A/N: This is something I wrote a while ago, and wanted to share. Hope you like this...

Disclaimer: I don't own Outsiders.

A little Spruce

I noticed him, while walking around the hospital, trying to keep away from my doctor. I was wearing my favorite leggings, and sweatshirt, so visitors usually assumed I was just a visitor. They were going into Cade's room, who I had met three weeks before, when they woke me up moving him in. I casually entered the room, and sat on a stool beside my roommate, smiling at his friends, "Are you going to introduce me, Cade?"

"You know this girl, Johnnycakes?" One of the three asked, looking skeptically at me, "She's cute."

"Hello Spruce, these are some more of my friends, Steve, Soda, and Dally," He pointed to the one that looked like a movie star, "Sodapop is Pony's brother."

Steve had been the one I had been drawn to, because he was the type of guy, who I found myself attracted to before coming to the hospital. "I saw you here last week, you were talking with some of the nurses."

I felt myself getting dizzy, and I knew that my new roommate noticed, but I still didn't want the three to see me as the sick girl. I hated people looking at me like I was there to pity, "I will see you later, Cade."

My roommate took a hold of my arm, keeping me from getting up, "Spruce, you could trust them, just like you could trust TwoBit, and Ponyboy," he looked at Steve, who was standing the closest to me, "Steve, can you help her into bed," he pointed to my floral quilt bedding.

"Wait, you're a patient too?" The Dally guy asked surprised as Steve, helped me onto my bed, "Cool, coed rooms."

"Do you need anything else?" Steve asked, after making sure I was comfortable in bed, as he looked around my side of the bed. His eyes were locked on my sketches, which I had done on some of the doctors, and nurses. "You drew these?"

Soda came up beside him, to get a better look at the art on my wall, "Hey you drew my brother?"

"Yeah, she kept him company, while I was in physical therapy," Johnny explained, as someone brought in our dinners, which looked like hamburgers.

I poked at my food, before looking at Greg, who was usually the one to drop off our trays. I shoved the plate away from me, and crossed my arms, "Today is Friday, you usually bring me something from Dairy Queen," I crossed my arms, as I looked away.

"Today is Thursday, nice try Ariel," George gently pushed the tray back towards me, and than looked at the others, "This girl likes to mess with minds, make sure to be careful around this one," he glanced at Johnny too, and winked at the other room occupant, "She's rubbing her bad habits on your friend too."

"Hey it get's me free ice cream sundaes," Johnny winked at me, before starting on his food, "Thanks Greg."

"Anytime Johnny," Greg waved goodbye, before hurrying out of the room, to drop off the rest of the meals.

"We have to get going, taking our girls to the movies, we'll see you later Johnny," Dally patted his friends leg, before leading Soda, out of our room.

Steve smiled at my roommate, and than back at me, "Well, I guess I should get home, my old man needs help with the car," he walked to the door, and than faced his friend, "I will see you later, Johnny."

"Bye Steve," Johnny waved, as his friend left the room, than turned towards me, "You hear what the doctors say, Spruce. You really shouldn't be walking around for to long, what if you passed out like last week, when Dr. Michael, had to bring you back to the room."

"I get the worry from my aunt, I don't need it from you too, Cade," I leaned back against my pillow, and closed my eyes, "I don't get visitors like you Johnny, because my parents are dead, and my aunt is the only one to visit me."

"You're aunt is real nice," Johnny commented.

"We're the only family, that we have, plus my uncle," I opened my eyes, and looked back towards the other bed, "So when do you think, you'll be going home?"

"Why are you trying to get rid of me?" He tried to joke, as he opened a magazine, that his friends had brought him, "I will still visit you, Spruce, when ever I leave."

"No you won't, none of the others ever did, and why would you want to come back here. If I ever get out of here, I plan on staying out," I rolled to my side, so that I was facing my roommate.

"You're my friend, of course I will visit," He tried to assure, as he folded his magazine.

"We're roommates not friends Cade, so please get that notion out of your head," I saw him frown, as he turned on his side, revealing the scars from where he was burned on his back, "It's not personal Cade, but I don't want friends, because than it's harder to say goodbye."

"They'll find a donor, Spruce, and people need friends," He glanced over his shoulder, to look at me for a moment, before facing the wall, "Goodnight, Spruce."

I slowly climbed out of my bed, and walked to the door, "Goodnight, Cade."

He popped his head up, and looked at me worriedly, "Where are you going?"

"I am going to look for nurse Jacklyn," I answered, knowing he wouldn't ask anymore questions, since the nurse usually fixed my hair. She was the only one, who I trusted to style my hair, out of the other eight nurses in this area.

He laid back down, and closed his eyes, "Alright, goodnight."

After shutting the door to our room, I made my way over to where Jacklyn was, and sat in one of the wheelchairs, "When is Johnny Cade leaving?"

She turned to face me, with a bright smile, "Good evening Ariel, why aren't you in bed?"

"I couldn't sleep," I answered, as I twirled the end of my dark hair, around my finger, "Do you think we could wash my hair, and maybe braid it?"

She stood to her feet, and started to push me back to my room, "You could have asked one of the other nurses, they all love doing your hair."

"Nurse Rita pulls my hair, and Nurse Gretchen, is trying to talk me into cutting my hair," I took pride in my hair, because it was the only thing, which I felt I had control over, I was able to style it any way that I was able to. "Do you know when Johnny Cade, will be

going home?" In case I forgot to describe myself, I have long raven hair that fell past my waist, blue eyes that reminded my uncle of my mom, and stood at five-four. I was sixteen years old, and would had been a junior, if I was still in high school

She pushed me back into my room, and set me in front of the sink, "I'm not allowed to tell you that, Ariel," Jacklyn answered, as she used a cup to rinse the soap out of my hair, which she had just applied over the sink, "Are you going to miss him, if he were to leave?"

"He said he would still visit me, when he was finally able to leave," I answered softly, allowing the nurse to dry my hair to braid it.

Jacklyn had been here since I first came, and was the first one to actually try, to help me feel comfortable when I was staying. She looked down at my finger nails, and noticed the nail polish was chipping, "I'll bring my nail polish after my two day break, and than we'll do each others nails again."

"If I am still alive," I mumbles, and winced when she smacked my arm, she didn't like me talking about death. "I think I will go to bed now, thank you for doing my hair for me, I get dizzy doing my hair."

"Alright, I will see you in a couple of days, my husband is taking me camping," She shared, as she helped me back into bed, and made sure I was tucked in before leaving the room.

I laid on my side, so that I was facing my roommate, and smiled a little, "One friend won't be too bad."

Two Weeks Later

My aunt came into my room in tears, as she came to the side of my bed, and wrapped her arms tightly around me. "They found one, baby."

I looked over at Johnny, who had gone home a week ago, and was now visiting with the Steve guy. I thought that was weird, since Steve, knew me even less than Johnny, "Aunt Mia, what are you talking about?"

"Hello Monica," Johnny greeted with a smile, since my aunt had brought him snacks, while she visited me. He pointed to his friend, "This is my friend Steve, he wanted to tag along, to see Spruce."

I stared at the lean boy, who was now looking down at his feet, before looking back at my aunt, "Is everything alright, Uncle Tony okay?"

She wrapped her arms around me again, and kissed the side of my head, "They found a donor for you, you go into surgery tomorrow morning," she kissed my cheek again, before stepping back to look at Johnny, and than at Steve, "I'm sorry for the tears, this is just really great, we waited almost a year."

"The only reason they rushed getting it now, was because I could hardly stay awake for more than twenty minutes, and the the constant nose bleeds," I was actively avoiding looking at the guys, as I focused on my aunt, "If this doesn't work or come through, I want to go home alright? I am tired of living in the hospital, and want to be back in my old room"

"I know how tired you are from waiting, but this time they finally have the donor, and Dr. Michael will operate in the morning. Your uncle, and I are taking the day off, so we could be here when you wake up," She was squeezing my hand, and her positive attitude was almost contagious.

Johnny wrapped his arms around me, "That's great, Spruce." He turned to hug my aunt, before stepping back with a blush, "I'll come by tomorrow, and visit you."

My aunt wrapped her arm around my friend, and looked down at me, "Maybe by the end of the summer, you'll be able to go to school, and at least you'll know people now."

"Let's just get the surgery behind us first, before enrolling me into school," I suggest, as I started to feel sleep sneak up again, "I hope it works, it really sucks being tired all the time."

"Well I am going to get back home, and start on your uncles dinner," She looked at the two boys, and than focused on Steve, "It was nice meeting you, Steve, and see you later Johnny, I love you, Ariel."

"Nice meeting you, Monica!" Steve called, as he took a seat in the chair, which was positioned next to my bed, "So what should we do, when you're out of the hospital?"

Johnny took a hold of my hand, something he did when my symptoms got worse, before he was able to leave the hospital. He smiled at his friend, "We should go to a Nightly Double, or maybe have a bar-b-que."

"Maybe just a Bar-B-Q, since she probably will still be a little weak, and we don't want her to strain herself," Steve commented, as he took a hold of my free hand, and gave a little squeeze, "I'm real happy for you, Spruce."

"Will there be hot dogs?" I asked, not paying to much attention, to the fact Steve was holding my hand. I didn't have the energy, to over think about my hand being held by the kid I thought was cute, "I am going to bed, get lost."

Johnny kissed my forehead, in a brotherly fashion, "I'll see you later, Spruce," he ruffled my hair, before leaving the room.

I had thought I was alone, until I felt another kiss to my forehead, and my hand get squeezed once again. "Good luck tomorrow."

I opened my eyes, just in time to see Steve leaving my room, and shutting the door behind him. Then brought my hand to my forehead, where he had just kissed me, "Thank You."

Now I know I'm dyeing...

A Month Later

I had been home a whole week, and my aunt had already taken me clothes shopping, and surprised me with new bedding. I was standing in front of the mirror, in my white cherry patterned dress, that my aunt had bought for my home coming, "I am so thin."

"You're beautiful, Ariel," My aunt kissed my cheek, as she wrapped her arms around me, "Steve, and Johnny, should be here any minute, to take you to the Bar-B-Q at the Curtis's."

"I thought Johnny, was coming to walk me over," I gave my aunt a confused look, which only made her smile, "Why is Steve coming?"

"I don't know sweety, maybe he doesn't want you to over exhort yourself, so soon after your surgery. Did you know he gave us the number where he works, and friends number, in case I needed help with you," She kissed my cheek, before turning back to my closet, "Why don't you wear jeans, and that red sweater I like, and save your dresses for school."

I nodded, as I quickly changed, "You look so much like your mom, and she would be proud of you, for not giving up."

"Mia, a couple of boys are here for a Spruce, what's a Spruce?" My uncle was on the other side of my door.

"Ariel Spruce, her friends call her by her last name, it's a thing they started at the hospital. You should know what a Spruce is, it's your last name," My aunt answered, as she opened the door, and took her husbands hand. She smiled at the two familiar boys, and turned back to her husband, "You remember Johnny, Ariel calls hims Cade, and he call's her Spruce," she looked back at Steve, "Well both the boys call her Spruce."

My uncle had his own company, he painted houses for a living, or put in carpet depending what you needed done. He, and my aunt, had been high school sweethearts, and had been through a lot together. He was there for her, when she learned she couldn't have children, and she stood by him when he wanted to get custody of me after my parents passing. He was a good man. "So you'll be home around ten?"

"Yes sir, I will have her home," Steve assured, before looking back at me, and checking out my outfit, "You're looking better, not that you loo-"

I raised my brow at him, and placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him an assuring smile, "I know what you mean," I smiled over at Johnny, and noticed he didn't have his cane, "So where's the stick, Cade?"

"I left it at home," Johnny answered, as he reached for my hand, and started to lead me out of the house, "I don't really need it anymore, my balance is getting better."

Steve opened the door to his truck, and held out a hand to help me into the car, "It's great that you're out of the hospital."

"It feels great being out of the hospital, of course I still need to take it easy," I was sitting between Johnny, and Steve, since he only had a front seat, "So how long did your dad get?"

"He got twenty years," Johnny answered, as he stared out the window. "Mom is going to meetings, and hasn't had a drink since the night I first arrived at the hospital, after saving those kids in a fire."

I had remembered him telling me while we were roommates in the hospital, that he had once hated his mom for not doing anything, but while he thought more about his life she would try to warn him to stay out of the house. I was actually happy, that his mom was getting help to be a better mom, because I felt that family was important. "That's great, Cade."

Steve had his hand resting on the seat behind me, as he used his free hand to drive down the road, "We got some hot dogs for you."

I smiled at him, trying to ignore the way he was rubbing my shoulder, not knowing if he was aware of his actions, "That was the first thing my aunt cooked, when I first came home from the hospital, with her french fries."

"Those were good fries," Johnny smiled, since my aunt had invited him over, for when I came home from the hospital. Him, and I, had formed a brother, sister, relationship in the hospital. I would have to say, he was my first, and probably my best friend.

Steve put his other hand on the steering wheel, as we parked in front of a house, where I recognized the guys from the hospital. He got out of the car, and turned to help me out, "You know everyone here."

"I do," I looked over at where Two-Bit, Soda, and Pony, were smiling as we approached, "Nice to see you guys again."

Soda hurried over to Steve, and wrapped an arm around his shoulder, "So what do you think of my friends driving?"

"At least I drive," Steve commented, as he pushed his friend off of him, and wrapped his own around me, "Let's go inside, so you could sit down."

I shrugged his arm off, and turned to look at Steve, not liking being treated like I was a glass doll. "I am not sick anymore, and if I get tired, than I am more than capable of sitting down myself. Dr. Michael, he told me I was doing so much better, for just having surgery. So please stop worrying about me," I sighed as Steve turned, and stormed into the house, slamming the screen door. I looked over at Johnny, who had wrapped an arm around my shoulder, "I can walk around, and still take it easy."

Johnny smiled, as we walked around the house, where I recognize Darry, the oldest of the Curtis brothers, "You remember this guy, right?"

"Sure I do, he was the one to rid me of you," I teased, as I sat on there back porch, which was facing the grill.

The Bar-B-Q, was a lot of fun, and I made more friends...

I noticed Steve sitting on the sofa, while the others were outside, which I thought was odd. "You don't want to go outside?"

He looked up at me, than back at the wall, "I'm tired."

"Oh, okay," I nodded, as I turned to leave, "Alright, I'll let you rest. I will ask TwoBit, if he could give me a ride home." I turned to go ask TwoBit, but was stopped by Steve's hand, "Steve."

"It's only nine," Steve was still holding my hand, "Are you alright?"

I sighed, gently taking my hand from his, before sitting on the sofa, "Sit down Steve."

He did as I requested, and faced me, "I-"

"I was in the hospital for almost a year Steve, waiting for a heart donor to come available, with three different roommates before Cade. I didn't like being treated like I was sick there, and hoped it would not be the same if I ever got out, so please understand why I want to try to do things as normal as possible," I don't know if he reached for my hand, or if I reached for his, but by the time I was finished talking I noticed our hands had linked. I smiled as I looked at the joined hands, than back up at him, "I promise that I will rest, if I find myself getting tired, and I thought you would feel better if you didn't have to worry about me."

"Alright than," He kept a hold of my hand, as we walked out the front door, where the other guys were playing street football. " I would feel better giving you a ride home, at least my truck starts."

Cade came up beside me, and wrapped an arm around my shoulder, much like he had when he was my roommate, "Hey Spruce, did you still want to go home?"

"Not right now," I answered, smiling when Steve's hand tightened around mine, as my best friend kept his arm around my shoulder, "I am going to start school, so you're have to show me around."

"That's not for another three weeks, so let's enjoy our summer," Cade explained, as he went to talk to Pony, who was standing beside Two Bit.

"I graduated already," Steve explained, gaining my attention again, "But if you need a ride to school, than-"

"My aunt works in the office, so getting there isn't a problem, but thank you for offering," I smiled as I went to sit on the steps, watching as he did the same, "This is my final year of school, since my aunt was bringing me my assignments, I was able to move forward a grade. She brought Cade his also, so now he is in the same grade as me."

He smiled as he watched his friends play, and than looked up at the sky, "I was going to the pond tomorrow, and wondered if you would want to come, maybe we can stop at Dairy Queen, and get some food to bring."

"I love that place," I frowned as I remembered my scar, and than shook my head, "I can't go swimming, but maybe I will bring a fishing pole, and catch some fish tomorrow. What do you normally do at the pond."

He actually blushed, before giving my hand a squeeze, "I was trying to ask you out on a date, and I could bring a fishing pole too."

Now it was my turn to blush, as I tucked my hair behind my shoulder, and stood to my feet, "I think it sounds like fun, and now I will get that ride home."

"Alright," He got to his own feet, and lead me around to say goodbye, whispering something to Johnny before taking me to his truck, "Johnny, he's going to stay the night here, so it's just the two of us."

I just smiled at him, knowing it was just an excuse to get me alone, as I allowed him to help me into his truck.

Tonight was a good night.

A/N: I hope you like this story because I had fund writing it.