Another update? And so soon? Why, yes it is! Enjoy and please leave reviews!

This may be winding down soon…although I am not so sure…what about you kids?

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Ponyboy's POV

Apparently, while I had been at Caplan's Darry and Sodapop had scrounged up Shakes and got him to talk to them in words that weren't gibberish.

I saw the glow of my friend's smoke as I pulled Darry's truck into the driveway. After Caplan's I had driven around town for a while thinking about what my Sarge had said.

It was beginning to sink in. Deep down I knew he was right. I had to give up the ghosts.

Finally, I had decided to go home after being so deep in thought I had nearly plowed Darry's truck into an oncoming car.

That would have really topped off the night.

"God, explaining yourself can be a bitch." Shakes greeted me as I hopped out and met him on the porch.

"Sorry about that," I apologized, half-grinning. Then the smile slid off my face. "You didn't exaggerate too much or anything did you?" God, the last thing I needed was Shakes freaking out Darry and Soda any more.

"Pone, I don't think there was any real room for exaggeration, do you?" He tossed me the pack of smokes and I promptly lit one up.

"You're right," I conceded. "Well, Shakes, I apologize on behalf of my brothers for the interrogation." I shot him a smile.

He laughed at me. "You're lucky I was here to calm them down. Soda was off his rocker, worrying about you. I finally told them to relax and I'd play the sentry. Where'd go anyways?"

"Nowhere," I lied. "Just drove around."

"Yeah, my mom didn't want to let me out of the house either," he murmured.

I rubbed my forehead, wishing I had some aspirin. "How are you doing?"

"I don't know, man. It feels surreal. Although, I am expecting some pretty gruesome dreams tonight." He glanced at me and tossed his cigarette stub in the grass. We both watched the light fade out. "How did you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Have those dreams every night after your friends died?"

Gritting my jaw, I flicked my lighter. Shakes knew the story about everything that had went down in the past. Everything except 'Nam.

"I still have them," I said grimly.

Shakes sat up straighter and squinted at me in the darkness. "Really? They came back?"

Like a lightning bolt.

Ignoring him, I nodded at the house. It was dark. "Think they're asleep?"

Shakes shrugged. "Tweedle-dum and Tweedle-dee left a few hours ago. Your brothers probably went to bed by now. But I guarantee you they'll be up the second you walk in."

"Here," Shakes stood up and slapped something in my hand. Turning it over I saw it was a bottle of aspirin. "I snatched these from my mom. Figured I wouldn't let you hunt all over the house for the ones Darry hid."

I raised my eyebrows in amusement. "So, you're my drug dealer now?"

"I do what I can." Shakes smirked and then paused at the bottom of the porch. "You know Ponyboy, we've really been in some shitty messes. So…who brings the bad luck: me or you?"

"Take my word for it Shakes," I sighed. "It's me."

XXXX

I slunk into the house, bypassing the light switch and heading straight for the bathroom. I badly needed to shower, throw my clothes away.

The table lamp flicked on and Soda was sitting on the couch. He didn't look happy. He had taken on too many punches tonight. His brown eyes stood against his wan face.

I tried to smile at him. "Hey Sodapop. You like sittin' in the dark just for kicks?"

"Yeah, it's real fun waiting up and wondering whether or not your brother will come home tonight."

My eyes searched the shadowy house. "Where's Darry?"

"On the phone with Dana." Soda sighed and shut his eyes. When he opened them he said slowly, "Don't ever do that to me again."

At my blank stare he continued, "Leave. Like that."

The blood drained from my face and I stared at the floor. "I'm real sorry, Soda."

XXXX

Slim's prediction that his face would be the last thing I would see before I died actually came true when I was alive too.

"Will I be? Will I be the last thing you see?"

I washed my face with trembling hands, wishing that my latest nightmare could be washed down the drain as well.

In the kitchen I could smell Soda's bacon. A whiff of fried pork, cinnamon and chocolate syrup. He always came up with the craziest food. But what was even crazier was that we actually ate it.

Darry was yelling at Steve for something and in the background I could hear Two-Bit cackling with laughter. I smiled to myself; hoping I would soon be on the track to normality.

As I stepped out of the bathroom and made my way into the kitchen the phone rang. Darry stopped mid-yell and caught my eyes with a stricken expression. The phone had been ringing ever since I got home from the gas station three days ago.

The calls were mostly from the press, but a few neighborly Socs also had some pretty unpleasant things to say to me.

"We should take that off the hook," Darry told me as we all watched it ring.

"Yeah, we're all here," Soda put in. "Who're we really gonna miss?"

"Oh, I don't know. The pope? Your fairy godmother?" Two-Bit offered, gulping down a Coke. Oddly enough, ever since he had sent me on his little beer run he had avoided it like the plague.

The phone kept ringing. "Well, it can't be the state," I told my brothers. "Screw it. I'm getting it."

Soda set the spatula down. "Pone…"

I snatched up the receiver before they could intercept. "Hello?" I asked, my eyes watching Soda and Darry's intent faces.

A woman cleared her throat. "Ponyboy Curtis, please."

"This is him."

"Ponyboy…" the voice was halting, " I know it's early…this is…Beth Reynolds…Kevin's wife…" My eyes flew open. "…I got your number from the police department-"

"Ma'am, I…I am so sorry…" I flinched, readying myself for an angry tirade.

She cut me off. "I wanted to thank you. For what you did." I gripped the phone tighter, not believing my ears.

"What?" My voice was hollow.

Darry, thinking it was another angry nut, snapped his fingers and held out his hand.

I shook my head briefly. I had overheard him yesterday speaking with someone; Darry, who usually kept a cool head, had cursed up a storm that would have made Dally proud.

"Kevin is in ICU," she said tearfully, "but he's getting better by the day. Will you come down and see him? I'd like it and I know he would. I need to thank you in person."

"What?" I repeated.

"I didn't know the kid was dumb and deaf," Steve joked to Two-Bit, but that got him a swat on the head from Darry.

"Will you come down to visit him? Please?"

"Sure, of course," I nodded vacantly.

"Great." I could hear her smile. "Visiting hours are 11 to 5. Come by anytime today." She hung up before I could say goodbye.

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The white halls of the hospital were too familiar as I followed the signs to Room 304. Soda and Darry had offered to come with me, but I needed to do this by myself.

I reached the door and Beth Reynolds greeted me. She was a short, thin woman, with a blonde bob and happy eyes, despite the circumstances. She was more Soc than Greaser but what did it matter anymore.

"Hi Ponyboy," she chirped and shook my hand warmly. Beth looked down at the blonde haired little girl next to her. "This is Shelly."

"Hello," I smiled at both of them, feeling out of place.

Shelly giggled and buried her head against her mother's legs.

Beth patted Shelly's curls and flashed me a mouthful of teeth. "Ponyboy, I don't know how I can ever thank you. Ever." Her eyes watered and she sniffled. "If you need anything call us. It's the least we can do."

Beth pulled me into an awkward hug. When she released me her eyes were dry. "Go on in sweetie, he's waiting for you."

Stepping in, I pulled the door shut behind me, breathing in stale air and medicinal smells. I wrinkled my nose. "Nice to see you alive," Kevin greeted me.

I laughed. "Same to you. How are you feeling?" I asked, moving closer. Tentatively, I sat into a chair near his bed.

Kevin scoffed, "I feel lousy kid. Like I got shot."

"Yeah, that'll do it to you," I smiled slightly, feeling his pain.

"But," he said, struggling to sit up straighter, "I'm not dead. Thanks to you."

"No!" I said quietly, my panicked feelings suddenly rushing up on me. "I'm not dead thanks to you. If I hadn't gone and shot my mouth off-"

Kevin dismissed that with a wave of his hand. "I did the same thing. We're even. I got a pretty bad shot to my gut. But barring any infections I'll be out in a week or two."

Mute, I just stared at him.

Kevin's face got serious. "Ponyboy, you saved my daughter…my wife. Everyone in there. I owe you a lot." Staring at me hard, he asked, "Are you doing ok?"

I was prepared to lie, give Kevin some BS excuse but I couldn't. Shaking my head, I stared at Kevin's heart monitor. "No. But I will be."

Playing with his wedding band, Kevin sighed. "Keep your head up. I won't lie and say things'll get better tomorrow. But if you can't hold on," he looked at me pointedly, "hold on."

XXXX

I made my way down to the first floor and stopped at the pay phone to call Sodapop before I left.

"DX, this is Steve."

"Steve, put Soda on."

"What? No hello? Thanks Pone, I'm touched," he grumbled lightly. "Yo, Sodapop!"

As I waited for Soda to come on the line, I heard a guy yell from the room closest to me, "Nurse, I swear to god if you don't get out of my sight…"

"…things go? Pone…you there?"

I snapped back to my brother but the voice was ringing in my ears. It was Slim.

"Yeah, Soda. I just wanted to tell you I'm heading home."

"Ok…see you tonight," he said hesitantly, sound as if he had more to say.

"Yeah, right," I said distantly and hung up on him.

My eyes focused on Room 111 as a nurse scooted out, frowning. I was torn between just wanting to forget and meeting Slim face to face again.

I chose the latter.

My hand closed around the doorknob and I entered.

He was lying on his side, reading a comic book. The front of his chart read "Jeremy Wilcox."

"Well, lookie what we have here," his voice startled me out of my daze. He grinned maliciously and tossed his book on the ground. "A hero. Bring on the applause."

"How's jail, Jeremy?" I spat.

"Go to hell," he replied.

Evaluating him, I crossed my arms in front of my chest. "I didn't know it took three days to recover from a head wound," I said dryly.

Slim's face clouded with anger. "Son-of-a-bitch. Got knifed my first day in jail. Bet you're glad to hear that, you little shit. Met the brother of a girl I once…knew."

Wincing, I got the hidden meaning behind his words. "Why am I not surprised?"

Slim glowered at me and I suddenly felt claustrophobic. I turned to leave.

I had had enough of hospitals and flashbacks and…

"It should be you in here," Slim announced. I could hear the laughter and the rage in his voice. "No, wait. It should be you in the morgue."

Whipping around, I glared at him. "Then you should have fought harder. I did my job."

"You were close you know," Slim's rough voice floated toward me, his gaunt face angled up at the ceiling. "So close. I could have had you if I was just fast enough." He grinned at me. "Maybe one day…" He brought his head back down and mimed shooting me with his right hand.

I paled but my voice was firm. I steadied my shaking hands. Boy, was I getting damn good at hiding it. "No. Not one day. Never. You lost."

Slim pursed his lips and nodded slowly. "You're right. But you were lucky once. You won't be again. Someone else will win next time. And it won't be you."

Frozen, my mind churned. Then I turned on my heel and stalked up to him, close enough to smell his smoky breath. "You're right. One day I won't win. But at least I won't be left to face it all alone."

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