After Two-Bit calmed down from his little outburst, he settled down into the floor behind my chair. Steve joined him, and soon they were both asleep against the wall. Darry and I sat back down in our chairs, and he too eventually fell asleep. I was the only one awake now. I rested my elbows on Pony's bed, and watched him sleep. Jesus, just watching him made me feel tired.
Through the window on the other side of the room, I could see the dark sky starting to lighten. I glanced at the clock on the wall, but the room was too dark to see the time. I figured it was a little after six. I yawned, hearing my jaw crack.
Laying my head down on top of the comforter, I closed my eyes. I lightly held onto Pony's limp hand, and felt myself drifting off. I didn't want to go to sleep, in case Pony woke up, but damn, I could hardly keep my eyes open.
XxX
Darry was gone when I woke. Two-Bit and Steve were still asleep against the wall behind me, and Pony still lay asleep in his bed. He was rolled onto his side, facing away from me. I never even felt him move.
Glancing up at the clock, I saw that it was a quarter after nine. It was daylight out, but clouds loomed against the sky, threatening rain. I sighed and yawned, stretching my arms above my head.
The door opened and Darry walked back inside, carrying another cup of coffee.
"Hey," he greeted sleepily, stirring his coffee.
"Hey."
"I talked to the doctor a while ago, they said that as long as Pony is still doing alright tonight, then we can take him home in the morning."
I nodded, trying to contain the relief I was feeling right then; a small smile broke out on my face. I had been so worried, and had feared the worst, that I honestly hadn't expected Pony to make it through the night. Hearing that he may be able to come home soon was enough to get my mind off the fact that he still hadn't woken up.
Darry sat back down in his usual spot, taking a sip of his drink. He laid a hand against Pony's forehead.
"Still pretty warm," he commented. Ponyboy didn't make any movement. Darry pulled the blankets up to his chin and tucked them around his shoulders.
The day was long. Steve and Two-Bit woke up at ten. They both went to our house to shower, and then came right back as soon as they finished.
"Soda, why don't you and Darry go get cleaned up a bit?" Steve said, squeezing my shoulder. "Me an' Two-Bit'll watch the kid."
I was leery of leaving Pony's side. Not that I didn't trust Steve and Two-Bit, I definitely did.. I just didn't want to leave my baby brother. What if he woke up, and I wasn't there? What if something happened while I was gone?
I started to decline, but Darry spoke up. "That would be great. Come on, Soda."
Grumbling, I stood up. I leaned over Pony's bed, and lightly kissed his forehead. "We'll be right back, I promise."
Despite being exhausted as hell, I sped-walked all the way to the car. I wanted to hurry up and get home, get showered, and then hurry back here. Darry seemed to be taking his sweet time getting to the car, and that only fueled my frustrations.
We seemed to catch every red light on the way home, and everyone else on the road seemed to be going ten under the speed limit. I tapped my foot impatiently.
"Soda, calm down. He's gunna be just fine," Darry said as we pulled into the driveway. I ignored him, hopping out of the car before it was turned off. I hurried up the porch, hissing in frustration when I realized that the front door was locked.
"Why the hell is the door locked?" I snapped as Darry walked up the steps, keys in hand.
"Steve and Two-Bit must of locked it behind them." He turned the key in the lock, and I shoved my way through the door.
I was in and out of the shower in literally five minutes. Pulling a clean shirt on over my head, I allowed Darry into the bathroom and beelined to the kitchen, in search of something to eat. The cabinets were pretty much bare; I had to settle for a piece of bread with peanut butter spread over it.
Darry seemed to take forever in the bathroom. Once I was done eating, I sat in the armchair by the door, waiting on him. I wondered what was going on up at the hospital. Had Pony woken up yet? Was he doing better at all?
I must of dozed off while sitting there, 'cause next thing I knew, Darry was shaking my knee.
"Took you long enough."
He ignored me, and we walked back out to the car. The ride back was no shorter than the one before. Glancing at the clock, I noticed that we'd been gone 45 minutes. I groaned inwardly.
Once again, I was out of the car before Darry had a chance to shut off the engine. I sped-walked through the front doors, Darry running to catch up. We rode the slow-as-hell elevator again, and I resumed my fast pace all the way to Pony's room.
Opening the door to room 315, I walked inside and stopped in the doorway.