Alright, I think this chapter is going to be better, if anybody is reading it… I don't think there will be as many POVs as last chapter. Hope you like it!

Disclaim- I do not own The Outsiders

Chapter 2

Johnny's POV

I started walking down to the Curtis house thinking of what my life would become. My dad gone, just living with my mom, things might be alright. She usually yelled at me because my dad got it started. I hope now that she knows what it feels like that she won't be so mean to me. I opened the front door to find Darry in the living room alone. He looked up and said,

"Hey, Johnny, what's up?" I looked away, because I didn't feel so tuff.

"Hey, Darry, I know it's a school night and all, but would you mind if I stayed here for a night?" he just looked at me, studied me up and down. I felt like he had x ray vision and could read every emotion I felt just then.

"What's a matter, Johnny?" I was trying to hold back my tears. I felt like a baby to cry in front of anyone, especially Darry.

"Oh nothing. My dads goin to the cooler for beatin on my mom. My mom's in the hospital, and I really don't want to stay home alone tonight. Can't I just sleep on Pony and Soda's floor?" he just looked at me and asked,

"Are you goin to school tomorrow?" I knew if I said yes he would make me go to bed right now. It was a little over 11. I debated. Well, there wasn't really anything to do unless I went to school, and I guess I could go to the hospital to go see my mom. I just wanted to see what my father had done to her. I didn't really care for her. Why should I? They never showed me any love. In fact, they showed me the exact opposite. They showed me what it was like to hate someone. If I ever have kids or get married, I will never be like my parents were to me. I hate my childhood, and I don't want them to hate theirs. I looked at Darry and answered his question.

"Yeah, probably."

"Well you should probably get to bed then."

"I'm just gonna sleep on the floor in Pony's room." He gave me a weird look.

"Okay, night."

"Night" I didn't want to sleep alone in any room in any house. I don't know why, but this house always made me feel a lot better. Even when I was younger, when my dad started beating me up, I would come over and Mrs. Curtis would always make me feel better. I could always count on the Curtis's to be there for me when I needed it. I headed towards their room, and they were both out cold on the bed. I grabbed an extra pillow from Soda's old room and completely forgot about a blanket. But it didn't matter because I really wasn't cold anyways. I curled up on the floor and thought about my parents. I decided I would go to the hospital after school tomorrow.

Pony's POV

I woke up in the morning, and as I got out of bed, I almost tripped over Johnny Cade. It half scared me, since I didn't know he was there, and I think it half scared him, since I woke him up. He looked up at me and I said,

"Fancy meeting you here" it was weird. I guess Darry let him in last night after me and Soda went to bed. I wonder why he came over, and why he had chosen to sleep on the floor. We had an extra room, and he knew it. He just looked at me.

"Sorry, Pony. I didn't want to go home last night."

"How come? What happened this time?" Johnny always came to our house when something was wrong.

"My dad hit my mom. She's in the hospital, he's in the cooler." I pulled on a clean shirt and said,

"I'm sorry Johnny. But we gotta get up. You goin to school?" I pulled on a pair of pants as well, and Johnny was putting away his pillow.

"S'alright. Besides, I don't really care. Yeah, I'm gonna go to school today. Why skip? Nothin big." That made sense. His parents didn't really care for him, so I don't see why he would want to love them even if he tried. I felt so bad for him. We went to the kitchen together, to get some breakfast. Darry was making eggs. We both had a few, and were headed out the door. On our way to school, we talked about Johnny's mom.

"So, what's gonna happen to her?" I didn't mean to be rude or nothing, but I was curious. He looked at his shoes and said,

"I dunno. She's in the hospital, and I reckon when she's better, she'll come home and we'll live alone."

"Oh" I said softly. I didn't know weather to take this as good or bad.

"Well, it's better than living with my dad. My mom doesn't beat on me like he does. Well, I hope she won't. She's just the one to yell. And she usually yells because my dad gets her all mad, so I'm hopin that everything will be better." He had a little spark of hope and thoughtfulness in his eyes. I hope he was right. I hated it when Johnny came to our house for the night, beat up. Not because I didn't like him there, but because I hated seeing him all beat up like that. We reached the school building, and saw a little fight between some Socs and some greasers from Shepard's outfit. Only like five people, not that big. Me and Johnny avoided it and headed to our first hour, math. We sat right next to each other, but we never talked. Johnny never talked in school, he just looked at the teacher like they were going to beat him up like his dad. The school day seemed to go by so slowly.

Johnny's POV

The bell rang, meaning that the school day was finally over. I started to walk with Pony out of the school, but when we got outside, I headed the other way.

"I'm heading to the hospital. See ya later, Pony."

"You wanna ride?"

"Nah, it's just a few miles. I'll be okay."

"See ya later." I started my long walk to the hospital. This was a waste of my time. It was a really big waste of my time. My mom didn't care if I came to see her or not. She didn't even care if I died on my way to come see her. After about an hour, I reached the hospital, and it looked a lot smaller since the last time I had been there. I'm surprised I remembered the way. I was real young the last time I came here. My parents never let me go to the doctors when I was hurt, because most of the times, they were the reason I was hurt. I walked in, told them I was visiting my mom, and they led me to a door. It had a few papers on it, with my mother's name, and they let me in. She was laying in the bed. Her eyes were closed, and she had one of those breathing tubes on her face. I just looked at her. She looked so lifeless. Her skin was a little paler than normal, but I didn't pay that much attention to it. I looked at a nurse and carelessly asked,

"So? She comin home? What's a matter with her?" I shrugged my shoulders, looking like I didn't care. I really didn't care.

"Well, we don't know for sure. She's only been here one night, but she looks real bad. She's been going in and out of consciousness, she has some burns on her back, and definitely major bruises. Poor girl. Whatever happened to her must've been bad. She your mom?" I thought nurses knew everything that was going on. I guess not.

"Uh, yeah." I didn't really want to admit to it. But when the nurse said 'poor girl' I thought that my mom was like a normal person. She had feelings, and was a person too. I felt bad for every bad thing I ever said about her, or not caring about her. She used to be nice and caring mom, until my dad started getting drunk a lot. I don't know why she changed, but maybe she'll change back. I started to daydream what it would be like if she did. We could get on like a normal family. She would get a job, and I would go to school. After school she would make me dinner, and we would eat it together. We could watch TV together at night, and she would see me off to bed. It would be just like a normal mother and her child. All because my dad was out of the picture. I was so excited thinking about our new life together, that I didn't hear the nurse talking to me.

"Hey, I think she's waking up. Visiting hours are only 2 hours longer." I had to head home soon, anyways. It was going to get dark, and I did not to walk home alone in the dark. Especially in my neighborhood. I looked at my mom, who was slowly opening her eyes. They looked sweet and caring, unlike her usual cold and hatred.

"Johnny…" she looked at me and started to smile. What a change.

"Mom…." I really didn't know what to ask her first. "What's gonna happen? I mean about dad and us?"

"Well, when I get out of here, me and yous are gonna live together." I hoped I was right about her changing.

"Do you still love me?" I doubt if she ever even loved me in the first place, but I was curious of her answer, so I continued to pretend as if she did. She looked at a nurse, who was in return looking at her.

"Of course, sweetie." I wonder if she was saying that just because the nurse was there, because she had suffered head injuries, or if she for some reason really meant it. I shook my head like I understood.

"Well, I've got to get going. It's going to get dark soon, and I don't like to walk home in the dark." She waved a fragile hand, and I left, shutting the door behind me. The walk home seemed even longer than the way there. Did she really mean it when she said that she loved me? My thoughts were broken by a car that pulled up beside me. I almost jumped out of my skin. I tried not to look like I was scared, but I was. The window rolled down and I heard a voice say,

"Hey grease, need a ride?" I looked over to see a smiling Two-Bit. He started laughing as I opened the door.

"Two-Bit, you scared the pants off me" he looked at my trembling hands and said,

"You aint a woofin, kid. I'm sorry. I forgot you got scared so easy. What're you doin out this far?" my hands were slowly ceasing to shake, but I was still a little spooked.

"I was visiting my mom at the hospital.?"

"Your moma's in the hospital? Since when?"

"Last night"

"How come?" he kept looking at me, not the road, which was scaring me too.

"Eyes on the road, Two-Bit. My dad beat her up" I felt sick of telling people that. It was getting kind of annoying. He acted like I was talking about the six o'clock news.

"Ah. I see. To the Curtis's or to the Cade residence?"

"My house'll be fine." We turned down the familiar streets that I grew up on, and we pulled up into my driveway. I opened the door.

"Thanks,"

"Anytime. If you need anything, I'll be at the Curtis's" I think I'll stay home tonight. I think I've already given the Curtis's enough trouble. I opened the door to my house and walked in. It was quiet, like always. I turned on the TV and grabbed a soda. Not long after Mickey ended the phone rang.

"Hello, is this a Mr. Jonathan Cade?" I wondered who it was, I didn't recognize the female voice.

"Yessum. Who is this?"

"This is Shirley calling from Tulsa City Hospital. I've got some bad news. It's your mother." Oh, great. "She's, well I'm sorry, sir, but your mother has passed away due to major head injuries and brain damage. I'm so sorry to tell you." Without a word, I hung up the phone and thought, now what's going to happen to me?

Okay, so better than the last chapter? Please review!!!! I think I only have 1! Review!