Darry's POV

I walked over to Suzy's. Hoping to find that she was there. Johnny, Ember, and Amber were running out the door trying to get to school on time. Not much later, Penny came running out almost running into me.

"Sorry Darry!" she shouted as she continued running.

"Hey Darry." Tim walked out of the basement, the rest of his gang following. "Looking for Suze?"

"Yeah know where she is?"

"Got called in ta work." Tim said walking out the door. "Said she'd be back later. ANGELA! Ya gonna be late fer school!"

"I'm comin'!" Tim's sister soon appeared running up from the basement and disappeared out the door with the rest of Shepard's gang.

I didn't know whether to wait for Suzy to come home or just go to the hospital to see her before I lost my nerve to ask her. I thought on it a while and decided I better go ask her before someone decided to tell her.

"Hey Darry." Dallas said. "Where ya goin'?"

"To the Hospital."

"Why?"

"To ask Suzy a question."

"So ya finally gonna ask 'er?"

"Ask her what?"

"Ta marry you. We all know the look ya give 'er. I'm surprised ya haven't asked the chick earlier. Ya not gonna do it in front of everyone?"

"No. I'd be to nervous."

"You nervous?" Dally laughed. "I'd love ta see the day."

~Hospital~

Dally had given me a ride to the hospital only because he wanted at least on of the gang to see me actually purpose. He believed I wouldn't tell everyone how I did it when they asked.

"Is Susan Cade here?" I asked.

"Suzy? Is she here?" One of the nurses asked another.

"She was. Then she got a call from the school. Said her brother got into a fight."

"Looks like she's not here." The first nurse said. "Hey Gretchen. You think this is Darry? The boy she keeps talkin' about?"

"I think your right, Fran." Gretchen said. "What are you lookin' for our Suzy for?"

"I just was going to…" Dally cut me off.

"He's gonna pop the question." He said.

"How romantic!" Fran cried. "Oh what cute children they would have! Don't you think Gretchen?"

"They would." Gretchen agreed. "Hey Hope!"

"Yeah?" Another nurse came in.

"This is Darry the boy Suzy talks about. Don't ya think they'd have cute kids?"

Hope nodded. "I think their kids would be cute. Mike! Come see Suzy's boyfriend!"

This time an older doctor came out to join the three old gossiping nurses. "What?" Mike said. "What could you three possibly need this time?"

"This is Suzy's boy." Fran said. "He's gonna ask her to marry him."

"Really? What a lucky boy you are." Mike shook my hand. "You better treat her right. Otherwise the next time your in the hospital I'll make sure you don't get better."

"Mike!" Hope cried. "Suzy would be devastated if you did that to him!"

"She'd live." Mike replied. "What are you still doing here?" Mike said to me. "Shouldn't you be finding her?"

I left with Dally and we headed towards the school only to find everyone leaving the school. "What's going on?" I asked Soda as he approached us.

"School got dismissed do to an accident in the science lab." Soda said. "Johnny didn't get to see it. He threw up and got sent home."

"Damn. Your havin' a ruff day." Dally said to me. "He's been lookin' for her all day." Dally laughed. "Got a bunch of nurses and a doctor on his case at the hospital."

"Poor Darry." Steve said. "You want us to help you find her?"

"Yes." I said. "It'll save me a lot of time."

No POV

The entire gang started to look for Suzy. None of them could find her. Johnny had said that she went to the store, but when they got there she was nowhere to be found. They hadn't even seen her car. They went back to Johnny and he said she hadn't been back there yet either.

"Where could she be?" Steve said. They had all given up and gone back to the Curtis's "We looked everywhere."

"I don't know." Darry was carrying a sleeping Soda into the house. He had fallen asleep sometime at work. Steve didn't even know when.

"It's alright Darry. I'm sure she's somewhere in Tulsa." Pony said.

"That's not helping." Two-bit said. "Dally said he'd call is she shows up back home. The girls said they'd keep a look out too."

"Is someone gonna move so I can get threw?" An all to familiar voice said. "Who are you all talking about anyway?"

"Suzy!" The all said. "Where have you been?"

"What are you my parents?" Suzy asked. "I was looking for medicine for Johnny. When I went back to work the girls told me that Darry was looking for me so I came here to see what he wants. Now could you get to it? Johnny shouldn't be alone for long."

"Dally, Amber, Ember, and Penny are all over there." Steve said.

"Hey Darry could you put me down?" Soda asked from his brother's arms. He had woken up when they all yelled at Suzy. Darry dropped his brother on the couch.

"Um Suze? Could I talk to you outside?" Darry asked. He was really nervous. She nodded and grabbed his hand, pulling him out the door.

He just stared at her for a while. "Well?" Suzy asked. He saw that she looked ready to cry.

"Suze, is something wrong?" Darry asked.

"I'm just waitin' fer you ta break up with me." She said quietly, hoping he wouldn't hear her.

"I'm not gonna break up with you." Darry hugged her. "After you told me so much about your past I never wanted you to be alone again. You're an amazing girl and I never wanted anyone to ever hurt you again. I couldn't face you until I found a way to make you mine forever. So I wanted to ask you…. Will you marry me?" He asked still holding her close to him. He felt her nod.

"I would love to."

"WE'RE GETTING A SISTER-IN-LAW!" Soda cried.

"JOHNNY"S GONNA BE OUR BROTHER!" Pony shouted.

"We'll finally have a mother figure in the gang." Steve said.

"DARRY AND SUZY KISSING IN A TREE! FIRST COMES MARRIAGE! THEN COMES A BABY IN A BABY CARRIAGE!" The gang sang.

"Just don't make me an uncle until after I graduate." Pony asked.

"No promises." Darry said kissing the top of Suzy's head.