And as the earth burns to the ground, oh girl, it’s you that I lie with…

Fire seemed to be raining from the Tulsa sky, a sky that in the past few hours had grown too red for comfort. The clouds were thick and looming, hanging precariously above the city skyline.

You and Dally were lying side by side on the rooftop of an abandoned building, staring up at the glowing scarlet emptiness above. Sirens wailed in the distance.

“You think the world’s ending?” You whispered, only half sarcastic, fingertips brushing against his.

“Nah,” Dally said lowly. “World ended years ago. This is nice.” He shut his tired eyes for only a second, a smirk on his lips.

You turned to him quietly, tracing a fading bruise—from a rumble—on his cheekbone.

“Y’know, if this is it, I’m glad I’m here with you.” You mumbled.

His smirk widened just a little, but there was something deeper, more real, behind his dark brown eyes.

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll be okay.” He grumbled gently, his New York accent gruff. “We always are.”

But somehow, the always confident Dally Winston seemed to be less sure of his own assurances. He was unsure, and not in control. That scared him.