Ok, well, we're in motion. This chapter covers what went on after Dallas left the movies. Now I know I went playing with POV's again. Hopefully that works for everyone, since I had no clue how else to write it and it was Sev's turn to shine...blondely. Thanks to Zickachik for her amazing work on this. She's been an amazing beta for the past few days. So cheers!

Disclaimer: The usual.

On with the shoe!

Sevrin's POV

I liked Buck's place. Every single person there seemed to be up for a good time and I always enjoyed myself. Drink, dancing, billiards…It was a lame version of New York, but it was better than nothing. I liked the Ribbon better, mind you, but that definitely was not the kind of place that you went on your own and I was a little short on friends in Tulsa. I sighed a little, taking another drink from the glass of Bourbon one of those rowdy boys had bought me. I could honestly say I was more of a cocktail person, but you did with what you had in places like these.

Buck himself was leaning across the bar; giving me those hungry man eyes I was used to by now. He was just a lot more obvious than some, but a lot less than some others. In his little establishment, I could expect at least three bedding invitations a night. It was kind of immoral, but it was flattering. Layne would say it was low and insulting. But Layne didn't know how to have fun anymore since she quit drinking, even if she was nicer.

"Buy you another one?" Buck asked.

"Nah. I think I hit my limit, Merrill," I told him. "Where do ya figure Dallas got to?"

"I figure he's found some trouble somewhere." Buck shrugged, tossing back his own shot.

I nodded in agreement. The last I heard he was going to the movies with Johnny and Ponyboy who were dragging Aries with them. Hopefully there wasn't much at the movies that he could find trouble with. Not that that meant anything. Dallas Winston could find trouble at a church social...

"You're really hung up on him, huh?"

"Huh?" I asked, giving Buck a strange look.

"You have a thing for Dallas," he repeated, polishing a glass. "Those other boys in here don't even turn your head."

Damn. Bartenders notice too much.

"And I ain't the only one who's noticed," he put in.

"Oh? And who else has noticed I should be worried about?" I asked and he smirked.

"Sylvia Reynolds," he replied nodding toward the pool tables.

I looked over and frowned. Sylvia was blonde and big chested. She was also small-brained as well as small-time, but she was Dallas' steady-ish girl. As far as I knew, they broke it off every other month or so. They were definitely off right now. While Dal was in the cooler, she was all over little Johnny Cade. Even I knew that was not going to get her anywhere and people didn't think I knew much.

"I thought they were off again."

"They are. That don't mean she won't start something," Buck offered.

Well, we'd had a good run. Since my second week here, Dallas and I had been screwing around. He was obsessed with my accent at first – you know a little taste of home. Now I couldn't tell you. Probably one of those guys who liked to have a couple girls at a time. He was a pig, but damn, he was the only one around here who could pronounce anything right. I was so sick of twang it wasn't even funny…the point originally was that I'd managed to avoid Sylvia so far. It was only a matter of time before she "started something" as Buck so colorfully put it.

"Let her. I'll rip her hair out," I assured him.

"I'll put money on that one." Buck grinned.

"Buck, when did you miss those teeth?"

Buck stuck his tongue through the gap where his front teeth used to be and smirked. "Bar fight last week. Got between Old George over there and Bill James. One of 'em elbowed me right to the face and popped 'em out along with splitting my lip."

"Ouch. He bopped you one good, huh?"

"Yeah. Kiss it better for me?" He grinned and I rolled my eyes at him.

"Hold your breath on that one, Buck," I replied, looking across the bar room again. "Man, for a Saturday night it sure is dull."

"Should liven up. Dally just pulled up," he said motioning to the front windows.

"Wonderful!"

"You really are hooked on him," Buck sighed with a head shake.

"Oh shut up and pour another round before your fat mouth gets a fat lip," I threatened, watching as he scampered to the other end of the bar.

Oh, my daddy would not have liked that. All those dollars on finishing school only to be making threats to cowboys with missing teeth and no brains, pining after a guy who could have cared less…It was nights like these that I really missed New York.

Dallas came storming through the door a minute later. He glanced around quickly, eyes briefly settling on Sylvia. Sylvia moved to greet him, but he was scanning the room again before his eyes met mine. The next thing I knew, he was stalking across the bar room towards me. I smirked at him over my drink and was a little surprised when he snatched it away from me and downed it in one gulp. God, now that was a man…

"Let's go," he growled, snatching my right arm and tugging me right off the bar stool.

"Sure," I agreed, smiling over my shoulder at Sylvia as I was escorted to the stairs.

Lord, she looked like she'd swallowed her tongue. I really liked Sylvia. She always looked so funny when she knew I was getting one up on her.

Dallas didn't say anything else as he pulled me up the stairs with him. When we reached the room he usually slept in when he was at Buck's, he slammed the door closed and then shoved me up against it. I let out a breathy little 'oomph' and gripped his arms tightly. That didn't seem to deter him in the least. His lips were all over my neck and I couldn't help but wonder what had gotten him going. By now, I knew him well enough to tell that something was going on. I didn't care who or what got him going. I was just pleased that I was reaping the benefits. And not Sylvia. Sylvia was downstairs fuming in the general direction of this room. That was a pleasant thought if I'd ever had one.

"What's got you in a huff?"

He growled something about redheads and movies and I just shrugged, wondering what they'd seen tonight. Whatever it was, it sounded like that redhead had personally insulted him or something.

"Dal – " I tried.

"Talk," he ordered, voice muffled on my skin. "Just talk."

It was his usual request. The accent was home. That was one of the first things that had attracted me to him. That and the fact he had that wild New York look about him. I guess we gravitated towards each other, even if the reason was dumb.

"Gosh, what to talk about," I said with a smirk. "I worked a double shift today serving slimy, loud, stupid greasers food they only threw at each other or just plain threw up. I swear, I soaked in the bubble bath for hours. Of course, Mike ruined that. He ruins most things, though. I don't see what you see in him."

Dal didn't answer so I kept talking.

"Then Layne tried to look nice for that cutesy date she and Darry had tonight. She's hopeless. Wore jeans when I offered her a dress. This dress, actually. This dress works." I smirked a little, running my fingers through Dallas' hair. "We should go on a date sometime."

"What would we do on a date?" Dallas sounded like he thought the idea was ridiculous, but I ignored him.

"Something sappy enough to rival Layne and Darry. We'd start with dinner. Mike would cook."

Dallas growled appreciatively. Yeah, if there was one thing that boy was born to do other than ruin everything, it was to cook.

"Then you'd take me somewhere to drink and dance. Before we leave, you'll have red knuckles from busting some mook's jaw for looking…" I trailed off into a loud groan of pleasure. "Then we'll come here. I'm sure you can make up the rest…"

Dallas didn't make any noises for or against the idea. He was probably not hearing the words. I knew we'd never go on a date. That wasn't his style and I didn't mind. I'd never dated my husband. Heck, I'd only met him twice before we married even. Was there something completely wrong with me when I could think of a million other things when exquisite things were being done to me? It was like my mind was so full of other things that I couldn't shut it all off when I was doing something else that I should be paying attention to. Like work or…this.

And just as I came to this revelation, someone banged on the door, causing a thud to reverberate through my body.

"Ignore it," Dallas growled.

"You try ignoring it," I sighed, shoving him away so I could answer it.

Standing there was Tim Shepard. He didn't look pleased.

"What?" I asked and he opened his mouth to say something, but he wasn't too smart if he thought that was an opening. "We're busy, come back later."

Tim put his hand on the door so I couldn't close it. Damn. Most guys were usually too stunned by a half naked woman to be that coherent.

"I know you got Dallas in there. He slashed my tires," Tim stated in a deadly cool voice.

"You know it, I know it, and everyone downstairs knows it." I waved him off. "So what's it to you?"

He blinked like he thought I was deaf or something. "I'm going to beat the tar out of him."

"I'd like to see that," I scoffed.

"Shut up," Dallas ordered, stepping into the doorway. "You really want to do this now?"

"Yep." Tim wasn't budging.

"Fine. The parking lot," Dallas replied, stepping out in the hall in only his jeans, some socks and an undershirt.

"After you," Tim directed, following Dallas down the stairs.

I stood there for a moment wondering what the hell had just happened before I scrambled to find my bra and my blouse so I could go watch. What? Every New York girl likes a good fight. It was even better when you had a guy to root for. It took me a few minutes to look presentable before I finally made it downstairs and leaned on the railing to watch the fight from a safe distance. Leaning on the railing, I could see who was who, but not much of what they were doing. If it weren't for the ring of Greasers around them and the trend for these things to turn into knife fights, I would have been in closer. As it was, I liked my skin too much to get in the middle of something.

"Hey, Phoenix."

Well, it looked like I would be getting into the middle of something, but it wouldn't be Dallas' little tiff. Sylvia was standing a few paces away from me, looking like she was going to claw my eyes out. Not that I wasn't expecting it, but how childish was she to start something when the boys were already putting on a fight?

"Yes, Sylvia?" I asked tiredly.

"You and I have somethin' to fight about."

"And what would that be, Doll?" I asked, watching her scowl.

"Dallas Winston."

"He's already fighting," I informed her. "What's the point in stirring something up when he can't even watch?"

"You…" she didn't finish that sentence, just came at me with claws bared.

Now, I spent a whole summer of gang warfare in New York. I knew how to defend myself because Layne's oldest brother demanded it and Colt did everything Rock ever told him to. So I learned to fight a little. Mainly what I learned wouldn't get me far, but it was enough for this. Shoving her forehead back caused her to bend and it was an easy kick to the stomach that had her huddled on the front porch gasping for breath.

"You can't do that!" she finally gasped out.

"What? There are rules?" I asked, really thinking that would be funny. "The boys don't have rules."

"No feet," Sylvia snapped as she found hers again. "No hair pulling."

"Fine and fine."

She lunged again and I landed a punch to the same spot again, causing her to double over with her face turning red due to lack of oxygen. If there was one thing I learned when I was forced to learn all this fighting nonsense, it was that if you hit the same spot over and over again, you usually won until someone bigger came to defend you.

"Any more rules?" I asked. "Because I can still think of a dozen more ways to hit you right there."

I really couldn't think of more than like two, but it sounded threatening enough to me.

"What are you two doing?" Buck demanded.

"Ripping her hair out?" I shrugged and tried to look cute.

"I think you did just that." He smirked. "Come on, let's get you come ice."

Buck hauled Sylvia off the porch, moaning and whining. I shook my head and turned to watch the fight only to see the boys were all watching me.

"What?" I asked, not really expecting an answer.

The ring of Greasers dispersed, heading back into the bar and leaving both Dallas and Tim behind. They looked beat and happy as they made their way up the steps.

"You fight good," Tim commented and I beamed.

"Thank you."

"What'd she do to get on your bad side?" Dallas asked, giving me an appreciative look.

"She just picked a fight right out of nowhere," I sighed dramatically. "I handed her ass to her, though."

"I'll have to listen to Mike next time he tells me you girls can fight."

"Mike said I could fight?" I asked, perking up at that.

"No, he said Finn could fight. I assume he just forgot to mention you," Dallas offered.

Yeah, like he just 'forgot' to mention me. Sometimes I was pretty sure he was jealous of me for some reason. Probably because I was Layne's best friend and he just thought he was. And people thought I was dense…

"Are you alright?" I asked, stroking a cheek that looked sure to swell.

"Fine. Quit pawing me," he growled.

"I'll get ya some ice," I told him.

Tim grunted beside us and I rolled my eyes. Yeah, I'd get him some ice, too. Boys…

The pair of them sat down at the bar and Buck passed out wrapped bundles of ice, commenting on the fight they'd had. See, he could see everything because he was a freakin' scarecrow. You know, tall, gangly and head full of stuffin'. Man, I cracked myself up.

"Victory drinks!" I suggested, interrupting Buck's running commentary and Tim whooped his appreciation of that.

And maybe after Tim was liquored up, I could finally have Dallas all to myself for an hour. I think I deserved it. After all, if I were a man, I would have just been the victor of a duel. They had those down here, right? Why was I thinking about that again? It would come to me later. Right now, someone mentioned victory drinks!

Well, another one down! I have more just needing to be typed up, so we'll see where that goes.

Any comments at all are welcome and flames accepted.

See ya in the funny papers!!

Tens & Zickachik