TULSA

There was a moment of silence as Buck stood alone on the sidewalk leading up to the Curtis' place. He hardly ever came around here, so to say he felt out of place was an understatement.

"That kid better fuckin' be here," the cowboy grumbled before tossing away his cigarette butt. It was early-- far too early-- as Buck's cowboy boots thundered up the front steps. His fist pounded on the storm door and, a minute or two later, an exhausted-looking Ponyboy Curtis-- his hair flopping everywhere from not having yet greased it back-- swung the front door open.

"Buck?" he asked. "What're you doin'?"

"You seen Winston around?"

"Dally?"

"Naw, the other Winston. Of course I mean Dally."

Ponyboy's eyebrows knitted together, a perplexed look forming on his face.

"Ponyboy, who is it?" a voice said from behind the kid. A second later, that big-headed Steve Randle appeared, his DX shirt unbuttoned, showing off what little he had to show off.

"It's Buck," Ponyboy said. "Lookin' for Dally. You seen him?"

Steve pushed Ponyboy aside. "None of us seen him. We figured he was with you somewhere. Glory, guy hasn't been 'round here in over a week."

"Well, he said something about taking off with his girlfriend. Saw him hop into some nice Corvette and I haven't seen him since. We had a show last night. He was supposed to compete at the rodeo and he never showed up."

"Girlfriend? Sylvia?" asked Ponyboy.

"Sylvia ain't got no Corvette," said Randle, sounding as though someone had just suggested the dumbest thing in the world. "'Sides, she's been runnin' around with a guy from one of them rougher gangs. She and Dally haven't been together in a long time. I never heard about Dally having a girl."

Buck's eyes rolled upward, silently cursing the sky. "Glory," he groaned. "Well, if you see him, let him know he's in trouble. He still owes me money."

Steve shrugged. "I don't know what to tell ya. Good luck, I guess." Steve walked off and Ponyboy just waved awkwardly at Buck before closing the door. Buck grumbled another string of cuss words before he stormed off down the steps and to his T-Bird. 

'''

"Joy, I'm telling you, once those missing person flyers go out, once they see the reward money for returning her home, we'll be seeing Tana's face before you know it," Mr. Thompson said, rubbing the back of his weeping wife as reassuringly as he could. "Tana'll be showing up on our doorstep with not even a scratch on her."

"Oh, it's all our fault, David!" Joy wailed. "We leave her home alone all the time with no one but that mutt to protect her."

"Oh, you know Sunny would have fought for her."

A doorknob turned and the chief, a tall fellow with too much hair and not enough compassion walked in. "Mr. and Mrs. Thompson."

David stood up out of his seat, disregarding his wife, and took the chief's hand firmly in his. "Chief Taylor. David Thompson, Esquire. This is my wife, Joy."

"So I've heard," Chief Taylor said. "Sit down. I just need to ask you a few questions." David sat back down in his seat, taking his wife's hand in his. So, I've gotten word that your daughter has gone missing."

"Uh, yes. She has."

"How long has she been missing?"

David exchanged a look with his wife. "Um, we think a week. At least."

"You think?"

"Um, yes. Well, we haven't been home very much, so we're unsure how long she's been gone."

"Uh huh. Do you know what she was last wearing?"

David shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Joy recrossed her legs. "We're not sure of that either, Mr. Taylor," Joy said, her voice sounding small compared to David's loud and boisterous one. 

"Jesus," Taylor mumbled. "How about her car? The '64 blue Corvette. Any ideas on that?" Joy and David shook their heads no. "So, in the report, it says that your daughter's dog is also missing. Can you describe the dog?"

"Uh, yes. He's a G-German Shepard?" David asked, turning to his wife for confirmation. As per Joy's nod, David continued. "Yes, he's a German Shepard. His name is Sunny. He's very well trained, but he usually only listens to Tana."

"Okay. So, if there was a break-in, do you think Sunny would have attacked the intruder?"

"Oh, absolutely. He's very protective of our daughter."

"Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, upon our investigation of your house, we found no sign of an intrusion. Which, of course, it's obviously been some time since your daughter went missing, so any evidence that we could have found would be pretty much useless in this investigation. However, it does appear that there was no sign of a struggle."

"Yes. The house is always completely spotless. And there was never any sign that someone had broken in."

"But that doesn't mean she wasn't kidnapped!" David argued.

"You're right about that, Mr. Thompson. Do you know of any places your daughter liked to hang out? Any friends of hers we should question?"

"I know she liked the diner. That shabby one over by the DX near the poor side of town. As for her friends, I think--"

"Their names are Katie Avrils, June Stephens, and Lisa Sloan," said Joy.

Taylor nodded as he wrote the names down. "Right. So, we'll be getting in touch with them, see if we can get any information about Tana's last known whereabouts. In the meantime, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, I think it best you focus more on your daughter and less on the law firm."

Joy and David shared a look. They couldn't just give up work, could they? They'd lose business, clients, money!

Finally, Joy nodded. Finding their daughter was important. Think of all the people in this town that would turn their backs on them if they didn't focus on finding their daughter. Then they'd really be screwed.

"We will," David said. The couple stood and walked out. They were soon replaced by the sheriff, a skinny guy with a beard about as red as a stoner's eyes.

 "They seem weird to you, Chief?" Dean asked.

"Sure do. Don't even remember what their daughter was wearing or how long she's been gone."

"If I can share my opinion... I don't think she's been kidnapped. I think she might have just wandered off on her own."

Taylor nodded thoughtfully. "Either way, you know we're gonna have to make a report to the news or we're gonna be havin' all sorts of bullshit with these people. And I'm gonna be the one gettin' the ass of it all."

'''

The television at the Dingo blared out the news in the background as Buck and a few other cowboys sat around eating lunch the next day.

"In recent news, Thompson Law Firm owners, Joy and David Thompson, report their daughter has gone missing. There is no information on how long Tana Rose Thompson, age seventeen, has been missing for. Reports say her four-year-old German Shepard, named Sunny, has also disappeared along with a blue colored nineteen-sixty-four Chevrolet Corvette.

Buck spat out his coffee, spraying one of the other cowboys with liquid.

"Son of a bi--"

"Chris, turn that up, will ya?" Buck shouted across the diner to one of the waiters. Chris moved across the room and turned the dial up on the TV.

"Tana is described as having medium-length light blonde hair, blue eyes. She is around five foot five and weighs around a hundred and fifteen pounds. Distinguishing marks include a birthmark on her left knee and a scar on her left forearm.

"Foul play is not suspected in her disappearance but has not been ruled out. Friends close to her claim she was last seen at her home, but no one knows where she might have gone or who might have taken her. 

"If you have any information or tips on Tana Thompson, please contact the Tulsa County Sheriff's department at--"

"Jesus fuck," Buck gasped. "He's a dead man."

'''

SOMEWHERE IN ARIZONA

"I spy with my little eye--"

"Is it a cactus?"

Tana let out a loud sigh from the passenger side seat. "This game is so stupid."

"Well, it was your idea," said Dallas dryly.

"Because it used to be fun when I was a kid. My mom and I would play. She'd always pick really hard stuff for me to find. Maybe she just did it to keep me quiet."

"Hey, don't go feeling all sorry for yourself now."

"Well, no one else feels sorry for me," said Tana, but she was grinning. "Hey, do you wanna stop pretty soon? We haven't eaten anything since six this morning."

"Yeah, that's not a bad idea."

Dally drove on for another twenty minutes before he parked along the center square in a small town. Dallas, Tana, and Sunny all got out. Sunny lifted his leg on a fire hydrant before returning to his owner and obediently sitting at her side. Tana scratched behind his ear, making him whine with pleasure.

"Good thing we're almost to Phoenix. I don't know how much longer I can take sitting in a car."

"What did you expect when you decided to go on a road trip clear across the country?"

Tana shrugged. "I dunno. Maybe... like how they have it in movies?"

Dallas rolled his eyes and lit up a smoke. He offered it to Tana, but she shook her head no. "Nothin's like the movies, doll."

"So, after Phoenix... are we going to Las Vegas like you said?"

"Why not? You still up for it?"

"Yeah, totally. I was just wondering..." Tana heaved a sigh. "Well, I really want a tattoo. And I know it's kind of taboo for women to get tattoos, but I really want one."

Dallas raised his brows in surprise. "A tattoo? Really?"

"Yeah. I know what I'd get, too."

"What would you get?"

"I'd get a little sun. I don't know where."

"A sun?"

"For Sunny."

"'Course."

"Do you think it's stupid?"

Dallas frowned. "Not really. But it makes sense. At least it has meaning to you."

Tana grinned slightly. "Would you ever get a tattoo?"

"Me? Nah. Not really my thing."

"Understandable. Anyways, would you go in with me if I got one?"

Dallas shrugged. "What, you want me to hold your hand or somethin'?"

"No. I mean, we're kinda stuck with each other anyway, but, I mean, instead of you just sitting outside or whatever. At least I could talk to you while it's getting done, ya'know?"

"Sure."

Tana smiled a little brighter. 

It didn't take long for Dallas and Tana to finally arrive in Phoenix. Tana pulled her usual bullshitting stunt so they could get a hotel room and have Sunny be able to stay with them. They both got their own beds and it felt so nice to be able to sleep stretched out instead of all curled up in a car seat.

"This is great," Tana sighed happily. "We should find stuff to do tomorrow. Just so stopping here wasn't a waste."

"Yeah," said Dally, half asleep. Sunny hopped up on to the bed and curled up next to Tana.

"You goin' to sleep?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay."

But Tana wasn't tired. Dally was nearly asleep now, leaving Tana wide awake. Deciding she had nothing else to do, she reached into her bag and pulled out her sketchbook and a pencil. Tana moved over to Dally's bed quietly and sat down at the foot as lightly as she could.

"What are you doing?" Dally mumbled.

"Nothin'," Tana said. "Go to sleep."

"Don't have to tell me twice." He was out like a light in a matter of seconds. The corner of the girl's lips turned upward slightly as she studied the sleeping greaser's features. He was much easier to draw when he was relaxed and his forehead wasn't all wrinkly in irritation.

For the next several hours, Tana sat quietly, drawing Dallas and humming lightly to herself. Finally, around five in the morning, Dally stirred. He nearly fell off the bed when he saw Tana sitting on the edge of his bed, staring at him.

"The fuck are you doing?"

"Good morning to you, too."

"Are you drawing me?"

"No, I was trying to figure out how I was gonna pop that giant zit on your forehead." Dallas glared at her. "I'm joking. Can't you take a joke?"

Dallas sat up, his muscles flexing as he stretched and yawned. "Can I see it?"

"Hang on. Let me finish the shading on your lip."

A couple seconds passed by and Tana finally flipped her book around, showing Dallas the picture she'd drawn of him.

"Goddamn," he said. "This-- This is really good."

"Thanks," she replied, shoving a piece of hair behind her ear.

Suddenly, Dallas remembered what she'd said about her drawings. She really only drew things that meant a lot to her. That picture of Marcus he'd found. He was once important to her. Did that mean he was now important to her? Why?

Dallas looked up, his eyes meeting with hers.

"Am I important to you?" his voice asked.

"Huh?"

"You said a while back that you only really draw things that are important to you."

"Well, I mean..." Tana smiled nervously, her cheeks going bright red. "Yeah, kinda. I mean, you're all I have right now. I know this thing just started, and that it could all be over soon. But I'm glad you were crazy enough to go along with me.

"Not only that, but you're the only person that's ever really saved my life. Literally."

"I never got a 'thank you' for that, by the way," Dallas teased.

She smirked before meeting his gaze again. "Thank you. Honestly."

The space between the two was slowly diminishing. Dallas' lips were mere centimeters from hers before they both paused and leaned away from each other.

"I'm sorry," she said. "Marcus..."

"He messed you up, didn't he?"

"A little bit, yeah."

"What happened?"

Tana shook her head. "Ran off with some broad after he graduated high school. He gave me a promise ring at the beginning of my junior year and then, out of nowhere, he just decided he didn't wanna stick around until I graduated and he left. Not a care in the world."

Dallas nodded. "Yeah. I know how that feels."

"You get cheated on?"

"Yeah. My girl went off with another guy while I was in jail."

"We've both been drug through a mill, huh?"

A comfortable silence passed over them.

"So you wanna go out?"

"Huh?" asked Tana, confused for a split second.

"You know, touristy shit and all that?"

"Oh, yeah. Let me take a shower and change."

Tana disappeared into the bathroom, leaving Dally and Sunny to their own devices.

"She's killing me," Dallas sighed as he fell backward onto his pillow. His gaze fell down onto the drawing once more and all he could do was smile. A real, genuine smile.