Darry's Point of View:

Saturday, 12:37 p.m.

Tulsa Hospital, Room 426

I walked like a zombie down the hallway. My arms hung motionlessly by my side, everything seemed to freeze in time. How am I going to tell Ponyboy? I know he can't handle this. I dragged my feet along, my mind is telling them to keep going, to face my problems head on, but my heart is screaming for them to stop.

Reluctantly, I walk back into Sodapop's room. Inside I find Ponyboy resting his head on the side of Soda's bed. One of his arms is slung across Soda's stomach and the other is supporting his head. Soda's arm was around Pony. It amazed me that even though Soda still doesn't remember, that they still sleep like nothing ever happened. It breaks my heart to know that they don't have much longer with each other.

I take a seat in the back of the room. Wondering what I'm going to do about this whole situation.

"Well, how's every- . . . oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know they were sleep."said Dr. Hafford. His voice got softer with every word. He walked over to me and takes a seat across from me. He takes out a sheet of paper and we review my test results that I took the other day. Dr. Hafford talks and talks but my mind is elsewhere. I hear something about everything coming back all right and something about my blood pressure but soon I tuned him out.

"...... as soon as he improves a little you can take him home." finishes the doctor.

"Excuse me, what?" I ask, just now returning to the conversation.

"I said as soon as Sodapop improves some more and his nerves' fully return to normal, then you can take him home."He repeats himself.

I sight but don't say anything. I feel Dr. Hafford staring at me so I look up and meet his gaze.

"You don't seem too happy about taking your little brother home, Mr. Curtis. Is there a problem?"he asks with a hint of suspicion in his voice.

At first I wanted to tell him to mind his business; to leave me and me and my family alone, but I soon realized that he wasn't trying to cause any trouble, he's just worried so I take a deep breath and answer. " I am happy to take him home, happier that you'll ever know but . . . " I couldn't continue. Just the thought of them leaving me brings tears to my eyes, but I promised myself that I wouldn't let not one tear fall from my eye. I'm going to be strong for my brothers.

"But. . . ." urged Dr. Hafford.

"But, this lady came to speak to me today. She told me that the state might take my brothers away from me."I say. I squeeze my eyes shut and fight back tears.

Be strong. Be strong, don't cry. Be strong, I say to myself.

I hear Dr. Hafford sigh before he places a sympathetic hand on my back.

"If there is any way that I can help, please let me know." Dr. Hafford. I nod but don't look directly at him. With that, he gets up and leaves the room.

"What?" I hear someone say. I turn around and hear Ponyboy staring at me with tears already running down his face.

I quickly jump out my seat and over to them.

"Darry, how could you?"he asks through tears.

"Pony, I didn't do anything. It was the state." I explain to him.

He cries even harder. I pounds his head into my chest and cries even harder.

"You can' let 'em . . . you can't . . . "he cries into my shirt.

Cover him with my arms and pull him closer.

"You're not going anywhere."I whisper to him as we rock back and forth.

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I KNOW THIS CHAPTER IS SHORT BUT I WANTED YOU TO SEE PONYBOY'S REACTION TO HEARING THE BAD NEWS..........

ANYWAY, PLEASE COMMENT/REVIEW THIS CHAPTER ANYWAY . . .

THANKS FOR THE SUPPORT . . .