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"Darry!" I opened my eyes, but shut them just as fast because the natural light in the room assaulted them. Who in the world was calling me? It kind of sounded like Jason, but why in the world was he calling me by my first name? I rubbed my face vigorously, and slowly opened my eyes.

"What the hell?" I sat straight up and blinked a couple of times. I was in my old room. My heart started to race as the memory of the car accident flashed through my mind. My hands went to my face and I patted them down my chest. I felt alive, and in one piece even. I shut my eyes and tried to calm my racing heart when I heard a knock at my bedroom door.

"Darry?" I still had no idea who it was. The door opened a tiny bit and Ponyboy stuck his head in. "Are you sick or somethin'? You are always up before us. We all overslept; you're gonna late for work." My eyes widen as I looked at him. He looked no older than fifteen. "If you take a picture it'll last longer. C'mon get up! Soda made breakfast." I nodded slightly at him and he walked out, shutting the door.

I leaned backwards against my pillows and shut my eyes, letting out something that sounded like a growl. What in the world was going on? Why the hell was I in the past? I tried pinching my arm, figuring I may have been dreaming. I received no satisfaction, but I did receive a red, raised bump on my forearm.

I threw my covers off my lower body and got up. My back ached something fierce and I wondered if it was from the accident. Opening my door slowly so it didn't squeak, I tiptoed down to bathroom and shut the door.

Looking at myself in the mirror, I could not believe it. I was 21 again. As I was running my fingers over my face, a shit-eating grin was plastered underneath my fingers. My skin had not fared the years as well as my muscle tone did. To put it lightly, I was old looking. My smile faded as I heard part of the conversation that was happening in the kitchen.

"I 'unno, Soda. He was lookin' at me like I had two heads; all wide-eyed. I think he's sick. He just didn't look like Darry." I couldn't believe how much Jason sounded like him. That very thought made my heart ache. I stormed out of the house without saying anything to my kids. And, oh jeez. Katherine.

My mind toyed between the idea of being mad at her and missing her terribly. I shouldn't have yelled at her, but all of those emotions that I thought I suppressed, resurfaced and I took it out of her.

"Wait a second…" I looked at the younger reflection in the mirror and raised my eyebrows. What year was it? More importantly, what day was it? It had to be a weekday; otherwise Ponyboy wouldn't be waking me up telling me that I had to be to work. Had I already met Katherine? I could definitely go for one of her hugs right now, nuzzling my face in her hair. I leaned my head to the side and pushed upward on my chin, cracking my neck. Think Darry.

No, I met Katherine after Soda had left. Ponyboy is talking to Soda right now. I creased my eyebrows. So he hadn't pissed me off just yet.

I rubbed my temples. All of this at once caused a pounding in my head. I had no idea how this happened, but I really didn't like it. The past is the past, and I don't want to relive it. Then again, I guess it gave me the upper hand. I knew when everything was going to happen. I pushed my lips into a fine line. I didn't know if I liked that fact or not.

"Hey guys! I don't think I'm exactly up to par for going to work today…"

IXSXSXS

IXSXSXS

"Will somebody please tell me what in the world is going on with my husband?" Katherine was pacing the waiting room of the Emergency room. Her face was flustered, and she had a pounding headache that seemed to increase with every step. She felt like she had been there hours without anyone telling her anything. She needed to call Ponyboy and Maria to let them know, and to have one of them go get her children from school.

She was told nothing, other than that she was needed down at the hospital because Darry had been in some kind of car accident. No other information. Katherine sat down and rolled her eyes. How could they not be a little more specific? She thought back to the conversation her husband had with her about the night that changed his and his brothers' lives forever. Shivering at that thought, she pushed it out of her head. There was no way he could be dead. She needed him more than anything. That was enough of an excuse for whatever higher being there was to keep him here.

"Mrs. Curtis?" Katherine stood up, and practically ran over to the double doors leading into the Emergency Room. Her whole body trembled, and the doctor must have noticed because she added, "let's head over to a private room." As she was following the doctor, Katherine took in her appearance. She was very tall and on the heavier side, but had obvious arm muscles. Her auburn hair was pulled back into a tight ponytail, but her fringe was left out, framing her face. She was actually quite beautiful, Katherine thought. The doctor was the total opposite of herself, but she noticed the way she carried herself was, tall and proud. The way everyone should be.

The doctor opened the door and stood to the side, allowing Katherine to step in first. She motioned to the chairs sitting across the desk, and Katherine quickly sat down.

"First off, I just want to introduce myself. I'm Dr. Rosenberg." They shook hands. "It's nice to meet you Mrs. Curtis. I'm sorry under such terrible conditions, though." Katherine could feel a pain in her heart, as she tried to stop the shaking in her hands.

"P-please, call me Katherine. What exactly is going on with my husband?"

Dr. Rosenberg sighed, "Your husband was in a car accident. He has severe bleeding around his brain, several broken bones throughout his face and multiple bones throughout his body, along with the usual bumps and bruises from car accidents."

Katherine's eyes widened. What in the freaking world had happened? Did someone hit him head-on? "W-where is he now? I want to see him. I need to see him." She stood up and Dr. Rosenberg placed her hand on Katherine's forearm.

"He's in surgery right now, Katherine. They're trying to reduce the swelling and bleeding around his brain. They also plan to wire his jaw in attempts to help the healing along with the fracture. I was talking with the other doctor that I work extremely close with, Dr. Greene; I'm hoping he gets in contact with you soon. Perhaps tomorrow, once this day has calmed down; I can only imagine how this information is affecting you. However, Dr. Greene and I were talking, and we figured it was best to place him under a medically induced coma for the next couple of days. We need to monitor everything extremely closely."

Katherine felt as if her world was crashing down at every word that doctor was saying. She wanted so badly to just shake the doctor senseless. How could something like this happen to them? They were such a tight family, and Katherine and Darry had always worked together as two. Now that he was under the works of what doctors call "practice", she was all by herself in this hell. She wondered how many times the doctor had used the words "information is affecting you". What did she care? It was probably in the medical codes to say that.

"I'll be more than happy to take you up to the surgical unit waiting room. I'd also be happy to sit with you for a little bit and try to answer any questions that you have. Do you have any children and, or immediate family that you can lean on at this time?"

"Yes, of course." Katherine hoped that Dr. Rosenberg didn't want any further information about her family, because she wasn't up for any side talk. "I need to call them, actually. Is there a phone anywhere that I can use?" The last time she had been in this hospital was to deliver her children, and everyone knows that she was far too out of it those days to even think about the layout of the hospital.

"Yes, of course. There is one upstairs in the waiting room. Please, follow me. Can I get you anything? Water, coffee…?" Katherine shook her head no, and followed her out the door, into the florescent light of the one place she'd rather be anywhere else but there.

This chapter was so difficult to write, and I'm not exactly sure why. I think its because I have so many ideas for upcoming chapters that I was writing them down and realized that I needed to get chapter two out. hah!

Please review if you liked it or have any constructive criticism that you would like to provide.:)

I hope you all have an amazing weekend; I'm walking for Cure For Cancer tomorrow in a town near me! Just trying to give back to such a sensitive topic in my world.