(Darry's POV)

When I told officer Stanton that he wasn't going to stop me from looking for Ponyboy, he looked like he was ready to arrest me on the spot. "Mr. Curtis, I understand you're-"

"You can arrest me later, but you're not stopping me," I said right before I stormed away from the cop and towards the woods. If he thinks he can prevent me from looking for Ponyboy, he's out of his mind. I made it to the tree line without anyone stopping me, so I figured I was in the clear, at least temporarily.

Once I reached the woods, I carefully made my way down the hill. The terrain was slick from the rain, but I managed to navigate it better than the officers that were about to start searching. One cop actually slipped and feel face-first into the mud, and I had to force myself not to laugh, just in case his ego would be damaged so much that I'd be sent to jail for laughing at a police officer.

I kept shouting Pony's name, hoping that he would be nearby and just walk up to me with an annoyed look on his face. I could practically hear him… I'm fine Darry, you don't gotta worry about me. I bit my lip, holding back my emotions. Glory, what I would give to just see his face right now. He could be annoyed all he wants; I just want to hug my kid brother.

I wandered around the area, trying to spot any sign of Ponyboy through the rain and foliage. After a while, I realized that he either wasn't nearby, or if he was, he wasn't going to respond to me. Or he simply can't respond. A shiver went down my spine as I thought about what it would mean if Pony wasn't capable of hearing me or responding. He's alive, Darry. He's got to be alive.

I finally stopped in my tracks and thought logically. Ok, the truck was on the tracks, but Pony wasn't in it… maybe he escaped unharmed. Maybe he's back at the house wondering where we are. After about two seconds, I shook that optimistic idea out of my head. No, we would've seen him on the way to the scene of the accident if that was true.

I looked around the area and tried to think like my smart little brother. Okay, if he's hurt or tired, he wouldn't want to sit in the rain… if I was him, I'd want to be shielded as much as possible. That would explain why he's not just standing out in the open. I was also aware of the fact that my thought process also required Pony to be alive, awake, and able to move on his own, which was a lot to ask for, but I was hoping and praying that all were true.

It was clear that I needed to look more closely at small, confined, and hidden places if Ponyboy was able to find a shielded area. I also had to prepare myself for the realistic possibility that he wasn't conscious, or worse…

Again, I shook my head to get the thought out of my mind. Until proven otherwise, my brother was alive. He might just be sleeping or something. No matter what, I'll find him.

I resumed my search, paying attention to as many small details as I could. I looked for traces of Pony's clothing or shoes, his light brown hair, or any sounds that could be from my brother. Then I tried to think about where the truck would've been when the train hit it, and the trajectory of where Ponyboy might've gone down the hill. While I was thinking about all of these things, I kept shouting Pony's name over and over again, hoping that he'd finally respond.

The officers were searching some area off in the distance, and while I was glad for their help in the search, I wanted to be the one to find Ponyboy. I was afraid that the cops would be too rough with him if he was hurt, and he probably wouldn't want to be near them in the first place. Plus, I just wanted to see him as soon as possible and not around any strangers in uniform.

Suddenly, I heard a faint noise nearby that sounded different than the wind, rain, police officers' voices, and everything else. It was some type of groan, and hope filled my chest.

"Ponyboy!" I shouted, hoping that the groan I heard was in fact from him, and not from a tree moving in the wind. I kept shouting my brother's name as I walked towards the direction that I thought I heard the noise.

After a beat, I thought I imagined the noise, but finally, I saw a bush rustle a little. The movement wouldn't have meant much if the wind was blowing at that time, but the air was still. I jogged over to it, and I saw an elbow sticking out from behind the bush. Could it really be him? When I reached the shrub, my heart felt like it exploded. There, nestled between a bush and a tree, my injured kid brother was sitting with his eyes closed.

Pony looked beyond rough. He was covered in scrapes and blood, his clothes were torn, and his whole body was pale underneath the discolorations. His arms were loosely wrapped around his ribs, which almost hid the rest of the cuts in his clothing and likely his skin. Glory, he's been through it. He didn't escape the wreck unharmed at all.

I immediately dropped down to the ground and put my hands on Pony's shoulders. "Ponyboy," I said loudly, hoping he'd wake up. He didn't acknowledge my presence in any way, so I shook him a little. "Ponyboy, open your eyes."

Still, there was no response. I felt myself start panicking, wondering if I was imagining the rise and fall of his chest. He can't be dead. He just can't be. I tightened the grip on his shoulders and I shook him harder. "Ponyboy? Come on kiddo, open your eyes." My voiced cracked as I pleaded for Ponyboy to wake up. "Please."

Eventually, his eyes opened slowly, and after blinking a couple times, he finally spoke. "Darry?"

He sounded so confused and unsure that I was really there, and honestly, I didn't blame him. What were the odds that he survived a train wreck and that I somehow managed to find him in the woods? The odds were almost never in the favor of us greasers, but I was thrilled that luck was on our side for once.

"Yeah kiddo, it's me," I said as I tried to relax a little. He's alive. Ponyboy is alive and awake and talking to me. I wanted to hug him, squeeze him tight and tell him how happy I was to see him alive, but by the looks of him, his body wouldn't be able to handle it. He looked like the wind could do him in. I tried to hide how much I was worried about him, so I spoke as calm as possible, like it was just another typical day. "How are you feeling little buddy?"

Pony thought for a moment, then replied lazily. "Bad."

"Yeah?" I replied, trying to stay positive and emotionally steady. Of course you're feeling bad, just look at you! "Looks like you ran into some trouble, huh?"

He blinked a couple times before he looked down at his arms and clothes, then back up at me. Realization crossed his face and his eyes widened. "I'm sorry, Dar… the truck, I- I tried… I couldn't," he stammered, not finishing any of his sentences.

"Whoa, calm down Pone," I said as I gently moved his muddy and bloodied hair out of his face. He winced a little as my fingers brushed a cut on his head, so I moved my hand to the back of his neck instead. "I'm not mad, not at all. I'm just so glad I found you."

Once the worried look fell from his face, Pony's eyes started closing. "Me too."

"Hold on, kiddo. You can't fall asleep on me yet," I said almost sternly. Don't close your eyes. Please don't fall asleep. "We have to get you out of here."

Pony nodded, but he closed his eyes and rested his head against the tree. "'m tired, Dar."

I tightened the grip on the back of his neck slightly, hoping the gesture offered him some support and kept him with me rather than slipping unconscious. "I know, kiddo. Just a few minutes of walking, then you can sleep, alright?" I lied.

Ponyboy peeled his eyes open and set his sights on me. It seemed like he wanted to listen and cooperate, but I knew it would take all the strength he had left. "Okay."

Great, he's awake… but now what? How am I going to get him back up the hill where the paramedics are? For a second, I thought it might be easier to go up the hill alone and have the paramedics follow me back to my brother, but I immediately dismissed the idea. I couldn't leave Ponyboy alone, especially not after I saw how bad off he was.

"Okay Pone, what hurts the most?" I asked. "We're going to need to move, but I need to know what hurts."

Pony looked down at himself and furrowed his eyebrows, like I had just asked him the hardest question I possibly could've asked. After a moment, he replied slowly. "Back. Ribs. Head. Leg. Everything."

I took a breath. "Alright, I'll carry you-" I started, but Ponyboy shook his head.

"Back will hurt, and ribs," Ponyboy said.

"Okay kiddo, I hear you." Use your head, Darry. Figure something out. "I'm going to help you stand up, then I'll walk with you."

At first, Pony didn't respond, and I was worried that he was going to tell me to not move him and to leave him. Then, he gave me a small nod. "Okay."

It was a bit of a struggle, and I knew Ponyboy was in a world of pain during the ordeal, but I eventually helped Ponyboy move from sitting on the ground to standing mostly upright. He couldn't put much weight on his right leg, so I stood at his side and bent down so he could put an arm across my shoulders and I put an arm across his back. I tried to ignore the fact that I spotted my brother's blood on my hands and clothing after helping him up, but my concern for him continued to grow.

Once we were situated, I attempted to sound positive. "Alright Pone, just a little walk then you can get off your feet."

My brother groaned. "Uphill?"

"Yeah… sorry, kiddo," I said, offering the sincerest apology. If we had an option that didn't involve Ponyboy being forced to walk, then I would've done that in a heartbeat.

He didn't respond, which I took as acceptance, so together, we started the journey through the woods and towards help.

During entire trek, I tried to support as much of Pony's bodyweight as I could, and even though I knew he was trying to hide it, he kept wincing and moaning in pain. The mud and continued rain weren't making things an easier, and every time he slipped, he yelped as he caught his balance with his right foot, making my heart break every single time.

"You're doing great, Pone. Just a little further," I said more times than I could count. Just don't give up.

Finally, after what felt like hours, we made it out of the woods and to the top of the hill. When the ground became level, I could hear Ponyboy let out a sigh of relief. I looked around to see where we were compared to the crash site, the guys, and most importantly, the paramedics. We weren't far from the mangled mess of the truck, just a couple dozen yards, which meant once we made it to the other side of it, Ponyboy could get the medical attention he desperately needed.

Before we took more than a few more steps, there were shouts all around us, quickly followed by people surrounding Pony and me.

"Stanton, he found him!"

"Boss, he's here! He's alive!"

"Over here!"

"What happened?"

Several officers crowed around us, saying all sorts of things in quick, urgent voices, but I tuned them out. They weren't the people Ponyboy needed, and I made it clear to them. "He needs medical attention. Everything else can wait," I said as we pushed forward.

"Make a path!" I heard officer Stanton's voice shout from somewhere up ahead. The other officers obeyed, and by the time we passed the remains of the truck, I spotted the man looking at us with wide eyes. "Mr. Curtis, I see you found-"

"Yes, and I'm bringing him to the ambulance," I said shortly.

"Of course," officer Stanton said. Then he looked right at Pony. "There's some people that will be excited to see you."