Roxas PoV.

It really was modest, compared to the other houses on the block. The 2 story was a light grey with shades the color of rain slicked grass. There were 2 windows on each side of the door, spread along the front and 2 matching windows on the upper section. All in all, it looked like your typical picturesque house. All it needed was a little dog in the front yard and children laughing gaily while playing together and it would be perfect.

Which was exactly why Roxas hated it.

Nothing should be perfect. His life had just became crap wrapped Hell in a hand basket and here he was in front of this Hollywood version of perfection. He didn't understand why this random person wanted to take him home.

Sure he was homeless now, but that didn't mean that he needed someone's charity. For all he knew, this woman could be a child predator, despite what she said back at the restaurant. He didn't even know why he had let himself be led away by this woman.

Maybe it was the hormones? People say they can do some crazy things. Well, his "fight-or-flight" instinct wasn't kicking in, so he must be kinda safe…right?

Clare PoV

She wasn't oblivious to his nervousness and rigid posture, indicating that he didn't trust her, but she didn't want to touch upon it in case it made him trust her even less.

"So, what do you think?" Still trying to be cheery, but miserably failing.

"It's cozy if you want 2 kids, a Golden Retriever and a white picket fence." Ah, Roxas can be snarky. 'Well that's an improvement from emotionless husk, I guess,' she thought.

"Come on, let's get inside. It's getting dark and, despite appearances, you don't want to be outside at dark here."

"Why?" Now he was being curious. That was good. At least he dropped his attitude.

"You don't need to worry as long as you're with me. Just don't go out alone at night, 'kay?"

"Fine."

She was hiding something, this he was sure of.

Why couldn't he go out at night alone? What if he wanted to run away from here? She couldn't stop him or she'd be kidnapping him. Not like she wasn't already of course. He didn't really go with her of his own volition, he was distraught. That's kidnapping, right? At least he hoped it was.

After he responded, this woman lightly guided him towards the door, pausing to open it and reveal the strangest sight he's ever seen.

From the doorway, you could see the second floor, but that wasn't the strange thing.

There were no stairs, from what he could see, leading up to the second floor. How'd she get up there? Was she a monkey or, better yet, was she part bird? Just great! He was alone, vulnerable and kidnapped by a lady who thought she was a bird! Fan-frggin-tastic!

"Come on; let's sit down in the living room. I'll show you to your room a little later. Would you like anything to drink?" She was being almost a little too nice; she wasn't gonna try to eat him, was she? Cus that would be just be the cherry on top of the shit cake today was becoming!

He remained silent, still unsure if he should trust her. Plus he wasn't sure if she'd put something in his drink while he wasn't looking. He may have been slightly paranoid, but better safe than being someone's sex slave, right?

He followed her through the kitchen and into the living room with its light yellow walls adorned paintings of bright colorful flowers, spectacular sunsets and sunrises and a lone portrait of a phoenix rising from the ashes of a burnt heart that sat on the mantle of the fireplace, which sat in the middle of the opposing wall from where he stood now. The furniture in the room was small, only fitting one person comfortably, except for a very comfy looking couch with three pillows and a blanket that was on the wall to Roxas' right. The light in the room came from an overhead light and two lamps that sat by two of the four chairs in the room.

"Go ahead and sit. I don't bite much, I promise." She was making a joke, but something in Roxas said that she wasn't kidding about biting.

Still being weary, Roxas took a seat on the couch, trying to be as far from this woman as if she was a hunter and he was a wild animal, still trying to be free.

This woman took the soft blue armchair across the room from him sitting softly and folding her hands, as though waiting for him to start speaking. When Roxas didn't, she spoke instead, asking a simple but deep question.

"Do you have any questions for me?"

She could bet her ass he had questions for her! Like why did she help him? Why wasn't he allowed to go out at night alone? But one question pushed all of his others aside, one that would lead to all the others sooner or later.

"What's your name? You know mine, but I don't know yours."

She looked caught off a guard a little, but quickly righted herself and answered, her smile warm and kind.

"My name is Clare Lunya. Is there anything else you would like to know?"

Oh, so she would only tell him the basic information he asked, huh? Well, he'd just have to play along then, wouldn't he?

"Yeah, I have a few questions, Clare. First, why'd you help me? And second, is there anything I should know about you?" He was trying to figure her out and maybe if he did that he'd feel just a bit safer.

"Honestly, I have no idea. I had a feeling that something was going to happen today in the "White and Shiny", so I just sat in my booth for a few hours, waiting for something to happen. Then you and Flame walked in and I just knew that you had something to do with my feeling. And I was right. You also looked like you could use a friend and I wouldn't abandon you. I wanted to make sure you were safe and cared for, if only for a night. As for your second question, yes there are a few things you should know. I'm 23 and I paint for a living. All of the paintings in this room are works of mine. I'm extremely loyal to anyone I think deserves it. I have a lot of friends, but only see maybe 3 of them on a regular basis. I write, but haven't produced anything, I think, worth reading since I was 12. When I'm in deep thought, you can find me on the roof or painting. I absolutely adore being outside and spend as much of my time outside as possible. My last name is a variation on the word Luna and as such I love night. The darker the better, I always say. My favorite animal is the phoenix. I've never been with anyone and don't plan to. When I die, I want to be buried with all of my paintings right as the sun sets 3 days later. That just about covers it!"

Besides being a little eccentric, Roxas couldn't find anything to suggest she was a molester, weirdo, murderer or any other kind of crazy. She was still hiding something, but she wasn't going to tell him. Not yet anyway.

She could see the questions that still swam in his eyes, but knew he wouldn't ask them. He was far too secretive and courteous to ask someone their darkest secrets without being prompted. Well, if he was done in his quest for knowledge, then she had some questions of her own.

"If you have no more questions, would you mind if I asked a few of my own?"

"I don't have any more questions, so fire away."

"Alright, I have a few. First, why did the redhead leave you at the restaurant? I only heard part of his yelling, but I would rather hear it straight from the horse's mouth, if you don't mind." If she got an answer, then maybe she could understand why she had a need to protect him, as though he was her own son.

He visibly stiffened at the mentioned incident that happened only little over an hour ago. "The redhead was my boyfriend. I told him something shocking he wasn't ready for, so he left. But not before shouting at me to get an abortion, of course. Fucking asshole." He spoke with such hostility, lowering his voice to a hiss before he stopped speaking.

"Why would he…You're pregnant? That explains it." She whispered the last three words more to herself.

"Yeah, I'm pregnant. That's why he left and why I don't want my brothers to know, though they probably already do cus Reno, Axel's older brother who Axel tells everything, is dating my oldest brother. Fuck, I can't go home! Just fucking great! Fuckidy fuck fuck fucking GREAT!" He was clearly upset, smashing his hand into an unsuspecting pillow.

"Hey, calm down!" She barks, watching as he unclenched his fist and calmed.

"Now," she said continuing, "Getting mad can't be good for you or the baby, and I wouldn't want anything to happen to either of you. Now, are you going to keep the baby?" After receiving a nod, she continued. "Alright then, you'll need a place to stay, and since you say you can't go home, I'm offering for you to stay here. Now, you can refuse, but if you want to stay here, we'll still have to call you brothers, let them know that you'll be staying here and, only if you're comfortable with it, tell them of your situation. I know you don't want to tell them, but I think that maybe they can be supportive, even if you don't want to stay there. Sound good?"

After receiving another nod, Clare moved to leave, casting a last glance back at the quivering youth on her couch. As she stepped into the kitchen and retrieved 2 glasses for water, small sobs catch her ears, sending her racing back into the living room as heavier sobs tear from the boy's lungs accompanied by flash floods of tears crashing down his face and onto his light blue shirt.

Without any words, she sat softly next to Roxas one arm snaking around his thin shoulders while the other went in front, joining its twin on his side. She gave him a small squeeze, silently telling him that it was going to be alright. Though she wasn't sure if she completely believed it herself.

She thought about leaving and making some tea to calm him, but as he clung to her side that thought was thrown out of her mind. She sat there, watching as he slowly cried himself to sleep, a sad smile spreading across her face.

After being absolutely sure he was asleep, Clare picked up Roxas with surprising ease and walked to the front door.

Now one may think that she is going to throw him outside, but you all would be wrong not to mention evil!

Instead, she turned facing the upper floor, focusing on her task at hand. Closing her eyes, Clare emptied her mind letting the image of strong powerful and beautiful wings unfurling overtake all other thought. She's been doing this since she was 8, but she still had yet to master it.

If Roxas had been awake, his earlier question of how to get to the second floor would have been answered.

Suddenly, a pair of black feathered wings sprang from Clare's back, twitching after being repressed for so long. She kept them pinned up while she was in public and rarely ever had guests. Delighting in being free, her wings flexed on their own, eager to be used again.

After a few test flaps, Clare put all her might behind her wings, pushing off easily. As she gained height, she thought she felt Roxas stir and panicked, dropping quickly in altitude. When she recovered, she made haste of landing on the second floor, less another scare happens and she actually drops him. Clare was an excellent flier but she did not like carrying other people after the last time.

Once her feet touched the carpet, her wings immediately retracted, an automatic reflex.

A quick check reveled Roxas to still be asleep and Clare's secret still firmly kept. She strangely trusted the boy more than she should but she still won't trust him with her most precious secret, She's kept it for 23 years, what's a few more months?

But beyond keeping her secret, Clare had another reason for not waking Roxas.

It seemed as though he was rather malnourished and small for his age, not to mention that she would have thought he was being abused by the dark bruises that marred his shoulders and hips. She also would have thought that he was an insomniac going by the airplane luggage rimming pale eye lids. Clare knew that even if he slept for a week, nothing could relieve the weariness his young soul was now forced to bear.

Putting her thoughts aside, she focused on the young boy in her arms and putting him in bed for the night.

Walking down the hall, Clare chose the 4th door on the left and opened it, revealing a room as bare and plain as the others on the floor with the exception of her Painter's room.

Somehow she managed to pull back the white comforter and sheet while balancing 110 lbs of sleeping nervous wreck, settling Roxas in with a simple swish.

She's tucking the comforter under his chin when she hears the whimpering.

"Please... Don't leave, Momma! I'll be good! Honest! I'll be GOOD!"

She knew that his pleas were not meant for her but that did nothing to make them any less heart crushing.

Now determined to make his life better, Clare did the only thing she could right then: she stayed.

Pulling the rocking chair from her Painter's room, Clare settled in next to the bed, hand lazily smoothing his hair, a small but powerful gesture.

It did what it needed to.

The nightmares and fears plagued Roxas no more for that night.

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