Chapter 7: Everything I Do

"Don't tell me it's not worth tryin' for
You can't tell me it's not worth dyin' for
You know it's true
Everything I do - I do it for you"

-Bryan Adams

The sun was just rising over Tulsa as I stood on the porch. I was smoking, something I only did when I was nervous or angry. I was nervous, very nervous.

Today was the day that Dally and I were going to Windrixville to see Johnny and Ponyboy and to let them know what was going on here.

I heard the roar of an engine and peered down the road to see Dallas behind the wheel of a ragtop convertible Stingray.

He screeched to a stop in front of my house and waved me down. I put out the cigarette and hurried down.

"Where'd you get this?" I asked him slipping into the passenger's side.

"Borrowed it from one of Bucks customers" he grinned and than pressed down hard on the gas peddle and we sped away.

"I hope they're okay".

"I told you to quit worryin', they ain't babies" Dally reprimanded me as we drove out of the city.

"Y'all act like babies though" I shot back and he smirked at me than leaned forward and caught my lips well driving down the street!

"Dally!" I smacked him on the shoulder and pushed him away from me. "Focus on the road!"

"I can't. Not when you're sittin' there lookin' do-able" he winked.

"Dally" I growled crossing my arms and looking out toward the road.

"Relax, I'm only playin' with ya. Sides I'm still tired from last night" and he took my hand and squeezed it. I smiled a little, being back with Dallas felt good.

He asked me Tuesday morning when I woke up to go steady and of course I said yes! Everyone said they were just waiting for him to swallow his pride. Two-Bit joked and asked when the wedding was, Dally replied with a shocking answer, "As soon as this mess is sorted out and I get Donna a proper ring". I didn't know if he was joking or what.

It was around 11 o'clock when we pulled up in front of an old church.

Before the car was even stopped I jumped out and ran.

"Johnny! Ponyboy!" I cried.

"Hey shut up!" Dally called after me, but I didn't listen.

I ran into the church. Ponyboy and Johnny were sitting up and rubbing their eyes, I assumed they had just woken up.

"Donna!" they called scrambling up.

"I've missed you!" I told them as I hugged Ponyboy and than Johnny. They both blushed when I landed a kiss on their cheeks.

"Alright, hands off my woman" Dally than came lumbering in and Johnny let go.

"Your woman?" Ponyboy frowned.

"Yeah my woman. As in Donna here" he said wrapping his arm around my waist.

Johnny smirked at me and I winked.

"So I'm starving, let's get something to eat".

"You're hungry, try eatin' bologna sandwiches for a week" Johnny grimaced and Dally and I laughed.

"Oh yeah. Here Ponyboy" I said pulling out a piece of paper. It was a letter that Soda wrote to him. I watched as he scanned it than stuffed it in his pocket.

"Let's go!" Dally yelled at us, him and Johnny were already outside waiting.

"Come on kid" I said grabbing his arm because he had grown a few inches taller than me.

A few minutes later we rolled into a Diary Queen parking lot.

Dally ordered some burgers and cokes and we caught them up.

"And we have a spy. You now that red head? Cherry something" Dally had to bring her up.

"Cherry Valance" Ponyboy called from the back seat.

"Yeah her. Well she rolled up in her daddys car and told us she'd testify that the Soc's were drunk and you were defending yourselves"

"That's nice" Johnny said.

I shrugged and sipped my coke noisily.

"Do you think she likes me?"

I dropped my coke to the floor and quickly picked it up before it spilt.

"Who Cherry?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah"

I looked back at Ponyboy when I saw his burger fly out and land on the ground. I figured he might have liked her a bit.

"I don't know Dally" Johnny looked at me too and shrugged.

"Well it don't matter. I think I found another girl"

At this I turned and looked at Dally, narrowing my eyes and giving him a very cold look.

"Excuse me?" I asked raising a brow.

He smirked at me. "Relax kid. I was talkin' bout you" and he placed his finger under my chin and gave me a quick peck on my lips.

Ponyboy and Johnny gagged from the back seat and I turned around and blew them kisses. We were all having a good time until Johnny told us that he was going to turn himself in.

"What?" Dally called back his eyes blazing as he gripped the steering wheel.

"It ain't fair for Sodapop and Darry to worry about Ponyboy and it's not like my folks were worried about me" Johnny said.

"Hey, the boys were worried"

"I was worried too Johnny" I said.

"Two-Bit wanted to go to Texas to hunt for you"

"Dally I asked if my parents asked about me?"

"No they didn't ask about you, so what? Do you think my old man gives a hang about me?"

"I care about you" I grabbed Dally's hand. "And I care about you two"

Dally didn't say anything but started the car again and we pulled out.

During the ride back Dally kept ranting but Johnny had made up his mind.

"Fine" he gave up trying to talk him out of it.

"Hey isn't that the church?" I asked looking out Dallas' side and noticing it on fire.

"Jesus Christ" Dally said and pulled down the dirt path.

There were young kids standing outside crying and a man and woman calling out children's names and gesturing to the church.

Ponyboy jumped out and Johnny followed.

"Stop!" Dally called.

But they didn't, and ran into the building.

"For fuck sakes" he slammed his fist onto the dash board as I got out and ran over to the woman.

"There's still children in there!" she sobbed as two little girls grabbed on to my skirt.

"Shss. It will be okay. Johnny and Ponyboy will get them out" I said looking toward the burning building.

Dally ran over and kicked open the window and than Johnny and Ponyboy began to pass him kids.

I kneeled down and was comforting the kids when there was a sickening crack.

"The roofs going to cave in" the man called.

"Dally; get them out of there now!" I cried standing up and watching as the flames licked the sky.

I held my breath as Ponyboy appeared, 'Come on Johnny' my mind screamed as my heart raced.

It happened too fast for my mind to wrap around it. The roof was there and than it wasn't, and neither was Johnny.

"Johnny cakes!" I screamed running forward but Dallas grabbed me and held me against him.

I watched through blurry eyes as fire trucks and ambulances showed up. I sunk to my knees as they ushered Ponyboy and Dally inside the ambulances and than brought Johnny out on a stretcher after the fire was put out.

They blocked my view as they brought him out and I didn't know if he was dead or not.

"I'm not goin' without my girlfriend!" I could hear Dally call from the ambulance as they tried to keep him inside.

"Let's go" the man said directing me toward the ambulances.

The attendants helped me in and Dally grabbed my hand.

"Are you okay?" I sobbed.

"I'm fine, what about Johnny?"

I sobbed harder. "I couldn't see him"

"He's fine. He ain't dead. What about Ponyboy?"

"He's in the ambulance in front of us"

Dally pushed the attendant away from him as he tried to stick a needle in his arm.

"Don't touch me. I don't need a needle" he snapped.

"It's fluid so you won't become dehydrated" the attendant replied.

"I won't become dehydrated. I just had a coke"

I couldn't help but smile. The attendant went to try again but I stopped him. "I wouldn't do that unless you want to get stuck with the needle"

He stopped and looked at me. I nodded and he sat back down. "Fine".

When we reached the hospital they led me to the waiting room where Ponyboy and the man were waiting and smoking. I grabbed the smoke from his hand and put it out when I reached them.

"Are you alright!?" I asked.

"I'm fine" he said as I wiped the soot off his face.

We than looked as Dally was pushed past us.

"If you ever pull a stunt like that again I'll kill you"

Ponyboy looked up at me and I shrugged. "He wouldn't really"

I sighed and turned to see Sodapop appear as I began to feel weak.

"Ponyboy!" he cried and Ponyboy rushed forward.

"We were so worried!" he said grabbing his younger brother and hugging him. Darry than came 'round the corner.

I decided to go see Dally; it was a private moment between the brothers.

"Miss. You can't see him" a nurse had intercepted me as I was about to enter his room where he was yelling at the doctor.

"Let her in!" Dally yelled sitting up.

The nurse looked at the doctor who nodded and she stepped aside.

"Can you please tell your boyfriend that we have to examine him" the doctor told me as I walked in.

"Examine this" Dally smirked and flipped him the bird.

"Just let them look at you so you can get outta here" I told him stopping beside his bed and taking his hand. "Please?"

He smirked. "Fine. But once this is done I'm goin' home"

"We're going to have to keep you over night".

Before he could open his mouth I squeezed his hand. "Just think of what Johnny has to go through". And this immediately shut him up.

After the doctor left I pulled a chair up to the bed and took his hand again.

"So did you see him yet?" he asked.

I shook my head and quickly wiped the tears away.

"He's tuff. He'll be fine. Where's Ponyboy?"

"Sodapop and Darry took him home I think"

He only nodded. "Guess my old man ain't out there"

"Who cares. I'm here with you" and I leaned forward and kissed him on the forehead.

"I love ya kid" he murmured wrapping both arms around my waist and pulling me down so are noses were just touching.

"Hey Dally?"

"Yeah?" he replied closing his eyes as I brushed my thumb across his lips.

"Did you really mean what you said to Two-Bit on Tuesday?"

His eyes remained closed. "About what?"

"Proposing to me?"

His eyes slowly fluttered open. "'Course I did. You're the only girl worthy enough to have the last name of Winston"

"I'm the only girl that has put up with you" I smiled and he smiled too than kissed me.

"After this rumbles over with and we get things sorted out with Johnny I'm goin' to buy you a ring. I might even get a job workin' with Bucks horses and than will buy a house, a nice house with a workin' white fence and where the roof don't leak" he said.

I nodded, I could picture it. "And a dog, named Rover or Bingo"

"No I was thinkin' Bonecrusher or Soc Killer"

"We can't name our dog that! Especially not when we're goin' to have kids"

"You want kids?" Dally asked entwining are fingers.

I nodded. "Yes. But raise them differently than how we were brought up. I want to give them the best damn life imaginable. I want to be a good mom"

"You'll be a perfect mom. Say if you could have any job what would it be?" he asked.

I didn't have to think about it, "a nurse".

"I figured, you're pretty handy with a needle"

"I was already lookin' into it. They offer training here, and than you have to take a written test, the people with the top marks are than offered a job"

"Go for it kid. Will get married after you get the job".

I smiled. Life couldn't get any better, except spending the rest of it with Dallas.

An hour later the doctor came in and told me I had to leave.

"I'll see you tomorrow" I told him kissing his forehead.

"I won't be here tomorrow, remember the rumble?"

"Oh right. Well I'll see you after you kick the Soc's asses"

Dally smirked. "That's my girl. I love you"

I felt like my heart was going to burst. He wasn't lying or joking, he meant it. "I love you too, with all my heart".

I called Two-Bit to come and pick me up after I left Dallys room. He came swerving down the street in his hunk of junk, a beer in his hand.

"Move over I'm drivin" and he did as he was told.

"You're in a pretty good mood" he commented as I hummed Hound Dog with the radio.

"I am in a pretty good mood" my eyes glistened, everything just felt perfect.

"Why's that?"

"Dally's going to ask me to marry him after everything gets settled"

"Well congratulations, I always knew it would happen. You and Dally are meant to be together" he slapped me on the back.

"Oh Two-Bit I love him so much, I can't imagine not being with him"

He nodded. "He feels the same way".

After I pulled up to my house and said good-bye to Two-Bit I rushed upstairs and collapsed onto my bed. The sooner I fell asleep the faster tomorrow would come and the rumble would be over and we could get on with our lives.

I've decided that I'm not going to upload the sequel right away because I've started working on another Outsiders fanfic about Dallas & Tim Shepard and another Oc I've created. It's called Sympathy For The Devil and I'd love if you guys could check it out.

Anyways the last chapter will be posted soon for this story when I get some lovely reviews.

Love Ya's!

-POLY