It's you.

Chapter 27

I couldn't hear anything. I couldn't feel anything. Darry must have drug me to the car because that's where we were. It was strange, we hit a bump in the road and all the sudden it's like I jolted back to life. Ponyboy was crying. I grabbed his hand, I'm not sure if I'm going to be a wife by the time I get out of this car anymore, but I'm still a friend. And I needed to take care of Pony as well.

We arrived after a drive that took too long and no time at all at the same time. I walked to the front desk and asked for Dallas Winston. I wasn't crying. I wasn't sick. I was just, calm and quiet. I nearly whispered to the blonde at the front desk. It was like if I spoke too loudly, I would wake up. I was asleep. It was just a nightmare. And I was afraid that if I woke up, I would still be here.

She informed me Dally was in surgery and that I could see him shortly after he was stable. I nodded my head and slowly made my way to his seat. An officer approached me respectfully.

"Mrs. Winston, I'm sorry but may I ask you a few questions?" I nodded once again at the same slow pace. I stood up and followed the officer, leaving all of the Curtis boys behind me.

"Do you know where your husband was going tonight?" He held a small notebook and a sympathetic look in his chocolate brown eyes. I can still see that look.

"He said he was meeting a friend. A friend from New York." I heard Dally's voice in my head. That gave me strange feeling. It was a combination of happiness and pain.

"Did you know this friend?" He snapped me out of my thought.

"No." I whispered again. This time unintentional.

"Do you know what they were planning or where they were planning on going?"

"No. He just didn't want me there. I don't know anything else." It was starting to get real. I was here. Again. Dallas was in the hospital. Again. Only a year ago he was here proposing to me. And now I may not even be able to tell him the news.

"Thank you ma'am. You helped a lot." He reassured me while laying his hand on my shoulder.

I made my way back to the seat. I sat beside Darry and never made eye contact with him or Ponyboy. I still hadn't cried and I'm not sure why. I just, hadn't. Sodapop left to get the other boys. When he came in they all had the same look I did. Fear. I was afraid to move. I was afraid of everything in the world at this moment.

One hour, thirty-two minutes, and nine seconds later a doctor came out in blue scrubs. He walked over to me and grinned.

"You must be Dallas's wife Lydia. He's stable and recovering now. He's unconscious but you can see him." He continued grinning.

"What happened?" I asked not looking at him. Just empty space. I should have asked the police man this, but I needed to know exactly what happened.

"Dallas was rushed in by a young man saying he was shot. They haven't got the man that did this yet, but you can however thank the young man who brought Dallas in. He saved his life." He pointed to a teenager in the corner of the room. I was even more shocked than I already was. And for the first time tears started to fill my eyes, I stood there staring at him. And Randy stood there staring back at me.