A/N: Yes I know…cliffies suck…so I won't keep you lovely readers waiting…

Waking up was the most painful experience in my entire life. My body hurt, my eyes wouldn't open, I was sure my skull was being ripped in two, and I wasn't sure if I had all my appendages.

I groaned softly at the effort to try and move, but my mid section felt like it had collapsed. I couldn't remember if I had been in this much pain after…well after what had gotten me sent to the cooler.

"She's comin' around guys," I heard a distant voice say. Sounded like Johnny.

"Naw, she's been making noises all through the night. You just slept deep enough to not hear them." That was definitely Dally's voice. What the hell was he doing here?

"Not our fault you have guilt…" Pony grumbled.

In fact where was here?

"Aw, did I keep you up Pony?" Dally asked, knowing full well he did.

WHERE THE HELL AM I?!

As a reflex my body shot straight up…well kinda. My eyes had finally opened on command, but the pain in my midsection made me fall back again with a yelp of pain.

Slowly things came into focus. Johnny's face was the first, then the room around him, then the several faces around the room and in the doorway. The greasers…shit.

"Whad'I tell ya?" Johnny asked.

I tried several times to talk, but my throat was immensely dry. "Where the hell am I?" I croaked. Damn. I sounded like my great aunt Sue…stupid frog lady…

"You're at our house." Pony explained.

I didn't mean to be rude, but the next thing that popped out of my mouth was an incredulous, "Why?"

"Seems your Soc friends forgot about you," Dally said with an almost indifferent tone of voice.

It seemed as though everyone was waiting for him top continue, but he just took a swig of his beer, wincing slightly. I knew I had hurt him a fair amount as well…besides the bruise on his face right above the faded one from the lunchroom encounter.

"Dally felt bad about what he did to you and couldn't bare to leave you out in the lot all night. So He picked you up and carried you right back here and made Soda and Pony give up their bed," Two-bit said with a broad smile.

Two-bit's smile was infectious and I felt myself smiling too.

"How you feeling?" Johnny asked.

"Uhm, you ever been run over by a big-ass truck?" I asked.

They all shook their heads.

"I have," I said, though it wasn't a big ass truck…it was more like a van, but the truck made the story sound better. "I felt better then…"

I looked to see Dally's reaction, but I couldn't. Propping myself up on my elbows I surveyed the room. Quaint, but nice. I like the homey, lived in feel of it.

"You need anything?" Darry asked. He had just popped his head in the room.

"Hows about a shower?" I said, "And yes I can manage."

That made them laugh, and before no time I was able to wash off all the dirt and the small amount of dried blood.

The heated water cascaded down my back, making the pain ease slightly and the stiffness go away completely.

I got out and stood before the mirror they had in the bathroom, evaluating myself. I had felt for broken bones in my inspection and found none, though I suspected a few bruised ribs. I had become a colorful bruise all over. I guess that is a bit of an exaggeration, but it felt like it. I assumed the blood was from rocks and the like from when we were wrestling on the ground. He didn't have any rings on like I had.

I pulled on a shirt that Pony gave me. It was Soda's. I really needed to apologize to him, though I did owe the tuff shiner I had to him.

The pants were large and fit me very loosely, but, seeing as I didn't have any fresh underwear, I had borrowed a pair of boxers from them and I didn't mind that the pants rode lower on my hips. The boxers were clean of course.

My hair took me a while. I was finally able to get it up into doppolies. Even though I was dressed like I guy, I wanted to look somewhat presentable.

I stepped out of the bathroom and walked down the hallway towards the living room, pausing at the end of the hallway, hearing the guys talking and laughing. Apparently rumbles were a favorite past time or something. They didn't seem too affected…probably because they won…

"Hey guys!" I said cheerily, smiling as brightly as I could.

The noise stopped and they looked at me. Not all of them though. Dally stood against a wall, intently staring at his beer, swishing it around a bit then taking a swig.

"What?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"Hey darlin'!" Two-bit said, coming out of the kitchen, placing an arm around my shoulders lightly, as if touching me would break me. "Damn you fit in well over here…" He said. "Look just like one of us."

"Who says I'm not?" I retorted, looking him straight in the eye.

"I don't. Do any of you?" He asked the group. They shook their heads, but no one really said anything.

"I do." A cold voice said.

It seemed as though I was the only one who heard it. Everyone else went back to talking and drinking…but my eyes met his and I stared him down before finding place on the sofa between Two-bit and Soda. –Just because you can't accept it Dallas Winston, doesn't mean your friends won't…-

A/N: What is wrong with Dally and why is he being such a hard ass? Lol, the future shall tell all! MUAHAHAHAH! I do believe a lot will come out in the next chapter…it will prolly be really longgggg! --plots evilly--