Dally bolted out of the house just in time to see Johnny's dad swing at Johnny. The second his fist connected with Johnny's face, Johnny let out a blood curdling yelp. Dally ran to help Johnny, but stopped dead in his tracks when he realized Johnny's dad had a blade.

"Any closer hood and I'll slit the boy's throat right here and now!"

Dally wasn't sure if he was bluffing, but quickly decided it wasn't worth the risk and remained where he was standing. Johnny was terrified, that was obvious. He was shaking horribly but it was his wide eyes that got Dally's attention. Johnny's eyes always betrayed what he really felt and seeing that he was truly afraid for his life made Dally understand that Johnny's old man would seriously kill him. That shouldn't have been so hard to believe, considering he's beat Johnny within an inch of his life more times than Dally could count on two hands, but it still shocked Dallas to think that Johnny's father could really murder his own son in cold blood. Dally took a small step toward them, and the elder Cade immediately pushed the blade harder against Johnny's neck.

"You're going to stay right there or I'll kill him, I swear I will!"

Dally froze yet again, not wanting to upset Johnny's dad. He was trying to form a plan to get Johnny away from here safely, when he heard a small whimper. He turned to see Johnny's father was attempting to take off Johnny's shirt. Dally could not just stand there and watch this happen, not to Johnny! He ran forward and tackled Johnny's father to the ground, knocking Johnny down in the process. Dally sprang up quickly and grabbed at Johnny's jacket.

"Come on, kid, we got to go!"

Johnny was struggling to his feet and Dally was wondering if he'd have to carry the boy, however Johnny managed to get his footing. The elder Cade was starting to get up as well, cursing all the while.

"You little bastard! You're just a dirty little whore like your mother!"

Johnny froze when his father yelled that. Dallas noticed that Johnny had stopped moving. He pulled roughly on his jean jacket, almost making Johnny lose his balance.

"Come on!" Johnny ran after Dallas then and didn't turn back as his father continued screaming obscenities after them.

A few minutes later they arrived at Buck's. The music was blaring as Dallas began dragging Johnny through the crowd and up the stairs. When they got to Dally's room he entered and carelessly began riffling through his drawers. He pulled out a shirt and tossed it to Johnny who was sitting on the edge of his bed. He figured Johnny would want another shirt, his had gotten ripped when Dallas had knocked him to the ground.

"Here, it'll be big on you, but I don't have anything that damn small." Dally knew being harsh with Johnny wasn't what he needed right now, but he couldn't help himself. He was too worked up after the run in with Johnny's father.

"Well, are you gonna change?" Dally really didn't mean for that to come out meanly, but it had anyway. Johnny looked at Dally with wide eyes that expressed the hurt he felt when Dally snapped him, but he quickly looked away and all but sprinted to the bathroom to change. Dally sat down on the edge of his bed and waited for Johnny to come out of the bathroom. After what seemed like an eternity but was really only about five minutes and Johnny had yet to emerge from the bathroom, Dally began to get worried. He went to the bathroom door and knocked on it. There was no response.

"Johnny…Johnnycake are you okay?"

There was still no response. Dally opened the door, and was shocked to see Johnny laying motionless on the floor.

"Johnny!" He was at Johnny's side in a second, lifting his head onto his lap and gently tapping his face in an attempt to wake him. Oh God, Johnny wake up, Dally thought. After a couple of minutes, Johnny regained consciousness. His eyes opened slowly and it took a minute for them to focus on Dallas.

"Dal…"

"It's okay, Johnnycake. I'm right here."

"What…what happened"

Dallas half laughed, "Geez, kid, I was kinda hoping you'd tell me."

Johnny smiled a little, but that smile quickly turned to a frown as soon as the days events came flooding back into his memory. Dally noticed the tears in Johnny's eyes and his heart broke a little when the kid moved to wipe them away.

"Hey, Johnny, man, it's gonna be okay." Even Dallas would admit that he didn't fully believe that statement. Things were looking rather bleak and Dallas didn't know how or if he could help Johnny through this. He knew Johnny needed basic things, like food and a place to sleep. How was he going to pay for this? He didn't have a job. The only money he ever had he either stole, won in a bet, or won playing poker. But more than that, Johnny needed someone. He needed someone who would always be there for him. Dallas didn't know if he could be the person Johnny needed. He loved Johnny to death, that he was sure of though. So, he would do whatever necessary without a second thought.

"Johnnycake, get up. You need to get some sleep." Dally looked down and realized Johnny was already asleep in his lap. Debating what to do next, Dally decided it was a bad idea to sleep on the bathroom floor. He gently moved Johnny off him and onto the floor. After he stood up he reached down and grabbed Johnny, one arm under his legs and the other behind his back. The kid was lighter than Dallas had expected. He knew Johnny was small, but he felt practically infantile in Dally's arms. He made his way to his bed and slowly set Johnny down. He covered him with a tattered, old blanket. He was amazed that Johnny had slept through being moved. Usually the kid woke up at the drop of a pin. Knowing that Johnny was safe for the night, he headed back downstairs to join the party. He wasn't in the mood for poker or anything, but he needed something to get his mind off what happened to Johnny.

After a few to many drinks, Dally found his thoughts returning to Johnny's father. He was outraged at what the bastard had done to his own son. Before he realized what was going on, he was standing in Johnny's front yard, the elder Cade bleeding and unconscious at his feet.

Ugh, this chapter is terrible. I'm sorry about that. Is anyone still reading this even? Let me know your thoughts.