A/N: Thanks for the reviews and the followers I've gotten! It's made me feel great! Please enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: Nope. Still don't own the Outsiders.

I walked into the house, flustered. I just couldn't understand why Dally was so upset. He acts as if he's never seen anyone else get beat. The guys rushed to a seat, acting as if they hadn't been eavesdropping.

"I know y'all were listening. I saw Two-Bit's face."

"Dammit. Oh well." Two-Bit went to get another beer.

"Lanie, you know he's only looking out for you. You're basically our sister. We know you'd do the same." Darry was extremely convincing, but that didn't help me feel any better.

"He's acting as if I'm a fragile little girl! Attacking my brother won't do anything but make things worse, Darry!"

"Lanie, your folks and your brother beat you. What more can they do to you? You've got our protection, you shouldn't be worrying at all. Dally's just being himself."

"Yeah Lanie, that's just how he is. You should know by now that he loves to fight. Hell, we all do. But don't go stoppin' him or anyone else from fighting. He's fightin' for you. We'd all be there, but we know that Dally's gonna beat the shit out of your brother, so we don't needa be there." Steve chimed in.

"Steve's right, Lanie. Just calm down and wait for him to come back." Soda walked to me and pulled me into a hug. "Everything's gonna be just fine."

I still didn't feel convinced, but I was too tired and too sore to argue back.
"I'm gonna get some rest. See y'all later." I went into the room I was staying in, and fell right asleep.

Dally trudged through the falling snow, trying to remember how to get to Lanie's house. The snow and his frustration angered him even more. He was ready to explode, and fighting Brock would be a great way to vent his anger. But, he had to figure out how to get there first. And he couldn't remember at all.

Lanie was part of the reason that he couldn't remember. All of his attention was on her when they were in the car.

XXX

"Christ, Lanie. You okay?" Soda had said. Lanie was on the ground, crying. I'd never seen her cry before. It was unnerving. Usually, she was tough and could hold her own in a fight, but she just couldn't when she fought with Brock. The way she looked when he was about to hit her again, it haunted him. Lanie never showed her fear, but the fear in her eyes was raw and real.

The guys helped her into the back of Steve's car. Lanie just laid there, not responding to anyone.

"I'll sit with Lanie." Soda had said. He moved to go sit.

"Naw, it's good. I'll sit with her." I countered.

"No, it's okay, Dally. I'm good sitting in the back. Wouldn't want to take your normal seat." Soda said with a bite in his voice.

"The fuck? I don't have a 'normal seat'. I'm fine sitting in the back." I told him with the same amount of bite.

"What the hell is your problem, Dally?"

"My problem? I ain't got a fucking problem. I'm sitting in the back and that's it."

Steve looked at us weirdly. I wanted to slap the look off his face. I got in the back after that, putting Lanie's head in my lap.

"Dally?" Lanie sounded strangled, but I think that was because she was still crying.

"Yeah?"

"Please don't fight over me. It's not worth it." She said that with a tone of finality. I didn't know what to say, so I just sat there. After that, I tried to get her to talk or even laugh, but she didn't do anything. And it killed me inside.

XXX

Dally somehow made it to the street Lanie's house was on. All he remembered was a house with a big front yard and a huge oak tree. There it is. He grabbed a stray glass bottle from the side of the road, and started towards the Carter house. Boy, was he ready.

He didn't bother knocking on the door, so he just barged in.

"CARTER!" He yelled at the top of his lungs. He ran through the house, looking through every room. At last, he found Brock, sprawled on his bed. Brock just laid there, looking at Dally.

"Well?" Brock asked. Dally rolled his eyes.

"What were you thinking, huh? Beating around on a hundred-pound girl, your own sister. Bet you feel real good, huh?"

"Dumb bitch got what she deserved." He said that as if it was okay to call his own sister a bitch. Dally stomped over and grabbed Brock by the shirt.

"She didn't deserve that at all, you sick bastard."Dally punched him square in the nose, sending a rush of blood . Brock then punched Dally in the stomach, making him double over. After that, a full-on fight ensued, arms flying everywhere. Dally sent punch after punch, always hitting their target. Brock was no match for him, getting beat easily. He fell to the ground, panting. Dally thought he had won. He started walking away, but Brock then attacked him from behind. Dally fell, and they started brawling on the ground. Brock finally had power in his punches. Dally pulled out the bottle, and hit Brock right on his head. Blood started oozing out, and Brock was out cold.

Dally looked at him. Brock had a black eye, a broken nose, tons of bruises, and a cut from the bottle. Still, Dally felt that he didn't get what he deserved. He deserves to die. He fucking deserves to burn in hell for what he did.

Dally left the house and started towards the Curtis's, with his rage diminished but not gone.

"I hope Dal whooped his ass." Steve grumbled. They were playing cards again, trying to lighten the mood. Steve was losing, by a lot. "You know what? Let's play somethin' else."

"Tired of gettin' beat, Mr. Randle?" Soda smirked at him. They decided to play Gin Rummy. Soda started shuffling the deck, years of practice making him look like an expert. In the middle of his fancy shuffling, Dally burst through the door, causing the deck of cards to fly everywhere.

"Sick bastard won't lay another finger on her." He looked murderous still.

"Got him good, Dal?" Steve asked. He was upset about the whole situation, but he didn't understand why it so important. He and Johnny got beat too, and no one went and defended them. Steve felt guilty for thinking that, but he couldn't help but feel a twinge of jealousy.

"Got him real fucking good. He got me a few times, but he had no power at all." He smirked his usual smirk and lit a cigarette. Soda rolled his eyes.

"That's what you say about everyone, Dally."

"I know."

"So... What was with y'all earlier?" Steve asked.

"What do ya mean, Randle?" Dally knew exactly what he was talking about. The argument.

"Well, y'all were arguing about sittin' with Lanie in the back."

"It was nothing, Stevie. Nothin' at all." Soda said. He had a faint blush, and that was enough to set Dally into teasing mode.

"Aww. Sodiepop gots a crush on Lanie." Dally teased. Soda blushed even more.

"Yeah, so? How could I not?" Soda countered. Dally felt weird inside.

"Ha. Yeah. Well, I gotta go. Gotta see Sylvia." Dally got up and left, leaving Soda and Steve with questioning looks on their faces.

Dally felt really weird. As soon as Soda admitted he liked Lanie, Dally felt that tightening again. He ran his mind through all of the things it could mean, but he only realized one thing.

He liked Lanie too, and that was gonna be a problem.