Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders or the song Down in the Valley.

Show me the way. Good Lord, show me the way. Show me the way. Good Lord just show the way. O Sinners, let's go down. Let's go down, let's go down. O Sinners, let's go down. Down in the valley to pray.

I can smell the horses. The hay and the feed and the dirt on the ground. I suck it in and breathe out slowly. I hadn't realized how long it's been. I stand and watch the horses, picking out the one I like.

"You ain't gonna ride that pony, big man?"

I turn around to find my hand slapping against Mathew's. I smile as he grins happily. "What are you doin'?"

He pats me on the back and then parts from me. He's still smiling. He shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets. "Gettin' ready to see a race. Why? What are you doin'? I'm glad I got the call that said you were out."

I shrug. I didn't tell anyone I got out. If you tell Mathews, the whole neighborhood will know. "Eh, I figured your baby sister would tell ya."

He looks suddenly surprised and I snicker. His eyes go a little wide. "Wh-what?"

"Nothing," I say, waving him off. "Hey, how you been, man? I see you still got that stupid haircut. Didn't I tell you to see Freddy and get that shit shaved?"

Two runs his hands freely through the grease ball that is his hair. He hasn't cut it in almost a year and it looks more like a mullet than anything. "The ladies love it, man."

I roll my eyes. I'm sure they do. "When was the last time you've fucked, little man?"

"Last week."

"Bull shit," I say. "With who?"

He takes a minute to think. To long for him not to be lying. "I might have seen Sylvia around."

I laugh, not surprised. "Oh? I thought she went to the nut house? They let her out so soon, huh?"

"Dunno nothin' about no crazy house," he goes on. "But she was might frisky when she got a hold of me. Man, I see what you mean when you say she's mean. Hey, guess what?"

I chew on the end of my toothpick, still thinking about Sylvia and Two-Bit screwing each other. I quickly try and get it out of my head. "What?"

"I got a girl." He has a cheesy grin on and his practically jumping with glee.

I narrow my eyes. I don't remember the last time I heard this come out of his mouth. "With who?"

"She just moved here. You'll never get this though - she's black."

I know he's shitting me now. I start to laugh at the joke and shrug, deciding to play along with it a little. "Yeah, right. I'm sure. Hey, is it true what they say about them in bed?"

"Hush," he says. "And when was the last time big bad Dally got laid? Got any since you've been out?"

I smirk smoothly. "You know me, Mathews."

"Yeah," he says with a snort. "I heard about all the troubles in that department. You know it's all anyone ever talked about since you got locked up. What gives anyway? Why'd the two little love birds hang it up?"

"Ah, you know," I say, lighting up a weed and blowing out a big cloud of smoke. "Heard about Superman."

He puts his hands in his pockets and hangs his head a little. "Yeah. Real shame. It's really tore Sodapop up from what I've heard from Steve. They don't want anyone to know really. You know Superman though. That whole family is cursed but hey, I guess we are too since we're basically like it."

I nod my head. He's about two years behind on that but I don't say anything. I remember those days too. I let him live in the past all he wants to.

"You plannin' on stayin' out of jail for a little while?" he asks with a goofy chuckle and a punch on my arm.

I look down at him and sneer. "Got any tips?"

"Try not to be black or Hispanic."

It seems like years since I rode. I got a bummed knee two years ago and never got back on. It was such a pussy thing to do but I remember the real reason why. It makes me even more anxious to get on one and go for a couple of hours, especially when I think about the conversation I had a few hours ago.

"You wanna race?" I ask him.

He looks at me and I already know by the kind of smile he shows, he's in.

The bet is up to five bucks. I don't have it but from what I've learned since I've been back, ole Mathews has a new job down at the lumber yard and is loaded since he still lives with his momma and doesn't have any bills. I'm sure he's got way more than that but if I ask for higher, he's going to know I don't have it.

I sure as hell need all the dough I can get. Parole ends in two months. It gives me plenty of time to collect.

I got first pick of the goods while Mathews was sticking his thumb up his ass in the corner. Her name's Bessie.

I sneer watching Mathew's get up in the horse. "And up on Tony the pony, is Two-Bit Mathews, representing, the Lollipop Guild. What a warm welcome to Munchkin Land it is, folks."

He flips me off, getting situated on the stale. "Yeah, well I'm gonna be ridin' this big ole boy all the way down the yellow brick road, motherfucker, so get ready."

"Yeah." I snort. "Maybe the wizard can give ya about six inches...in more than one area."

Before he can think of a good comeback, Reggie Gills is standing in front of us, getting ready to wave us off to go.

I straddled the girl, rubbing her neck for good luck. After all, I might in fact need it. It's been a while since I've been on top of a horse...unless you wanna count Syl. No, I take that back. She's more of a cow.

"Five bucks," Mathews says again, looking my away. "If you skip out Dallas I swear-"

"Yeah, yeah." I turn and look a Reggie, winking at him. Reggie's been an ole pal of mine for about three years now. I'm sure he'll do me right in this race. I don't even have to ask.

He lifts the gun in the air. "We ready?" We nod in agreement and he shoots it off, making a loud bang that rings in my ears the entire ride.

I'm clearly ahead when I turn around and look over my shoulder. I got a better start than he did but I'll never admit that to him. I can already feel the crisp dollars in my hand right now. What will I buy first? I should start saving up for a new car. I'm going to need one to get where I'm going next in this big country of ours.

It's cold tonight and it's even worse when you're on a running horse. I took Curtis riding once. She stood and fed and petted the horses for most of the time while I rode around the trail. She was too scared to get on and when she did, she feel off, landing flat on her ass.

I laughed.

I laugh again, thinking about it now.

I turn around to get another look at Mathews. He's not far behind but far enough that I know I'm going to win. I flip him the finger and right when I do, Bessie stumbles, again, again, then slows, then I feel the brown dirt on my ass.

"Goddamnit!" I shout, watching Mathews speed by me, clearing enjoying this way more than he should be.

It's ok. I'll get him back...and my five bucks.

I move over, trying to get up when I feel a shooting pain down my leg. I look down at the red sticky stuff all over the dirt and my clothes. "Oh fuck."

Reggie and a few other guys race my way and I can see Mathews stopping his horse. I feel the sting on my lower leg and I put my hand on the wound. When I bring my hand back up, it's coated with dark red blood.

Isn't this just my day?

"Is it broken?" Reggie gets down on all fours along with some rich kid from Texas who's in med school on a full ride. I think he's name may be Gill or Fish or something stupid like that. I never pay attention to people's names unless I have to.

I move my toes around in my boot and shake my head. Gill grabs my arm and when I'm about to yank away, I see the deep gash right under my elbow and the blood it left in the dirt.

"Ain't nothin'," I say, pulling away from him and looking at it myself. I suck the sting out of it with my mouth, tasting the metallic sourness. "Ain't everyone got to get their panties in a bunch over me."

Mathews walks over, his eyes a little wide at the blood on the ground. As soon as he gets a better look, he starts to laugh. "Awe, did 'Dawy fall down and go boom?"

I glare up. If I could move my lower half better..."Fuck off. I had you. I still want my five bucks."

"No way!"

"Hush!" Reggie yells, sliding my leg over and sitting it on his knee. "Man, Dallas. It's a pretty big gash. Might wanna get it stitched up by someone. E.R. can do it in about ten minutes."

I try to pull my leg off but the soreness makes it hard. "Ah, ain't nothin' I can't do myself."

I've stitched myself up a few times. Sometimes you can't just hop over to the E.R., especially if you've gotten the gash from doing something illegal. They ask too many questions down there anyway. I've gotten pretty good using an old sewing needle and some floss. I even stitched up a few other kids when I had to. I also got pretty good at hiding the scars.

Got good at hiding a lot of things.

I put my hands flat on the ground and push myself up, limping and stumbling as I catch my balance.

"Let me take you to the hospital," Mathews says, letting me use his shoulder as a balance. "Least I can do. After all, I did leave you in smokes."

I roll my eyes, bouncing on one leg. "Nah. Give me my money and take me home. No, I take that back. Pay me back in booze. Get me a big bottle of Whiskey. I'm gonna need it when I patch this fucker up."

"Seriously, Dal," Reggie says. He puts his hands in his pockets and kicks the blood underneath the dirt. "If that gets infected it's comin' off. I saw that on the news once. Ask Chris."

So that's the kid's name. Huh, damn.

Chris nods in agreement.

I wonder who invited this puss down here anyway. He doesn't belong here. Med school. Who goes to med school?

Mathews take me over to the gate and I prop up on it, catching my breath. My leg is on fire and my good jeans are ripped. I can feel more blood running down my arm too. I wipe it off, rubbing a little dirt in it. Pops always told me it fixed everything.

"You gonna help me to the car or what?" I ask my lackey. "C'mon! I'm cripple."

Rick wraps the bandage around again, getting it tight. I hiss out. "Damnit!"

"Nice going," he nags. "Seems like the big bad cowboy has lost his steam."

I turn my arm over, rubbing off the blood that oozed out from the stitches. "I can still take you any day. Just name the time and the place."

He shakes his head. Rick didn't used to act like a thirty year old man. Hell, two years ago we both went down to Mexico for the bull fights and robbed two liquor stores, getting chased out by three wetbacks with knives. He got hit just below the ribs. We still have the knife too.

"Fuck!"

"Quit your belly achin'."

I sip on my coke and watch him clean the area and put the finishing touches on it.

"I got a question," he says.

"Shoot."

He pats my leg, letting me move it and put it on the ground. "What happened to that girl you were with - Darry Curtis' little sister? I heard some people at the market talkin' about it today."

"What'd they say?"

He shrugs, clearly hiding the real truth behind the conversation. I can guess what people say about me. It's nothing new. "Sayin' it was a pretty bad break up. I didn't even know you were with a girl."

"I'm not," I clear up. I shrug just like he did before. "Broad couldn't take it."

He raises an eyebrow and then laughs. He gets up and goes over and starts cleaning the dishes, making sure every little piece of grim is off. "I'm sure. Could she not handle how much of a man you were?"

I wink.

"What did she want with you?" he asks, looking over his shoulder. "If she's anything like Darry, it'd be the last thing she'd ever do as to be seen with you. Hell, I'm surprised Darry even let that happen."

"It's every girl's dream to be with me." I start wrapping the tape around the cut on my arm to protect the stitches. "They can't resist my southern charm."

He smirks. "Yeah, that's it. All I got to tell ya, buddy, is that if this breakup was as bad as I think it was, Darry Curtis is going to have your ass mounted over his fireplace."

I didn't tell him about Darry being in the hospital or having cancer or that the next time he sees me, if ever, he'll be in a wheelchair. I can't imagine him in a wheelchair and it seems weird to even picture.

"I can take him."

"Aren't they your best friends? The Curtis brothers?"

"I don't have best friends," I snap. "What am I? A thirteen year old girl?"

He stops talking now. I know what he's thinking. Three brothers, older brothers of the girl I had just dated, the girl probably cried to them every night I was away...

"I got lots of friends. Don't need 'em."

Rick still doesn't say anything as if I upset him or he realizes I'm not going to talk about it anymore.

I look around the kitchen which is also the living room and my bedroom. There are very few pictures of family and friends lined up everywhere. Mainly it's just pictures of horses he wishes he had and a few of the ones he goes to see at the ranch across town.

There is one photo though. One photo I did notice as soon as I walked in but didn't mention.

She was declared the most beautiful girl in school when I was a sophomore and she was freshman. She wore a cross necklace every day. The only reason why I noticed was because it was the same one as mine. She'd always grin and smile at me in the halls and at one point during a crowded party we ended up in a room together.

We never talked after that.

I saw Rick at the funeral. I never caught the girl's last name or I would have put two and two together when I first met Rick.

I didn't know Rick. I didn't know the girl in the picture. I didn't even know her real name. Lucy was what everyone called her - the guys anyway. They thought it was pretty clever and, at the time, I thought it was pure genius. I doubt Rick knows about that nickname. In fact, I know he doesn't. He doesn't even know I knew her.

She's the reason Rick got arrested.

"What ever happened to that guy?"

"Who?"

"The one who killed your sister."

He sits a dish down in the water slowly. I stare at the back of his head, pushing him to answer like he did me. "Dead. Some kind of prison accident I think."

He tried to do it, or so I've heard. I was in the park when it all went down but ended up bailing out when I heard the sirens. No one sticks around after the sound of sirens comes.

"I'd do it again," he says quietly. "Go after him. I'd do it better this time. Actually finish the job."

I nod and look away. I've always heard there was a strong connection with family, more siblings than with parents. It's a protection thing. It's like the way Darry keeps his eyes on those kids like a hawk or the way Two-Bit went after Ronnie after he heard what was going on between them.

It's an unwritten law I think. It says you've got to do what your parents can't for your siblings. You, as the older one, are responsible for them. It's your job to look out for them….to protect them.

"The things you do for family," he says, I think mainly to himself. He picks a dish up out of the water, shakes the water off, and goes back to scrubbing it.

"Yeah," I say softly. "Don't I know it."

Show me the way. Good Lord, show me the way. Show me the way. Good Lord just show the way. O Sinners, let's go down. Let's go down, let's go down. O Sinners, let's go down. Down in the valley to pray. (Down to the valley)

A/N: Thank you as always for reading and please leave a review!