HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

Here is another chapter to my story. As usual please Read & Review.

ANYONE POV

The two boys heard every word spoken in the next room. It wasn't really a shock because they had started to figure it out and as long as their oldest brother was happy, it didn't bother them.

"Stay here Pony, I'm gonna call Bree Ann to come and talk to Darry."

"All right," he snuggled deeper into the warm blankets watching as Soda left the room. After making the phone call, he slipped into Darry's room. The man was rubbing his fore head and didn't even look up.

"Dare?" Sodapop moved to sit by his brother.

"You should be in bed Little Buddy."

"Since I'm not, let's talk."

"Head hurts, don't feel like it. Go to sleep"

Soda shook his head no.

DARRY POV

The door opened again, Bree stood there smiling at us.

"Superman, take a walk with me."

I looked from her to Soda. "Fine! Sodapop, bed now," we sat on the back porch.

"Darry, Dally's a hard man, we know he's never loved anyone except maybe Johnny. I can't believe the change in him since you came back. He is almost human and you my friend are responsible for that. I think if you took the chance you could be happy," she told me. "You and Dally are a lot alike. Both hard, tough men. I know you Darry, you think you have to be the strong one. Always in control of your emotions, hiding the pain behind those cold, blue eyes. You don't have to not with me, your brothers, Dallas or anyone."

"Bree Ann, drop it. Look I won't do anything to risk losing my little brothers," I went back in.

DARRY POV

I checked on the boys then went to bed wondering where Dally was. I tried to sleep, but just tossed and turned, the pounding in my head getting worse until it was time to get up. I was sitting at the table drinking coffee when Pony came in and climbed on my lap. I wrapped a arm around him, he cuddled into me and went back to sleep. Soda came in and sat down.

"He okay?" he asked when he saw Ponyboy.

"Yeah, he's fine," I shook him. "Pony, you need to wake up now."

He got off me and went to lie down on the couch with Johnny. Soda and me grinned then pulled him into the floor where we tickled him. Pony shrieked with laughter as our fingers dug into his sides.

"I'm up, I'm up," he sputtered.

"Go get ready for school," I told him.

"Darry, can I go to the movies afer school?"

"With whom?" I wanted to know.

"Tow-Bit, Johnny and Dally."

"Yeah, be home by five though."

We all headed to work or school. It was a long day and I was exhausted and in pain before it even started. I wanted to talk to Dally, but he didn't come over. I got home at 5:30, the boys were gathered around Johnny, who was obviously upset.

"What's goin on guys?" I asked sitting down.

"Uh Dally's gone," Soda said quietly.

I flinched. "I'm sure he'll be back."

"But . . . " Pony said before I interrupted him.

"If Dallas wants to leave, we can't stop him. Pony, he's an adult," I scolded him.

DARRY POV

I got up and followed Pony when he went to his room. Once there, I pulled my little brother into a tight hug. "I love you Ponyboy."

"Geeze Darry," he squirmed in my arms. "I know."

"I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm sorry," when I didn't let go, Pony let his head rest on my shoulder and relaxed while I stroked his hair.

"Darry?"

"Hmmm?"

"Could we cook out on the grill later?"

"Sure, I think that would be a great idea," Pony smiled and went to talk to Johnny.

It was a pretty normal evening at the house, only one person was missing. The one I needed, and wanted more than anyone.

I knew where Dally was, he was either at Buck's or Tim Shepard's hiding out licking his emotional wounds. While I grilled burgers in the back yard, Pony read a book to Johnny and the other guys wrestled around. As we ate, I wondered how long Dally would stay away.

ANYONE POV

Darry went to work and tried to forget his worried, the only problem was that he still had that dam headache. Nothing seemed to take the pain away. Dally could, he had done it before in TX, but he was still gone. Darry stood up after a break and got dizzy and passed out. His boss called the house, Johnny answered and went to find Dally.

The older man hurried over to the office to find his buddy shaky and pale.

"Darry?" he knelt beside the chair.

"Dally, sorry they had to bother you."

"No bother, what's wrong?" he asked seeing the pain in his eyes. Darry shook his head and moaned.

"How long have you had it this time?"

"Three or four days. I'll be fine."

"Sure you will. Come on," Dally helped him up. "I'm taking him to the emergency room."

"Hope he gets better soon," the boss told them.

Once in the car, Darry tried to persuade Dally to take him home.

"Just drop me off at the house. The hospital is a waste of time anyway."

"They can give you something for the pain," Dally said looking at him after parking the car.

DARRY POV

"How long are you going to stay away?" I asked softly.

"I thought we both needed time to think."

"I don't want to lose my best friend. Please Dal."

"You won't lose me."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked.

"Because the alternative is unthinkable. Right now I need space. D.S., seeing you every day and not being able to hold you or touch you kills me."

"I know, me too," I told him.

"Come on let's get you checked so I can take you home," we both knew he could help me feel better faster than any doctor.

Once inside Dally made a quick call to Soda, who wanted to come down, but I told him I would be home later and not to leave work.

ANYONE POV

Back at the house Darry went to lie down after Dally made sure his room was completely dark.

"The medicine should help him sleep, but I doubt it will. Keep it quiet around here," the gang was sitting around when Soda spoke up.

"We can take care of Darry, why are you still here?"

"I'm not leaving Soda," Dally bit out.

"Don't hurt him again."

"I won't," he agreed then was quiet when the man in question stumbled into the room. He looked around finally spotting Dally by the door.

"Still hurts," he mumbled.

"Darry, you should go lay down," Soda told him.

Dally sat on the couch and held a hand out to him. "Come here D.S., you can lay down here."

Sodapop handed his brother a pillow, but he ignored it and instead used Dally's leg.

ANYONE POV

"Johnny, go get a cool, wet cloth for his eyes. Steve, you and Two-Bit put a blanket over the window," he told them keeping his voice low. When Johnny came back with the cloth, Dally laid it over Darry's eyes.

"Make it stop Ace," Darry pleaded and Dally knew his Buddy's pain was almost unbearable.

"Sh . . . it will," he started massaging his temples, then gently ran his fingers through the dark hair. Two hours later he was still there, only now Darry had fallen asleep.

"How did you know the medicine wouldn't work?" Two-Bit asked.

"Been through it before with him. The first week after he left, Darry was hurtin so bad that the slightest movement made him sick. By the time I got there, he'd been to the doctor, but it didn't help. I made him lay down and started rubbing his temples, it worked."

"How did you know he was in trouble?" Pony asked.

"Jeff called after Darry asked him to."

DARRY POV

Soda finally got up to fix dinner and the guys ate quietly. It was about seven when I woke up. Dally was still here, absently playing with my hair. When I sat up, Pony hugged me.

"Are you better now?" the little boy asked.

"Yeah, I feel a lot better," I told him looking at Dally. "Thanks Dal."

"No problem. You need to eat something with your medicine."

"I will," I walked into the kitchen to get some water.

"You can leave now Dally," Soda told him.

I turned to my friend. "Please stay Ace."

"I need to go, got some stuff to do. I'll be around though and when you feel better, we WILL finish our talk D.S.," he walked out.

I looked at my brother.

"Sodapop, Dallas is my best friend and he is welcome here anytime."

"All right, don't get all worked up. You need to stay calm Superman," Soda told me.

ANYONE POV

Over the next few days, Darry took it easy and Dally was pretty much in and out as usual. It was Friday evening and not much was going on.

"Darry, can we go to the movies?" Soda asked.

"Yeah be home by midnight and keep an eye on your brother."

"Aw man, how we supposed to pick up girls with the baby along?" Steve snapped.

Pony's face grew pale and his lip trembled.

"Steve, that wasn't nice. Pony's not a baby," Soda told his friend.

"I'll stay here Soda, but you have fun."

"You sure Pony?" he asked before they left. Pony nodded then went to read with Johnny.

DARRY POV

I had some stuff to do, but when I was finished, I decided to take the boys to do something. We went to the Dingo for milkshakes. After the movies were over Soda, Steve, and Two-Bit joined us. A few minutes later, Dallas sauntered in with Sylvia glued to his side. It made me sick the way she was rubbing all over him. I stood up.

"Soda, here," I handed him the keys to the truck. "Bring Pony and Johnny back later. I'm gonna take a walk. I need to think," I mumbled feeling Dally's eyes on me. When I finally got home, it was late, but Johnny was on the steps.

"Dally wants to talk to you."

"Where is he?" I asked trying to be nonchalant.

"Bucks. He's waitin."

"Tell Soda I'll be back," I told him. He nodded and I left again.

ANYONE POV

Darry walked into Buck's excited to see the greaser. Buck saw him and pointed upstairs. He nodded and walked up slowly. He knew which room he wanted. The door was open and he could see Dally and Sylvia makin out. His heart broke all over again.

"Ace, why?" he choked out.

"D.S., wait," it was too late. He was gone. All the way home, he kept thinking why? Why would Dally hurt him like that?

Since it was the weekend, the gang was still going strong. They were loud and he needed quiet so when Darry couldn't stand the noise anymore, he snapped at them. "Go to bed now!"

Silence settled over the house as they scattered. Two-Bit and Steve left. Soda, Pony, and Johnny went to the boy's room. Darry knew he didn't have the right to feel so betrayed since it was his fault Dally left, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

DARRY POV

I must have dozed off in the living room because I jerked awake when Ponyboy shook me.

"Have a bad dream baby?" I reached for him, and he buried his face in my neck. I rubbed his back and after a while, his body stopped trembling and my little brother slept again.

"Darry?" Johnny called softly.

I looked up. He was by the couch.

"Did you get things straightened out with Dally?"

My eyes met his and I shook my head no.

"You know, don't you Johnny?"

"I figured it out a while ago," he told me.

"Does he know?" I looked down at Pony.

"I think he has an idea. Darry, Ponyboy and Soda are still gonna love you."

"Dad didn't," I spoke softly as I stood up cradling Pony to me. I put him back in bed and went to get ready for work.

ANYONE POV

The days passed at a crawl. Darry went to work, came home, took care of his brothers and fell into an exhausted sleep only to wake up and do it all again. After a few weeks of it, Bree Ann tried to talk to Darry again.

"How long is this going to go on?"

"What?" Darry replied tiredly.

"This thing between you and Dallas."

"There is nothing between us. He's with Sylvia now. I lost my best friend and it's all my fault because I couldn't tell him the truth. Bree, I have so much going on, I don't have time to play around. I have to think about the boys."

"The boys are fine," she told him.

"I won't do anything to lose them. I can't lose anyone else."

ANYONE POV

"Darry?"

"What do you want me to say Brennie? That I love Dallas Winston? That I can't think of anyone but him? That the thought of him with someone else tears me to pieces. Why? You already know that, hell you've known for years," he told her.

"Yes I do know. Maybe I wanted you to admit it to yourself."

"Why?" he asked again.

"So you can tell Dally."

"Dally is happy with Sylvia. It tore me to shreds to see them together, but as long as Dally is happy," he went to check on Pony's homework.

Neither saw the blond greaser hidden in the shadows grinning. Bree Ann left. The boys were asleep and Johnny was dozing on the couch. Darry was on his way to bed, hoping he could sleep when the door opened.

"Darry?" the low urgent voice of Dally stopped him in his tracks. "We need to talk," he whispered glancing at the sleeping boy in the living room.

"Dallas, it's late. I'm going to bed," he said tonelessly. He really didn't know what to say to his friend because he didn't know how the 20-year-old would react to a love confession. For once Darry wasn't sure that he could remain calm and unaffected.

"Please D.S.," Dally pleaded. "I know we made a mess of things. Just talk."

He looked so miserable and sad that Darry wanted to hold him.

"Fine, in my room so we don't wake Johnny up," once the door closed, the two men sat down.

DARRY POV

"I was wrong to leave the way I did," Dally sighed raggedly and ran his hand up and down my arm. "It's not too late, we can . . . "

"We!" I exclaimed tersely my eyes burning into his.

"There ain't a we. Dally, we were lonely, searching for something or someone."

"No!" he shouted. "We wanted each other. Why can't you admit I am what you need? Dammit, I love you," Dally spoke heatedly.

I stared at him, shock and disbelief on my face.

"You don't love me," I whispered.

"Yes I do," his words were spoken with deep convection. My heart reeled at his words. It couldn't be real. I stood up, he followed.

"I've only loved two people in my whole life. My little brother Johnny Cade and my best friend Darrell Shayne Curtis Jr."

I stared at him. "What about Sylvia?"

"She don't mean nothing to me. I was using her to forget you."

"Did it work?"

"No, I could never forget you. Darry, tell me how you feel about me."

DARRY POV

Dally was watching him closely, so he saw the emotion on the younger man's face. I glanced down unable to look in his eyes.

"D.S.?" Dally prompted, needing an answer to his question.

"You already know that," I told him.

"I think I do, but I need you to say it. Are you in love with me?"

After taking a deep breath, I looked Dallas Winston, the toughest hood in Tulsa right in the eye and admitted it.

"Yes, God help me, but I love you so much."

Dally pulled me close, a smile on his handsome face. He cradled my face between his hands.

"Finally the truth, come on," he led me to the bed. "I need to hold you, I thought I'd lost any chance with you."

We lay down then heard Pony cry out.

"Go take care of him, I'll be here," half an hour later, I was back.

ANYONE POV

Dally caught Darry around the waist and slammed his body against him, moving to take his mouth with a goaded violence. Darry relaxed into him sensually letting the older man ravish his mouth, glorying in his roughness.

"Ace, I want you," Darry breathed in his scent.

"You got me D.S., always."

"Touch me," Darry requested and somehow over the pounding of his heart he heard. Dally slid his hands under the shirt, feeling as much skin as possible. Darry's chest was hard, broad, and tan. He groaned when Dally found male nipples.

'I love you' was whispered and repeated many times as both men needed to hear it. Darry felt Dally's tongue on him as he suckled one nipple then the other. At an unspoken urging from Dally, he caught the shirt in his hands and pulled it off. Within seconds both men were naked. Darry pushed his lover onto the bed and knelt beside him.

"D.S."

"Shh. It's all right."

"I want . . . " Dally's back arched as Darry found his hard-on with his hand.

"No," Dally whispered.

"Yes," Darry said, his breath warm on him before taking him completely in his mouth.

"D.S.," he hissed through clinched teeth.

ANYONE POV

Dally's hips began to rise and fall instinctively. A shudder tore through the greaser and his fingers tangled in the dark hair.

"Don't stop," he pleaded now.

Darry chuckled and went on with what he was doing. Dally's breathing was ragged and he moaned Darry's name, then came with a final thrust. After getting his breath back, he pulled Darry to him touching, tasting, holding.

"Ace, Ace . . . "

"What babe?" he asked touching the other man's face gently.

"I want you," Darry finally managed. Dally got on his hands and knees, wiggling his cute behind at him.

"Take me D.S."

"You're mine," Darry warned in a husky whisper that showed his urgent need.

"I know. Show me," Dally gasped when Darry positioned himself over his back. Then words were not needed as he slowly thrust inside him, their groans rose as their passion was unleashed. Dally moved with him.

"Easy Ace, we have all night," Darry told him, but their rhythm increased until they couldn't hold back any more and climaxed together.

DARRY POV

I collapsed on Dally's back. God, I loved feeling him under me. When I slipped out of him, he turned to hold me as we trembled in the aftermath of our passion. Tomorrow I would have to tell my brother's, but tonight I was happy and in love. My head was on Dally's chest, his hand moving up and down my back.

"I love you Ace," I cooed sleepily.

"I love you to D.S.," Dally answered. I was almost asleep when he shook me.

"Darry, you gotta get up a minute. We can't go to sleep like this," he found sweats for us.

"Put these on baby, in case Pony comes in."

I did as he asked then he pulled me back in his arms and we drifted into the first good sleep we'd had forever. We woke up twice more to make love then fell into a exhausted slumber.