Here you go, hope you enjoy!

Dallas Winston walked down to the DX feeling distinctly pissed. Tim Shepard, being the asshole that he is, slashed all four of Dally's tires the day before and Dally hadn't worked up the money for new ones. Not that Dallas Winston ever worked for money, aside from jockeying for Slash J.

He entered the DX garage, not wanting to force his way into the crowded store to talk to Sodapop, and Steve was the one he wanted to see anyway. He wanted to know if he could get a discount on some new tires and how soon Steve could get his car up and running, then he was going to go down to Bucks to play some poker, hoping he could work up some extra cash.

He could hear people talkin' from a few feet away, "No!" Steve yelled, "I mean, ah, no I can go now. Just give me one minute! I just gotta' find someone to watch the kid!"

Kid? Dally thought, what kid was Steve talkin' about? Couldn't be Ponyboy, but what other kid did they even know?

And who was Steve talkin' to anyway? He had his girl voice on, the one he used around even moderately pretty girls because he thought it made him sound tuff. No one in the gang told him how stupid it was because they all thought it was funny.

"Hey Steve?" a much younger voice asked; Dally profoundly hoped that was not the voice of whoever Steve was makin' the moves on because this kid didn't sound more than five or six years old, and that was one crime that not even Dally would be proud to have on his rap sheet.

"What?" Steve replied distractedly. Dally finally rounded the corner and surveyed the scene with interest. Susan Channing stood in front of Steve with her chest nearly spillin' out of her top, an image Dally couldn't help but admire. Steve looked slightly harried and at his feet stood a small girl who looked vaguely familiar that Dally could not for the life of him place.

She smiled and Dally couldn't help but grin. She had the most mischievous little smile Dally had ever seen on a girl, if it had been directed at him he would've called it downright evil.

Dally realized the reason she was smiling a few moments later when she looked up at Steve, her eyes big and innocent and asked, "Is Susan a whore?"

Dally pressed his lips together to keep himself from laughing like a manic. The look on Steve's face was priceless as he glared at the girl who asked the question and simultaneously tried to shoot Susan Channing an apologetic look. Dally didn't know why Susan looked so scandalized, the kid wasn't the first one to ask the question.

"No! No, no Denise. That…is a very bad thing to say!" Steve replied to the kid. To Susan, who still looked very offended, he said, "She doesn't even know what that means!"

Dallas chuckled; this whole thing was so funny that he almost forgot about his tires. It was funny until Steve noticed his presence and got a gleam in his eye that Dallas didn't like one bit.

"Dally!" He boomed, "Just the man I was looking for!"

Dally narrowed his eyes at Steve, he had a pretty good idea of why Steve might be looking for him, "No." He stated, plain and simple.

Steve smiled at Susan and mouthed, one second, before pulling Dally behind a stack of tires, "Okay, how much will it take to get you to watch the freakin' kid? It'll only be an hour, I swear."

Daly laughed, you'd think Steve would know better by now, "I ain't no babysitter and I'm not watching any kid. Where'd it come from anyway?"

Steve sighed, obviously in a rush to get back to Susan before she decided he wasn't worth the wait and left, "She's a neighbor of the Curtis', Soda found her wandering the DX and promised to watch her for the day or some shit like that," Steve said annoyed at having to explain things.

Dally nodded, finally placing the girl. He remembered seeing her around the outside of the Curtis house before a few times. He only got glimpses of her looking through windows or leaning around corners; as soon as she realized she'd been spotted she was outta' there. Not a bad trait for a greaser, it was a skill some people had yet to learn, Dally thought, thinking of Two-Bit.

"Listen, what's it gonna take to get you to watch this kid for me?" Dally remain stoic in the face of Steve's pleading, "Dally, its Susan Channing, Susan Channing, for God's sake! The kid's easy, real helpful, and she's smart too, hasn't repeated a single one of my swear words all morning! Well, except for whore but Soda taught her that anyway!"

Steve was literally begging and Dally almost let himself consider the possibility to help out a buddy in need before he remembered that he was about to go to Buck's to win some money for tires, "No can do, buddy. I'm goin' to Buck's for poker."

Steve's face lit up in a way Dally didn't like one bit, "You can take Denise along! She'd a real quick leaner; I bet she'd be great at poker!" Steve said ecstatically.

Dally quickly tried to kill any hope Steve had of sticking him with the kid, "I am not goin' to Buck's with a five year old taggin' along." Dally said firmly.

"She's six!" Steve swallowed and took a deep breath before he said his next words, "I'll go half with you on your new tires and put 'em on for free."

Dally stopped for a moment and considered the new deal, half on his tires? Free service? Man, he may look stupid showin' up with a five year old in tow but this was not a deal he could afford to pass up, and Steve knew it.

Dally glared and Steve grinned, knowing he had him, "She's an angel, I swear Dal. Just keep an eye on her, teach her to play; she'll be great, then just drop her off here in an hour or so and you're off the hook!"

Dally and Steve walked back out to the girls. Susan was looking at Denise as if she were something nasty she found at the bottom of her shoe and Denise was glaring right back at her. Dally fought a grin, obviously the girl had a good sense of people. She reminded him a bit of the youngest Curtis except, much, much more mischievous. A bit like Two-Bit, but less drunk.

"Hey Denise, I'm going to lunch with Susan and Dally here is goin' to watch ya', now just do what he says and I'm sure you'll be fine, okay?" Susan had turned and walked out the door as soon as Steve confirmed their date, assuming Steve was right behind her.

For a second Steve lingered and Dally swore that he looked almost hesitant to leave the kid. Weird, Dallas thought, eyeing Denise, the girl must be a real charmer to have Steve wrapped around her finger. Dally could appreciate talent like that in anyone.

Then Susan called out Steve's name and he turned to leave, but before he reached the door Dally called out, "I really hope that Susan Channing's worth it, you'd better get to third base, at least." As Steve left Dally knew he saw a shadow of doubt cross his face. He was regretting the deal already. Ah well, Dally wouldn't be letting him out of it.

"So," he regarded the girl carefully, she was obviously a crafty one, "Ever played poker?"

Okay so after Dally, Two-Bit will have his turn. Question: Should Two-Bit come in before poker (so he and Dallas balance each other out) or after poker and he gets his own chapter? Note that the length of the story won't be affected by this decision. Either way it'll be just as long.

Thanks, that's all.

Ciao for now!