I'm finally ending this. It might be shit so let me know. I can always rewrite it. But I hope it at least satisfies some people. And I can finally put it down as complete.

There was a tense, pregnant silence between them. Dawn didn't expect anything less. In fact, she expected even more than that from her father. He had a short fuse, always had. The smallest things could usually make him angry. Uncle Johnny used to tell her it was just his personality but after awhile she just stopped excepting that answer. Dallas didn't just have a short fuse. She had decided that a long time ago. Her father just didn't have a soul.

"I'm not messing around, Dawn."

She had her back turned to him now. She didn't want to see his face. She had seen that face before. He always used it on his mother the morning after. It was the face her mother could never resist, the face that made her mother stay through all the shit Dallas put her through.

"I'll make it better. I promise. Things will change."

She shoulder sagged a little.

She really wished she could believe him, wished she would turn around and throw her arms around him like a normal daughter would with her father. But she wasn't a normal girl. He wasn't a normal father. He was a hoodlum and a criminal, a hardened one. He was a man that had gotten caught up in the wrong situation. He was man that thought an accident pregnancy would never happen to him.

"Stop lying," she whispered lowly. She crossed her arms in front of her chest before sending a sharp glance towards who she knew to be Tim Shepard's son.

When her father went to open his mouth again, she stopped him.

"Stop lying!" She screamed this time. "It's not gonna be better. You and I both know it never will be. You were never cut out to be a dad. I'm smarter than you think, ya know? You never wanted me. You never wanted mom. You should have left while you had the chance. Instead you stuck around and ruined both our lives!" She wanted her words to hurt. She wanted them to pierce her father's heart like a bullet.

She didn't turn when she heard another pair of footsteps. She knew it was one of the gang, one of her father's so called best friends. She had grown up with all of them being around. The only difference was that all of them made great fathers. Over the years, she had to admit, they had tried hard to make it up to her. They had all tried to take Dallas' place for her. But none of them had been good enough. Not even Uncle Johnny.

Before she could continue, even more footsteps could be heard making their way towards them. Tim Shepard's boy was now leaning back against his car, watching Dawn and Dallas like they were a movie picture. She turned then, to see who else had made it to their cozy little group.

There was Johnny, of course, she guessed he had been the first one to show up. And then were was Pony, who was standing right next to Johnny with a worried look on his face, like he knew what was coming.

Steve was standing a little off to the side, like he usually did. He liked to be present but never really like being a part of the ugly stuff like family fights. Darry and Two Bit were making their way up the road, not rushing. They probably didn't want any part in what was happening either.

"I know you don't mean that." She heard her father say finally.

She shook her head as she turned back to him. "Yeah, I mean it. You have no idea how much I mean it." She paused for a few seconds to decide on her words. "You know, Uncle Johnny used to tell me stories about your dad, about the way he treated you. Every time I'd be trying to fall asleep on Johnny's sofa he would turn to me before he shut the lights out and say 'Don't worry, Dawn, he'll come around. He knows what shitty parents are like. He'll get his act together soon'. You know how long he's been sayin' that? Since I was twelve!"

"Dally-" Johnny started to say and Dawn could see him making his way towards them out of the corner of her eye.

"Stay out of this!" She found herself saying at the exact same time as her father. It shocked her a little at first, but she recovered.

"I want you out of my life for good!" She said sharply. "I'm sick of everyone else trying to make up for your mistakes. As far as I'm concerned, I don't have a father!"

She was panting. Every breath felt like a knife in her heart. She couldn't believe she was saying all this but at the same time it just felt right. It felt like everything she had been holding in for the past five years was finally coming out. The more she spoke, the more she felt like a huge weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"Mom's sister, Danielle, who lives in Idaho, I'll stay with her," she said sternly. She let her eyes drift from one person to the next, never skipping a beat.

Until they finally landed on her father.

Her father who looked like he was crying. It looked like he was literally in tears. If she looked at him in a certain angle, it looked like his cheeks were glistening with moisture, with tears.

It wasn't until she saw his shoulders shake that she really knew he was crying.

"I know I ain't done right by ya, Dawny, but I really do want to fix it," his voice cracked.

Dawn had never seen her father like this. It made it almost impossible to keep her resolve.

"Ya mean more to me than anything. Even more than your mother. Johnny's right. I had shit parents and I promised myself when you were born that I wouldn't treat ya bad, that I would protect you from the whole world because you were my little girl. And I failed you. But I can't lose ya, Dawny. I can't let you slip through my fingers. You're my little girl! I need you here with me!" Dallas seemed to almost let out a sob but not sound came from his mouth. His shoulders shook more violently and the whole group watched as he sunk to his knees.

"Give me another chance! Let me protect you! Let me be the dad I want to. I swear I'll do better. Please, Dawny. I love you so much. I know I don't always show it. But I'm so proud of you. I can't believe I had any part in makin' ya. You're so smart and so beautiful. You're a miracle, baby. Please. Just give me another chance."

His hands were clasped in front of him, now, like he was begging.

Now neither father nor daughter could keep back the stream of tears as Dawn let out an audible sob.

She had never seen her father like this, had never heard him say these things to anyone. He was begging her for another chance. He was begging her to let him be the father she needed and had always wanted. He was begging.

And it broke her heart.

"I love you, daddy." She sobbed finally.

She ran at him, arms extended, and crouched to push herself into his arms.

This time will be different, she thought. It has to be.