Look What the Cat Dragged In

Heeeeeeeeeyyyyyy y'all! Yeah, I know it's been a while. I'm sorry, OK? Life just intervened and instead of working on my existing fan fictions I decided to start some new ones so yeah…

I hope you like this! I know I deprived people of the famous movie scene, but remember, this is an AU. So roll with it.

They are all still our beloved idiots, especially Two-Bit.

Review, request, and comment!

Ah, thanks southerngentleman! I really appreciate it!

Darry looked up as Dally banged open the door, to Johnny's soft protests about it being too hard and loud, as usual.

"Finally, Dallas, what took you so long? We've got a lot to talk about."

Dally threw his fedora toward the hat hooks. (It fell to the ground, and Johnny, as always, picked it up. Dally, as always, pretended not to notice.)

"Hiya, Darrel. Nice to know you still have need of me. Who do you want me to clip?"

Darry rolled his eyes. "Just come back, alright?"

Johnny, still meekly standing by the door, asked quietly, "Can I stay for a little bit, Darry? No one really comes by The Old Church during the day, or if they do they can't pay…"

Darry's voice, when he answered Johnny, grew soft. Everyone always seemed to speak softer to Johnny, like he was some small bird that they didn't want to scare away. "Of course, Johnny. Pony's in the back, and I'm sure he won't mind taking a break from the books. If anyone comes to the door, just tell 'em we're out, OK?"

Johnny nodded and went to the back room. Darry and Dally went down a short, dingy hall to what Two-Bit always called the "war room". Really it was just a rather unimpressive, perfectly square room, with no windows, a shabby wooden table, a couple of chairs and way too many cigarettes.

Soda was in the room, humming as he looked at a piece of paper.

"Where're Steve and Two-Bit?" Darry asked.

Soda put the paper down on the table. "Steve's in the garage with his beloved metal steed and Two-Bit is supposed to be picking up our latest shipment of booze. But he's probably trying to rob a bank all by his lonesome."

Darry shook his head. "I'll never understand why he's never been caught yet."

"Idiot's luck?"

"Cut to the chase." Dally growled. "What's the problem, Soda?"

"Politicians are corrupt and the country's going to pot?" Soda answered with a grin.

Dally, who had no sense of humor, just stared at him.

"Alright, the Socs are moving in on our territory again."

Dally reached for a cigarette. "That ain't nothin' new."

Soda rubbed the back of his head. "It appears to be getting worse."

Dally tossed a newspaper on the table. In print that took up most of the front page were words glorifying none other than Bob Sheldon. He was lauded as an upright young citizen, bravely battling against the evil gangs that blotted the name of the fair city of Chicago.

"Get me a plate 'cause that's a whole load of applesauce and baloney." Soda commented.

"This is the problem right here. As if having these rich snobs annoying us weren't enough, now we've got 'em kissing up to the fuzz. The fuzz, I ask you!"

"I'll bop him, make it look like an accident." Dally offered.

Darry shook his head. "No, then he'd just be a martyr. Even worse."

At that moment there was a timid knock at the door (Johnny), followed by a loud rap (Ponyboy).

Darry opened the door, already going into Ponyboy-lecture mode.

"Ponyboy for Pete's sake, how many times have I told you not to interrupt when we're in here? I swear I…"

Pony interrupted him. "There's a-a dame out there!"

Darry blinked. "A what?"

Pony started to get agitated. "A dame! A skirt! A-A girl! A Socy girl!"

Johnny, behind him, added "It's Bob Sheldon's girl. And her friend."

"She won't leave! She just won't!"

"I'll take care of the moll, kid." Dally pushed past them and threw open the door leading to what Two-Bit called the "waiting room".

Sherri Valance, always and everywhere known as "Cherry" because of her red hair and her cherry red lipstick, sat in the best (and only) chair in the waiting room. That was Cherry, she always, without thinking, got the best. That was most Socs for you, but Cherry in particular. She was the flapper to end all flappers. While definitely not as ditzy as her friend Marcia, she still cultivated the amount of carefree easiness that everyone associated with flappers. In fact, nothing about her was ever really…natural. She was too perfect.

She looked over her shoulder when she heard the door slam open, and the first thing she saw was Dallas Winston.

She blushed. But you could hardly tell under all her makeup. The only ones who really noticed were Ponyboy, who always noticed such things, and Johnny, because anything that affected Dally was always of concern for him, and because Pony had taught him how to notice things again.

Dally's mouth quirked. "Well…". He drawled, sounding ridiculously southern then, for a guy from The Bowery in New York. "Look what the cat dragged in. Whatcha got to say, tomato?"

Everyone looked at Dally. The boys were definitely not models of politeness, but Dally always took the cake. And if there was anything Dally hated it was Socs. Especially Socy girls.

"I'm not going to speak to someone like you, Greaser." Cherry answered. Her voice was colder than an iceberg.

Dally's mouth quirked again. "So you don't want to talk. I can appreciate that. Nothing worse than a woman who runs her mouth, I always say."

"Oh, shut up, will you?" Marcia finally spoke up.

Dally and Cherry both ignored her. This was between them and them alone.

Dally tilted his head to one side, just a little bit. "What're two queens like you doin' here with us poor peasants, way outta your league, I have ta say. Gettin' bored with all your Socy boys? Want some excitement?"

Dally would have said more but then a small, very small, voice piped up. "Leave her alone, Dal."

Everyone turned and looked at Johnny, who turned bright red when they did. Johnny never talked back to anyone, ever, and never to Dally. Everything Dally did was right, in Johnny's eyes. It was unbelievable.

Then something even more unbelievable happened. Dallas Winston never let anyone tell him what to do, ever. He may have acted like he was under Darry's command, but that was not true. Everyone knew that Dallas Winston did what he wanted and didn't take anything from anybody. Which was why what happened next was such a surprise.

Dally stared at Johnny. And then he left, storming out the door, muttering something about finding Two-Bit.

The gang would probably have stayed in shock for the rest of the day if Marcia hadn't jabbed Cherry in the ribs.

"C'mon, Cherry, get it over with."

Cherry started and then sighed. "Alright, I came to help."

DUN-DUN-DUUUUUUNNNN! What will happen next! Sorry to leave you there, but some things have to be.

Slang Definition time!

Clip: Kill

Booze: Alcohol

Applesauce: Nonsense

Baloney: Also Nonsense

Fuzz: Police

Bop: Kill

Dame: Woman

Skirt: Woman

Moll: Gangster's Girlfriend

Flapper: Fashionable Young Woman

Tomato: Attractive Young Woman

Yes, they name of the speakeasy where Johnny works is the Old Church. Nothing ominous about that name, no sir.