***Alex's POV***

I don't think I let go of Dally for the 24+ hours we were in the cellar.

He always had at least one arm around me, pulling me close to him so the loud winds wouldn't scare me. He didn't seem to mind the weird looks the gang was giving him, and the one time Steve thought it'd be a good idea to make a witty comment, Dally just replied, "I'm just taking care of my girl the way she deserves to be taken care of." No one else said anything after that.

Everyone always seems really surprised that he's willing to take care of me the way he does. I've heard he isn't the most caring person ever, but for some reason, it's just different when he's with me. When some broad wants him, he'll bring me over and introduce me as his girlfriend. When a greasy hood tries to pick me up, Dally will wrap his arms around me so the dude knows I'm taken. I'm fine with it though, I wouldn't trade Dally for the world.

My favorite "Dally Protecting Me" story - though I'd never share it with anyone because no one would ever believe that Dallas could actually care that much about anyone - is when he took me to the movie house and a Soc tried to pick me up. Luckily, I was wearing my Winston sweat-shirt and explained to him that I had a boyfriend. But when the Soc wouldn't take no for an answer, I quickly made my way to behind Dally, who was paying for the tickets. The Soc had scoffed when he saw Dallas, but Dally stayed calm.

"Baby, what's going on?" he asked me. When I explained, he wasn't calm anymore.

"This is my girlfriend, you piece of trash. Find your own," Dally spat. The Soc laughed and started to come at Dally. Immediately I was pushed away and Dallas whipped out his switchblade.

"I'm going to say this one more time before I put you in a hospital. This is my girlfriend, find your own."

The crowd that had grown around us began to react.

"Why on earth would she be bumming around with a guy like you," the Soc challenged. That's when Dallas lost it and ended up beating the guy so bad he did have to go to a hospital. Before the fuzz showed, he grabbed me and we took off back to his house.

"Gee, I'm so sorry about that," I say to try and calm him down. I hug around his waist and I feel his heavy breathing that was once filled with anger subside until he was hugging me back.

"I didn't mean to make that big of a scene, I just like you too much to share you," he said. I let go so I can jump into his arms and kiss him.

"You like me too much?" I said with a laugh.

"Alex, it still amazes me how much I like you," he said before reuniting our lips.

I smile against Dally as I think of that memory.

"What are you smiling about down there," Dally says as he plays with my hair using his arm that he doesn't have wrapped around my waist.

"You," I reply. Dally laughs and kisses my forehead.

Once everyone got up but Bailey and Two-Bit - Bailey needed to rest and Two-Bit didn't have any plans to leave her side - we bring chairs into the center of the cellar and sit in a circle. Dally has Ponyboy grab us a chair and he pulls me onto his lap. All of the girls smile at me happily.

We begin to discuss our Christmas plans. Apparently, the gang goes somewhere every year a few days before Christmas. Last year they all went to Steve's grandma's house in Tennessee.

"What if we go camping!? I've always wanted to go camping!" Victoria says happily.

"If she's down, I'm down," Johnny says.

"Well, we'd need enough tents to fit 14 people," Darry says.

"If we can find enough tents, Darry can we please?" Soda asks.

"Well, we have a week to find tents so we can leave and be back in time for Christmas. So if everyone can find enough tents and sleeping bags, I'd say we could go," Lauren says. Everyone agrees to find the equipment needed, and the date is set: we'll leave on the 21st, and return on the 23rd.

***Dally's POV***

I'm pretty sure the entire time we were in the cellar, all the gang thought when they looked at Alex on my lap and me holding her the way I know makes her happiest was "what the hell!?"

The thing is, I was thinking the same thing; I have no idea what happened, but once I met her, anything I do is to make her feel happy and safe. Whether it's watching what she wants to watch or going where she wants to go, it's always for her at this point.

The truth? I'm so in love with her I can't even describe it.

To say I'm excited to have her back in my arms is an understatement. I can't even describe how happy I am. I keep kissing her temple and appreciating that I have her. She just leans deeper into my chest.

The fact that she's so dependent on me makes me never want to let go of her.

The whole second night we were stuck in the cellar, the winds and loud weather scared her terribly, but she's a tough girl and she tried not to show it. I was rubbing her sides when she turned around suddenly and practically threw herself at me, her breathing very hard. I engulfed her in such a large hug that her whole body was almost caged by my chest. She clung to my neck like it was the last thing tying her down to earth.

Her chest was so close to mine, we shared a heartbeat. Alex's went from very rapid earlier in the night to steady by later in the night. I finally put her to sleep, and I'd try to fall asleep too. But when winds picked up, her heart would race again, and it would wake me up. She'd mumble something against my shoulder and I'd pull her on top of me and cover her in blankets.

That's what I'm doing right now, anyway.

The gang talked for a while, ate some food, talked some more, and then we all went back to sleep. I now have the most beautiful and amazing girl laying on top of me, clinging to me for dear life. She fell asleep, but I'm staying awake in case she wakes up again.

See, that's what I mean. Usually, I'd be so fast asleep, and not even the tornado could wake me up. A simple quick beat from her heart and I'm sitting straight up, worrying she's not okay.

The cutest thing in the world is when she is scared and her eyes look at me with a "please help me" expression, and when I hold her, her eyes turn to a "please don't ever let go".

I feel my eyelids grow heavy, and I decide I'm going to sleep, only because I want to be alert tomorrow for her. She begins to shift around on top of me and rolls next to me. I laugh to myself and pull her back into my chest. I rest my head on top of her hers and slowly fall asleep with the love of my life in my arms.