Hi. Sorry it took so long to update, but at least I gave you some notice that it might be a while. The week after I posted my chapter I couldn't access a computer until Thursday, and that weekend I was visiting company, catching up on homework, and sleeping. The following week and the weeks after was spent with school and me writing this chapter painfully slowly. Thank you math class.

There are a lot of time breaks. Sorry if they bug you. And a lot of crying. But I think its used appropriately. Sorry if you think I over did it, I'm not really sure. (But do keep in mind the situation)

This chapter, while writing it, I was listening to the same two songs. So, thank you Glee/Darren Criss (Somewhere Only We Know) and Rob Thomas (Little Wonders)

Please read and review.

"….you boys might want to say your goodbyes."

Soda's eyes grew round and Two-Bit looked at him in alarm, worried that he might just pass out on them. Soda swayed slightly, but put his arm out and leaned against the wall. Darry shook his head, willing this nightmare to go away. He took a few steps back, his eyes begging for the doctor to be wrong. Suddenly, Darry whipped around and sprinted down the hall and out the door.

"Dar!" Steve took off after him. Steve caught up with him quickly, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Darry shook it off and started to walk away. Steve looked at him for a moment with a hurt expression before following. "Where do you plan on going?"

"Anywhere but here."

"Why?"

Darry turned to look at him, his eyes hard. "Why?" His expression softened and tears welled up in his eyes. "Because, Ponyboy's dying in there. He's dying and there isn't a blasted thing I can do about it! I've always been able to protect him somehow, Steve. Now, I can't. I failed."

Steve shook his head slowly. "No….where did you get that stupid idea?"

Darry remained silent.

"Look. Yes, Ponyboy is dying. Yes, there isn't anything you can do about it. But that doesn't make it your fault."

"Steve, answer this question honestly," Darry commanded. "Who signed the permission slip that let him come?"

Steve stared at him, knowing the answer but not wanted to say it. "You."

"See?"

"But Dar," Steve stated, "that don't make this your fault."

"Then who should I blame?"

"How about the guys that did that to him."

"But he wouldn't have even been able to get taken by them if he stayed at home."

"Darry, I don't understand you sometimes. I'm not going to tell you what to do, but I will say that I bet you'll feel a heck of a lot worse if you don't say goodbye before its too late."

V^V^V^V^V

The doctor had told Two-Bit and Soda the room number and left.

"Soda?"

"Yeah?" he whispered. He cleared his throat and tried to swallow the lump in his throat, but it didn't work.

"Do you…um," Two-Bit sniffed, trying to hold back his own tears. It was the truth. Ponyboy was going to die. "do you want first honors?"

Soda looked at him helplessly, feeling lost. Overwhelming, heart wrenching grief suddenly knock the wind out of him, the reality of what was happening punching a hole through his heart. His kid brother was gonna die.

And he couldn't bring himself to say goodbye.

Soda shook his head wordlessly, leaning on the wall to keep himself steady. His eyes soon had filled with tears and Soda let them fall.

"I can't," he whispered, his voice not able to be stronger at the moment. "I just can't."

Two-Bit closed his eyes for a moment, and slipped into the awaiting hospital room.

V^V^V^V^V

His eyes grew wide when he saw Ponyboy.

The kid had to have been hooked up to a dozen or more machines and IVs. He was pale, which was a stark contrast to the purple, black, and yellow bruises that was on every visible part of him. His right leg was wrapped and so was his left arm. He looked…broken.

Two-Bit knew he should at least move out of the doorway, but he couldn't seem to make his body react to what his mind was telling it to do. After several minutes, Two-Bit could finally move over to the bed.

"Glory, kid," Two-Bit whispered, still struck dumb by Ponyboy's state. He swore. "I'm such an idiot. This is all my fault and now…"

There was a moment of silence, save only for the steady beeping of the varying machines. Suddenly, Two-Bit burst out, unable to stop himself once he started.

"I'm sorry Ponyboy! I'm so sorry! I should have been watching out for you because you're like my brother and I let that happen to you and I wasn't there when you needed me to be and it's all my fault and I'm so sorry! I'm so so so sorry, Ponyboy. I understand if you don't forgive me because you have every right in the world to not forgive me and even more reasons to hate my guts because it's all my fault and no one should expect you to be okay with the fact that you went through what you did because I wasn't there. I was off flirting with some girl who I didn't even really like and you get kidnapped and…and…." Two-Bit stuttered. He wasn't crying but he was darn close to it. The next part was nearly whispered as Two-Bit tried to regain his composure.

"Just…please don't leave us, kiddo. It would kill us."

V^V^V^V

Two-Bit walked out, his eyes watering, and sat down with the rest of the gang without another word. He buried his face in his hands before feeling someone put a hand on his shoulder and squeeze. Two-Bit looked up to find that it had been Darry, his eyes wet with unshed tears. Two-Bit averted his gaze, feeling his stomach twist with guilt, and he brushed Darry's arm off as he stood up and walked away.

Darry followed him, seeing out of the corner of his eye Steve slip into the hospital room.

"Hey, Two-Bit?"

Two-Bit stopped and turned around, still looking at the floor. He couldn't watch Darry's face.

"Tell me you don't blame yourself for this."

Two-Bit glanced up, not answering. There was a silent beat before Two-Bit pushed past Darry, mumbling to him, "I need a smoke."

V^V^V^V

Steve stood there, leaning against the wall. He watched Ponyboy for a few endless minutes. Not saying anything. Just watching and listening to the heart monitor. He finally gathered the strength to push himself off the wall and walk closer to the bed. Steve had never been good at goodbyes. He'd never assume that he'd had to say them. Not to the people he held close. Yes, he admitted it to himself, there in that empty hospital room. Steve cared about the kid. He didn't want him to die anymore than the rest of the gang. But he didn't feel like it was his place to tell Ponyboy that he had to live. Heck, he didn't even know if the kid had a say in the matter. Steve put a hand on Ponyboy's shoulder, gently.

"Bye, kid."

And Steve left.

V^V^V^V

Walking down the hall, any other person would have guessed that Steve was unfazed. That being in the hospital with his best friend's brother dying was nothing to him. They would have been only the gang could tell that even Steve was as lost and confused and upset as any of them. He just knew how to keep his cool better that the others.

Steve walked up to Soda, who had leaned his head against the wall, but otherwise not moved. Soda was still crying, but he looked up when Steve clapped him on the shoulder.

"Waiting won't make it easier," he told Soda in a voice meant only for him. Soda closed his eyes, trying to keep the fresh tears from falling and nodded, walking into the hospital room and letting the fresh tears fall once again.

Soda nearly snapped when he saw his kid brother. He looked so beaten and bloody. Dead, if it weren't for the steady beeping of the surrounding machines.

"Hey, Pony." Soda said, sitting down and brushing the hair out of his brother's face. "I'm sorry this happened, Pone. But…but you g-gotta live, okay? The gang couldn't make it without you." Soda closed his eyes for a moment. He was at a loss for words. There was too much to say. Too much emotion. Soda knew he would burst if he didn't get it out somehow. So Soda let it out in the only way he could.

He broke down and sobbed.

He didn't know how long he was like that and he honestly didn't care. He realized that it must have a while, though, when Darry came in. Darry's breath caught when he saw his youngest brother. His eyes brimmed with tears. Soda stood and walked over to Darry. They looked at each other for a moment before Darry wrapped him in a hug. It was a silent exchange, Darry too speechless to even try to give words of reassurance. Soda left the room, leaving Darry and his youngest kid brother alone.

Darry looked at the boy in the hospital bed and exhaled slowly, trying to calm himself down. He didn't know why it had been a shock to find Ponyboy in the state that he was in. It wasn't like Darry hadn't seen Ponyboy before…in the back of the van….more dead than alive….

Darry took another steadying breath as the memories he had tried to repress came flooding back to him. Tears he had so far been able to keep back spilled before Darry could even think to stop them. Darry blinked hard, but it didn't work.

"Gosh, kiddo," Darry said, sitting down and running a hand over his mouth. He wasn't sure what exactly he should say. He knew this was his fault. He knew he had failed everyone. He knew that he was about to lose someone else that he loved. But he didn't know what to say.

"Hang in there, kiddo. You've gotta pull through," Darry begged. "Please."

Darry stayed there for as long as he could. He was going to be there for as he could without getting physically thrown out. The gang had the same idea. Soda came in about an hour later and, without speaking, sat down on the opposite side of the bed, grabbing Ponyboy's limp hand. Steve and Two-Bit came in together half an hour later, sitting at the edge of the bed. They all stayed like that, spending the rest of the little time they had with the youngest member.

None of them slept that night.

Hi…ok. I know most of you probably hate me right now, but will you still leave a review? Oh, and the sneak peak thing is back. One logged in review and you get a special preview of my next chappy. BTW: If you don't know what to review about, I am curious as to whose goodbye was your in character in youropinion?