Okay, so this chapter of my new story was actually part of my collection of songfic oneshots (Smile 4 Me: Da Songfics), but I decided I liked it enough to make it into its own story. So yes, this chapter is a songfic, but the rest probably won't be.
Song: Broken Dreams
Artist(s): Shaman's Harvest
Summary: Dallas has had to put up with watching silently as Mr. Cade slowly but surely destroyed his own flesh and blood, Johnny Cade. After catching Johnny dreaming away in the lot, he decides to become a nightmare…
A young, yet experienced greaser walked down the street back home from the wildest party of his life. He wasn't quite drunk yet, but he still felt a small, yet great sense of euphoria as his blond hair swayed in the wind with every loose step he took.
As bad as a reputation Dallas Winston had, he knew how to party.
But he figured instead of staying at Buck's (because he knows he'll have to help clean up some mess), he'd go to the Curtis house. It was calmer, quieter, and even though he had to sleep on a couch, it felt more comforting to him. Dallas loves his friends, no matter how hard-headed and cold he is, or tries to be. He especially feels for his 16 year old companion, Johnny Cade. It was like a father-son relationship, since Johnny's father couldn't be a good parent if his life depended on it. Dallas continued his walk with his mind still on Johnny. He loved the kid, no homo, and he often felt like shit for not making Johnny stay away from his love-forsaken household. Every day, when he'd see Johnny with a new bruise or cut or scar, it deeply hurt him knowing he never tried to stop it. Of course, he'd talk a lot of big-man-shit like "I'll kill 'im for ya Johnny, I swear, just say the word," or "One day, I'm gonna give it all back to that bastard ten-fucking-fold," but he never actually did anything.
You'll never again be able to truthfully repeat that sentence after tonight.
What's that metronome I hear?
Perhaps the end is drawing near,
You never hear the shot that takes you down.
He walked on and saw a clump of leather and hair lying in the parking lot. He knew right away he wasn't gonna let the kid sleep there when he was on his way to Darry's home, where he could have a nice, warm and cozy sleep. He walked over with a look of compassion on his face (which was rare, but happened only because no eyes were watching) and poked his sleeping friend. Before he could even coo Johnny awake with words, he heard a mumble from the troubled greaser.
"No… no… Dad… No more… why… what'd I… do…"
"Johnny! Wake up, kid!"
Johnny's eyes shot open as he jumped up to a sitting position in shock, but he relaxed when he saw it was his friend. He was holding his shoulder quite gingerly, though. Dallas, still in wonder, leaned forward to put a hand on his shoulder to comfort the young greaser, but Johnny pulled away quickly and sharply.
"Johnny, what's wrong?"
"Uhhh… It's nothing. I… I fell and scraped myself on the way over here."
"Did you?"
"Yeah."
Dallas Winston was a criminal, and he knew damn well when someone was giving him a bad deal or, in this case, bullshitting him. He yanked Johnny's sleeve up fast enough to avoid being stopped and saw the shoulder are leaking with blood and had a deep slice on it.
"Johnny, nobody could possibly just fall and end up with that."
"Look Dal, just let it go-"
"Your pops?"
"Just let it-"
"Johnny?" Dally said as he cast his friend a look. He saw a slight nod and, without explanation, yanked Johnny up from his place and started dragging him along.
"Dal, where are we going?"
"I'm taking you to the Curtis house, but first we need to make a stop."
Out of time, so say goodbye,
What is yours, now is mine,
And I dream broken dreams,
I make them come true,
I make them for you.
Johnny let himself be dragged by his hero. Normally he would've objected, but Dallas had that look in his eyes, that "don't fuck with me right now" look that everyone knew as a sign that property values would go down if just one fuck-up was made. He felt sore still, and he had a gut feeling that Dallas was going to do something brash. He didn't know what, but he still knew this wouldn't be a forgettable night.
Finally, Dallas stopped in front of a familiar looking house. Johnny immediately started yanking his arm away unsuccessfully when he saw that it was hi, or rather his father's, home. That place would never be considered home for him.
"Dally," a teary eyed Johnny started.
"Look," Dally replied. "This is necessary. I'm taking you with me. We're gonna go inside, you're gonna get your stuff, and he'll never hurt you again."
"But Dal-"
"Don't argue with me, Johnnycake! We'll draw too much attention and he'll wake up. We gotta be silent and avoid a fight."
"I can't do this. I… I just… can't-"
"Why not? I'll take you to the Curtis's, my house, Two-Bit's, Steve's, hell Johnny, I'll take you anywhere, but you ain't spending another day in this hellhole."
With that, the dangerous JD dragged Johnny once again, but this time it was to the front door. He picked the lock with ease and they crept inside silently. Mr. Cade was silently sleeping on the couch with his flask in his hands and drool coming out of his mouth. A truly disgusting sight…
"Johnny, go upstairs, get a bag, pack up whatever you can, and come back. I'll be right here in case he wakes up."
Johnny still had mixed emotions on this plan, but he figured he would go along with it now, since they were already here. He ran as quietly as he could up the stairs and to his room.
After a good 15 minutes, a blood-curdling scream was heard.
"EEAAAAHHHH!"
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you (make them come true)
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you (I make dreams come true)
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you (make them come true)
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you.
Dallas looked at the old man stir and hoped to God he wouldn't wake up. He went upstairs to investigate that scream once he saw that the man was still asleep. He ran to the source of the noise and slipped and fell due to some liquid substance. He looked up from his fallen position and saw a trembling, terrified Johnny cowering in the corner.
"Johnnycake, what's-"
"My… myyyy… oh damn it!" he finished, unable to go on.
Dallas looked down and saw that the liquid was actually a deep crimson.
Blood, he immediately deciphered. He looked over and let out a scream himself (or rather a surprised grunt; Dallas doesn't scream) once he saw the dead body of a woman. She was dead for sure, with blood leaking into pools out of her head and a deep wound.
It was Johnny's mom.
Out of time, so say goodbye,
What is yours, now is mine,
And I dream broken dreams,
I make them come true,
I make them for you.
I make them for you.
"I… I came into… the room to see her one last time… and she... (Sniff) was dead!"
"Damn right, she's (hiccup) dead."
Oh hell no.
Mr. Cade woke up. The three of them had a tension filled staredown until Mr. Cade cracked a sadistic smile.
"She disobeyed me, just like my bastard son. You were never any good!"
"Dad! You're drunk, you… you don't mean that!" he yelled to himself more than anyone else.
"I do, you lousy fuck!"
Dallas then took his chance and leaped up from the ground to sink his fist into Mr. Cade's gut. The older man crippled over and went to the bed for support.
"Johnny, are you packed?" he asked hastily.
"Yeah, in a duffle bag in my room."
"Go get it while he's down and leave, now! Wait for me outside."
The younger boy complied and ran out of the room with tears leaving a trail. His father yelled curses and obscenities at his back, making Dallas sick to his stomach. How could you possibly, even when drunk, treat your son that way?
"You know what?" he said through gritted teeth. "We've seen you destroy Johnnycake for too long-"
"Aww, how cute," the man interrupted sarcastically. "You've got nicknames! Now I know that not only is my son a disappointment, but he's also a faggot? And with such an ugly person? I should kill you where you stand…"
Almost to the mountaintop,
You slip and fall just like a stone,
Rolling ever faster to this nightmare you have sown.
You had it all right in your grasp,
But in a breath, your minute passed,
Now at last the end has come, you are all alone.
Dallas attacked the man in a fit of rage. He wasn't so mad that his sexuality, along with Johnny's, was questioned; that was an elementary matter. What really pissed him off was how Johnny's so-called "father" talked of him: with such hate and disdain. He rained blows and kicks on the older man until he was punched across the face with a strong hook. He spit out some blood from his now bleeding jaw and went back on the attack, screaming as he fought.
"NOT SO EASY WHEN SOMEONE FIGHTS BACK, HUH? YOU OLD FUCK! IT's TIME TO REST IN PISS!"
He then pulled out his switchblade and unceremoniously stabbed the man in the gut. The man, with wide eyes, crippled over and coughed up blood and Dallas twisted the blade in the wound.
As Mr. Cade was about to close his eyes, Dallas whispered his farewell speech:
"After all the bad dreams you've caused your son, you've finally caught a nightmare of your own. Now go to sleep, for good!"
Mr. Cade's last sight before blacking out was watching the hood place something bright and orange next to the curtains. He saw the curtains take on the same consistency and saw what he realized was a lighter being put back into the hood's jacket as he ran off. He lay there, motionless.
Out of time, so say goodbye,
What is yours, now is mine,
And I dream broken dreams,
I make them come true,
I make them for you.
I make them for you.
All your dreams are just illusion,
Based on nothing and confusion,
Don't you look behind the curtain,
No more time, the end is certain.
Johnny breathed a happy sigh of relief when he saw Dallas walk out of the house, but got a look of worry back on his face when he saw smoke coming out of each and every window. Dallas ran toward him and picked up his bag as they ran in Dally's direction.
"Dally, what happened?"
"Job's been done kid, just don't look back, and keep on moving."
Johnny stopped him in his tracks as he hugged the hood tightly, with tears running down his face. The other greaser, although unusual to this show of affection, hugged back.
"Thanks… Thank you Dal…"
"I told you I'd deliver ya one day, kid. And I never bullshit around."
Then a loud pop was heard, and they both turned back to look at the source.
The house was burning down before their eyes.
"Dally! What'd ya-"
"Just turn around kid! We're going to the Curtis house!"
They ran further to avoid the damaging sight as Johnny decided to leave his past behind. Even when they were on the verge of reaching Ponyboy's house, they heard a loud clutter of people, shattering noises (which they figured was the house crumbling), and police sirens.
His nightmare was over. Dallas, of all people, turned out to make what were his dreams of escaping and his father's nightmare of death come true. For most kids, this would equal months of bad and broken nightmares, but for Johnny, he didn't know whether it was that, or rather, a sweet dream of freedom. Dallas had, indeed, returned it all tenfold.
Dallas was his vindicator.
I dream broken dreams, I make them come true, I make them for you
I dream broken dreams, I make them come true, I make them for you
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you (I make dreams come true)
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you ( I make them for you)
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you (I make dreams come true)
Bad dreams come true, I make them for you ( I make them for you)