Bit would do such a thing, although in my more crazy moments I will admit to having joined him, and will likely another time to come. Darry stared at Two-Bit, seemingly astounded at a site he sees annually, if not more, but still doesn't understand.
Every year when Two-Bit saw snow he would do something equally crazy, but different in manner. He did everything from attaching a sled to a car, and "sledding" behind the speeding machine, to making a giant snowman that took half a day and the whole gang of grumbling guys, to snowball tournaments with the neighbors, building an igloo and sleeping in it a night, and white washing himself; which seemed to be the case this time.
I answered Two-Bits question, as he stood in the doorway, the door still flung wide open, and him smiling like an eight year old school boy. "Sure I do," I smiled good naturedly, "Now, will you close the door yet?"
Darry got up before Two-Bit had the chance to shut it, and slmmed it closed, shutting out the wind.
"Go take a warm shower before you catch pneumonia, Keith." Darry pushed him toward the bathroom and went to get a towel from the linen closet. The floor by the door was soaked.
Hope you all enjoyed! Now to Reviews!
Keira: Yeah, yeah. I will finish it…if people start reviewing damn it. Oh well. I'm on my way. Hope you like this one too.
NittanyLizard: I didn't want you to cry! But I'm glad that it touched you. I've had enough of my own experiences there too. Not fun. I'm sorry that you had to go through that. I am hoping that this fiction opens some eyes on the subject. Sometimes going through it before understanding it causes more problems than we know. Hope you enjoyed this filler chapter! And thanks for the support.
Tensleep: Hope this chapter ws worth the wait too. All of them require a good wait, huh? Well, I don't know that there will be foreshadowing…considering that I don't recall what that line was…Ill have to check for you! lol. Well, have a GREAT day! Hope you enjoyed!
Well, that's it till next time. Have fun.