From Weakness to Strength

The Visit

They walked all the way to hospital.
"Wheres Johnny Cade being held?" Darla asked the woman at the front desk. "Second floor, first on your left." the woman replied.

They took the elevator, then found the room. "Hey Johnny." Two-Bit said. "Hey y'all." Johnny said weakly. Darla saw him and almost collapsed. He looked awful. She felt her eyes starting to sting. She rubbed her eyes to prevent the tears that were bound to happen at some point.
"How are they treatin' ya, kid?"
Johnny sighed. Two-Bit took out a newspaper from his pocket. "Look, uh...they got your picture in the paper being a hero. Look at that," Two-Bit said, placin the newspaper under the stretcher Johnny was on so that Johnny could see it. 
"Yeah, that's tough enough, huh?" asked Johnny, who smirked a little. 
"I guess you can look at it later," said Two-Bit, drawing the paper away from Johnny's view. "Do you want anything?" he asked.
"A book, man. Can y'all get me another one?" Johnny asked. 
"I think he wants Gone With The Wind, so I can read it to him," Ponyboy explained. "Would you mind going downstairs and getting it?" he asked.
"They have a gift shop downstairs, I'll go get him one," said Two-Bit before he left the room, leaving the three teens in the room. 

"So..."Ponyboy trailed. "I guess Dal's gonna be okay.
Darla stood closer by Johnny and knelt down so that their eyes met. "May I?" she asked. "Go ahead," Johnny replied. Darla kissed Johnny on the head as soft as she could. Johnny however wasn't expecting this. Instead he expected her to groom his hair or run her fingers through it. This however he liked a lot more. 
"Well, anyway. Me and Darry are getting along real good now," Ponyboy spoke up.
Johnny gasped in pain. "Johnny, you okay?" Darla asked, worriedly. 
"Oh, yeah, It just hurts sometimes. Usually not because I can't feel anything below the middle of my back. Pretty off, aint I, guys?" 
"No. You're going to be okay, Johnny-cake," Darla sniffled.
"You gotta be," Ponyboy sniffled. "We couldn't get along with out ya," Darla interjected.
"I won't be able to walk again," said Johnny. 
"Johnny-cakes, that doesn't matter. I just want you to be alive," Darla interrupted.
"The doc said I busted my back," Johnny continued.
"You're gonna be fine. You gotta be," Ponyboy said with a soft cry. 
"You wanna know something, guys?" asked Johnny. "I used to talk about killing myself all the time. Man, I don't wanna die now. It ain't long enough. Sixteen years ain't gonna be long enough."
"It ain't long enough for anybody," Darla muttered.
"Yeah. And hell, I wouldn't mind if there wasn't so much stuff I ain't done yet. So many damn things I ain't seen or nothin'. That time we were in Windrixville, was the only time I've ever spent away from our neighborhood,"
Ponyboy and Darla sniffled and softly cried at these words. 
"Knock it off," Ponyboy sniffled. "If you get too juiced up the doctor won't let us see you no more."
Pony boy stood up just as a nurse came in. She told him his mother was here to see him. Johnny wanted anything, but to see his mother especially at a time like this. When he was telling the nurse that he didn't want to see her, he passed out mid-sentence with a soft gasp. 
"Johnny?!" Darla exclaimed as she rushed to Johnny's bedside. 
"What's wrong with Johnny?" came the voice of Two-Bit as he entered the room. 
"You just can't see him now," the nurse replied. 
"Darla, is he okay?" Two-Bit asked as he looked at Darla who looked devastated. 
"I don't know..." Darla trailed. 
"He's all right," the nurse reassured. 
"Make sure he gets this," said Two-Bit as he handed the nurse a book. 
"Okay," the nurse replied as she took the book.
"Come on, Darla. He's gonna be okay. Let's go see Dally," Two-Bit said, placing a hand on Darla's shoulder. 
Darla turned around, looked back at Johnny and followed Ponyboy and Two-Bit out the door. 

Pony, Darla, and Two-Bit went across the hall towards the room Dallas was in. They could hear him arguing with someone and just as they got to the door, a nurse came out looking very annoyed as they heard Dallas's goofy laugh from just outside the room. 
"How you doing?" asked Two-Bit as he approached Dallas's bedside. 
"Hey, how you doin', man?" asked Dallas. Dallas had everything off, but his underwear. 
"It's good to see you guys man, this place gives me the creeps," said Dallas as he got up from the bed and shut the door. 
"Hey, Honeybear, how's the cough?" Dallas asked as he gave Darla a hug. "Okay, I guess," Darla replied with a shrug. Dallas went back to the bed and laid down. 
"Tim Shepard dropped by. He saw my picture in the paper and couldn't believe it didn't say Wanted Dead or Alive written underneath it. He started rubbing in about the rumble. I hate missing it."
"Then don't," Darla interjected. "You're well enough to escape this Hell."
"That's what I said," Dallas said in agreement. "You got a cigarette, Pone?" he asked. Ponyboy took out the pack and gave him a cigarette. "Thanks," he sighed. "How is he? How's Johnny doing, man?" Dallas asked, sitting up. Darla started to cough violently at the mention of Johnny. Two-Bit, Ponyboy, and Dallas looked at her worriedly. 
"Look, Dal. I don't know about stuff like this, but he didn't look too good. Passed out cold before we left," Two-Bit explained. 
Dallas laid back down, which caused the cigarette in his mouth the snap in half. Dallas threw it across the room, frustratedly. 
"Still got that knife on you?" asked Dallas.
"What?" asked Two-Bit.
"The knife," Dallas spoke louder. "Give it to me, will you?"
Two-Bit hesitantly took out his absolute favorite pocket knife and took the blade out. He handed it to Dallas who had his back faced to them, but his arm outstretched to the knife ,which he briskly grabbed. "Thank you," said Dallas.
Dallas looked as if he was about to cut his arm, but instead he stabbed the hospital bed beside it. "You know, we gotta win that fight tonight," Dallas said, his anger rising more and more with each word. "We gotta get EVEN WITH THOS SOCS," he screamed before turning around. "Let's do it for Johnny, man. LET'S DO IT FOR JOHNNY!"
Dallas then sighed and placed the side of the blade on his forehead. 

Once Dallas calmed down a bit, he gave Two-Bit his blade back and they said their goodbyes. 
"Everything is going to be okay, Honeybear," Dallas reassured as they hugged. "We're gonna kick ass tonight."
Darla just simply nodded her head and didn't say anything. 

The three teens walked down the hall in a deadly silence. The silence continued as they went down the elevator and left the lobby. The three teens then stopped at the bus stop. Ponyboy stood on the bench with his eyes closed as Two-Bit and Darla stared at him. 
"You okay, Pony?" Two-Bit asked, placing a hand on his forehead. "You feel kinda hot."
"I'm okay," Ponyboy insisted. "Be a pal and don't tell Darry, okay Two-Bit? I'll take a bunch of aspirins when I get home," Ponyboy reassured as he rubbed his temples. 
"All right. But, Darry will kill me if he finds out you're sick and go ahead and fight anyway," said Two-Bit. 
"Keep your trap shut and he won't find nothing out," Ponyboy snapped. 
"You know the only thing that keeps Darry from being a Soc is us?" Two-Bit asked as he handed Ponyboy and Darla some change as the bus approached the stop. 
"Yeah, I know," said Pony as he got up and the trio entered the bus. Darla had the window seat, Pony had the middle, and Two-Bit at the end. 
"Tonight. I don't like it one bit," said Ponyboy as he laid his head on Darla's shoulder. "Something awful's gonna happen."
"Ponyboy don't you dare jinx anything," Darla growled as she laid her head on the window. 

They got off at a stop near the vacant lot. 
"We're gonna stomp ass on those Socs tonight. Everthing's gonna be alright," said Two-Bit as the trio continued walking. 
"Yeah," said Pony. 
"I hope so," said Darla. 
As they were walking, they came across some kids who were play fighting. 
"Tough little kids, huh?" said Ponyboy. "Yeah. Future greasers," Two-Bit agreed. 
"I think I met you guys around that age," Darla interjected. 
Just then, Cherry Valence pulled up in her stingray. "Ponyboy!" she called. "Hey Two-Bit. Hello Darla," Cherry greets as she approached them.
"What's up with the Big-Times?" asked Two-Bit. 
"No weapons," Cherry replied. "They play your way, it's a fair deal."
"Does that also mean they'll be sober?" Darla questioned. 
"Most of em. I don't know exactly," Cherry replied.
"An you're sure about that?" Two-Bit asked. 
"Randy told me. He knows for sure," Cherry reassured. 
"Good deal. Thanks, Cherry," Two-Bit said with a nod. The trio started to walk away. 
"--Ponyboy, Darla wait a minute. I want to talk to you two," Cherry said. Ponyboy and Darla stopped. Darla gave Two-Bit a reassuring look to go on. 
"How's Johnny doing?" she asked. Darla froze. 
"Not so good," Ponyboy replied as Darla then dropped her head.
"Would you come up and see him?" Ponyboy asked.
"No, I couldn't," Cherry shook her head. 
"Why not?" Pony asked.
"I couldn't. He killed Bob," Cherry replied. Darla lifted her head up. "Maybe Bob asked for it. I know he did."
"He harassed me and almost killed Ponyboy," Darla snapped. 
"I know, but you didn't know his other side. He could be real sweet. He wasn't just any boy."
"You're right, he was a drunk," Darla interjected. 
"No, not that," said Cherry. "Bob had something that made him different. Made people follow him. Maybe a little better than a crowd. Do you know what I mean?" Cherry asked. 
"Yeah, well that's okay, cause we don't want you to see him anyway," said Darla. "
Yeah, we don't need your damn charity," Ponyboy said in agreement. He took a soft hold on Darla's arm and they turned around to leave. 
"Ponyboy!" Cherry exclaimed. "I wasn't trying to give you charity," she snapped. Darla and Ponyboy turned around, Cherry's face softened. "I only wanted to help. I liked you from the start. The way we talked. Wouldn't you try to help me if you thought you could?" she questioned. Darla stayed silent and just stared at the ginger's helpless expression. 
"Can you see the sunset from the south side very good?" asked Pony. 
"Oh, real good," Cherry nodded. 
"You could see it from the north side too," Ponyboy said with a smile.
"Thanks. Ponyboy. You dig okay," Cherry said with a relieved and soft laugh. 
"See you around, Valence," said Darla as her and Ponyboy turned back around and caught up with Two-Bit.