Hiiii! Sorry for not updating! D: Ive been busy but Im always writing even when busy. However, that means that some of this isn't proofread as it should be. All I'm going to say is that I apologize for any misspellings and hope you enjoy this chapter!
Steve sat with Sodapop as he watched Two-Bit slip out of the hospital room. The chair was uncomfortable, but he didn't want to move a single inch away from his best friend. He knew that Two was following Darry and that there was something else happening. Something most likely important… Still, Steve couldn't find it in himself to leave his best friend. Steve watched as Sodapop continued to hold onto Pony's limp hand, caressing it as if it were the last thing of the kid.
It didn't even look like the kid was in pain. Steve noted how it just looked like the kid was sleeping. The sight of the kid sleeping wasn't rare, but at this altitude, it seemed pretty rare. Steve just hoped that it wouldn't be rare to see Sodapop sleeping like this. He watched as Sodapop stayed crying. Steve knew that all he could do was be there for his best friend.
After a bit, Darry came in with Two-Bit, talking about having to go back home. Steve watched as Sodapop held onto Ponyboy's hand harder. It took everything in Steve not to think that it felt like their last moments with Ponyboy. He watched as Ponyboy's chest rose slightly, being the only way they knew that he was alive.
Now all they needed was for him to tell them himself that he was okay.
As Darry and Two-Bit left, Steve watched as Dally kept looking at the door. He was going to do something stupid. And Steve knew the only reason he wasn't doing it right then was because of Johnny. Johnny was silently crying, it scared Steve to see it; Johnny never cried. Steve also knew that it was partially because of Ponyboy.
It confused Steve for a bit about who Johnny was crying about. Maybe he was actually just crying about Mr and . But just that thought left Steve with a disgusting taste on his tongue. Even while the kid was dying, the only thing on his mind was to push him aside?
Sodapops grip on Ponyboy's hand softened up a bit after Two-Bit and Darry left, leaving his hand limp. After a bit, Johnny stopped crying. He put a hand on Ponyboy's hair, caressing it a bit. Then he looked to Dallas. A look so lost that even Steve felt the nothingness that Johnny felt at that moment. Dally got up, also being able to read Johnny's expression, "We're going to Bucks."
Steve nodded and Sodapop did too after a while, only understanding it after the duo had left. Still, Soda's hands stayed on Ponyboy's limp one, with his hand sometimes brushing back the hair on his forehead. Steve thought about if Ponyboy was awake. Maybe he would've been embarrassed to be coddled by Sodapop. Or, Steve thought, he'd be crying because of his parents.
Steve bit his lip, tasting the metal flavor that came from biting it too hard. It just hit him that Ponyboy had seen Mrs. and in the car. Steve knew that what Darry saw had shaken him up. Shaken him to the point that he was in tears and was barely keeping his composure for Sodapop. But, for Ponyboy to see it first-hand must've been horrifying, Steve thought. His stomach churned as his mind tried to imagine what Ponyboy and Darry had seen.
"You're gonna be okay honey." Steve heard Sodapop gently whisper to Ponyboy. He kept his arm around Sodapop, hoping that the contact was helping more than words could. Steve thought that it was helping, especially with how Sodapops eyes seemed to droop more rather than have tears falling out. Sodapop continued to hold Ponyboy's hand but Steve felt Sodapop start to gently fall on Steve's shoulder. "It's okay Soda, he ain't gonna be leaving," Steve commented.
Sodapop nodded gently on his shoulder, finally going to sleep. Steve thought about the constant stream of tears falling from Sodapops eyes and finally allowed some of his own to fall. A nurse came in a bit after and looked at Ponyboy. Steve stayed quiet as she did so, allowing her to do her job.
"Someone should be back in here in 30 minutes," The nurse said before leaving. Steve nodded, watching as the nurse wrote something on a clipboard outside before walking away. Now, it was only Steve and Ponyboy in the room. Sodapop slept peacefully, not being woken up by the annoying beeping.
Steve felt as more and more tears started to fall from his eyes. He was scared that he wouldn't be able to spend another night in the Curtis house. He was already thinking about what he was going to do without them. Without Mrs. and . Just the thought scared him, what would he do about his dad?
Time seemed to pass weirdly as Steve thought about it. It was as if time was passing quickly but also slowly. Steve could've counted every second, but it was as if they kept flying at a quick pace. By the time he realized it had been at least two hours, he heard Ponyboys beeping.
The machines on Ponyboy were slowing down. Steve looked at the heart monitor, watching as the beeps started to be more spread out. Unsure of how much time had passed, Steve didn't know if he should get a doctor. After a bit of thinking, someone came inside the room.
Steve whirled around, careful enough to not wake up Sodapop but still enough to see the people quickly. Darry was standing there, looking at Ponyboy. Steve gave him a questioning look as Darry just held up paperwork. It hit Steve about the state and everything.
Steve watched as Darrys eyes went to where Johnny and Dally had been before. After telling Darry what happened Darry nodded. Then he walked over to Ponyboy and gently placed a hand on his forehead. The flinch backward was all Steve needed to know that there was something wrong with Ponyboy. Darry rushed out of the room, bringing a worried doctor in his wake.
The doctor quickly started to asses Ponyboy, and after a bit, they were kicked out of the room. Sodapop was crying again, unable to process what he had seen. Nothing scares him more than his brother being in danger, Steve remembered as he tried to console Sodapop.
Darry started rambling about their parents. All the while Sodapop was crying about it. Steve added his part, trying to deter them from thinking about Ponyboy and death. Steve knew that for both of them to be worried about Ponyboy, it could cause something dangerous and reckless to happen.
Time slowed down once again as the doctors worked on Ponyboy. Steve caught himself falling asleep as Soda and Darry stayed wide awake. Darry put a hand on Steve's shoulder, "It's alright to go to sleep. We'll wake ya up when there's news." Steve nodded, finally allowing himself to sleep.
"I should've stayed with them," Sodapop said, breaking the silent moment. Darry looked over, shocked. "What do you mean?" Darry asked quickly, his eyes locked on his little brother. Sodapop put his hands on his face. "I should've gone with Pony to the movies… I was so stupid for-"
"Little buddy-" Darry interrupted, how voice harsher than what he wanted to, "-You ain't gonna say that every again. We couldn't have known." Sodapops eyes continued to fill with tears. "It's all my fault, Dar!" He cried out. "No… it's mine," Darry said solemnly.
After a bit of bickering, the two finally settled down. Darry wiped his eyes, trying to keep his composure once again. Steve gently woke up, most likely uncomfortable on the waiting room chair.
"What did I miss?" He asked as he stretched. Soda and Darry shared a look, one that meant that what happened would stay between them. Steve left it as is and sat up straighter on the chair. He was alert, ready to see if any doctors would give them updates on the kid.
Finally, after what felt like hours, they were given an update. The doctor came to them, looking unsure and scared as he did so. Darry hoped with everything he had that it was good news. Still, as the doctor nervously fidgeted, those hopes started to fade away.
"Family of Ponyboy Curtis?" The doctor finally said. Instantly, Darry, Soda, and Steve were standing up and looking at the doctor. The doctor nodded a bit, "Come with me." Hopes that Ponyboy was okay died as they all followed the doctor to a conference room. When everyone was settled in there, the doctor still looked unsure.
"Give it to us straight doc," Steve spoke, starting to get restless. The doctor nodded quickly, assessing a clipboard in his hands. "As you know Im Ponyboy's doctor, . While I don't work in the surgery department, I do know what happened down there," stated. Darry furrowed his eyebrows a bit, "Surgery?"
nodded, "Yes. Ponyboy came into the ER with multiple injuries sustained in the car crash. The most dangerous one is his head wound, which we are unsure how much damage it actually did. However, due to staff negligence, we were unable to see his numerous broken ribs." The doctor waited a moment as the information was digested by the other three in the room. Sodapop felt as if his heart dropped as he finally realized what the doctor was saying.
"What happened to him then?" Steve demanded, sitting up straighter than ever. The doctor messed with some more of the clipboard and mumbled. "Well, due to the emergency surgery, there's a 15% chance that Ponyboy will wake up."
"Like- he's going to die?" Sodapop whispered, his voice breaking on the word die. The doctor looked at Darry and shook his head. "No, in this case, we believe that Ponyboy will be comatose. His body is under stress as we told -"
"-Darry is fine," Darry interrupted, a sick feeling coming to his stomach. Sodapop looked at him, "You knew?" Darry almost winced at the hurt in Sodapops voice but he nodded and looked down at his lap. "I needed to find the paperwork for custody," he admitted. Sodapop went silent, understanding what Darry meant. It didn't mean he wasn't angry at him, but more so he understood.
watched for a moment and then looked back at the clipboard. "Well Darry, we are unsure if Ponyboy will wake up in the next week. We are optimistic about his survival and estimate that he will wake up in the usual 2 weeks to 4 weeks." Darry and Sodapop nodded, with Steve relaxing a bit. The number scared them, but it was better than thinking that he was never going to wake up.
"What can we do to help him?" Darry asked. The doctor put down the clipboard and stared at them straight ahead. "Talk to him, that will encourage more brain activity and will hopefully lead him to consciousness. However, we don't recommend that you spend all your time watching him. That could be detrimental to him if he wakes up and sees his caretakers all disheveled," almost joked. But the answer was enough for Sodapop and Darry.
They walked out of the conference room, following to a different part of the hospital. Now, they were back in the PICU and being led to Ponyboy's room. It felt all too familiar to walk in and see as Ponyboy calmly slept, the only new addition being the bandages on him. After a bit of looking and assessing Ponyboy, the doctor left, telling them to find him if anything was off.
Steve settled on one side of the bed, watching as Sodapop and Darry settled on the other. Silently they watched Ponyboy until Sodapop fell asleep. And after a bit, Darry did too. Steve looked at the kid silently, watching as the oxygen mask fogged up ever so gently.
"So I guess we gotta talk to you to make you wake up," Steve said, being careful as to not wake up Soda or Darry. He carefully trained his eyes on Soda to make sure that he was staying asleep. The whole endeavor was going to embarrass him, but he was willing to do it.
"Ya know kid… you're really making me feel bad. It kind of reminds me of when you were younger… How much of an ass was I back then? If you died right now… would you die hating me?" Steve's voice died out as he put a hand over his mouth. Still, the words hit him and he finally realized something.
Something important enough to want to tell Ponyboy. And maybe even get him to wake up.
I hope you enjoyed! Give me a week or two and I'll start having a better posting schedule! :D