"Okay, kids, whatta ya need me for?" Dallas curiously runs his gaze over Ponyboy and Johnny, wondering what had happened and why they came to him instead of Darry.
Johnny speaks so fast that his words tumble over one another, "Socs jumped me and Pony, said they were gonna teach us a lesson for pickin' up their girls, and they tried to drown Pony, so I stabbed one... I killed a soc."
Johnny, little Johnny Cade who wouldn't hurt a fly, killed someone?
Dally grins, trying to hide his confusion and disbelief, "Good for you." Johnny flinches.
Why did I say that?
Johnny wraps up his tale with, "We figured you could get us out if anyone could. I'm sorry we got you away from the party."
"Oh, shoot, kid" - Dally looks away, pretending that something over his shoulder caught his attention as an unwanted mental image of Johnny behind bars flashes through his mind - "I was in the bedroom."
He looks at Pony, "Glory, but your ears can get red, Ponyboy." Dallas bites back laughter, "It wasn't anything like that, kid. I was asleep, or tryin' to be, with all this racket." He looks closely at Pony. "Ponyboy, are you wet?"
"Y-y-yes-s."
Dallas curses and pulls Pony and Johnny into the house. "You'll die of pneumonia 'fore the cops ever get you."
He half-drags Ponyboy to the bedroom he's been claiming for the past few days, Johnny follows. Dallas closes the door behind them.
"Get that sweat shirt off," Dallas throws a towel at him, "and dry off."
Johnny sits down on the bed and watches Dally nervously as he starts digging through his dresser. Dallas grabs a shirt out of a drawer and hands it to Pony. Ponyboy quickly puts the shirt on.
Dallas sighs, "Okay, lets see what I can do about this mess."
He lights a cigarette as he thinks.
I can't let them get caught...them... That's it!
"Johnny, you still got the blade?"
"Yea."
"Give it here."
Johnny hands him the knife without question. Dallas puts it in his pocket, "Alright, now listen up and listen good." Ponyboy and Johnny look at him expectantly. "I want you to go home now. Don't tell anyone, anyone, what happened tonight. No one. Got it? I'll take care of the rest."
They both nod then stand up to leave. Dally stops them at the door, "And don't go anywhere near the park." He finally lets them go.
After Pony and Johnny leave, heads downstairs to find Buck. He finds him by the bar, "I need to borrow the T-Bird."
Buck grins like an idiot, "Goin' to pick up Sylvia?"
"Yea, sure."
Buck hands him the keys, "Have fun."
Dallas takes the keys and heads out to the old, beat up car. He starts it and speeds towards the park, breaking several traffic laws.
For Johnny, Im doin' this for Johnny!
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