An Unlikely Allie

Chapter 61

Ponyboy's POV

I gasped as my eyes flew open and my hand went to my side.  I bolted upright, barely acknowledging the pain.  I frantically scanned the room.  Obviously, I was in the hospital.  How long had I been in?  What day is it?  What time is it?  I looked down and saw Phaedra curled up on two chairs next to me, "Phae?" I whispered gently.

"Oh my god!" She jumped onto the bed and hugged me so hard it hurt, "are you ok?!  Are you hurt?  Are you hungry?" She fired question after question.

I chuckled a little and immediately regretted it, "you can let me go now."

She let go instantly, "sorry.  How are you feeling?"

"I'm not sure..." I wrinkled my brow, "I'm confused...don't remember much.  My side feels...weird?"  I wouldn't say that I was in a lot of pain.  My side felt achy and tight.  I was uncomfortable, but nothing that couldn't handle. 

"Should I call the nurse?"

"No... what happened?"

"You don't remember?" She asked me quietly.  I shook my head, "Ty pulled a gun.  You and an officer got shot."

"I did?" I wasn't sure how to respond, my fingers fiddled around my bandage.

"Yeah... the cops came and Ty pulled a gun...he's dead, Pone."  That hit me hard.  My chest tightened and I couldn't breathe.

I closed my eyes and leaned back on my pillow. I felt tears prick my eyes. Ty was only a few years older than us. He hadn't even had a chance to live his life, "where's Soda and Darry?"

"They went home." She gave me a small smile, "tried to get me to go with them..."

I looked at my twin, to say she looked exhausted was an understatement, "you didn't have to stay. You look like shit."

She rolled her eyes, "you should talk."

"Yeah...but I got shot, what's your excuse?"

She glared at me, "you got shot. I'm gonna call Darry and Soda."

She started to stand up, but I grabbed her arm, "Phae, I was just joking around. All I'm saying is that you look exhausted and it woulda been ok if you had gone home."

She turned, hiding the tears that threatened to fall, "sorry for wanting to be here when you woke up."

Darry's POV

It felt so good to finally have everyone home! Wallace and his cronies had waived their right to a speedy trail so they sat in jail, awaiting trial.  None of them could afford bail.

I was back at work full time.  Phae and Johnny were still going strong, as were Sodapop and Steve.  I stood in the kitchen, looking in the fridge, trying to decide what to make for dinner, when a knock on the door startled me, "can someone get that?" I yelled out.

Footsteps entered the kitchen.  It was Brody and his father, "court date is set for next month," Lawrence Paulsen stated as he set his briefcase in the table.

"Sure, c'mon in and make yourself at home," Phaedra sneered sarcastically.  I frowned at her and shook my head.

If Lawerence and Brody heard her, they didn't show it.  I was handed three different packets, "those are the statements that Phaedra, Ponyboy, and Bryon Douglas made.  Memorize them.  Also, starting next week, I want you to meet with each of you and prepare you for the stand."

Pony leaned against the kitchen doorway, "school starts next week.  I got cross country practice and she's got fall softball."

I held up my hand, silencing my youngest brother, "we will figure it out."  I nudged the twins out the door, "go outside, I'll call ya when dinner's ready."  After they left, I turned toward Brody and Lawerence, "how hard is this going to be on them?  What exactly are the charges?"

"It won't be easy...the defense attorneys are going to do whatever they can to make the twins seem unreliable..." he looked over the paperwork, "as for charges, Wallace is being charged with assault, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.  Drug possession and intent to sell.  He is also looking at a few parole violations.  The other young men that helped jump Phaedra are being charged with assault as well as drug possession and aiding and abetting.  Everyone else is being charged with either possession and intent to sell."

My head was starting to hurt.  I rubbed my temples, "how long will this take?"

"Depends if they take a plea deal, however, I don't see that happening...those ridiculous hoodlums do not have the intelligence to do that," Lawrence closed up his briefcase, "we'll let you get back to dinner." He shook my hand and walked out the door.

Brody lingered a bit, "some of the old boys are getting together at that new bar in town around 8 if ya wanna come down.  Might be good to get away for a bit."

"Yeah...I may take you up."  I wouldn't though, I had no intention of meeting up with them.  I had nothing in common with them anymore.