It was Rebecca's 21st birthday.

She had originally planned on having a few drinks with Billy in his shop, mostly hanging over the hood of some really expensive car that neither of them ever had a chance of owning, but that was before some of her more club oriented friends from collage heard her talking about it over the phone and demanded they take her out. He agreed to be there when she insisted, but he asked that she not mention him to them.

Their reactions when he got there and made a show of 'hitting' on the birthday girl were priceless. She'd played along for a bit, giggling and accepting the drink he bought her, and that had made it better. But when one, who was later introduced as Yvonne, told him he was "a gross guy who was old enough to be Rebecca's father" (he whispered "rude" to the young woman beside him), and stormed off, they dropped the act and Becca climbed on his back. It was good timing too, because Yvonne was halfway back with some security guard. He wouldn't have been able to actually throw the former Marine out by himself, but he probably thought he could and would have been insulted when his attempts failed.

Introductions were made shortly after. Yvonne, of course, who still didn't seem to like him even though he'd known his 'Princess' longer than any of them had. Tracy and Stacy, who were not twins but certainly dressed as such and took turns all night fawning over him. And Marisol, who reminded Billy of a girl he'd known in middle school whose brother had a big problem with him and he never quite figured out why. And at the end was him, Rebecca's best friend for the past four years and for the night her living chariot.

Of all things, Becca decided to keep up with Billy on the drinks. Unfortunately, she was downing things much stronger than he was. He started with a beer, she had a mojito. He ordered a shot, she got a long island ice tea. At first it hadn't been a problem, because she was making him carry her around the bar and he'd cut himself off so they both wouldn't end up on the floor later. Then the drinks started to settle and as it turned out, she was a wandering drunk. And she took full advantage of her freedom when he had to let her down so she could go to the bathroom.

He followed as far as he could, then leaned up against the wall that divided the men's room from the ladies. As luck would have it, Yvonne and another girl (Tracy? Stac- no, Tracy) were right behind him. It crossed his mind that that was a little odd, considering the group's unease around him.

"So," Yvonne started, twirling some hair around her finger. "You and Rebecca..."

Billy rolled his eyes. "What about us?"

"You're staying, like, crazy close to her."

"Yeah, that's because she's drunk." He lifted the drink his friend had asked him to hold and shook it lightly. "Anyone her size would be after a couple of these."

The ringleader scoffed softly. "She's fine. You don't have to hover over her all night. Unless you're waiting for her to just fall into your arms so you can take her home or something." She flipped her hair at him and strutted off, disappearing quickly into the crowd.

Tracy (or maybe it was Stacy) looked a little more sympathetic. "Um, why are you so worried about her?"

"Because she's never had this much alcohol in her before." He pushed himself away from the wall and rubbed at his eyes, getting just a wee bit tired of the implications they were trying to lay on him. "I don't want her to hurt herself. You're her friends, I don't know why you all seem to care so little."

"Our friends get wasted all the time, it's no big deal."

"So someone you should be watching ends up going home with some random guy she met ten minutes ago, and that's no big deal?" He brought it up because he'd noticed some douchey-looking guy chatting up Ms. Sunshine herself, most likely drawn in by her large "personality" spilling out of the top of her V-neck.

Maybe-Stacy had the gall to shrug. "It happens. Everyone has a hook-up they regret."

"Billy!"

Rebecca slammed into him, having long ago become accustomed to doing so with her full weight at a full sprint and not needing to worry about the consequences. The older man turned and drapped his arms around her shoulders, not wanting her to bolt again. Other than a little wiggle, which was probably her getting comfortable more than anything, she didn't protest.

"You enjoying your birthday, Dollface?"

Her answer was less of a nod and more of a positive head-waggle and when she looked up to beam at him, her eyes were drooping.

"Think you're about ready to call it a night?"

This time her head bobbed in a less obvious manner, but he figured he might as well take advantage and get her out of there. Quite-Possibly-Tracy had wandered off while he wasn't looking, so he led his pixilated friend to the bar to find out what the plans had been. He could have just carted Rebecca out, piled her in his truck, and drove her home himself. He'd done so plenty of times before when she was in his care, whether she needed a quiet place to study or if she'd gotten into a disagreement with her parents and wanted to cool down, but the last thing he needed was to have her phone buzzing the whole way with texts because her friends had seen him 'sneak out' with her.

Marisol was the only one he could find, and he'd had the least amount of conversation with her, so he hoped for the best and they both shuffled over. "Hey. Is there anyone who was going to give this one a ride?" He leaned his chin on top of Rebecca's head. "Because the kid's about ready to pass out on her feet."

"Not a kiiiid..." He could imagine the sour look on her face.

"Yvonne was," she answered.

Of course.

"But you missed her. She said she was going home with this hot guy she was talking to all night." She lifted her glass and waved it toward one of the exits, probably the one Yvonne used. "Sorry."

He shrugged. It wasn't that big of a hassle, but it irked him. What kind of person would lecture him about his intentions and then ditch the person whose pants she was trying to keep him out of? "I'll just drive her myself. Tell everyone it was nice meeting them. Honey, tell your friend thank you for the evening."

She waved and mumbled something that might have been 'thank you, Marisol', but it also could have been 'I'm part of the free-for-all.' Not wanting his small friend to start a riot of drunk-birthday proportions, he hoisted her up piggy back style and carried her out to the parking lot. Once she was squirreled away in the cab and they were both safely buckled in, he started the truck and headed for her parent's place.

She'd informed him during her 'party' that she'd told her mom not to wait up for her. With this knowledge, he pulled over a block away and asked Rebecca for her keys before he lifted her bridal style. It might be tricky to unlock the door with an armful of tipsy young woman, but it would be easier to lay her down than maneuver her off his back.

They were inside and in her room in total silence thanks in part to the fact that he knew where all the squeaky spots in the floor were, but mostly because Rebecca thankfully was about three-quarters asleep. This, however, didn't stop her from clinging to his neck and mumbling softly once she was supine.

"Aw, c'mon." He reached back and tried to unlatch her fingers, but her digits were surprisingly strong. "Billy needs his neck back, Princess. Let me go, please?"

"Thank'ou, Billy." He could just make out her left eye cracking open and her small smile. "For taking care'f'me. I had fun tonight."

He sighed and gave up the fight, intending to wait until she fell asleep and just let go on her own. "You're welcome. My pleasure."

With one last burst of coherent energy, she hauled herself up, kissed just under his eye, and released him to flop back on the bed before yawning her way through, "I love you, Billy."

He scoffed fondly at her, then his stomach clenched. 'Oh no. No, no, no, I can't...' It knocked him off balance mostly because she never said she loved him. She always made it clear how much she cared by saying she hated him. But hearing it got him thinking.

"I-," He sighed and brushed his knuckles down her cheek. "I love you, Rebecca."

Shit.