Gilly walked her way through the fortress, feeling lighter than ever. She was wearing ripped-off jean shorts, a little white tank top that went up her navel -and showed off her new tattoo- her hair was up in a loose ponytail and she was wearing flipflops that she especially adored because they showed off her electric blue nailpolish.

She felt good. She felt pretty. She felt young.

Not the way she did when she was in love with he who shall not be named. If he really had to be named he shall be named, Mr. I'm in love with my penis.

No. No. I'm not going there. I've been fine, it's been a great two months. I've grown up now. Really grown up. I'm going to be me! Who cares if Mr.I'm in love with my penis' been gone for two months and didn't even text?

I'm free now. To be young. To think Harry Styles is really cute and not caring if it's lame. To wear absurdly bad clothing and pretend it's the latest trend. To be me. To be Gilly.

Wearing the smile of someone happy with themselves Gilly walked up the stairs on the way to her room to prepare for Danika and Reyes' arrival. They'd been gone to visit Danika's family in the States and she missed them like crazy.

She couldn't wait to show them- Gilly stopped. She heard sobbing. Her earlier lightheartdness crumbled way just like that. She knew who it was. Everyone in the fortress knew who it was. But Gilly knew more than that. She knew the pain behind it.

Gilly walked back and opened Legion's door. The once beautiful brat was now a shell of her former self, she had lost weight, her hair in a mess and her face seemed constantly tear traced. As if, Legion had cried so much, the tear traces would now never leave her face.

Using the softest voice she could:

_ " Hey".

No response. She would've thought Legion wouldn't have hurt her if it hadn't been for the small intake of breath.

• "I know we've never talked much but my name is Gilly. It used to be Gillian Shaw, but now I'd prefer you call me Gilly."

Gilly spoke, understanding Legion couldn't do more than listen right now.

" I know it sounds dumb and cliché, but I know what you're going through. I was- I was raped" She choked on the word and another little sob escaped Legion "too. It happened to me when I was very young. I ran away when I was sixteen and- and I had to do bad things to survive then too. And I know it's hard. Trust me, I know. But life's a mean cruel bitch, Legion. And sometimes you just gotta fuck it, be brave and flip life off. You think the pain will go away? It won't. You think you'll just wake up one morning and not feel their breath near your ear or the sounds of pleasure through your pain? It will never fucking leave."

By that point both Legion and Gilly were tear-stricken.

" I can't tell you it will be all right now, and you'll be better soon, because you won't. You never will be. But what you can do is stand up and learn how to defend yourself for one" Legion's ears perked up at this and she frowned as though she'd never contemplated the idea. " That's what I did, I didn't stay and wait for evil to come get me. I took some ass-kicking lessons so I could kick evil's ass if it ever came too close to me again. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is you are loved. You're surrounded by love and friendship if you just looked around you. So, If you're ever interested I'm off to prepare a cake for Reyes's return."

And then for the first time in a long long time, Legion spoke with no trace of fear in her voice "OK."

Jesus Christ, I smell like shit. William took his t-shirt off as he walked into the fortress.

First shower, than Gilly Gum Drop and this ridiculous notion of her having a boyfriend. It'd been two months when Anya told him Gilly supposedly had a boyfriend. Which he knew wasn't true. After all, how could Gilly have a boyfriend? If she did, he'd be dead by now. William would make sure of it.

Unfortunately, he couldn't pry for more info because the boys showed up and Kane had been found apparently, so he had shit to do. But he was back now, and he would take care of this whole "Boyfriend" situation, as he passed through the great hall, he heard music and a sound so perfect he could live off of it for the rest of his life. Gilly' laugh.

He decided to screw the shower and go see, what Gilly was doing, he really hoped she'd had enough of dressing like an old maid to impress him, women usually did the opposite of just that concerning him.