Part 3

The gang had met up again and Tim, Curly and Johnny were back from the cemetery.

"Did ya find anything", Darry asked them and they shook their heads.

"Nothing", Tim said. "How about you?"

"Nothing, we're only waiting for Soda. He would be back soon."

"Damn where could that kid have gone", Tim said and scratched the back of his head. "Ya don't think the socs got hold of him?"

"If they did we should have heard anything by now", Dallas said and lit a cigarette. "They are always so smug when they get hold of one of us. They can't keep it in?"

"Can we", Two-Bit asked and Dallas chuckled.

"I'm getting worried", Darry said and rubbed his face. "Shure Steve been gone a day now and then but Soda doesn't seem to worry."

"Whaddya mean", Curly asked.

"Each month Steve disappears for a day or two", Two-Bit said and shrugged. "But Soda isn't worried about it so we've guessed it's nothing."

Tim snorted. "The kid is surely off hunting cars or girls... Ya heard he stole the hubcaps from Paul Holden's car?"

"He did", Darry asked and a satisfied grin spread across his face. "Good what happened?"

"Steve caused a rift amongs the socs", Curly smiled wide. "He put the hubcabs in Randy Adderson's blue Mustang."

The greasers laughed.

"Man the kid is smarter than we give him credit for", Dallas chuckled. "Good move."

"Darry!" they all heard Soda's scream. And turned around and saw him coming towards them with a still form in his arms. "Darry help!" Soda stumbled and almost dropped his friend as he looked ready to fall over too. Darry's face went pale and her ran over and stopped dead in his tracks when he saw the state Steve was in.

"Holy shit", he said and felt for a pulse.

"He's still alive Darry", Soda said softly. "He moaned a little while ago."

"Right", Darry said and then he twirled around. "Tim we need your car!" Darry took Steve from Soda and both of them hurried after Tim. "Dallas, go and get my truck and meet us at the hospital!"


Soda was staring at the wall opposite him, his hands clutched together in pray. As soon as they arrived at the hospital doctors had appeared and had hurried off with Steve to the emergency room. Dallas and the others had appeared not long afterwards. Darry sat beside Soda and rubbed his back gently.

"He's gonna be okay Soda", Darry said softly. "He'll be just fine." Darry hoped he was right, it wasn't fair to Soda if Steve should die. They'd lost their parents a couple of months back and Soda shouldn't have to lose his best friend too.

"You sure about that Darry", Soda said without looking away from the wall. He knew that if he did he would probably lose control over his anger. "He was out there for almost two days."

"Hey Steve is strong he'll pull through. You'll see."

A doctor came towards them.

"Steve Randle", he asked and they all rose.

"How is he", Darry asked.

"He's gonna be okay, he's sleeping right now. He got a sprained arm, a couple of cracked ribs, suffering from dehydration, a minor concussion and a fever. He'll sleep for at least ten hours so I suggest you all go home and eat and have some sleep." The doctor left.

"Okay y'all you heard him", Darry said. "Let's go."

"No", Soda said. "I'm staying."

"Soda he'll be asleep for ten hours."

"I said I'm staying I'm not gonna leave him again."

"Soda…"

"No Darry", Soda snapped and rose. "If you'd let me go out last night he wouldn't be this bad! Y'all can go home but I'm staying here."

Darry sighed, he felt a bit hurt by Soda's words. "Okay… but we'll be back later to check on ya."

"Whatever…"


Five hours later Soda was still in the same chair, he hadn't moved a muscle, when the same doctor came up to him.

"Young man your friend has woken up", he said softly.

"But didn't you…" Soda trailed off confused.

"Say ten hours? Yes this is strange. He's asking for a soda."

"I'm Soda, my name is Sodapop."

"Oh… Okay I'll bring you to him."

Soda went into the room and hurried over to Steve's side and took his hand.

"Steve. Hey Stevie can ya hear me buddy?"

"Hi Soda", Steve said and smiled faintly. "I'm so glad to see you."

"I'm glad to see you too", Soda felt tears go down his cheeks. "I thought we'd lost you. I'm so sorry Steve."

"For what?"

"Not finding you faster, for making you go… for everything."

"There is nothing to forgive", Steve smiled and squeezed Soda's hand. "Well I guess this is it."

"What ya talking about?"

"Tell the gang the truth… you promised to keep quiet until I ended up here."

"If you don't want"

"I want to."

"Excuse me", the doctor interrupted. "What are you talking about?"

"The reason I look like this", Steve muttered. "My father abuses me."

"What?!" The doctor stared at him and then looked down in his papers. "Has he ever raped you?"

Steve's eyes went wide and Soda glared at the doctor. He still held his hand on Steve's arm and the other around his friend's shoulders.

"No he hasn't, he's tried though but always stops", Soda said. Steve had told him about it numerous times. Soda guessed judging by the fact that Steve's father always stopped that Mr. Randle was not rotten all through. Soda thought it meant the man, maybe still had some love for his son. Maybe Steve knew that too and that's a reason for him to stay. "But listen now doc, you won't call the cops or social service unless my friend wants ya to."

"What?!"

"Listen doc", Steve said weakly. "I can't leave my dad, I'm the one paying most of the bills. He needs me and I don't want him to end up homeless. He's my dad and despite everything he's done to me all these years I still love him… I know it sounds stupid."

"It doesn't", the doctor said softly. "We always love our family. But son I can make sure you get out of there forever so you won't suffer."

"He hasn't tried to molest me for long now, I'm almost stronger than he is. I promised my mom before she died that I would give him the chance to change and not give up on him too fast. But I also have another reason for staying… Two reasons actually."

Soda smiled softly as Steve explained his reason to the doctor.

"Son I would rather that you contacted the police about this", the doctor said. "But if you don't want to… give me a call when you want to savvy?"

"Yeah", Steve said and smiled. "Thanks doc."

The man left. Soda smiled at his friend.

"I'm tired", Steve mumbled. "Lemme sleep."

"Yeah, go to sleep Stevie… I'll talk to the guys."

"Don't tell 'em 'bout raping… please."

"Okay, okay buddy I won't." Suddenly Steve groaned in pain and his whole body tensed up. "Steve!"

"Soda…" Steve crocked out in pain. "Get help…"

Soda pushed the emergency button at the side and saw blood coming from Steve's back.

"Shit…" He had no time to react until he was shoved out of the room and Steve was hurried away to the emergency room again. Soda saw that he had blood on his hands when he sunk down in his chair, but he was too shocked and scared to do anything about it.

TBC