Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders.

XxXxX

Run… run… RUN!

There were no other thoughts in Darry's mind. He had just gotten a call from Dallas. He couldn't handle Johnny's death and he had robbed a grocery store. He was going to snap. The whole gang ran to him now. They had already lost Johnny. They couldn't lose Dallas too.

Suddenly Darry spotted Dally running into the vacant lot, the police jumping out of their cars directly across from them to give chase as Dallas ran towards them. Suddenly Dally stopped under the streetlight and yanked the unloaded heater from his belt. Of course the police had no idea that it wasn't loaded.

Darry became panicked as the shots rang out from several policemen's guns. He quickly realized that there was no help for Dally, but with the bullets flying there was suddenly danger for the rest of the Greasers. But just as he was about to shout a warning to the others a cry rang out. He whipped around in time to see Ponyboy fall to the ground.

There were frenzied shouts from the rest of the gang and Darry shoved Steve aside to get to Ponyboy.

"You shot my brother!" Soda shouted, an anger that no one had ever heard from him alive in his voice. He started to run at the cops, but Steve managed to grab the back of his shirt – shouting in pain as he aggravated his cracked ribs from the rumble - to stall him enough for Two-Bit to grab him in a bear hug.

"Soda, don't!" Steve pleaded desperately, standing in front of his friend and trying to calm him. "Don't be stupid, Soda, they'll just shoot you too!" It took everything both Two-Bit and Steve had to keep Soda from getting away and charging the still armed cops.

Darry was kneeling next to Pony, feeling helpless. Pony was writhing and crying out and Darry wished like crazy that he could just take the pain away. "We need an ambulance!" he shouted. "He's still alive, we need an ambulance now!"

This seemed to get through to Soda and he turned back, breaking away from Two-Bit's grip as he fell to Pony's other side. "Sh, Pony, sh," he hushed, stroking his younger brother's hair. "It's gonna be alright. Help is on the way." Darry saw that Soda was shaking like mad. He reached over and clasped Soda's shoulder in support.

Darry took a deep breath, trying to keep it together for both his brothers' sakes. He looked at the blood now covering Pony's t-shirt over his stomach and knew he had to slow the bleeding down. He bunched up Ponyboy's shirt, which was already lose on him due to recently loosing a lot of weight, and put a little pressure on the wound. Pony groaned loudly as Soda hushed comfortingly.

"They said the ambulance is on the way," Two-Bit said quietly as he approached them, apparently he just had come from talking with the policemen. "He… he looks bad…" The seriousness in Two-Bit's voice shocked everyone.

"Soda," Pony moaned, reaching up and Soda grabbed his hand and squeezed.

"I'm here, you're going to be okay, Ponyboy," Soda said, his voice shaking. He cupped Pony's face with his free hand. "We're not going to lose you again."

"Soda, it hurts," Pony moaned. "Please… make it stop…"

The sound of his baby brother's begging broke Darry's heart and it took everything he had not to start bawling right then.

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, a siren wailed through the night. Two-Bit and Steve ran to wave down the ambulance. It parked next to the vacant lot and three EMTs sprung from the back of the truck. They were all business, sweeping both Soda and Darry aside to get to Ponyboy. Nobody even gave Dally a sideways glance as he lay feet away under the streetlight.

"One of you can ride with him in the ambulance," one EMT said as they loaded Pony onto a stretcher.

"You go," Darry said to Soda. "I'll follow in the truck."

Soda nodded solemnly and followed the stretcher. He climbed into the back of the ambulance and the doors slammed shut behind him and just like that it was gone.

Darry stood still, watching the ambulance leave, feeling empty, his hands loose at his sides. He had failed. He had failed to protect his younger brother. After driving him away and finally getting him back, he had watched Pony get shot right in front of him. He should have made him stay back at the house; he hadn't been looking so good anyway. He had been so concerned about Dally he hadn't even thought of that. When would he stop messing up?

"Darry?" Steve asked, unsurely.

Darry snapped out of his stupor and turned without a word and started back toward the house. He was aware of the cops still there dealing with Dally's body. He couldn't even think about that right now. He would deal with those emotions later. He hurried for the truck parked out in front of the house but Two-Bit stopped him.

"Maybe you should wash up real quick first," Two-Bit said softly, an oddly gently tone in his voice.

Darry stared at him uncomprehending for a moment until Two-Bit indicated his hands. He looked down at them and realized for the first time that they were covered in blood. Pony's blood. His stomach gave a violent turn. He ran into the house, knowing that he had to clean up and realizing the longer he took the longer Soda would be sitting at the hospital by himself. Two-Bit tossed him a clean shirt and he changed without bothering to see what kind of condition the shirt he was wearing was in. Steve came hurrying out of Soda and Pony's bedroom balling up a clean shirt that Darry assumed was for Soda.

"C'mon, I'll drive," Two-Bit said, taking the keys and not leaving it up for discussion. Darry simply followed, knowing that arguing would only take up more time.

Two-Bit jumped in the driver's seat and Steve crawled in and sat next to Darry. It seemed natural that the whole gang – or at least what was left of it – would sit in the hospital for as long as they could. They would be there for each other. They were family.

Two-Bit managed to make it to the hospital in record time and all three practically ran inside. They quickly found Soda sitting in the waiting room, staring down at his hands in his lap, his eyes wide. He didn't even look up as Darry sat on one side of him and Steve sat on the other. Two-Bit stood nearby and lit a cigarette.

Darry did his best to focus on Soda. His brother was paler than he had ever seen him and his hands were clenched together in his lap so tightly that his knuckles were white. His eyes were wide and haunted looking. There were flecks of blood on his t-shirt, but Steve made no mention of the clean one he had brought.

"Cigarette?" Two-Bit finally offered Soda, holding out the carton. He knew better than to offer one to Darry. Soda wordlessly took a cigarette, his hand shaking slightly. Two-Bit lit it for him and he took a long drag.

"How did he look when he got here?" Darry asked quietly.

"He passed out cold in the ambulance," Soda said sullenly. "But… he was still breathing… when we got here…" Soda's voice was shaking as he was dangerously close to breaking down into hysterics.

Darry put his arm around Soda and squeezed him closer in a sideways hug and just held him there. Soda leaned his head into Darry's chest.

"It's okay, Pepsi Cola," Darry hushed quietly.

"We can't lose him too," Soda whimpered, his voice shaking even more and tears finally spilling down his cheeks. Steve reached over and clasped Soda's shoulder in support. Soda had never cried in front of anyone other than Darry and Pony, except for at their parents' funeral.

"We won't," Darry said, though he had no way of knowing that for sure. The alternative was just too horrific and terrifying to even consider.

Silence fell over the group. They had lost two fellow Greasers, two brothers, already today. Would they lose a third? How would any of them deal with that? It was unimaginable to think of life without Johnny and Dally… but life without Pony too? It would destroy them all.

After Soda had calmed down Steve convinced him to change his shirt. Steve simply threw the old one away. Two-Bit kept up a supply of cigarettes and Soda chain smoked more than he ever had before in one sitting, but no one said anything about it. Everyone was silent. There wasn't anything left to say. All they could do was wait and see if this was going to be an awful day or a completely devastating day.

An hour later a doctor in scrubs came out. He spotted the group and walked over to them as they all sat up. They were the only ones in the waiting room. Darry put his arm around Soda again, ready to give support in the event of bad news. He still had one younger brother left that he had to take care of, no matter what he was feeling.

"Are you the family of Ponyboy Curtis?" the doctor asked.

"Yes sir," Darry said with no emotion. He felt like he should stand up, but his knees felt so weak he wasn't sure they would hold him. He simply looked up at the doctor. "I'm his guardian."

"He's going to be okay," the doctor said with a smile. A collective sigh of relief lifted from the group. "No major organs were hit and we patched him up just fine. He's sleeping now, but he will be moved to the recovery ward soon and you will be able to visit him there. He should be able to go home in a day or two. But he'll have to take it real easy for about a week or so."

"Thank you," Darry said, relief filling his voice. He clapped Soda on the back and smiled as the doctor walked away. "See, I told you."

Soda grinned in spite of himself. The mood was a lot lighter after the doctor left. It was finally a victory, the first bit of good news since Pony had wandered into the Curtis house hours earlier and told them that Johnny had died. Soda turned back into his fidgeting self, talking with Steve and shifting around, antsy. Finally another half hour passed and a nurse came out and said that Pony's immediate family could go see him.

Darry and Soda jumped up and hurried after her. Both were anxious to see their little brother. Pony's hospital room was darkened and silent. Darry was relieved to see that Pony appeared unharmed for the most part, his major injury covered by a blanket. He was very pale and was sound asleep with an IV drip in one arm. Soda moved over to Pony's bedside and crouched down to be on his level. He stroked his brother's hair affectionately.

"Oh, Ponyboy," Soda said quietly. "You gotta start staying out of trouble. You're giving me and Darry grey hair." He smiled.

Darry studied the scene. Pony looked so small in the hospital bed. How could this have happened? How could he have let this happen? He walked over to the other side of Pony's bed and crouched down like Soda had.

"I'm so sorry, Pony," Darry mumbled.

Soda gave Darry a look of surprise. "What are you talking about Darry?"

"I'm supposed to protect you two," Darry said quietly, looking at Pony's still form. "I'm responsible for you, both of you. First Pony runs away because of me… now he's been shot…"

"Hey, don't talk like that," Soda said, sounding surprised. "This is not your fault. If those moronic cops could aim worth anything there wouldn't have been any stray bullets. Pony was nowhere near Dally." He paused. "I mean Dally was just a kid too… if they hadn't seen him as just another hood…"

Darry just shook his head. This entire night had been too overwhelming to really take in. They sat for a few minutes in silence. Then suddenly Pony shifted and let out a small moan. Both brothers leaned in.

"Ponyboy?" Soda said softly, bushing Pony's hair off his forehead. "Pony? Can you hear me? It's Sodapop."

"Soda?" Pony murmured without opening his eyes.

"That's right kid," Soda said with a smile. "It's all okay now."

"Darry?" Pony muttered. "Where's Darry?"

Darry looked surprised. He leaned forward and put a gentle hand on Ponyboy's head. "I'm here too, Ponyboy," he said. "You're going to be fine. Everything is okay now."

Pony's eyes blinked open. "What… what happened?" he groaned. His hands moved towards his torso. "Ow…"

"Lie still," Darry said quietly. "You were shot, Pony."

"Shot?" Pony seemed confused, his eyes wide and scared.

"Sh, Pony," Soda said. "Just rest now."

"Why was I shot?" Ponyboy sounded groggy.

"It was an accident, Pony," Darry said, not wanting to go into details. None of them had even had a chance to even really register Dally's death yet, they were all too worried about Pony. "Don't worry about it now."

"Darry," Pony choked, sounding close to tears. "I want to go home."

Darry felt tears well up in his eyes for the first time. He rubbed Pony's shoulder and pushed his hair back. This was one of the most painful moments of his life. All he wanted to do was give Pony anything he wanted. He wanted to take away all his fear and pain and see him smile again.

"You will go home," Darry promised, his voice shaking slightly. "Just not yet. You have to stay here just for a little bit while you heal. We'll take you home soon, okay?"

Pony shook his head. "I don't like it here." A few tears streaked down his cheeks.

Darry grimaced. His brother sounded so young in this moment.

"We're going to stay here with you, Pony," Darry assured him. "We won't leave you. I promise."

"That's right, Pony," Soda agreed. "We'll be right here the entire time. They won't be able to get rid of us." He smiled.

Pony seemed to relax, feeling relief.

"Go to sleep, baby," Darry said quietly, stroking Pony's hair. "We'll be here when wake up."

Pony nodded. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Darry didn't dare move until he was sure that Pony had drifted off. He stood up and let out a deep sigh and placed his hands on his head.

"You okay?" Soda asked carefully, looking up at him.

"I can't believe I let this happen," Darry murmured.

Soda stood up, shaking his head. "This isn't your fault, Darry," he repeated.

"Look at him," Darry said, sounding for the first time defeated, his voice betraying his unshed tears. "Does it really look like I'm doing a good job taking care of him? He's in the hospital, Soda. He ran away, got caught up in a murder wrap, now he's been shot. That's a pretty complete failure on my part."

"Darry, you are twenty years old," Soda reminded him. "Pony is fourteen. You're not going to be perfect. But what other twenty year old would even take in their fourteen-year-old brother? Darry, you kept him in school and you've done everything you can for him. You gave up college and took a second job so you can provide for him. Pony and I would be stuck in a boy's home who knows where if it weren't for you."

Darry was taken aback. He had no idea how to respond and he had never heard Soda speak so seriously. He was silent for several minutes. Soda walked right up to Darry and looked him in the eye.

"Darry," he said seriously. "Thank you. Thank you for sacrificing for us."

Darry grabbed Soda and hugged him close.

"Thank you, Soda," he said gruffly.

"It's the truth, Darry," Soda responded earnestly. They pulled away after a minute. "I'm gonna go tell Steve and Two-Bit that everything's alright. Maybe I can sneak them back there too."

"Yeah, sounds good," Darry agreed.

Soda hurried from the room, leaving Darry alone with Pony. Darry pulled up a chair next to Pony's bed, making himself comfortable as he watched his little brother sleep. It had been an extremely long day. It was going to be an even longer night. And Darry had no idea how any of them were going to deal with the events that had taken place that night. But he knew that they would find a way. Everything was snapped into perspective as he watched his baby brother's chest steadily rise and fall. They may have lost tonight… but they hadn't lost everything. They would find a way to survive.