Cut My Lip

Nine

We must have been walking for hours. I felt bad, I was slowing Pony down. But without me, he probably would have just been wandering around, lost.

We finally made it home. I hadn't cried. I wanted to, but I just... couldn't. Pony's face was streamed with tears, though.

We opened the door, and they didn't seem to notice. "Where the hell have you been?" Darry demanded of him.

"Darry..." I said, giving him a look. "Johnny is dead."

The room fell silent. No one wanted to believe it. I barely believe it.

The phone rang, and Darry answered it. His face seemed to get more serious, if that was possible. "Dally robbed a grocery store, he said to meet him at the lot. We have to hide him."

Everyone was out the door and I cursed. Darry didn't seem to remember me until he was almost out the door. He picked me up like I weighed nothing and ran.

Dally got there as we did. I forgot he had started carrying a heater.

He was dead before he hit the ground.

.

I woke up gasping and panting in the hospital. A nurse that was in there loomed startled. "Where am I? What's happening? Why- why am I here?"

"You were in a church fire, dear. You were saving some young children. You were deadset on getting them and your friends out before you."

"What?"

"Yes." She nodded. "You got the worst of it all, really. Thank god you're not paralyzed- your brother pulled you out of the way just in time."

I stared at her. "What? He- he's not dead? Him and Johnny, they're okay then?"

"Both of them are in hospital rooms of their own. They're both alright."

"And Ponyboy is okay?"

"They're all just fine. His brother, your boyfriend, has been worried about you, you know." The nurse smiled. I leaned back against the bed. I was confused. Had the whole thing been a dream?

"So... no one died?"

"No, everyone is fine. You've been in and out of a coma for about two days, now."

"Really?"

"You were very concerned that Dallas knew carrying a gun is illegal."

I nodded. "Yeah. What- what's wrong with me, anyway?"

"You have a concussion, and your leg is broken. You have three cracked ribs, and you somehow managed to get shot twice. And you have multiple burns- they're varying from first to third degree."

"But I-I'm fine, right? And you're sure Dally and Johnny are fine?"

"I'm positive. They were actually released this morning, they'll be happy to know that you're awake and they can come see you."

"Who? All of them?"

"All of you friends, dear."

"What? All of them? But they don't..." I was suddenly feeling exhausted again. "But it was my fault."

"Are you feeling tired again?"

"Yeah, I-" I suddenly just passed out cold.

Darry's POV

"Can we see her yet?" I asked a doctor anxiously.

"I'm afraid not. She woke up for a few minutes to have everything explained to her, but it was too overwhelming and she passed out again." He explained.

"Damn." Dally muttered. "She's doin' fine though?"

"She's stable," the doctor said, but he seemed like he was choosing his words carefully. "She's very confused. Visitors would most likely upset her."

And with that, he walked away. Dally and I were both sulking that we couldn't see Annie. Everyone was, but he was her brother and I was her boyfriend.

Annie's POV

When I woke up, I realized how much pain I was actually in. Everything from the past few days seemed to clear up in my head all at once.

A nurse walking past noticed I was awake. She checked my heartbeat and all that, and I asked if I could see everyone.

"Are you sure you can handle seeing all of them at once?" She asked.

"Yes." I replied, offended.

"You're sure?"

"Yes!"