Ponyboy's POV

I still couldn't wake myself up from this sleep. I tried to remember what had happened. I remembered the Sheppard gang sneaking up on Audrey and me. I remembered trying to fight them up and seeing Tim sitting in the car. After that, everything went black. I could only hear voices: Audrey's was frantic and panicked, Soda's was worried, and Two-Bit's was concerned but still good-hearted. I hadn't been hearing the voices much, but they were still there. Suddenly, I heard voices; they were very strong.

"Will he walk up soon?" I knew this was Audrey. Her voice was soft and soothing no matter what. I tried to answer her, but I couldn't. That's when I realized I was unconscious.

"It's hard to tell. He's been improving. I'd come in here and talk to him a couple tmes a day. Some people wake up faster that way." I recognized the doctor's voice from the last time I was here.

I would've laughed if I had been able to. That would be the perfect job for Two-Bit. He could talk my ear off any day of the week. As I expected, Two-Bit volunteered himself for the job. "I'll do it!' he shouted cheerfully.

Everyone laughed, just as I suspected them to. I knew the gang like the back of my hand. Darry would always be my overprotective, hard-ass older brother, Soda would always be my favorite, easygoing older brother, Two-Bit would always be my fun, loyal best friend who lived life to the fullest, and Steve and I would never get along. Those are just some facts of my life. Audrey was a little harder to figure out; girls tended to be that way. Two-Bit always laughed at me when I said stuff like that. He thought all girls were as simple as the girls he picked up at the Nightly double. Soda understood what I was talking about.

I was just starting discover these kinds of things. Love wasn't like what it is in movies and books. It wasn't instant or easy; that much I knew. You had to fight for the people you love. It was a long, hard battle. I needed to wake up. I was sick of being silent. I was ready to confess everything to my friends. I was going leave Tusla and be someone. I had suffered enough; it was time for me to do something for myself.

I tried to open up my eyes; it didn't work. I tried something else. I tried lifting up my finger. I kept chanting it to myself that I could do it. I heard a few gasps before realizing that I had actually done it. There were collective gasps from everyone in the world.

Audrey's POV

I was in mid-sentence when I saw Ponyboy's finger move. "Look over here!" I shouted maybe a little bit too loud. Everyone looked to see Ponyboy tapping his finger on the side table. The doctor had the nurse go get his colleague to see this. People usually don't bounce back that fast. Ponyboy had only been unconscious for three days. Most people in a coma took a lot longer to get responses like that. Everyone was pleased except Darry.

"What's your problem, man?" Two-Bit asked angrily. I could tell this caught Darry off guard. Two-Bit mad could do that to someone. He was practically glaring at Darry.

"He's not awake yet," Darry answered softly. Two-Bit only nodded. "Why isn't he awake yet?"

"It takes time, Dar," Soda told him rationally. "He'll wake up when he's ready." That statement didn't make sense to me.

"What does that mean exactly?" I asked, a look of befuddlement on my face. No one could answer my question. The nurse spoke up.

"It means your friend is the one who decides when he wakes up," she explained quietly. I motioned for her to continue. "You may think it's the doctors and everyone else who decides to wake up, but it's really his decision. He moved his finger because he was ready to."

"If this is all in his control, why isn't he awake yet?" Darry asked harshly. I could tell that he didn't believe a word this nurse was saying.

The nurse shook her head. "I didn't say he was strong enough to wake up. I only said that it was his decision when he's strong enough. Some people's body are strong enough to wake up, but their minds aren't."

"How do you know all of this?" Two-Bit asked curiously. I shot him a dirty look. I was taught to never ask those kind of questions in case it had some bad memory linked to it.

"Personal experience," the nurse answered discreetly. We all only nodded and didn't prod any further.

"Thanks," Soda apologized sincerely. The nurse smiled at us before walking out of the room. The doctor came in shortly after she left.

"Well, I have some good news." We all looked over at the doctor. "You'll be able to talk Ponyboy home tomorrow. His results are good enough that he can be monitored at home. He should be conscious in a few days." I surprised the doctor with a huge hug. He just patted me on the back,

Darry's POV

Unlike everyone else, I wasn't excited about bringing Ponyboy home. To me, nothing had changed. He was still unconscious; he couldn't mouth me off, read a book, or kiss his girlfriend. Life wouldn't be any different with an unconscious Pony in our house. It would just mean that we don't have to spend as much time in the hospital. The doctor arranged for a hospice nurse to come and watch Pony. We would've done it, but neither Soda nor I could afford to miss another day of work. I felt bad that Steve had been covering for Soda a lot, but Soda told me it was Steve's way of helping Pony. Despite having finding him annoying, Steve knew Pony was important to all of us. He knew Pone was the glue that was holding the gang together. Without him, we might fall apart.

I watched Two-Bit and Soda carry my little brother into the house. He looked so weak and un-Ponyboy like. Like when he was a little kid. Before the car crash, Pony had no reason to know how to fight. He was still an innocent little kid. After our parents died, we lost that security. Ponyboy lost his childhood. He was inducted into our world. I still wish our brother had been able to retain his innocence, but at least he still had his idealism. I guess that was an adult version of innocence. I certainly wasn't idealistic; my brothers called me a pessimist. I considered myself a realist. Sure, I had dreams, but nothing I couldn't accomplish through hard work. I worried about Pony because his dreams seemed so distant.

"Darry?" I heard a soft voice ask me. I turned around to see Audrey giving me a sympathetic gaze. It wasn't a look that would make me resent her. It was one of understanding. "He'll be fine, you know."

"And how do you know that?" I challenged the tiny girl, wanting to see where she was going with this. Everyone had gotten to know this girl but me. Now it was my turn.

"Call it destiny or whatever the hell you want. I just know." she replied with some edge. I was impressed; no one ever has the nerve to go up against me.

"Tell Pony I approve," I whispered to her as I went to get the mail, She gave me a confused look before picking up on what I meant. She gave me a gracious smile. I just waved as I walked towards the mailbox. Maybe I was becoming a huge softy.