Summary: One day coming home Dallas suddenly is dumped the responsibility of being someone's older brother. Dally was the boy without hope, while Gabriel's the boy with a dream. Both share a common ground in which they never expeirenced the feeling of being loved or giving love. What happens when Gabe's hiding a terrible past and it's up to Dal to save the day? Can these two boys pull together before destiny threatens to pull them apart forever?

A/N: Hey hey! You like? Talk about brotherly love eh? Well I have nothing much to say other than thanx to all my reviewers. They are making my little goal a lot more possible than I ever expected. Ok on with the story. Shoot.. i had a finished chapter and my computer crashed and i don't have all of it and this is only what i saved so I'm sorry if its bad. I'm pissed/

Disclaimer: see chapter 1

Quick fact-Name meaning
Matthew-Gods gift

Chapter 7-brotherly bonding


Dallys PoV

"What's it say?" Two-Bit asked nosily.

Don't get me wrong because Two-Bit is one of my best buddies in the world, one of my few buddies, but sometimes he could be a pain. I had enough on my plate, knowing that I probably caused everyone to second guess my brother, and that I might have just cause him his life to be worrying about Two-Bit's curiosity.

"Does it look like I know?" I snapped causing him to momentarily shut up.

"Read it out loud will ya Dal?" Two-Bit asked settling down beside me.

I rolled my eyes and shoved the piece of paper between us so he could read it himself.

Dear Dallas,
How did I know Gabe would run to you and not me? I knew you would help him, even you can't deny family. Especially him. Vinny is really out to get him. Vin's planning to come here tomorrow assuming you got this on Tuesday. I don't know everything, but here's what I know:

He wants me to lead him to dad's house. So you have to empty the house out before we get there. Leave dad though, I bet he'll be too drunk to notice the difference. He wants to drive around so keep the kid inside.

I heard he got jumped. Yes, I do follow up on you guys, which by the way, why aren't you going to school? Oh well, your life I guess. The people that jumped the kid was working for Vinny. Apparently, it was Vinny's idea of a welcoming present.

The kid's best friend or something is suppose to be the one to kill the kid. Vin's going to give Gabe til Saturday like he asked. S'long as he shows up by that time. Whenever you go out carry a packed heater alright? Don't forget your blade. You know where I stand.

Take care of the kid. Take care of yourself, hopefully this is the last time I'm going to see you because you know what'll happen if I had to see you again. You know under what circumstances they're gonna be. And so I'm saying sorry now.

-Matt.'

I took a drag from the smoke Two-Bit had given me. Everything was so complicated. Before Gabe came around everything was so simple. Rich guys stink, watch out for hoods and kill whoever wanted to kill you first. But now when you start caring for people you start doubting your every move. You're always on the lookout. I don't know what I'd do if I failed Gabe like I did before. I don't know if he can survive it again. I don't know if I'd survive it again.

"How long have y'all been here?" the screen creaked open snapping me back to reality as Pony stood by the door slightly confused.

"Not long," Two-Bit said helping me to my feet.

A group of young kids run past the house screaming and shouting. I envy them. They were so carefree. They didn't know about what their future was going to be. They didn't know about all the people that were going to die in the arms. The dreams that weren't ever going to come true. They looked so innocent. So pure.

When I was their age I was learning how to use a blade. How to use a gun. I already had to watch my back. Had to come home to a drunken father and a mother who was shouting at Matt to get out of the house. Everyday it was the same thing, over and over and over again.

"I hate kids," I spat out pushing past Pony to get into the house.

"Dallas! THANK YOU! Can you tell your friends I'm fine and that to let me out of this couch because I'm about ready to kill someone," Gabe gave me a sour look as Johnny looked at me helplessly.

Well this was a sight. Johnny taking care of someone instead of the other way around. I liked Johnny, he reminded me of Gabe in a way. He never knew what it meant to have real parents either. Johnny's lucky. He's got the love of the gang. He was different from us all. Not like Pony different because Pony's going places. But different as in he was rare to find around here. He don't like fighting much and despite his upbringing he still wasn't violent. Maybe that's why Pony and him get along so well.

"No," I said sounding a little harsher than I intended.

Unsurprisingly, Gabe pushed Johnny's hand away and sat up. He looked at me angrily and muttered, "I don't take orders from traitors," and stood and walked out the door.

I was about to leave him be when Johnny looked up at me pushing me with his eyes to follow my brother. At this point in time I'm too tired to do anything but get crazy drunk despite the early hour and smoke the rest of my pack. I had been up all night, and I just needed five minutes on my own. Funny how the more independent Gabe was, the more dependent he actually was. If it was anyone else but Johnny I would have flicked him off and strolled into the kitchen, but Johnny was different.

"Fine," I muttered following in my brother's steps.

There on the stairs of the house, Pony, Two-Bit and Gabe sat all smoking cigarettes lost in their thoughts. Rolling my eyes I plopped down next to Gabe and snatched the cancer stick from his lips grounding it. "Pony, Two-Bit out," I said noticing my brother's death glare.

Both jumped up and walked into the house thankfully closing the door behind them. When I was just with my brother I felt my protective brother instincts kick in as he lit another cigaretter and took a drag from it. I yanked that one out of his lips too and threw it on the ground stepping on it.

"What gives?" He asked annoyed.

"You ain't suppose to be smoking that. You're gonna die of cancer before the gang comes after you," I snapped at him.

He gave me a smirk and continued staring until I finally looked at him back. "What?" I asked finally breaking the minute long silence.

Before I could do anything he grabbed the cigarette from my mouth and grounded it like I had his.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" I asked angrily as he just continued smirking.

"You ain't suppose to be smoking that. You're gonna die of cancer before you turn twenty," He said finally breaking his smirk and looking out to the park a sad frown playing on his lips.

I wanted to tell him not to worry. That I was here and that he would be fine. That I would protect him like I used to when I was younger. I wanted to tell him that I wouldn't let anything happen to him. That we would settle everything. But I couldn't lie to him. I couldn't tell him. I couldn't lie.

"It's never going to happen Dal," He finally said after what seemed like hours of staring into the park watching the little kids fight each other or play football.

"What's never going to happen?" I asked him still looking at the park.

Staring at the same place for over and hour makes you see little things that you've never noticed were there before. From here I could see my house distantly some ways past the park. Soda's pair of shoes were still hanging on the cable from the time Darry threw them up there when we were younger. Everything seemed to change. The park monkey bars which seem huge when I was twelve were now small and rusty.

"I'm never going to get out of the dumps. I'm going to be stuck a hood all my life," Gabe sighed looking down, his hair falling to his face as his head hung.

"You will," I said surprising both me and him.

Once I said it though, I didn't regret it. It was true. Gabe's dreams weren't only dreams. They were truly his future. No one worked harder than him to get a better life. He wasn't a hood. There wasn't one drop of blood in him that made him a hood. He had the clothes, the looks, maybe even the attitude. But he had a soul. He cared for people, and he care about what people thought about him. He prayed and went to church despite the fact we laughed at his expense every Sunday when we found him awake and dressed from Church.

When it was just me and mom and Gabe, Gabe would always walk to church every sunday. I would always be too hung over or not home to drive him. And mom didn't give a flying hoot where he was. But he always went, and he always came home with the same outfit every week. It was his Sunday outfit. It was the only thing that wasn't a hand me down or had holes in it. He treasured that outfit for a good year before he outgrew it.

I laughed at the thought causing Gabe to look at me like I was crazy. His eyes were twinkling for the first time since he came and he actually looked happy as my laughter caused him to smile.

"What's so funny?" He asked me.

"I'm just remembering that Sunday outfit you always wore going to church," I said laughing a little as he blushed.

For a few seconds I felt happy. I mean truly happy. It was like the I didn't have to hold my front up around Gabe. I didn't have to show him I was strong. He already knew. The weight of the world was lifted from my shoulder, if only for a second. I felt like a kid again.

Darry pulled up when me and Gabe were cracking up looking at us like we were crazy.

"Wow Dally smiling," Darry teased.

Normally I would have belted him, but today I just smiled. It felt good to laugh again. I haven't laughed like that in so long.

"I have take out Chinease. Soda and Steve are with their girl friends at the Dingo tonight. You guys want some?" Darry asked holding the door open as I helped Gabe to his feet.

"Yeah, but hold up on that thought. Can I borrow the truck?" I asked knowing that I should clear out the old man's house before anything.

Darry narrowed his eyes fully remembering when I borrowed it last time. "I'll bring it back in one piece," I quickly added.

"Ok," Darry said reluctantly tossing me the keys.

"Where you going?" Gabe asked me, his front up once again.

He sounded like a kid. Almost like he didn't want me to leave.

"I just have to pick up somethings. Don't worry. Stay here with my friends. Don't leave," I said walking up to Darry. Under my breath I added for Darry to hear, "Don't let the kid out of your sight."

Everything felt like it was going to be ok. I could fix this. For once in my life I helt like I had some control of something. It's funny how the one thing I thought I was going to have no control over was the one thing I had the most control over in my entire life.

Pulling up to the front I made my way up the stairs not really taking any notice to the other car parked across the street.

"Well well well...looks like we didn't miss him after all," I looked up an immideatly tensed up when I noticed three unfamiliar people sitting on the living room couch.

A/N: uh oh. Ok I really really struggled with this chapter so I'm sorry if its shorter and crappier than the rest. I promise you guys a better chapter tomorrow. I'm just real tired right now and I want to sleep. So please review help me reach my goal and I'll update for you guys.