FYI: This story does continue with my other stories. Sorry if I confused anyone. Also, thanks for the great reviews. Hope you keep reading.

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If there's a spell on you that

I could take away

I would do the deed

Yeah and by the way

Here's to Heaven knows

As the circle goes

It ain't right

I'm uptight

Get off my toes!

-Aerosmith

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Darry's POV

"Darry," Dana said, her green eyes glittering in the dark, "do me a favor and stop sleeping in that chair. It's going to give you back problems."

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes and instead sighed. "Do me a favor and call next time you come over." I checked my watch. "It's after one." We were standing in the doorway, me on the inside of the house, her on the outside, on the porch. She held the screen door open and tapped her nails against the tin.

Clackety clack clack

Huffily she said, "Well, I just wanted to let you know we couldn't have lunch tomorrow. I'm pulling double shifts at the hospital."

Isn't that what a phone's for? I thought with annoyance.

"That's fine. I'll be busy with work too," I lied. I was planning on relaxing for a few days since I had some vacation time due to me. But I definitely didn't want to spend it with her. She was more work than Ponyboy had been at 14.

I almost wished I could be like Soda who brought home a different girl every month. But he never stayed with her for long. Sodapop was still scarred from Sandy. No one ever spoke about it, but we all knew she did a number on my brother. I was just thankful she had never answered any of his letters. He was better off without her.

Dana opened her mouth to complain but then shut it just as abruptly, staring behind me. I followed her eyes. Ponyboy walked into the room, wearing a baggy t-shirt and sweats. "Hi sweetie," Dana chirped, brushing her black hair out of her eyes.

"Hi," he said softly, looking embarrassed at having interrupted us.

"What're you doin' up?" I asked.

"Nothin'." But his tone told me that it was something. Scrutinizing him closer, I saw that he was pale and sweaty. Pony turned from me and got a glass of water from the kitchen.

"Dana, I-"

"I know. You got to go." Resignedly, she touched my shoulder and then stood on her tiptoes to give me a kiss. "Bye, you big jerk."

I found my brother popping five aspirin and then swallowing a large glass of water. I took the bottle away from him and set in on top of the fridge. "That's not good for you."

Sheepishly, he rubbed his tired eyes and nodded to the front door. "Is she good for you? C'mon Dar, she drives you crazy."

"Just you let me worry about that." He was right though. We both knew it. "Why're you up? Nervous for tomorrow?" Lord knows I was. It was only his high school graduation but I couldn't help myself.

"Tomorrow?" He shook his head. "Nah. That's gonna be smooth sailing."

Then Ponyboy looked at me with an expression I hadn't seen in a while: fear. He was afraid. Dark circles stood out underneath his eyes and he exhaled slowly. Nonplussed, I waited for him to speak.

"I had a nightmare Darry." His fearful face turned to panic and then to anger. "I haven't had one in…what, almost two years?" Pony's voice rose slightly, shaking.

Nodding, I tried to remember. "Yeah. That sounds about right." The worst and last ones he had had were around the time he had gotten back from the Vietnam. I gritted my teeth, hating the memories of him returning hurt and afraid.

Ponyboy bit his lip thoughtfully and I tried not to smile. He still looked so young. Hell, to me he still was young.

Ponyboy set his glass in the sink and then shut his eyes. I was struck by how worried he was. "Do you remember it?" I asked insistently.

"Oh yeah. This is not good, Darry."

"Pony? It's just a nightmare…"

Furiously, he waved me off, pacing the room. He was like a ping-pong ball, my head going from left to right. "No. They're not just nightmares. Bad things are going to happen. They do whenever I dream." I frowned and rubbed my chin. It was as if he were talking to himself, I no longer mattered. "I knew things were too good. Just when they were going right-"

Bothered, I grabbed his wrist, making him face me. Getting himself worked up was not going to help tonight. "Stop it. You've been stressed lately, what with school and all. Just relax and-"

I stopped short and glanced down in dismay at his hands. They were shaking so hard even I couldn't stop them. He saw what I was looking at and choked out in awe, "Glory, I'm a mess."

And then I couldn't have wished for anything better. A disheveled and sleepy Soda was there and he pulled Ponyboy down into a chair. "Honey, just take a breath. You're gonna make yourself sick," he murmured softly into Pony's ear, Soda's long fingers wrapped around Pony's hands. Pony snapped his eyes shut and tried to calm down for Soda's sake.

From my place by the stove, I marveled at their relationship. Ponyboy and myself had worked at ours long and hard and now, finally, we had a good one. But Sodapop and Ponyboy had been born with a relationship. Sometimes, they just could look at each other and know what the other one was going to say or think.

Now that he was older, Pony was 'allowed' to tag along with Steve and Soda. Steve didn't mind at all, even though he put up the façade of being annoyed. Steve and Ponyboy had an odd respect for each other, that had instantaneously happened overnight, to the joy of Sodapop and the mystification of Two-Bit and myself.

Ponyboy finally stopped his shaking and Soda smoothed his sweaty hair back. "Want to come sleep with me? For old time's sake?" He grinned goofily at our brother who shot him his own smile back.

Tiredly, I rubbed my eyes. "Get to bed," I told them both. "We have to be up early tomorrow."

"Speak for yourself," Soda retorted. "So, Pony? Whaddya say?"

Our brother shook his head firmly. Already he seemed calmer. "No. I'm fine Soda. I'm gonna go on back to bed." At Soda's doubtful look he continued, "Seriously. I'll fall asleep in half a second. Don't worry."

Standing up, Ponyboy drowsily made way for the bedroom. "Thanks, Darry," he mumbled as he left.

"I can't believe it," Soda said distractedly after Ponyboy had left.

"Neither can I."

But I wasn't sure whether we were talking about his upcoming graduation or the fact that after nearly a two-year hiatus Ponyboy's nightmares had once again reared their ugly head.

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