Okay, you can yell at me. I broke out of the order I'd been in and updated my Numb3rs story before this one. I'M SORRY!

Well, the ball game was a lot of fun. It was WAY too hot, though. It got up to 95! I was miserable at first, but since it was a night game, it got better. We changed our minds and decided against staying at a hotel Friday night. I wish I had known or I would have updated then so you wouldn't have to go so long without an update! Our team won, by the way! YAY!

Enjoy!

Pony's POV

Dear Pony,

IYou shouldn't be worrying about what might go wrong. I know it'll hurt if it turns out that you can't walk, but you'll make it through. Soda and Darry are there for you and always will be. The gang will be there, too, even if they won't speak their reassurances that they'll be there. I wouldn't want to do that to you guys. I couldn't stand being such a burden to the three of you. Like you say, Soda and Darry work too hard as it is. I couldn't make them work even harder just because I don't want to leave you guys. I'll think of something.

I'm glad you finally saw Dallas. I hated the fact that you guys hadn't heard from him in so long. I was getting worried. SIlence is a bad thing in this case. I'd hate for any of the gang to be hurt and us not know about it.

Tom seems okay. He's even quieter than you. I think he hates this place as much as me. I don't know anyone here who likes it, though.

Thanks for the offer of your home. I know you guys would never mind, or at least never say so, but I don't want to put that kind of pressure on you.

Write back soon.

Your friend,

Johnny

I put Johnny's letter in my desk inside my room I shared with Soda. It's late and I should be sleeping, but I hadn't gotten around to reading it and wanted to now.

Soda was sound asleep in bed. I hated the way he'd been acting lately. Every time he came back from seeing Steve he looked a little worse. I think Steve's injuries and the fact that he'd been kicked out of his house was really bothering him. I knew he was afraid for his friend. I was too, but he was taking it harder than the rest of us.

I went to bed, climbing in beside Soda. I watched him sleep, noticing it was one time he did look peaceful.

I was almost asleep when our door opened. Darry hadn't been home for the night, so I assume it was him.

I squinted, trying to see if it was him.

" Darry?" I mumbled.

" Yeah, it's me, kiddo," He said.

Darry came into the room and over to our bed. He knelt down beside my side of the bed.

" How you doing, kid?" He asked after he sat beside my bed.

" Okay, I guess. What are you doing home so late?"

"I stopped to get some groceries."

" Oh."

Darry looked over me to Soda. I saw him smile at his sleeping form.

" He's out, isn't he?" He asked, grinning a rare grin.

" Yeah. Darry? Is he gonna be okay?"

" What do you mean? Is he hurt?" I saw the fear in Darry's eyes. I felt bad for making it come there.

" No, no. I mean with Steve. He's been working awfully hard because they haven't had someone to fill in for Steve. And he goes to see Steve every day and when he gets back he just looks worse than the time before. I'm worried about him, Darry."

I could hear the panic in my voice. I shouldn't be so scared, but I couldn't stand seeing Soda like that.

" Sh. He's okay, kiddo." Darry soothed as he brushed my hair back from my damp forehead.

" I think he's just worrying too much. He does that a lot. I don't know who we got it from, but it's something all three of us share. Worrying is in our blood. He'll be better once Steve gets out of the hospital, which should be by tomorrow."

I sighed. I was glad that Steve would be going home. I had only visited him twice, but he was worrying me, too. Bitterness was all I could hear in his voice and I hoped he'd be able to let go of it. Maybe I didn't understand. After all, I'd never been in a situation like that, coming from a good family. But I would think that he'd be able to forgive his own father.

" Get some sleep, Pony. You've got school in the morning."

" Okay, Darry. Good night."

"Good night, Pony," Darry said as he patted my shoulder. He stood up and left the room, closing the door behind him. I stared up at the ceiling. Worrying was in our blood. And it was because of that fact that I didn't tell Darry and Soda everything that went on in my life, in my head. It was because of that that I couldn't tell them the whole truth. Maybe that was why they didn't tell me the truth, too.

Steve's POV

I waited anxiously for Soda and Two-Bit to come pick me up. It was before our shift would start. We were getting out at the earliest moment. I wasn't looking forward to going back to work, but I knew I'd have to to help Soda. He had looked exhausted every time he came into my hospital room. I hated doing that to him. My damn father.

The police were not involved in what happened because I lied to the doctors, saying that I broke a bottle and then fell into it. I was surprised they bought it, but also relieved.

As much as I hated my father, I knew I couldn't put him behind bars. Some strange loyalty to family kept me from doing it. I knew Mom would never have approved, finding some way to make me feel guilty about it.

I was still thinking about my mother when Two-Bit and Soda walked into my room.

" Hey, Steve! Ready to go, man?" Soda asked as he came over to stand by my bed.

" Yeah, let's ditch this place," I said as I stood to my feet.

" How you feeling?" Two-Bit asked.

I looked at his face, noticing something amiss. There was no laughter in his eyes, as there usually was. It seemed weird.

" Fine. How about you?"

He shrugged. " Nothing can touch me, man." He smiled, but it never reached his eyes.

Something was wrong. Something was definitely wrong if Two-Bit couldn't even smile the same way. I hoped it was nothing serious. Maybe it was just a hangover.

" Let's go," Soda suggested, so we left, since I was already signed out.

Two-Bit drove us, calmly, to the DX. Soda and I got out there and watched him drive away.

" Everything okay with him?" I asked Soda.

" You noticed that too, huh?" I nodded. " I don't know. I hope nothing's wrong. You never know with Two-Bit. He's usually joking around, but he sure wasn't today."

" Yeah. That's definitely not like him."

" Well, come on, let's get to work."

" Sure."

I followed Soda into the DX, still wondering about what was wrong with Two-Bit.

Two-Bit's POV

I headed straight home after I dropped Soda and Steve off at the DX. I needed to be home.

I walked inside the house, knowing Mom wouldn't be home. I found my little sister in her room, where she was supposed to be.

" Hey, Molly. What's up?" I asked kindly.

Her haggard look, the sunken-in cheeks haunted me.

" Nothing," She said angrily.

" Come on, Moll. Don't be like that."

She looked away from me. I knew by the trembling in her bottom lip that she was trying not to cry.

" Molly? Come on, look at me."

She turned her head to face me. Tears were in her eyes, scaring me.

" You're going to be okay. I promise you."

She shook her head, denying my statement.

" No. No, the doctors said I'd only have a few months. I'm not going to be okay, Two-Bit! You know I'm not! Don't give me something to hope for when it's not there!"

Her passionate words struck home. I had to force tears away myself. I couldn't, wouldn't let my twelve-year old sister go. Not without a fight.

" I'm going to take care of you, you hear me?"

She nodded.

When the tears finally spilled over, I reached over for her. She welcomed my embrace, her slim form trembling beneath me. " You're going to be all right. Two-Bit's here," I soothed.

Her choked sobs reached my ears, playing over and over in my head. I had to do something! What I wanted to do was go to the store, by a whole keg of beer, and drink away what's happening to my "safe" world.

I tried to think of something I could do, but came up empty-handed. Mom was working her ass off as it was. I could try to get a job, but with my attention-span, I wouldn't be able to keep a job.

When Molly began to calm, I gently pushed her away from me.

" You want to go watch some tv?" I asked, already planning on watching Mickey Mouse.

She nodded solemnly.

She reached her arms up and placed them around my neck. I lifted her easily into my arms and carried her into the living room. I knew I shouldn't be wasting money on the electricity used in watching tv, but it kept Molly's mind off of what was happening to her, and it was worth every penny of it and more.

We sat there, watching tv. Soon, she was leaning her head on my shoulder, dozing off.

I thought to myself, this was too much for someone her age to be going through. She didn't deserve to live like this. She didn't deserve to have to die so soon, so young. It was killing me, thinking that she might not even make it to see thirteen. It can't be happening. She was hurting badly the night Steve got hurt. I had snapped at Soda, not because I was wanting to get drunk, but because I was trying to help her when he called. I couldn't stand watching her die right before my eyes and not be able to do anything about it.

I wrapped my arm around her protectively. No one was going to touch my baby sister. Not while I was around.

Anyone want to guess what's happening to her?