Author's Note: I'm just gonna stop telling y'all that the chapter is really short because they're all gonna be short lol! Okay, well there's one more chapter after this, thanks to everyone who's reading! :D

CHAPTER IV: The Day of Fate

"Who's ready to get some teeth pulled? WHOO!" Two-bit yelled excitedly as we pulled out of the drive. Dallas elbowed him abruptly.

"Shut up, he's already nervous as it is. We don't need you adding to the anxiety." Dally hissed. Two-bit rubbed his arm and frowned. Sitting next to me, Darry looked awful. He had dark circles under his eyes and he was as white as a sheet. We hadn't even stepped foot in the dentist's office yet!

"You okay?" I asked carefully, eyeing Darry. He gulped.

"Yeah, I'm fine." he said shakily. He could be a real bad liar sometime. Ponyboy leaned over the seat and patted him on the shoulder. I just couldn't wait to get this whole thing over with. Then Darry would act like normal and I wouldn't have to pretend that I was the older one.

Once we actually got there, I started to feel nervous. What if Darry didn't even get out of the car? Thankfully, as the gang climbed out, so did Darry. But he was real quiet. We all trudged into the office silently. All except for Steve, who was popping his gum loudly. While I checked in at the counter, all of the us of them sat down in the waiting room. I went to sit with them. The place was completely empty except for us.

After about five minutes, Dr Jameson appeared.

"Ready to go, Darrel?" Darry's head snapped up.

"Uh, no." Oh God.

"Well, it's time to get started. It's not that bad, promise." Dr Jameson attempted to make Darry more comfortable. Two-bit stood up.

"Hey, that's cool man, we'll all come with you!" he suggested. Darry exhaled in relief and stood up.
"Whoa wait. Not all seven of you. The room would be too crowded and-" Dallas leapt out of his chair. He crossed the room and got all in the dentist's face.

"Okay, look. We're his friends and to be honest, he's a little worried 'bout this whole thing. I'm gonna strongly suggest you let us in the room with him. Or else there'll be trouble. Got it?" Dally growled. Dr. Jameson swallowed.

"I g-guess that would be fine." he stammered a little, leading us all back to the room. I hugged Darry real quick so the others wouldn't notice. He probably need one anyway.

"Okay Darrel, just sit down in the chair." Dr. Jameson ordered, pointing to a navy blue dental chair. Darry reluctantly sunk down into it. Everybody was squished around Darry, the dentist and that nurse. I had to give it to him; he was right. The room was real crowded.

"Now the first thing we have to do is numb your mouth. All we have to do is inject a little of this-"

"Inject? Like a shot?" Darry asked. The dentist blinked.

"Well, yes. It's absolutely necessary, just hold still..." Darry started wriggling around.

"Wait! I changed my mind! I can take the tooth pain, it's okay! Yankin' out my teeth ain't necesary, I'll be fine, I-"

"Nurse? We'll have to sedate him. Here son, put this on." Johnny looked scared.

"Hey, why're you puttin' that mask on him?" Dr. Jameson finished fitting the mask on Darry and turned to Johnny.

"It's a new thing that helps make patients... more calm." Steve rolled his eyes.

"Oh, that's simple. Just like drugs, huh?" Two-bit looked angry, which rarely happened.

"You're puttin' Darry on drugs?" Darry stopped fighting, and his eyes glazed over. Dr. Jameson stuck him with the needle.

"Not exactly. Nurse!" When the nurse came over with the plier-looking things, I shut my eyes. As many rumbles I had been too, I still tended to get nauseous around blood and stuff. Peeked out of my hands and saw Pony was looking away too. Huh.

By the time they had gone through the whole process, Dally had fallen asleep leaning against the wall, and Two-bit and Steve had resulted to playing that hand game, Concentration, to entertain themselves. Johnny was in the corner, reading some torn up paperback and Ponyboy was silently reading over his shoulder.

"Okay boys, he's all yours." Dr. Jameson announced, taking off his mask. Darry blinked. He began giggling.

"Hey... hey, y'all have two eyes! Two of them!" Darry laughed, slapping his leg. Everybody looked at him as if he had gone insane.

"He'll be a little... off, per say, for a couple of hours. It's just the laughing gas wearing off." Steve smirked.

"It seems to be workin' real good." he said, nodding towards Darry, who was still laughing.

"Can you believe it? Chuck Berry said he loves my shirt!" I grabbed his arm and helped him to his feet.

"Let's go, Dare." I told him. We all filed out of the room, Johnny gently shaking Dally awake as they left.

"Oh, and his mouth is still numb!" the dentist called after us. Great. But at least this whole thing was over.