XXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Buck Merrill's place was considered by most to be the toughest place in town...Dally snorted when he remembered hearing that. Sure he had seen a few fights since he discovered the place a few weeks ago, seen a lot of drinking, even some prostitutes but he was from New York and had been in spots that would make this place look like a day care center. Trying to drown out the annoying Hank Williams music that was playing way too loudly and the commotion from all the other people that had gathered here tonight, Dally concentrated on the poker game that he had gotten himself into. He was currently playing with Tim Shepard, a kid that looked to be around his age, two other guys named Axel and Eddie who he didn't know and finally the owner of the place, Buck Merrill himself.

Dally had just won two games of poker. He didn't know what these guys had heard about him, but what Dally knew they didn't know about him was that he was a card shark, Dally could have just about any poor bastard penniless within ten minutes. The guys he was playing with just didn't seem to know when to quit, Tim Shepard in particularly looked really pissed off and seemed determined to win back the money he had lost. Dally examined Tim a little closer and noticed he had a long scar on the left side of his face. Two-Bit had told him that Tim Shepard was someone you didn't want to get into a tangle with but Dally didn't back down from anyone.

Dally kept himself ready just in case this guy decided to try something.

"Should we get another game started then?" Buck asked with a mouth full of pretzels. He passed out the cards between the five of them and a third game got started. As it went on, Tim was now winning. He had accumulated a healthy pile of money in front of him and wasn't shy about flaunting it.

"Well, I'll raise you ten," Buck said while tossing a ten dollar bill into the center pile.

"I'm in," Eddie threw in his money.

"I see your ten and raise you ten," Tim responded.

"Too rich for my blood," Axel folded then got up to leave the table.

"I'm in," Dally muttered while shoving his bet forward.

"Read 'em and weep," Tim grinned while laying down a full house. He reached towards the middle of the table beginning to pull back the money. "Not so fast there," Dally said grabbing his wrist. "I believe my Royal Flush beats your full house." He smirked as he pulled the money out from under Tim's hands.

"He's cheating!" Tim furiously jumped up from his chair. "He has to be fuckin' cheating! There is no other way he can win three hands in a row, especially playing against me! I win all the time, and now I can't even win a hand? He is fuckin' cheating!"

"You're just pissed because he's actually beating you Shepard," Buck said taking a swig of his beer. He was impressed with Dally, it usually was Tim who won the poker games around here.

"Lift up the sleeves of your jacket!" Tim demanded. "You've got to be hiding a deck of cards somewhere!"

"I'm not showing you shit," Dally responded while getting to his feet. "I won fair and square so stop acting like a little bitch."

Buck raised an eyebrow before looking over at the other teen who seemed a little taken aback himself. No one ever talked to him like that.

"What did you say? Could you repeat it?"

"You heard me, or are deaf as well as dumb?"

Walking around the table, Tim got right into Dally's face.

"Well, why don't we step outside?"

Smirking, Dally responded;

"Step outside? What, do your fists work better outside?" Dally then looked to the scar on Tim's face. "Pretty boy?"

The confrontation between the two tough hoods had suddenly gotten the attention of everyone else in the place. Someone turned the music off as Buck suddenly backed away from the table as it looked like one hell of a fight was about to break out. Cracking his neck, Tim then suddenly slugged Dally with a left hook that sent him stumbling backwards. Tim seemed to look surprised the other teen didn't go down and regained his composure quicker than he expected. Dally charged right back at Tim and tackled him over the table they had been playing poker on, sending cards and beer bottles everywhere. Dally was now on top of Tim and punching him every place he could while now the people watching the fight here whooping and hollering.

Out of desperation Tim reached up and managed to rake Dally's eyes. The other boy swore nodded as he got up and rubbed furiously at his eyes. Once they recovered Dally and Tim balled up their fists and poised themselves in a fighting stance while beginning to circle each other. Tim then lashed out, aiming at Dally's head and upper torso, but Dally dodged all his blows with ease and finished by hitting Tim across the face with his right hand and then over the temple with his left, bringing Shepard down to his knees. Everything happened in a blur of movements, Tim was shocked that Dally was getting the better of him. He had heard the Dally was tough but Tim didn't expect him to be this tough.

Quickly Tim jumped to his feet and poised himself again. His head hurt a little from the punches, but he didn't care. Dally was already waiting for him, a smug look on his face. Tim jabbed at him again, and Dally dodged the punch with a counter attack, although this time Tim managed to block the blow and come back with a punch of his own which opened up a cut above Dally's left eyebrow. Tim then grabbed a hold of Dally and ran forwards, slamming him right up against the bar.

Dally yelled out in pain as his spine struck the edge of the bar. Now seeing red, Dally reached over and grabbed a beer bottle and swung, busting it over the side of Tim's head. Ducking low, Dally then rammed his shoulder into Tim's gut and grabbed him around his waist, lifting him into the air and running forward a few steps before slamming Tim back down into the ground again with all his might, knocking the air clean out of him. Tim coughed and lied on the ground under Dally, stunned. The crowd went wild for that one. The adrenaline pumped through Dally's veins as he dragged Tim up to his feet but the other boy yanked himself out of his grip and suddenly pulled a switchblade out of his pocket.

"Hey!" Buck suddenly yelled as he pulled a gun out from his waistband and got in-between the two battling hoods. As entertaining as this fistfight was, bringing weapons into it was something else all together and that's the last thing he needed. "Tim, you get your ass out of here and go cool off."

Buck then turned his attention to everyone else.

"Everyone out! The party is over!"

They grumbled but did what Buck said. Dally too attempted to leave but Buck put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Not you," Dally stared at him, confused as Buck motioned him to go sit on one of the couches, "Let me take a look at that eye."

Dally didn't argue as he weekly walked over and slumped down on the couch. Now that the adrenaline was wearing off the pain was starting to set in. He felt something warm running down the side of his face and reached up to touch his eyebrow to see that it was bleeding pretty good. Buck then came back into the room with a first-aid kit. Buck took out an antiseptic, poured some of it on a rag and placed against the cut causing Dally to hiss.

"Sorry," Buck said.

"How bad is it?" Dally muttered.

"Eh, it ain't pretty but I've been a lot worse."

They were both quiet as Buck finished cleaning the wound and placing a bandage over it. He then gave Dally a cigarette which he gladly accepted.

"Damn that was a hell of a fight," Buck then said and couldn't help but grin as he lit the cigarette, "I've never seen anyone who's been able to stand up to good ol' Tim Shepard. He's one of the toughest hoods around town."

"Well...seems like nothin' is as tough around here as people say."

Buck gave Dally a closer look.

"Are you the kid from New York people are talkin' about?"

"I ain't no kid, and yeah." He snapped, Dally was so tired of hearing that and being asked that, but he had heard it so many times by now he couldn't help but be a little curious. "What have you heard about me?"

"Ah, well...I heard that you got arrested when you were only eleven."

"Hmm," Dally leaned back against the couch and blew out a puff of smoke. He couldn't deny that.

"I also heard you got expelled from a school once cause they found a knife in your locker."

"It wasn't a knife, it was drugs and they weren't mine."

Buck decided that he didn't want to continue on. He was sure that Dally's parents moved here to give him a fresh start and so far he wasn't getting it. He didn't know if it was because people weren't willing to give it or Dally had no interest but in any case Buck decided to help him out a little.

"Okay, why don't I give you a ride home? I'll go get my T-Bird."

Dally shook his head.

"I ain't going home."

Buck raised an eyebrow, he didn't understand.

"Why not?"

Dally didn't answer and Buck quickly began to wonder if he was having problems in the household.

"So...where have you been staying?"

"I've been sleeping in the vacant lot most nights," Dally shrugged.

Carefully taking a seat beside Dally, now looking very concerned Buck asked;

"You've been sleeping on the street?"

"If that's how you want to put it."

"I don't have some way to put it, that's the way it is."

Dally then leaned forward and put the cigarette out on the ashtray.

"Anyway, that's why I've been coming here playing poker. I'm trying to save up to get a place of my own." Dally then stood up and looked like he was getting ready to head for the door. "See you around, Buck."

"Hey, wait a minute," Buck stopping him, "You know, I have rooms upstairs I rent out sometimes...if you want, you can stay here. Just long enough for you to get on your feet."

Looking surprised by the offer, Dally began to think it over. Sleeping in a comfortable bed tonight did sound pretty good to him, but still he didn't even know this guy. Buck could tell that Dally was considering it, he didn't know why but there was something about this kid he liked and wanted to help him.

"Why would you let me stay here? We don't even know each other."

"Well let's change that," Buck then walked over to the bar and picked up a bottle of booze. "I've got vodka!"

Dally couldn't help but grin a little as Buck then got out two glasses and placed them down on the bar, then motioned for Dally to take a seat on one of the bar stools.

"Okay then..."