Can't Escape Reality

"Motionless. Lifeless. Gone"♡

"Guys? It's Johnny..." she said, her voice shaking.

The whole gang froze. "What about Johnny man?" I asked.

"Something's wrong. I saw nurses and doctors rushing in and out of there" she panted, out of breath from running to my room.

The gang, still frozen, widened their eyes. No one knew what to do or think. Suddenly, Ponyboy bolted through the door. "Ponyboy!" Darry called but Pony ignored and the rest of the gang followed closely behind.

Laura came towards my bed and helped me out. She knew I shouldn't be moving like I was but she also knew how much Johnny meant to me considering how broken down I was when she found me. We stumbled to Johnny's room and heard the nurses.

We threw open the door and crowded in. Johnny was nowhere to be seen, instead he was hidden inside the crowd of panicked nurses. "What's happening? Is he okay?" I immediately asked. "Somebody tell me what's going on!" I yelled but no one answered. I tried to move towards Johnny and there he was. Motionless. Lifeless. Gone. I turned around to see the nurses gone and out of the room. My breathing began to get heavier and heavier. "N-No" I choked out and started to back up.

I collapsed onto the floor where Laura stood there with a look of disappointment engraved on her face. "You were supposed to protect him Dallas!" she whined. The gang closed in on me saying how I failed and how Johnny's death was all my fault. It was all my fault and I couldn't help it. Then, darkness.

"Hey Dally? Dally. Dallas Winston!" I heard voices echo from the dark. "See, I told you, he's out" Soda's voice chucked.

"We'll see about that" a soft, faint voice challenged. "Hey Dally, babe? You okay?" the voice asked.

I opened my eyes and saw the gang surrounding me with Laura next to my bed. "Hm?" I asked.

Laura smiled and turned to Soda with an "I told you so" look, giggled, and turned back to me. "Hey" she laughed.

"What happened?" I asked. Her face softened.

"I came back from the restaurant only to hear you screaming about Johnny at the top of your lungs. I ran in here to see the gang trying to wake you up. It's all okay" she reassured. I looked around, noticing the gang nodding and Two-Bit and Steve slightly laughing at my confusion.

"Johnny-" I started but she cut me off with her hand on my shoulder.

"Johnny's fine Dal. He's okay. As a matter of fact, his burns are healing surprisingly fast. It's all okay" she smiled. I gulped and looked down. She put her hand under my chin to make me look at her and then pulled me into a tight hug, one that I needed really bad. I snaked my arms around her small frame and dug my face into the crook of her neck. I didn't care that the gang was still watching... wait a second, the gang was still watching. I was tuff, I couldn't be weak, not like this. I pulled away hurriedly and Laura gave me a look of confusion but looked back at the gang.

"Anyway" Darry started. "How long are ya gonna be in here?" he asked.

"I'on know man. Until they decide to let me go" I replied.

"Well, we oughtta get out of here. Me and Soda got work and Ponyboy has school. We'll visit you later Dal, bye" Darry waved and left, taking the rest of the gang with him. Soon enough, it was just Laura and me.

"What was all that about" she asked.

"What are you talking about?" I responded.

"When I hugged you, you jerked away like you were scared or something" she replied.

"Oh that. It was nothin' Laura. Look come here" I said, pulling her to me but she back up so I couldn't grab her.

"It's because of your friends, isn't it?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head. God she was so cute even when she didn't try to be. I was just staring at her, not even responding and she noticed. She blushes a light shade of pink and looked down at the floor to smile like she always did when she tried to be serious with me. But she regained her sternness and looked back up at me. "Dallas do you even still love me?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. "What, of course I do!" I responded but she returned the look I gave her.

"Then why can't we be together like we used to back in New York?"

I sighed. "I got a different life here babe. We're not in New York anymore."

She just stared at me. "So in Tulsa, you're not allowed to have a girlfriend?" she asked, obviously annoyed with me.

"No, that's not what I meant-" I stated but she interrupted me.

"Then what did you mean" she snapped. "That you can't show you have feelings? To show that you're human?" I glared at her. She sure does have a mouth, she always did. She wasn't scared of me like everyone else was and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing. After not responded she grew irritated with me. "Y'know what, I give up. I'll see you later Dal" she called, walking towards the door.

"Laura come here!" I yelled. She didn't react in any way so I became just as annoyed as her. "LAURA MARIE PIERCE, GET OVER HERE" I shouted but she didn't even flinch. Instead, she stopped dead in her tracks, turned around, and glared at me while leaning against the wall.

"What do you want? I have stuff to do" she sighed.

"Oh yeah, like what?" I asked.

"I still have to call my brother and let him know I made it here alive and that I'll be there soon" she started but I cut her off.

"You'll be there soon? You're going back to New York?" I asked, trying to stop myself from yelling again.

"Where else am I gonna go? I don't have anywhere's to stay here and you obviously can't have a girl around so why should I stay anyways. I was just checking to make sure you're alive" she snapped.

"Please don't go Laura. I missed you like crazy and I fell into depression after I left. I need you. You can't leave me, not again" I begged.

"Dally, you're the one that left. You left me to fend for myself and try to move on with my life without my best friend, not to mention boyfriend, to help me. I needed you and you weren't there" her shaky voice stated. She took a breath and started talking again. "Listen, I'll stay for a bit longer but I need to go back eventually."

I sighed and looked down. "Laura" I started and got out of the bed to make my way over to her. I hugged her so tight that she couldn't escape my grasp again. "Laura, I'm not leaving you again but you have to make the same promise" i said, squeezing her even tighter which made her giggle.

"A few more days here, and then I'll think about New York" she giggled.