In this chapter: Darry gets hurt at work, and Kate is there for him

"Darry got hurt at work. He's in the hospital."

The words replayed in my head the entire time I drove towards the hospital.

Darry's coworker, Josh, had been the one who called me. I was happy to have Darry list me as an emergency contact, but never did I imagine it would be necessary for me to be called on his behalf. Josh said he'd stay with Darry at least until I got there. If it was up to me, I would've been at the hospital within a minute, but my car couldn't go that fast, so I had to accept the fact the drive would take about ten minutes.

What happened? How bad is he? Is he going to be okay, or is it as bad as I can imagine? I had so many questions, but I didn't bother wasting time to ask them over the phone. I knew I'd get answers at the hospital, but my top priority was getting to my boyfriend's side.

I mindlessly parked my car, ran into the hospital, and asked someone to point me in the direction of Darry's room. I rushed to room 117, and as soon as I stood in the doorway, I finally sighed in relief once I saw Darry breathing steadily. His eyes were closed, and he had some tubes and wires attached to him, but the rise and fall of his chest, along with the beeping sounds coming from the machine next to him, were all the clues I needed to know my boyfriend was alive. He's just sleeping, Kate.

Next to Darry's bed, a guy in dirty construction attire was sitting and reading a magazine, and I assumed it was Darry's coworker, Josh.

"How is he?" I asked as politely as I could muster as I immediately sat in the chair on the other side of the bed. As soon as I sat down, I held Darry's hand, being careful of the various things attached to it.

Josh looked up at me as he set the magazine down. "He's in pain, more than he's telling us I'm sure," he said, rolling his eyes at the mention of Darry's pain tolerance and stubbornness. "But the doctor thinks he'll be okay. He needs to rest for a while before he's allowed to come back to work."

Since I knew he was alive and would probably be fine, I had to know the full story. "What happened?" I finally asked.

Darry's coworker let out a breath and rubbed a hand down his face. "The was a few of us on roof, showing the new guys the ropes. Those kids sure were in awe of Curtis here doin' the work of three guys." The way he said it, it sounded like Josh was in awe of Darry too. I knew my boyfriend was a hard worker, but it was interesting to hear it from the perspective of someone who works with him. "One of the newbies thought he could carry as much roofing material as Darry, and the idiot slipped and started fallin'. Darry grabbed him and kept the kid from falling off the side of the roof, but he slid down with the moron until his back slammed into the chimney. Even with his back hurt, he didn't let go of the guy until we could get the kid secured."

I cringed as I imagined the scene. Darry had potentially saved someone's life, but at the cost of his back smashing into a brick structure. I was truly curious how they got Darry, who wasn't a small person at all, off the roof when his back was hurt, but I decided I had more important things to know. "So what else did the doctor say? Anything broken?"

"There might be a small crack or two in the bones in his back, but nothing as bad as it could've been. The doctor said it's more likely that he just has a lot of bruising and muscle tightness from the impact," Josh explained. I internally groaned. His muscles are already so tight, I didn't imagine it could get worse. Then Josh continued. "They gave him some muscle relaxers and pain meds, which kinda knocked him out. They said he could probably go home tomorrow."

I looked down at Darry's face and let out another sigh. All things considered, he's doing okay. "Did you call his brothers?" I asked Josh without taking my eyes off of Darry.

"Yeah, after I called you, I called the gas station where Sodapop works. He said he was taking his buddy's car and grabbing Ponyboy on his way," Josh said. I immediately knew that Soda was taking Steve's car, and I could only hope that Soda would drive safely, despite the emotional state he would be in.

I was a little surprised that Josh called me before Soda, but nevertheless, I was glad Soda and Pony were on their way. I was also pleasantly surprised that Josh seemed to know at least a little bit about Soda and Pony, which meant Darry openly shared things with at least one person at work.

"Thanks for the call," I said genuinely.

"No problem," Josh said nonchalantly. Then he stood up, and after one last glance at Darry, he looked back at me. "I need to let the boss know what's goin' on. I'll leave you two alone, although I'm guessing his brothers will be here soon. I'll call Darry at home in a few days to see how he's doing."

I grinned. "Thanks, Josh."

As soon as Josh left, I turned my attention back to my injured boyfriend. I was still holding Darry's hand, and while I maintained my grip, I used my other hand to move some of his hair off of his forehead. His skin was still warm from the midday sun. "Just couldn't resist really acting like Superman, huh?" I muttered. Then I busied myself by running my fingers through his hair.

Suddenly, Darry's eyes twitched, and before I could say anything else, his gravelly voice sounded. "Kate?"

Hearing his voice, despite him being in a hospital bed, made me smile. "Yeah, it's me Darry."

He slowly opened his eyes, and even though he was awake and looking at me, I knew he was in a strange state of mind thanks to the drugs he was given. "Hey babe. You okay?"

I couldn't help but look at him in disbelief. "I'm not the one who was working on a roof and got hurt." My words seemed to sober him up slightly, and the next time I spoke, I was half joking and half serious. "Are you trying to give me a heart attack, Darrel?"

"No," he said sheepishly.

"You sure? Because Josh called and told me you were in the hospital, then I find you hurt your back after playing hero." I realized that I was starting to sound angry, even though I really wasn't mad at him. I was happy and proud of Darry for saving that other guy from falling off the roof, but I just wished it didn't mean that he got hurt. I let out a shaky breath before speaking calmer. "You had me worried. I'm still worried."

Darry studied me for a moment, then he took his hand out of my grip so he could wipe something off my cheek. He's the one who's hurt, but I'm the one who's crying. How does that make sense? "I'm sorry."

I pressed his hand into my cheek and kept it there as I closed my eyes and soaked in his presence. "You don't have anything to apologize for, Darry. You saved that guy; I just wish you didn't get hurt because of it."

It looked like Darry was going to say something, but a commotion in the hallway caught both of our attentions. It sounded like a stampede, and by the time I realized people were running, Soda and Pony showed up in the doorway. They both looked breathless and scared out of their minds, but like me, when they saw Darry, they relaxed a little.

"Darry!" Pony all but shouted as he quickly made his way to the other side of Darry's bed. Within seconds, he was leaning into Darry, hugging him and crying.

Darry moved away from me so he could wrap his arms around Ponyboy, resting a hand on the back of his little brother's head. "It's okay, Pone. I'm alright."

As Soda approached Darry's bed, I could tell he was carefully analyzing his older brother. Soda's eyes were glassy, either from fear or relief; maybe even both. "What happened, Dar? That guy Josh told me you got hurt at work, but he didn't say how bad or nothin'."

Sensing that the brothers needed some time to themselves, I stood up before Darry started explaining what happened. "I'm going to talk with your doctor. I'll be back." I could feel Darry's eyes linger on me as I walked out of the room.

As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I let out a breath. Darry's alive. He's okay. Just breathe, and talk to his doctor so Soda doesn't have to. I walked to the nurse's station, and as soon as I asked to speak with Darry's doctor, a man standing nearby spoke up. "Are you talking about Darrel Curtis, in room 117?"

I turned my attention to the short, balding man in a white coat. "Yes sir. Are you his doctor?"

He grinned at me, then extended his hand towards me. "Yes I am. I'm Doctor Watson. You must be Kate."

I shook his hand, and I didn't bother wiping the confused expression off my face. "How'd you know?" I asked once I retracted my hand.

He was still smiling at me when he spoke. "I overheard Mr. Curtis telling the other gentleman to call you. He was talking about you and having a soda or something." I bit my tongue and didn't mention anything about the unique names of Darry's younger brothers. "Once the medications started taking affect, he was focused on you, sodas, and ponies. Very unusual mix of topics if you ask me, but you were obviously at the forefront of his mind as the medications caused him to fall asleep."

I smiled at him. "Thank you, doctor. I'm flattered he was so concerned about me, but sometimes I wish he'd just worry about himself," I said.

The man nodded, a smile still plastered on his face. "He certainly seems like a man who puts others before himself, especially given how he received his injuries."

"He is," I agreed. My boyfriend was selfless– working multiple jobs just to keep his family together and always having his brothers' best interests in mind– and I wasn't exactly surprised that he risked himself to save someone else. "Since he never thinks about himself, I was wondering if you could tell me what I what we need to do to help him recover."

"Yes, of course. I believe there are two small fractures in the vertebrae in Darrel's spine. Since they're so small and they haven't damaged the spinal cord or anything else, they should heal on their own if Mr. Curtis allows himself to rest and heal," Dr. Watson said. "A couple weeks of bedrest should do the trick."

I raised my eyebrows at him. "Easier said than done. Darry doesn't know how to do nothing, let alone for a couple of weeks."

"If he knows what's good for him, he'll listen to my instructions," the doctor warned playfully. "If the fractures aren't allowed to heal properly, things can get a lot worse, and I don't think anybody wants to see him come back to the hospital." I simply nodded in agreement, not wanting to think about my boyfriend having a more severe back injury than he was already dealing with. "Besides that, there is deep bruising in the soft tissue of his back, which will continue to get worse for a couple days before it gets better. I expect him to feel some discomfort as he heals, so I'm prescribing him some painkillers and muscle relaxers to take home. They will say 'take as needed' but I highly recommend that he takes them for at least the first two days."

I nodded again. "I will make sure he takes them." Darry might be stubborn and not want to take them, but I can be stubborn too.

"Besides all of that, I suggest that he uses ice packs to decrease inflammation," Dr. Watson added. He waited a moment as he watched me carefully. Does he think I'm going to have a lot more questions, or is he just gauging my reaction to my boyfriend being in the hospital? "It sounds like a lot, but all things considered, he's doing well, and I expect him to make a full recovery. He obviously has a good support system, so I'm sure he'll be following my instructions, one way or another."

I smirked at the doctor. "You got that right." Then I extended my hand towards him again, which he immediately took and shook. "Thank you, doctor."

"It's my pleasure, Kate," he said, still smiling. "I'll discharge him first thing in the morning. I just want to keep an eye on him for a little while longer." I knew Darry was going to be irritated about spending the night in the hospital, but he didn't have a choice; myself, his brothers, and the doctor would all be able to convince Darry to suck it up and spend the night.

After my conversation with Dr. Watson, I returned to Darry's room. Soda and Pony were sitting next to each other on the right side of Darry's bed, so I took the chair on the left side. I could practically feel the concern radiating off of Darry's younger brothers, and the exhausted look on Darry's face told me the drugs were about to take him under again. "Your doctor said you'll be discharged in the morning," I said to Darry. He immediately started to object, so I interrupted him. "You're spending the night, Darry. The doctor already made up his mind."

"What else did he say?" Soda asked seriously. I could tell he felt a sense of responsibility with his big brothers laid up in a hospital bed, but I wished a teenage kid didn't need to feel that way.

"He thinks Darry might have a couple small fractures in his back. Nothing severe, as long as he lays low for a bit and doesn't make things worse," I said, hoping to not only comfort Soda and Pony, but get them to help me make sure Darry didn't push himself too much. "He's going to prescribe him some meds to take home, and Darry's going to need to stay on bedrest for a couple weeks."

"Weeks?" Darry asked incredulously. "I'm fine, I don't need to be-"

"Shut it, Darry." I was surprised the words came from Soda, and Darry seemed to be surprised too since he immediately got quiet as his brother continued. "Your back is broken from saving a guy's life. You're gonna do what the doctor says, even if that means we gotta tie you to your bed, you hear?" I had never heard Soda sound so serious, but I guess the gravity of the situation made him into a man of stern decisiveness.

The room was silent for a moment, but then Darry let out a sigh and closed his eyes in defeat. "Fine."

Only a few minutes passed before Darry was sleeping again.

Soda, Pony, and I spent the rest of the day in Darry's hospital room, with Soda only leaving for a few minutes to call the guys and let them know what had happened. Once Soda returned, I left briefly to call my boss and let her know I was going to be taking care of Darry and not able to make it to all of my scheduled shifts. Connie loved Darry, and she assured me that my job wouldn't be at risk for taking care of him while he recovered. After she wished him well, I thanked her and went right back to Darry's room.

Not even an hour later, Dally and Johnny had both shown up to see how Darry was doing. They stayed for a short time, but since Darry was still sleeping, they both left, telling us that they'd visit Darry when he was at the house the following day. Two-Bit drove Steve to the hospital as soon as his shift was done at the DX. Darry woke up for a few minutes, probably because Two-Bit doesn't have the ability to be quiet, and after Darry told them he'd be fine in a few days, he fell back asleep.

"What kind of drugs they givin' him?" Two-Bit asked. "Does he really think he'd gonna be fine and dandy in under a week?"

"You know Superman… always too tough for his own good," Steve said.

You got that right.

It wasn't long before visiting hours were over, and the guys had to leave. Steve took his car keys from Soda and told his best friend that he'd see him the following day. Meanwhile, Two-Bit told a sleepy Ponyboy that his tough big brother was going to be alright after some much-needed sleep.

Once Steve and Two-Bit left, I took a good look at Soda and Pony, and I knew they were mentally and emotionally drained from the day's events. Pony was resting his head on Soda's shoulder, and even Soda looked like he was about to fall asleep, despite the fact he had his eyes trained on Darry.

"Why don't you two go home and get some sleep. I'll stay here," I suggested.

My offer snapped the brothers out of their stupor.

"That's okay, Kate. We'll stay, and you can go home," Soda said.

I saw Ponyboy shift uncomfortably next to Soda, and I knew that Soda's suggestion wasn't the best idea. I could only imagine how bad Ponyboy's nightmares could get after seeing his big brother in a hospital bed, and he'd need Soda more than ever if he was going to have one that night. "I don't think you both want to sleep here. These chairs aren't that comfortable," I said with a small smirk. Then I locked eyes with Soda. "Don't you think it'd be better if you slept in your bed tonight?"

I hoped Soda would understand what I was really getting at, and luckily, it seemed like he did because he nodded at me slightly before turning to his little brother. "What do ya say, Pony? Wanna go home for the night and let Kate sit in these wooden torture- I mean, lovely, chairs?" Soda said sarcastically. That got Pony to grin a little.

Ponyboy hesitated, but then Darry suddenly mumbled something quietly. "Take the truck, go home, and get some sleep. I'm fine." He had apparently been awake long enough to hear our conversation, but he seemed too tired to even bother opening his eyes.

Pony bit his lip, but he finally agreed. "Yeah, okay."

Soda wrapped his arm around Pony's shoulders and gave him a smile. "Hey Pony, this means we can use all the hot water we want before he comes home tomorrow. He won't be there to nag us for taking too long of showers."

"He only nags you about that," Pony muttered, but I didn't miss the grin on his face. "What takes you so long in the shower anyways?"

"You think I'm giving up my secret for looking this good?" Soda said as he pointed to himself as he got himself and Ponyboy to their feet. "No way. Not until you're my age or you get yourself a girlfriend. Then you get to learn all the Sodapop Curtis secrets."

I rolled my eyes dramatically while I stifled a laugh. Then I grabbed Darry's truck keys from the table next to his bed and tossed them to Soda, who caught them easily. "Go home you greasers," I said in a teasing, yet loving tone.

"Takes one to know one," Soda countered with a wicked grin. Then when Pony started towards the door, Soda stayed back and kept his eyes on me before speaking quietly. "Keep an eye on him for us. Call if you need anything." I could see the unspoken words on his face: or if anything changes.

I nodded. "Of course. I'll see you guys tomorrow."

Soda looked at Darry one more time before following his younger brother out of the room.

I barely settled into the chair before Darry spoke again in a tired, gravelly voice. "You should go home too, Kate. You've been here all day."

I looked back at him and realized his half-open eyes were trained on me. Even in his lethargic state, he was trying to assure me that he was okay. I knew he was strong and tough enough to handle spending the night in the hospital alone, but that didn't mean he needed to. Plus, if something did happen to him overnight and I wasn't at the hospital, I'd never forgive myself.

"Well someone needs to stay here in case you get yourself more hurt," I joked, trying to quirk my eyebrow like Two-Bit. He had enough people worrying about him, so I figured I should ease the tension in the room, despite how many emotions had been running through me ever since Josh's call.

"Babe, I'm fine. All I'm doing is sleeping anyways," he said. Then he stared hard at me for a moment, and I knew he seeing right through my façade. "Kate, are you okay?"

It was the second time he asked me that question that day, and I fought the urge to roll my eyes. You're the one in the hospital bed, not me. Instead, I just ran my fingers through his soft hair and watched him close his eyes. "You scared me today, you know that?"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

His tired apology somehow got me to smile. "I know, just don't let it happen again."

He hummed something that sounded like an agreement right before he dozed off.

Getting Darry to his bedroom the following day was tough enough, even with Soda and Two-Bit at his sides, helping him slowly move to his bed without causing too much pain. However, it was even harder to keep him bed in for two weeks.

Darry reluctantly took his medications for the first couple days, and they made him sleepy enough that he didn't put up much of a fight about staying in bed. After the third day, Darry decided he didn't need the painkillers, and he assured me that his muscles weren't sore or tight at all, so he stopped taking the muscle relaxers too. With his regained energy, he simply refused to stay in bed.

It started with him just walking between his room and the kitchen or his room and the bathroom, but he gradually increased the distance he was walking before returning to his bed. I scolded him for it once, but he hugged me and told me that I worried about him too much, so I eased up on him a little. He was an adult, after all, and he didn't need me to nag him.

The guys and I rotated Darry-babysitting duties. Ponyboy and I were with him most of the time, especially since Soda picked up some extra shifts at the DX and was gone a lot, and Pony seemed to need to be near Darry as much as possible. During the few times I had to leave for work or go to my own place for clothes and personal hygiene, Two-Bit stayed at the house with Darry and Pony, promising to physically restrain Darry if he was doing too much. All of the guys stopped by and visited, and most nights, I slept with Darry in his bed because the couch was taken up by someone from the gang. I made sure to give him plenty of space so he could be comfortable in his own bed during his recovery, but by the time I woke up every morning, Darry always had an arm wrapped around me.

After the two long weeks passed, I drove Darry to his appointment to get looked over by the doctor and see how his recovery was going. When Dr. Watson asked if Darry followed all of his instructions, I was truthful when I said he wasn't the world's best patient, but he did rest more than I'd ever seen him, so at least he was trying. The doctor didn't seem surprised that Darry was stubborn and didn't rest the whole time, and at the end of the appointment, he was happy to announce that Darry's back was healing extremely well and he was allowed to ease back into work. It was good news that we were both eager to share with the guys, especially his brothers.

"You sure you should be goin' back to work?" Pony asked cautiously as soon as Darry broke the news to the gang. All of them had been sitting in the living room, apparently waiting for us to return from his appointment.

"I got the all clear. The doctor even gave me paperwork to prove it," Darry said as he eased into his recliner, pulling me down to sit on his lap as he wrapped his arm around my waist. "I promise I'll be careful, Pone."

"No more playin' hero, man, or I'll beat the tar outta you," Two-Bit warned. He looked like he was joking for a moment, but then he got really serious. "You can't be scaring us like that, Superman."

"It's not like I planned for it to happen," Darry said defensively.

All of the guys kept going back and forth with Darry, telling him that they were going to watch him like a hawk and make sure he didn't overdo it, and while Darry reluctantly agreed to follow their suggestions, I know my boyfriend too well to believe he'll actually take it easy.

Later that night, the whole gang ate dinner at the Curtis house. Most of the guys ate in the living room, while Pony and Johnny ate quietly at the table. As soon as I finished my food, I picked up my plate, grabbed Darry's empty one, and brought them both to the sink.

"I'll wash them," he said as he made a move to stand up from his recliner.

"You made dinner, so I'll do the dishes. You just stay right there," I said sternly.

He seemed like he was about to argue, but then he must've thought better of it because he eased back into the chair. "Thanks, babe."

"Hey doll, you wanna take mine too?" Dally asked.

"Dallas," Darry snarled out a warning. Whether it was about calling me "doll" or wanting me to take care of his dirty dishes, I didn't really know. Either way, I didn't want to see them snap at each other, so I decided to just take care of it. I work at a diner, so I can handle washing a few extra dishes.

"It's fine," I said to Darry, who was glaring at Dally. I stacked all of the dirty dishes from the coffee table and brought them into the kitchen, hearing several of the guys thanking me as I walked away.

By the time I was done washing the dishes, the whole gang had started a card game in the living room. I would've joined them had I not suddenly felt exhausted. I guess two weeks of caring for an injured boyfriend will do that to you.

I sat next to Darry, resting my head against him and closing my eyes. Once Soda started dealing the cards and the group got louder, Darry whispered in my ear. "Kate, you look beat. Are you okay?"

I hummed in reply. "Just tired. I might go home soon and get some sleep."

"Why don't you sleep here tonight?" Darry suggested. I opened my eyes and looked at him. I had just spent two weeks with him, so I thought he would actually enjoy having his bed to himself for a change. He must've known what I was thinking, because he quickly added, "I like having you here. And it's late anyway; there's no sense in going out right now."

Sure, it was late, but it wasn't that late. However, since it seemed like he really wanted me to stay, I nodded in agreement. "Okay."

He kissed my forehead, then muttered, "Go get some sleep, darling."

I listened to Darry, and after saying goodnight to the rowdy group of greasers in the room, I plodded to Darry's room and flopped onto his bed, not bothering to get under the covers.

The next thing I knew, I was being moved, but I could tell whoever was responsible was trying to be gentle because I was moved slowly and carefully. Darry.

"You're supposed to be taking it easy," I said as I opened one eye to look at my boyfriend. He froze in the middle of whatever he was doing and looked like a deer in headlights. "So why are you moving a whole person?"

Even in the darkness of the room, I could see Darry smirk. "Because you fell asleep before you even got under the covers," he said as he resumed pulling the covers over me.

"I was tired," I mumbled before closing my eye again.

I felt the mattress shift, and I knew Darry had climbed into bed. "You can blame me for that."

If my eyes were open, I would've rolled them, but instead, I opened both eyes and turned to face him. "What are you talking about, Darry?"

He was facing me too, and our noses were almost touching. "You spent the last two weeks making sure I was okay and didn't overdo it. I know I'm not the easiest person to deal with when I'm given restrictions–" a grin immediately appeared on my face– "but I really appreciate it, and I know my brothers do too. Thank you, Kate."

"Of course I wanted to help, Darry. You don't need to thank me," I said. Then I gave him a sassy smirk. "And no, you weren't exactly an easy patient, but I still love you."

He wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into a kiss. Even after all of the acts of affection we've shared, every time he kisses me, butterflies flutter in my stomach. After we pulled apart, he smiled at me. "I love you too, so much."

I moved closer to him so I was against his warm, strong chest, and he tightened his grip around me. We stayed in comfortable silence for a while, but as everything from the previous two weeks replayed in my mind, I felt my anxiety steadily increase.

"Did you really mean it, what you said to Pony?" I asked, my voice suddenly sounding younger than I've ever heard it. "Do you really plan on being careful from now on?"

Darry let out a breath before answering. "Yes. I always try to be careful, but I'll be extra careful from now on."

Despite not having much spare room, I tilted my head so I could look at Darry's eyes, making sure he was being truthful. When his icy blue eyes met my hazel ones, I knew he was being honest. Still, I wanted him to know why I was stressing the point of focus. "You really scared me, you know. You scared all of us, but glory Darry, when Josh said you got hurt… I imagined the worst."

He looked truly apologetic, then he briefly kissed my forehead, which just emphasized his feelings. "I know. I'm sorry Kate, but it was just instinct. I couldn't let him fall. A sore back is worth saving that guy from falling to the ground."

"I know," I said honestly. I really did understand; Darry would never let someone get hurt if he could prevent it, and he also didn't seem to care about his own wellbeing, but I cared. "I get it, Darry, I really do, but don't let this be a common thing, alright? You don't need to take the nickname 'Superman' so literally."

He chuckled and tightened his arms around me. "Yes ma'am." Then I felt his chin rest on my head, which was yet another comforting position; it made me feel safe and protected. "I'll be careful. I don't like worrying you."

I closed my eyes and smiled sleepily. "Good."