When I woke I heard the beeping of a monitor and quiet whispers. I opened my eyes to the bright blinding lights of a hospital room and squinted to see past it. Soda's face was right next to mine and I jumped from surprise.

"Just like Johnny. That might be why Dally likes you so much," he laughed quietly. "Hey kid, good to see your eyes finally open."

"How long have they been closed?" I asked confused.

"It's Friday kid. Two days."

I looked around to see Johnny, Pony and Two-bit sleeping on the little bench at the other end of the room. Darry was sleeping at the end of the bed in a plastic chair. Steve was on the ground next to him. And Dally was in the chair right next to me.

I suddenly remembered a hazy memory of two guys throwing Johnny to the ground saying "You dirty greaser!"

"Soda," I asked. "What's a greaser?"

At that, everyone's eyes snapped open and stared at me.

"Uh well... greasers are the poor people who live on the east side of town. Socs are the opposite of greasers. They are the west side rich kids. Very social."

"What are we?"

Everyone seemed to have held their breath on this one.

"Uh... you can choose to be whatever you want to be, but the rest of the gang are greasers."

"Oh. Well then I'll go with the gang."

The tension fled the room as Two-bit and the gang laughed with relief.

"Hey Johnny?" I asked remembering another distant memory.

"Ya Ryle?"

"What happened between you and Bob. What did he do?"

Johnny's eyes got wide. His eyes had a glassy stare.

"What is it, Johnnycake?" I asked surprised by his sudden horrified expression.

Two-bit got mad. "You don't talk about that around Johnny!"

His walked closer to me. Soda stepped in front of him. "Wow, take it easy with my kid sister."

"Yah. How was she pose' to know?" Dally cut in.

Everyone went silent. Like they had said, no one messes with Dally. I looked at him, and he just happened to be staring at me too. I kept staring, keeping a joking expression on my face. He chuckled and returned the same expression, playing along. I started blushing and looked away in defeat.

"I always lose staring contests."

Everyone laughed at that. What are you doing Rylee? You can't fall in love. Loving someone just gets you hurt.

The he nurse came in, interrupting my thoughts, and said that everyone had to leave who didn't have family permission. Darry told her that everyone was welcome to stay. The nurse nodded and went over to put the pain killers in the tube running through my veins.

Everyone got comfy and settled in for a long nights sleep.I rolled to my left side, the way I usually slept, and saw Dally. He was sleeping on his right side, facing me. I smiled and he smiled back. He moved his hand to pat my cheek. My breath caught and I grabbed his hand without thinking. I stared wide eyed, waiting to see what his reaction would be. He just chuckled and I relaxed a little, but I still did not release his hand. Pull it together Ry!

He sighed a little smile but ancient grief filled his eyes. I held his stare, trying to lift his spirit a little. He scooted the chair closer to the hospital bed, but didn't look too much happier. Oh god please help me. I can't fall in love with anyone! He wound his fingers around mine and I pulled his hand closer to my face. Arg! Why can't I just get over how warm and fuzzy he makes me feel.

He then pulled his hand away and his usual cold look returned to his face. He saved me from falling further in love with him.

I couldn't help asking the one question nobody would willingly answer. "Dally, what happened to Johnny?"

His stare seemed to send daggers at me. I suddenly felt very scared of him and my eyes widened. Good don't soften up for me. He saw the scared expression on my face and he softened his eyes. Oh great! Just what I don't want him to do right when I don't want him to do it.

"All right kid, I'll tell you. Johnny was walkin' alone looking for a football that he lost and accidentally wondered into the socs territory. A blue mustang pulled up and he got jumped. The same guy with the rings got hold of him and punched him. That's how he got the similar scar as you. Ever sense then he'd been 'fraid of his own shadow." His eyes seemed to darken with every word. Please keep it up. Scare me away. Just don't let me fall in love!

Wait a second. Did he say a guy with a lot of rings? Hey, don't judge. I don't have a very wide attention span. My mind was somewhere off in rainbow world. A lot of people, before the kidnapping, always said I have a happy go-lucky side. They also say I have a silly side, a dreamer side, a responsible side, a scared-of-my-own-reflection side, and a tough side. The tough side of me is real tiny, but once it's unleashed... someone could end up dead.

"Earth to Rylee!"

"Huh? Oh yeah, that's one ruff life the kids got."

My mind was still off somewhere else so Dally yelled ,"Look a rainbow!"

That brought me back to reality. Sorta. I instinctively looked out the window all lollipop like. Then I realized, that it was night time. I glared at him and he burst out laughing.

"You're so mean!" I whined.

But that was all I remember before the pain killers kicked in.