Johnny was being beaten and kicked around by a group of Socs. Why couldn't they stay on their turf and leave us alone? They shouldn't ever hurt any of us, especially not Johnny. I ran over while yelling as long as I could. Some of the Socs turned to me, and I recognized one of them immediately as Bob. He and I weren't good rivals at all, but he hated me because I nearly killed him the last time I was in a fight with him.

He went pale before he ran back into his mustang with his dumb Socs friends following, and the car drove away with some of the Socs grabbing onto it to try and get in. "Yeah, scram cowards before I beat you to a bloody pulp!" I screamed in a rage as I threw some empty flask I had in my jacket at the last Soc I saw, which smacked them in the head.

I watched it drive away before he remembered. "Oh shit...Johnny!" I turned around to see him it felt like time slowed for a moment. He was slumped on the ground, motionless in a small pool of his blood. "Johnny..?" He went over to him and kneeled, shaking his shoulder. "Johnnycake..? Wake up, come on," I started losing faith before he suddenly woke up and caught up some blood.

He screamed in pain and whimpered, clinging to my jacket. I looked at him, and I realized how awful he looked. His shirt was stained in blood, and his neck had a slash, but his arms and legs had the worst of it. There were stab wounds and bruises pretty deep in there. I looked around and noticed his switchblade was covered in blood a few feet away. "They attacked you with your own blade, didn't those bastards?" I asked.

Johnny could only nod as he began to sob, trembling and whimpering in pain. I tried to help him up, but he couldn't even stand. I sighed as I picked him up and put him on my back. I headed towards the Curtis brother's house so I could use their phone. The hospital was too far away on foot from here.

"W-where are we..." Johnny said hoarsely before he coughed again and breathed heavily. "Don't waste your breath, Johnny. We're gonna get you an ambulance cause you need a doctor," I said in a calm, steady voice. I may have acted calm, but I was overwhelmed with worry.

_________

I don't remember how long it's been 5...maybe 6 hours. I was still sitting in the hospital's waiting room. They took Johnny almost immediately and told me to wait here. I keep asking to see him, but they won't let me. They won't tell me how he's doing or if he's okay. I had a sinking feeling in my stomach, but I kept telling myself he was okay.

The sun was already coming up, and it was the dawning of a new day. A terrible start to mine and Johnny's day, though. It took another hour before a doctor finally came up to me. I begged them to let me see them, and they finally let me once I explained that I'm more family than Johnny's parents are to him.

When I walked into the room, I frowned almost immediately. Johnny looked awful. He was connected to all these tubes and wires and covered in bandages. I felt a lump in my throat. "Johnnycake?" I called out softly. I sat down next to his bed and sighed softly. "Johnny," I said more firmly, hoping for a response. I guess wishes do come true cause he seemed to have woken up. He opened his eyes half-lidded and looked at me. "Hey, Dally." He said in a whisper and tried to grin but couldn't. "You saved me..." Johnny said, which made me grin a little. "Well, of course, I saved you. You're part of the gang." I said, trying to lighten the mood.

"They got me pretty good. The doctor said I might have to stay awhile." Johnny responded, frowning. "Well, if you gotta stay, I'll visit you every day, and I'll get the gang to come to visit too," I said, trying to lighten his mood. It did the trick cause his eyes sparkled, and he smiled softly. "You mean it?" He chuckled a little. "Course, I mean it. I'll keep that promise to you." "I'd like that very much. Please, Dallas." Johnny said as I nodded.

"I'll do that later, though. For right now, I'm staying with you." I said firmly. Johnny didn't object, which I was relieved by. I stayed there entertaining johnny and getting him some stuff from the shop downstairs so he can entertain himself whenever none of us are there. I stayed until they told me I had to go, which was around 5 PM. 'Time flies when you're caring about someone...' I thought to myself as I walked out of the hospital.

I took the long walk home and stopped at the DX Gas Station to find Sodapop and Steve. "Hey, Dally!" Steve said, waving while Sodapop was busy with a car. "Hey, boys, what's been going on today?" I asked as Steve shrugged. "Not much, we were worried when we didn't see any sign of Johnny or you and then there was a pool of blood at the park. We jumped some Socs for information but didn't find anything. Soda broke his nose, though." I nodded in response while Soda walked over.

"Those Socs can sure hit well," Soda remarked. "Johnny got jumped by Socs around midnight, and I saved him. He's at the hospital right now recovering, that is why neither I nor Johnny has been around all day." I explained while Soda and Steve looked dumbfounded. "Oh, I'm gonna beat their heads in..." Steve muttered under his breath. "It was Bob's gang. Typical..." I muttered and lit up a cigarette taking a puff. Man, did I need one right now.

"You should go back to my house and tell that to Ponyboy and the others. Darry took off work to help find Johnny. They need to know this information cause they've been worried sick." Soda said, worried. I nodded and said goodbye before I walked away. As soon as I walked inside the Curtis' house, I was greeted with a unison "DALLY!" "Glory, what's with this," I grumbled irritated.

"What's with this?! The hell do you mean we've been worried sick! You and Johnny haven't been seen all day, and there was blood at the park! Course we were sick!" Two-Bit said defensively. "Have you seen Johnny?" Ponyboy interrupted, pushing Two-Bit out the way. "I saved him from Socs. He was pretty beat up. I took him to the hospital, and he's making a good recovery." I responded. Ponyboy's face turned pale during the first part of my sentence, but I saw him take a sigh of relief when I said he was alright.

"Well, when can we see him?" Darry asked after everyone finished talking. "Tomorrow, I guess I left cause they told me to," I responded while Darry just nodded. "You hungry? I made some food a few minutes ago." He offered. I thought before shrugging, "You look like you haven't slept. You should sleep," Two-Bit added. 'Glory, I haven't eaten anything all day guess I was too worried about Johnny to think about my health. I was so worried that I didn't even sleep.' I shrugged.

"I'll eat, and then I'm going back to Buck Merrill's place to rest. If anything happens, come and get me." I said, walking off into the kitchen. I scarfed down the food and left as quickly as I could. I didn't wanna be there for another second. I barged into Buck Merrill's place, ignoring whatever he had to say to me, and headed to the room he gave me. I took off my jacket and fell onto the bed, almost instantly falling asleep.