(I am so sorry for my absence. I hope you all forgive me and give this a read. I have had a lot of things happen in my personal life. One of which being a new job, that takes most of my time. I missed this story and I hope to write more often now that things have settled down a little. Please read and review my friends. Thank you.)

The Struggle

We walked back toward the Dingo. I was nervous. I felt like he was letting me in, and I was afraid he would stop.

"Are you thirsty?" He asked me. "I can get you something at the Dingo."

I shake my head. "No I am okay."

He laughs and puts his arm around my shoulders. "You are a stubborn girl."

I smiled. "What? I ate for you earlier."

He rolled his eyes but smiled. "Yeah I guess you did."

We smiled at each other and I cuddled closer to him.

"Hey Dally!?" A man's voice yelled behind us. We both turned to find Tim Shepard.

"I know you slashed my tires." He looked at Dally.

"Tim I'm not in the mood for this." Dally pushed me behind him.

"You think that will save her?" He chuckled at Dally.

"Tim just lay off. You know she lives with Darry now. Do you really want to make him mad?"

"You think he would be happy with her slumming it with you?" He smiled.

"You don't know what you are talking about Tim." I yelled at him and moved around Dally.

Dally stopped me and pulled me back behind him. "Stop Elizabeth! Let me handle this."

I stayed behind him, but I wasn't happy about it. Tim was making me mad and I wanted to hit him.

"Awww you care for her." Tim chuckled. "Never thought I would see that Dally."

"Lay off Tim." Dally stepped forward. "You need to walk away."

"I'm not scared of you Dally." Tim smiled and walked forward.

"The feeling is mutual." Dally said also walking forward.

Tim took a swing at him, but Dally dodged it. Dally punched him in the jaw. Tim staggered, but moved forward and punched Dally in the stomach.

"Stop it." I yelled. I ran forward and tried to push them apart. Tim shoved me to the ground and Dally tackled him. They fought on the ground next to me. I shuffled back from them and watched. I was scared for Dally. I knew he was tough, but Tim was mean. He was dangerous. Maybe Dally was too, but I knew another side to him.

Dally eventually knocked him out. He stood and looked at me.

"Liz?" He walked over and helped me up. "Are you okay?"

I felt like I couldn't talk. I guess it was the shock. I nodded up at him.

He looked me over making sure I was okay. "Liz I'm sorry about this."

I looked up at his face and see a black eye and a fat lip forming. "It…it wasn't your fault…"

He started guiding me away from Tim and toward home. "Yes, Liz it is."

"Dally he started the fight."

I watched him. His jaw was clinched and his eyes were focused ahead. "Liz, drop it."

I looked down and moved ahead of him. "I can walk myself home Dally." I felt rejected somehow. He was pushing me away again.

He grabbed my arm and turned me to look at him.

"Liz, you don't understand."

"I don't understand what?"

"You shouldn't be around me. I'm a bad influence. Tim could have had a knife on him. He could have hurt you."

He turned me back around to guide me in the direction of my house again. "Let's just get you home." He sounded defeated.

"Dally….you didn't start that fight and you protected me. You have nothing to feel bad about."

My house was coming up fast.

"Elizabeth it's just better if you don't hang with me."

I didn't say anything to him after that. There was no talking to him right now. I could feel his walls closing me out. We reached my house and Darry met us there.

"Dally what happened?" He looked me over and then looked sternly at Dally. "Dallas did you get in a fight with Liz with you?"

"Darry it wasn't his fault…."

Dally interrupted me. "Yeah I did. Tim wanted a fight."

Darry pushed me into the house. "And you didn't think about Liz being with you?" He was mad. "And where is Pony? And Johnny?"

"They are with Two Bit." He looked over at me and then back at Darry. "I'm sorry about Liz being with me."

I turned and walked away. I heard Dally apologize again and Darry dare him not to let it happen again.

I walked into my room and curled up on the bed. Dally pushed me away because I wasn't like him. Will I always be a Soc in his eyes?

I heard a knock on my doorframe. I rolled over and saw Darry standing there.

"You want to tell me what happened?"

I shook my head. He sat next to me on the bed. "Let me rephrase that. Tell me what happened tonight."

He wasn't mad, but he was stern and I knew better then to test him.

"Dally was walking me home and Tim found us. He wanted to fight Dally for slashing his tires. I don't think Dally slashed them…..but….I don't know that he didn't…."

Darry nodded. "And why was he walking you home? Why did you leave the drive in?"

"He made a girl mad and I just wanted to leave…"

I didn't know if Darry could tell I was holding something back, but he didn't pursue it.

"Just be careful around Dally. I would rather you not be around him alone. He has a lot of enemies."

I nod and look down.

"Come on Lizzie dinner is on the table."

"I already ate." I told him. It had been awhile, but I didn't feel like eating.

Darry nodded and started walking out. "Okay sweetheart. You are safe now. Just rest."

He thought I was shook up about the fight. I guess I was a little, but I was mostly upset because of how Dally was treating me.

I woke a few hours later to yelling. I looked at my lock. It was 2am.

"Where were you Ponyboy!" I could hear Darry yell.

I got up and made my way to the living room. As I walked into view I saw Darry slap Pony across his face. I froze. We all froze. Darry hit Pony. He hit him.

Pony took off and ran down the block.

"I didn't mean to Pony!" Darry yelled after him, but Pony was gone.

Soda looked over at me. Darry followed his eyes and looked at me, then back at Soda. He looked so sad.

"I didn't mean to." He grabbed his coat. "You two stay here in case he comes back. I'll go to two bits. He may have went there….."

He didn't look at us after that. He just put his coat on and headed out to find Pony.