A/N: Yay, update! This story is almost finished. Some dialogue from this chapter is taken from the book.

Damn Tim Shepard. One of these days one of us is gonna kill the other.

Okay, yeah, so I slashed his tires. Which I shouldn't have done. But I just got outta jail, come on! A guy needs a little fun, right? Except that we ended up in a full-out brawl, skin on skin. Now he won't be able to see out of his left eye for a while, but I took a few solid punches in the ribs.

So now I'm at Buck's place, trying to get some sleep. And he's barging in on me, mumbling about some kids wanting to see me.

"Huh?" I ask, sitting up and pulling myself into full consciousness, wincing at the pain in my ribs.

"Pony and Johnny or somethin', said they wanted to see ya," he drawled, and I rolled my eyes. I wouldn't have minded Johnny unless Pony was with him. But, shirtless and still tired, I pulled myself up out of bed to go see what they wanted.

After making my way through the party, I found the two kids standing outside the door, Ponyboy drenched, Johnny pale and wide-eyed, and both shaking.

"Okay, kids," I said calmly, "whatta ya need me for?"

"Dal," Johnny said, fighting tears, "I killed a Soc. There was five of 'em, and they came into the park and were gonna drown Pony in the fountain, and I had to do somethin', and I knifed him-"

"Good for you, kid," I said at that, but he just looked sick.

"I didn't know what to do, but we figured you could get us out if anyone could. I'm sorry we got you away from the party…" he trailed off.

As calm as I was trying to be, I was worried for him, but I shook it off. "Oh, shoot, kid, I was in the bedroom." Johnny looked mad for a second, and Pony blushed hotly.

"Glory, but your ears can get red, Ponyboy." He didn't look up, but shuffled his feet. Grinning, I realized what I had said and how he had interpreted it. "It wasn't anything like that, kid. I was asleep," I explained, "or trying to be, with all this racket. Hank Williams, that shit they're playing…" I muttered. "Me and Shepard had a run-in and I cracked some ribs. I just needed a place to lay over."

I returned Johnny's suddenly concerned gaze with a tight, quick smile before remembering something. "Ponyboy, are you wet?"

"Y-y-yes," he said, shivering.

"Glory hallelujah!" I exclaimed, adding a few swear words and going into lecture mode on autopilot, saying something about pneumonia and leading the two boys inside, only wanting to make sure Johnny was okay.

Once we were in the bedroom I tossed Pony a towel and ordered him to get out of his wet clothes, once again running my mouth about running away and not wearing enough clothes or using his head, but I wasn't even listening to what I was saying. I left the room, quickly bullied Buck into giving me fifty dollars and a gun. I stole a shirt of his too. Focusing on the task kept me mostly calm, but not completely. When I returned to my bedroom I shut the door and, hands shaking just a little, gave the boys the stuff.

"Here," I said, "the gun's loaded. For Pete's sake, Johnny, don't point the thing at me," I snapped, and he set it down on his lap instantly.

"Pony, do Darry and Sodapop know about this?" The fourteen-year-old shook his head. I sighed. "Boy howdy, I ain't itchin' to be the one to tell Darry and get my head busted."

"Then don't tell him!" Pony cried out suddenly, the loudest he'd spoken all night, and tears were falling. Totally helpless in that situation, I just handed him the dry shirt and, on second thought, my leather jacket too.

"It'll get cold where you're going, but you can't risk being loaded down with blankets," I told him, and he nodded, more composed already.

As Pony buttoned the shirt and Johnny fingered the gun nervously, I told them what to do. "Hop the three-fifteen freight to Windrixville. There's an old abandoned church on Jay Mountain. There's a pump in the back so don't worry about water…" as I continued about food and stuff, I watched Johnny carefully. He was scared, yeah, but he wasn't backing out of this and he wasn't panicking. He would be okay, and he would keep Pony safe. But he wasn't happy with himself for killing that Soc… almost absentmindedly I added, "Man, I thought New York was the only place I could get mixed up in a murder rap."

Johnny made a sound in his throat and shuddered, and I gave him what I hoped was a steadying sort of look. He nodded slightly and his eyes flickered to Ponyboy.

"Hey Pony, wait outside for a sec. I gotta talk to Johnny."

A little bit in shock. Pony just nodded dumbly and left. "You okay, kid?" I asked.

Johnny took a deep breath and nodded. "I'll be fine. I just…" tears filled his eyes.

"I know," I said. "But you didn't have a choice. You did the right thing, they woulda killed him."

He nodded again. "Yeah," he whispered.

"Be careful," I said. Johnny swallowed and promised that he would.

"I'll come check on you in a few days," I told him, though I'd already said that. I was stalling.

"I love you," Johnny said quietly.

"Love you too," I replied, kissing him softly for just a moment before striding towards the door and leading the boys outside. "Get goin'!" I told them.

"Take care, kid," I added as I messed up Johnny's hair one last time.

"Sure, Dally, thanks," he replied. I watched them go.