After thirty-six hours of doing nothing but holding vigil over Soda and Pony, I had to get up stretch my legs. I had an awful crick in my neck from sleeping on a hard plastic chair, and both my legs were falling asleep from lack of use. Two-Bit had decided to crash on the floor, and at the time I had laughed at him, but now I was starting to think that it wasn't such a bad idea.
I had headed outside for another smoke break. I had already gone through a pack and it wasn't even three in the afternoon yet. Two-Bit kept doing runs to the convenient store across the street for our packs, but those workers would catch on to him soon. It seemed like all I have been doing was sitting, smoking, and hoping that Soda or Pony would open their eyes. I took a long drag off my cigarette and coughed on the smoke. I haven't choked on a weed since I smoked my first stick. The smoke was in my lungs and made them burn.
But I had nothing to complain about after seeing what Darry looked like. This situation was eating him alive. The only time he left the room was for a bathroom break, and other than that, he was hunkered down in that hospital room in between his brothers. I've been doing trips down to the cafeteria for food to make sure that he doesn't starve. If I didn't keep bringing him food, I was willing to bet that he would have forgotten to eat. I don't know how he'll be able to afford the two sets hospital bills, especially when he keeps taking off of work to be with them. Soda will also be out of commission for a while, since he needs a lot of time to recuperate from all of his injuries. I don't know what they're going to do. I just don't know…
I was interrupted out of my thoughts by Two-Bit who burst outside the hospital doors. "Soda's awake," he spit out. "I came to get you 'cause I knew you'd want to see him."
I ground out my cigarette in the dirt and followed him back to the room. Sure enough, Soda was alive and awake, and one of the nurses was removing the breathing tube that was rammed down his throat and was replacing it with oxygen tubes that went under his nose. At least he was making an improvement. Darry was leaning over him, holding his hand and whispering something I couldn't hear to him.
Once the tube was removed, Soda licked his lips and attempted to say something. "Hey guys." His voice was so weak, I could barely hear him.
"Hey little buddy," Darry said, almost close to tears. "It's great to have you back. You don't know how relieved I am to see that you're awake."
"It's great to be back," Soda whispered, then his brown eyes went wide. "Ponyboy, where's Pony?"
"Easy, Soda," said Two-Bit. "He's okay. He's sleepin' right next to you."
"He's okay? He looked so bad. I tried to help him, but he wouldn't open his eyes." Soda said in a small voice.
"He's going be fine, thanks to you," said Darry. "I heard about what you did after the crash. The nurse told me how the paramedics found you and Pony holding hands. He might have been in worse shape if it hadn't been for you helping him out. The nurse also said that you you're your injuries worse from moving around after. You're a real good big brother Soda, and I'm real proud of you. We're lucky to have you in the family."
Soda smiled, and Darry moved out of the way so he could see Pony for himself. His smiled faltered some after getting a look at Pony, but I assured him that he was going to be okay, just like him.
"We'll be picking up chicks in no time," I said, trying to get him to smile. "They're going to dig those scars you got. They look tuff. But first you have to get out of bed."
"You ain't looking so good yourself. You growin' a beard on me?" he joked, but his eyelids started drooping again. He needed his rest, and Darry picked up on it.
"Go back to sleep," he ordered. "You need your rest if you're going to get better."
Soda listened without having to be told again, and quickly dropped off back to sleep. He may not be better just yet, but it made us all feel relief that he was getting there.
XXXXXX
I was starting to feel better after a week of rest, but I was itching to get out of this damn hospital bed. I felt pretty weak, but I hoped that I could convince Darry to let me get up and walk around a bit. After all, Pony had walked a lap around the hospital because the doctors didn't want his muscles to atrophy. The only reason why I couldn't get up yet because my knee had been badly dislocated and I wasn't supposed to put any pressure on it. The brace was itchy and annoying but I had to keep it on if I wanted to regain full mobility of my knee.
My breathing was not as good as I would have liked it to be, but the doctors told me I couldn't expect to start running marathons just yet after having a collapsed lung. Apparently it collapsed when I was in the hospital. My stamina was shot, but at least I could breathe on my own. It made me sick when Darry told me that I was put on a ventilator. I hated that I had to be dependent on a machine to keep me alive. I also had a cool scar on my side because of the internal bleeding that I had. I was real lucky that the doctors were able to repair the damage. I remember Steve had told me that chicks would think it was cool, but I couldn't help but think of it as a permanent reminder as to what we went through that fateful night. I would have to see that scar on my body for the rest of my life.
Pony was expected to make a full recovery, but I wouldn't believe it until he was awake and I could talk to him for myself. He was really shook up from his injuries, and his pain was off the charts, but I assured him that we would recover together. This was his second concussion, and I heard the doctors were concerned about possible brain damage, but luckily for us, he was the same Ponyboy we all knew and loved. Darry told us that his kidney had to be removed because the damage was unrepairable, but it completely possible for him to live with just one of the organs. He was a tough kid.
Both of us had pushed Darry to go back to work. He had not wanted to leave our sides, but all of us knew that money would be extremely tight after the bills start rolling in. I'm actually very worried for our financial situation, but we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.
Steve had gone back to work too, but always stopped by after his shift to sit with me when Darry couldn't. He would catch me up on the gossip going around the DX, tell me about the cool Mustang that came in for a tune up, and bring me a few get well soon cards that were sent by some of the girls that hang around.
All was starting to look up for us, that was until, I saw two cops standing in the doorway.
A/N: Yay, there awake! I couldn't keep our Curtis boys asleep for much longer. I hope you didn't mind the time jump that I took after Soda woke up, but I felt it was necessary to move the story along. Sorry to leave you guys with a cliffhanger, but I thought that would be a good place to leave off. The story will pick up with the next chapter. Thanks for all the follows, favorites and reviews! Please let me know how my story is doing so far!
