Never Enough Winstons |The Outsiders|

All I Want For Christmas

"Dallas, you fucking idiot," she seethed as she crossed the white tile floor. She cringed while passing the nurses pushing their gurneys of bodies.

Five years ago, she was the one on the gurney and was lucky. Not everyone here would wake up in the morning, or walk into the family's open arms, or say their final goodbye.

Shut up Hannah, Dal is gonna be fine. He's lived through worse.

"I'm lookin' for a Dallas Winston? You brought him in like, fifteen minutes ago. In a car accident?"

The old nurse's eyes swept over Hannah lazily. Instead of answering her question, she dropped her eyes to the small book on her desk and sighed. "Listen, honey, I'm responsible for keeping track of one hundred and fifty patients. So this Dallas character isn't gonna be the top name on anyone's list. Besides, if it was a car wreck, he's probably jotted down as a John Doe."

Hannah bit her tongue to stop the crude comeback before it passed her lips. "Listen, honey, this isn't how I wanna spend my Christmas Eve, so if you point me in the direction of the last John Doe you brought in, I'll be on my merry way."

The nurse glared at her impatiently and Hannah glared straight back. Finally, the nurse caved and flipped through her binder. "We brought in a John Doe fifteen minutes ago, I'll let you know when he's able to have visitors. Now please find a seat."

Hannah cursed under her breath as she stormed off to the waiting room. Thirty minutes ago, Buck sent Dallas to the convenience store for some candy canes while he and Hannah helped decorate the bar for the holidays. Fifteen minutes ago, Curly Shepard ran into the bar saying Dallas got into an accident after trying to hit Bryon Douglas.

Leaning her head towards the fluorescent lights, she wondered if she should call Buck. Curly had been nice enough to give her a ride to the hospital and even offered to stay with her, but she refused. They were both nineteen now, but the friendship they grew in their youth was as strong as ever.

Curly was a greaser through and through, just like he had always been. But sometimes, his cold exterior cracked, and Hannah caught glimpses of the young man beneath the mask. The one who yearned for something better, but knew he didn't deserve it.

Hannah couldn't argue, she felt the same way.

"I'll see you later, alright? Maybe you could come to the house, and we could have our own Christmas celebration..."

Curly's hand trailed up her leg and paused at her thigh. He pulled away however when Hannah flinched. He cleared his throat as they pulled into the parking lot. "Sorry," he quickly apologized.

"You didn't do anything Curls," she assured him. "I'm just...I'm just a little-"

"Worried?"

Hannah reached forward and plucked the cigarette Curly wore behind his ear before tucking it behind her own. "Dallas is the only thing I got left." Her voice dropped to a soft mutter. "I don't know what I'm gonna do if he isn't okay."

Curly chuckled lightly. "Dal's gonna be fine. If I were you, I'd be more worried about Bryon. I mean, once Dal's outta the hospital, Bryon's good as dead. Tim and I might go mess with his car tonight if you wanna join."

Hannah shook her head softly as she stepped out of the car. "You're my best friend, Curly Shepard."

The engine roared as Curly drove out of the parking lot, his voice echoing out into the night. "An' I better be the best guy you've ever slept with!"

Hannah cleared her mind of the daydream as she reached for the cigarette behind her ear and made her way out of the hospital. They had never bothered her before, but that was when she was the one nearly dying, not the only person she had left.