I do not own nor make any profit from the writing of this story. Thanks to SE Hinton for her characters!

Chapter 15

Saved

XXX

I sat on the porch sipping on my Coke, Two-Bit droning on and on at my side about something he thought I'd be interested in but wasn't. It was a perfect day, just cool enough to enjoy it but not enough to need a jacket, blue sky overhead dotted with just enough clouds to make shadows float by on the ground. I wanted to go toss the football around and probably would have if not for my cast. Maybe I'd give it a try anyway later. Just three more weeks and I'd be free of it.

"Don't think that when your cast is off that you're gonna be back to arm wrestling and horse playing." Darry warned me. "Your arm is still gonna need work, toning up and getting strength back in it."

"I know, Darry. I know." I did know. I could still look forward to it though.

I got up and headed out the gate, leaving Two-Bit staring at me in shock.

"Hey, where ya headed kid?" He called, catching up with me.

"Just out for a walk. Tired of sitting at the house all the time." I said.

He just eyed me warily. Darry had told me to stay put but I was tired of being held down, captive to my house because I made a stupid mistake with the pills. I had a feeling he wasn't ever gonna trust me again, which is why Two-Bit was my constant shadow until he was relieved of his "Ponyboy Watch" when Steve or Soda showed up. Lately they hadn't been coming home at their usual time. They were up to something, but I didn't know what.

"Pony, you know Darry ain't gonna like this." He warned me.

"Two-Bit, go on home then. I can't stay cooped up in the house all the time. Tell Darry I got away from you.... I wont tell on you."

"Ain't happening, kid." He growled back, keeping up with my stride.

I was stretching it out now, trying to see if I could out walk him. I grinned when I saw him start to fall behind.

"I take it your leg is better!" He panted after we had gone a few blocks from the house.

That stopped me. I hadn't realized it, but he was right. My leg hadn't locked up on me or refused to carry my weight. I looked at my knee and smiled. It didn't hurt, for the first time in two months it hadn't hurt. "I...I guess …. I guess it is. Geez, I didn't even think about it."

"Well, don't go running on it yet, cause I'll never keep up with you if you do. We told you it would get better. You just refuse to listen. And I should know...I have more years of education than anyone in our neighborhood!"

"Two-Bit, I don't think repeating grades over and over again is indicative of being more educated." I said, shoving him.

"Ooooh....wanna get pushy do ya, ya little grease!" He shoved me back, harder than I pushed him and it sent me into the bushes next to me. I was laughing at my situation when a familiar car pulled up.

"Two-Bit, what the hell are you doing?" Darry got out, looking madder than heck.

Two-Bit pulled me to my feet from the scratchy bushes by my good arm, we were both still laughing. "Darry...Darry don't be mad. We were just goofing around." I said, hoping to keep our friend from catching it.

"Pony, what are you doing out here? Get in the car, I'll take you home. Your knee is gonna swell bigger than a watermelon."

"Darry, the kid is fine." Two-Bit said.

Darry stopped and looked at him, then at me and down at my leg.

"It isn't even sore." I said smiling.

"Well, um...do you want a ride?" Darry asked me, looking more at ease than he had in a long while.

"Naw, I'll get back on foot, if that's okay. It's a nice day, thought I'd try to enjoy it some."

"I'm gonna go on then. Get dinner going early. You still have school tomorrow, little man, so you better be home in an hour. Two-Bit..." Darry called, snapping him to attention. "You keep an eye on him, and I mean it when I say an hour."

"Rodger Dodger, Darry. Okay kid, ya got one hour then your back in the big house under armed guard again!" Two-Bit snarled at me. Darry shook his head and drove off.

XXX

We wandered around the neighborhood for that hour and finally ended up in the lot. I found the football and tried to toss Two-Bit some passes, but it wasn't easy. Soda and Steve showed up, walking from the direction of the house and joined in the passing game. I was better at receiving the ball than throwing it, but I did the best I could.

"So, you doing better now, Ponyboy?" Soda asked me.

"Yeah, I guess so. My leg don't hurt. I ain't ready for track yet, but I'm getting there." I said without thinking about it. I looked up and saw the three of them just looking at me. "What?"

"I mean, are you doing okay?" He said again more seriously. He, Steve and Two-Bit walked closer to me and stood there, Steve holding the football in his hands while they all stared at me. I finally knew what he meant, what they all meant.

"I'm fine, Soda. Promise." I said.

"Bout damn time, kid." Steve muttered.

I reached out and grabbed the football from him and tossed it straight up in the air, and he jumped up to catch it before I could. I wasn't going to chance messing up my knee so I let him. He just grinned.

"Think you're quick, do ya!" He said, turning around headed out of the lot. "Soda...come on. We still have to get that other stuff taken care of."

"What are you working on, Soda?" I asked as we headed home.

"You'll see. It's a surprise. Pony..." he said as Two-Bit ran up catch up with Steve, leaving us to walk together. I looked at him, waiting.

"Are you really okay now? That wasn't just a show for the guys, was it?"

I grinned and looked down for a second then back at my brother. "I'm fine, Soda. I wasn't suicidal... the pills were just an accident. And I haven't taken any of them since.... just one or two of the new stuff Darry got me, and they work fine."

"And the wreck.... you still having visions of the wreck, hearing it and stuff in your head?"

I thought about it. It had gone away mostly, once I told Soda what I was afraid of. Then it was like I didn't need to be afraid anymore. I still had a shiver or two at times, but that was like a hiccup, there and gone and no further thoughts about it after it happened. I looked at Soda and smiled, looping my fingers in my pants pockets as we walked up the street to our house.

"No, Soda. It's all over with." I said.

"Good, cause we have a surprise for Darry. Look..."

Tim was standing in front of our yard talking with Steve and Two-Bit when Soda and I got there. Some of the other Shepard gang members milled about on the street, giving me this very uncomfortable feeling. I went up to the porch and leaned on the railing as Soda called Darry outside.

"What is it, Soda? Dinner ain't gonna fix itself …..oh, hey Tim." Darry said, noticing Tim coming up our walk way. I shrunk further down the porch, wishing I could sneak around and go in the back door. Tim didn't notice, or didn't act like he cared if he had. "What brings us the pleasure of your company?" Darry asked, shaking his hand.

"Just returning something that belongs to you." He said then his eyes met mine. Guess he hadn't seen me after all. "Hey, kid. How ya doing?"

"I'm good, thanks Tim." I said in a low voice.

"What do you mean, returning?" Darry asked.

Tim put his hand up and signaled to someone, and we all looked up the street where Tim was looking. One of Tim's boys came pulling up in a very familiar black truck. I looked at Soda over at the fence and he and Steve were sliding skin and rapping knuckles with each other and Two-Bit, smiling like there was no tomorrow. I couldn't believe it, they'd actually done it.

Even from my distance I could tell the truck had been fixed to the point that it looked relatively new. There were still pings and dents in it, small ones that didn't matter. It was the same truck though, with a fresh new paint job that hid most of the imperfections.

"What the hell?" Darry went past me off the porch to see his truck. While everyone's head was turned, I used that moment to duck into the house.

"Kid..." Tim suddenly said, stopping me in my tracks with my hand frozen on the doorknob. He wasn't even looking at me when he spoke.

"Yeah Tim?" I asked, not daring to move.

"Unless you've done something to piss me off, which you haven't so far, you ain't got nothing to be scared of. You're a good kid." He turned to look at me, his icy stare chilling me to the core. "Probably be one of the few to make it out of here. If you wise up, that is. Your stunt from last week wasn't smart. I heard you're smarter than that. Get a clue, and get your life back on track, or this side of the tracks is where you'll stay forever. You read me?"

I nodded my head, and went inside. Ever since the rumble, I've avoided Tim. I plan to keep it that way. I went to my room and watched the scene from my window.

"Tim, how'd you do this?" Darry asked. The look on his face was one of disbelief and relief both rolled into one. "What do I owe you?"

"Your boys did the engine work, a talent they are so well known for. I happen to know a few guys who do body work, and another who specializes in paint jobs. They all owed Dallas some favors and I think Dally went owing you and me something too. I made sure those guys didn't forget their bills."

I saw Darry look at Tim concerned, but Tim just shook his head. "Nothing like that, Curtis. We did it cause Dally would have wanted it done. He'd have done it for you, that quiet Cade kid and your other brother..." he looked toward the house but didn't see me. "...you know, the one with the disappearing act. You wanna pay me something, pay me by getting him back on the straight and narrow."

I watched Darry smile and nod as he looked around, not seeing me either. The guy behind the wheel slid out and handed Darry the keys, and Darry got in starting it up. It purred like a kitten... Steve leaned an elbow on Soda's shoulder and they both grinned. They lived for this stuff. Everyone else clapped in halfhearted applause. I got out of my seat and went to the kitchen to finish up the dinner Darry had started, happy he had his truck back.

A while later things had calmed back down. It was just us at the table, and I was trying to make myself eat even though I really wasn't hungry. Darry just kept looking at me and finally when I took my plate to the kitchen, he called me to the door. Soda stood in the hallway entrance, watching me and Darry yet not saying a word.

"Get your shoes on, Pony." Darry said, his keys in his hand.

"Where we going?" I asked, suspecting something.

"Doesn't matter, lets go." He had that tone, so I did as he asked.

He got in the truck and waited on me. I opened the door to the passenger side, looking around. The leather smelled new, there wasn't any glass shards anywhere, nor was there any trace of the collision that almost took my life. My blood was all gone, hand print and all. Still, I hesitated.

"Ponyboy, come on." Darry softly called. I looked at him, unsure, perhaps even fear showing in my eyes. He reached out his hand for me across the seat and I took it. His grip was strong and steady. I finally knew what it was I was reaching for as I made that bloody hand print in the terrifying darkness in the moments after the crash. It was my brother. To help me. To protect me. To save me. He finally had.

Calla Lilly Rose

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