PoV Darry

I was right about the hospital. The moment it came into view, Ponyboy screamed.

"No!" he sobbed. "Don't take me there, please, he'll kill me, please, no!"

Soda wrapped both arms around our screaming brother. "Hush, now, baby, no one's gonna hurt you."

"You don't know them!" Pony yelled. "You don't know them!"

"Dally and Johnny, right?" Soda said.

Ponyboy went still, his eyes wide and watery. He moved closer to Soda, resting his head awkwardly on Soda's chest. He began to cry again. "It's all my fault, Soda, they died because of me."

Soda shushed him and stroked his hair, holding our crying brother close. We pulled up at the Emergency entrance and parked, slowly pulling Ponyboy out onto the pavement. He resisted, screaming at us and sobbing. It took all the strength we had, because, while he may not look it, all long and skinny, but Ponyboy is one strong little boy. Well, not little anymore. He's nearly sixteen, and even taller than Sodapop.

We got him out of the truck, squirming and screaming, but he fell to the ground, and wouldn't get up.

"Ponyboy, please!" Soda sobbed. His cheeks were wet with tears and sweat. "We just want to help!"

"No!" Pony screamed, his voice breaking. "No!"

"Help!" Soda yelled towards the doors. "Please, help us!"

"Soda, you stay with him, don't let him run," I said, failing again to pick Pony up. "I'll go get a nurse or something."

I ran to the door and into the emergency room, up to the front desk.

"Please, my little brothers got a bad burn and cuts, but he won't come in," I said. "I think… I think he's gone insane."

The moment it left my mouth, I didn't want it to be out. I didn't want it to be true, it couldn't be true. I promised mom and dad nothing would happen to them, I promised to keep them safe. And my youngest brother was crumbling, falling apart. And while I knew we could put back all the pieces, they'd never fit the same. My baby brother wouldn't be the quiet, laughing ball of energy he was before.

The nurse followed me as we ran out, with a wheel chair in hand. Soda was still holding a sobbing Ponyboy, his work shirt speckled with blood. Soda held him tight, rocking back and forth, letting our brother cry and yell and scream.

The nurse came to a stop next to us, and called for a doctor over a walkie-talkie. I didn't know where it came from, but soon there was a team of doctors running out into the parking lot. Ponyboy screamed in fear, a real blood curdling scream. Soda sobbed as he held our brother.

"Pony, b-baby, please, i-it's o-okay," Soda stammered. "I-it's okay, y-you'll be f-fine."

"No!" Ponyboy screamed. "Please, Soda, don't let them take me! Darry," he turned his head to me, his eyes pleading, shining with tears. "Darry, don't let them! Please!" He doubled over with sobs, hitting Soda with his fists.

I kneeled next to them, taking Ponyboy from Soda. "Pony, they're gonna help you, I promise. They ain't gonna hurt you."

One of the nurses stepped forward, putting a hand on my shoulder. "We have a sedative, but we need your say to use it."

"Will… will it hurt him?" I asked.

"Only when we inject it, but it'll calm him down," she said, her blue eyes very wide.

I nodded, and tried to hold Pony as still as I could. "Ponyboy, they're gonna give you an injection, they're gonna give you something to help you sleep."

"No!" he screamed, clutching onto me, his green eyes wider than I'd ever seen them. "Please, they're going to kill me, Darry!"

"No, baby, they'll be real nice," I said, holding him close. "You'll be fine, I promise."

The nurse reached quickly for one of Pony's arms, but he saw her. He screamed and struck out, slapping her across the face. He struck out again, but this time, she moved before his blow landed. A group of paramedics swarmed around me, helping me hold down my squirming little brother. Soda watched, horror struck as tears rolled down his cheeks. The paramedics held Ponyboy still, and the nurse injected the sedative into Pony's arm.

The other men let go of Pony, who curled up in my arms, hitting my chest with his fists. I have never felt as broken as when I felt my littlest brother slowly go limp in my arms, as when I watched his head roll onto my lap, his eyes fluttering closed. It was the worst thing I'd ever seen.

So far.