A/N hiii! So you might know me from Ao3! If you have then you know that this series is finished. So... Im posting it on FFN! If you don't use Ao3 then honestly you're just missing my weird A/n's. I hope you enjoy this fic! :3

I ran, I wasn't thinking about where I was running. Not that it even mattered where I went. I thought for a brief moment about running to Johnny but that wasn't going to happen. They would look for me, that would be their first place, the lot. My heart hurt, it hurt more than my throbbing cheek.

I wanted to cry, to turn around, and have Darry feel bad. Yet I just couldn't… the pain in my heart and my cheek outweighed every other logical thought I had. I didn't care where I went, as long as it was far away from Darry. The cold wind whipped against me and that was the only thing bringing me back to reality.

I looked from where I was. There were no visible landmarks that I could use to get home. Panic set in. It was the only thing that made me think logically for a moment. Deciding to walk until I found a landmark I could use to get around I saw a familiar house.

The Shepherd's house…

I knew I shouldn't go there. Darry has given me warnings about them, hell even Dally. Although he mostly said it after he got into a fight with Tim. Biting my tongue I knock. I almost sighed when the door didn't open, but panicked when it did. There stood Tim, the leader of the Shepard gang.

I froze, wasn't Curly supposed to be home?

"Oh hey, Curtis. Curly ain't here right now. He got stuck in reformatory," Tim spoke, forcing me out of my thoughts. I knew I looked lousy, my breathing quick, my cheeks tear-stained, and not to mention the welt growing on my cheek. Tim saw it but I tried to back out of the conversation.

"Okay… thanks," as I turned around to leave, Tim grabbed my arm. "Yo kid, who did that to you? Must've been strong…" Tim mumbled. It seemed like he didn't know if he should've let me go. "D-Darry did this to me…" My voice was weak.

I mentally punched myself for even telling Tim. It was a personal matter, not something I should've let the biggest gang leader in on. Although his eyes widened just a bit. He seemed shocked and gently let go of my arm.

"What did you do?" He asked. I didn't want to answer. I already had one parental guardian who hit me, I didn't need someone else's to try and continue that streak. I paused and refused to tell him. He sighed and spoke to someone inside the house.

Turned out he was having a poker night. While he didn't smell like booze, the open door allowed the booze scent to seep out. "Hey I'll give ya a ride… where do you needa go?"

Tim was being nice? I knew he didn't care enough about me to do this for fun. But then again… when I had told him about Darry he seemed almost concerned. The adrenaline was crashing but I didn't want to go home.

I thought for a brief moment, unsure if I should tell a Shepard this. "I want to run away." Instantly Tim's eyes grew bigger, then smaller, and then a smirk appeared on his face. "I have some places…"

I mentally panicked, was he actually going to help me? No, he shouldn't… There is something more going on here. The mental battle was hard and Tim almost sensed it. "I'm angry at Dallas. Bitch slashed my tires. I'm thinking I could get him back… starting with you." Tim's words were scary.

Despite myself, I asked. "Are you going to kill me just to get back at him?" It was a stupid question but Tim laughed instead of being angry. "Maybe… want me to?" I shook my head again and he snorted.

"I ain't that far gone," Tim continued to laugh, "Glory kid, no wonder Curly likes you around so much. You got a pretty sense of humor," Tim was smiling, not a genuine smile. It was a mischievous smile, one that Dallas used a lot. I felt the back of my neck hair spike up and a shiver overtook my body. I'm not scared, no I'm not, maybe I'm just cold... Tim must have noticed because he backed into the house and opened the door wider.

"Come in for a sec, I'll give you one of Curly's jackets. Maybe you can join the game for a bit," Tim spoke as he left the room. I heard the soft footsteps of him going upstairs and I followed him to the living room.

"Oh heyyyy, Curtis! Play some poker with us! Your brothers are good-" Some very greasy guys slurred. I mentally cringed but ended up having a hand and winning $10. "Maybe you should stay and win me some games," Tim spoke from behind me. I jerked up, scared, Tim had a bad habit of entering rooms quietly.

He had been gone for about as long as a game was. I didn't expect him to be watching me. "He must get it from his brothers! I oughta tell them how good you are-"

"You do that and you're dead," Tim's words were stern. Instantly the guy speaking stopped and looked down. Tim sighed and handed me the jacket. The jacket smelled heavily of smoke but with a hint of cologne.

"I'm taking you to Bucks, mostly because I want to fight it out with Dallas…" Tim smiled again. I shook as I followed him outside, yet, I wasn't cold. Tim opened his car, it was a black Mustang?

The look on my face must have told him enough because he spoke up. "I stole it from a soc. Guess I scared him enough not to tell no one."

"Didn't Dally slash the tires?" I asked, maybe I had the wrong idea.

"I stole this five hours ago," The smile was still on his face. Five hours ago? Wasn't I with Johnny and Dally at the nightly Double? It didn't matter because Tim's smile shook me out of my thoughts. Glory, that smile would haunt me forever. It wasn't the best answer but at least Tim didn't take Bucks tires and blame it on Dally.

I entered the car, Tim turning the heaters up. It was nice, the car ride, we talked about school and Curly. Although when we got to Bucks it got awkward, Tim handed me the keys to the car. "Just in case the fight gets out of hand and you needa take Dally to the hospital," Tim had said as we made our way through.

The place was full of drunk partygoers. Tim seemed to know where Dally was. Although the way to his room wasn't easy. Many times Tim had to shove a girl off of me and stop someone from trying to put drugs in me. It was difficult but after Tim scared them enough we made it up the stairs.

The stairs had a foul scent. I briefly wondered for a moment how Dally could even bother staying here but with him almost anything is possible. The corridor stretched out and there were many rooms. It looked like an off-brand apartment complex. Still, Tim found his way around and abruptly opened Dally's room.

"Hey Dal, I'm ready for part two," Tim had that evil smirk on his mouth. Dallas moved a bit and sat up. "I ain't fighting you."

That seemed to fuel Tim more. "Really? I have one of your members. Would be a shame if his brothers found out you could've helped him," I looked to Dally, and he noticed me.

"Kid, what the hell are you doing here?"

I backed away, I was scared. Dally seemed angry but now concerned(?). It was a scary look he had on his face. The booze must've gotten to me because the only thing I could do was run out of there. I was thankful I had the keys and $10.

Tim tried to run after me but the partygoers stopped him. I was thankful for the loud music because it drowned out the sound of my heavy breathing. Running into the car I quickly learn how to drive. I knew the basics, but I didn't know how to work an automatic.

Damn socs, so rich they've become lazy. I mentally remembered all my driving lessons from Two-Bit. He wasn't the best driver but damn did he know how to make someone learn. It's not every day someone fakes being injured just to teach you how to drive.

I recalled the memory as I started up the car. The engine ran smoothly as I pulled out of Bucks and down an unfamiliar highway. My heart seemed to hurt as I drove down quicker, someone must have caught me because another car came up.

Shit. They're trying to race me. My mind flew with all the ways I could get out of it but without realizing I was speeding up. I had accidentally said yes to a drag race.

The car next to me revved its engine and started to go faster. It was a crappy greaser car so the Mustang really allowed me to go faster than it. Soon I saw the engine of the car give up and I turned around to it. Stepping out I see someone.

A dark figure emerged from the car. Someone big, like Darry. Yet, had a soft face like Sodapop. My palms were sweaty as I looked at the man in front of me. Was he a part of Tim's gang?

"Yo kid you can definitely drive. You win fo' sure. Here," The man digs in his pocket, pulling out a stack of cash. "Wanna switch cars? Where you headed to?" I froze and looked around. "Didn't your car break down?"

The man laughs and shakes his head. "Naw, I just wanted to let you know you win. You should come to California, much more drag races there." I froze unsure… is this what I really wanted? To run all the way to California?

The man must have sensed my fear. "Tell me, kid, where you goin?" I looked around and sighed. "I was trying to run away, my brother h-hit me…" I knew I sounded like a pansy. My voice had cracked, showing that I was too young.

The man just nodded, "I can take you back, or I can help you start anew." My head perked up. Should I? Golly it was hard to think about it but the cash he had in his hand… He smiled. "That's a stolen car right?"

"Yessir," I don't know why I started to go all formal. This guy was really messing me up. He looked so scary… "You're a Curtis right?" I nodded, "Want to take some jobs for me? I'll test your morality, see what you can do."

"What do you mean?" Did he want me to kill someone? Glory I hoped not! He just laughed for a moment.

"Nothing too illegal, kid. Just play as a pawn for me ight?" He smiled- one of Dally's smiles.

My stomach churned, anxiety filled me and I walked to my car. Well, the stolen car. I sat on the trunk, Nothing too illegal? A pawn? Wait- no.

I looked at him, finally putting the pieces together. "You were at that poker game…" He smiled. "You talk pretty loud kid, yet, you're pretty weak for a Curtis."

I wanted to run- I needed to run. Yet, I was stuck in place. In front of a man who knew me, and knew how he wanted to use me. "You better stay, you hear? Tough enough your brothers gotta mark you as a run-away. If you stay they can mark you as a kidnapped child instead," His smile seemed to grow bigger.

"K-kidnapped?" My palms were sweating much more now. He just nodded and ran toward me. I fought him off and took the money he had. "Damn b-" I kicked him in the sensitive area :3.

That made him back off, taking the chance I ran back into the car. Starting the engine I start driving down the unfamiliar highway. Although this was definitely a lesson learned. Never ever talk to strangers, especially ones that are tougher than you.