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Lilly woke up from inside Gerard's bunk on their tour bus. She had fallen asleep after they had gotten the bus fixed and taken her out of her school. Gerard said that they would hire her a tutor. She heard faint talking in the front of the bus. She sat still so that she could hear what they were saying.

"Gerard, are you sure you want to bring Lilly on tour with us? I mean, you've only just met her," Lilly recognized Mikey's voice lowly talking to Gerard.

"Mikey, she was getting abused by her brother, and her mom knew about it! She wasn't doing anything about it, so I had to do something. Anyways, I kind of like her. She's cute, but there's something wrong with her...I don't know what, but I'm gonna find out," Gerard explained.

Lilly decided that it was time to tell everyone she was awake. She swung her legs over the side of the bunk and jumped down. She staggered up to the front of the bus as it moved. The five guys looked at her as she came into their view.

"Afternoon," she said hugging herself.

Gerard scooted over in his chair and patted it to signal her to come and sit next to him. She hurriedly took it. She knew he was the only one she could trust. He was the only one fighting for her to stay. He cared about her.

"So tell us about yourself," Frank said.

"Well, I'm seventeen. I'm a junior in high school. I get good grades. I like music a lot. I've -- I've never had any friends," she said quietly.

"WHAT? You've never had ANY friends?" Frank exclaimed.

Lilly shook her head and said, "No one ever wanted to be my friend 'cause my brother spread rumors about me. He said that I had AIDS and stuff. I really don't though."

"What an ass," she heard Ray say.

Gerard thought that he had to make her happy, so he decided to ask her about school. "Good grades, huh? What are your favorite classes?"

"I like them all. I don't care. I'm valedictorian of my grade," she said quietly.

At the sound of "valedictorian" Gerard turned and stared at her. No way! She's valedictorian? WOW! he though.

"I -- I'll go to the back and leave you all alone. I'm sure you guys don't want to talk to a seventeen year old girl," Lilly said glumly standing up and walking to the back of the bus.

Gerard looked at the guys puzzled. He got up and followed her. He found her on the floor hugging her knees crying.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I -- uh -- I heard Mikey and you talking. None of them want me here. I should have just stayed home. I've dealt with Josh for seventeen years, what's eight more months?" she sobbed.

"Oh, honey," Gerard said sitting next to her, putting his arm around her. "I want you here. I would have left you there to suffer if I didn't. Come on, look at me."

She looked up. Tears glistened in her green eyes. How beautiful, he thought. No! Bad Gerard! SEVENTEEN! he chastised.

"What did you say to my momma?" she asked.

"I told her that I knew about Josh hitting you and that I would like it if you came to live with us so you didn't get hurt anymore. I also said that the guys and I would like to you to stay with us at least until you come of age. She said 'fine,'" he said wrapping his arms tighter around her.

Lilly laughed bitterly, "So she chose 'perfect' Josh over 'loser' me. Shoulda known."

Gerard looked at her inquiringly, "What do you mean?"

"She --" Lilly said. "Never mind." With that, she got up and straightened her wrinkled shirt. She glanced behind her and noticed that Gerard was standing behind her. Lilly reached into her pocket and found her first ever first place ribbon lying in her pocket. It was her good luck charm. She brought it everywhere with her. She loved winning. It was the only thing that didn't make her feel like a complete loser. Her mother and her brother both made her feel helpless. She couldn't believe she was away from them, not only away, but living with Gerard Way!

Gerard walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She inched away from him. She didn't like being held that much.

"What's wrong?" Gerard asked.

"Nothing," she said, but when she saw Gerard open his mouth to protest, she realized there was no getting away without a semi-truthful answer. "I just don't like being held, okay?"

Gerard nodded and sat in a chair in front of her. He looked at her intensely. Why is she so far and distant? She's like something through a window...I can see her, but I can't have her. I need to find out what's been going on with her for seventeen years! he thought.

"If I give you a list of questions about you, can you answer them for me. They don't even have to be out loud. I could write them down on a piece of paper. I just really want to get to know you. Please, Lilly?" Gerard pleaded, looking into her emerald eyes.

Lilly looked at Gerard. He seemed to genuinely care about her. Do it Lilly. What do you have to lose? a voice in the back of her head told her.

Lilly nodded, "You have to write them down for me, okay? It might take a while to answer them all so if you want to give me one or two questions a day...that way you can have a couple of answers a day."

"Thank you, Love," Gerard said. I just called her "Love!" Oh my God! She's gonna freak out, he thought. He watched her waiting for her to freak.

Did he just call me "Love?" That's funny! Lilly thought and doubled over in laughter.

"What?" Gerard asked confused.

"You called me -- ha ha ha -- 'Love!' No one has ever -- ha ha ha -- called me anything except 'Lilly!'" she laughed.
Gerard looked at the strange sight. Well...at least she's laughing. he thought.

"Umm...I'll just go write those questions down," Gerard said, walking to the front of the bus.