Author's Note: This is probably the shortest chapter so far, but I wrote it late at night, and I was getting tired. It's also pretty upbeat. Finally something good happens to Dally. I can't let everything be bad!

Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders. Not mine!

Chapter Five

Breakfast at the Curtis's

Mrs. Curtis knocked on the door to the bathroom. Over the roar of the falling water she heard Dally's, "Yeah?" She opened the door and set the clothes down on the sink. He peered out from behind the shower curtain, soap suds in his hair. He saw the clothes and raised his eyebrows.

"Brought you some clothes, breakfast will be ready in a few minutes," she smiled at him.

He watched her leave. Hehad an incredulous idea, she actually cared for him. He shook his head through the stream of water. Not possible, no onecared for him, and no one would ever. He rinsed his hair and the water streamed down his face. He let his gaze wander to his bruises and cuts. He hadn't looked in a mirror when he got there, he wondered how bad his nose looked. He hoped it wasn't too bad. He didn't think he could stand to walk in town and get laughed at. He resolved to slug anyone in the nose who laughed at him.

Dally turned the shower off and reached for a towel. He toweled himself dry and slid into the clothes. He emptied his pockets and placed his only remaining belongings into his coat pockets. His knife, pack of cigarettes, money, book of matches, and his clothes were the only posessions he had left.

---

"Well, it's not toxic, Darry," Mrs. Curtis said to her eldest son about the pancakes. Mr. Curtis walked in and kissed his wife's cheek and gazed at the pancakes that sat upon the plate.

"Oh, Pepsi-Cola cooked this morning, eh?" he asked hugging his middle son. Soda grinned at him and Pony rolled his eyes.

"He's trying to poison our guest!" Pony exclaimed.

"Guest...what guest?"

Dally walked in and ignored Mr. Curtis's comments about him. He stayed away from Darrel Sr. He reminded Dally of his father. He didn't look like Mr. Winston, but Dally still remembered how his father had mistreated him. He suspected that all father's would be like that.

I'll never ever have kids. I won't be a father! That way I can't abuse them...I'll say I don't like kids...nope, no way am I going to hurt one like my father hurt me. Dally resolved and sat down at the place Mrs. Curtis had gestured for him.

"You'll be pleased to know that Soda didn't intend on hurting you and the pancakes are perfectly harmless," Mrs. Curtis said sweetly. Dally stared at the green pancakes and decided, If Soda eats one, I'll eat one.

He took one pancake to be polite (he could still remember his kindergarten teacher) and took several slices of bacon. Mr. Curtis said the prayer and they all began to talk. Soda was bouncing in his seat while he poured syrup all over his green pancake. Dally watched him take a bite and he cautiously bit into his own pancake. Surprisingly, it didn't seem to be damaged.

Breakfast was soon over and Mrs. Curtis looked at Dally, "Would you mind accompanying me to the store?"

Dally shrugged and got up.

---

"Tell me, Dally," Mrs. Curtis said, "why don't you want to call your father?"

Dally had told her in the car he didn't want to talk to his father. He shrugged his shoulders and asked, "Why do you care?"

"Because I do care, Dally, someone should," she responded.

Dally stared at her and then before he could stop himself, blurted out the whole story of him growing up on the streets, staying out for hours with only a 'Bring me a beer' for an answer and the rumble. He told her about being driven to Oklahoma without sleeping because he knew he'd get beaten if he did and then nearly being run over.

Dally watched her wipe tears away from her eyes, "Dally, that's child abuse! You should have told someone in New York."

"Why? No one would have cared, you're the only one I've met so far who I haven't cussed out or anything and actually seems to like me."

Mrs. Curtis pulled Dally into a hug, he stiffened.

---

Mrs. Curtis and Mr. Curtis had set up a bed for him on the couch. They told him that he could stay as long as he needed to. Dally watched Ponyboy, Soda, and finally Darry hug their parents and get a good night kiss. Dally was so confused. He couldn't believe that they actually cared about their children. Maybe all adults aren't so bad after all. he decided, but he would still stick to his original idea. Mr. Curtis folded the paper, bid Dally good night and went to his room.

Mrs. Curtis covered Dally with the blanket that he had thrown off and said, "Good night," she went to leave but Dally stopped her.

"Why'd you do that?"

"Do what?"

"Kiss your sons good night?"

"Because...it's just...something that's done," Mrs. Curtis couldn't explain. It was something she'd always done. Something to reassure her sons that while they may have been wild, crazy, and driven her up the wall she still loved them. "Your father didn't do that for you, I guess?"

"No," he said shortly, rolling over to stare at the ceiling. He suddenly brightened and sat up, facing her, "Can I have a good night kiss, too?" Suddenly he felt crazy for even asking. She smiled at him, though and kissed his forehead.Dally smiled at her and said "Good night." She left and left Dally to ponder what made parents so different.