What woke me up…

Chapter 2: "Johnny Cade is dead!"

A/N: This is a disclaimer for the whole story since I forgot it eariler.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Outsiders characters.

0-0-0 Pony's Pov

Everything was fuzzy, real fuzzy. I felt like I couldn't move a muscle and I wanted to roll over and wake up Soda—I felt real awful.

Then I heard people talking, but as if they were a mile away. I recognized one of the voices though. It was Johnny, but it couldn't have been Johnny—unless I was dead? I moved my hand as if to reach out next to me but a sudden shock wave of –pain? or feeling? shot through my arm.

I was asleep wasn't I? I made to open my eyes but what usually takes a second went gradually. It was real bright outside and I wanted to cover my eyes, my arm moved but it was really stiff.

I heard a sharp gasp next to me and shifting to my other side. Where was I?

"I swear, these coma patients always look like the dead waking. Sweetheart, do me a favor and go get the doctor." It was a woman, I never heard her voice before. "And close the blinds on your way out."

There was a lot of shuffling and suddenly the blinding light was gone from the room and I could open my eyes all the way. I first saw a white roof and then a brunette nurse standing at my bedside.

Where was I? Where was Soda?

"Don't move, and don't get excited. Calm down. The doctor will be here soon."

Soon, was now because a minute later a man walked up to my other side. He hesitated before shinning a light in my eyes and I flinched.

"Do you remember what happened?"

I made to say no but my voice was weak and rough.

"Get him some water, now Mr. Curtis, I will explain some things to you but do not jump to defend anything you think happened. You were in a fight, and knocked into a bit of a borderline a coma. That would be six months ago."

A coma? The last thing I remember was going to sleep after I wrote that composition for class. When did this happen? I wanted Soda, or Darry. I didn't want to be a hospital, Darry'd get me out.

The nurse half forced the water down my throat but it felt cool and refreshing, only slightly painful since my throat felt sore.

"Now, Mr. Curtis, we are going to ask you some basic questions to measure any level of brain damage you might have. Okay?"

I nodded 'cause it seemed easier. I was slowly regaining feeling in every part of my body but my legs and lower back. What happened to Johnny flashed through my mind and I suddenly gripped the sheets in a tight grasp. I wanted Soda to be here. He'd understand. He always does.

"What is your full name?"

I hesitated at the words, half trying to remember how to pronounce them.

"Ponyboy…..Michael Curtis…" It seemed easier once I got them out and the doctor nodded.

"How old are you? Where do you live? What is your guardian's name?" He went on with the questions and each time I had to think for a bit before I could say them.

"This is very lucky, it appears there is no severe brain damage. Just the fact that you could think and respond is remarkable. Your body must have gone into…" He went on talking, but I'm not sure what about.

Where were my brothers? They'd explain it to me.

"Let us get some scans done, and tell that boy, uh—Johnny? to contact the family."

Johnny? Wait, no, Johnny?

"Johnny's dead. Johnny Cade…" …is dead. I saw him die.

What was going on?

The room went silent for a full few minutes. I suddenly felt scared again, like they left me here alone.

"It appears he could dream. Of course this makes catching up on reality much harder and much more shocking… Look, nurse take him to get the scans done and don't allow anybody but family in."

They were talking like I wasn't there. But I didn't understand what they meant. A dream? That couldn't have been a dream. When would I have ever lost consciousness? Or was I hurt in the church fire and Johnny recovered?

Johnny Cade and Dallas Winston are dead—I saw them both die, right?

I only wanted Sodapop, 'cause he was with me whether it was a dream or not.

0-0-0

Short chapters! But this is what I do in my free 10 minutes when I can't work on Twice the Speed of Life. If you haven't heard this already you can check my bio for notes on updating(if it matters). By the way, thanks reviewers, you peeps make my day!