A/N: Merry Christmas everyone! Hope it's granddd. Guess whose awesome parents got her a car. ;)

Disclaimer: Don't own Outsiders. Don't own We Don't Have to Look Back Now.

I'm so much like you, restless and reckless, I need a clue. So show me a sign, I feel like making a move. Real geographic, a change in mood. We'll let go of everything we know.

"That it?" Ronnie asked a smirk on his face. "Good job, Dal."

Dally took a strong step forward. "Kid, I swear-"

"Dally," I pulled on his arm, making him step back, "just stop. We're all sick and tired of it. Of each other."

Emily moved from the ground and slowly made her way over to Ronnie. She stood behind him, debating if she should do the same thing to him. Try and calm him down. Be that type of girl or be the type to let him go.

Pony walked up to my side. "Yeah, Dal. Let's just go somewhere. Me you and Dan."

The stare between them didn't break. Dally snarled at Ronnie, "I did everything for you!"

Foam was forming on the corners of Ronnie's mouth. He was the one who was fishing for a fight here. "You didn't do shit and you know it! You bailed out the first chance you got and then the moment I get here, you do it again!"

"Shut. Up."

Ronnie copped a smile. "Why? What does it matter anyway? Everyone in Tulsa thinks you're the big bad guy. Killin' guys left and right. Look out, its Winston headin' our way!"

"Ronnie, just shut the fuck up!" I stepped in, trying to end it all. "We all know what you did. Stop trying to act like the good guy here!"

He turned his attention to me as did Emily. "What I did?"

"Curtis," Dally growled.

"You think we all don't know about you and her's little pit stop before you took off?" I asked. "Let's just kill a flower shop guy for the heck of it? Are ya'll retarded or something?"

Emily's mouth flew open and her face turned red with rage. "We didn't do anything! We would never-"

Ronnie cut her off. He laughed at the thought. There was no rage or anger anywhere in his face. He turned and looked at Dally, continuing to laugh. "You hearing this?"

He looked down at me. "Didn't I tell you to keep your trap shut?"

I let go of him, too angry to deal anymore, to be the peace maker in all this. "You've been on my case since we got here! Well I'm tired of keeping my trap shut. I'm sick of them acting all merry all the fucking time! They killed-"

"We didn't kill anyone!" Emily yelled, exchanging a look with Ronnie. "We didn't!"

I raised my eyebrows. "So it was just a coincidence that happened moments after you left? That around the same time he gets here Sam dies! That his car looks like it's been through a blender to top it all off? You're not that stupid, Emily."

Her grip on the guy she once knew broke. It was clicking. It takes time for things to click for some people. Emily's one of them but now, now she's getting it. We're all getting it.

"You-"

Ronnie smirked at me. His eyes were turning gray. A haunting familiar gray. "You know it all, don'tcha?"

I tightened my grip on Dally. "I know what's in front of my face."

Ronnie didn't stop laughing as he looked at Dally again. "You're girl's got some balls, Winston. Thought you liked the no brain big boobs kinda gal. What happened?"

Dally didn't see the humor in this. He had stopped seeing the humor in all of this.

"Don't change the subject," I barked. "We're all here. I think we're all lookin' for your truth. You like that kinda stuff don't ya? That's what apparently you've been whining about all this time?"

He's eyes slowly turned their gaze on me. His eyes were cold and angry while his lips were smooth and smiling. "And you think he tells you the truth?" He pointed to Dally.

Dally didn't speak. He didn't move.

"This isn't about him," I said. "You're in the electric chair, bud."

His eyes moved back to Dally. He always gave him a different look than he did the rest of us. He looked at him differently. "She doesn't have a clue does she?"

"Just answer some questions," Ponyboy chimed in for the first time.

Ronnie paid him no mind. "Man, you're tougher than I thought, Dal."

"You're a chicken," I spat, pulling his attention back to where it should be. "You're a scared little boy. I know why you're doing all of this. You want to show everyone you're like your big brother when really you're just a scared little boy."

His head snapped to my direction. His smile vanished. "What'd you say to me?"

The hand I was latching onto went around my shoulder and pulled me into Dally. He put his other hand up as a barer between us. "You need to check yourself, kid!"

"Oh you're the tough guy now!" I stepped forward, too mad to care. "One minute you're just a sweet pretty boy, the next you're a killer, the next your Mr. Perfect, the next your Mr. Tough guy. Pick one Ronnie!"

Dally tightened his grip around me and squeezed my shoulder. "Hush, would ya?" He turned to Ronnie. "Just get out of here!"

His face had fallen a little. His big bad stature had fallen to the ground. "You're one hell of a man, Dallas."

"Get out of here!"

He didn't move. He didn't flinch. "I didn't kill anyone," he said calmly. "I've never...I didn't do it."

"Sure you didn't," I hissed.

Ronnie ignored me, focusing all his attention on Dally. "You know, I remember that day. I remember it clear as day."

"What?" Dally grunted.

Ronnie's smile didn't come back as he finished his story. The story all of us needed to hear. The story all of us had been wondering about. "You just walked out the door. What were your words again? 'Hope you all like fire and hell. There's going to be lots of it.' That was your good bye. Nothing else. You just slammed the door."

Dally's stance loosened and so did his grip. He chuckled loosely. "Pops told me to get my shit and hit the door. What can I say? I always followed Daddy's orders. I was a good little soldier."

"You're the one that never came back. Never called," Ronnie went on. "You didn't care, Dallas."

Dally grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Kid-"

The anger came back. "You didn't care what happened to me!" Ronnie shouted. "You didn't care what would become of me! You just walked out that goddamn door and never showed your face again. Then when I see you again for the first time in years you-"

"Don't!" Dally's voice pierced.

Ronnie laughed loosely and threw his hands up. "Why not let all the secrets out? Why don't you tell Danni what happened to your mom?"

Dally let go of me and stomped towards Ronnie. He harshly poked his chest with his finger. "If you know what's good for you, you'd zip it, now!"

"You left me with that!" Tears for the first time, were starting to show. "You left me alone with him! You're a cold heartless bastard, Dallas. A cold bastard!"

Dally pushed by him and marched for the door, slamming it and causing everyone to flinch. I looked at Ronnie who just stared at the open doors. I shook my head and ran out after Dally.

"Dal!" He was walking now, tearing off loose limbs off tress and breaking them over his knees in an angry fit. "Dally."

He tore off another limb and broke it. "Go back in there, Curtis!"

"Not without you." He stopped his fit and picked some leaves off a branch he'd jerked off a tree. "What happened back there?"

"Nothin'. Just forget it, Curtis," he mumbled.

I took a small step forward. "Come on, just talk to me! I wanna know alright? What happened between you two, Dally? What is he talking about?"

He didn't turn around. He just kept pulling off leaves. He looked up at the sky and chuckled coldly. "Fuckin' kid."

"Dally," I took another step, "what happened to your mom? What's he-"

He flashed around. "Just..." he thought for a minute, "just shut-up! Let it drop, Curtis."

I kept walking closer. "Just tell me, Dally. Please. You owe me that much."

He rubbed his head and took in a deep breath. "Kid wasn't like me." He snickered. "Kid was soft."

It was quiet. It was hardly ever that way in this house. Ronnie sat at the table, pencil in hand, and an open math book right in front of him. Kid was always studying something and going on about school and math and pointless stuff no one in this house cared about but try telling him that.

Dally walked by to the fridge and smirked. "It's Thursday kid. Let it go. What they gonna do? Paddle ya?"

Ronnie rolled his eyes. "Yeah they would. I just really gotta do this Dal."

Dally chugged the milk out of the carton. "Couple of licks won't hurt ya none." He laughed. "Mrs. Hall still there? Man she used to tan my ass every day." He smiled to himself. "Those were the days."

Ronnie ignored his idiot brother and went back to his work. Dallas would never understand. He was gone throughout most of the year now. Only came home to say howdy for a few days and then run back down to Oklahoma. He'd given up on this family. Ronnie was just the only one that noticed it.

"Boy, why you got a book up your ass all the time?"

"It's homework, Dad."

Greg sneered at his son. The great lord above had to give him a book loving pansy. "You ain't never gonna use that school shit in real life. I dropped out at fifteen and I'm doin' just fine and dandy!"

Ronnie ignored him and finished up a problem. He knew better than to talk back and tell him just how fine and dandy he was doing.

"I'm headin' out," Dallas announced, itching for the door.

Greg huffed. "You ain't been home for five fuckin' minutes and you're already out the fuckin' door." He whooped. "See Ron, that's what kind of man you're supposed to be. Not sittin' here with books up your ass."

Ronnie didn't even flinch. "He's not a man," he said matter-of-factly. "He's just a few years older than me."

Dally, who stood by the door, stared at his brother, signaling to him how much of an idiot he was. He couldn't keep his mouth shut for nothing.

Greg gently shut the fridge and rose up. He nonchalantly made his way over to his youngest son and leaned across the table. "What'd you just say?"

Ronnie's heart began to beat a little bit faster but he said just as casually, "He's just a few years older than me, Dad. So he's not really a man. He's not eighteen yet."

"You think eighteen makes you a man, kid?" His breath smelled like bacon and beer. Ronnie held back his gag and held his nose. "Say kid?"

"Come on, Pops." Dally laughed it off. "He's just a stupid kid. He don't know nothin' about being a man."

Greg got in closer near Ronnie's face. "Well maybe he should learn."

Ronnie swallowed but he didn't put his pencil down, still trying to avoid his father's eyes. That'd just feed him. He needed to just sit here and act like there was no problem and shut his mouth. He'd already said too much.

"Say Ronnie boy," his father cooed. "Want me and Dal to teach ya how to be a man?"

Ronnie saw Dally from the corner of his eye. His hand was on the door knob, just wanting to get out of here. Ronnie didn't see why he came anyway. No one wanted him except for Dad...and Dad was no one.

"What's going on in there?" a woman's shout filled the whole house. She was up. Her drugs had faded for a short while.

Greg rose up. "Rose, hush! I'm tryin' to make your pansy kid into a man since all you do is coddle the little bastard."

Ronnie bit his lip. He shouldn't talk to his mother that way. "I don't coddle him! He takes after your sorry ass!"

Greg's hand clinched the table and Ronnie held back a smartass smirk. "Fuck you! I pay the fucking bill around this hell hole. I never see you get off your fat ass for nothin' except to waddle on to the fridge!"

Ronnie's fist tightened around his pencil.

"Fuck you!"

Greg left his intimidating stance over Ronnie and stood straight up, ready to attack. "What'd you say to me?"

There was no answer back. Ronnie knew his mother wasn't a complete moron. She had sense enough to know when to shut-up. Sense enough to know when she lost a battle.

Greg looked back down at Ronnie. His anger was flashing in his shiny blue eyes. He took a strong step forward and knocked every book off the table, causing them to crumble on the floor.

Ronnie quietly sat back and looked at the now empty table.

Greg got in close again. "You're just like your momma. Always talkin' back to me. Don't know when to keep your smart trap shut."

"Sorry," Ronnie said quietly.

Greg leaned back up and smirked. The only noise Ronnie heard next was his father's belt being un-buckled and pulled out of the loops of his jeans. Ronnie held his breath.

"Stand up," he commanded.

Ronnie nervously held onto the edge of the table. "Dad I'm-"

"Stand up, kid," he said again.

Dally started to nervously crack up by the door. "Pops, come on. There ain't no hope there. You're just wasting your time."

Greg paid no mind to his oldest. "I'm waitin, Ron. Come on. I ain't got all day now. The games gonna be on in a few minutes and I'm lookin' forward to that babe singin' the anthem."

Ronnie's feet seemed to be locked to the floor as his legs started to shake. He hated his dad's beltings worse than anything. He tried to keep his mouth shut most of the time. And most of the time, his dad was a pretty okay guy. Just not this time.

Dally called out one more time, "Just go watch the game. I'll take care of the rugrat."

Greg folded the belt over. "The longer you wait, the longer it's gonna be, champ."

Ronnie bit his lip and tried to raise up. He breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth like the doctor always told him to do. That'd stop the attack.

"Boy if you don't get up by the count of three I swear you'll regret it."

Ronnie breathed in and out again. It was happening again.

"One..."

Breathe in, breathe out.

"Two..."

In and out.

"Three..."

Greg rose his belt up in the air and wacked Ronnie across the check with the metal end. Ronnie gasped and clutched his aching cheek and his breathing pattern stopped. It was happening.

He began to whiz. He doubled over and tried once again to recollect himself, but it was too late for that.

"Get up."

Ronnie whizzed and tried to put his head in-between his legs like the doctor also told him to do. It always seemed to help.

"One..."

Breathe. Just breathe.

"Come on boy! Two..."

Breathe.

"Thre-"

Before he could even finish there was a bang. Greg raised his belt up to thrash it down again but before he could, he was knocked into the wall, an arm pressing down against his neck to keep him locked there.

"One move and I'll break your neck!"

Ronnie didn't have a chance to look up and see the sight. He tried to calm himself and breathe in slowly and out slowly. He could hear what was going on better than if he could seeing it.

Greg started to snicker. "Look at Mr. Tough guy. Got ol' Pops nailed up against the wall, ey?"

Dally pressed on harder. He cracked a grin. "Guess you're gettin' old."

Greg smiled a cheesy smile. "Let me go, son."

Dally didn't flinch. His smile faded. "Don't touch 'im again."

"You said it yourself. Kid's soft-"

"Don't. Touch. Him. Again."

The funny play between the son and father stopped and Greg's face flushed with anger. "Boy let me go."

Ronnie's breathing started to slowly get under control. He rose up to see the scene between his brother and father. He didn't move an inch.

"Don't touch him."

Greg held onto the hand pressing down on his neck. "Boy-"

"I'll break it off," Dally growled out. "Don't think I won't."

Greg stared him down. Ronnie had never seen Dally talk to his dad that way. He'd never seen him do this. Dally looked up to his dad in a weird way. He never acted like this...especially for him.

Greg slowly got out, "fine." Dally let go of his grip and Greg pushed him away. "You're just like him." He stormed off into the living room without another word.

Dally turned around to see Ronnie's red face and big eyes. He paid him no mind and went over to his books on the floor. He picked them up and set them on the table in front of him.

Ronnie didn't take his eyes off him. "Dally-"

"That's what a man is," he said.

And with that, Dally left the house, slowly shutting the door behind him. Ronnie looked at the spot his brother once was, his mind filled with everything that had just happened.

That's what a man is.

Ronnie hadn't forgotten those words since.

You and I'll ride tonight till the past is out of sight. We don't have to look back now. We are knocking down the wall, all for one and one for all. We can stand together, never gonna look back now. No, no, no, no. We don't have to look back now.

A/N: Hope you all have a great holiday. Reviews as my present would make my dayyyy. :)