"What do you want with me?" I asked curiously. I was still kind of pissed.

"I need you to be look out while I find the boys," he said casually.

"I ain't your puppet, Winston," I said harshly.

"You're still not over it, Harrison?" he inquired.

"Dally, stay cool," shot Soda. "You're not the best person to live with, and you know that. Give her a break. Stop pretending you don't care."

I carefully glanced at Soda. He never spoke that way about anybody except about Pony. Soda was definitely the mediator of the gang. He never liked it when we got into fights with each other. He said the only people we should have the right fighting with was against filthy Socs.

"You can stop defending me," I said slowly. "He's nothing I can't handle."

Dally grinned a little, and Soda just shook his head. He had the feeling he had to leave, so he did. I wasn't afraid of Dally. I was probably the only person that wasn't afraid of him, next to Johnny of course.

"I'm not playing look out Dally," I said a few moments later.

"I need you to," he said. "I need another fighter just in case."

"Find another fighter, Winston, I'm not your girl."

"I'm telling you, Harrison, no one else."

"Oh yeah? And why's that?" I demanded. I didn't notice that I had stood up. I looked at him in his cold eyes, and he didn't even smirk. He thinks he can play everything off coolly while all this crap was happening. Dammit Pony, I need you now more than ever. I needed someone to talk to. Oh Johnny, if anything happens to you, I'll kill you-

"You know, I never slugged a girl before," he said.

"Yeah, what's stopping you?" I asked.

"Dammit Harrison!" He had taken out the heater he had and shot it in the air. What did I tell ya? Loaded. I wasn't afraid. I was more angry than afraid. There ain't an ounce of love in this guy.

"Danny, you're the only person I can trust," he said finally.

"Trust?" I darted at him furiously. "Trust!" I grabbed the heater and unloaded the bullets. "There ain't no trust in this." I held out the gun. "You told me it wasn't loaded, dammit you ain't got no trust." I shoved the gun to his chest, and kicked the bullets on the floor.

I couldn't think of anything else but how angry I was with him. He didn't have no sense. He lied to me, he tricked me, and did every dirty thing to me and it didn't matter to him. Nothing mattered to him.

"Danny," he said slowly. "Danny, I'm sorry."

I dropped to my knees. I couldn't respond.

"I don't know half the stuff you, Soda, or Darry knows, because I don't care. I don't understand. I don't care about the police, or the big rumble, or the Socs as much as I care about Johnny and Pony. Don't you get it, Danny? I need you to help me. If there was just one thing you can do for me, it's this. I can't trust no one else. Even after all this- I still trust you."

I closed my eyes. I had Dally wrong. He does care, and love. Sadly enough not for me. But fortunate enough it was for Pony, and for Johnny. That's what makes Dally himself. Not because of his records, or his jail time- but because he cared enough for this. I finally understood what Johnny was trying to tell me about Dally.

"When do we leave?"

"I thought I saw someone following us," said Dally as we approached an abandoned church. We were in Windrixville, and far from the city.

It was weird being in the country. The air was fresher, and everything was like from a fancy poem. You know the ones from Robert Frost and stuff. It didn't feel quite like home.

"So this is where your genius mind led them to? I gotta say, criminals do think cleverly," I said half sarcastically.

"Dally?" a voice said weakly. "Danny?"

I looked up. Sure enough there was Johnny, standing out in the clear, as if he saw a ghost. He was pale, thin, and his hair was shorter. You could definitely see his face better, and a small smile of surprise caught his face.

"Johnny!" I yelled, and ran to him gleefully. I was so happy to see him. I jumped on him, and he carried me, which is strange because he usually flops to the floor because he was so tiny. I was definitely bigger than him, but he just spun me around, and we both fell. It was so good to see him, I never had been so relieved.

"Don't do that, you're gonna attract attention," said Dally.

"Pony's inside," said Johnny as we both got up. "He's still sleeping."

I ran inside, while Dally got reacquainted with Johnny. I took a quick look at Dally who had a bright smile on his face. To know that Johnny was all right gave him great fulfillment.

"Oh Pony, your tuff hair," I said quietly. His beautiful red hair was now a bright blonde, and cut short. He lost a few pounds, and was paler than usual. He looked completely different. I hardly recognized him.

"Glory he looks different with his hair like that," said Dally beside me.

"Wh-? Dally!" said Pony waking. He stood up, bright eyed. "Danny! What? How's everybody? How's Soda? Are the fuzz on our trail? Did the guys find out where we are? What happened?"

It was some reunion. Dally was enjoying himself better than I had imagined. I couldn't let go of Pony once we started out, and he just laughed. I asked how I could possibly let him go, and he said, "Maybe with a crowbar." I just wish the whole gang was over here to see them. Almost nothing could have made this moment any better.

"Before I forget, Soda told me to give you this," said Dally handing him a letter.

Pony snatched it, and read it a couple of times.

"Man, Pony, when you get famous, make sure it's not with your hair like that," said Dally disappointedly.

"You don't have to rub it in, I feel horrible," said Pony frowning.

"It'll grow back," I said half heartedly. It was kind of hard picturing Pony with blonde hair. It would be tough getting use to.

"Okay, I'm gonna take you guys out to breakfast, and catch you up with everything," said Dally. He looked at me. "You stay for lookout."

"Why can't Danny go with us?" demanded Pony.

"Someone's on my trail, and I can't tell if they're cops or just Socs, and I need her to backup for me."

"You're gonna leave her alone?" blurted Johnny.

"Well, I-" Dally felt uneasy, answering to Johnny and all.

"Don't worry kid, I'll be fine. You ain't gonna take forever," I said to Johnny.

"Why can't you stay and be lookout?" asked Pony.

"She can't drive," Dally replied plainly. It was strangely unfair yet just. It was logical if you thought long enough.

I just laughed. "Just go! Have yourself a good time."

As they got ready (Pony and Johnny wanted to wash up real quick), Dally spoke with me privately.

"I know how uncomfortable you feel being alone, and I really think big of you when you do things like this for me. So thanks," he said.

He wasn't much on vocabulary, but he was caring. Though I don't think I can ever feel for Dally Winston the way I use to feel for him. I stuck out a hand.

"Hey- you're a great friend," I replied. He shook my hand, then pulled me close, and gave me a warm hug. I smiled, and he messed up my hair, and kissed the top of my head. I laughed.

"You're okay kid," he said. The guys and I said our goodbyes, and I was on my duty. Who knew moments later, trouble came my way.

It had only been fifteen minutes (I couldn't really tell), and I knew that we had been followed. I noticed that people had been gathering near the church for some sort of picnic. A few kids started observing the church, and I wanted to tell them to stay away. It didn't seem safe for anybody to be near the church. I was about to go over, but someone from behind tugged my shirt.

I spun around to see who it was. A couple of Socs has followed us. Damn, they never give us a break do they?

"What's the big idea?" I asked.

"Nothing Miss Harrison, except. . ." one of them said. He looked down at my jeans. He snatched my chain which was hanging from the pocket. My jaw dropped, and I looked him in the face. He had a pleasant smile. Before I can say, or do, anything, the other Soc slugged me in the eye and I fell. Everything else went black.



"Danny, are you all right?"

I felt dizzy, and it felt as if everything collapsed before my eyes. I couldn't remember what was happening, and it was hard opening my eyes. My right eye felt so swollen, and beat up.

"Aww, Danny, come on, wake up!"

"Dally?" I whispered hoarsely. "My chain. . ." I had realized, it had finally gone.

I had to get up. I grabbed his shirt for support and he helped me up. I staggered forth, and tried to open my eyes. It was hard to see, but when my sight came into a somewhat clear vision. . . oh, it was horrible. Fire, just everywhere. The church was on fire!

I concentrated hard, and saw. I was about to cry out. Pony and Johnny, poor little guys, were inside. Inside as the church started to collapse. They were rescuing some kids that were fooling around inside earlier on. I was so mad at myself. I couldn't feel sad or afraid. I was mad that it happened again. I was there, but I wasn't there in time.

I fell back. I can't believe I had let it slip.

"Stay here. There's someone here to get you help," said Dally. He ran to the church. "For Pete sake's get out of there! That roof's gonna cave in any minute. Forget those blasted kids!"

Suddenly, a medic came to help me. I couldn't let him.

"I need to save Pony and Johnny! Dally wait," I said breathless, but before I knew it I fell. I was too weak. They put me on a stretcher but I can still hear the horror. The screams. The cries. I can see it too. The most horrible thing I have ever witnessed was Pony on fire. I couldn't take it. I had to shut my eyes.

When I woke I was still in the ambulance. I didn't know I had even slept, even for a minute. I looked at the medic.

"What happened?" I charged hoarsely. I sounded horrible, and it hurt when I talked, but I had to know. "Where's Pony? Where's Johnny and Dally?"

"Who?" the medic asked. Moronic!

"Dally! The tough looking guy, and Pony and Johnny!"

"You mean the heroes?" he asked. What was he talking about? Did he mean murderers? "They're in separate ambulances. You guys are all going to a hospital."

"But what happened?" I cried.

"Well the church was caught fire, and your pals actually went in and helped the kids trapped inside. They're heroes in town. One kid was caught fire, but that tough guy punched his back out to get the fire out. His arm's pretty burned. But I think the other one- man, back broke when the timber fell. Third degree burns. Luckily the tough guy got him out in time. Uhh- don't worry," he added quickly.

I was about to cry.

"I'm sure they'll be fine," he added, "I think if it wasn't for you, they'd for sure be dead."

"What are you talking about?" I asked. This guy was out of his mind.

"Well, they kept saying your name . . . your name is Danny right?" he asked.

I nodded and waited until he continued.

"They just kept saying that they needed to get to you, and they were plenty of hurry then they already were. Even when the tough guy didn't want to save the kids, well. . . thing is he helped save 'em, bring 'em out the window. He knew they had to get to you. I guess that drive is a little something special- even if it helped just a little. You know. . ."

I breathed slowly. I fell right back to sleep.