"So what happened?" Pony asked, immediately upon entering the room. I would have dealt with it a little differently, tried to get a feel for how things had gone, instead of just putting that question right out there, but that was just one of the many ways that Pony and I were different. I didn't really even have the energy to be annoyed with him for being so blunt. I just sank into the chair next to Darry. I was wondering about getting some more of whatever they had given me earlier for my headache and general body-ache. I just hurt all over.

"He didn't know," Soda said, "about Steve. He really thought that it was me. … that hurt her. She never said it was, but she never denied it either. She just let them assume, and they never even considered that they might be wrong." I could tell that Soda was hurt that they would think he'd do such a thing.

"And now?"

"I don't know… I guess he's a little calmer. He still ain't too happy with me, knowin' that we've … you know, been together, and all…but…"

"Soda…" Darry warned, and I knew it was for my benefit.

"Oh, c'mon Darry, it's not like I didn't know about that. I'm not stupid. I know how girls get pregnant." I had told Darry about Mom already having given me the sex talk, but I guess he still didn't want Soda or anyone else bringing it up around me. Truthfully, Pony got way more embarrassed by that kind of talk than I ever did. I glanced over at him and he was looking down at the floor.

I was trying to choke down some of the sandwich Pony had brought me, but, to be honest, I just wanted to lie down. I was cranky and sore and exhausted.

"Well, anyways, after they put the cast on my hand tomorrow and I see about Two-Bit, I'll try to see her. Maybe her dad'll come around a little by then."

"I hope you get to see her, Soda," I said. "But why can't they put a cast on it today and let you come home?" I wondered out loud. I really wanted Soda to come home with us.

"It's too swollen," he said. "Plus, they said they have to wake me up every hour or so during the night to make sure I'm okay, 'cause of how hard I hit my head."

"Oh," I answered. "Hey, Darry?"

"What?"

"You think I could have one of those pain pills the doctor gave you for me?" The doctor had given Darry some muscle relaxants to take the edge off the crash-related aches and pains. I was feeling more achy by the second.

Darry checked his watch. It had been well over the four hours that the doctor said I had to wait since I had gotten the shot in the ambulance. He dug in the bag of stuff the hospital had brought in, with my wet and bloody clothes, and pulled out a pill bottle, taking one out and handing it to me. I got up to get some water and felt like I had turned into a little old lady, what with how much it hurt to move.

"I'll get it," Pony said, sitting me back down in the chair and going into the bathroom, emerging with a glass of water.

The nurse came in and checked on Soda again, giving him a few pills, as well, which served to put him out within a matter of minutes. I wasn't holding up real well myself, having fallen against Pony and feeling my eyelids get heavy.

"Are we gonna stay here?" I asked Darry, "with Soda?"

"We can't. You and Pony have exams tomorrow."

I had forgotten. It was the last week of school. Final exams started the next day.

"But I…" I started.

"You'll have to make it up," he said. I only had one exam the next day – English, about which I wasn't worried at all. Not only did I have an understanding teacher, I knew I would have no problem passing it.

"You have a good reason," he continued, "but if you and Pony both miss an exam day, Social Services will pick up on it. We gotta get going back."

I sat up as Darry and Pony both went over to Soda and touched his cheek and smoothed his hair back. Darry scribbled a note to let Soda know he would call in the morning and that we'd all be back to at least visit and hopefully take him home the next day, propping it up on the bedside table where he'd be able to see it whenever he woke up.

I went over and kissed Soda on the forehead, and Darry took my hand and led me out to the car, Pony trailing along behind us. I found myself thinking about how things just never work out how you think they will. I had found some of the healing that I had been seeking on our trip, and Soda and Sandy had started healing, too, emotionally, only to get hurt, physically. I wondered if I would ever reach an age where things would actually seem to make sense. Darry never seemed to question things as much as I did – he just accepted things. I wondered if it was our divergent ages or personalities that made the difference. I hoped it was age, because I was getting pretty tired of things never making any sense to me.

Darry had Pony and I wait at the hospital entrance while he went to get the truck, since the rain hadn't let up and I didn't exactly feel like running with all my sore muscles. In fact even if I had wanted to, I wasn't sure whether I could have.

On the ride home, I got stuck in the middle, which almost always happens since I'm the smallest. I felt the muscle relaxants taking effect, and fell asleep almost immediately, leaning against Pony and eventually falling over across his lap. I could hear his and Darry's voices but had no idea what they were talking about, as the roar of the truck's engine and the sound of rain against metal lulled me to sleep. I awakened slightly as the engine was shut off, but found myself unable to move.

"C'mon, Scout, get offa me, will ya? We're home now." Pony was shaking me.

"Mmhmm…" I was gonna move, in just a minute. Just as soon as I got a little more sleep.

"Scout, c'mon! Get up."

"I can't…" I mumbled.

"Yes, you can. Get up." He pushed me to a sitting position and slid out from under me. I immediately lay down across the seat. Darry's voice took the place of Pony's.

"Scout, c'mon. It's late. We're all tired. I'm getting soaked out here." The rain was still coming down in sheets.

"I can't, Darry," I mumbled. "You go in. I'll just sleep in the truck." My brain was working okay, if not a little hazy, but my muscles were like jelly.

"Nobody's sleeping in the truck," he said, as he hauled me out by my underarms. As he tried to stand me up, my legs just wouldn't cooperate. Luckily, he never quite let go, and caught me before I hit the ground.

"Looks like maybe she really can't," Pony admitted. I felt Darry reach down and grab me behind the knees with one arm, sweeping me up, and suddenly I was being carried. I couldn't remember the last time I'd been carried, Dad used to carry me all the time… but then I remembered the night our parents had died, how Soda had to carry me into Darry's room since my legs had refused to move. And how Ben had carried me the night we first kissed… before that night turned bad. I shivered.

"Well, this is interesting," I heard Pony say, and I realized he had been so out of it that he hadn't remembered Darry carrying him last time he came back from the hospital.

"Had to do the same thing for you, too, bud, last time we took you home from the hospital," Darry said, reading my mind, as he turned to fit through the gate while holding me.

"Yeah, you probably bashed my head on the post, too, on the way in, right? That's how I really got my concussion." Pony joked. I laughed a little, knowing that Darry had been nothing but gentle with Pony when he was sick.

"Oh, you think that's funny, huh, Scout?"

"Mmmm-hmm."

Darry laughed back at me and shifted my weight in his arms so most of my weight was against his shoulder and chest.

He carried me in and set me down on the bed. He pulled off my shoes and socks and pulled the covers up over me in my clothes. I felt his breath on my cheek as he leaned over. His hand gently rubbed the area at the base of my skull where I had gotten my stitches.

"You and Soda scared us, kiddo," he whispered. "I'm glad you're okay. And home."

I wanted to talk to him so badly, about the trip, but I was too exhausted to talk.

"Scout, are you awake?" His voice was right in my ear.

"Mmmm…"

"Baby, I know I don't say this enough, like Mom and Dad did, but… I love you. Just 'cause I don't say it much doesn't mean I'm not thinking it. I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost one of you guys."

Somehow, despite the medication and my exhaustion, I managed to find his hand and squeeze it.

I hoped he knew that meant "I love you, too."

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A/N: Okay, I promised I was going to end this installment and start anew. I am posting both today with hopes that anyone reading Complexity will be able to easily find the continuation, Resiliency, and sign up for alerts on that one so you'll get my updates. I hope you are still enjoying the story!