Author's Note: Well, this chapter's kind of short too…. And by 'kind of short', I mean REALLY short. Sorry! Next chapter wilI be the longest. After that, I'll take some more requests if y'all have 'em. Lemme know. ;D

CHAPTER III: The Conclusion and Tom & Jerry

"Are you kiddin' me? My wisdom teeth have to be taken out?" Darry asked the dentist.

"Yes, if you want to stop the pain. It's just going to get worse. I recommend you come in tomorrow just to get it over with."

Darry's face went pale. This was like his worst nightmare coming true. As Pony patted his shoulder sympathetically, I answered the dentist for Darry.

"Yeah, that'd be great. We'll be back here tomorrow at 'round..."

"One in the afternoon." Dr. Jameson supplied for me.

"One o'clock." I repeated.

"One o'clock." Darry echoed as if he were doomed.

"Okay boys, thanks for coming in! And Darrel, no eating or drinking for at least an hour." He merely nodded, in a daze, as me and Ponyboy led him out to the car. It was total silence as I drove home. It was strange. I felt like I was the older brother since Darry was so freaked out. Pony cleared his throat and attempted to cheer our actual oldest brother up.

"Aw, Darry it ain't that bad..." he started, only to be interrupted.

"Yes it is! It's like surgery and it'll hurt." he declared. I shook my head.

"Nuh uh. They put you to sleep first, so you don't feel a thing." Darry rolled his eyes.

"Oh great. So they'll drug me, yank out some teeth and ship me home?" Why did he have to be so melodramatic when he was afraid?

"Darry, c'mon man. It's not like that. Really." I tried to convince him.

"How would you know? You've had your wisdom teeth out before?"

"Well, no. But I've heard that-" I began, only to me cut off.

"Uh huh. Sure." he grumped. He was acting like a three-year-old! Pony seemed to sense the tention.

"Hey, how 'bout the gang hangs out with us tonight? It's not like they'll be doin' anythin' tonight anyway." Pony piped up.

"Sure." Darry answered. Everybody was quiet the rest of the way home.

Later that night, everybody was crowed in the living room watching "Tom and Jerry", Dally's favorite show. He laughed like a maniac as Tom was cruelly hit in the face by a shovel. Two-bit rolled his eyes and flipped his hair out of his face.

"When will Mickey Mouse be on again?" he whined. Everybody groaned.

"I think I've seen enough Mickey for my entire life." Steve commented. "Tom and Jerry are like a breath of fresh air." I laughed and glanced at Darry. He had be quiet the whole evening. He was sitting on the couch next to me. I elbowed him in the ribs.

"You okay?" I whispered. He sighed.

"Yeah, just nervous." Johnny, who was planted on the floor directly in front of us, looked up at us with his big eyes.

"Whatcha nervous 'bout?" he asked innocently. Darry looked at him for a second.

"Oh. Uh, I'm just gettin' my wisdom teeth out tomorrow. I hate the stupid dentist." he grumbled, crossing his arms. I watched as Pony whispered something in Johnny's ear.

"Hey, I can come with y'all to keep you company Darry!" he suggested.

"That'd be real nice." Darry smiled at Johnny's kindness.

"Go where? I wanna go!" Two-bit announced, turning to Darry.

"Well, I gotta go to the d-dentist tomorrow to get my teeth pulled out." my oldest brother explained. He gulped.

"He's a little worried about it." I told them, giving Darry a comforting grin.

"Well, hell, why don't we all just go then?" Dally asked, eyes still glued to the screen.

"That be great." Darry murmured, lost in his own anxious thoughts.