Chapter 5: Hurt

As soon as Two-Bit got to Buck's, he plopped down on a stool and immediately ordered a beer, giving Buck a mean look.

Buck raised a brow at him but nevertheless slid him a beer. Two-Bit took it and downed a long, hard drink, slamming the bottle back down, glaring around the bar.

None of the gang was there, which Two-Bit didn't expect them to be, but if they were, he wouldn't have even cared. Two-Bit was mad; he really needed to cool off.

He glanced around for Dallas, but didn't see him. Either he was upstairs with a girl or maybe even in the slammer.

Two-Bit took another swing, sneering, picturing Darry's face in his head, trying to imagine him punching him. He so badly wanted to.

He lowly cussed as he glared around, trying to find a way to blow off steam. He saw some guys playing poker and Two-Bit straightened himself on the stool, ordering himself another beer before he headed over to join them.

Two-Bit never was all that good at gambling, but he was good enough and he was good at cheating, that got him by well enough.

Two-Bit drank beer and completely lost the first two games and he was getting frustrated. It didn't help his head was starting to smart from a gruesome headache.

When the men he was playing with asked if he wanted to try another round, Two-Bit huffed and said yes, raising the stakes, figuring he could cheat and beat them all.

After all, it wasn't hard to cheat with Soda and Steve, though both of them cheated all the time themselves, and it was fun to mess around with them.

But when Two-Bit had cheated his way through and won the game, the other guys didn't think it was much fun. Neither did Two-Bit.

"Get him!" Someone yelled and suddenly Two-Bit found himself being held down by three guys, getting his face pounded in.

He yelped and tried to block the hits, swearing, yelling and kicking, but the guys kept hitting him, hollering at him not to mess with them by cheating again.

Two-Bit yelped and couldn't help but whimper as someone punched him in the jaw, blood filling his mouth as he still tried to defend himself.

Suddenly there was an uproar of yelling and Two-Bit landed on the floor with a thud, groaning in pain, seeing stars everywhere, head pounding.

Someone said something to him in a gruff voice and Two-Bit felt himself being hoisted off the floor and dragged out the door.

"H-Hey!" Two-Bit growled and squirmed, struggling to get upright on his feet, pulling to get away and when he was outside, he whirled around and shoved at the figure roughly.

"Lay off, man!"

Tim stepped back, scowling, eyes narrowed, studying Two-Bit carefully. "Alright Mathews, I won't help you no mores if that's what you want. But maybe you should stop getting your a** kicked first." He huffed.

Two-Bit frowned and relaxed when he recognized the voice and face. "Oh, Tim, Tim…...sorry man."

Two-Bit steadied himself on his feet, trying to keep himself upright, holding a hand up to his face, trying to keep from sniffling.

He was hurt, his face smarting awfully, blood everywhere and his head pounding painfully, he was trying to keep from breaking down in tears.

He was hurt not only physically, but emotionally as well.

He missed his friends, his buddies; he wanted to be with them again.

This fight had not only increased Two's anger, but his emotions as well. It all came pouring on him just like a downpour.

Tim easily noticed Two-Bit's face and stood straight, studying him with his tough, granite expression. Two-Bit didn't like him watching him; Tim was tougher than anyone and a hell of an intimidator.

"What the hell are you doing, Mathews?" Tim finally asked, shaking his head a little. "Since when do you pick fights?"

Two-Bit, still trying to keep Tim from seeing him breaking down, scoffed and tried to push past him.

"None of your business, Shepard."

Tim immediately grabbed him, not letting him go back in. "Really now?"

Two growled, shoving at Tim's hands. "Yes, really." He glared. "Now let go."

When Tim didn't release him, Two retaliated and punched him.

Tim stumbled back and his eyes immediately narrowed, expression darkening. No one messes with Tim Shepard.

He snatched Two-Bit by his jacket and threw him into the wall roughly, startling Two-Bit, who yelped.

Tim socked him in the face hard, knocking Two down instantly, Two receiving another hard blow to his chest.

Two-Bit yelped and curled into a ball on the ground, letting out another cry as Tim kicked him and Two held up his hands, choking out a sob.

"Wait, wait, stop, stop, please!"

This caught Tim off guard, who's foot froze in mid-air from kicking Two-Bit again, wide-eyed. He lowered his foot, looking perplexed, watching.

Two-Bit was crying now, wiping at his eyes with balled fists, whimpering softly, shaking.

Tim was quiet a minute, watching, lips pursed. "Mathews."

Two-Bit sucked in a breath, continuing to cry. "No Darry, i'm sorry, please don't hit me again…..!"

Tim frowned at this, glancing around to see if anyone was watching.

"Two-Bit…..Two-Bit, come on, get up."

Two-Bit sniffled, shaking all over, trying to keep from crying. All he could think about was angry Darry, Soda and Ponyboy and how he couldn't face or see any of them again without getting hurt.

Tim eyed the blood on Two's face, frowning when he didn't get up.

Tim bent down and grabbed him gently, pulling him to his feet. "C'mon, Two."

Two-Bit sniffled and wiped at his nose with a sleeve, looking up at Tim with glossy eyes.

"Two-Bit, what's goin' on?" Tim asked lowly, able to recognize something was easily wrong with the eighteen year old just by his behavior.

Two-Bit's eyebrows furrowed and he looked away, fists clenched. "Nothin'. Jus' lemme be." He started to walk off but Tim grabbed his arm.

"You think i'm jus' gonna let ya walk off like this?" He huffed.

Two-Bit glared and shook him off, still angry and hurt. "Lemme be, Tim." He walked off hurriedly, sniffling and wiping at his nose, not hearing another word from Tim and he was glad.

Two-Bit glared at the sidewalk as he stomped along, wiping at his eyes and face, smearing blood along his skin but he could care less. His anger currently blinded him and the feeling of wanting to be with friends snuck up his chest again.

"Hmmph," He snorted as he stomped along, walking home. "F****** Darry. D*****."

He wasn't watching where he was going as he swiped at his eyes and he accidentally walked into someone, who grunted.

"Watch it, man. Oh Two-Bit, it's you." Two-Bit looked up to see it was Dally, whose grin then fell.

"Hey, what happened man? You got blood all over ya."

"Yeah, I know." Two-Bit said quietly, shuffling on his feet.

Dally, who was smoking, grinned as he wrapped an arm around his buddy, the light of the streetlights lit up around them. "Come on, why don't we get ya to Darry's? He'll clean ya up; I was jus' there."

Two-Bit frowned at the name and shoved Dal's arm off him. "No thanks." He replied hotly.

"What? Why?" Dally laughed a little though his confusion.

"No reason." Two-Bit huffed, trying to walk off again, hands stuffed into his pockets.

"Hey, man, what's with you?" Dally grabbed his arm. "Haven't seen ya in forever and suddenly you got a stick up your a**? Now come on." He huffed.

Two-Bit shot him a glare. "I said I don't want to." He shoved Dally's hand off him.

That of course, ticked Dally off. "Oh yeah, Two-Sh**?" He growled, grabbing Two-Bit again. "You lookin' for a fight or somethin'?"

"Let go, Dallas," Two-Bit growled, giving Dally a shove, his head pounding with irritation. "Jus' drop it, man."

"I'm tryin' to do you a favor, man." Dally retorted, giving Two a cold look. "Now come on."

"I said I don't wanna!" Two-Bit suddenly shouted, feeling tears fill his eyes again, emotions and his head spinning.

At this, Dally took a good look at Two-Bit, his anger suddenly softening when he saw Two-Bit swaying on his feet, his skin white where blood wasn't smeared everywhere.

Dally quickly realised what was happening and he reached a hand out. "Two-Bit…..hey, easy man. Why don't we jus' go to Darry's and settle this later, alright man?"

"N-No," Two-Bit shook his head, in a daze, swaying dangerously on his feet, suddenly not feeling well. "No Dally…..no….." Dally suddenly went blurry in front of him and Two-Bit felt like he was falling.

Not knowing what was happening, all he heard was, "Sh**, Two-Bit!" before everything went black.

...

When Two-Bit awoke, a pair of brown eyes hovering above him watched him closely.

"Ugh…...d***," Two-Bit groaned and brought a hand to his head, the light hurting his eyes.

"Oh good, Two-Bit, you're awake…." Two-Bit heard a familiar voice. "We was worried."

Two-Bit squinted and focused his vision and Soda's face came into view, looking concerned.

"H-Huh? Soda?" Two frowned, not understanding. Why was Soda here? Where was he?

"Two-Bit, you okay?" Two-Bit heard Soda ask as he sat up a little, looking around to see where he was.

He tensed when he saw he was at the Curtis house and he swallowed a little, not moving, his fear rising.

"Uh…"

Where was Darry?

"Soda! Come get your shoes!" Two heard Darry yell from the kitchen and he frowned a little, suddenly frightened.

How did he get here? He wasn't supposed to be here!

Soda frowned a little at Two and put a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Be right back…." Then he turned and went into the kitchen, Two watching him with an open mouth.

Two-Bit sat up, licking his lips, holding his head, wanting to get out of there, not sure if he could bear with seeing Darry again.

But yet, he wanted to stay; maybe Darry had put this whole thing behind him by now and everything would be back to normal.

Two-Bit suddenly wondered if Pony were here, hoping he could talk to his best friend again.

Two-Bit still had no idea how he had gotten here; did he sleepwalk here?

"Okay boys, i'm leavin', see ya tonight." Two heard Darry's voice and tensed, looking over, closing his open mouth when Darry walked in.

Two-Bit watched him as Darry walked to the door. Darry shot Two-Bit a really mean, cold glare as he walked past, stopping at the door.

"Get out and don't come back," He warned darkly, so the others couldn't hear. "Or you'll look even worse than you do now when i'm through with you."

Two-Bit flinched at the screen door slamming, frowning at the now closed door, holding his breath a minute, feeling his eyes go glossy.

Nothing had changed, he couldn't believe it.

Frowning deeply, hurt all over again, Two-Bit swallowed and got up, grabbing his jacket, letting himself out, sniffling lowly as he started trudging for home.

Miserable, his head still hurting, he hugged his chest, rubbing at his arms, frowning at the ground, not understanding why Darry hated him now.

All he wanted was his friends back and now, after that display, he had no idea how that was going to happen...

A/N: Please review! Thanks