When they got Soda back into bed, the siblings saw how rough Soda looked. Helping him wasn't an easy task because he was close to collapsing onto the floor from his sickness. It surely didn't help Ponyboy either because he was still feeling weak and sore all over.
They had gotten him covered up to where he was comfortable. Bexley had grabbed the thermometer and she checked Soda's temperature. Their worry spiked up because his fever was going up. They knew they had to get him cooled down.
Bexley had gone to fetch some cool clothes from the bathroom for Soda's forehead. She had told Ponyboy to stay with Soda. Whenever they got sick, this tactic would usually help bring their temperature down a little bit.
Ponyboy felt bad for even letting Steve go and see Soda while he was bedridden. He felt as though the severity of this situation was pointing right back at him.
Darry came back after Two-Bit and Steve had left. Ponyboy looks up at him with tears in his eyes. Bexley was still dapping Soda's forehead to help him stay cool. "Oh, Pone. I think your fever's back," Darry sighed, resting a hand on his forehead.
Bexley glances up when she hears Darry's voice and sees the tears in Ponyboy's eyes. Her heart broke for her twin brother, forgetting that he was still sick as well. Darry looks at Bexley for a moment. "Keep doing what you're doing, Bexley. I'll take care of Pony," he said.
"Okay, Dar," she said, watching as he carried Ponyboy out of the bedroom. Bexley saw the uncomfortable look on her older brother's pale face. "Easy, Soda. You're gonna be okay," she said gently, shushing him.
Back in Darry's room, he had Ponyboy strip down until he was in his underwear. "Let's get you into something you can sleep in, okay?" Darry said, rummaging through his drawer for a large shirt and some pj pants.
Ponyboy was shivering in his underwear, hugging his bare arms. Darry gives him a black t-shirt and some sweatpants. Chills ran through Ponyboy's frail body when he put the clothes on. He felt exhausted where he stood, his eyes closing.
"C'mon, Pone. Let's get you back to bed," Darry said, picking his youngest brother up bridal style. He carried him back to their bedroom and laid him on the bed. Ponyboy thought laying down would help but it made the aching in his body worse.
Darry had given him medicine before turning his attention towards Sodapop. "How is he?" he asked Bexley. "Not so good, Darry," she said sadly. "Wake him up. He needs to have some medicine," Darry instructed, feeling his heart break at hearing the tone in his sister's voice.
Bexley shook Soda by his shoulder to wake him up. Soda groaned from the pain in his throat. "It hurts…" he whimpered, trying to turn away. "What hurts, little buddy?" Darry asked. Soda gently held his aching throat.
"It's okay, Soda. We're gonna help you. You need to take some medicine to help it," Bexley said, brushing his sandy-colored hair back. Soda opened his mouth and took the medicine.
Afterward, he went back into a fitful sleep. Ponyboy tried to go back to sleep, hearing whimpers from his big brother every few seconds. After fighting to get comfortable, he snuggled under Soda's arm, falling asleep.
Bexley slept in Darry's bedroom again, still not comfortable with sleeping alone.