Disclaimer: I don't own the Outsiders or the song "Someone Should Tell You"

A/N: The song title and the context of the chapter is rather coincidental. No I did not plan it. How's that for irony?

This chapter is rather long. Enjoy.

You call me up, in tears again. I come over. Your only friend. Put my arms around you, to stop this lonely night. You ask me to stay, but I don't think it's right. When you tell me you're in love with him. Don't you know that really caves me in? And I'm not that strong.

Where the hell is Rick?

It's been hours. No one's expecting her, but hell, Rick lives here. Where the fuck is he?

I'm bored. Really bored. I found a ball. A flat one but it's still good enough to throw against the wall a few times. It blocks out the silence and keeps either of us from talking.

I like that.

She's still bleeding. Looks like she'd run out of blood by now. She's still doing alright. I look over once in a while to make sure she hasn't kicked the bucket yet.

I'm hungry. I planned on stopping by McDonald's when I was done here but no!

To hell with tornadoes.

"Dally?"

"What?"

She's lying down on her good side. I look over at her. "I don't feel good."

"Look at all that blood." I point to the puddles around her. "I'm surprised you're not dead yet. Though I did tell you this would happen. You never listen though. Never."

Any other time, she'd have something witty or smart ass to say back. "It's not that bad."

I've seen worse. She probably has too. When she finally let me see the cut, I noticed that it wasn't that big. She just bleeds like a bitch. She'll be fine. Maybe when she finally does pass out, I can get out of here and not have to do the good-byes.

We've said them before.

So why is she here?

I wish she had gone with Sarah. I wish she'd never come here. I wish I had left the day after I got out.

Then all this wouldn't have happened.

And I wouldn't have to look at her, or talk to her, or feel this over again.

"Sometimes I wanna go back," she says softly. "To go to the first day we met. The day we first kissed. The day we fell in love. If I could go back, I'd do it all again. The fuck ups, the fights, everything."

I pull myself up and tell myself to stop thinking these thoughts. These stupid, ridiculous thoughts. She's delirious. She's not thinking right. She hates me, just as I hate her. When the door opens, we'll go our separate ways, once and for all.

It grows quiet. I look over my shoulder to see if she's finally fallen asleep but she's not. She's just sitting there, staring off into space. Her eyes are glazed over and skin pale.

She'll be out soon. With all the blood lose and throwing up, I'm surprised she's not already knocked out.

I need to get out of here. I need to go. Word's going to get out soon. The longer I stay, the deeper this gets.

"This is your home." Her voice comes out weak and fragile.

I ignore her for a while until she repeats herself until I respond. "What?"

"Tulsa...it's your home," she says, drool coming out of her mouth. "You...you can't leave."

She doesn't know what she's talking about. I go over to her and put more pressure on her shoulder. The blood has stopped some but her shirt and this cloth are soaked.

Her head falls and her hair drapes across my lap. I rub the back of my head.

Inside, I'm telling myself to push her off and break down the door. I'm telling myself to leave her and run, like I planned to do before.

Then I look at the blood, her shoulder, her face, her eyes.

"I don't know what happened to her."

She takes a minute to respond. "Your mom? You told me it was a car accident."

I smirk. "Going around telling people she was murdered tends to create more questions I don't want to answer."

She's using all the strength she has left to speak. "So what did happen?"

"Someone laced up some drugs, gave them to her. I never figured out who or what really happened. I'm still searching. I was only six at the time. I started hearing things though the older I got. Fingers started pointing at Pops but cops couldn't pin point it. They expected one of the gangs did a hit so they gave up the case. I didn't give it up though.

"I remember that day. It was the fourth of July. She'd taken me downtown to see the parade and the fireworks. That night, I don't really remember. I wasn't supposed to be at Maggot's, but somehow I ended up there. His dad is the one that told me. There was something big that happened that day. I'm still trying to figure it out."

Her hand squeezes my knee. "Her body's buried here."

I stare down at it. I try not to look at anything else. "They shipped it over after she died because she grew up here."

"I-I'm so sorry, Dally."

I stretch my leg out, speaking harshly, "You're not going to remember any of this. You'll be passed out in ten minutes."

"I don't care."

"I'm only going to tell you once."

A sly smile appears on her face. "Then you better make it good."

"Maggot and I started something in New York because of what happened to her. That's where it all started. It was me and him, running this gang. Gangs in New York ain't like they are down here either. They're big. We were just stupid bratty kids when we started it up, vowing not to be the gangs around us. The ones that killed Mom. Well fuck if that worked out well."

She coughs, still lying down. "So what happened?"

"I got arrested for going after someone with a baseball bat." I smirk with the memory. "Got sent down here to Aunt Bev. That didn't really stop it though. Hell, I went up there every summer."

She repeats herself, "So what happened?"

"Maggot became an ass," I say. "Started turning things to shit. He started selling, then started using...became his father. Told him from the beginning that I wasn't doing that. Kept my word."

"So then what?" she asks.

I shrug. "I told him I was done and that was that."

"But you weren't done."

"I was. Everything was just dandy, then I get a call one night over the summer. This summer. It came out of nowhere too. You know, I tell that damn kid things all the time. I preached to him over and over again. Does he listen? No."

Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry...

What are you talking about?

...I fucked up, Dal. I-I didn't...I'm so sorry. I need your help. I need you to help me Dally.

Her head pops up and she speaks softly, "Ronnie?"

Start from the beginning.

Let me finish before you start yelling, ok? Maggot came to see me about five months ago. I know you said not to talk to him but Dally he promised me it wouldn't be this way.

Be like what?

Be this deep. He wants me...He wants me to do all this stuff, Dally, and I can't. He says I have to do it or else and I just...I'm in, Dally. Maggot picked me up and I can't handle it. I'm sorry, Dally.

So you want out?

He's going to kill me if I leave, Dally. He's going to kill me! He already said it himself! I-I can't stay here. Dally, please help me! Maggot's going to kill me!

I'm going to fucking kill you.

"I call up Maggot." I clear my throat. "Ask him for a simple favor. Well, nothing's ever simple with Maggot."

What do you mean he can't get out? Maggot, it's me! Come on!

You know the rules just as well as I do, Dally. Ronnie came to me. I treated him with the same respect and the same regard as you. You know the rules, Dally. If Ronnie wants out, he's gotta do it just like everyone else.

She moves a little in my arms. Her mouth is open slightly and she's drooling. The whiter she gets, the more she struggles.

I prop my leg up, letting her use it as a pillow. "Go on," she says quietly. "Don't stop."

"You're not going to remember this, Curtis."

She nestles in. "So those fights you had with Ronnie...they were fake?"

I shake my head. "No, we were fighting; just not what you thought we were fighting about."

"I said go on."

So I sigh and resume, "Once you join, you can't leave. Well, you can if you're me and if you survive the beating they'll give you, but no one leaves. Primary because no one ever survives, but that's besides that point."

What do you want?

I am sorry about this, Dally. We haven't talked in years and now we're doing it on these grounds.

Just tell me what you want, Maggot.

I want you. Come back.

"Something you got to understand is Maggot ain't like Dale. Dale is a pussy with a big ego. Maggot...he wears the Devil's horns. He is the king. You don't tango with Maggot. Maggot will shoot you in the head and then go get a cup of coffee. There's no remorse or gilt with him."

Fuck you.

This is your brother. I thought you'd be more reasonable than this. After all, this is your baby too, Dally. Don't you miss it? Don't you miss the glory? It's a simple request. Trade yourself for your brother.

Fuck. You. I said no and I meant no. I left a long time ago, Maggot. I did my dues. Now tell me what I need to do. I'm not fucking around here.

Neither am I. It was a simple offer. One of the easier ones. Well, I guess I should round my boys up and-

You're really going to do this to me?

I'm sorry, Dally, this is my offer: you join me again, relive the old glory days, and do me a little favor while you're in Tulsa. Then I'll let go of your baby brother without a scratch on him.

You said join you and you'd let him go. You ain't said nothing about no favor.

You didn't like that offer, so I changed it.

You're still the same asshole bastard you were when I left. Fuck, what's the favor?

You're in Tulsa still, right?

What's it to ya?

You want your brother out, fine. You do for me, and I'll do for you.

"He says I got to do one thing to get Ronnie out. Maggot's got connections in every state now apparently, and guess who's our state's representative is."

I don't expect her to really respond. Her body is cold and tender but I faintly hear, "Dale."

They killed him! I'm sure of it. I've been over this a million times. Jason didn't just disappear. He wouldn't do that. No, it was someone else. Some kind of silent enemy. I'm sure of it.

Silent enemy, Dale? Who the hell is afraid of you?

Fuck you! Maggot believes me. That's why you're here, right? Maggot sent you over here to find Jason's killer. So find!

Why is this guy so important anyway?

Where do you think Maggot gets his goods from? The best grounds aren't in New York. They're in Mexico. Jason delivered to Maggot every week by truck load. Jason was in the gang. He...He was my best friend. So if you don't find whoever did this to him, I will...and I'll kill you both.

Yeah, I'm sure you will. There's nothing to be found, Dale.

Just get to looking, Winston.

"So I do a little research for two months. You know, play the part, do what I'm supposed to. I go to a Soc bar one night. Your friend's a real talker when he's drunk, especially when it's with girls. So I bring Sylvia and throw her at him, just for fun, see what pretty boy knows. Hell if I don't regret that move.

"He starts bragging about this night. He tipped a drunk. Things went a little bad. He even told her where the goddamn body was buried. So I dug it up and I nearly shit myself to find out Dale was right."

She doesn't respond.

I continue anyway, "So I report back, thinking I did my part. Nope!"

It was more than one guy, Winston! You moron!

Watch who you're talking too, pep squeak.

Jason was a big guy. Ain't no pretty boy Soc taking him down just by tipping him. Find me the body. Find me the body and then I'll tell Maggot to let you go.

Fuck off, Dale. I was hired to find you a killer and I found one. Now leave me alone.

Maggot says you report to me. You listen to my orders. I hold the key to your baby brother's cage. You want him out, find me the body. You wouldn't want poor baby brother ending up like Mommy, would you now?

"So I do a little more research. Send Sylvia back a few times."

So tell me more about this big bad crime you committed.

What'cha wanna know, babe?

Tell me the whole story. How'd it happen? Who was with you? Don't tell me you did all this by your little self. Not you. You seem too sweet.

It was all me, sugar. Though, I didn't put the body in the ground myself.

Really?

Hell no! Get dirt in these nails?

So who did?

"Course I didn't tell no body about you. I only told Maggot about Sam. Figure I'd be the hero for once and save a few lives. Get me one step closer to that mansion up in the sky. Well, our little story doesn't end there. Maggot's got this big plan. Wants to play like old times. Fucker."

What are you doing here? You're supposed to be in New York!

Did Maggot not talk to you?

What happened to your face?

Nothing.

They jump you?

Just a little, but Dally-

I'll kill them!

You haven't seen me in years. That's all you gotta say? Man, you haven't changed one bit.

No one touches you and gets away with it! Names! I want names!

Dally!

What!?

Maggot sent me down here. He...You got one last job to do...and I gotta help.

"I protested some, but it was like kicking a dead horse. The kid may be an idiot, but he's blood and I think that means something. So I figure, let's make this quick an' easy. Get it done and go."

You gonna have your face in that brown bag all night or are we gonna do this?

D-Dally, I-I can't.

You don't have to do anything but just sit there and keep your mouth shut until this is over.

B-But, how can you do this?

Because I'm saving your ass, that's how! You think I wanna kill this guy? You did this yourself, little brother. I had a damn fine life here until you call and fuck everything up! You always fuck everything up. Damn! Why? I told you how many times to stay away from Maggot? Goddamnit, Ronnie!

I'm sorry! I told you that. Dally, I didn't mean to ruin your life it's just-

Shut up and put your seat-belt on. If I gotta do this, you're gonna be right here beside me, feeling his bones break.

"I get up enough speed and ram into him so his head hits a pole. It was instant. I checked. I'm not a monster. Ronnie's of course freaking out but it was over. I told the dumbass to head home but he says he's scared and blah, blah, blah. So that's when ya'll met him, a few weeks later. I thought he went home. Then he meets that dumb broad..."

I gaze down at her. Her eyes are tightly shut. Her breathing has slowed down.

"So I call up Maggot. Tell him it's done. So I'm in, Ronnie's out...Then things started to get complicated."

Everyone thinks you did it. You or me.

Let them think what they want.

Are you scared...of Maggot?

Why are you still here? Go home. You go home, people stop asking questions! You just thought you'd show up and people just expect everything to be fine and dandy?

You're just mad because I'm stealing your friends.

Yeah, because I'm five. No, get out of here. You're just screwing everything up like you always do.

Shut up! No I'm not.

"Maggot calls me back a few days later. Well if he ain't proud I'm back. Things are different though. I'm not the head dog anymore. I'm lower than Dale. Dog shit really. No one tells me what to do."

If you're rebelling then I can't go home. I can't go home at all. Do you know what they'll do to me, still? Dally people are talking about you here. They think you killed Sam. What are you going to do?

I don't know.

We can't stay here. Dally we killed someone. Someone's going to figure that out. Maggot's got you running errands for him. You can't tell me you like that.

I told you to get out of here a long time ago!

I'm not leaving you here to get burned at the steak! This involves me too! We can't stay here, Dally.

Shut up and let me think!

We have to leave. Why are you being so damn stubborn about this? You run all the time. What's so different now?

"We came up with the stupidest plan ever. I blame Ronnie because I was dealing with my own shit and he pretty much came up with the plan. Steal some money, get you and Emily. God I can't believe I agreed to that. So then we run. Romantic, ain't it? I thought so."

I can't shoot a gun! You know that!

You worked with Maggot for months and you don't know how to use a gun?

No!

Well just stand there and hold it and look scary. Stay out of my way too. Let's get this done, get the broads, and go.

Do you think Danni's brothers are really going to let you take her? Do you think she'll really leave? Why are we bringing her anyway? Can't you just call her or something?

Why are you bringing Em? You don't think Two isn't going to slaughter you?

Because I love her, and you're bringing Danni.

You don't love her. Look, I told you about her. Dale is still searching. He's going to figure it out. He may be dumb but he doesn't give up. If I'm not around, he'll kill her, and then I'll kill you. Got me?

Yeah, I guess.

So stop asking questions and hold your gun.

"Well, you know what happens next. Ronnie flips shit, shoots the guy. Great, huh?"

What do we do now? Oh God, Dally! Oh my God! I just shot someone! I just fucking shot someone, Dally!

You just fucking killed someone is what you did.

That's not helping. I can't do this! I can't do this.

I'm sending you home. I don't care if I have to drag your ass all the way there, you're going.

"Next think I know, he's run off with the broad. You know that and the arrest. So I went down to Texas to figure some stuff out and lay low. Things weren't exactly peachy either when I came back...except Ronnie was finally gone thanks to Dale putting up bail. That was a plus."

My throat is dry. She's gone now so I don't know why I keep talking, maybe just to hear it myself.

I do wonder if she can hear me. If deep inside that stupid little head of hers, she's hearing everything.

"So this big battle is supposed to happen, right? So I come back for that, get my anger out on a few Socs. I still don't know what happened that night. I saw the fire and ended up on the street. Dale was there, and boy was he proud."

I found out.

Found out what?

You're not a very good detective. I should revoke everything that was promised to you. Then again I heard Ronnie is long gone so that's a bust.

I don't owe you anything, you shit. What did you find out?

It was more than just Sam.

How do you know this?

A girl. Jane. I got a few drinks in her. Boy, was she a shaky one. She told me all about what her boyfriend did. Michael? He's a twin or triple or some dumb shit. You know of him?

No.

There's more. I know it. But we gotta get him first.

You believe this chick? The guy that killed Jason is dead. Who cares? Let it go, Dale. Go home, stuff your face, grow a few inches. It'll do you some good.

Bite me. We have things to do.

I have things to do. Places to be. I'll be in jail by sunrise. So you're on your own, pep squeak. Have fun.

Just remember who you serve, Winston. Remember!

I don't serve anyone.

"He's the one that got the lawyer. Like that means anything. He did what he said he would - kill Michael. He smothered him in his sleep at the hospital. He kept searching for more names. I tried to get his mind off it but it didn't seem to work. I don't know how he came across your name, but he figured it out. That's why he wanted you dead. That's why I wanted you away from me, so this wouldn't have happened. So he wouldn't look toward you. You couldn't just stay away though."

She never can...though she's not the only one.

The bleeding's stopped. I move her hair out of her face and make sure she's still breathing.

It's over.

"Dally! Dally, you down there?"

My head darts up. Well look who decided to show up. "I'm stuck down here, dumb ass! Get me out!"

Something slides across the floor and there's some banging.

I'm going to kiss the ground when I get out of here. "Any day now, Rick!"

The door slings open. "What the-"

He doesn't say anything about the body. I don't think about it.

"How-"

"Help me get her up!"

Rick picks her up off me so I can get up. I can feel my stitches tar as I walk up the stairs with her in my arms. Rick follows behind us, going on and on about the blood and asking useless questions.

I feel blood run down my side. "I need your car."

"Go ahead, hey Dally-"

I don't hear him. My feet take me to the bedroom and I stand there, frozen. There, in the middle of the room, I see it. I don't move. I don't let on. I just stand, my body ready to fall from the battle that I know lies ahead.

There, in the middle of the room, all that's left is a puddle of blood.

Someone should tell you how much I love you. Cause I really do. Wish I could hold you. The way that I want to. Cause no one, can love you, like I do. You're everything, that I ever dreamed. You're the only one. The only one for me. So we talk all night, but in my head. Three little words that I never said.