Stay Gold (Ponyboy x Johnny)

Another Nightmare

Johnny's POV

I woke up suddenly. It was still dark out and I was still confused from sleep. As I tried to figure out what woke me up, I heard a small whimper come from the other side of the bed.

Pony was tossing and turning, and letting out small whines. I figured he was having another nightmare, so I tried to shake him awake.

He wasn't waking up, and his small whimpers were becoming louder every second. I shot out of bed to grab Soda. He knows what to do.

I bolted into his and Steve's room, and shook Soda awake.

"What's wrong Johnny?" Soda asked, his voice still full of sleep.

"It's Pony. He's having a nightmare and not wakin' up!" I said, my voice filled with worry. Soda was getting up as we heard a loud yell come from our room.

"Johnny, go get some ice cold water!" Soda said urgently. I ran to the kitchen to do what I was told. By now, Pony was screaming in his sleep, and Soda was trying to get him up.

I ran back to our room, and threw the water on Pony. He shot straight up, and let out a long yell. Then he started sobbing into Sodas shoulder. Me and Soda went on either soda of the scared witless boy, and tried our best to get him to calm down.

By now, he was hysterics. He was crying and saying things no one could really understand.

"Mom... Dad... Darry... Johnny... church..." he said in between sobs. When we finally got him to stop crying, and talking real sentences, I asked what the dream was about.

"We were in the church again. I dunno, just playing Poker or something. Then mom and dad came in, and yelled at us to get away from each other. Dad grabbed me, and Darry grabbed you, and Mom just watched. Darry was beating you, and yelling random slurs. Dad just held me back and made me watch. Then, when you were dead, Dad beat me. Saying how he didn't raise a fag. Then the dream ended." He was crying softly again, and Soda did his best to comfort him, while I sat there in shock. Is this really what he has to deal with every night?

"Oh Pony. You know mom and dad would never do that. They told us they loved us no matter what. Darry loves us too, he just needs time to figure stuff out." Soda said.

"Sure." Was all Pony said.

After everything was calming down, me and Pony laid back in bed. I don't think we've ever been so snuggled up to each other.

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Pony's POV

I didn't fall back to sleep that night. The dream kept replaying in my mind, like a broken record player playing the worst Hank Williams songs you could think of.

When it was finally time to get up, I had gotten about an hour of sleep. I got up and went to shower.

As I looked in the mirror, a sad looking face stared back. I had dark circles under my eyes, I was pale, and to top it all off, I was really getting thin.

It's not like I don't want to eat, it's that I forget to. I'm too busy thinking about the horrible situation we're in.

It's been a few weeks since I last saw Darry, but the state would be checking in on us soon, so I'll see him when that comes around.

As much as I'm scared to see him again, I'm also excited to see the look on his face when he sees that I've kept my grades up. I intend to smirk a lot.

After I finished up my shower, I got ready and headed downstairs. It was near the end of the year, so I had exams this week. I only had one today though, then I could just go to the DX and hang out there for awhile. Maybe even get a few hours of sleep.

"Mornin' Mrs. Matthews." I said tiredly.

"Ponyboy, how many times have I told you? Call me Mary." Mrs. Matthews said sweetly.

"Sorry Mary, just used to it is all." I say.

"Hey Pones, you get any sleep last night?" Johnny whispers to me.

"Couldn't fall back asleep." I mumble.

"Glory Pony! Your nightmare was at 1 in the morning! Did you really only get an hour last night?" Johnny asks, concern evident in his voice.

"Mhm" I mumble as I rest my head in my arms.

"Don't you have exams today?" Johnny asks.

"Just one, then I can go to the DX and sleep." I say yawning.

"Keith will drive you dear." Mary says.

"Kay." I say still half asleep.

-

After I got out of my exam, I went to find Two-Bit. He was waiting by my locker.

"Damn kid, you really didn't sleep did you?" Two -Bit asks.

"Not really." I say. We get into his car and drive to the DX without another word.

-

Once we were there, I went straight to the back room and fell asleep on the small couch they have back there. Johnny should be out of his exams in a couple of hours, and he said he'd come by. I fell asleep quickly.

-

I woke up to Soda gently shaking my shoulder.

"Hey Pony." He said grinning. I could tell it was a fake though.

"The States comin tomorrow, so we gotta go spend the night with Darry." He said sadly.

Well this wasn't gonna end well.

A/N: eh I tried. Please vote. I'm tired lol
Stay Gold x

~Ange