Disclaimer: same as other chapters.

Authors Note: Oh man am I ever tired, because I babysat today. So if this is kinda boring, it's because I'm tired as hell. Thanx to everyone that reviewed.

Chapter Ten: Steve, a.k.a. Jailbait

When we arrived at home, finally, I went to have a shower because Soda and I had stayed at the hospital all night, meaning I hadn't had a shower yet today.

While I was in the shower, I could hear Ponyboy yelling,

"Dal, don't!"

I laughed to myself. Dally was back to his old self.

When I got out of the shower, I wrapped a towel around my hair, put on a little eyeliner and mascara, and then got dressed in blue jeans and a white t-shirt with the Rolling Stones logo on it that said "The Stones In Concert". I had actually never seen them in concert. My mother had, though, and that's where I got it from. She bought it for me at the concert.

I let down my hair and dried it, and then went out to the living room.

"Bathroom's free for showers!" I said, and Soda leapt up to go take one.

Dally was sitting on the couch, Ponyboy on the floor, and they were watching some cartoon. Darry was in the kitchen making lunch. I walked in and sat beside Dally.

"How ya doin' baby?" I asked him.

"Well, better since I'm with you, but it would still help if we could f-," He said, but got cut off by Ponyboy.

"Ew, Dallas!" The disgusted look on his face was priceless. I had to laugh, not only at Ponyboy but at what Dally said. I lightly hit him on the arm.

"Ow, I was just in the hospital you know." He said, pretending to be hurt. I stuck my tongue out at him, kissed him quickly and went out to the kitchen with Darry.

"Hey Darry, why aren't you at work?" I asked. He should have been at work hours ago. He turned around.

"I'm going to work after I finish this, but I have to work later hours because I took some off this morning and right now," He said.

"Oh Darry, go lay down, rest, I'll make lunch," I said. He looked at me, as if trying to read what was going on in my mind.

"Okay," He said after a few seconds. "Thanks," Then he kissed me on the cheek as he was leaving.

Darry had some crazy recipe out for lunch so I just put the whole book away and made peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. Then I walked out to the living room and gave everyone their sandwiches. Everyone that was in the living room, that is. Dally, Darry and Ponyboy.

"Where's Soda?" I asked, looking around.

"Ah, he's still in the shower," Dally said.

"Oh my, that kid takes the longest showers I've ever seen anyone take in my life!" I ranted.

"Actually, you take around the same time," Darry said. I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Yeah, and who're you calling a kid?" I turned to see Soda in the doorway. "We're the same age. Where's my sandwich?" He asked.

"In the kitchen," I replied. He went to go get it.

Darry finished up his sandwich.

"Okay, I gotta get going. I'll see you guys later... much later," He sighed. I gave him a sympathetic look.

"Bye, Dar," I said.

Soon, we were all bored.

"And how come you ain't at work Sodapop?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I called in sick," I laughed. Then I rounded on Ponyboy.

"And how come you ain't at school?"

"It's Saturday," He said. They all laughed at me, including myself.

"So, what do you guys wanna do?"

"I'm going to the movies," Ponyboy said. We all jumped up. "And no, you guys aren't coming."

"Why?" We all whined.

"Number one, I like to watch movies alone. Number two, last time I went to the movies with Dally, I got kicked in the head because I was trying to stop a fight Dally started with some other guy that told him to sit down. Last time I went with Soda, girls hit on us all night. And last time I went with Sunny, she spent all my money on popcorn just so she could throw it at some Socs in front of us, and when they turned around she pretended to be watching the movie, and then we almost got jumped." Ponyboy said all in one breath. We looked at him.

"Jeez man, that hurts," I said, pretending to feel pain in my chest. He smiled, rolled his eyes and left the house.

"I'm going to work to pretend to be a customer to Steve." Soda said and left the house. I looked at Dally. He grinned suggestively at me. I laughed out loud and sat beside him on the couch.

"What do you wanna do?" I asked him, resting me head on his shoulder and snuggling into him. He slid his non-broken arm around my waist, pulling me even closer, and after a couple seconds he said,

"We can stay here like this for as long as you want,"

I smiled and breathed in Dally's sent. Cologne mixed with cigarettes, alcohol and that smell you smell when you walk into a bar. I really liked Dally's sent, even if it was a mix of smells most people don't like to smell.

I looked up at his face. Lip torn from battle, just like his forehead. A face that could hide any emotion he wanted it to. His eyes, that could also hide whatever he wanted to hide, but I could still see some emotions in them. I saw knowledge, mostly of the streets, and something that told me he'd seen things that he wished he hadn't. The last thing I saw was one I was glad was there. Love.

"Dally?" I asked.

"Yeah?"

"Does your lip hurt too much?"

He slowly shook his head. "Not too much,"

I leaned up and kissed him slowly. It felt so right, unreal even. When we parted, I leaned my head against his chest and let a tear run down my face. It wasn't a sad tear, it was the happiest kind of happy.

"Dally, what did you see in New York that you wished you hadn't?" I asked him abruptly and looked at him.

He sighed.

"I've seen people getting mugged, and I've even helped out with it. I've seen people being killed out on the streets, without a chance to say goodbye or anything. There were these gangs, I've seen people after the gangs were done with them. Not dead, tortured…" Dally trailed off.

"That's why I'm glad I came back to Tulsa. Sure, there's fights, but it's nothing like New York. Plus, you're here," He said slowly. I smiled a sad little smile.

"I'm glad you came back, Dally," I said, saying the name that always reminded me of a lion, or someone brave and brutal at the same time. He put a finger under my chin and lifted my head.

"Me too," He said and kissed me. He deepened the kiss by sliding his tongue in my mouth. I sort of leaned up and made him slide down a little. Soon, he was laying on the couch with me on top of him, still kissing me. Our hands were roaming everywhere, that is until someone opened the front door.

We heard a little squeak and we looked up. I could have burst out laughing when Johnny was in the doorway. His face was turning completely red.

"Um, uh, …sorry," He said and turned to leave.

"No, Johnnycakes it's okay," I said and got off Dally. Dally sat up and I sat beside him.

Johnny came in, looking awkwardly at Dally and I, and it was silent for a second.

Soon Soda burst in the door and I sighed with relief, but it turned to worry at the look on Soda's face.

I got up and walked over to him. He was breathing hard, like he'd run all the way over here. I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Soda, honey, what happened?" I asked.

"Steve, he's… jail," Soda said in between breaths.

"What?" I asked.

"Come on," Soda said and led us out of the house. We followed him down to the police station. We went in and Steve was handcuffed to a chair, looking angry.

"Steve, what'd you do?" I asked in a disappointed mother voice. I did like looking after all the boys like I was a mother, sort of.

"They caught me taking a switchblade from the store," He said. I rolled my eyes.

"Steve, if you're gonna shoplift, I'd prefer you didn't get caught," I said and slapped him upside the head.

"Sorry," He said.

"I'm sorry kids, but you'll have to leave now, we're bringing him into jail. 90 days, Steven," The cop said.

"Bye, Steve," We all said and made kissy faces at him.

"Guys, don't! There are sex offenders here!" He said as the cop dragged him around the corner. We burst out laughing.

"Ah, let's go guys," I said and led everyone out of the police station.

Alright, theres chapter 10. I might not get one out tommrow, im going horseback riding. Plz review!