First try at The Outsiders. Hope you enjoy.

I didn't remember much of what I'd said while I was sick and delirious. I do now.

I know it was only a couple of days, but I'd still asked my brothers what I'd said while I was sick. Partly out of curiosity, partly out of fear that I'd said something I shouldn't have; something awful; something about Darry. After all, I was really mixed up and most the stuff I said probably didn't make a whole lot of sense. Most of it probably wasn't true.

According to Darry I didn't say much; just asked for him and Sodapop; sometimes for mom and dad… and Johnny.

Soda wouldn't tell me much either. He just teased me about how much I hated bologna until I finally had the strength to slug him one good. He doesn't tease me about that anymore.

Like I said, I didn't remember much. But as a few weeks went by and things slowly started to go back to normal (no, not normal, nothing would ever be the same again), I began remembering bits and pieces of those few days.

--

"Soda?" I said, my voice sounding kind of funny, like the way it does when you wake up in the morning after a long night. "Soda?"

"He's right here Pony. Hang on." It sounded like Darry's voice, deep and authoritative, although at the time I couldn't have confirmed it. The lights were so bright and I couldn't see much of anything through the blurriness. Why were the lights so bright? And what on god's green earth was that annoying beeping?

I waited a minute or a few minutes, or however long it took for Soda to come. I didn't really know why I'd asked for him, didn't really care if you want to know the truth. I was really out of it. "Hey, Ponyboy," came a falsely cheerful voice.

"Soda?" I repeated like I wasn't really sure if it was him who'd come.

"Yeah Pony, it's me," he said, his voice sounding sincerely worried. We were quiet for awhile; I didn't have anything to say. I just wanted him there. I always feel better when Soda's around. He makes me feel safe, like he did when I'd had those nightmares after mom and dad…

I felt Soda's hand rub at my hair, the way he always does when I'm sick or hurt. Had it really been just recently that he'd done the same thing after those socs got hold of me? Was it just recently that the gang had come to my rescue, Johnny and Dally and all? Was it really just recently that the three of us had gone to the Nightly Double, when Johnny and Dally were alive and well?

No…they were okay; alive and well now. Not dead. They were alive. Dally was at Buck's somewhere drinking and looking for a fight. And Johnny, he was asleep peacefully in the vacant lot.

Finally I had something to say. "Go find Johnny, Soda," I muttered, trying though failing to make my voice louder, competing with that damn beeping. "It's cold out."

I couldn't see Soda or Darry, the lights were still too bright, besides I think I had my eyes closed. But I know now they must've had confused looks on their faces.

But I couldn't see their faces. And really, I didn't think I was saying anything wrong. It was cold out…. Johnny couldn't go home and it was cold out.

"Pony," I heard Darry say from behind Soda. "Johnny's-"

"Johnny's not in the lot. He's fine," Soda quickly explained.

I wasn't so quick to agree with him. "But he can't go home and-"

"Please, baby, go back to sleep now. You ain't well and the doctors say you needa rest."

Soda's voice was reassuring and his hand was back in my hair, and the beeping wasn't so loud anymore.

"He's fine," I echoed Soda's words. "He's fine." Johnny was fine, Dally too, and everything was normal. At least that's what I thought.

I was really mixed up the whole time, but the confusion and blurriness of everything was nothing compared to the way everything just went blank as I slipped back to sleep, Soda's hand on my head and the beeping becoming a muffled drone in the background.

Next bit coming soon. So, what do you think?