Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

I looked at my watch and back at the clock on the wall. It was eight A.M. I was late for work and so was Soda but right about now that didn't seem to matter. All I could think about was Ponyboy. It had been two hours and we hadn't heard a word. Soda slept on and I was getting anxious. I was getting anxious.

I had nothing to but wait and wonder about my little brother. I've been rough with my brother lately and if he's hurt it will be my entire fault. And if I lost him, well I just couldn't bear to think about that. I guess I come off pretty awful to him sometimes. I overheard him one night telling Soda he thought I hated him.

I didn't know how to tell him that just wasn't true. I gave up school for him. In my own way it was a little selfish. The thought of being separated from my brothers for such a long time right after losing our parents killed me. I always thought of going off to school but at least then we'd have contact. They would be together and I wouldn't be far off. We could visit whenever I felt like it. In a boy's home, away from his family, Ponyboy would be all alone. I love being around him and Soda. I couldn't bare us being broken up like that. Who knows when and if we'd see each other again?

I know Ponyboy and me are and have never been as close as either of us is with Soda but I'm still nuts about the kid. He and I have always had athletics in common. Before our parents died, back when I was in high school, I used to go running. It was a part of training for football. Ponyboy would always be right there with me. It never was a burden either. The kid was always so fast.

Then there was the school thing. We both have been kind of bookish, Pony more than me. I remember how he always used to beg me to tell him about the books I was reading. When he was eleven and I was eighteen I had to read The Carpetbaggers. I warned Ponyboy he wasn't ready for that book but he went and read it anyways. He understood it too.

He's always been quite, sensitive. I guess that helped him be less annoying. Other then reading and running I had so little time for him. But sometimes I let him tag along. He never made a nuisance of himself. Soda used to pester me but Ponyboy was more pensive, more solitary. It was all we could do when he was little to get him to socialize.

That's part of the reason I worry about him so much. He'd never admit it but Ponyboy's sensitive. His head is always up in the clouds. I'm afraid somebody's going to take advantage of that and hurt him. I don't want my brother to stop being so good and I don't want to see him hurt.

I sighed and looked down at Soda. At least he was finally starting to get me to worry less. He actually was getting some sleep. I pushed back his hair lovingly hoping everything with Ponyboy would be okay.

The was bare except for Soda and me. I yawned as a doctor walked out. "Family of Ponyboy Curtis." His face was grim. I sighed and shook Soda awake.

"Come on Pepsi-Cola. The doctor wants to talk to us." Soda stirred and sat up. He yawned and followed me over to the doctor.

He had a medium build with grayish hair. His eyes were tired and weary His face was grim. All of a sudden I wasn't so sure if I wante4d to hear what he had to say.

"Are you the family of Ponyboy Curtis?" he asked.

"I'm his guardian Darrel and this is our other brother Sodapop."

"You must have had creative parents."

"Yes sir." I hated the word had, but I didn't like to think about that.

The doctor ran a hand threw his head. He seemed upset. "Okay, I am sure you are wondering about Ponyboy.

"More than anything." I thought but just nodded my head in reply.

"What happened?" Soda asked? "All the cop would say is that he was jumped."

The doctor fiddled with his stethoscope. He wouldn't look directly at us. I knew that gesture to well. It wasn't a good sign. "Your brother and another young man were at Chester Street Park……"

"Another young man?" I looked at Soda. He knew as well as I did it had to be one of the gang. Maybe it wasn't so bad. If there were two of them.......

"Yes a Johnny Cade."

Glory Johnny was so little. He and Pony are good fighters and even better together but they are both awful small. Soda said nothing and I didn't offer anything to his silence.

"As I was saying your brother and Mr. Cade were at Chester street park when a group of five boys approached them. The boys were drunk, angry about some earlier confrontation. I think it had to do with their girlfriends. As I was saying three of the boys grabbed your brother and repeatedly dunked him in the park's fountain. He banged his head and but eventually they resorted to dunking his whole body."

"Is he okay?" Soda asked quickly almost slurring is words.

The doctor ran a hand threw his hair and shook his head. "Your brother went a long time without oxygen, a very, very long time."

"But he's okay right. I mean it was just some water?" I looked at the doctor for an answer to my brother's question. His face was grim. I felt my face turn white and I balled up my fists.

"Please sit down and let me explain." I nodded toward Soda. His face was now as white as my own. "Ponyboy has had a near drowning accident. He is suffering from a hypoxic-anoxic injury."

"A what anoxic injury?" I asked. I was good at science in school but we didn't cover much about anatomy and physiology.

"Hypoxia is a pathological condition in which the body as a whole, generalized hypoxia, or a region of the body, tissue hypoxia is deprived of adequate oxygen supply. Hypoxicrefers to a partial lack of oxygen; anoxic means a total lack. In general, the more complete the deprivation, the more severe the harm to the brain and the greater the consequences."

Soda looked at me, his face thoroughly confused. "Darry?" I was starting to get the gist but he wasn't. The doctor, must have noticed this too because he started to go more in depth.

"Our bodies require oxygen in order to metabolize glucose. This process provides energy for the cells. The brain consumes about a fifth of the body's total oxygen supply, and needs energy to transmit electrochemical impulses between cells and to maintain the ability of neurons to receive and respond to these signals. Cells of the brain will start to die within a few minutes if they are deprived of oxygen. Brain function is lost. The more time without oxygen the more damage is done. This can lead to coma and or death as well as many lasting and debilitating side effects."

Ahh, glory. Poor Pony. It was all my fault. "Ponyboy went without oxygen for a good thirty or forty minutes. The stress on the body as well as the physical trauma to the head caused a bleed in the brain. We took him into surgery to fix the bleed. He made it through but never regained consciousness. His pupils are fixed and dilated. This is indicative of a severe brain injury."

I heard Soda sniffle. "But he's going to be okay right? I mean he's just a kid. He's really healthy and all."

The doctor sighed. "I'm afraid it does not look good. I really am sorry but your brother, if even lives, will never be the same again. He is not breathing on his own and is all but unresponsive. We have him on a breathing apparatus and hooked to IV fluids. If he does come out of the coma it is most likely to be into a vegetative state. This is basically a sort of wakeful unresponsiveness in which some brain functions continue to operate but with no apparent consciousness. The lights are on but nobody is home. "

"I didn't mean to! I didn't think! I forgot! That all I hear out of you! Can't you think of anything?" I closed my eyes remembering the words I spoke just a few hours earlier. The irony of them was not lost on me but it wasn't humorous. I fought back tears.

"I'm sorry to add to your burden but there are some other concerns as well. The time without oxygen had a significant effect on Ponyboy's other organs as well, most specifically his heart. Right now it is very weak and having trouble pumping blood. We may need to ask you to donate some to relive the strain on his heart. As well we had to drain his lungs of fluid. He is very open to infection and we are not sure he can fight off any illness. Because he was drowned in standing water we need to be on our toes Is Ponyboy allergic to any antibiotic?"

I shook my head, no. "Okay we will start him on one through IV drip as soon as possible then. I must warn you thought to be prepared for the worst. Ponyboy has a twenty-five percent chance of living but there is one hundred percent chance of brain damage, severe damage at that."

I nodded. Soda began to cry. I pulled him to me not even daring to look at him if I did I would bawl too. "Can we see him?" I asked dryly. The doctor nodded.

"I think it is a good idea. It might give him some encouragement to live. There is some dispute in the medical community about coma patients and their ability to hear what is going on. With Ponyboy's severe damage it is unlikely that he can hear you but it cannot hurt to try."

"Thanks." Soda sobbed. He clinged to my shoulder.

"Follow me he is in the ICU just through this hallway." The doctor looked at us quickly. "This isn't going to be a pleasant site."

I reached back behind me and squeezed Soda's trembling hand. "We know." I said gruffly, "We know."

I did my research I want to be as accurate as possible.

I will update my other poll story once more two. In three weeks, based on my poll my decision will be made.