Chapter 27: Hold On
A/N: Another Christmas gift to you :)
"You doing okay, Two-Bit?" Dermot asked his friend softly, glancing back.
Two-Bit lifted his head a little, swallowing. "I'm alright."
"You sure?"
"'Course he's fine," Christian chirped as they walked along, grinning. "He's Two-Bit."
"Christian," Dermot frowned at him softly with a hushed voice.
"What? It's true." Christian shrugged. "Hey look, a free paper." He pointed and grabbed a newspaper sitting on a park bench, looking at it.
"Two-Bit, you can walk up here with us, bud." Dermot offered softly, looking back at his friend who trudged along.
"I'm okay. Thanks though." Two-Bit looked away, running a hand through his hair.
"Aw gee, how sad is that?" Christian remarked, looking at the paper. "Poor little girl, dying of cancer and all. Couldn't have been more than ten years old."
Two-Bit quickly raised his head, eyes widening. "What? Lemme see." He hurried over, taking the paper away, looking at it.
Dermot and Christian blinked, shrugging at each other.
Two-Bit was horrified to read the front page, discovering that Chloe, the girl he had talked to just last night, had passed away, right before she was supposed to go into surgery.
He shook his head, wide-eyed, frowning. "No, no…...th-this is terr-terrible….."
"Did you know her?" Christian raised a brow.
Two-Bit's heart was racing and he couldn't think straight, emotions swarming his head, suddenly breathing heavily. "I-I have to go…." He started to take off, dropping the paper.
"Wait, where you going?" Dermot yelled after him.
"I'll be back later, I swear!" Two-Bit called, running off as fast as he could, sweating and panting.
Dermot and Christian shrugged, exchanging a worried glance.
The Flames walked along, Riff holding onto the rope connected to Dermot's collar, keeping him close as they walked to the Dairy Queen.
"Uh oh, here comes trouble." Riff suddenly stopped, eyes narrowing, his grip tightening on the rope. He watched as seven boys hurried over to them, Two-Bit's friends.
Riff growled at the sight of them, looking angry. "What do you want?" He scowled.
"We need to talk to Two-Bit, please." Darry almost pleaded, frowning deeply. "We really need to see him."
"After what you did to him?" Riff snarled, letting go of Dermot's rope, eyes narrowed. "You know y'all have some nerve treating him like that, ya know I outta-" Riff's anger suddenly burst and he tackled Darry, knocking him down to the ground.
"Riff!" Dermot gaped, wide-eyed.
Riff swore as he started angrily punching Darry's face. "How dare you do this to one of your own friends! You're the one that started this sh** you mother-f*****! Rot in hell!"
"Hey! Get off him!" Dally and Tim snarled and grabbed Riff, ripping him away from Darry, Tim slamming him up against a wall with a snarl, Dally punching him in the stomach.
"Wait, wait, stop, don't hurt him!" Dermot came over with big eyes. Dally glanced at him with angered eyes and feeling threatened by them, he grabbed Dermot by his shirt and slammed him up against the wall too. Dermot gasped, gulping with wide-eyes.
"Where's Two-Bit?!" Dallas roared into his face.
"St-Stop!" Dermot flinched as Dally raised his fist.
"Dally, Tim, stop! He's right, stop!" Darry huffed as his brothers helped him stand, catching his breath. "That's enough!"
Tim growled but held back his fist, glaring at Riff with hate. Riff glared back at him, spitting into Tim's face.
Tim swore and raised his fist in anger.
"Tim!"
"Gah!" Tim growled and dropped him, shoving him as he went to stand by the gang, Dally too.
Riff glared at them with narrowed eyes, crossing his arms, going to stand beside Dermot.
"Please, we didn't come here to fight. We came to see Two-Bit." Darry looked sincere, frowning deeply, a little blood trickling from his cheek where Riff punched him.
"Why should I let you see him?" Riff snapped. "After what you've done to him? How do you people even sleep at night?" He sneered, shaking his head.
"Look, we know what we did was wrong but please, we're so worried about him. He's our friend….!" Soda pleaded. "We want to apologize and bring him home."
Riff snarled at that, balling his fists. "Well maybe you shouldn't have made him so god-d*** depres-"
"Riff, wait, come on," Dermot interrupted. "Maybe this is the chance for Two-Bit to get better. To reunite with them." He gestured softly to the gang. "He needs them."
Riff softened a little, growling as he shook his head. "Fine. But if y'all even try and hurt him in any sort of way, I will hurt you." He warned, pointing a mean finger at the gang, who slowly nodded with a frown.
Riff grabbed ahold of Dermot's rope, ushering them along, walking in front of them. "Two-Bit went home. We'll take you there, but only if you don't make him start cryin' or nothin'." He sneered.
Darry and the others frowned, exchanging worried glances.
"Is he really that bad?" Soda frowned deeply, looking at Riff. "We never meant to upset him."
Riff snorted loudly, marching along, shaking his head. "Like hell you didn't. Poor kid's been a wreck. It sure is sad, watchin' someone like him break down. He was such a good kid. Least he was before y'all shattered his feelings." Riff growled, glaring back at them.
"Now he just mopes around, miserable and such. Wish he wasn't so hard on himself. When I first saw his cuts, I thought he was jus-"
"Whoa, whoa, wait, wait," Darry grabbed him, suddenly shoving Riff up against a wall, startling him.
"Two-Bit's been cutting himself?!" Darry's eyes were wide, mouth open.
Riff frowned a little. "Well, well yeah, but I thought-"
"Oh my god, come on guys!" Darry dropped Riff and started running, the gang directly behind him, heading for the hotel.
Riff frowned but he, Dermot and the boys followed close behind.
The gangs' hearts were racing, they couldn't believe it. They had no idea Two-Bit was cutting himself!
They all rushed to the hotel and practically bounded up the stairs, gasping and breathing heavily. They stopped at the door that read 'Two-Bit' in the sticker letters.
Darry tried to doorknob. "I-It's locked!"
Soda started pounding on the door. "Two-Bit! Two-Bit, open up!"
Darry still fiddled with the lock.
"He won't answer!" Soda cried, continuing to pound his fist on the door. "Two-Bit!"
"Whoa whoa, calm down, i'll just use my key!" Riff interjected with wide eyes.
"Kick it down, Darry!" Soda called, ignoring Riff, stepping back, almost in a panic, not knowing if Two-Bit was okay or not.
Darry sucked in a breath and stepped back, not hesitating to kick the lock forcefully, the door flying open with a loud crash.
The boys all burst into the room, wide-eyed. "Two-Bit!" "Two-Bit!"
"He's not here!" Ponyboy frowned.
"What?" Riff and Dermot frowned.
"Look, a note!" Steve pointed to the dresser.
The boys lept for the dresser, Darry snatching it into his hands, starting to read.
"O-Oh no….." He started shaking, mouth open in horror.
"What? What!" The boys pushed and shoved each other, trying to read the note over Darry's shoulder.
Dear Riff and the gang, or anyone who's reading this,
I'm sorry, I just can't do this anymore. I'm not coming back. Y'all will Be happier without me anyways. It's for the best. Tell Darry and the boys back home i'm really gonna miss 'em. Tell them it's better this way. They don't need me anywho. Sorry to be such a bother.
Love,
Two-Bit
The gang was in shock when they read it, open-mouthed and horrified.
Darry dropped the note, his hands shaking. "We gotta find him! Now! Come on! Hurry!" He and the others turned and bolted out the door, shaking with fear, all hoping they'd find their friend in time, hoping and praying he was alright.
Two-Bit swallowed hard, wide-eyed, trying to keep from shaking. "Come on, Two-Bit, you can do this. You can do this." He whispered to himself softly, biting his lip.
Shakily, he peered over the edge of the cliff, looking down at all the sharp rocks below, the waves of the water crashing against them.
Two-Bit gulped, letting out another shaky breath, stepping back. "Easy Two-Bit, easy. You can do this."
He looked down again, his heart racing. He didn't know if he should do this. He didn't really want to kill himself. He just wanted to escape his pains. But he was scared.
He didn't want to jump. He didn't want his life to end now. But what else could he do?
Two-Bit swallowed "I-It-It's just one little jump….." He shook, whispering. "You-You can do it. J-Ju-Jus'-Jus' jump…."
Peering over the edge of the cliff, Two-Bit slowly lifted his foot up, panting with fear, eyes wide. "Jus' jump…"
"Two-Bit!"
Two-Bit jumped, whipping around, wide-eyed, frowning deeply when he saw the gang and Riff and his boys hopping out of Darry's truck.
"Two-Bit!"
Two-Bit shook his head no, whimpering softly, shaking. "N-No, no, they can't be here…..!"
Darry and the boys hurried over, Riff and Dermot in tow, all wide-eyed and looking scared.
"Two-Bit, get outta there!" Soda shouted when they stopped before the edge.
"Please Two-Bit!"
"Two-Bit, come on!"
"N-No no! I-I-I-I'm not gonna come with you!" Two-Bit shouted, shaking, afraid, tears pricking at his eyes.
"Two-Bit, come on, you can't do this buddy!" Darry shouted, worry evident in his voice.
"I can and I will! You're the one who wanted me to go away, Darry!" Two-Bit shouted, starting to cry. "Now i'm gonna go away, forever!"
"No Two-Bit, I never wanted you to go away!" Darry shouted, frowning deeply. "I was wrong buddy, i'm sorry! I'm so so so sorry! Just please, please get outta there before you get hurt!"
"Two-Bit please, we want you to come home!" Ponyboy pleaded, trying to hold back tears. "You're my best friend!"
"Two-Bit, we all love you! We never meant to hurt you and we'll never hurt you again! Just please, please come home! You're our best buddy, Two-Bit!" Sodapop called, voice shaky.
Two-Bit was listening, crying, breathing heavily, shaking everywhere, frowning deeply.
"They're right, Two-Bit! They are your friends! And so are we! Please, just get outta there and then everything will be okay! I promise!" Dermot shouted, wide-eyed.
Two-Bit let out a whimper, sniffling, tears running down his face. "You-You all really mean that? You-You want me to be your friend?"
"Yes, yes!"
"You are our friend, Two-Bit!" Soda called.
"Y'all aren't lying to me?" Two-Bit swallowed hard.
"Of course not, Two-Bit, we love you!"
Two-Bit gulped and shook, his heart racing. "O-Okay, okay, I-I believe you! I'll come home now!"
Sniffling, Two-Bit started to walk towards them, his palms sweating, when suddenly the edge of the cliff collapsed underneath him.
Two-Bit screamed and grabbed onto the rest of the edge, scrambling to hold on, kicking his legs wildly.
"NO!" The gang screamed in horror, rushing towards him.
Two-Bit was terrified, holding on for dear life, gasping to breathe. "H-Help me guys! Help!"
"Somebody grab him!"
"Hold on!"
"Two-Bit!"
The guys rushed forward to help, frightened.
Two-Bit was slipping, unable to hold on, crying and whimpering. "Help me!"
Darry reached down and grabbed onto Two-Bit's arm, gasping. "I got you! I got you! Don't look down!"
Two-Bit cried, struggling to hold on, his other hand slipping, letting go of the cliff with a scream, bringing Darry down a little, who screamed as well.
"I got you, I got you!" Riff shouted, grabbing onto Darry's legs with Tim.
Two-Bit struggled to hold onto Darry, his arm slipping, kicking his legs around in a frightened panic. "Darry, I can't hold on!" He screamed.
"I got you Two-Bit, i'm not gonna drop you!" Darry shouted back, struggling to hold onto him. "Pull us up!"
"Darry, i'm slipping!" Two-Bit cried, frightened, his hand slipping out of Darry's grip.
"No, Two-Bit! Hold on!"
"I can't!" Two-Bit cried as his hand slipped out of Darry's, falling. "Darry!"
"NO! TWO-BIT!"
Two-Bit screamed as he fell, his life flashing before his eyes as he plummeted through the air, able to hear the boys screaming his name from up above.
"TWO-BIT!"
"Two-Bit!"
Screaming, Two-Bit finally managed to fall onto a large tree branch, scrambling to hold on, the bark nastily slicing open his hands with cuts and splinters, making him cry out.
Dangling as he held on, he gasped for breath, trembling.
"Where is he, where is he?!"
"I don't see him!"
"TWO-BIT!"
The gang was shouting from way up above and it sounded like someone was sobbing.
Two-Bit whimpered at all the yelling, struggling to hold on, his legs dangling, his grip slipping. "No, no! Please no!" He cried.
"TWO-BIT!"
"No, I don't wanna die now, please!" Two-Bit cried as he tried to hold onto the branch, but couldn't, his grip slipping. "No!"
His hand slipped and he fell, screaming, thinking it was over, squeezing his eyes shut tight, not wanting to watch.
Suddenly he felt agonizing pain as something hard slammed directly into him and he screamed with pain, suddenly paralyzed, unable to move.
Whimpering with hurtful pain, Two-Bit couldn't move, lying still, on his side. He couldn't open his eyes and everything hurt.
His chest heaved as if it was in slow motion and there was a constant ringing in his ears and he could hear his heartbeat.
It sounded as if there was yelling somewhere far off in the distance and he could just barely make out his name.
"TWO-BIT!"
"Two-Bit!"
Two-Bit tried to lift his head but couldn't, his breath getting caught in his throat, making him gasp as his vision suddenly went white and painful darkness suddenly enveloped him.