**Fractured Pieces**

As the grip of my panic attack slowly released, I collapsed into Ponyboy's arms, exhausted and spent. The warmth of his chest and the steady beat of his heart were a comforting balm to my shattered nerves. Darry's hands still grasped my shoulders, his fingers gentle but firm as he guided me into a sitting position. The hospital room came back into focus, and I took in the somber faces of my friends. Sodapop's eyes were red-rimmed, and Two-Bit's face was pale. Even Steve, usually the most stoic of our group, looked like he'd been punched in the gut. They all seemed to be holding their breath, waiting for me to break down again. Ponyboy stroked my hair, his voice soft and soothing. "Hey, Darling, it's okay. We're here for you." I nodded, still trying to process the chaos that had erupted inside me. Dally's whispered name, "Johnny," kept echoing in my mind like a cruel mantra. Darry's eyes locked onto mine, his expression a mixture of concern and determination. "We need to talk, Darling," he said, his voice low and urgent. "About what happened with Dally...and Johnny." I felt a shiver run down my spine as he mentioned Dally's name. I knew I had to face the truth, no matter how painful it was. I took a deep breath, and my voice barely above a whisper, I asked, "How is he?" Darry's face was grim. "The doctor's doing everything they can, but...it's not looking good." His words hung in the air like a challenge, and I felt my heart sink. Ponyboy's arms tightened around me, and I knew he was trying to hold me together. "We'll get through this, Darling," he whispered. "We're in this together." As I looked around at my friends, I knew they were right. We'd faced tough times before, and we'd always come out on top. But this...this was different. This was Johnny and Dally, our brothers, our family. I couldn't bear the thought of losing either of them. The silence in the room was oppressive, punctuated only by the beeping of the machines and the soft rustle of the hospital curtains. I knew we were all waiting for something, but I didn't know what. Suddenly, the door to the hospital room swung open, and a doctor entered, his face somber. "I'm afraid we need to talk about the patient's condition," he said, his eyes locked onto mine. My heart skipped a beat as I realized he was talking about Dally. I felt a sense of trepidation wash over me, and I knew that the next few words would change everything.