A/N: Whoop-ee-doo, I am back from Cuba! I'll be working on the sequel very soon, but before that, I want to write this up for Lady Chitose since her birthday was this month, but I had to miss it, since I was gone. Go read her stories! They're so much better than mines, no doubt.

Oh and also, this is AU, since Dally isn't in New York and…yeah. XP Enjoy!

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Children played happily in the playgrounds of an elementary school, happy to see the opportunity of having fun under the blue skies until they would be given more work later on.

A small, blonde haired boy climbed on a jungle gym, trying to see if he could reach at the top. However, he stopped when he felt a palm around his ankle. When he turned his head, he saw that the hand was coming from below the jungle gym. That same second, he was being pulled back and fell through the big hole and landed in a thud on his rear. He heard laughter as he painfully rubbed his rear. Looking up he saw the school's most famous bright-blonde-haired bully, Dallas Winston, nicknamed Dally by most.

"That wasn't funny!" the boy cried out from the laughter that filled the air, source being the lungs from the bigger bully.

With that quote making him laugh louder, Dally turned and left. Looks like the little boy had to climb from the beginning.

Every step Dally took in the pavement sent every little first, second, and third grader shivers in their small body. He was enjoying that atmosphere. Those little kids had a right to fear him. Although one of them never gave him chills. That same child was tanned and resembled a puppy. He doesn't react much more than a look of envy. Dally figured that it was just because that kid wanted to be just as tough as him for his age, so he just enjoys the look of fear from the other kids and ignored the puppy-resembled child.

A few hours has passed since recess and the ring signaling dismissal caused little kids running freely to the bus. Dally didn't bother going inside it. He carelessly walked passed it with an impassive look on his face.

Although he was young, being eight years of age, Dally preferred walking home. It gives more time being away from his parents and what was supposedly called his home.

One of the numerous buses passed by him. He glanced up the windows of the bus, warning the children that he will see them again tomorrow. That made a reaction of several of those kids a gulp in their throat and a looks of fear by a few others. The rest didn't even look, but he didn't care.

He started walking a several more yards and a local daycare was coming from view. From said daycare, he heard a familiar voice from a distance. Determined, Dally quickened his pace, keeping his eye on the building. As he stepped closer to the building, he saw a small auburn-haired child curled up near the chained fence that surrounded the front area of the daycare, clutching on a paper bag that Dally assumed to be his lunch.

The curled up toddler was gazing up at a young boy who seemed to be around the same age as Dally. Dally slightly slowed down his pace to take a better look at the predator, who was holding his fists together as though he was about to give the younger boy a bruise on his face, as the body seemed very familiar. Dally squinted his eyes and saw that the boy was actually Tim Shepard.

"Hey Tim!" Dally yelled out as he placed the book bag that was on his shoulder next to a bush that lay by the entrance and he opened the gate to let himself in.

Tim looked over his shoulder unpleased. Dally was interrupting his 'business' with this toddler.

Dally didn't know what Tim was doing in a daycare. Maybe it was because Tim was picking up his little siblings and grew bored waiting. That was most likely it.

"Tim, whatcha you doin' here?" Dally asked confused.

"I was going t' get Angela and Curly," Tim said, "And I haven't had fun with a kid all day,"

Dally was about to say something, but what he was about to say could lead Tim thinking he wasn't so tough, so instead, he said, "Go get Curly and Angela. I'll have my own fun with this kid."

"C'mon Dal-"

"Go!"

"Alright, fine," and with that Tim let out an annoying sigh and went inside the daycare building.

Dally turned around, only to see the auburn-haired child looking up at him with eyes, which were like a gray shade of green that was showing horror.

Although he did say he was going to bully the small child, there was something about this boy that made Dally feel uncomfortable to harm. Judging by the maneuver of his small body, he could tell that the child was never harm by someone on purpose before. Something about that statement made Dally feel relieved in the back of his mind.

"Don't worry," Dally said, "I ain't gonna to hurt ya."

The fearful look the child had faded into a thoughtful yet confused one. Dally still had that uncomfortable feeling so he turned to leave. However, before leaving, the small child extended an arm and made a small sound in his voice "Hmm!" signaling Dally to stay for a sec.

Dally saw the arm from the corner of his eye and turned around. To his sight, he saw the now standing child digging something in the paper bag. The boy fished out a big cookie from the bag. The door of the building opened and revealed a female adult.

"Ponyboy sweetie, your mother is here to pick you up," and the woman went back inside.

Ponyboy, Dally thought, weirdest name I've ever seen. Usually if a child had a strange name, it would give Dally another reason to bully them; he would tease them and make fun of it. But even with that, Dally still didn't feel the need to harm Ponyboy.

"Get it," Ponyboy said, referring to the cookie, "it's for you"

Dally uneasily grabbed the cookie from him. Ponyboy gave a grateful smile to Dally, and ran back inside the building.

Dally grabbed his own bag and put one of the straps around his shoulder looking at the edible gift Ponyboy had given him. Man, did it smell good. It must be one of those homemade cookies kids in his school eat. He never actually ate a homemade cookie before. Sure, he had a cookie like every child had, but not a homemade one. Dally took a bite of it and he didn't remember the last time he ever had a sweet this good. Every cookie he had was crunchy and hard, but this was soft, chewy, and much more easily to taste the chocolate flavor.

Dally savored every bite as he walked home. Every bite he had made him think about Ponyboy's grateful smile. He didn't think he would receive a positive reaction towards him like that, nor did he know how adorable a little child's smile really is. That was probably the most adorable child he's seen. He almost felt proud he didn't harm him. That was the first time he didn't harm a child and actually feel proud.

Looks like there's a first time for everything.

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A/N: Slightly changed it. n.n Review please?