Disclaimer- I do not own The Outsiders

James walked into the living room to find Dallas and Carol sitting on the sofa. Dallas had a scowl clearly etched on his face. It was obvious to James that the young man didn't want him there.

"Have a seat James," Carol indicated the armchair directly beside the sofa, "I need to talk to both of you."

Dallas made to stand up. "Whatever it is I aint hearing it."

"Dallas Winstion you just sit your butt right there on that sofa. I may be to small to whip you but Geroge most certainly is not. This is important and you will listen with your trap shut. Understood?"

Carol intook a deep breath. The stress of the situation was takeing it's toll. Her temper wasn't usually so short.

"Understood." Dallas folded his arms and leaned back defiantly.

Carol nodded takeing another moment to collect herself. This was not by anymeans going to be easy. "Alright then good."

"Um Carol, are you sure you need me here. I don't mean to be rude but I think its best if I give Dallas his space at the moment." James looked at Dallas who glared back. He didn't want to further antagonize what had been a good friendship by trying Dallas's nerves. And James was sure that was just wht his pressense was doing.

"This concerns you as well James."

"Alright then. I'll stay."

"Good." Carol looked at the two and took another deep breath. "There is something you both need to know. The argument you told me about clinched it. It's about Annie………"

"I don't want to here anything about my mother."

"This isn't entirely about her Dallas."

"I don't freakin care. I don't want to here it." He made to stand up."

"DALLAS SIT DOWN NOW!"

Carol heaved. She wasn't used to yelling like that. Dallas most have been in shock too because he sat down without saying another word.

"This is a little about your mother but not all the way. You see Dallas Annie, she, she was keeping a secret from you."

"What I got a half brother or something?" Dallas barked sarcastically. He wasn't in any mood to be tried at the moment and wished his aunt would get straight to the point.

"No Dallas. You are an only child. Your mother, she was, that is she lied about your father. Frank had nothing what so ever to do with getting your mother pregnant."

Dallas took this all in. It seemed reasonable enough. He never much cared for Frank, the cowboy. Most simply because Frank didn't seem to give a crap about him. Then of course there was the fact that Frank spent more time losing money then making it and more time drunk then sober. If Frank wasn't his father it made sense enough. They didn't even look alike.

Of course there were the implications. If his mother could have thought Frank was the father or even convinced Frank that was the truth it meant she might have been a regular slut. Dallas didn't like anyone making those accusations about his mother. Nobody, just nobody talked about his mom that way; even if it was his aunt doing the talking.

"My mother wasn't some two dollar an hour slut, she……."

Carol gave a rueful smile. "Of course she wasn't Dallas. Your mother was many, many things but that was not one of them. Annie slept only with two men, just two."

James's face blanched and his whole body stiffened. "It can't be, it can't be….. Annie would never……"

"She slept with Frank and the other was somebody whom she loved very, very deeply."

Dallas looked over at James. His thoughts mirroring the very pale faced pastor.

Carol looked over at James. "She never meant to hurt you James. Annie loved you. She wanted what was best for you."

"Are you telling me that….."

Carol nodded. "Yes Dallas James is your father."

"SHIT!"

Dallas stood up. "Dallas…."

"Leave me the, just leave me alone."

"Dallas…" James began.

"Shut up. I don't want to hear it. I don't care if I ever see you again. I thought Frank was bad but man oh man. I hate you. I hate you no wonder mom left you."

"Dally…"

"Don't call me that. Don't you call me that. Just leave me the heck alone." Dallas gave a stream of violent curses as he stormed up the stairs.

James just sat very still, processing the information in his head. Dallas was his. Dallas was his and Annie's. They could have had a life together. They could have….. James held his head in his hands and sobbed. "OH Annie, Annie." His shoulders racked and shook.

Carol stood up and walked to James's chair. She Knelt down and placed a hand on his knee as if comforting a small child. And in truth Carol could almost see the little boy who followed her sister around as if he were a little lost puppy.

"James," she said gently, " She loved you. She loved you so very much. You meant the world to her. Annie was trying to protect you. She thought you deserved so much better then her."

James shook his head. "I loved her, I wanted her. I couldn't do any better."

Carol sighed. "I know that James but Annie, she didn't feel good enough for you. She didn't want to ruin your reputation, your chance at a better life. And she was afraid. What if one day you realized you could do better? She left you before you could leave her."

"I would never… I couldn't….."

"Deep down I think Annie knew that. But she knew that you were meant for great things. She would never stop you from doing them. And she loved Dallas too. She knew what people around here would say. She didn't want you to resent him because of what was said. It was the kind of thing expected of Frank but not of you. Frank could take it."

"But Frank he's son unreliable. I would have been a good dad. I care about that kid. I couldn't ever resent him. We could have been happy together."

"I know that but people do crazy things when they are in love. I think Annie was punishing herself for your sake. She loved you so she had to let you go. It was the hardest thing my sister ever did."

James sniffled. "She didn't have to do it, she didn't have to. She didn't deserve to be punished. And Dallas, Dallas he should have had a real dad. I should have been there. I would never have left him or ignored him."

"I know that James."

"He should have had a stable home, not so much traveling. We could have had a life together. We could have, we should have been a family."

"It's not to late you know. Go home and get some rest. I'll go talk with Dallas. I'm not sure if he's up to seeing you at the moment. But when he is you can be a family. You're his father James. He can't stay mad at you forever. This has been very hard on him but Dallas really admires you. It'll take time. But you'll see everythings going to turn out for the best."