Shot in the dark - Dallas Winston

Chapter Fifteen - Church's and Fire's

The next few days flew by rather quickly. The story was out. Bob Sheldon was dead and they had suspected it was greaser's that had killed him. The rivalry between the Soc's and greasers worsened. No one could go any where without some kinda trouble. I carried around a blade for the first time since we had been in Tusla. Dally and I had been hauled in for questioning first. In actuality Dally got hauled in I just happened to be with him when he did therefore I was hauled in with him. The gang knowns we know something. Soda won't stop bugging us asking where they had gone. Two-bit almost ran off looking for them quite a few times. Donna wouldn't talk to Dally because he wouldn't tell her anything. Sleep had become foreign to me. I struggled to fall asleep every night, worried for the boys. The few nights I had actually been able to sleep it'd only be for an hour or so before I'd wake up with nightmares. With all the murder talk the night in the New York alley made it's self present constantly. Dally tried his best to comfort me. He swore everything was going to work out in the end and the boy's would be coming home soon. I wanted to believe him but a feeling in my gut was telling me it wasn't going to be that easy. Nothing ever was. After another night of no sleep I couldn't stop myself from crashing. It was one of the longest nights I had slept but it was cut short when I was woken from a nightmare. Usually Dally would sit up with me, holding me in his arms as he reassured me it was just a bad dream. Today was different. Once I calmed down I looked around the room, no sign of Dally anywhere. Fear set in as I jumped from the bed looking around the room for any sign he may had left. After a few minute's I found a note on the bathroom counter

'Had to leave early. Took the car. Be back soon' I sighed closing my eyes. I knew he had gone to see the boy's. We had gotten in a fight a few days ago about visiting them. I wanted to go, make sure they where alright but he fought against me. That it was too dangerous and I had been wrapped in to much already. So he took the opportunity while I was asleep to go see them. I threw the note in the trash getting dressed and walking to the Curtis's. When I got there Soda had been laying on the couch his eye's glued to the ceiling, while Darry slept in his chair in the corner. I frowned at the sight of the brothers.

"Donna here?" I asked catching Soda's attention. He looked at me shaking his head.

"She went somewhere with Dally" I clenched my jaw.

"Thanks, anything I can do for you?" Soda shook his head again

"Unless you can bring Pony home and make sure he don't get in no trouble, no" I sighed before turning walking out of the house. I headed toward Two-bit's place hoping to borrow his car. When I got there his younger sister opened the door

"Hey, Jo. Looking for Keith?" She asked. I nodded. She turned disappearing into the house. I pushed the door open wider allowing myself in side as Two-bit came running down the steps

"Jo. Hey, what's up?" He asked when he noticed me

"Was wondering if I can borrow that piece of shit you drive?" He laughed

"Damn, be nice to my darling" I rolled my eye's

"Where you going? Breaks went out the other night. Almost killed Kathy and I" I groaned throwing my head back

"Geez Two that piece of shit really is a piece of shit" He laughed more

"Where you going?" He asked again

"Clearly nowhere" I said as I walked out of the house. I walked down the road trying to distract myself. I had no idea how else to get to Jay Mountain. It was way to far to walk on foot and there hadn't been any more trains for a couple days. My only other option was asking Darry to borrow his truck but giving the fact I'd almost drove it into the DX once I figured his answer would be no. I wondered around the neighbor hood for most of the day trying to distract myself. I was doing well until the sun had started setting and Dally nor Donna had returned yet. I ended up back at the Curtis's crashing on their couch. Soda had gone out to look for his brother while Darry had cooked some food for us to eat. I laid on the couch watching Mickey on the tv. Soda came back into the house, grabbing my legs, sitting on the couch than placing my legs on his lap. He sighed defeated. The phone began ringing and if it wasn't for Darry, Soda and I would have let it go.

"Alright. Will be right there" Darry said. 

"Get up. We gotta go" Darry said as he ran into the kitchen shutting off the stove. Soda and I jumped off the couch following Darry out of the house into his truck. Darry drove faster then I had even seen and by the route he was taking I could tell we were headed for the hospital. I began panicking

"Darry, where are we going?" I asked urgently

"Hospital. There was a fire." Was all he said as we pulled into the hospital parking lot. We parked and the three of us jumped from the car running inside. We rode the elevator, exiting into the hall way. As we walked down the hall we could see Ponyboy and Donna sitting, the both of them covered in dirt. Pony noticed us and ran right into Sodapop's arms. Donna followed. I pulled her into a hug. We separated and watched as the Curtis brother shared a moment together before Darry had motioned us to join. We pulled away from each other. Soda, Darry and I looked at Donna and Pony waiting for them to explain what had happened. Pony looked at Donna who rolled her eye's

"Dally and I snuck up to the church to check on the boys. We went to get food and when we got back the church was on fire. A school was there on a field trip and there were kids stuck inside. Pony ran to help. Johnny followed. Dally and I helped from the outside. The church started collapsing. We pulled Pony out. Johnny was stuck inside so Dally went in to  get him" Tears brimmed my eye's at the thought of poor Johnny being stuck in a burning church.

"Dally's quite fine. A few burns. Johnny don't look too good" Pony added. I nodded looking at the two older boy's

"Will take Pony and Donna home. You go on. I'll come back when your ready to leave" I nodded. Donna told me Dally's room number before turning and leaving with the Curtis's. I wandered down the hall before I came upon the room Donna had said. I closed my eye's bracing myself before throwing the door open. There laid Dally bruised and burnt but nothing that would cause long term damage. When he noticed me he sighed knowing I was upset. I walked toward him and watched as he tensed up expecting me to slap him. I could feel the shock as his body relaxed when I hugged him. He placed his hand on my back for a moment, confused before pulling me onto the bed so he could hug me better

"Gee Dal, don't ever leave me like that again" I cried as I tried to hold back tears. He nodded

"I promise" We laid like that for a moment before a nurse entered the room

"Visiting hours are over. I'm gonna have to ask you to leave" I scoffed

"Fuck that" Dally laughed

"My boyfriend almost just died and I just found out ten minutes ago. I'll be staying and if you have a problem with that then oh well" I said as I flipped her off. She rolled her eye's before exiting the room mumbling something under her breath. I cuddled back into Dally's side as we feel asleep.