The nurse finally let me go back to see Pony. One of the doctors was in there.

"Hello, Mr. Curtis. Perhaps you can help me." Dr. Evans said.

"Help you with what, ma'am?" I asked.

"I can't get him to open his eyes. I know he's been awake a few times, but he won't open his eyes. Maybe if he hears you ask him to, he'll do it."

"Why do you need him to open his eyes?"

"Well, we want to make sure he can still see clearly. You never know when the bullet could have hit a nerve. Also, we need him to stay awake so we can make sure he's all right."

"I'll give it a shot."

"I think he's awake now. You can sit on the bed with him if you want."

Licking my lips, I sat on the edge of Pony's bed. I took his hand in mine. I heard him give a faint whimper, and I took it that he w as awake.

"Pony? Can you open your eyes for me?"

He whimpered again, as though in reply.

"Please try, kiddo. I know you can do it. Just open your eyes."

His eyes twitched, opening slightly, but then he shut them tight. He whimpered, but this time it sounded like he was trying to say something.

"What is it, baby?" I asked him.

"It. . ." That was all I could make out.

"Does it hurt?"

"Ye-s." He made out.

"Maybe you could dim the lights?" I asked Dr. Evans.

She went to the wall where she dimmed the lights a little.

"Try again, baby. You can do it."

He gave a little cry of pain.

"I know, I know, baby. You can do it. Just open your eyes."

This time, he squeezed my hand. He fought to open his eyes, and after a few tries, he did. Greenish-gray eyes looked up at me. I smiled at him.

"Well, there's those beautiful eyes." Dr. Evans said.

"Pony, I'm Dr. Evans. I want you to follow this light for me."

She took out a light and shone it by his eyes. He closed them against the light.

She laughed. "Sorry. Can we try again? I'll have you follow my finger instead."

Pony slowly opened his eyes. She moved her finger back and forth in front of his eyes. He followed them.

"Good. Now, Pony, can you tell me if you are in any sort of pain?"

"My. . .sto-" Was all he got out.

"Your stomach, baby?" I asked.

He nodded weakly.

"Well, that's because you were shot there, Pony. We took out the bullet and patched you up. It'll hurt for a while, but you'll be feeling better in no time.:

"Is that all?" I asked.

She smiled at me. "I guess so. I'll leave you two alone now. If you need anything, there's a button on the wall to inform one of the nurses."

"Thank you." I said as she walked out the door.

When I turned to look at Pony, I noticed he had tears rolling down his cheeks.

"What's the matter? Are you all right?"

He shook his head no. I used my hand to wipe the tears off. He leaned his face into my hand.

"It's okay, baby. You're fine." I said, trying to comfort him.

"Darry. . ."

"What is it, kiddo?"

"I. . .I love. . .you."

I sat there in silence. He turned his green-gray eyes to me. Slowly, a smile spread across his face, though the tears continued to flow.

"Oh, baby, I love you, too." I said, and then hugged him lightly, trying not to hurt him.

His thin arms wrapped around me, and he squeezed weakly.

"I was so afraid that I'd lose you." I said to him.

"I. . .know."

"I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. I'd have to kill myself, or something. There would be no living without you. After we lost Soda, I didn't think I'd ever be able to live again. But then, I looked at you. . .and I knew that I had to live, for your sake. I had to take care of you. I'm sorry I've done such a bad job of it."

"You. . .are a great. . .brother."

"What would I do without you? (lol) You're what keeps me going. Without you, I'd be nothing. I hope you know that."

"Why. . .do you think. . .I had. . .a bullet. . .in me?" He said, and then chuckled softly.

I started laughing, something I hadn't done in a long time.

Pony's eyes drooped, and I pulled the covers up around him.

"Go to sleep, baby."

"Okay." He didn't need any persuasion.

I sat there with him and watched him sleep.

Pony's POV

I don't remember ever being so tired. All I could do was sleep, and when I'd wake up, it wasn't for long.

Darry was always there. I don't know what he was doing at the hospital. He should have been at work. We couldn't afford for him to skip work.

The pain had eased, but if I lay a certain way, it would hurt again.

I don't know what was wrong with me, but on the third day I was in the hospital, I started sweating a lot, but I was cold. I didn't know what was happening.

"Darry!" I called. I was scared. I needed Darry.

"I'm here. What is it?" Darry said.

"I'm cold." I said through chattering teeth.

"Then how come you're sweating?" He was confused, like me.

"I don't kn-know."

Darry reached over and pressed the button that called for a nurse.

"Someone will be here in a minute. We'll get you better. It's okay." He pushed at my hair, getting it out of my face.

"I'm so c-c-cold."

"Sh. It's okay."

"What is it?" One of the nurses said.

"He says he's cold but he's sweating. I think he has a fever."

"Let's take his temperature."

"Just feel his forehead! That'll tell you that he has a fever." Darry argued.

The nurse stuck a disposable thermometer in my mouth, waited a few minutes, and then took it out.

"103. We have to get that fever down. Go get some antibiotics. I'll figure out what's causing it." She said, as the other nurse went out the door to get antibiotics.

"What's wrong with me, Darry?" I said, shivering from the cold.

"I don't know, baby. You'll be okay, though." He gave me a weak smile, and it did nothing to ease my troubled mind.

The nurse came over and stripped the bandages off my stomach as gently as she could. When I heard her intake of breath, I knew something was wrong.

"We need to get a doctor in here. The wound has become infected and it's spreading. We need to get him into surgery. Now!"

She ran out to get a doctor while me and Darry were left, scared to death.

"What's going to happen to me? What does it mean?" I was starting to panic.

"Sh, sh. It's okay. They'll fix it. You'll be fine. You have to be." I think he was saying it as much for himself as for me.

"I'm scared." I said, close to tears.

"I know, baby. It's okay. You'll be okay." Darry reached over and took my hand in his and squeezed.

Soon a doctor came in to my room. He took one look at my stomach and said, "Let's get him prepped for surgery."

The nurse came over and cleaned my wound a little, which stung. Then she placed a silly cap on my head. I looked to Darry, but found no strength there.

"Darry, am I going to be okay?" He took a look at the doctor and said, "You'll be fine, kid. You'll be fine."

I wasn't so sure I believed him.

The nurse put a mask of some sort over my face and told me to breathe deeply.

"Darry, I love you. I'll, I'll be. . ." But I fell asleep before I could finish my sentence.

Sorry it's so short. It'll be longer next time!