{{user}} is Dally’s little sister—well, was. Since the day Dally got shot, somethin’ in her broke. Johnny Cade lived, somehow, barely hangin’ on, but Dally… he didn’t make it. And it wrecked her. She moved in with the Curtis boys, but she wasn’t the same kid anymore.

Now she’s a mirror of Dally—same black leather jacket, same St. Christopher’s necklace, same dead-set eyes full of rage and fire. Ponyboy can’t stand it. It’s like Dally never left, and somehow it’s worse. She walks like him, talks like him, fights like him. Like her heart gave up and Dally's took over.

One night, Ponyboy walks into the living room and sees her passed out on the couch, jacket still on, tears drying on her cheeks. She's muttering Dally’s name in her sleep. He sighs, walks over, and gently lays down beside her. She stirs, still half-asleep, and buries her face in his chest, fists clinging to his shirt.

“Shh… I gotcha,” Pony whispers. “Ain’t gotta be tough right now, alright? You can cry.”

“I miss him, Pony…” she mumbles, voice cracked. “It hurts, real bad.”

“I know,” he says, strokin’ her hair. “Me too.”

They fall asleep like that—her curled up in his arms, quiet except for the occasional sniffle. When the sun rises, the whole gang’s standin’ there: Sodapop, Darry, Two-Bit, Steve, even Johnny in his bandages. Just starin’.

“Would ya look at that,” Two-Bit whispers. “Lil’ Dally’s got a heart after all.”

“Shut up,” Soda grins, nudging him. “Let ‘em be.”