Author's Note: Originally a fanfic idea I'd had years ago then forgot about then decided not to write and now here we are - a one shot LOL I hope y'all enjoy <3

I still remember the very moment I first laid eyes on Dallas Winston. It was the beginning of the end for me. At least of a very safe and protected life of which I'd become so accustomed. Suddenly, I had been thrown into a whole new world - a world full of fast cars, running from the law and the ongoing fight between greasers and socs.

Yet, for Dallas, I stayed in this world. I had been upper class, not remotely used to this kind of lifestyle. But for him...I stayed. And because of this all-encompassing love, I was now paying a high price. Higher even than my parents could ever pay - or rather, choose to pay. No, this was my own problem as they kept reminding me without preamble.

They'd disowned me when they'd found out, having already wanted to ever since I got involved with Dallas. Now my decision was irreversible.

But no matter the consequences, it didn't feel like a death sentence to me like it did for them. I was over-the-moon happy when I found out. Now...now I just had to tell him. But how?

Walking down the sidewalk, the sky started to darken as the sun began to dip over the horizon. Most girls wouldn't stay out so late in this town. But I knew I was under special protection from Dally's friends. I was his longest relationship - or so Two-Bit kept reminding me. Although I wasn't sure if that was true or just his way of teasing Dallas. Either way, the gang took a shine to me and we had been close ever since.

A smile split my face in the growing darkness as the Curtis house came into view, all the windows lit up from the inside. Good, everyone was home. A pang smarted in my chest then and my smile slipped, remembering the only member I knew would not be there. Poor Johnny. He was brave to go back and rescue those kids, braver even than I would've been in that situation. I could tell both Ponyboy and Dallas were broken up about it. But he had to get better, he just had to. We couldn't lose him, not like that. Johnny and Ponyboy both had become like little brothers to me ever since Dallas and I helped them escape earlier this year.

Shaking my head free of these morose thoughts, my eyes flickered back up to the porch as I turned into the driveway. Bounding up the stairs two at a time, I had just raised my fist to knock when it was swung open and out tumbled the gang - Darry, Sodapop, Ponyboy, Two-Bit, and Steve. But instead of stopping to greet me, Two-Bit, Steve, and Ponyboy began to run in the opposite direction I had come. I frowned, noticing the glaring absence of the group immediately.

"Where's Dallas?" I asked, my gaze locking on the eldest Curtis.

Darry glanced down at my smaller frame, a concerned glint in his eye. But there was something else there, although badly masked - panic. Something was wrong - very wrong.

"Darry, what's wrong? What's going on?"

I could hear my own voice rising but I couldn't contain it, feeling fear clutch at my heart.

Sodapop wore an expression of sympathy as he shook his head, "You have to tell her, Darry, she deserves to know. We don't have any time to lose!"

Glancing my way once more, he put a hand on his older brother's arm reassuringly before taking off after the others. Darry sighed, running a hand over his face in muted apprehension.

"Johnny...he passed away tonight. Just a couple of hours ago," he began and I felt my stomach lurch.

"No! No, he can't have-" I started, the fist around my heart squeezing tighter and tighter.

"There's more..."

I glanced up with a disbelieving look. More? What more could there be? Johnny...Johnny was gone. Tears pricked my eyes and it felt hard to breathe but I swallowed that growing grief down as I listened.

"Dally robbed a convenience store. The police came...they shot him and he's on the run. He called me on a payphone and said to meet him in the park. That's where the others are headed,"

The words came out in a rush but after "they shot him", I could barely hear the words as all the breath left my body. I could feel myself beginning to hyperventilate but Darry shook me, not unkindly.

"There'll be time for that later but now, we gotta go find him, we gotta hide him. He'll be okay. I promise you." Darry said, looking me straight in the eye,

Nodding once, I allowed him to lead me in the direction of the park, the entire time letting my mind run wild with the endless possibilities - not getting there in time and Dally bleeding out, the police apprehending him and throwing him in jail, or...

My thoughts along with Darry's firm grip on my arm brought me all the way to the park. But as it grew nearer, so did the sound of police sirens and in a way I couldn't quite comprehend, I knew we were far too late. Just as we rounded the corner, my eyes locked with Dally's own and I breathed a sigh of relief despite the growing crimson stain on the left side of his denim shirt. He was alive, he was okay...

It was in that moment - an infinitesimal moment - time slowed down to almost nothing and all I could see was Dally's smile, his deep chocolate gaze, and tousled brown hair. Everything was perfect...

Two shots rang out in the night air and I sucked in a sharp breath as Dally dodged them. He waved the gun in his hand at them but I could tell it wasn't loaded - if it had been, more than one of the police would be dead by now. One of them aimed at him again and I desparetely waved, trying to gain Dallas' attention but to no avail.

The shot permeated the air and Dallas went down as he was shot again twice.

"NO!!!" I screamed out in pure agony, feeling as if the bullet had gone through the both of us.

Darry tried to hold me back but it was like holding back a raging lion, a rushing sea. Breaking free of his grip, I sprinted to where he lay on the asphalt and hit my knees hard beside him.

Blood was flowing from several wounds now and as I tried to push down to add pressure, my fingers came back soaked deep red. Tears began to well up in my eyes, falling fast down my cheeks as I cradled his head in my lap. No...no...this couldn't be happening! We were supposed to have the rest of our lives to be with each other, to love each other. It was never supposed to end this way.

Dally started to speak but I shushed him, "I-it's okay. It's gonna be alright, you're gonna be o-"

I choked on the words as his blood stained my own clothes, knowing deep down that it would never be okay again. This was it, there was no coming back from it. And Dally knew it, too. I could see it in his brown eyes that I loved so much as he gazed up at me. Reaching up to brush back a strand of my hair, he caressed my cheek and I sobbed before pressing a chaste kiss to his palm.

"I love you, you know that? Always, sweetheart," he slurred, his voice becoming softer, weaker.

I shook my head and sniffed, "Dally, just hang on, okay? We're gonna get you to the hospital. Just save your strength..."

A sad smile lit up his face, a tiny trickle of blood forming at the corner, "Did I ever tell you I was born in Houston?"

Confusion burst through the web of grief that had ensnared me as I shook my head, "What are you talking about, Dally?"

He tried to laugh but it came out as a rattling cough, blood spittle landing in flecks on his shirt, "I...I want you to name her Houston,"

I sat there in the middle of the street with tears rolling down my cheeks, surrounded on all sides by police while cradling my dying boyfriend's head in my lap as shock bowled over me.

My fingers ran through the short strands of brunette hair, feeling a sob well up in my throat, "How did you know?"

His hand found mine and squeezed gently, "Because I know you...because I love you."

I pressed his hand to my still-flat stomach and a smile of bittersweet sadness lit up my face and his. But the moment was broken by another racking cough and his smile faded before slowly, ever so slowly, his eyes closed...for the very last time. His hand fell slack in my own and I drew in a sharp breath.

"Dal...Dally?" I asked quietly before shaking my head, "Dally! DALLY!"

Frantically shaking him as if by doing so, he would open those brown eyes once more, sobs overtook my body. And then several hands were pulling me away, pulling me into their embrace as pain shot through me again and again.

The love of my life was dead.

Seven and a half months later, Houston Joannie Winston was brought into this world surrounded by her many uncles who already loved her deeply. As I sat there in that tiny hospital room with Dallas' daughter snuggled in a pink blanket in my arms, I can't say I ever regretted any of it. Not the disownment, not the heartache, not the pain. Because if I had it do to all over again?

I would still choose Dallas Winston in a heartbeat.