Sam's POV
As Steve was finishing wrapping Pony's head Dally came walking in the front door and took a look around the room, "You guys get caught up in that brawl the Shepherds were going on about?" he asked and Soda grinned and replied, "What makes you say that, we just had a quiet night in."
Darry shook his head and started cleaning up the mess of bandages Steve had used to clean the blood from Pony's head and face. I lowered the cold wet cloth and worked my jaw to test it out, it wasn't too bad, before getting up and going to put the cloth in the laundry sink. I stopped as I passed the kitchen and saw Darry leaning on the sink staring out the window.
"Are you okay, Darry?" I asked as I stepped into the kitchen and he turned to me.
"I'm fine kiddo, those boys are going to send me grey too early though."
"They're not really boys anymore are they? Pony will be 18 next year."
"And yet they still can't take care of themselves." Darry joked, "You know I'm positive I specifically said to you earlier tonight to take care of yourself didn't I?"
"You told me to 'be careful' and I was, I dodged as many fists as I could." I tried to joke but Darry looked worried.
"Are you okay? I know it hasn't been an easy night." he asked.
I sighed as I took a seat at the table, "I'll be okay. I was terrified when I couldn't find Soda and Pony earlier and then even when I did find them I was scared at the state Pony was in. But we're home and safe and we'll all be okay."
Darry nodded, "I'm going to do a final check on everyone and then head to bed, don't stay up too late, you guys need to get some sleep after the night you've had." I nodded and got up to put the cloth away before heading to my room and changing into my pyjamas. When I came back down the hall after brushing my teeth Steve was stretched out on the couch and Dally had made up a bed for himself on the floor using a couch cushion for a pillow and blankets as a bed.
I glanced into Soda and Pony's room as Soda was making his way out and he stepped back to let me see in. "Is he going to be alright sleeping, Soda? Shouldn't we keep him awake or something?"
"He'll be okay Sam, we've cleaned his head and he's had some aspirin and I'll keep an eye on him overnight I promise." I nodded my head as I kept my gaze on Pony but I was still worried, I just couldn't push the image of him with blood pouring down his face from my mind, "Hey," Soda nudged me gently and I looked at him, "Why don't you take my bed with him tonight and I'll crash in your bed."
I raised my eyebrows at him, "Doesn't that go against Darry's rules?" I asked and Soda chuckled.
"Technically yes, but I don't really think he has anything to worry about tonight, and you're not going to get any sleep if you're up all night worrying like I know you will be."
"Thanks Soda." I leant up on my tiptoes and kissed his cheek, "There's just one more thing I have to do tonight." I headed back out to the living room and bent over Steve's head.
"Yes?" he asked with his eyes still closed and I smiled.
"Thanks for getting me out of there tonight, Steve." He popped open one eye and looked at me.
"No problem."
"Goodnight." I said to him and Dally and headed back to Soda's room. I closed the door, turned off the light and crawled into bed with Pony. I could see him faintly by the moonlight and I propped up on one elbow to check on him and confirm he was breathing when my gaze met his.
"What are you doing in here? Not that I'm complaining of course." He reassured me and I smiled.
"Soda said we could swap for tonight because he knew I'd be worrying all night otherwise."
"Really?" he asked with a cheeky grin and I laughed lightly.
"Don't get any ideas, Romeo." Pony stretched an arm around me and pulled me in close to him.
"I'm glad you're in here with me." He said and I leant up to look at him.
"You really scared me tonight. When I saw you and I saw the blood," I shuddered, "I don't ever want to go through that again. And then you seemed so out of it on the drive home." I could feel myself getting worked up and Pony pressed a finger to my lips.
"I'm sorry you had to go through that, I can't imagine what that felt like for you. I do know how you must have felt when you couldn't find me though. I thought you were right behind me tonight and then I reached back and you were gone…I can't even describe what that felt like. I was so terrified that something had happened to you." He ran a finger over my bruised cheek, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you."
"Shh," I lay a hand on his cheek, "you have nothing to be sorry for, you didn't know it was going to turn into a full blown riot."
"I should have picked up on the atmosphere sooner and got you out of there. I don't know what I'd do if anything happened to you. I've lived without you in my life remember and I couldn't handle that again. I love you, so much it scares me sometimes but I really, truly love you and I can't picture my life without you in it." My heart melted at his words and I leant down to kiss him, "I'm going to marry you." He mumbled against my lips and I pulled back and looked at him in shock.
"You must have taken a harder hit than we thought because there is no way you just proposed to me!" I lay back and he rolled over to look down at me and run a finger down the side of my face as he smiled.
"No I didn't propose to you because when I do that I'm going to do it right and it's going to be a huge romantic gesture. I was simply stating a fact. I am going to marry you one day, Sam Young." I stared in shock at the complete and total love for me he let shine through in his eyes and I knew he was serious.
"Do I get a say in this?" I joked and he smirked.
"Are you really going to say anything other than 'yes'?" he asked me and when I pretended to think about it he tickled me. I squealed with laughter and he covered my mouth as we both paused to see if anyone had heard that, "I guess I need to keep your mouth occupied to keep you quiet." He smirked as he lent down and kissed me.
I deepened the kiss and wrapped a hand around his neck, pulling him closer to me.
"You're supposed to be resting." I mumbled between our lips and Pony dropped his lips to my neck.
"I know, but this is probably the only time we're going to have this bed to ourselves overnight so I want to make the most of it." I gasped as he nibbled on my neck and before I knew what I was doing I gasped out, "Touch me!"
Pony paused in his kisses and my hand froze in his hair at my unexpected words but I realised he was right, we weren't going to get another opportunity like this so why not make the most of it? I steeled myself and took hold of the hand that was gripping my hip and slowly slid it up under my shirt until it was just shy of my breast. My heart was beating a mile a minute when I felt Pony's whole body stiffen. I stopped suddenly losing my nerve, maybe I had read him wrong and I was going too far too fast. Pony pulled back to look at me and I could see the blatant desire in his eyes but I couldn't make myself move his hand any higher, I had used up my quota of bravery for the time being.
Pony could tell and took over as he lent down to press a soft kiss to my lips. As he deepened the kiss his hand slowly went higher until he was cupping my bare breast, his thumb running in circles over me before squeezing ever so gently. I felt euphoric at the feeling. This was unlike anything I'd ever experienced and I had no control over my body as my leg wrapped around his, pulling his body closer to me. He groaned and broke our kiss to press his forehead into my shoulder and when I looked at his face I saw he was grimacing.
"Pony, are you okay?"
"I'm okay. It's just my head…"
"Okay that's enough, I knew this was too much." I said as I pushed him off me and onto his back and he went easily enough, "I'm sorry, this is all my fault. Are you okay? Do you want me to get Darry and Soda?"
"No, the last thing I want is you bringing my brothers in here right now. I just need a minute." I waited while his breathing evened out and his face relaxed before he turned to me, "Don't apologise, that wasn't you. That was amazing! I think I just pushed myself too far tonight. I really wanted that though, don't think I didn't."
"I know you did, we can pick this up another time. Right now I want you to sleep." He opened his arm so I slid over and lay my head on his chest as he sighed in contentment.
"Now I can get to sleep."
"That really was amazing wasn't it?" I asked after a minute and Pony's response was to tighten his hold and kiss my forehead. I sighed and snuggled down before dropping into a peaceful sleep.
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Darry's POV
I rubbed my eyes as I made my way down the hall, glancing into the rooms as I went to see who was up. Soda and Pony's door was shut but Sam's door was open so I assumed it was her I could hear in the kitchen. When I went in after looking at Steve and Dally asleep in the living room I was surprised to see Soda at the frypan.
"Morning, Soda, where's Sam?"
"I think she's still asleep." He said over his shoulder and he scraped eggs onto his plate.
"She's not in her room." I said and suddenly had the worst case of déjà vu.
"Oh yeah about that. She was pretty worried about Pony last night so I offered to swap rooms with her for the night so she could keep an eye on him." I almost choked on my mouthful of coffee and Soda turned to me, "Don't be like that. You know Pony was in no state for any hanky panky last night."
"Why didn't you warn me?" I asked as I glanced down the hall.
"Darry don't go down there to check. Nothing happened, you saw how Pony was last night." I mulled this over as I sipped at my coffee but when Soda turned his back I got up quickly and tread softly down the hall. It's not that I didn't trust them both but I had to know with my own eyes that nothing had happened. I slowly opened the door to see them both sound asleep at different sides of the bed. I breathed a sigh of relief and closed the door before turning and bumping into Soda who was standing there with his arms crossed. He shook his head and turned back to the kitchen.
"You're pathetic Darry," he chuckled. I followed him to the kitchen slightly embarrassed at having been caught out but I couldn't be too careful.
"How's the lip Steve?" I asked him as he sat at the table inspecting his reflection in the back of a spoon.
"I'm still just as good looking as ever." Steve reassured me and I heard Sam snort out a laugh as she came into the kitchen behind me. I hope she didn't notice me checking on them just now.
"Pony's head is hurting, he needs some aspirin." She told me and I grabbed the aspirin and a glass of water and headed down the hall. I knocked slightly and pushed on the door to see Pony leaning against the headboard with a frown on his face.
"Morning, Pone, how's the head?" I asked him as I took a seat on the bed.
"Sore. I think I'm going to have to call work and let them know I won't be able to make it this afternoon. Do you have the aspirin?" I shook two out and held out my hand for him along with the water, "Two? Come on, Dar, my head's really sore!" I sighed and shook out two more for him and he took them gratefully.
"I want you to take it easy today. Either stay in bed or stay on the couch but I want you to move around as little as possible. If you need anything yell out to one of us okay?"
"Yeah okay." Pony settled back down in bed and closed his eyes and I frowned. I leant over to feel his forehead to make sure he wasn't running a fever, "I'll be okay Darry, I'm just sore. Can you shut the blinds? That light's really bright."
I got up and closed the blinds, plunging the room into near darkness before leaving.
"How is he?" Soda asked when I got back to the kitchen.
"His head is sore and the light is bothering him. I want him to stay in bed or on the couch all day. If he isn't feeling better by this afternoon I'm taking him up to emergency." I frowned and Sam sat up straight.
"You think it's that bad?" she asked worriedly.
"I'm not sure. I'm going to go call the Dingo and let them know he won't be in today."
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Sam's POV
My eyes followed Darry to the living room before darting back down the hall towards Soda's room. I couldn't very well say anything to anyone but I was feeling mighty guilty that mine and Pony's after hours shenanigans might have been a contributing factor to his sore head today. I really hoped I hadn't pushed him too far last night but at the same time…damn I wanted to do that again!
I pushed back from the table and wandered down the hall to where Pony was resting. I turned to gently shut the door behind me and caught Steve smirking at me from the kitchen. I poked my tongue out at him as I shut the door and turned to the bed and crept over. I crawled my way up the bed and sat next to Pony's sleeping form. He had a slight frown on his face so I ran my finger lightly down his forehead between his eyes and then side to side across his forehead until his features smoothed out. I was content to stay here all day so I lay down next to him and closed my eyes when suddenly I heard the screen door slam, a voice yell out "What's happening everyone?!" and my eyes flew open. Two-Bit was here.
Pony groaned, "Someone better shut him up."
"How's your head?" I whispered and Pony sighed.
"I'd rather have the world's worst hangover, although laying here in bed is helping just fine."
"Want me to go make sure Two-Bit keeps his mouth shut?" I asked but before Pony could answer Two-Bit opened the door and poked his head in with a worried expression on his face. He came over and stood at the end of the bed.
"Hey kiddo, I heard about last night. You shoulda known better than to try and take on a glass bottle." Pony smiled at Two-Bit.
"Maybe I wouldn't have faired so bad if my best friend had been there to back me up." He joked and Two-Bit looked pissed.
"Man I can't believe I missed it! What are you doing next weekend? Wanna go back down to the Ribbon and start a riot?"
"I'm all rioted out for a while now, thanks, but you go right ahead. Have you spoken to anyone else? No-one else got hurt too bad did they?" I moved to a sitting position so Two-Bit could take a seat on the bed.
"One of Tim's guys has a few cracked ribs but most of them are good from what I heard. I ran into Jerry and Aaron late last night at Buck's and they told me about it; Jerry has an eye that's blacker than night and swollen completely shut but Aaron was fine other than some busted knuckles. They had no idea about you guys and you getting cracked over the head though."
"I didn't see anyone once the fighting started. It all happened so quickly."
"I guess we don't need always need Socs to get into trouble huh?" I joked and Two-Bit replied, "Ain't that the truth" as he collapsed back on the bed and made himself comfortable.