Healing and Band-Aids.

Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders. I only own the plot and any new characters.
A/N. Everyone that's reviewed this story so far, I love you! I t took me a while to figure this one out, but I promise I won't keep you waiting forever on future chapters.

* Two Bit's POV*
* The next day

" Does anyone know what time it is?" Darry asked.
I glanced at the watch I had just stolen.
" Twelve forty-five," I told him.
" Thanks Two Bit," he said.
" No problem," I said.
Soda nudged his lump of a brother in the bed.
" Hey honey, you awake?" he asked.
Nothing happened and I could feel a general sense of panic go throughout the room. When a kid you know tries to commit suicide multiple times then doesn't answer you or even move when you ask a question, it's scary.
" Ponyboy?" Darry asked him.
There was still no answer or movement and Darry was about to go get the doctor when we heard a small voice say,
" I'm awake,"
" You are?" I asked in mock incredulity.
Pony slowly sat up.
" Yes I am," he said.
Right now Pony looks, well bad. His skin tone is white enough to match his sheets and his hair seems dull. There are always dark circles under his eyes, and when he looks at you it seems like someone very old and wise is looking at you. Then you have to remind yourself that he's only a fourteen-year-old kid. Of course there's one more main thing you can't forget. The large white bandage on his arm. It still had traces of dried blood, and every time I looked at it I felt something in the pit of my stomach. Am I forgetting anything? I glanced quickly at Pony. My gaze settled back on his arms. Oh yes, the reason we're all here in the first place. The lovely multiple scars all over his arms. The scars which he was the cause of.
" Hey Pony, the doctor told me you might be able to get out of bed today," Darry said.
Pony looked at Darry wearily.
" I can hardly wait," he said dryly.
Darry frowned at Pony's reaction but he kept his mouth shut. That's what we all do is keep our mouths shut when Pony says stuff like that. His doctors told us it was all part of the healing process. I hope that kid is healing because I don't know how much more of this Darry and Soda can take.
" Oh come on Pony, you know you wanna get out of bed," Soda said
" Yeah weren't you complaining about being stuck in bed just last night?" Steve asked him.
" Ok, ok I admit it. I hate being stuck in bed," Pony said.
" No one would like it," Johnny said softly.
" Well I don't know, it depends on who you were stuck in bed with," Dally said mischievously.
Pony and Johnny both blushed deep shades of scarlet and I nudged Dally in the ribs.
" What was that for," he muttered angrily.
" Can't you be decent for once?" I asked him.
He laughed quietly.
" Glory, I never thought I'd see the day when Two Bit Matthews talked about being decent. You're just as bad about girls as I am," he said.
" Yeah well considering we're here because Pony tried to do himself in I just don't think we should talk about that kind of stuff around him," I said and fidgeted a little.
I've never been very good at acting like an authority figure to anyone. That was Darry's job. Dally was younger than me though, and I guess it me gave some power over him.
"Ok, I get it. No talking about girls in front of the kid," he said.
" Just not right now," I said.
Then I realized how hungry I was and how nice food sounded.
" Hey does anyone want to come get some food with me?" I asked.
No one wanted to so I left the room alone. I walked down the hallway for a while until a cute blonde nurse stopped me.
" Excuse me, can I help you?" she asked.
Now I've always had a thing for blondes, but I guess because this was a hospital that I shouldn't try to flirt.
" I was just looking for the cafeteria," I answered her.
" All right, the cafeteria is down the hall to the right." She said.
" Thank you," I said and started to walk off.
Then I realized I had another question I wanted to ask her. It was a stupid question really, but I had to ask.
" Do the patients and guests eat together?" I asked her.
She smiled at me and I could see her soft brown eyes.
" Of course. Well at least the patients that have cafeteria privileges are allowed to eat in there, and the guests are welcome to eat with them,"
There was a hint of amusement in her voice. My question was pretty silly. I mumbled thanks and walked towards the cafeteria. When I got there I went through the swinging doors and headed straight for the lunch line. Standing behind the serving table were several women in hairnets, handing out food. I couldn't figure out if they were nurses or if they only worked in the cafeteria. Then I decided that it didn't matter. I slid my tray along the line and smiled politely at the women as they put the food onto my tray. I paid the man at the end of the line then set off to find a seat. I found a place to sit and sat down. I looked down at my tray. I had no idea what I had for lunch. I wasn't paying any attention.
"Let's see here, mashed potatoes, peas, chicken, apple slices," I muttered to myself.
" Well it's not a gourmet meal, but it'll do,"
I started eating the potatoes when I felt a small tug on my arm. I looked down and saw a little boy with shiny black hair and big blue eyes staring up at me.
" Guess what?" he whispered loudly.
" What?" I asked him.
" I get to eat in the cafeteria today," he said proudly.
He gets to eat in the cafeteria? Then that would mean he was a patient. This kid was only about six or seven though. Why the hell was he in the psychiatric ward of the hospital? I felt tears come to my eyes but I blinked them out.
" That's great. What's your name?" I asked him.
" Caleb", he said
He seemed very proud that he was talking to a "grown up".
" Caleb huh?"
"That's a very tuff name," I told him.
He looked at me with a confused expression on his face.
" What does tuff mean?" he asked.
" It means something really great," I said.
He smiled at this.
"What's your name?" he asked me.
" Two Bit," I answered him.
He giggled.
" No, what's your real name?" he asked me.
" Keith, but Two Bit is what all my friends call me," I said.
He nodded with a very serious look on his little face.
" Can I call you Two Bit?" he asked me.
" Sure kid, "I told him.
" Tuff," he said and giggled.
Then he left the table and then turned around and waved at me.
" Bye Two Bit," he called.
" Bye Caleb," I called back.
He ran back to me and put something in my hand. It was a small Band-Aid.
" This will help you get better if you ever get hurt," he told me seriously.
" Thanks kid," I said and watched him run off again.
I stared sadly down at the Band-Aid in my hand.
I couldn't stop thinking about why a little kid would be in here. I realized that I didn't want to know.
I looked back down at my food tray. He was a cute kid. He was only six or seven though. Damn.

A/N. Yay, I'm almost at chapter twenty! Thanks for reading and if you have any questions just ask in a review.
Fyremoon