Chapter Two

Soda POV

After Pony told Darry, his face went white. We knew that Two-bit complained about his sister, but he loved her. I finally got Pony to go to bed, and then there were three. I figured out Steve probably wasn't leaving.

"Poor Two-bit."

Darry looked a lot different than he did earlier.

"Yeah. No wonder he hasn't been around."

Darry sighed.

"At least he said he'd come around more. Maybe we can make him happier."

Steve, looking annoyed, told me to come with him on the porch.

"No offense, Soda, but how come he wants to help Two-bit and not Pony?"

"I don't know. I guess he really is in denial."

"Did you see how the kid reacted to Two-bit? He can't handle much more."

"I know."

Pony POV

"Wake up, kid!"

I sat up and head butted whoever had woke me up.

"Son of a bitch!"

I rubbed my throbbing forehead, recognizing the harsh voice.

"Steve, what the hell?!"

He scowled at me.

"You were screaming bloody murder! I thought someone was attacking you!"

"Sorry..."

I laid against the backboard. Steve sighed and sat on the edge of the bed.

"You still having nightmares?"

I didn't say anything. It was embarrassing.

"I ain't gonna make fun of you, Pony. If you have nightmares that make you scream like that... Hell, I don't know how Soda does it."

I smirked.

"Not like that. I've never head butted him before."

He smirked back.

"Keep it up, smartass. I'll beat the tar out of you."

I rolled my eyes. We still bantered, but we had come to a silent understanding after everything happened. I frowned suddenly.

"What time is it?"

"Don't worry. You ain't going to school today."

"I'm not?"

"Nope. You have an appointment for your head."

I groaned.

"Speaking of, you better get up and ready. We gotta go in about twenty minutes."

"Why're you taking me?"

"Soda was suppose to, but the boss sent him to get some parts, so I got stuck with it. I'm missing work, too."

"I'll take him."

He both turned our heads to see Two-bit standing against the doorframe.

"Shouldn't you be at in school?"

He shrugged.

"Thought you might be sick, so I ditched."

"You sure you got him?"

He nodded and Steve left. He'd dropped out a couple months ago. He worked full time like Soda now.

I got dressed and Two-bit took me to the hospital. They ran some tests, then we just waited. Dr. Hendrix came in after what felt like ages.

"Okay, Ponyboy. The tests on your head came back fine. But, you seem to be running a fever."

Two-bit stiffened.

"A fever?"

"Yeah. Which concerns me. You've gotten sick a lot since this happened."

I shrugged. He eyed me.

"I think it may be stress related. Or depression related. You went through a lot. Losing your parents and then two friends."

This time, I stiffened. He pulled off a piece of paper from his clipboard and handed it to me.

"I'll call your brother and talk about some options. Take the next couple of days of school off. Make sure the fever's gone before you go back. If it's not, come see me."

Two-bit drove to Darry's work.

"Why're we here?"

"Soda talked to me, kid. We gotta do something."

People kept saying that, but I had no idea what they were talking about.

"Let's just hope he's in his office."

We walked into the small building. Darry'd got a promotion about a month ago.

"Hey, kiddo. How'd the appointment go?"

I handed him the paper. He looked up at me and felt my head.

"You do feel warm. You okay?"

"I'm okay, Dar."

Two-bit stepped up.

"Ponyboy, go back to the car. I'll be out in a minute."

I felt like a kid being told that, but did it anyway with a scowl on my face.

Darry POV

Two-bit waited until he knew Pony was out of ear shot, then looked at me. I'd never seen that hard expression on his face.

"I've got a bone to pick with you."

"Huh?"

"Soda says you don't wanna believe something's wrong with the kid."

"Two-bit..."

"No. You listen to me. You see what it says on that paper? He's depressed, and you ain't helping."

"What'd you mean I ain't helping?! I'm doing the..."

He cut me off.

"No you're not. Grades and track and stuff. They're important, but something's wrong. That's more important than anything."

"They are important! That'll help him get a scholarship! He's gonna go somewhere if I have to..."

He slammed his fist down on my desk.

"Dammit, Darry! I've lost two of the most important people in my life and now I'm probably gonna lose Karen! I'm not losing Ponyboy, too! That kid means a lot to me! He's the closest thing I've got to a brother!"

He turned away from me heading for the door. He stopped and turned his head to the side.

"He's depressed, Dar. More than any of us because that's just who he is. You better get your head out of your ass, because of you lose him, you'll see how I feel."

He slammed the door when he left. I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I knew it was true, I just thought if I acted like it wasn't that it'd go away. I think I made it worse...