Wow this story's a keeper.

xxx

The sound of sirens let them know that Bryon had done his job and called an ambulance. An ambulance drove up near the vacant lot, and Darry watched numbly as his baby brother was loaded onto a stretcher. Soda stroked him softly.

Darry and Soda stepped up to Bryon. "I'm very thankful about what you did for my brother," Darry choked. "Thank you for letting us know, but I don't think you need to be involved in this situation any longer."

Soda nodded beside him, his eyes on the ground.

Bryon smiled. "No problem. And don't worry, I know Curtis. He's a strong fighter. Thank you."

As Bryon walked away, all the events swirled in his mind. He realized it now. He had done the right thing by turning Mark in—the same as he had done by saving Ponyboy. His mind cleared and he sobbed as he buried Mark forever. He had done the right thing, and that's what life was all about. He was wrong about those Curtis boys. They were just as sensitive as him, perhaps even more. It wasn't their fault they were so good-looking. And they weren't stuck-up either. Pony—he was just shy, Soda—he was a really nice kid, and Darry—he acted cold, but he was sensitive and hurt easily.

He liked those Curtis boys. He'd see them again.

xxx

Soda and Darry watched silently as Bryon Douglass walked away.

"He's a good kid," Soda said quietly.

"Yeah," Darry answered.

They turned their attention to their brother.

Darry stepped up to a worker. "I have to go with my brother," he told him.

The worker nodded, understanding what it was all about. Soda and Darry got in the back of the ambulance, and headed for the hospital.

When they reached it, Darry headed after a worker to fill out Pony's medical forms, while Soda called Steve and Two-Bit to tell them what had happened.

xxx

"Hello?" Steve picked up the phone, answering it in his gruff voice. He ran his fingers through his dark, tousled hair.

"Steve?" There were choked sobs from the other end.

"Soda? What happened? Are you ok?"

"Yeah," Soda sniffled from the other end. "It's just that we found Pony… he got beat up, and he's pretty bad."

"Oh no," Steve said, with an air of shock. An uneasiness crept into his voice, "How is he?"

"We don't know yet, but Steve, who could do this to Pony? It's those Socs. I'm going to kill all of them. Steve, Steve," he gasped. "He's worse than Johnny. I don't know what to do… I don't know what to do…" he cried, tears running down his face.

Steve felt like he had been slapped in the face. He saw his best friend standing, hopeless with grief. "Who found him?" he asked, his voice quavering. He thought, Pony should have died, it would have all been better. What did I do to SODA?

"Some kid named Bryon Douglass," Soda told him. "Steve can you come here? We're at the hospital," his shoulder shook as he sobbed. "Please."

"Don't worry Soda," Steve said. "I'll be there." He hung up, wiping tears from his eyes. What did I do? What did I do? Why did I do that? I've destroyed Soda… I've broken him…

xxx

The phone rang. "Emma!" called Mrs. Matthews. "Get the phone!"

Emma, a slight thirteen-year-old, ran to answer it, while her older brother, Keith (Two-Bit) crashed into her.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Emma," came a voice hoarse with grief. "This is Soda. Can I talk to Two-Bit?"

"Two-Bit, it's for you," Emma said, handing the phone over to her brother.

"Hey," Two-Bit said happily. "What's up?"

"Two-Bit," came a quiet reply.

Two-Bit immediately knew something was wrong. The happy-go-lucky teen was hurt and he knew it, just from hearing his voice. "Soda, what happened?"

"Ponyboy got beat up," came the voice from the other end, starting to cry. "He's worse than Johnny Two-Bit, he's worse than Johnny. I'm going to kill those Socs. Two-Bit, I need you over here. Darry needs you. Please."

"Don't sweat Soda, I'll be there," Two-Bit said, already rubbing the tears at his eyes. "I'll be there."

"What happened?" Mrs. Matthews called from the kitchen.

"It's Ponyboy. He's hurt bad," Two-Bit told his mother.

"Oh no, poor kid," Mrs. Matthews came out, wiping her hands on a dishcloth. "Keith, wait, I'll take you there. You too Emma, we're going."

xxx

After Darry had filled out the paperwork, he collapsed in a chair in the waiting room. Soda sobbed into his chest, until, his face red with tears, he fell asleep. Darry wiped a tear from his eye. The last thing he ever heard from me was to get out. How could I say that to him? He's my Pony, and he's all that I'm ever going to get.

xxx

Someone shook Darry's shoulder.

"Huh?" He looked up and shook his head. "Hey Two-Bit."

"Hey," said Two-Bit, pulling out a chair, and crumbling inside it. "How's Pony?"

Soda woke up. "Two-Bit."

"How's Ponyboy?" Two-Bit asked him.

"Pony? What happened to Pony?" Soda looked dazed and bewildered.

"Soda, are you ok, little brother?" Darry looked down at his brother in concern. "Little buddy, you ok?"

Soda looked around. Then, he remembered the situation, and stepped back like he had been slapped. "Pony, Pony, Pony. Is he going to be ok, Darry?"

Darry looked at him with a helpless expression on his face. "I don't know Pepsi-Cola, I don't know."

Mrs. Matthews and Emma had joined them by that time, and pulled out chairs. They sat down, and the wait continued.

xxx

"Hey, there's Steve," said Emma.

Steve Randle, walked down the hospital aisle, throwing dirty looks at doctors and nurses. Then he saw Soda, and his heart broke.

"Sodapop," he moaned. He broke into a heavy run and headed towards Soda, grabbing him and pulling him to the ground. "I can't believe it's Pony, oh my God how are you hanging in?"

Soda looked at him through sad eyes. "We don't know yet," he whispered. "We don't know anything yet."

Sorry, that was short.

Review?