Blowin' Smoke

Unknown Identity (Guest): Thank you for taking the time to review! We'll see...

Teeloganroryflan: Here it is! Thank you so much!

Amanda (Guest): That's totally okay, thank you for taking the time to review! I'm so glad you enjoyed. :)

Guest: Yes and no. I think that he sees Ponyboy as a little brother and cares about him, but at the same time he isn't the biggest fan of hanging out with him, obviously as we see in the book. It's like an annoying little sibling; you love them, but sometimes you don't want to be around them. But I think under Steve's hard greaser exterior coupled with the fact that he is away from his home and fighting a war, he's probably feeling a little nostalgic. He cares for Ponyboy. Thank you so much for your review; I'm sorry for my long response! I just think Steve is complicated lol!

HappierThanMost: Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you've enjoyed. :)

CHAPTER 13

Ponyboy's POV

I couldn't stop myself from coughing for the rest of the day. I had taken so many hits out of my inhaler that my hands were shaking and I was still have trouble breathing. I had begged Soda not to tell Darry, but if I couldn't stop coughing, Darry would know that I was sick for sure.

I was sitting on the couch when Soda suddenly appeared in my field of vision, holding a thermometer. I took it silently, resting it under my tongue until it beeped. It took two times to read my temperature because the first time I coughed while it was in my mouth, which made the thermometer mess up.

"101.2, not too bad, but still kit good," Soda commented, walking away to put the thermometer away. I took another two aspirin out of the container siting on the table before closing my eyes. Before I knew it, I fell asleep to the sound of Soda humming as he cooked.

OoOoOoO

I woke up a few hour later to Darry gently shaking me by my shoulders.

"Hey, Pone, wouldn't you be more comfy in a bed?" He drawled in a low, gentle voice. I groaned, but didn't move.

Golly, was I tired. I heard him and Soda laugh before I felt myself getting picked up. Warmth met my body, pulling me deeper asleep as I was laid in a bed.

OoOoOoO

Everywhere, I saw blood. It covered my hands, my pants, my shirt, and I could feel it slipping down my cheek and down from my forehead, clouding my vision. I blinked a few times before wiping the blood from my eyes, allowing me to see semi-clearly.

The first thing I saw was my mother. Her beautiful blond hair was a sick shade of red, matted in tangled chunks with partly dried blood. Her arm was bent in an awkward way, laying limp at her side. I thought I was going to be sick, but then I glanced over and saw my father. He looked just as bad if not worse, with a deep cut on his forehead gushing blood and terribly blood-shot eyes that held nothing but hate and contempt. The look was something I had never seen before.

"You killed me!" He spit at me angrily. His voice was strangled and sounded like he had blood in his throat, while his tone held nothing but rage and disgust.

"Your the reason we're dead! We should have never left the house that night! I wish I never had you!" My mother screeched at me. I couldn't help but let tears slip from my eyes, mixing with the blood coated on my face as I trembled.

"Ponyboy!" A voice shouted, breaking through my parent's screaming. It was a familiar voice, but not one of my parents. The voice held no anger or hate. I tried to place the voice, but my mind was clouded.

"Pony, wake up."

Wake up? I was dreaming?

Suddenly, as I broke through my nightmare, I shot up in bed. Fear and panic gripped my chest and my entire body was trembling. I started coughing, unable to get a breath in. Something cold and familiar was placed in my hand, and I brought it to my lips for a hit as I struggled to maintain any composure.

"Just breath, Pony," Soda reassured me. "It was just a nightmare." I followed my brother's advice, slowly breathing in and out as I allowed the medicine to work in my lungs.

"Sorry," I gasped out weakly as soon as I managed to get a breath. My face burned with embarrassment, and I kept my eyes looking down at my hands.

"Don't be sorry, lil colt," Darry said gently. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I nodded. "I think I'm alright."

After a minute, Sodapop said goodnight to me and slipped whitely out the door back to his old bedroom where he was sleeping, just for tonight, since I was sick.

Before I could say or do anything, Darry pulled back the covers and laid down next to me. I was too tired to argue, but the gesture made me feel protected and safe, a way Darry always seemed to make me feel.

"Thank you, Darry," I whispered. I could almost hear him grin when he responded,

"You're welcome, Ponyboy."

A/N: This is such a weak chapter. I'm so sorry. And I'm sorry this chapter is only a thousand words and I've been gone for a few days. Next chapter shall be better, I promise.

Stay Gold,

- Alee XxX