Thanks to everyone who reviewed, the person who added this story as their favorite story, and for all the author and story alerts! ^_^ Also, I'm working better on this with the characters and I'm trying my best; so, please just be easy on me. =) Enjoy! ^^

I pressed the elevator button, not wanting the doors to ever open. Steve and I were standing on the first floor and waiting for the elevator to come down for us to get in. I hated elevators, though. I wasn't at all claustrophobic, but I didn't like the way it felt when the elevator started going. Steve, on the other hand, loved elevators. He enjoyed the weird feeling you get in your stomach as you're going up and the feeling like your head is gonna fly off when you're going down. But I just wasn't like that. I hated those things. Hated them so much it almost made me sick.

The elevator doors came open and I thought, Okay, Ponyboy, just remember, the only reason you don't mind the elevator this time is because your brother is up there on the sixth floor and you love him very much. I forced my feet to move forward and stepped into the elevator, feeling like a nervous wreck. I backed up against the wall furthest away from the door, closing my eyes. "You all right, Pony?" Steve asked, pressing the number six button.

"Yeah," I answered. A while later, the elevator stopped at the sixth floor. The doors opened and Darry walked into the elevator. "Darry!" I exclaimed. "What're you doing here? You're supposed to be with Soda!" "I have to get to work," he explained calmly. "I knew that you guys were on your way up here, so, I figured it was time for me to go." "You be safe at work," I ordered. Darry grinned. "I will," he said. Steve and I stepped out of the elevator. "Bye, Darry, see ya tonight," I said. "I'll be getting here a little later than usual since I've missed over half a day of work. It'll be later, but not too late," Darry explained. "See ya, Ponyboy. Bye, Steve." We waved bye and the elevator shut.

"Which room is he in now? Since they moved him?" Steve asked. I took a small piece of paper out of my pocket and looked at it. "Roooom... 16," I answered. Steve nodded and we headed down the hall. When we walked into the room, Sodapop was still laying on the bed like I'd left him that morning. He smiled when he saw me and Steve. "Hey, Soda, what's goin' on?" Steve asked softly, walking over to the side of the bed. He'd sounded happy when he'd asked it, but I could see the sadness in his eyes. Soda chuckled weakly. "The food here tastes like crap," he said. I smiled. "Don't worry, if the nurses will let us, we'll get Darry to stop by a store and get you some real food on the way back here from work."

Sodapop smiled. "Okay," he said. "In fact, I'll go find a nurse right now and ask if we are allowed to bring you some good food," Steve said. Soda nodded and Steve walked out of the room. I sat down in a chair beside Sodapop's bed. "How're you feelin'?" I asked. "All right, I guess," he answered. There was a long pause. "When did you get your cold?" I asked. "Do you know?" He nodded. "Two days ago is when I got sick," he explained. "When did you get bit by the dog? And whose dog was it? And where were you when it happened?" My voice had been rising with confusion and concern and I decided to stop after I'd asked the last question.

"Calm down, Pony," Soda said softly. I nodded. "I will." "To answer your questions, though, I got bit yesterday morning. Early. Like, 4:30am kind of early," he explained. My eyes widened. "I had left early for work, because my boss had told me to. And yes, I went even though I wasn't feeling well. I'd decided to walk down to the DX, thinking maybe it would make me feel a little better.

"I was almost to the DX. I was just in the small neighborhood right before you cross the road to go to the gas station when some Socs in a car drove up. I had no idea what they were doing in our side of town at 4:30 in the morning. I tried to walk faster and act like I didn't see them, to avoid them as best as I could. But their car sped up to me and two of 'em jumped out. They had a big dog. A rottweiler. It barked at me meanly and they let him off his chain and he came running at me. He tackled me and bit the crap out of my side.

"I walked the whole way home slowly, trying to get there before you, Darry, Dally, and Johnnycake got up. Then I just laid on the recliner and fell asleep when I got back home. After you got up I went to our room and laid on the bed for the rest of the morning until you guys came and found out I was hurt," Sodapop explained.

I gasped. "Sodapop!" I exclaimed. "It was, like, one or two in the afternoon when we found you! You were hurt for about nine hours! This could be way worse than it is! You're lucky God protected you!" I felt like crying but I didn't. I knew it wouldn't make Soda any better if I did. I just sighed. Sodapop raised his eyebrows. "You okay, Ponyboy?" he asked, probably reading my expression. "I'm fine, Soda. The question is: are you okay?" I answered. "Could be better," he said simply with a slight grin. "But I'll be all right. I always am." I smiled. I knew he would be all right. If anyone could be all right through this, it was Dally Winston. But after him, it was Soda.

That's when Steve came back into the room. "Sodaaaa," he said playfully. It always seemed to me that he was happier around Soda than he was anyone. Sodapop grinned. "What?" he asked. "The nurses said that Pony and I can go get you some real food," Steve explained. Soda's smiled grew bigger.

"Get to it, then," he joked. Steve motioned to the door and I stood up. "See you in a few minutes," I told my brother. "Be back in a few," Steve added. Then, we both left the room. "We'd better hurry. I wouldn't want anything to happen and us not be here," I said as we got into the elevator.

Twenty minutes later, we were back at the hospital with some good smelling - and I'm sure good tasting - food. When we reached the sixth floor, we heard a lot of commotion coming from down the hall.

"But - no - wait! Y-You don't understand! We have to see him!"

"No one under nineteen is getting into that room."

"Wanna bet?"

"Why, yes, I-"

"Move! Please!"

We heard a crashing noise.

"Ow!"

"Watch where you kick him, idiot!"

"Uh, boys? I'm afraid I'm gonna have to ask you to leave."

"But that's our friend in there!"

"Hasn't the nurse already told you that you must be nineteen or older to go inside? None of you look nineteen to me."

"Listen, idiots. The hospital called me saying that there's been an emergency with that kid in there. I came and now you won't let me in!"

"Oh. Well then, you may go in."

We heard a door shut. We were getting closer to the voices and I wondered how long the hallway was.

"Are you here for your checkup, Mr. Cade?"

I looked at Steve urgently. "Cade!" I exclaimed. "Johnny's here! And I have a feeling something's wrong!" "Yeah and those over voices must've been Two-Bit and Dal'! We've gotta get to Soda quick!" Steve added. We sprinted down the rest of the hallway until we reached room sixteen. Two-Bit was helping Johnny up from beside a cart of food. They didn't realize that Steve and I were standing there; neither did the doctor they were talking to. "Not exactly. I'm here for a friend; but I guess I'll have my checkup today, anyway," Johnny answered. The doctor smiled. "Sounds good," he said.

That's when we heard a yelp from room sixteen. I ran toward the door, but the nurse in front of it pushed me back. "That's my brother in there!" I yelled. "Yeah, and I'm the queen of England. Now, run along and you can see your 'brother' when he feels better," the nurse said. "Sodapop is his brother! And you're the mean nurse from yesterday; aren't you?" Steve exclaimed. "Yeah. So what?" the nurse snapped. "You're a very hateful woman," Steve commented. "You're right," the nurse replied, smiling ruefully. "Just let 'im in," Two-Bit ordered.

"Doctor said no to let anyone come into the room except Darrel Curtis and anyone nineteen or older," the nurse explained. "Dallas Winston was an exception." I stared at the nurse with wide eyes. "Well, is my brother Darry here?" I asked worriedly. She shook her head.

"No," she answered. "We've tried calling him, but we haven't got an answer yet." "Keep calling," I instructed. "He's at work; but there still might be a chance you'll get him." By now, I felt like I was gonna start bawling. Darry wasn't here, the nurse wouldn't let me see my own brother, and I had to leave the mature decisions to Dallas Winston, the one who screamed in my face when I asked him if he wanted cheese or mayonnaise on his ham sandwich. That was just great.

Two-Bit put a hand on my shoulder. "It's okay, Ponyboy," he told me. I nodded and wiped my eyes before any tears could come out. I was worried about Sodapop. Johnny's doctor, Dr. Adams, looked at us with a sympathetic expression on his face. "Your brother will be fine," he assured me. I nodded, but knew I wouldn't believe him until I saw Soda for myself.

There was a few minutes that passed by where no one said anything. "Johnny are you ready for your checkup?" Dr. Adams asked easily, breaking the silence. Johnny turned to him and nodded, but didn't say anything.

"Pony, why don't you go with Johnnycake?" Steve suggested. "Two-Bit and me will stay here just in case they need us." I was about to protest when Two-Bit spoke. "We'll let you know if anything is seriously wrong with Soda," he promised. I nodded. "Okay." Then, I hesitated, but still walked away with Johnny and Dr. Adams.

Twenty minutes later, I wanted nothing more than to get back to room sixteen. For a while, or at least a few minutes, my concentration was fully on making sure that the doctor said Johnny was okay. But after I heard the doc say, "Johnny seems to be doing just fine," I kind of zoned out. I was more than ready to get back to Sodapop.

"The only thing I recommend is that Johnny stays on crutches," the doctor went on and I shot Johnny a look. He shyly looked away and Dr. Adams smiled. "So, Johnny, stay off those feet and if you have to get up, use crutches," he explained. "And Ponyboy, it might not be a good idea for him to stay with you and your brothers. If he catches that cold that your brother has, it could be serious. And if he gets sick we may have to keep him here in the hospital." Johnny's dark eyes widened and he turned quickly to stare at the doctor. "I recommend him to stay at his own house." The doctor obviously had no clue about Johnny's life at home. "It would be better for him and Sodapop."

I sighed helplessly. There was no way Johnny could go home. And if he didn't, he could get worse. Well, either way, he could. But from what it was sounding like, he'd have to go back home.