A/N: So we're nearing the end of the story, and I'm running outta juice a little bit. I'm planning on ending it the last time we see Dally in the book/movie but I dunno, I wanna see what you guys think! More reviews = more updates so keep 'em coming! WARNING: Some intense language. 13+, unless you're a rebel like Dally.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Outsiders, because if I did, I would give both Johnny and Dally each another person to love.

Dally's POV

I woke up on a stretcher, being hauled down the long hallways of the hospital. Someone was ahead of me, either Johnny or Ponyboy, and my arm stung like a bee. I looked up and saw Ponyboy smoking a cigarette with that fatass guy from the church, and I made a conclusion that it was Johnny being hauled into the emergency room before me. I looked up at Ponyboy as I was wheeled by him and pointed my finger. "You ever pull a stunt like that again and I'll kill you!" I said, being whisked into some room. I couldn't help but think about Johnny, the poor kid. At least I was still like myself, threatening to kill Pony and all.

The nurses transferred me from stretcher to bed and said the doctor would be with me in a few seconds. A nurse with curly reddish-brown hair accompanied me. My bed was one of those ones that move up and down with a push of a button. Of course, I had to try it out. Up, down. Up, down. Up, down. The nurse was annoyed. "Would you please stop?" she begged, but I, being myself, didn't. I stared her straight in the eyes and kept pushing, for about five more minutes until my arm got tired.

The doc finally came in to check on me, man, I've been waiting forever with this prissy nurse. "Hello, Mr. Winston. From the looks of things, you're going to be alright." I shrugged, but it burned a little.

"What took so long, man? I've been waiting forever!" The doc took my arm, and applied some ointment onto my burns, then lifted up the covers. No doc I just met is looking down there. Hell no. I pushed the covers down. "What the Hell, man? What are you doing?"

The doctor had a hence of awkwardness in his tone, when he said, "I am checking for burns below your waist." I went berserk, man.

"It's called asking, man! I could've told you I had no burns down there, just on my arms! I don't like men trying to look at my dick and shit!" That nurse who hates my guts rolled her eyes, and left the room. Broads, man.

The doc finished applying ointment and bandaged my arms. "Take these off in three days, and your burns should heal soothingly. Stay out of fires, Mr. Winston." What a wiseass. "Yeah, unless I'm saving my buddy." He walked out, and guess who walks in next. Sodapop. When I see this guy's face, all I'm thinking is fuck. I guess he would've been proven right someday, huh. He seems a little angry, then notices I'm hurt. Sucker, it's not even bad.

"I knew you knew where they were, Dal. You didn't fool me." He gave a little smile.

"You got me, Sodapop," I replied in my heavy New York accent. "They didn't want anyone to know. Forgive me, will ya?"

He walked over to me and rustled up my hair. "Of course, Dally, but if you ever pull something like that again, I'll skin you. You gonna be able to make it to the rumble tomorrow night?"

The rumble. Oh shit, I forgot. "Don't worry, man. I ain't missin' it." He smiled and headed out the door, but I caught him just in time.

"Oh, wait, Soda," he turned around, curiosity taking a chance. "How's Rowan doin', man? She doin' alright?" He just smiled at me, probably thinking about some love crap in his head. Kids. Even if he is only one year younger. "She's doing just fine, Dal. She wanted to come but it was family only, that's what Dare was told."

Goddamnit. "You guys, you guys are softies. Why couldn't you say she was related to Johnny or something, huh? I need to see her." Soda smiled at me. "You like her, I know it." I was gonna interrupt the kid but he kept talking. "And I knew you knew where my brother and Johnny were, so I'm pretty sure I'm right about this. Me, Dare, Steve and Two-Bit were kinda ragging on you man. Saying you'd be a bad influence on her, but she kept defending you. She's a keeper, don't forget it."

I smiled inside, but remained expressionless on the outside. "Send her to me tomorrow, will ya?" I told him. He nodded and saluted. "See you at the rumble, Dally."

My own buddies were killing my chances with this little broad, and Rowan defends me. She is a keeper, I guess. I started moving the bed up and down, and that nurse came in, and rolled her eyes.

"Here's your gown, Dallas," she said handing me some shit clothes.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. I'd get rid of it later. I would rather lie here naked.

Rowan's POV

I watched Darry carry Ponyboy into his bed, and I wished I could talk to the kid. He was a grade A badass now, and I wanted to ask him about it.

"Hey Dare, I told my Dad I'm spending the night, so uh, I'm kinda spending the night," I said, jumping on Darry's back.

"Alright with me, little buddy," he told me. I got comfortable on the couch and Soda came over and sits next to me.

"Hey Row, I talked to Dal at the hospital," he uttered, a hint of tease in his tone.

"How's he doing, is he alright?" I asked, really concerned at this point.

"He's actually pretty lucky, Johnny's the one left off pretty bad, and I think Dally likes you, girl." Oh, Soda. I loved when he acted like this.

"What are you, a third grader?"

He snickered and continued. "I told him how you defended us while we were bagging on him, but typical Dally, no emotion on his face."

I smiled and played with my hair, the way I do when I'm scared to admit something, and Soda's eyes went wide. "I knew it, I just knew it! You love Dally! You're in love with Dally!"

This time, I didn't deny it, or question it, or change the topic. I just took in what Pepsi-Cola had just said and thought about Dally. How I met him in prison, and how we reunited on Sunday. How we drove around, and I took those silly pictures of him. How we scared off those Socs, and he needed my company in bed, but in the sweetest way. How he told me to pretend to be a hitchhiker, so I don't get mixed up in any police trouble. How he wanted me to come with him to Windrixville, but I denied it because I didn't wanna get in trouble, when he was the definition of trouble. How he called me early in the morning just to hear my voice. How he always had my back no matter what, and I always had his, no matter what. I realized, that Wednesday night in Tulsa, with Sodapop, that I, truly in my heart was in love with an attractive, experienced, bad boy. A boy who was rude to most broads, but treated me differently. Who I considered my friend, and I could tell him just anything. A hood with a long police record and is nothing but a menace to most, but so much more to me.

I was in love with Dallas Winston.