Chapter 2: Finding Ponyboy and Taking him to Tulsa Regional Hospital

Disclaimer: Unfortunately, I do not own "The Outsiders" or any of the Curtis' Gang. :( Sad. The real owner of "The Outsiders" is my favorite author, the fabulous S.E. Hinton. I also do not make a profit from the stories that I write here on this site.

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Requests from: MyCookieGirl and Megadude828. The idea in this chapter is from GreaserG1rl201.

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Ponyboy's POV (1968)

I bitterly kick a rock, my hands stuffed in my pocket. When Two-Bit headed to the DX to hang out during lunch I told him I wasn't hungry, which wasn't a lie, exactly. I just didn't want to see Soda, which was my first reason, but my stomach was killing me also. It had been hurting all day, and I think Two-Bit noticed because he left me alone when we stayed behind.

"Make sure you eat something, kid," he told me as he left. I sit alone in the cafeteria, my arms wrapped around my stomach. It's probably from stress, I summarize, I never really eat a lot when I'm stressed.

By the end of the day my stomach burns so bad I can barely stand up, much less concentrate on my schoolwork. The walk home is pure torture, and the minute I walk into the house I pass out on the couch, exhausted from the extra exertion.

Darry's POV

I find Pony passed out on the couch when I come home from work. I put my hand on his forehead, feeling the heatwaves radiate off of him. Concerned, I grab the thermometer and gently shake him.

"Pony, Pony! Wake up, buddy," I gently coaxed. He blearily opened is eyes, still groggy from sleep.

"Darry?" He asks hoarsely, turning slightly green. Before he could say anything else I grab the nearest garbage can just in time for him to vomit into it, coughing.

"It hurts," he groans, wrapping his arms around his small stomach.

"Where?" I ask.

I'm brought back to when Soda was little. When he was eight years old his appendix ruptured and we rushed him to the hospital. I remember it clearly, being so scared. When Pony points to his side rather than just his stomach, like with the flu.

"Pony, I need to check temperature," I tell him. He allows me to help him sit up, but I see him bite down on his lip and grimace. I apologize softly and wait for the thermometer to beep. Once it does, I read it and curse under my breath.

"God Almighty, Pone. You're burning up."

'102', it reads, alarming me.

Sodapop's POV

"Soda?" Darry's voice blares through the phone. His voice is tight with worry, a tone I don't like at all on him.

"Pony's at Tulsa General," he answers briefly, hanging up as quickly as he called. Cursing at him, I quickly brief Steve on Ponyboy's condition and grab my keys, hopping into the car I recently fixed up. It's a 1960 red ford, but it's all mine.

"How's he doing, Darry? What happened?" I ask, basically barging into the hospital.

"They had to take his appendix out. He just got out of surgery. We can see him now. He's okay, Soda," Darry tells me.

Ponyboy's POV

I hear a voice through the blackness that surrounds me. It's frank lost and comforting so I listen closer.

"I can't loose you, Ponyboy. I'm so sorry, you know I didn't mean it," Soda says.

I think I squeeze his hand because I feel him squeeze back.

A/N: I hope I did a good job, MyCookieGirl and megadude828! Thank you so much for all your reviews and suggestions. You guys are the reason I keep writing!

Aufenthalt Gold,

~Alee xXx