Love is Misery.

Hi darlings. First off, I am SO grateful to each and every one of you for reading this story, and laughing, crying, and loving right along with our boys. It makes me feel so special to have people like you appreciate my hobby I know I haven't updated in forever…and I am SO SORRY. I promise I'll try to finish this. I started it when I was in 8th grade…and I should finish it thank you all for sticking with it! I promise I won't let you down. Xo Kait

Two-Bit's P.O.V

"Bet ya didn't see that one comin'

Cause I do as I please

And apologize for nothing.

My time is flying

But I'm still second to none.

Always shining the brightest

When I'm placed under the gun.

So here I stand,

The only son of a working class man

I won't be held back

I can't be held down."

-Sticks & Bricks, A Day To Remember.

Pony's POV

Oh wow, did my head hurt. I tried to open my eyes, blinking against the super bright light that was spilling through my window. I went to swipe at my eyes, but was stopped by a strange tugging feeling. I glanced at my hand, and almost passed out again.

There was a MASSIVE needle in my hand, the IV taped all careful to my wrist. I followed the line up to a hanging bag full of clear liquid. I shivered, all uneasy feeling. Gah. I don't need this crap, I thought blearily. I moved to rip it out of my hand, but a warm, but larger hand caught mine just as I shifted to tear it out.

"Careful, sport," a guff but loving voice said softly, somewhere near my left ear.

I looked wide-eyed at the huge bear paw enveloping mine. I traced up the huge forearm to meet a pair of large blue eyes. Dar.

I felt a huge grin bust out on my face, and even though it made my eyes tear up, I couldn't help it. Darry was here! Wait. Darry was here….

"Dar, how long have I been out?" I asked, feeling my rusty voice speak up my vocal chords. I sounded like I was trying to sing in a donkey's voice. I cleared my throat and tried to finish. He watched me, his face glowing happily.

"Dar, how is everyone? Soda? Two-Bit? Johnny? Dal….?" My voice trailed off as the last two weeks slammed themselves back into my brain. My heart stopped and I forgot to breathe for a moment, as a huge iron hand squeezed my chest, like a soc had just slammed me into the ground.

"Oh Dal," I managed to get out before I felt a few tears trickle down my cheeks. Darry fidgeted, a bit uncomfortable. I could see how tired he was from the huge shaows smudged under his eyes, and what Mum had lovingly called his "lumberjack look"- all scruffy and unshaven face.

He had never been good with teary kids, whenever Soda and I had cried after Mum and Dad died he usually just muttered and tossed us out back, where we had comforted each other, quietly. But this time, I saw something flit across his face, and then he squared his huge shoulders, looked me straight in the eyes, and gave me the biggest hug of my life. I melted into a puddle for a minute, and just let my big brother hold me. Then I shifted, finally noticing that my ribs were complainingly loudly in pain.

"Uh, Dar, ow…" I trailed off, gently trying to squirm away. Dar released me immediately, alarm creeping into his eyes.

"You ok, little buddy?" he asked, clasping my shoulder with his hand. I felt the bed sink a little with the movement, but I smiled and slipped my hand over his.

"Yeah Dar, I am." And I was. This last two weeks had been hell on wheels, and I wasn't really sure what had happened, but Dar was here, I was alive (although I did feel like I had been tap danced on with iron shoes…) and my family was together again. Well, actually…

I frowned, and opened my mouth to ask where Sodapop was, when a blurry figure streaked from the doorway to my bedside before I could fully blink, throwing itself over my bedrail and heartily squishing me.

I let out a might "oomph!" as Soda landed on me. Beside the bed, Darry's mouth opened into a perfect "O" of surprise before he threw back his head, laughing. The next ten seconds, my little quiet hospital room went from peaceful to crazy as the whole freaking gang piled themselves into my room.

"Pony, Pony, we brought you hair grease!" Two-Bit yelled as him an' Steve stampeded into my room.

Two-Bit and Steve were smiling and laughing in the corner, as they tossed a light yellow flower vase (that had once upon a time been sitting on my bed side table…) back and forth casually, Two-Bit stopping every few minutes to take a swig from a suspicious bottle he had mysteriously made appear out of thin air, but I didn't care, and Darry, who usually would have frowned on this copious liquor consumption mid-day, in a hospital, simply looked the other way, his eyes twinkling.

And Soda…well, I had never seen Sodapop look so happy. For the rest of that day, Soda didn't leave my side, talking with the rest of the gang, sure, but always glancing back at me every minute or so, as if he was makin' sure I wasn't going to spring up and race off again. Soda looked tired, and thinner, but he was burstin' with energy like I had never seen him before.

It made me smile.

I had my family back, and it was the best feeling in the world. When the stupid nurses finally let me go home at the end of the day, Soda proudly wheeling me out in a wheelchair, me protesting all the way that I could walk on my own, thank you very much.

"Darry…I can walk by myself. I'm not broke or nothing. Lemme walk, will ya? I feel stupid…" I protested, scowling up at Darry. Darry smile and kept walked with Steve, as Steve threw me a smirk over his shoulder.

Soda jostled my shoulder and I smiled up at him. "Pony, if you're good, I'll make you Mum's favourite chocolate cake when we get home…" he said sweetly. I ducked my head and shut up. Soda might not have been good at cookin' much, but he could make chocolate cake like no other. Yum.

Mean while, Two-Bit came up on my right, his face set in a classic Two-Bit pout. "This ain't fair, why does Pony get to ride in the wheelchair, my toe hurts, but the nurses wouldn't give me no goddamn wheelchair, this ain't fair, I wanna sit in the wheelchair…."

"SHUT UP TWO-BIT!" Everyone yelled at the same time, laughing their heads off. I couldn't help but laugh too, even though my ribs complained.

I was finally going home, and everything was starting to finally feel right again. We all piled into Dar's truck and headed home.

I know this wasn't long but I wanted to finish this chapter ;) Last and FINAL chapter up hopefully sometime later this week darlings. Xxxx I love you all