FOREVER CHANGED

CHAPTER 2

THIRD DEGREE

"I think he's out for the night. Why don't you boys go home and get some sleep. Come back first thing in the morning to pick him up, okay?", the nurse told Darry and Soda.

Darry nodded, "Thank ya Ma'am."

The two brothers walked out into the hall to find Two-bit sitting on a couch, starring at the floor.

"So Two-bit, how's Johnny?", Soda asked, sitting next to his friend.

"Hey Two-bit, you okay?" Darry questioned, nudging his shoulder.

He looked up at Darry then at Soda. "I…I couldn't go in man? I just stood in the doorway….there was machines beepin' and swooshin'..…and I..I got scared man."

Darry pulled Two-bit up by the arm and placed a hand on his back. "S'okay Two-bit, go home andget some rest.We'll all come back here, in the morning, to see Johnny."

The three friends walked out, huddled together, into the cool March night.

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"Hey, you guys ready to go ?", Steve called from outside of the Curtis' screen door.

The brothers ran out of the house and into Darry's truck, heading to pick up Two-bit.

"So, what'd Johnny's folks hafta say?", Two-bit asked, getting into the back of the truck.

"Nothin', the wasn't there.", Steve yelled over the engine. "The house was all dark and locked up.…kinda spooky. I ain't ever seen it so quiet."

The boys all looked at one another and hung there heads down, followed by an unusual silence that lasted the remainder of the ride.

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"Hey, Pone, you're looking better.", Darry exclaimed, walking into the room.

"Yeah.", Pony replied, pulling his t-shirt over his head. "I just wanna get outta here.…hey Soda, hand me my pants.

Soda tossed his brother his jeans just as the doctor walked into the room.

"Well Ponyboy, looks like you are ready to go home.", the doctor smiled. "Here's a prescription for some penicillin.…make sure you finish the bottle."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes. Soda smiled and raised his eyebrow, letting Pony know he and Darry would make sure he finished his medicine.

"Mr. Curtis, if I can have you sign here.…your brother is free to go.", the doctor stated, handing Darry the clipboard.

The doctor looked at Steve. "Were you able to get in touch with the Cade family?"

"Ah no Sir, the house was all closed up. Didn't look like nobody was livin' there, anymore.", Steve shrugged.

The doctor sighed heavily. "I'll have to call family services so they can start looking for other family members."

"There ain't none Sir.", Pony whispered from the bed.

"What 'bout us, we're his best buddies.", Steve asked defensively. Pony hopped off the bed and joined the group.

"Sorry boys, but Johnny's going to need an adult appointed guardian who will be able to make decisions on his behalf."

Darry felt all eyes on him. Pony's eyes were pleading. Darry swallowed hard, "Can we see him now?"

The doctor nodded and escorted them to Johnny's room.

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The boys stood outside of the intensive care unit where the nurse made them all wash their hands and put paper gowns on over their clothes. Because of his cough, Ponyboy was also given a surgical mask to wear, to cover his mouth and nose.

"It's against policy to have so many people in a room at one time, but since you're all here, I'll make an exception this time.", the doctor smiled sympathetically and opened the door. "I'll explain everything as we go along."

They boys followed the doctor into the room and stopped just as he did, at the foot of Johnny's bed. He was laying face up, unconscious and covered in bandages.

"Dear God.", Darry muttered under his breath.

"I know it looks awful and…well it is, but please try to remember, this is all helping Johnny to get better."

Darry nodded for the doctor to continue.

"Let's start from his head and work down.…Johnny has a severe first degree flash burn to his entire face, it's like a really bad sunburn. That should heal nicely, with minimal scarring. Unfortunately the burns to the front of his neck, shoulders, upper torso, forearms, hands and middle back are all second and third degree burns." These types of burns can damage all three layers of skin and the underlying tissues. They are very painful and will cause extensive scarring."

The group hung their heads down as the doctor continued.

"The burns to his legs and feet are mainly first and second degree, but we will have to be just as vigilant with these burns because he can't tell us where and how bad they hurt. Johnny also has damage to his lungs because of smoke inhalation which is why we have him on a ventilator and why we inserted the chest tubes.", the doctor pointed to the two tubes on either side of Johnny, emptying a pinkish liquid into glass jars on the floor.

The doctor sighed again, "Of course the most serious of his injuries is his broken back. When the beam fell on Johnny, it crushed three of his vertebrae. He will have at least one operation, when his burns heal a little, to stabilize the spine."

The doctor looked again at his chart, avoiding the looks of gang. "We believe the coma he is in, is temporary, but it may be a while before he wakes up."

"What are his chances Doc?", Darry asked in a dismal voice.

"For survival?"

Darry nodded.

"Barring any type of infection or other complications, fifty-fifty.".

The faces of the others were asking a different question.

"For complete recovery?"

Soda and Steve nodded.

"None."

Ponyboy could feel the tears well up in his eyes.

"I'm sorry boys, I wish I had better news.", the doctor turned toward the door. "Just a few more minutes, then I'll have to ask you to leave."

The boys stood frozen in their spots.

A petite young nurse came up to the group. "You can touch him if you'd like. Right here, where there's no bandages.", she said touching the part of Johnny's arm, right above the elbow. "Oh and talk to him, he can probably hear you."

The nurse quietly left the room.

Pony was the first to go up to Johnny. He looked at all of the machines, wires and bandages that covered his best friend. He hadn't even realized he was crying until he heard his own voice, "I'm sorry Johnny….I'm so, so sorry."

Soda was just about to put his arm around his brother, when Pony bolted out of the room.

He ran out of the hospital and down the street. He ran faster and faster. His battered ribs started to ache and his lungs started to burn, but he didn't care, he just kept running.

He thought he heard his name being called, but he didn't slow down, in fact, he ran faster. Past the old lot, through the park and up the steps of his front porch, where he finally collapsed and broke down.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Sorry for any mistakes, I am not a medical doctor, nor do I play one on tv. I tried to write how the boys talk, so there will be some intentional grammatical errors. I set the story in early March to fit my timeline. And I hope you people like angst, because there's a lot of it in this story. Thanks so much, for all of the great reviews. Please continue to review, they makes me very, very happy. Next chapter should be up soon.