Scottish Gold (An Outsiders Fic)

Chapter 39: There's Been a Fire

Two-Bit's POV

Gracie and I sat next to each other on the floor watching Mickey Mouse and sharing a bag of gummy worms. Man, she sure is a cutie. This is where we spent most of our time since Cookie, Pony, and Johnny had taken off. Vikki had disappeared with a distraught and angry Soda a few hours ago, asking me to keep an eye on Grace as she comforted him. I never needed to be asked to spend time with her, I always loved to. It took me a bit to prove myself to be fit enough to watch Gracie on my own.

"Why does that lad keep stealing Minnie?" Gracie asked as he took another worm from our bag. She looked up at me and pointed at the boob-tube with the overall-wearing Pete taking up the whole screen.

"Because, he's the bad guy." I replied, shrugging.

She nodded, like that was the only explanation she needed as she went back to staring at the TV in front of her. She was a curious kid, smart too, and I knew she liked to figure stuff out on her own.

The phone ringing brought us back out of our trance as Vikki and Soda entered through the front door with Darry trailing behind.

"Phone's ringing." I pointed out to Darry.

"Phone's ringing." Gracie repeated following it with a giggle as Vikki and Darry gave her false glares of annoyance. She always repeated me whenever they were around. For some odd reason she loved the way it irked them and she would always break down in soft giggles. I could tell they thought it was cute though, and I think Gracie liked to have fun with them too because she could have seen how stressed they have been for the past week.

"Thanks," Darry said, stomping over to the phone and bringing it up to his ear. His neutral expression morphing into one of confusion and panic.

"Johnny..." Darry yelled into the reciever, "Johnny, Slow down!"

"Johnny?!" Vikki and Soda said in unison as we all ran to crowd around Darry and the receiver.

"Johnny... Slow down. What happened?" Darry repeated, quieter this time. We all held our breaths as Darry nodded into the phone. We had no idea what was happening or what Johnny was saying, but we could all tell it wasn't good. "What hospital?" Darry asked quickly.

"Hospital?" I asked, my palms got clammy and I felt my heartbeat quicken.

"Hillcrest Hospital, got it. We'll be there in 20. Hang on." Darry said, slamming the phone down and lifting Gracie into his arms as he raced back out the door, all of us hot on his heels. He didn't have to tell us what Johnny said, we just knew we had to go to the hospital. We all climbed into the truck and he tore out of the driveway at an unsafe speed. I half expected Vikki to scold him, but she didn't.

"Why are they at a hospital?!" She asked instead, panic infecting her voice with every word. Darry looked at her, then down to Gracie, then back to me, with his lips purse and a hesitant look on his face. "Ye better tell me, Darrell Curtis or Ah swear tae God, Ah'll be wearing yer bawbag as a fekin' keychain." She growled, sounding just like Cookie.

Darry sucked in a breath before saying, "there was a fire," he paused, "Cookie's hurt. She and the boys were in a church. Something fell on her, Dally was able to pull her out... but--"

"But what?" Vikki snapped.

"Johnny says that it ain't looking good."

"Oh mah god." Vikki said, grabbing her chest softly and resting against the back of the seat.

"Oh shit." I heard Soda say, rubbing Vikki's shoulder and asking if she was okay.

"Ah'm okay," she nodded, as she stared at the seat in front of her and bit her lips together, "she'll be okay. Ah'm okay."