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Also, I am no medical expert, so…just go along with it.
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When I find myself in times of trouble
Mother Mary comes to me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
And in my hour of darkness
She is standing right in front of me
Speaking words of wisdom, let it be.
Let it be, let it be.
Whisper words of wisdom, let it be
-The Beatles
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Darry's POV
"We should call it Doctor."
My eyes were shut. I shook my head in disbelief. Soda was on the floor bawling. Who knows where Two-Bit had gone to.
Everyone just go away. Everyone just go away so I can think.
Doctor Valance looked at me cautiously, before issuing a curt nod at the nurse. Suddenly she gasped, leaping backwards, spilling the contents of the medical cart onto the floor.
"Doctor, the monitor…" The nurse stood pointing at the heart monitor, which now beeped a steady rhythm. The green line was once again jumping in small, wavy triangles.
Whipping around, Doctor Valance frowned. "Was there a short in it?" he asked her, confused.
She pounded the monitor with her small hand. "No Doctor," she whispered. Phillip Valance hesitantly placed two fingers on Pony's wrist. His sorrowful face twitched into a look of awe. He went around to the other machines in the room, examining them.
I watched, my heart beating furiously. Ponyboy's chest was rising again. Soda seemed oblivious to all of this. He was leaning against the dresser, sobbing and breathing hard.
Phillip turned to me. Incredulously he said, "I'm stunned. Your brother was clinically dead…but now-"
"Doctor, I think he needs a sedative." The nurse was bending low to Soda talking to him in a calm voice.
"No. He doesn't." I went to him and soothingly pulled him from the floor. "Soda, Pony's not dead. Listen. He's not."
Soda shuddered violently. I remembered the night my parents were killed. He had cried, but quietly for Pony's sake. I had never seen him this hysterical.
"I saw it. The machine. It stopped."
"The machine was wrong, Sodapop." I jutted my chin at Ponyboy and the now moving line.
Soda gawked at Pony, his brown eyes wide and teary. Slowly a small grin broke out on his face. "He's ok."
I marveled at my brother. Whereas Pony tended to seek out the world in gray, Soda always seemed to see situations in black and white, good and bad. No in-between.
"Yes, son, it appears to be that he is." Doctor Valance came over and placed a hand on Soda's shoulder.
"Glory, thank you. Thank you," Soda blathered.
I threw my arm around Soda, trying furtively to hold him still. If I knew my brother, the next thing he'd be doing was spending the rest of the night on Pony's bed. I also wanted to hear the rest of the news from the doctor before we got our hopes up.
"Don't thank me. I have no idea what happened." Like Soda and me, Phil looked pale and confused. The doctor's mouth opened and closed like a dead fish. "In fact, his brain waves look strong. Strong enough to say that he could, could, be coming out of this."
Soda wriggled and I held firm.
"Now I must stress this: if he does come out of this we still don't know the condition in which he'll emerge. But let's take things one step at a time, shall we."
Phillip paused, looking back at Ponyboy. "I'm sorry. This must have been a terrible shock to both of you. I suggest getting some rest right now. If you like, I can have the nurse pull in some cots for you."
I looked at him gratefully.
"And one more thing. I also would suggest finding your friend. The one who bolted out of here."
I sucked in a breath. Two-Bit. For all he knew Pony was dead. Soda looked at me nervously.
"I'll go find him," I said. "You," I pointed at Soda. "Stay here."
XXXX
"Darry."
A raspy whisper woke me up. Blearily, I wiped a hand over my face. I looked over at Soda, who was asleep.
Then I saw Ponyboy. He was awake and staring at me with big round eyes. I nearly fell off my cot. I went over to him slowly, as if he were a mirage. I had to fight an urge to sweep him up and hug him for a long time.
"Hey Pone, it's about time you're awake." I tried to say light-heartedly but my voice sounded odd to me. "How do you feel?" I held his hand and squeezed it.
His brow furrowed. "Are Dally and Johnny here?"
I felt my stomach drop to my feet. I swallowed thickly and smoothed his hair back. "Uh, no they're not baby. Soda's here though. Do you remember?"
Ponyboy's face fell and he turned it away from me. He was still frowning, sniffling a little.
Regretfully, I released his hand and moved toward the door. "I'll be right back." Pony didn't say anything. On my way out I shook Soda awake.
"Darry, what's wrong?"
"Pony's up." Soda was on his feet in an instant, making for the bed. I held him back a second. "He asked for Dally and Johnny," I said quietly. "I'm just gonna get the doctor."
Soda nodded. "Hey honey," I heard him say as I left.
When I came back with the doctor Soda was sitting on Ponyboy's bed. The pillows behind Pony's head were propped up and he leaned back looking mildly uncomfortable.
"We were mighty worried about you Ponyboy. We would be lost without-" Soda broke off as we came into the room.
"It's good to see you up Ponyboy. I'm Doctor Valance. You have been in a coma for about three weeks now."
"I know." Pony said flatly.
We all looked at each other with raised eyebrows. "Now Pony, I am just going to check your vitals and ask you a few standard questions," Phillip said.
Soda slid off the bed, coming to stand next to me. "He seems ok," he said. "Just a little quiet. Scared maybe"
I hoped that was all it was. I shoved my hands in my pockets.
Doctor Valance looked over the machines and my brother, marking down notes. "Do you remember these boys?" he asked Pony, snapping shut his notepad.
"Of course I do." Pony said instantly. "They're my brothers."
"How do you feel?" Phillip threw out another question.
"Fine. Tired, I guess. Although I don't know why I should be. I slept long enough."
Phillip chuckled. "How true that is. You amazed us all by pulling out of this."
"How long before I can go home?" Ponyboy asked, trying to sit up. He was defiantly yanking at his IV as if to show us how much he hated the hospital already.
I crossed the room to him and firmly pushed him back into the pillows. "You need those to get better, Pone."
"I'll probably keep you here about five days or so to monitor your condition. The first order of business will be to get your strength up. You'll be weak at first due to no movement and an intravenous diet."
Pony wrinkled his nose at this and Soda laughed at his expression.
Before leaving the room Phillip turned to Soda and me. "He's a tough kid, getting through this."
"I know," I said, feeling my eyes getting misty.
Suddenly, Ponyboy spoke up. "Darry, Soda, I could never leave you. I'm sorry." He lay back and shut his eyes as Soda and I stared at each other thankfully.
XXXX
I paused, my hand on the door handle, listening to the conversation coming from inside.
"I don't think that's such a great idea, Ponyboy."
"Two-Bit, just let me try. It's been three days. Geez. You try being bedridden for practically a month."
I swung the door open in time to see Pony brazenly hop out of bed. He hit the floor with a splat.
"Aw, kid," Two-Bit winced.
I sighed. "Ponyboy Curtis. If you're not back in that bed in two seconds…"
Two-Bit gave him a hand, pulling him up under the shoulders. Ponyboy steadied himself and then sat on the edge of the bed. "I just wanted to stretch my legs," he protested.
"You just worry about resting up." I didn't want him to overexert himself as the doctor said that was a possibility. He would have to stay at home for about a week.
I shook my head. To Soda, taking Ponyboy home was just another step to getting him back to normal. However, to me, it meant I had to ask Ponyboy the hard questions. I wondered how long Soda, Steve, Two-bit and Pony would ignore what had happened.
Now that he was awake and healthy, I couldn't ignore it any longer.
I would have to be the bad guy. Once again.
"Dar?" Pony asked. I realized I had been lost deep in thought.
"Just thinking about how you'll be going home tomorrow."
"Really!" Pony yelped and in his excitement stood up.
Splat.
"Well," I heard his embarrassed voice say. "The floor is a nice change from the bed."
XXXX
Ok. Another long chapter. Sorry, I don't know if ya'll are getting sick of this. But I shall have Pony out of the hospital next chapter. But then should I do a quick wrap up in the next few chapters or keep it going? I don't want this to get boring and have no one read…so seriously let me know.
Any ideas about what you want to happen send 'em my way!
Thanks everyone for the reviews.