Johnny's POV

"Are any of you here for Ponyboy Curtis?" asked the doctor. He was big and tall.

"We all are," stated Darry, motioning to the five of us. I felt like the tension in the room grew.

"Well, we were able to stabilize him for now. We don't exactly know what's wrong with him yet, but we're running some tests," replied the doctor. Darry nodded sadly, but Steve jumped up.

"Do you guys know when he's gonna wake up?' asked Steve. I was taken aback by the question. I could hardly remember a time when Steve wanted Ponyboy around.

The doctor looked at all of us with pity.

"Well, you see, since we don't know what's wrong with him yet, we don't even know if he'll wake up," he mumbled. I heard several sharp intakes of air.

"What the fuck do you mean he won't wake up?" yelled Two Bit. He stood up, and flipped his switch knife open. 

I suddenly felt real scared of Two Bit. I had never seen him react to something with that much violence, unless it was against a Soc.

I realized how real this moment was to not just me, but everyone around me, too. I think I had just began to realize what was truly going on.

"Two Bit, calm down, man!" exclaimed Dally. He had his hand on Two Bit's shoulder.

He spun around, clutching the knife.

"Don't tell me to calm down! Don't tell me to fucking calm down!" he screeched. 

He lunged toward Dally suddenly, the knife in his hand. 

I saw blood running down Dally's arm as he hissed in pain. 

"What the fuck man! What the fuck!" yelled Dally. He lunged towards Two Bit, his hands in fists.

Darry grabbed Dally, holding him back before he could hit him. Soda stepped in between the two of them.

"Stop it! Just stop! My brother is in there and he could be dying! What are you doing? Stop fighting!" he screamed. Soda was balling. His eyes were all red and blotchy and he looked miserable.

I still didn't say anything.

"He ain't gonna die!" yelled Two Bit, again. He lunged toward Soda, but Steve grabbed him.

"Keith Matthews, what the hell are you doing? Do you think Pony would want you stabbing people!?" questioned Steve. He was shouting at the top of his lungs. 

I could see his dad in him for those few seconds, as well as my own.

I wanted to vomit when I thought about his dad beating him, and my dad beating me.

Suddenly, Two Bit crumbled to the floor, and began to sob.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry. I just can't loose him. I can't loose him again!" he yelped. There were tears running down his cheeks.

He dropped the knife and out his face in his hands as he sobbed.

When he said that he couldn't loose him again, I knew that he was talking about how he lost him when we went to Windrixville. He was going to drive down to Texas looking for us. Texas, man, Texas!

Everyone looked around at eachother. We had never seen Two Bit break down like this. He was always happy.

I think that was the moment where we all realized who he really was.

We all realized that he was sad and angry just like the rest of us.

Keith "Two Bit" Matthews hid behind his jokes and humor, but he was much more than that.

He was emotional and sensitive and he had problems.

I just wished that we had noticed sooner. 

-

Two Bit had sped off a few hours ago. The nurses had to force him to leave, even though he didn't want to. They told him that he was too much of a nuisance, and that he was disturbing the peace.

I found it funny how they were talking about "peace" when people died in these rooms everyday.

Steve was the only one sitting next to me as of right now. The rest of the gang had gone to go get food, or talk to a doctor or nurse. 

We just sat there, staring at a wall.

"Johnny?" he asked quietly. I didn't look at him.

"Yeah?" I replied. My voice sounded flat. That was the first word I had said since Pony had passed out. 

"Why haven't you been talking?" he questioned. I still refused to take my eyes off of the ugly, bright white wall.

I hated hospitals.

"There's nothing to say," I stated. I felt like the words I was saying weren't even mine. 

There was lots to say, but not to Steve or to the rest of the gang. There was only one person who truly deserved my words. That one person was Ponyboy.

That one person was dying.

"But he's your best friend, and you've barely had a reaction-" he started. I cut him off.

"Yeah, and you treat him like shit, so it's none of your concern!" I shouted. I still didn't look at him directly, but I could tell that he was taken aback by my words.

"Johnny, what's the matter-" he began.

"Nothings the matter with me, Steve! It's clearly with you! You hate him until he comes close to death! That's sick! Hell, that's disgusting! You wouldn't give a shit about him if he hadn't practically dropped dead in front of us! You don't care, so stop pretending!" I shouted.

I got up hastily, and made sure to make direct eye contact with Steve.

His blue eyes looked scared.

No one talked to Steve Randle that way, but he didn't argue.

I stormed out of the hospital.

I'm leaving.