Work Text:
The rumble had been rougher than we thought it would be. We all walked home in a slight daze, Steve was holding his side like his ribs were broken and Soda was holding his cheek. I had a black eye and a cut and Two-bit was bleeding, it didn't seem to bother him much, he was probably too drunk for it to bother him much. Dallas and Pony had run off the second the rumble stopped. I was worried but I knew they were just going to see Johnny. The whole gang, or what was left of it with Johnny in the hospital and Dallas and Pony visiting him, went back to our house. Steve's ribs ended up being broken so Soda helped him wrap his ribs while I stitched up Two-bit. We all ice our injuries while sitting around the living room, with Steve laying on the sofa, probably falling asleep, they all smoked while reading the paper. I didn't, I didn't want to risk a cigarette so I just sat, my leg bouncing while waiting for Pony. I kept remembering what happened the last time Pony was out too late…
It seemed like forever before the door slammed open. I jumped up, an instinctive yell on its way out of my throat but I managed to swallow it down and just say, “where have you been?” I was going to say more but then I took a good look at him. He didn't look very good, he was pale and looked dazed. “Ponyboy, what's the matter?” He looked at us, his eyes big and glossy, he looked scared. “Johnny…he’s gone..Dead.” His voice sounded strange, far away almost. “We told him about beatin’ the Socs and…I don't know, he just died.” The room was silent. Soda made a soft sound. I knew he was gonna cry, if not now, soon. Steve sat up and Two-bit shut his eyes and clenched his jaw. Pony started to ramble almost, his words slurring together. “Dallas is gone…He ran out like the devil was after him…He couldn't take it…he couldnt..” Pony’s jaw snapped shut and he had a pained look in his eyes, like he was thinking something that was hard to face. Two bit chimed in saying what we were all thinking. “So he finally broke. So even Dally has a breaking point.” Pony started to shake like he was having a seizure and I leaned down to whisper in Soda's ear. “He looks sick. Could you get him to lie down?” I feel grateful when Soda looks at Pony and starts to talk softly, like he’s coaxing an injured wild dog to come to him. “Ponyboy, you look sick. Sit down.” Apparently that wasn't the right answer because Pony backed up just like a frightened dog and shook his head. “Im okay.” He sounded desperate, like he was trying to convince himself of the fact. He looked a few seconds from passing out. “I don't want to sit down.” I stepped forward, about to comfort him but he backed away. “Don't touch me.” His voice was raising, and we were all looking at him now, he shifted from foot to foot. Right as I was going to speak, the phone rang. I looked from Pony to the phone before slowly going over to the phone, my steps hesitant and I couldn't stop looking back at him. I pick up the phone and answer, “hello?” immediately the person on the other line answers, “Darry. You guys gotta meet me at the lot, I robbed a grocery store and the fuzz is after me, yall need to hide me.” I put the phone down and looked at everyone. “It was Dally. He phoned me from a booth. He’s just robbed a grocery store and the cops are after him. We gotta hide him. He’ll be at the lot in a minute” Then everyone ran out of the house, even Steve and Pony. Pony wasn't looking too hot and he couldn't seem to run in a straight line but I couldn't be worried about that at the moment, we needed to get to the lot.
We got there just as Dallas did. He was running as fast as he could and the wail of police sirens got louder and louder as the police car stopped and doors slammed open. Dallas suddenly stopped and his hand jerked out to his waist band and took out a black object and I squinted, what was that? Then I realized, it was a gun? What was Dallas doing with a gun!? But then he raised it like a fool. I wanted to say something but the police already had their guns out and before I knew it Dallas’s body was on the ground. Before I knew it Dallas Winston was dead. It didn't feel real, both Dally and Johnny gone it one night. The world couldn't be that cruel, could it? But the world was that cruel, the world was that cruel, we all knew Dallas would die young and desperate but I didn't want to believe it. Steve stumbled forward with a sob but thank God Soda caught him by the shoulders. “Easy, buddy, easy,” I almost had to strain my ears to hear Soda’s soft words, “there’s nothing we can do now.” It was true, there was nothing we could do, Dally was dead and we couldn't do anything about it. Pony started to sway even more and Two-bit yelled “Glory, look at the kid!” as Pony passed out, his head almost cracking on the pavement but thankfully I caught him before he could. I had to hold Pony while the police checked Dally over, taking Two-bits switch blade (when did he get Two-bits switch blade?) Two-bit griped about his switch and Steve elbowed him, “is that all that bothering you? that switchblade?” but Two-bit sighed and said, “no but I wish that was all that was bothering me.” I walked home with Pony in my arms, everyone was hurt and upset so Steve and Two-bit stayed over in the living room. I checked Pony's temperature and yeah, he was sick. Later when everyone was about to sleep, Two-bit came and spoke to me. “Darry, it's my fault Pony passed out. He was feelin’ sick earlier before the rumble and he told me not to tell you. I should have told you, he was dizzy too.” I sigh and look at him. “It ain't your fault Two-bit. While you should have told me no matter what Pony said I bet you didn't know how bad it was.” Two-bit nodded and we ended up talking for a little longer before I turned in. I slipped into my room and sat on my bed. I didn’t think I could sleep after a night like that. Though I did end up falling into a fitful sleep.
It didn't last very long though. I woke up when soda came bursting into my room, eyes wide. “Darry! Pony’s burnin’ up and he won't wake up even when I yelled and shook him!” That made me sit up immediately. “What?” I quickly stood up, almost tripping on my blanket as I did so. I rush to Pony and Soda’s room and kneel beside Pony putting my hand on his forehead. “Yeah he’s burnin’ up…” I look at Soda. “You said he won't wake up?” He silently nods, looking a little too pale, I bet he thought Pony was dead too. “Let's bring him to the hospital. Go start the car” Soda runs out and I lift up Pony, he was too light for a boy his height and age. I carried him to the car and laid him in the back. Soda was already in the back and I quickly hopped to the front as well. The drive to the hospital was quiet, i was trying not to fall asleep and Soda was scared out of his mind, I tried to get there as quickly as possible without having a police officer pull me over but it was hard, I was tired and I couldn't think about anything but pony getting sick real bad. Soda rested Pony's head on his lap, keeping his hand on Pony's forehead to check his temperature. “Hes getting worse…” Soda sounded scared, his voice was shaky and too quiet. I furrow my brows. “We’re almost there.” I started going faster, my head was starting to hurt with how tense my jaw was. We got to the hospital in record time. I quickly parked and slammed the door open. Opening the side door and pulling Pony into my arms, Soda following quickly after. We both rushed into the hospital, though I had to be more careful as to not jostle Pony. Soda goes and talks to the receptionist while I sit down with Pony in my lap. I didn't want to let him go unless I had to. We were quickly taken to a room. I sat, my leg bouncing while a doctor took his vitals, his expression was not helping my worry. Not long later we found out Pony had a concussion and a high fever, added with the exhaustion and shock he wasn't in good shape. Soda and I stayed in Pony's room the entire night, only leaving to go to the bathroom and once when I had to call Soda and myself out of work. In the morning Soda called our home phone to tell Steve and Two-bit where we were and what had happened to Pony. It’s around afternoon when the doctor kicks us out of Pony’s room to make us eat and maybe go to sleep since neither of us had slept a wink during the night. Soda and I headed home right as Steve and Two-bit got there, that made me feel a little better, at least Pony wouldn't be alone if he woke up. I made eggs and bacon and we almost choked on our food with how fast we ate. We showered and changed before heading back to the hospital, Soda’s leg was bouncing he was so anxious. I think my jaw was going to be permanently shut with how hard I was clenching it. I was worrying my head off, I knew I was harsh on Pony, I was definitely stricter than both our parents had been but I couldn't help it. Pony had potential, and I knew he would never be happy staying in this neighborhood all his life, not like soda or Two-bit would be. He wanted to go places, he could go places, so if that meant pushing him a little so be it. But it also made us fight a lot. I thought back to the night Pony ran away, I had been so worried when he hadn't been home till two in the morning and I ended up making him run away. Maybe if I hadn't lost my temper, if I had just calmed down and let him go to bed none of this would have happened. We get to the hospital in fifteen or twenty minutes, I drop Soda off at the front before going to find a parking spot. I walk in to find Soda arguing with the doctor, apparently he didn't want more than two at a time in Pony's room especially when Two-bit and Steve weren't blood relatives. I ended up making Soda give up, especially when Steve had to go to work and left. Two-bit left with Steve, talking about something to do with a date or maybe he had to take care of his little sister. Honestly I was so tired someone could have told me I won a billion dollars and I wouldn't have batted an eye. I sit in a chair while Soda sits on the edge of the bed. Pony had been doing better, we could take him home once his concussion was better and he woke up. Finally on Monday morning we got to take him home. I ended up going to my second job but Soda stayed home to watch Pony. When I got home Soda called me over to his and Pony's room. “What's wrong Soda?” I asked as I walked in and sat on the bed next to Soda. “Nothing’s wrong really just…Pony woke up and he was kinda weird, he didn't really realize he was sick at first and then he asked me if you were sorry he was sick, I just thought it was kinda weird.” I furrowed my brows. “Yeah, that's weird, and that's all he said?” Soda nodded and I hummed. “He was probably still delirious or something, especially since he seemed confused.” I pause. “It's good he woke up.” Soda agreed and I left to make dinner. I made some soup for Pony but he just kept saying he didn't like baloney, which was extra weird since we didn't even have baloney in the house but I figured it wasn't a big deal. It was Tuesday by the time Pony actually woke up again. Soda was in the other room with Steve while I had been watching over Pony, or I was supposed to be until I fell asleep, only waking up when Pony started gently shaking me and calling my name. “Hey darry, wake up.” I opened my eyes, relief flooded my chest as I saw Ponyboy. “Ponyboy, you okay?” I asked as I rubbed my eyes to clear the sleep from them. “Yeah, I think so. ” I sighed in relief, thank God. "Gosh, kid, you had us scared to death.” I pushed his hair back and out of his eyes."What was the matter with me?" I shake my head. “I told you you were in no condition for a rumble. Exhaustion, shock, minor concussion--- and Two-Bit came blubberin' over here with some tale about how you were running a fever
before the rumble and how it was all his fault you were sick. He was pretty torn up that night," I pause, "We all were.” His faced scrunched up slightly. “Where'd I get a concussion? How long
have I been asleep?" I furrowed my brows, did he not remember? “You got a concussion from getting kicked in the head--- Soda saw it. He landed all over that Soc. I've never seen him so mad. I think he could have whipped anyone, in the state he was in. Today's Tuesday, and you've been asleep and delirious since Saturday night. Don't you remember?" He shook his head. “No, Darry, I'm not ever going to be able to make up the school I've missed. And I've still got to go to court and talk to the police about Bob's getting killed. And now... with Dally..." He inhaled deeply. “Darry, do you think they'll split us up? Put me in a home or something?" I was silent for a moment, how was I supposed to answer that? I didn't know what was going to happen and that was the worst thing about the whole situation. "I don't know, baby. I just don't know." Ponyboy laid back and stared at the ceiling and I wished I could read his mind. He looked upset so I decided to change the subject. "Don't you even remember being in the hospital?” He shook his head. "I don't remember.” I frown just slightly before talking again. “You kept asking for me and Soda. Sometimes for Mom and Dad, too. But mostly for Soda." I told him. I had felt relieved that he had called for me while he had been sick. It meant he didn't hate me but I also just wished we would actually talk. He was quiet for a moment, before speaking again. “Darry…” he trailed off, he probably didn't know what to say so I continued. "Johnny left you his copy of Gone with the Wind. Told the nurse he wanted you to have it" Ponyboy glanced at the copy on the table, he had a pained look on his face. Then he finally says something. “Where's Soda?” I knew he was gonna ask that, he always did. “Asleep, I hope. I thought he was going to go to sleep shaving this morning and cut his throat. I had to push him to bed, but he was out like a light in a second." I had been so happy when soda finally fell asleep but my hopes of him still being asleep were swiftly crushed as he came running in, not even wearing a shirt. “Hey Ponyboy!” He yelped and practically launched himself at Pony but I caught him. I didn’t want anyone being too rough with him. “No rough stuff little buddy” Soda practically pouted before plopping next to Pony and bouncing up and down. "Gosh, but you were sick. You feel okay now?" Pony nodded and I relaxed slightly, even though he had already said he felt better. "I'm okay. Just a little hungry." Soda seemed to remember how little Pony ate while he was sick. I cut in before he could say anything though."I should think you would be," Darry said. "You wouldn't eat anything most of the time you were sick. How'd you like some mushroom soup?" Pony looked like he just remembered he was hungry. “Man, I'd like that just fine." I stood up feeling grateful that he was going to eat again, it had been really bothering me earlier. “I'll go make some. Sodapop, take it easy with him, okay?" Then I left, I heard soda say something but I ignored it. Making the soup was a quick process but by the time I came back both Soda and Ponyboy were curled up together on the bed and both were fast asleep.