It's been two months and Ponyboy still hasn't woken up. I'm now seven months pregnant. Diamond and Scarlet are going strong. Sodapop and Liz are too. As for me and Ponyboy, I don't know where we stand. I talk to him everyday.  I walk into the room to see Liz and Sodapop sitting there. Soda looks up at me and smiles weakly, we're all loosing hope, "do you want some time alone with him."

"Yes please," I nod my heart breaking slightly. I sit down next to him as they leave grabbing his hand as tears roll down my cheeks. "Hey, my love. It's me, Ava. I know you're in a lot of pain right now, my love. I know you're hurting. I don't know what you're thinking. I wonder everyday if you're gonna die or live. Then I wonder, if you do live, where do we stand? I love you Ponyboy, I do. I really do and I want you to be standing here for the rest of my life, but if...if the only reason you're still holding on is for me, then let go. Just say goodbye to me and leave this world. I'll always love you Ponyboy, I want you to know that. I want you to be here, for the baby's birth. We found out she's a girl, our little girl. I want to name her Sammie. I want you to know that, just in case you let go. Just keep listening to my voice because, this is my goodbye Ponyboy. I'm gonna miss you forever." I take a break as I put my head on the side of the bed sitting there for a few minutes as I just sob. I let all my tears roll down my cheeks as I cry my heart out. As I gain some control, I look back at Ponyboy. "The first day I met you, I remember thinking there's something special about my life. You put my life on a whole different course that it was meant to be on.  You made me who I am. There's so much I have to thank you for and you don't know that. Ponyboy, I'm gonna miss you so much, just let go of whatever's keeping you here. Let go of the pain and be free. Just let go, but please remember, I'll love you forever and there won't be a day that goes by where I won't think about you or miss you because, I'm in love with you." I press my lips roughly against his and as I go to leave, a feel him squeeze my hand.

I turn around see him see in his coma, but he's holding tightly onto my hand. "Oh my god Sodapop!" I scream. 

Within seconds, Sodapop, Scarlet, Liz, and Diamond are all standing in front of me worried, "Ava, what's wrong?"

With tears of joy in my eye I shake my head, "nothing is wrong, look at my hand."

They all bend down and I hear gasps from all of them followed by Diamond's voice, "we gotta go get Darry. Liz, Scarlet please come with me."

"Bye, Ava," Liz smiles sweetly. "Stay strong."

"Thanks," I smile as I sit down next to Ponyboy.

"What happened?" Soda asks.

I shrug, "I don't know I was telling him to let go and be free because, I don't want this life for him. "I told him I'll love him forever, that I'll think about everyday, miss him everyday, but I want what's best for him because, I'm in love with him. I kissed him and as I went to pull my hand away, he squeezed as if saying don't eave."

Soda bends down next to him touching his cheek, "hey buddy, it's Sodapop. I'm not sure if you know this, but I am very proud of you. I can see you don't want to let go of Ava and that's a good sign because, it means you want to be with her. It means you're pulling through. You're fighting hard little buddy and I'm proud of you."

"That was beautiful," I smile as Sodapop.

He shakes his head, "couldn't hold a candle to anything you've told him."

I smile as I look down, "he can hear us. You know that right?"

He nods, "I questioned it before today, but he had you."

"Ponyboy!" Darry yells as he bursts through the door.

"He's okay Darry," I smile as I look down. "He's not awake, but his body is responsive. He's holding my hand."

Darry smiles as he looks down at Ponyboy, "I'm proud of you kid brother."

"Watch," I smile. "Pony, I won't leave you, but can I have my hand. I promise I'll come right back."

He drops my hand.

"Thank you Ponyboy," I smile as I move down and tickle his foot making it jump back and twitch. "See Darry, he's gonna be okay. That didn't happen before."

Darry smiles as he hugs Sodapop, "he's gonna be okay little buddy."

"I know," Sodapop mutters. 

They both look at me and I shake my head, "I'm okay."

They both walk toward me and hug me as Soda whispers, "you're part of our family now, Ava."

I hug both of them back before we hear a noise. 

Beeeeeeep!

I jump back running out the room, "HELP! HELP! WE NEED HELP IN HERE!"

Nurses and doctors rush in as they rush us out. I try to look through the glass window as they pump things into Ponyboy, but a nurse comes over shutting the blinds. Diamond walks over to me, "are you okay?"

I shake my head, "he's dead. I don't get it. He was just doing good. He even grabbed my hand. He was responsive. How did he die?"

"He wanted to thank you," Diamond smiles. "He grabbed your hand to let you know, no matter what he still loves you. He didn't want you to leave because, he wanted to spend his last few minutes with you. Then he let go, just like you told him to."

Tears pour down my cheeks, "this can't be. Dallas and Ponyboy, both gone."

In that moment I felt like, the world was after me. I felt as if the world was trying to break. It worked. In that moment, the thought of Ponyboy and Dallas being gone was too much to handle. The reason I was still holding on was for my kid. Everything around me seemed broken.

I spent hours at that hospital with the whole gang. Well kind of. They all sat together, but I didn't want to be by people. I sat all alone in a row where there was nobody. The whole gang kept looking over at me with sympathy. They would even try to come over to talk, but I wasn't consolable. 

Liz walks over to me with Diamond. She smiles a fake, broken, weak smile as she looks down at me, "you really love him....Don't you?" 

I nod my head as tears continue to drip down my cheeks onto the chair, "I do, I really do."

"He might be okay," Diamond bend down next to me.

"I told him to let go," I admit. "He won't wake up."

"Do you want some time?" Liz asks.

I nod my head slowly, "I hate asking you guy to leave because, I love having you guys around but-"

"Everybody needs some space," Liz reminds me with a small smile.

"Thanks," I say as I look down.

"I love you," Diamond whispers as she hugs me.

"Love you," Liz hugs me.
***
Sammie walks out and looks at the gang, "it seems I'm always the one breaking the news."

I look up, "is he okay?"

"How 'bout you go in and see for yourself?" She frowns. "We did the best we can."

My heart drops and I run into his room to see him asleep on the bed. I drop to my knees, "oh my god, Ponyboy! You let go! I'm gonna miss you so much."

"I could never leave you," I hear a weak, scratchy voice. 

I look up to see Ponyboy half asleep,but looking at me, "oh my god Ponyboy! I love you!"

He smiles, "I heard everything you've told me. I could never let go. We're having a girl."

I look down at my stomach, "her name is-"

"Sammie," he smiles. 

Oh my god! The ending is so cute! I love it! What do you guys think? Avaboy is staying! Stay gold. Do it for Johnny!
-Beth