The next morning my boss let me have the day off to stay with Steve. He hadn't awoken from surgery yet, but the doctors were optimistic that he would within the next few hours.

They said he needed surgery to repair internal injuries and to inspect for any other bleeds in his body. He had a bad concussion but they hadn't woken him from the drugs he had been given for surgery.

Aurora went home for the night once we heard Steve was going to be okay, and Darry and Pony went home shortly after. I heard a soft groan and I looked over to see Steve waking up slowly. I called for a nurse and took Steve's hand. The fact that I was the reason Steve was almost killed was over whelming. The nurse came in with the doctor once Steve woke up and they talked to him for a few minutes before leaving, and Steve looked over at me.

"What are you doing here?" He croaked, and I stood up, squeezing his hand,

"Steve... I'm so sorry..." I said softly, "I... I shouldn't have let you go... Y-You... Y-You could have died." Steve sighed and rolled his eyes,

"It ain't your fault. You weren't driving." He said, and I bit my lip. Steve was my best friend, my brother.

"Steve... I... I get that you think me and Rory aren't good together. I know you're looking out for me so that I don't get hurt like I was when I was with Sandy... But I love her. Aurora is my entire world, Steve. And... you're my brother. My best friend since I can remember. But... I want you to understand... That I don't care if Aurora hurts me. What I have with her right now... It's not going away." I said, and after I mentioned that neither of us said anything.

"Sodapop..." He started but I shook my head,

"Look... You're just doing what you think is best for me. I... Thank you Steve. Okay? Thank you for being here for me and protecting me. But I really do love Aurora and you can... If you can't understand that-"

"Sodapop stop rambling," He said, looking over at me, "I was trying to protect you. I was there when your parents died and I was there when Sandy left you. Both times you were ready to kill yourself Sodapop. When Sandy broke up with you... You got so drunk that night that you were ready to kill yourself. I had to talk you out of suicide Sodapop. If... If Aurora died... I can imagine you'd want to be with her."

I sniffled, "I..." I was at a loss for words. Aurora was the love of my life. But the thought of her dying hadn't even crossed my mind more than twice, even then only briefly. Every time I saw Aurora, I could tell she was fighting a hard battle. But whenever I saw he, her eyes would light up, her smile was genuine, and I knew she'd love me. She promised me from the beginning she'd fight, not only for us, but for her family, friends, and herself.

"I really am sorry for fighting with you Steve." Sincerity and pain filled my voice and Steve swallowed hard,

"I'm sorry I made Aurora break up with you Sodapop." I squeezed his hand,

"I forgive you Stevie."

When my dad came to pick me up he looked tense and scared,

"Dad?" I asked softly, climbing into the truck. "Everything okay?"

He nodded, his voice thick, "When your mother told me to come and get you from here..." He trailed off. I wrapped my arm around his bicep and rested my head on his shoulder. He kissed me head and rubbed my shoulder,

"Rora you're one of the best things that's ever happened to me and I... When... When your mother called me that day you passed out at school, I thought you had a low blood sugar or something. But the tone in her voice..." He trailed off, swallowing hard, "I'd never heard your mother use that tone." I sniffled and bit my lip. He kept his arm around me and drove us home, and when I got out Mom was on the porch reading.

"Hi Rora." She said softly, moving so there was room under the blanket for me. I sat beside her and put the blanket around her shoulder,

"What are you reading?"

"Flowers for Algernon. Your brother enjoyed it so I thought I would give it a try." I nodded and rested my head on her shoulder until I heard a car pull up, and out got Jackie and Deloris.

"Hey sleeping beauty!" Jackie called while she made her way over to give me a tight hug.

"Jackie!" Deloris exclaimed, walking more calmly and giving me a one armed hug. I smiled and looked at the two of them, then I noticed Jackie in comfortable clothes and a bag on her shoulder,

"Are you guys sleeping over?" I asked, and just as Jackie was about to answer, Maya walked up the driveway, her brother Cameron beside her.

"Me and Jackie are!" Maya exclaimed, giving me a tight hug. I looked at my parents and they were both trying not to grin.

I hugged them both in thanks and I started to lead the girls to the stairs but Maya stopped me,

"Could we sleep in the sun room?"

"Yeah, but I've been practically living in there so it might be a little dirty." The girls giggled and once we got out there Jackie and Maya set up their sleeping bags and I quickly grabbed blankets for the couch. We all sat and chatted, catching up since I hadn't been at school in a couple of months.

Once Deloris had gone home and my parents went to bed, Jackie and Maya started asking questions about me and Soda.

"How far have you guys gone?"

"Well... Before I got sick...The furthest we got was a few make out sessions. Now that I'm better... We hardly kiss."

"Are you two going to have sex?" Maya asked grinning, and I went wide eyed,

"I-I.. I don't know."

"I mean you know he loves you Aurora. I know you love him so much, you were always a wreck when he wasn't there and he stuck around when you needed him the most. I mean- once you're comfortable with it... You and your Prince Charming should make love."

Rolling my eyes, I tried to cover my embarrassment, "Well it's not like I'm the only virgin here." I said, but when Jackie or Maya didn't say anything I scoffed,

"Guys you're my two best friends! You could have told me you weren't virgins!"

Maya smiled sheepishly, "Well I only lost it a little while ago." She said softly, and I scrunched my eyebrows together,

"With who?"

She grinned wickedly, "Darrel Curtis."