A/N: Okay guys, this chapter, and probably throughout the rest of the story, will include some quotes from the actual book/movie, and possibly some hints on why events happened. Enjoy!

Dally's POV

"What'd you say? What'd you say, you little shit? What'd you say to me? Wise ass." Looks like Johnny's growing up, seeing he stuck up to me for that redheaded Soc girl. Whatever. I needed to go anyways, it was seven-forty-five and I was gonna stop by Darry's. I pulled in on their lawn, making dirt piles as I jammed the breaks.

"What the hell, Dally?" Darry called out the window. I laughed and slammed the car door.

"You got any beer, Superman?" I asked. "I'm goin' to Buck's with that new broad."

Darry set down a dumbbell. He must've been working out. "In the 'fridge."

I opened the door with a cigarette hanging out of my mouth and took out a six-pack. "You know little Johnnycake told me to lay off when I was teasin' this cute Soc girl. I don't want that kid changin', man, he's a good kid. Nice and innocent. I don't want him to be tough and hardened like me, y'know."

Darry nodded. "Johnny is a good kid." His eyes were intently focused on his weights. "Just make sure you don't get caught drinkin' again, Dally. If the fuzz comes near ya, get rid of the booze."

I laughed. "You're funny, Dar. I don't give a fuck if the police catch me." I put out my smoke and made a smoke circle.

Darry looked at me, putting his dumbbell down. "C'mon Dally. Your Pop will be worried 'bout you."

I set down the case of beers and looked at Darry, shock taking over my gaze. "You think my old man cares about what I do? You think he cares that I've been in and out of jail since I was ten? You think he cares that I've spent the night in a different house every night this week, none of them being his. I don't give a shit if I'm in jail, and neither does he. Don't be stupid."

Darrel said nothing and worked at his biceps again.

"Alright, thanks for the beer, Dar. See you tomorrow." I went out the door with the beer in my hand. My car clock read eight o' nine. Whatever. Dallas Winston is always late. I turned the key in the ignition, and held down break and gas. The only you could hear was my car tires in the night. Speeding down the street with the top down, the wind blew my hair back. I looked sexy. My car skidded to a halt as I hit the break late. I was at Rowan's house.

Feeling confident, I did a little walk-dance up to her steps and knocked on the door. But she didn't answer it.

"What the hell is Dallas Winston doing at my house?" John Bishop, my old cell mate. "Come on, Bishop," I reassured him. "You know you loved me." Damn, that took guts. If it hadn't been Rowan's father, I would've given the nastiest, dirtiest retort but I held back. For Rowan. What the Hell's going on? That's no Dallas Winston. My thoughts occupied the two seconds it took for Rowan to come to the doorway. She looked so cute with her eye makeup on, standing between me and her father.

"Don't worry, Daddy. We're going over Ponyboy's house to have a sleepover. Evie and Sylvia will be there, right Dal?

She pinched me, giving me the signal to go along with it. I nodded. "Don't worry Mr. Bishop, I'll make sure there's no trouble. I held my hand up to shake his.

John narrowed his eyes and reluctantly shook mine. "Just stay out of trouble on your own first, Winston," he said, kissing his daughter goodbye and retreating to his home.

"Damn, Rowan. That's a side of you I didn't know 'bout." I lifted the girl onto my back- piggyback rides were sort of our thing now. Besides, it don't matter to me, she's petite and light, but strong. I feel like I can tell her anything, but I deny it. I don't need anybody. I'm perfectly capable of survival on my own.

Rowan grasped my neck as I guided her into the passenger seat. "Being raised in Boston, my old man didn't let me do shit. I had to lie nearly every day of my life to go somewhere.

I smiled with a cigarette in my teeth. "I like it," I said, words sounding muffled. I removed my leather jacket and shirt and drove to Buck's shirtless.

"Well look at you with the sexy abs," Rowan told me. "Planning to get lucky?" She applied lipstick to her lips in the mirror.

I looked at her and lifted my eyebrows twice. "Well that depends. You feelin' lucky tonight, baby?"

Rowan laughed in my face. She knew I was joking. "Fuck off, Winston. But I will be staying close. Unless there is a Darry there. Then I'll go mingle!"

"Hey, I find myself better looking than Darry," I retorted looking at her while I drove. "Look, no hands!" I showed off with that trick she taught me.

"I did that trick better. And fine, I'll give you that. You are one of the hottest guys I've ever met." She put on my leather jacket over her light shirt. "Damn, it's cold out."

"Well why didn't you bring a coat, stupid. You're just like Ponyboy at that movie today."

"Because I would've taken your jacket anyways, Mr. Six-Pack." She playfully slugged me in my right arm. It's not every day you find a friend like Rowan. She's so funny, and cute and I think I'm ready to rant about my life to her. I have Johnny, but I like knowing I have someone else. At least, I think I do.

"Hey, uh, I brought the beer, it's in the back. Buck's always complainin' about how I drink all of his."

Rowan smiled and bit her tongue between her teeth. "Bring on the booze, Dally!"

Johnny came to mind, and I decided to tell Row about what happened earlier. "So uh, I was at the movie earlier, right man, and Johnny tells me to lay off this redhead Soc girl."

Rowan was twisting her curly hair around her finger. "Maybe he's sick and tired of you being a little bitch all the time," she teased.

I shook my head while smiling. "This broad acted like she hated me. She told me to go to Hell and threw the coke I bought for her all over me."

"No wonder your jacket smells all coke-y," she retorted sniffing it but cuddling deeper inside it. It was so big on her. Sorta cute.

"I think she might like me a little. Her name's like Cherry or somethin'," I took out my last smoke before the party.

Rowan jumped in her seat. "Cherry Valance? The redheaded cheerleader bitch at school? You like her? She thinks she's so cool with that dorky Bob character."

I gave my famous laugh and looked at her briefly before returning my eyeballs to the road. "Somebody sounds jealous, don't they?"

Rowan just placed he forehead in her palm and gave out a sigh-laugh. "Please, Dally. I'm not jealous."

I pulled into Buck's yard and lifted the lady out of my car. We ran up to Buck's door and he answered.

"What's goin' on, Dal?" Buck asked. "Same old, same old. Meet Rowan." Rowan waved. "Hey," she managed to say.

"You Dally's lady-friend?" Buck asked. Rowan seemed to get a kick out of this. "Oh, he wishes." She ran past Buck and into the party. I followed her. Smoke was everywhere.

"Toss me a beer, Dally," Rowan called out. I winked. "Starting early, are we?" She gave me the hand. "Please, Dal."

We sat down on Buck's couch where some guys were playing poker. I put my feet up on the table and smoked in front of their faces.

"Come on, man!"

"Quit it, asshole!"

"Wise guy, eh?"

Their replies encouraged me. I flipped their table and cards and chips went flying. I managed to scrabble up a few bucks as well.

"What the hell is your fucking problem?" said a guy with a shaved head.

I ignored them and continued to smoke when Tim Shepard walked into the room.

"Who's that?" Rowan asked me, eyeing Shepard. She seemed to have dug the whole table-flip scene. I knew she did.

"Tim Shepard, leader of the Shepard gang. Be lucky you met us first, because his gang sucks dick. They're strict and organized and they're like school. Blaaah."

Rowan giggled and took a sip of beer. Tim Shepard came over to us.

"Dally, I know you slashed my tires." His icy gaze stared into my soul.

I shrugged and looked around. "So what if I did? What're you gonna do 'bout it, punk."

Tim Shepard pulled me up by my chest skin and punched me across the face. "Oh, so you're lookin' for a fight, Shepard? Deal." I socked him right in his nose and I think it broke for a third time. Dizzily, he tried to get up to slap me, or hit me or somethin', but I lifted him on to my shoulders and slammed him through a table.

"Go home, Shepard." Rowan looked at me, her facial expression looked impressed. "I think you knocked 'im out, Dal." She put her hand up for a high five and I decided to go with a headlock.

So, we spent the rest of the night having a good time when Buck comes up to me. Right before I was gonna go to sleep. "It's Ponyboy and Johnny, they need you." I shook my head, not believin' him. "Go see for yourself."

Rowan looked confused too so I sent her upstairs. "Go to Buck's room, you'll know it when you see it." She nodded and went up there, waiting for me.

I go to the door and there are these two kids, shivering and looking spooked.

"What do you guys want?"

They were silent for a moment, until Ponyboy broke the ice. "Johnny killed a Soc."

Now that was shocking. I could barely believe it. "What? Alright. Good for you. Let's go."

Johnny was shaking. "Well I figured you could get us out if anyone could, Dal. I- I'm sorry I got you away from this party and all but I just don't know what to do, man."

I couldn't turn Johnny away. He needs me right now. There was no chance in Hell, I would let him get locked up in the cooler. He could end up like me, and I don't wanna see that happen to Johnny.

"Nah. I was just uh... I was just trying to get some sleep. I got in a fight with Shepard tonight. Wait a minute. Let me think about this mess. Get in." I pulled them into the party and got moisture on my hands. "Rowan's upstairs, and-…Ponyboy are you wet?"

The kid nodded. Something bad must've happened to them tonight. Ponyboy started walking into Buck's smoke-room. Idiot kid. I yanked him outta there. "Hey, hey, hey, Pony, c'mon man. You'll die of pneumonia for the cops ever get to ya!"

I took the kids into Buck's room where Rowan was waiting. She put her arms around Johnny to keep him warm as I gave Ponyboy one of Buck's shirts. "It's big but it's warm."

And here these kids are in Buck's room with me and my friend, asking me to help them with a murder. I knew what I had to do. I couldn't hide them or have them stick around. I needed to get them the Hell out of there.