A/N: I don't own The Outsiders.

Thinking and Solving

Tulsa - June 19, 1965

Throwing back a pill, Dally set the glass of water on the nightstand and clumsily fell onto the bed.

He'd been trying to avoid thinking about the short conversation with Lori, how she just flat out denied ever knowing him. The blank look on her face was enough to prove that she was serious, but something just didn't add up. He'd last seen her about two weeks ago, and now she's suddenly claiming him to be a goddamn stranger?

Maybe she was joking with him, pulling his leg. When they were kids, she used to take advantage of him being gullible, so it's not like it wasn't...

His hands lazily dragged over his face, and he wondered why he was even getting worked up about it. It's not like he wanted anything to do with her, and even if he did - which he didn't - what would he be able to do about it?

A loud rapping came at the door, and Dally groaned, not wanting to deal with anything or anyone anymore.

"Dallas," Sylvia said, knocking on the door again. "I know you're in there. Open the door."

Cursing under his breath, he silently begged that she'd just shut up and go away and leave him to drown in his thoughts alone.

Lori glanced at the clock and raised an eyebrow. "You running late?"

Aunt Rebecca scurried back into the kitchen, grabbing her papers off the counter. "Have you seen my car keys? I just had them-"

"It's in your hand."

The woman looked at the keys clutched tightly into her palm. "Oh."

Lori rolled her eyes. "Late," she reminded her.

"Oh, right!" Aunt Rebecca raked a hand through her dark hair, looking around the small space to see if she'd forgotten anything. She walked at a fast pace to the front door and called out over her shoulder, "I'll see ya later, kiddo, and Gwen will be here soon."

"Yeah, see you. You'll do great," she assured.

"Thank you!" It was faint, but Lori still heard it. She watched as the Ford peeled out of the driveway and sped down the street, her aunt both eager and excited to get to that job she's been going on about. Something about a column or assistance for a children's book - she didn't remember which.

Falling back onto the couch, she silently begged that the tingle in her head would just go away. Ever since her little tumble, strange dreams and flashbacks and thoughts always occurred. She just wanted everything to go back to normal. Whatever normal was before I forgot, that is, she thought to herself.

She unballed her clenched fists, letting out a steadying breath.

"About time."

"'Scuse me?" Gwen asked, shutting the door and tossing the spare key on the coffee table.

"It's about time you got here," Lori clarified, cocking an eyebrow. "It ain't exactly all fun and games here. I've been watching TV for hours."

Gwen frowned. "Oh. Then, you wanna' go somewhere?"

Lori stood and turned off the TV. "Where?"

"The Dingo? I'm starvin'."

The Dingo mainly consisted of immature teenagers and junior high kids. Some blowing straws at each other, others cracking up and shoving playfully. It was like watching a circus.

"It always this crowded in here?" Lori asked with observing eyes.

Gwen sighed, shrugging. "Sometimes. Guess it really depends. Oh..." Her face suddenly lit up, and Lori followed her eyes. Behind her, an attractive guy was on his way over. Blond hair, green eyes, and a nice build. He looked older than them - maybe in his early twenties. She didn't miss that he and Gwen shared some of the same features.

"Who's he?"

"Oh, right. You haven't met him yet," Gwen stated the obvious. "That's my older brother, Lee. You'll-"

He slid into the booth before she could finish, throwing a small smile in Lori's direction and then nudging his sister.

She elbowed him back. "Lee, this is my friend - the one I told you about. Lori Winston, remember?"

Lee looked at Lori, his green eyes staring into her blue ones. Feeling somewhat intimidated by his gaze, she was about to look away when he spoke up, a small smirk on his lips. "Yeah, I remember. Pleasure to meet you, honey."

He raised an eyebrow when she just nodded.

Noticing, she threw in an awkward response. "Yeah ... it's real nice to meet you, too."

She swore under her breath. Had she'd always been this shy when introduced to someone new, or was it just because he was a total hunk and he made her nervous? Either way, she hated being the cause of the awkward silence.

"Well ..." Gwen trailed off, prying Lee's fingers off her Coke that he had slyly taken at some point.

Lori tucked a fallen hair behind her ear. "Well, I think I should get goin' now..."

Two sets of green eyes immediately looked her way.

The corner of Lee's mouth upturned. "So soon?"

Gwen was smiling now. "We don't bite. Or, I don't, at least. Stay a little longer?"

She nodded, letting out a small sigh. "Okay."

Dally rolled his eyes, throwing the football back and forth in his hands. "You're full of shit."

Two-Bit just waved him off and grinned. "Oh, stop it. You're makin' me blush."

They were waiting for the rest of the guys to show up for a game in the park, but a wait of five minutes quickly turned into fifteen. Jesus, even the storm's gonna' beat them if they don't hurry up, Dally observed as he looked at the sky to find the sun being overshadowed by gray clouds.

"There," Two-Bit suddenly said, pointing to the arriving. "Slower than molasses in January, they are."

Lee had bailed with his friends ten minutes before, so her and Gwen had decided to take a stroll through the park. They talked about a whole lot of nothing, until something caught Lori's eye.

"There's that guy again," Lori mumbled, eyeing the blond haired boy who was tossing around a football.

"What guy?" Gwen asked, nearly scaring the crap out of Lori. She forgot her friend was centimeters behind her.

"Him." Lori pointed, but Gwen slapped her hand down, throwing her a disapproving glance.

"Don't point. It's rude. Not to mention you'll attract attention, and ... too late."

Lori cocked her head to the right, watching as the group of boys slowly diverted their attention from the football to them. "Hey, look, it's that hunk from the DX," she said thoughtfully.

Gwen's eyes looked like they were going to fall out of their sockets. "You remember that?"

"What was his name?"

The brunette grinned, looking dreamily at the boy. "Sodapop Curtis."

Lori nodded, and they walked again, picking back up on their previous conversation. "So, you know that boy I pointed to? Why does he seem so ... I dunno, familiar?"

She could've sworn she knew him, and he obviously knew her by the way he acted so protective when she was with Aunt Rebecca yesterday night. His face just brought back broken memories, and it made her all the more curious to find out who he was and why he was so important.

Gwen had this funny look on her face. "That is Dallas Winston - a mean hood known for breaking the law. Oh, and congratulations." She punched Lori's shoulder. "He's your brother."

"What the ..." Lori trailed off with a blank look on her face. "No," she said, disbelief evident in her voice. She looked back at the football game, which had resumed while they were talking.

"Yeah." Gwen was laughing now, obviously enjoying the blonde's reaction.

Lori picked up the pace, a few of the young kids starting to look their way. "I don't believe it. I'd...I'd know..."

"Ask your aunt."

Her legs were crossed, and her hands held up her chin as she leaned forward on the kitchen table. "I have a brother," she said, rather than asked.

"Yes," Aunt Rebecca answered, opening the oven to check on her cookies. On upon discovering they weren't done, she closed it again.

Rolling her eyes, Lori sat up straight. "And you didn't tell me."

Thinking it through since she'd gotten home, she didn't understand how her aunt didn't mention it not even once. If Dallas really was her brother, that seemed like a real important fact to have brought up in a conversation.

The older woman turned around, facing the blonde. A look of stress etched across her features, and her lips pursed. "It slipped my mind that you would've forgotten. I —"

"And he's not staying here ... why?"

Aunt Rebecca eyed her. "What do you mean?"

"You said I'm staying here for the summer, right?" Lori pondered aloud, more and more questions rapidly starting to build. "So, why isn't he? Where does he stay? Why would he —"

"One question at a time," the older woman interrupted. "Dallas stays with my brother—er, your father, Ted, just a couple streets down. He lives in Tulsa; you don't. All questions answered? Good, get to bed. I have an important business call to make."

"Wha—Fine."

The black and white photo of two kids stared up at her, and her fingers suddenly itched. She didn't know what she planned on doing, but she wasn't just going to brush everything off.

Just a couple streets down...

Gwen and her were certainly in for a busy day tomorrow.

A/N: I'm quickly doing this before I leave for work, so point out any mistakes.

(On with the rambling!)

It's been about three months; I'm horrible - I know. I've had a bad case of writer's block, and I wasn't very happy with this chapter. So, that being said, please review and give me an honest opinon on whether I should continue this story or not. I honestly don't like the path I chose, and I'm really tempted to delete or rewrite it...