guarding my angel || "guardian angel" sequel

6

**Victoria's POV**

"Dallas is back!?" Soda asks to no one in particular. It sounds just as crazy when it comes out of his mouth as it did just thinking about it.

The lady just stands up and walks away.

"Well, we didn't get her room number. I say we just knock on everyone's doors until we find her," Two-Bit says. Darry gives him a look and Two-Bit's eyes find the ground.

"I'm going to go ask someone," Johnny says. He walks back over to the desk, leaving us all waiting.

"I can't believe he came back..." Kayla says.

"I wonder what happened, did he beat her?!" Ponyboy asks.

"403, guys," Johnny says as he walks back. We drop the subject and walk upstairs to find her room.

At one point, Two-Bit starts singing, but a few doctors come out and tell him to shut up or get out. I make sure he doesn't pick a fight and push him onward.

When we find her room, I'm pretty sure everyone expected Dallas to be sitting there. But he was nowhere to be found

"Hey guys," Alex says from the bed.

"Alex! What happened!?" Kayla asks. Alex sits up a bit.

"I went for that walk, and some greaser broke his beer bottle on my head," she explains. "Did.... did they tell you who brought me here?"

"Yea," Two-Bit says.

"Was it, um, Dally?" she asks shakily.

"Yes," Darry says. Alex nods and looks down.

"I shouldn't be here, I can handle a little cut," Alex says. She begins to sit up and get out of bed.

"No, Alex please lay back down," Kayla pleads and runs over to her. Alex leans against her and starts crying.

"He left again, Kayla," Alex says. Kayla rubs her back comfortingly, and everyone walks out of the room to let them be.

"That's gotta be rough," I say quietly.

"I wonder if he'll come back, or if that was his way of saying he's gone for good," Soda questions. Everyone nods or mumbles a small "yea".

We head back down to the waiting room and find seats for all of us. Bailey lays in Two-Bit's lap, Lauren and Darry sit together in some chairs in the corner, Jess and Ponyboy lay down on a small couch, Soda sprawls out over a few chairs with Aliyah in his lap, and I lay my head against Johnny's shoulder. We brace ourselves for the long night that's ahead.

**Kayla's POV**

Alex is so upset about Dally leaving a second time. Even though he saved her, she just can't believe she let it happen.

"Alex, it wasn't your fault," I assure her. She cries into my shoulder.

"I don't know how much longer I can wait around for him to come back if I let him slip away so easily," Alex cries. I rub her shoulders.

"I just want him to come home, I miss him so much."

"I know you do," I say and smile. Alex takes in a deep breath and wipes her eyes.

"Kayla, what do I do if he never comes back?"

I think for a minute.

"Well, I'd devote all of my time to that little girl. She's the ones who needs you right now. And if Dallas doesn't come back, maybe you can find someone who will stick by your side."

Alex nods again. "I want to go home."

I laugh. "You get to leave tomorrow."

"Aliyah's okay?" she asks.

"Yes," I assure her.

The clock on the opposite side of the room reads 2:34 am. I'm shocked it's as late as it is.

"Alex, can you go to sleep??" I request.

She nods and climbs under the covers on her own. I walk out of the room and back to everyone else.

Soda is the only one awake. He's holding Aliyah.

"Hey sweet girl," Soda says and places Aliyah into a crib the people in the hospital must have given us. He opens his arms to me and pulls me so I'm sitting on his lap. I lean into his shoulder and he rubs my sides.

"Why are you still awake?" I ask. "You should be asleep."

"I never sleep until you're in my sight," he confesses. I laugh and lean deeper into him.

"But what about when I sleep over at Alex's?" I question.

"I always wait until you get home and then we watch movies and nap together since you never really get any sleep over there either because of the kids," he says. He's right, every time I sleep over at Alex's I get close to no sleep. I guess I'm just realizing now that every time I spend the night somewhere, Soda and I always end up napping the next day when I get home.

"You really wait for me to be with you before you fall asleep?" I ask, the biggest smile spreading across my face.

"I wouldn't want anything to happen to you while I'm asleep," he says before adjusting so I'm lying on top of him. His arms wrap around my torso.

"I love you, sleep good," I tell him and close my eyes.

"I always do when my girl is safe in my arms," he says.