A/N: Hey readers! If any of you have a minute to spare, please go to my profile and take a poll at the top of it. Thank you :)
Steve slept until the next morning. He wasn't sure how long he had been out, but he was feeling rested. Opening his eyes, he had to take a look around to realize he was in Two-Bit's bed. His brain was a little fuzzy, and he wasn't sure why he was at Two-Bit's. His stomach felt sore, his head ached, and his back felt tight. He could feel himself able to stay awake though, which said a lot to him since he couldn't remember the last thing he was awake for.
The door cracked open and Two-Bit poked his head in, "Hey, you're up."
Steve tried sitting up, but groaned at the pain that fired back at him. He wondered how long he had laid in that position.
"Hey, take it easy," Two-Bit walked further in and helped adjust the pillow for Steve to sit up against, "No need to rush. You gave us quite a scare yesterday. You were really out of it and couldn't relax you were in so much pain." Two-Bit handed over the glass of water on the side table.
Steve took it and slowly sipped the water down his dry throat, "I don't even remember coming here."
Two-Bit handed Steve his antibiotic pill, "Do you need a pain pill?"
Steve nodded, "Please."
Two-Bit took out a pill bottle in his jacket pocket and unscrewed the lid. He let a pill fall into his palm and handed it to Steve.
"Thanks," Steve placed it in his mouth and took more swallows of water. He let out a breath as he patiently waited for some relief. "Where's Soda?"
"He's here too. So is Pony."
"Why are they here? Why am I here?" Steve asked.
"Figures you wouldn't remember. You were barely awake the entire time," Two-Bit sat at the end of the bed, "Do you remember Darry getting you from your house?"
Steve nodded, "Mostly. I think I may have blacked out before we got back though. I remember waking up a little bit, but I don't remember much."
"Well," Two-Bit wasn't sure if he wanted to spill what Darry had did. He didn't know how Steve would react. Would he be happy or possibly mad? Would he understand? "Darry sort of hurt your dad."
"What do you mean?"
"He hurt him to get you out of there. He knocked him out and everything."
"Wh-What?" Steve asked.
"He had no choice Steve. He had to get you out," Two-Bit explained, "Anyway, Darry was worried that he may call the cops on him. He didn't want the fuzz to take Soda and Pony, or even you. So you guys are just laying low here until things seem cool."
Steve looked out the window, "Damn. He shouldn't have had to make Soda and Pony leave over me."
"He was just trying to be safe. He couldn't just leave you there, Steve. You could be dead by now."
Steve shook his head, "All the trouble I've caused."
"Hey Steve, cut that out. You didn't cause any trouble and you haven't been causing any. We're all brothers, none of us were going to leave you there. If it wasn't Darry, Soda would've made his way in. I would have or Dally."
"I guess. I just hate thinking I'm affecting their chances of staying together. I should have just stood up to my dad," Steve said sounding regretful.
"It was your dad, Steve. He knew how to get to you so you wouldn't fight back. Besides the fact he left you pretty handicapped."
Steve looked down to the bed, "Damnit Two-Bit, look at me though. I've sunk so low! No one else should have had to do that, or any of this. So much for being tough, huh?"
"Steve, you should know that being tough ain't just about muscle and hair and tough looks. You've been surviving shit that a lot of people will never have to go through. Your dad wouldn't have cared if he ever killed you, but you didn't let that happen. You are very tough. If anyone says otherwise, I'll gladly kick their head in."
Steve grinned, "Thanks. Has anyone heard from Darry?"
Two-Bit shook his head, "That's good news though if we aren't getting a phone call. We'll call him later and see what's going on. If the fuzz doesn't show up today, y'all can probably go back tomorrow. And I can have my bed back."
"I don't love it anymore than you do," Steve shook his head.
"Hey, I have a comfy bed!"
"Just knowing you sleep in this bed, and I don't know your sleeping habits, makes my skin crawl," Steve chuckled.
"Don't worry, I only sleep naked on Saturdays," Two-Bit winked.
"Oh dear God," Steve ran a hand down his face.
There was a knock on the door as Two-Bit laughed to tears. "Keith?"
Two-Bit tried calming his laughs as he answered, "You can come in mom."
"She still calls you Keith?" Steve grinned.
Two-Bit smiled, "My mommy can call me whatever she wants."
Mrs. Mathews entered the room with a bowl and cup in her hands. "Hi Steve," she smiled. She had a warm smile that all of the greasers adored. If anyone needed a mother-type treatment, they weren't shy to stop by Two-Bit's house, even if Two-Bit wasn't home.
"Hi Mrs. Mathews," Steve smiled back.
"I brought you some soup and some cranberry juice," she set the bowl and cup down on the side table, "This juice will really help that infection. It cleans you out."
"Thank you."
"Everyone can stay as long as they need to. And with how sick you've gotten, I might force you to stay here a while," she smiled as she placed a hand on Steve's forehead and cheek, "You still have a fever. Get to eating, you'll need something in you. I got to get going to work, so keep an eye on him Keith."
"Yes mommy," Two-Bit smiled.
"You use whatever you need Steve. We have plenty of food, or you can shower, or anything you need."
"Alright, thank you," Steve waited until she left the room to ask, "Does she know why we're here?"
Two-Bit shrugged, "I didn't say much, but she's not dumb. I don't think she knows exactly about your dad though. She probably thinks you were jumped and Darry got into something and needed his brothers out for a bit."
"That's safer for her to think," Steve nodded. He leaned over to grab the bowl and began sipping some of the hot broth. Before he could refill the spoon with the liquid, a realization came over him and he accidentally dropped the spoon, letting it cling against the rim of the bowl.
"You okay, Steve?" Two-Bit asked.
Steve took a deep breath, trying to keep the tears deep down, "It's my mom's anniversary."
"Hey Steve," Soda went to check on Steve shortly after Two-Bit was in there, "I'm glad to see you up."
"Hi," Steve said, "I've feeling good since eating that soup."
"Good," Soda said, "How are you feeling?"
"I just told you," Steve smirked.
"No, I mean about what today is," Soda took a breath, "Your mom."
"I'm okay," Steve admitted, "Not exactly how I planned to spend today."
"I know. Just got to get through today. I got something for you though, something I grabbed before we left," Soda sat on the bed.
"What?"
Soda handed Steve a rectangle object. Steve flipped it over and looked at it. It was a picture. He felt his heart skip a beat. In the picture was Steve and his mom. She had her long, strawberry-blonde hair flowing down over her white dress with yellow and pink flowers. Steve was a 7 year-old boy, just sitting on her lap, laughing. Just like that, seven years worth of memories poured into Steve's mind. Everything he remembered about his mom and everything they did together. Steve realized how short seven years really was. There wasn't enough memories, but no more could be added. He lowered the picture onto his lap, and knew his mom would have never let all of this happen. Of course it never would have happened if she wasn't gone to begin with.
"Wow Soda," Steve said looking down at the picture, unable to take his eyes away as he took in every little detail, "I can't believe you still have this. It's been...so long since I last saw it."
Soda nodded, "The last picture of you guys together. I remember five years ago, for her five year anniversary, you were so upset at that picture. You gave it to me and told me to destroy it. You said you never wanted to see it again no matter what."
Steve looked up at Soda, "Oh my God, that's right. I had completely forgotten about that. You never did get rid of it."
"Of course not. I knew one day you'd want to see it again."
Steve looked back down and felt tears well up in his eyes, "She was so beautiful."
Soda smiled, "She looks so happy there too. That's how she's looking down at you."
"Do you think? Even after I wanted this to be destroyed and after everything that's been happening lately."
"Of course buddy. She'll always be smiling down at you."
Steve felt his heart sink at the realization of if Soda had destroyed it. He would never have had the chance to see it again. "Thanks for not listening to me about getting rid of it."
"I could never do that to you," Soda got up off the bed, "I'll leave you alone, alright? I'll come back up soon and maybe we can play cards or something."
Steve didn't answer as he continued to stare at the picture. Soda smiled, glad he always kept the picture in a safe spot until the time was right to bring it back to light. When Soda left the room, Steve held onto the photo tight. He placed it against his chest and looked towards the window. "I love you mom."
Pony anxiously waited as the dial tone continued to ring. He prayed his oldest brother would pick up the phone. Soda and Two-Bit were doing a decent job of keeping him distracted, but he was more than ready to give Darry a call.
"Hello?"
'Thank God,' Pony thought to himself. "Hi Darry, it's Ponyboy."
"Hey kiddo, how are you doing?"
"I'm doing good. Has anything happened over there?"
"Nothing," Darry answered, "So that's a good sign. How's Steve?"
"He's doing good. He actually woke up this morning after being out all day yesterday, and he's been eating a little."
"That's good to hear."
"It sounds like he doesn't really remember yesterday though."
"That's not entirely a bad thing," Darry commented.
"Can we come home tomorrow?" Pony asked, "I mean, it's not that bad here. Mrs. Mathews has been really nice. I just want to know everything is okay."
"Well little buddy, you might be able to come back tomorrow. I have something to take care of first, and then I'll see, alright?"
Pony sighed, "Okay. Well Soda and Two-Bit are outside doing God knows what, so I better go join them. I'll call you later."
"Alright, talk to you soon."
Steve could hear his three friends outside through Two-Bit's window. He was okay with that though. He just needed to be alone for a while. Laying flat on his back, he kept going back and forth between looking at the picture of his mom to holding it close to him. Missing his mom had a whole different meaning this year. He knew when the 10 year mark hit, it would be a hard day for him. His mom's death never got easier, and he always had a hard time thinking about her. The different meaning came from what had been going on between him and his father. It made Steve beg for his mom to be back. He desperately needed her. He desperately wanted love from a parent.
Closing his eyes, Steve attempted to fall asleep, but the cries began pouring out of him. He picked up the picture and looked at it through the blurred-vision from the tears. "Mom, I don't know how to move on from this."
Later that evening Two-Bit, Soda, Pony, and Mrs. Mathews all sat at the table eating some dinner. By that time, the boys were feeling good that Terrence wasn't going to call the police on Darry for assault. Soda planned to call Darry soon to make sure Terrence at least hadn't shown up at the house either.
"That was delicious Mrs. Mathews, thank you so much," Soda said standing up from the table.
"Oh of course, honey. Keith, why don't you bring a plate up to Steve and see if he wants any?"
Two-Bit wiped his hands on his napkin, "Sure thing Ma. Does he need his medicine?"
"He needs to take another antibiotic. Do you think he should try and wait out on the pain one?" Soda asked.
"Oh honey, if the boy is in pain give him one," Mrs. Mathews said, "Yesterday he never woke up, give him a break."
"Maybe I'll help him take a shower tonight," Soda added in.
Two-Bit made Steve a plate and headed upstairs. He knocked on the bedroom door and walked in. "Hey Steve, you hungry? I also got your pills."
Steve was flipping through a magazine when he looked up at Two-Bit. "Sure. Hey Two-Bit, do you have any manlier magazines to look at?"
"What's wrong with those?" Two-Bit asked, sounding offended.
"I don't really care for Mickey Mouse magazines or coloring books."
"Well I'm sorry your highness," Two-Bit scoffed as he watched Steve place something in his mouth, "Hey, what's that?"
"What's what?" Steve asked with a full mouth.
"In your mouth?"
"Food."
"What kind of food?"
"A sweet food."
"Steve!"
Steve swallowed as he reached for another one, "A cookie."
"Are those my special cookies?"
Steve busted out laughing, causing some crumbs to fly out, "Oh my God, you are unbelievable."
"My mom makes those cookies special for me," Two-Bit crossed his arms.
"Sounds like they aren't too special if she brought them to me," Steve said placing another cookie in his mouth.
"Mom!" Two-Bit turned towards the door.
"Oh Two-Bit." Two-Bit turned back towards Steve. "Could you be a dear and bring me some milk for these cookies? Is that your special drink for these?"
"Ha! Jokes on you, I drink beer with my cookies," Two-Bit left the room, "Mom! Why would you give Steve my cookies!"
