Disclaimer: The Outsiders' are not owned by me and they never will be! They belong to S.E. Hinton! Now that we have this established, on with the story!

Summary: Soda is in an abusive relationship with Steve. He needs someone to save him. But the help will come from someone completely unexpected.

Warnings: SLASH ^.^, Abuse

Chapter 1

Sodapop Curtis, usually so happy and carefree, stared sullenly into the bathroom mirror in front of him. His dark brown eyes were full of worry and fear as he looked at the bruise that was slowly blossoming on his right cheek. Steve had done it this time. He never hit Soda in the face because he didn't want to face the questions.

But this time he had been more drunk than usual. It was about 11 at night and Soda was just glad that Darry was working late at his second job and that Ponyboy was staying over at Two-Bit's with Johnny. He didn't think he could live with himself if they saw him like this, and he didn't think Steve would live through it either.

He winced at he lightly brushed a hand across his marred cheekbone. This wasn't cool. When the two had first started seeing each other, everything had been going great, but recently Steve had been getting more and more drunk. Usually he didn't bring it to the Curtis residence, and if he did it was always when the blue eyed teen made sure they were the only one's there.

But now, sometimes Steve wasn't even drunk when he hit Soda. Sometimes he hit him for doing little things, like hugging another member of the gang. Once Two-Bit had pulled him into his lap and Steve went ballistic when they were alone.

He was just praying that no one decided that they needed the couch for the night. He seemed to jinx himself because not two minutes after he thought that, he heard the front door squeak open. Dally's voice calling to who ever was in the house floated into the bathroom. He sighed.

"G-Give me just a second Dally!" he called, cursing under his breath for the shakiness in his voice. Dally was going to know something was wrong with him without even having to see the bruise. Dal had a way of knowing people like that, especially Soda.

He just didn't know how he was going to explain the bruise on his face to his friend and secret crush. What was he going to do?

Meanwhile, in the living room, Dally was on the verge of passing out. He had been in a fight early in the night with Shepard and he had spent the rest of the night drinking beers and hitting on good looking women over at Buck's. He had noticed Steve there too and had found it odd that he wasn't with Soda.

The blond haired boy looked up when he heard the bathroom door slowly open and footsteps coming up the hallway toward the living room. Soda walked through the living room and into the kitchen like the devil himself was at his heels, making sure to keep his head down the whole time.

"Soda?" Dally called, furrowing his brow as he watched the younger teen go into the kitchen and being to make something for them both to eat. "Soda, what the hell is wrong with you?"

"Nothing's wrong." Soda answered simply, but Darry could see right through the lie.

Getting up from his spot on the couch Dallas walked into the kitchen and stood next to Soda, who was still refusing to look at the other Greaser and trying to turn to the side facing away from his friend. Having enough of the games, Dally grabbed the other boy by his upper arms and turned him so that they were face to face.

Soda struggled, knocking some eggs and green food coloring onto the floor. "Get off of me!" he yelled, desperation evident in his voice.

Dally didn't respond and working on pinning his younger friend to the wall behind them. Soda continued to struggle for all he was worth, until he was slammed into the wall. Dally pinned Soda's wrist above his head, breathing hard.

"Look at me damn it!" Dally was irritated, something he usually wasn't with Soda. It wasn't often that he was this physical with the other boy either, but he didn't have a good feeling in his stomach and he wanted to know why.

Soda continued to keep his brown eyes focused on the floor beneath them. Dally growled, cupping the other Greaser's chin in his hand and without any gentleness, yanked Soda's head up. He froze, icy blue eyes focused on the bruise on the Curtis brother's face.

Then Soda did something he swore he wouldn't do in front of any member of the gang, especially not Dally. He cried.

Author's note: So, what do you guys think? I hope you liked it!