Marsha Bomar smoothed the fine hairs away from the forehead of the young girl whose head layed across her lap. Her shivering body only recently responded to the warmth of the fireplace across the room. Marsha sighed inwardly and lifted her eyes so that they could meet her husband's as he sat upright in his favorite chair. Usually when Billy was at home and relaxed, her'd have his feet propped up on his ottoman, a pipe hanging from his mouth and his back deep in the cushion of his favorite corduroy lay-z-boy chair. Tonight, however, was different. Tonight there wasn't an ounce of relaxation in his body as he stared helplessly at the shivering form of his beloved Dale nestled within his wife's lap.

" Does she need anything?" His voice was full of strain, his eyes clouded over with worry. He knew the moment he pulled into his gas shop and didn't find Dale standing there that something was wrong. Ever since the day he hired her, she had been on time, which meant whatever may have happened to prevent her from being there was an extreme emergency. He tried waiting, being patient, but he knew as sure as the day was long that he couldn't control the anxiety that rushed through his veins. Something was wrong, and he needed to go and find out what it was. It was a God send when he watched Justin walked through the door, only briefly explaining that he'd be right back. He didn't know what he expected to find when he reached Dale's house, but he had hoped to at least find her. He didn't care to much for the way Beverly chose to live her life, but the least the woman could do for her daughter was provide her with a stable home. He had stood by and did all he could as an outside influence for Dale, but the time had come- when he pulled into Parkview and saw Dale shivering on the step of her modular unit with a soggy bag of groeries- for something more to be done. He didn't even have to ask Dale to know that she must have been sitting that way through the night. Dale barely even lifted her eyes to meet his when he walked up to her and lifted her in his arms. The lights were on inside the trailer, he could hear her mother and whatever man she was with inside laughing. It was still raining, and the even thought it rarely got cold in Tenessee, sitting out in the rain all night and all morning could sicken anyone. He didn't even bother to go in and reprimand Beverly, he would do all that another time, it only mattered to get Dale into warm clothes and inside of a house.

" I'm afraid we're going to have to wait dear. She needs to warm up as best she can." Marsha soothed, knowing her words did little to comfort her husband. There wasn't much more they could do at the moment, but just make sure she was warm enough to bring her bidy temperature up.

" Dammit Mar!" Billy growled banging his fist against the table beside him. Marsha squezzed Dale's arm when she felt her body tense and losed her eyes for her own comfort. She knew her husband was upset, she knew he loved Dale like she was his own. " I should have known something like this was going to happen. Hell it's probably been happening."

" Calm down Bill. Let her rest. She's safe with us now."

" But what about tomorrow..or next week!" Billy exclaimed, his eyes growing with every gesture. he wanted Dale's protection. He wanted to make sure that he did everything in is power to do away with all the pain that Beverly was inflicting upon her. It wasn't fair, especially when Dale wasn't the sweetest  child. It wasn't right for someone as pure as her to have to live in such flith, Billy thought.

" We'll worry about today. Besides, the woman is out of sorts. We can at least be assured that Dale will stay here for the next few days."

" It's not enough." Billy sighed, his eyes going back to Dale who looked to have fallen asleep. Her body was following a normal breathing pattern, which eased his anxiety slightly.

" It'll do for now." Marsha sighed, motioning for Billy to hand her the thick blanket they brought from the back room to cover her. Laying it over her sleeping form, Billy and Marsha Bomar watched the beautiful child they came to love rest.

" I'm not going Trace." Justin cursed under his breath, as he almost tripped over a hidden branch, on his way to his grandmother's house. He had decided that he'd rather eat a hearty bowl of bread pudding and watch taped episodes of the power rangers than hang out at the bonfire with Trace and all the star struck groupies that were bound to be there. He had only answered Trace's calls, because he was sure it was going to be Britney returning one of the eighteen calls he'd placed since the day started. He hadn't even waited to hear the tone, just answered on the first vibration, and was disappointed to hear his best friend's voice on the other end.

" Your such a fucking dick tease. What are you going to do stay at home and bake cookies, Martha Stewart." Trace sneered, not at all happy with Justin's disposition. Justin rolled his eyes and ignored the rude side mark, Trace was such an asshole, which was why he loved him so much.

" No, I'm gonna back a cake and call Brit." He knew Trace could give two shits about what he had planned to do, all he wanted was to know when to expect him at the Ayala house.

" Listen, I don't give a donkey's ass about all that shit. Come on there's gonna be beer, girls, music, girls..."

"I think a star trek marathon is coming on." Justin feigned interest as he opened the kitchen door to his grandmother's house. The light was on as usual in the kitchen, and his bowl was already sitting out for him.

" Your a fucking asnine! Can you please take off the panties Oprah..and high tail your ass over here?!"

" When you put it like that..." Justin laughed, placing the bowl in the microwave and heading in the front room to see what he might find on tv. He stopped short when he saw the slew of curls sprawled across the pillow of the couch and the small frame tucked underneath the bundled covers. Trace was still yelling in his ear, to which he just closed his phone to end the call. Staring at the strange figure, he had no idea who it was that had somehow found themselves on his favorite couch sleep in his grandparent's house. Backing up slowly, he tried to make his departure silently, when he accidently backed into his granfather's favorite chair and sent it screaching across the floor. Instantly, the head of curls shot up and Just realized it was Dale awaking from her slumber.

" Dale?" Justin whispered, knowing that his grandparents wouldn't even wake up if he decided to scream. He guessed that he was whispering because he was more shocked than anything. What was she doing there? And why did she have his pajama shirt on?

" Hey J." her voice was throaty, a little hoarse for just waking up and he guessed she had caught a cold from walking in the rain last night. She offered a meek smile, before pushing more curls out of her face and rubbing her swollen eyes. She was the epitome of a disheveled mess, but she couldn't have been more enchanting if she tried. Her hair was all over her head, the oversized pajama shirt swallowed her whole, while her bare leg stuck out underneath her and the bundle of covers that covered her lap.

" Uh...um...do my...."

" Yeah they know I'm here. Sorry about your shirt" she smiled, pulling the covers from around her lap and moving to stand. She began to stretch, and it wasn't until she felt the cool air wisp around her naked thigh, that she realized she wasn't wearing the matching bottoms. " Ohmigosh." she gulped, puhsing the material of the shirt to cover her legs.

" Relax, I've seen legs before." He smirked, finding it interesting that she looked better in his shirt than he did. She ignored his gest and moved to wrap one of the blankets around her. Justin watched in a bemused fashion as she spent the next several minutes tying then retying the fallen knots she made to hold the blanket in place. " Unless you gotta thing about your knees on down, your not showin much skin."

" It's really...." she paused as she yanked a portion of the blanket, " improper to walk around half na-", she stopped to sigh as the entire blanket fell around her knees. She looked up and met his amused expression with sheer embarrassment. In defeat, she kicked the blanket from around her feet and joined in with his soft chuckles.

" Your not half naked."

" Really, I have nothing on under this."the words sailed from her mouth in the smoothest of fashions. Justin swallowed hard and met eyes with her, only to find that she was just playing. A smile crept across her face and she winked before moving past him and into the kitchen. From the way she moved around with ease, he could tell she had been there before. She moved around the cabinets and drawers like it was her second home. His fascination with her subsided when he realized she had gathered eating utensils, a huge glass of milk and his heated bread pudding in the middle of the eat in table. Pulling out a chair, she patted the cushion and motioned for him to join her.

" Do help yourself." Justin laughed, taking the fork she offered and watching as she scooped up a huge bite of the desert. Her obvious appearance said she was tired, but the radiance that spilled from him told otherwise. She was like a bundle of joy cleverly concealed.

" This is amazing. Mar's really outdone herself." Justin gulped back his surprise at the causual inference to his grandmother. He only knew one other person in life to call his grandmother Mar, and that was her husband. Even the woman's closest friends called her Marsha. Justin eyed the unique beauty who sat across from him devouring his nightime snack. He never before shared his night time ritual with anyone else, but it felt almost natural watching her sit with her legs indian style, her hair all over her head and her mouth filled to the brim with icing grazed over her lips.

" Can I have a bite?"

" I don't know. The more for me the merrier." Dale smiled, swallowing her last bite and reaching for another. Just then the door in the kitchen flew open and Trace bursted onto the scene, his phone pressed to his ear.

" You fucking ass clown" he exclaimed stomping towards the table, only realizing Dale was seated there when he was directly behind her. Trace's eyes went soft as he looked from her to Justin, then finally settled on her. Justin felt his chest tighten, and his jaw lock, while he watched Trace's eyes glance over Dale's body.

" Oh hey there Trace." Dale beamed, looking up at him, licking her spoon of the last remaints of bread pooding. Trace looked to have buckled at the knees, but quickly regained his posture when his eyes focused in on Justin.

" So your ignoring my calls now."

" Something like that." Justin shrugged, scooping up the last bit of the bread pooding and offering it to Dale. He was just doing so as a gesture, so found himself surprised when her mouth circled around his fork and she proceeded to take the very last bite. He was thankful to be sitting, because the lone notion had him standing to attention and the last thing he needed was for his sweat pants to have a pitch fork.

" Are you just gonna play house...or are we goin to the bonfire?!" Justin was about to answer, but he watched as Dale's mouth dropped open and her eyes went huge. He questioned her silently, and in response she turned to Trace, her smile even more widened.

" I was suppose to go...to meet Marissa, can I go with you?" her earnest response was like music to Trace's ears, and Justin couldn't help but laugh at the impish smile that spread across his best friends face.

" Hell fucking yeah!" Trace exclaimed, taking the seat next to her and eyeing her with keen interest. Justin cleared his throat and stood to grab Trace's attention, he didn't like the way his friend's eyes traveled down her body.

" Come on Trey...I gotta change." Justin instructed placing the empty plate in the sink. He turned back to Dale who had already been watching him. The flush in her cheek deepened, and Justin felt a surge of satisfaction fill him when he realized he had her attentions more than Trace. He didn't know why that particular fact thrilled him, but it did nonetheless. "You gotta change of clothes here Dale?"

" Yeah..I'll go get changed." she let out before racing to the back where he was sure she was headed for the spare room. Justin reminded himself that he would have to ask his grandparents about their surprise houseguest when he got the chance, hopefully then it would shed some light on the strange events of the night.