As it turns out, Dallas woke up to find all of the gang passed out in the living room. Two-Bit taking up the whole couch, Ponyboy up against the wall with his book in his lap, slouched over uncomfortably, and Steve and Soda sprawled out on the floor, Steve was snoring loudly.
Darry was already up, sitting at the kitchen table and reading the newspaper. The headlines were about the tornado, it turns out many Soc homes were ruined, in rubble now.
"Me and the guys will probably go check out the scene, see what the big-time's lost." Dally commented. "You wanna come?"
Darry sighed. "I'm working." Dally wasn't surprised at this. Dallas looked out the window in silence, that is, until Ponyboy woke up.
"Golly my neck hurts," he complained.
"Well no wonder you idiot, did you see the way you slept on it?" Dally snickered.
"Yeah, funny Dal." Ponyboy was such a smartass, but with Darry here Dallas couldn't even threaten to beat him up. He found it amusing that Ponyboy hid behind his big brother. The kid's gotta start watching out for himself sometime, or he'll end up like Johnny, Dally thought sourly. The rest of the gang seemed to get up shortly after that, and an hour later they were walking the streets of the West Side. (SORRY for the interruption - but I didn't know which to go by, the book or the movie. The movie says South Side, and the book says West. Gah.)
Things were looking pretty bad, trees were down all over the place, a lot of roads were blocked off and cars were smashed and upside down and sideways. Houses were completely destroyed. Most people would be disturbed by this, but not Dally. He laughed inwardly and thought the Socs finally got some of what they deserve.
"Hey look fellas, a couple of greasers got confused - they think this is THEIR side of town." It was the voice of some Soc and his friends walking the street, also probably surveying the damage done in their neighborhood.
"What'd you say punk?" Dally started forward, but Two-Bit stepped in front of him.
"Oh, worry not, Dallas. They're just trying to get their laughs in while they can. Without their fancy stuff, they have nothing to their name. At least we have more of a reputation than what depends on cash." Two-Bit started laughing mockingly at them, and they fumed.
"Hey pal, watch it. The last thing we'd want a reputation for is to be long haired white trash that doesn't have two dimes to his name."
Two-Bit was getting angry now, no one ever smarted off to him and one. He always had to get the last word in. The rest of the gang had fallen silent, the tension was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.
"Back off, bub." Two-Bit's hand flew to his back pocket, then he remembered Dally had his knife. Dally flicked it out and gave it to him before you could blink an eye.
"You be on your way now, don't let us see you again." The Socs said, walking the other way. The stupidest thing you can do is turn your back on an angry gang. Dallas took advantage of the situation and charged the one that had done all the talking. He had him pinned down on his stomach and was viciously pounding the back of his head, slamming his face roughly into the concrete sidewalk. Blood was spurting out of his nose. The gang was right behind Dally, Ponyboy helped keep the guys off of Dally while he was on the ground beating the tar out of the one, their had to be at least eight guys. And eight verses five is always a rough fight. Steve had gotten slugged hard in the face, and with a gross crack, breaking his nose for the third time in a month. (Once when he saved Ponyboy from getting jumped, the next at the rumble.)Two-Bit had taken on two guys, and one had kicked his knee out. He was on the ground wincing in pain now, and Sodapop had chasen the others away with Two-Bit's knife.
"Guys, I can't move my leg." He panted.
"Alright, easy Two-Bit, don't move it now. Someone help me." The boys picked up Two-Bit, who was quite heavy, and carried him onto the grass to lay down. Nobody knew what to do, they were on the Soc side of town, and without any way to call someone to go to the hospital.
"Stay here, everyone but Steve." Dally commanded. He ran down the street with Steve, everyone else turned to Two-Bit. They were focusing on helping him with the pain when a car pulled up beside them. Dally was in the drivers seat of a black Mustang, that Steve must have hotwired. Nobody asked questions, and they hoisted Two-Bit into the backseat. They drove to the hospital while Two-Bit cried out in pain with every bump and pothole in the road they hit. Ponyboy winced with him, feeling for Two-Bit. Ponyboy loved him.