"So what did he say, Pony?" Two-Bit asked suddenly and I came back down to earth as I saw their car pull away and my eyes went back to my brother. "What did that soc want?"

"He's not a soc. He's just a guy wanting to talk." Ponyboy replied and I felt my mouth open slightly.

"Was it about the rumble?"

"Yeah, he's not gonna fight."

Okay now I was confused. My brows were furrowed slightly but I didn't contribute anything to this. Not anything that I wanted to, but Two-Bit filled Pony in on what happened on Wednesday and I said I was shocked that was all. I should have said more but I didn't. Like that he didn't change his mind on his own he just wanted his girl back but I didn't. It wasn't anything to do with us.

"We're gonna see Johnny!" Two-Bit sang out. "And we're gonna tell him how we're gonna kick those socs asses for what they did!"

Ponyboy laughed and I forced a smile onto my face. "Just don't be too rough with him Matthews, we don't know what its gonna be like when we see him, okay?" I warned him and then looked to Ponyboy who nodded. "And try not to get Dal too riled up about not coming to the rumble please."

"He'll do that on his own," Two-Bit muttered as we crossed the hospitals parking lot.

I had to agree with him there but we don't need to encourage that as he's in a public place, well kinda, and they don't need to see that. Nor do I. Greasers have bad reputations as it is andhe is not adding to it or I will probably kill him, as public embarrassment isn't the most desired thing on my list.

"Johnny Cade?" I heard Two-Bit ask the receptionist and she pointed us in the right direction when we stumbled across a doctor coming out of his room. "Hey doc is that Johnny Cades room?" Two-Bit asked loudly.

"Yes it is," he said sharing a look with the nurse. "Are you here to visit with him?"

"Yes we are sir." I said politely. "I'm Pixie Curtis and that's my brother Ponyboy, we came in with Johnny last night and us, and our friend, want to see how he's doing." I said with a smile. Politeness gets you everywhere. Dally ought to learn.

"He really shouldn't have visitors," the nurse said hugging the clipboard to her chest smiling apologetically.

The doctor looked at her. "It really wouldn't do any harm right now,"

The nurse sighed slightly. "I suppose not."

"Just try not to overwhelm him please," The doctor told us with a half smile before he left us.

The nurse eyed us slightly before she spun around on her heel and noisily walked away throwing us looks as if we were disturbing the public peace. Some people are so annoying. She was one of them.

"Hey Johnny," Two-Bit said quietly walking inside.

I sort of froze when I saw him lying there. I couldn't even cry. I was too shocked. His back looked really bad to say the least. It was like the burn on my leg but times it by a hundred. And it was all around his neck. You could tell he couldn't breath properly either. I managed a slight smile for him and Two-Bit told him he was a hero and showed him the newspaper.

"That's pretty tuff," Johnny said and I saw him smile slightly. It looked more forced than mine did before.

"But did you see my photo?" I asked him taking a seat and looking at him. "They want to kill me I swear Johnnycakes!" I said dramatically.

"She's being stupid ignore her." Ponyboy said and I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Hey ,Pony?"

"Yeah, Johnny, man?"

"I want another one of those books y'know."

I looked at Two-Bit puzzled and Ponyboy looked up at us.

"He wants 'Gone with the Wind' so I can read it to him." Ponyboy filled us in. "Do you mind getting him it?"

"Uh sure there's a gift shop downstairs somewhere," Two-Bit said and I stood up.

"We'll be back soon, Johnny," I told him with a smile as I followed Two-Bit out of the room and I sighed loudly and Two-Bit looked at me looking the most depressed I have ever seen him.

"It's bad huh, Pixiedust?"

I nodded. "Yeah," I said sadly. "I know nothing 'bout burns but I can tell you that is sure as hell worse than mine. I can't even imagine how much that's gotta hurt."

"Yeah," Two-Bit agreed walking down the stairs as I trailed behind him. "Hey Pixie you think he'll be fine though, right?" He asked me as immediately headed to the paperback section and grabbed the book instantly.

I bit my lip and shrugged my shoulders. "I'm not too sure."

"But your smart, don't you know a little about it at least?" Two-Bit asked me and I saw worry flicker through his eyes.

I watched him pay for the book and I felt a tear run down my cheek. "Oh Two-Bit, I wish I had something to tell you. To tell me. But I just don't know. Just that it looks so bad." I said sadly and Two-Bit saw my tears.

"Ya think he'll live though?"

I bit my lip again. "I don't know." I whispered wiping my eyes hurriedly. "They won't tell us anyway. We're not family."

"Bastards." Two-Bit cussed heading back up the stairs. "Like his real family gives a damn. We're more his family than they'll ever be!"

I nodded in agreement and we slipped back into Johnny's room and gave him the book, he looked no better than before if not worse. Ponyboy was hovering uncomfortably by the door when a new nurse came back in the room with a smile on her face and even smiled at us. Nice nurses are much better than rude ones that's for sure. Just seeing a smile in this scary hell hole makes it all seem so much better.

"Johnny your mothers here to see you," she said calmly looking at the few machines around his bed.

"I don't wanna see her." Johnny said bluntly.

"But she's your mother." The nurse said confusion flashing through her eyes.

"I don't wanna see her!" Johnny said before he passed out.

My eyes widened and the nurse hurried us out of the room saying it was all too much for him. Johnny's mother cussed us and called us scum. I longer to tell her my own thoughts about her but I didn't have to Two-Bit already did. He was still blowing off the steam when we came into Dally's room as he was shooing out a nurse who was looking very disgruntled at him.

"Hey Dal, how are ya feeling?" Two-Bit asked him sinking into a seat. He still looked to be fuming.

"I hate this place." Dally said simply his eyes blazing. "They want to keep me here another night, how come you got off Pixie?" he asked me and I shrugged and he cussed. "How's Johnny?"

"Passed out cold before we left." Two-Bit said sadly. "His mom wanted to see him."

"But he said no," I quickly said frowning. "They won't tell us much I don't think even if we tried. Too bad people like her can actually find out."

"Like she even cares." Dally said angrily. "Hey Matthews you still have that blade on you?"

"Yeah why?" Two-Bit asked and I could see his hand slip into his pocket and tighten over that prized switchblade of his. Stupid thing it was really.

"Give it to me." Dally said simply and I was amazed Two-Bit handed it over without a second thought. "I'm getting out of here tonight."

"Don't do anything stupid," I warned him.

"I'm doing this for Johnny, Pixie." Dally said simply staring me in the eye. "You know as well as I do that they deserve this. Just think of Wednesday and you know what I do is right."

I was torn between agreeing with him and yelling at him that it wasn't the point so I said nothing. We were finally kicked out after an hour because we were being too noisy and it was way past visiting hour when we both noticed that Ponyboy wasn't looking too good just as we hopped onto the bus.

"Pony you look awful." I said simply placing my hand on his head. He didn't even attempt to swat me away. "You're awfully hot you know. Maybe you shouldn't go in the rumble, hon,"

"Hon?" Ponyboy demanded.

"She's a sister they're weird." Two-Bit answered simply and Ponyboy didn't look embarrassed at all. After all if Two-Bit's sister did this apparently it wasn't that bad. Boys. "But you don't look too good. Darry'll kick my ass if he knows your not well and I didn't tell him."

"Then you don't know." Pony snapped and looked at me pointedly. "Neither do you."

"But I do and you shouldn't." I said stiffly crossing my arms with triumph over the fact I could at least stop him.

"Don't tell, Pixie, that's just mean." Two-Bit said looking at me pointedly and I glared at him. "Seriously that's not nice."

"Fine." I grumbled. "But if you look any worse I'm telling."

"But I won't. I'll take a couple of aspirin okay?"

"Aspirin will fix nothin'," I sang out. It wasn't the wonder Ponyboy thought it was and it wouldn't fix this but I'll let him think that at least. "He'll find out."

"Pixie, just shut up!" Both Ponyboy and Two-Bit cried out and I smirked slightly.

"You know I'm right."

"You're a right pain in the you know where," Two-Bit grumbled and I laughed and threw my arm around him.

"You love me for it."

He muttered something I couldn't hear and I just shook my head, a grin across my face. This was like old times right now and I was so thankful the hell of the past week seemed to have died. Just us three riding a bus like the good old days of the previous week and never a thought spared to the fact what the future held but now we knew and saw things we shouldn't have. But at least it was slowly becoming normal again and for that I was sure thankful for it.