A/N – I hope everyone had a marvelous holiday! Thank you for the amazing comments. I really have fun writing this story and seeing that people enjoy it makes it even more fun! Happy reading!

Chapter 2 – A Good Different

Johnny wandered around Shadybrook, trying to put off seeing his father. It had been a week since the last visit which had ended in them fighting and Johnny storming out. Johnny felt the smile naturally come to his face as he thought about what else had happened that day.

He met Lulu.

She had encompassed his thoughts in the last week, always bringing a smile to his face. He knew he shouldn't do it, but he found himself walking to the front desk and asking where her room was. When he was given the information, he quickly found the hallway that would lead him to her door. He paused outside, glancing in through the small window to make sure that Lulu was inside. She was sitting on her bed, staring at the wall and twirling some hair around her finger. She was perfect.

"Knock knock," Johnny called out, pushing the door open slightly.

"Johnny!" Lulu said, her face lighting up. "What are you doing here?"

"I thought I would say hi," Johnny shrugged, closing the door behind him. "Is that okay?"

"It's more than okay," Lulu replied, standing up. "I've been so bored today, I thought I was about to go cr-"

She stopped and blushed, shaking her head and hiding her eyes from him. He instantly reached out to her, bringing her gaze back to his again by holding her chin in his hand.

"You're not crazy, Lulu," Johnny said softly. "But, I could understand why you being trapped in here would make you feel like you were."

"You don't like it here?" Lulu wondered.

"I hate it," Johnny admitted. "Actually, it gives me the creeps."

Lulu laughed and Johnny smiled. Her hand found his and she pulled him to sit next to her on her bed.

"If you don't like it, how come your dad is here?" Lulu asked.

"Because my dad is crazy," Johnny replied. "He deserves to be locked in a place like this after everything that he's done."

"Like?" Lulu pressed.

Johnny glanced at her and saw the compassion in her stare. She wasn't asking to pry or for any reason other than she could see it was something that impacted him.

"My father...he's not a good man, Lulu," Johnny explained, taking a deep breath. "At best he's an infamous mob boss."

"My father, when he was around, had ties to the mob," Lulu shrugged. "He was still a good man."

Johnny stared at her, surprised by her lack of repulsion when he said the "m" word and her admittance that her father was involved in the mob as well.

"I doubt our fathers are the same," Johnny muttered.

"What makes you say it that way?" Lulu asked, narrowing her eyes at him. "I can see your father did something horrible, unforgivable even. What was it?"

Johnny swallowed hard, trying to decide if he should share the horrible, unforgivable truth with Lulu. He hadn't spoken to anyone about it before. It was just something he kept inside.

"My father killed my mother," Johnny answered softly.

"Oh, Johnny," Lulu said, quickly wrapping her arms around his shoulders.

Johnny stiffened at first, not remembering the last time he was held in comfort and the appropriate reaction. But he quickly felt the tension leave him and sunk into her embrace as his arms circled her waist, her presence soothing him in a way he hadn't experienced...ever.

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," Lulu whispered, still holding him close. "How did you find out?"

"I, uh...I saw it," Johnny admitted.

His mind instantly started to replay the scene in his head, as it often did, and he squeezed Lulu tighter, hoping she would ward off the painful memory. She did.

"I wish I could help you," Lulu said, finally pulling back after several minutes.

"You already did, just by listening," Johnny replied, taking her hands in his. "I had never told anyone that before."

"That's not why your father got put in here?" Lulu asked.

"No, that was for the crazy things he did after killing her," Johnny answered. "Her murder was covered up by the guards in the house. Then, he got even more violent and eventually got caught. I would prefer him to just be in prison, but he has a good lawyer."

"Why didn't you ever tell anyone?" Lulu wondered.

"I was afraid in the beginning, I guess," Johnny shrugged. "But there really wasn't anyone for me to tell. I've never had friends or anything."

"You have me," Lulu smiled. "I can be your friend."

"Are you sure you want to do that?" Johnny questioned. "I clearly come with a lot of baggage."

"And I don't?" Lulu challenged. "Maybe you're the one who should wonder if you want to burden yourself with being friends with me."

"It wouldn't be a burden at all," Johnny replied. "Getting to sit and talk with a beautiful woman is certainly not a burden."

Lulu blushed and Johnny felt the urge to kiss her like he had the day they met. Only it was stronger this time. He knew he couldn't, though. She was offering friendship and he wouldn't compromise that by trying anything else.

"So, did you come to see your dad again today?" Lulu asked after a few moments of silence.

"Yeah, I visit him once a week," Johnny nodded. "The doctors say it helps keep him calm."

"How did it go?" Lulu wondered.

"Well, I haven't gone yet," Johnny admitted. "I was dreading it and I decided I should come see you first."

"Oh," Lulu muttered. "Well, if he upsets you again, you can come back. If you want to talk or something."

"I may just take you up on that," Johnny smiled.

She returned his smile and he absentmindedly reached up to tuck some of her golden curls behind her ear. She was clearly caught off guard by the gesture and blushed again as his hand fell. She caught his hand in hers again and laced their fingers together. This time he blushed and she giggled, apparently finding it amusing.

"Who are you?" someone asked from the door, though neither Johnny nor Lulu had heard it open.

"Nikolas," Lulu said, pulling away from Johnny and standing up. "What are you doing here?"

"Visiting, who is he?" Nikolas replied, not allowing himself to be distracted from the matter at hand.

"It's not really your business," Lulu said defiantly and Johnny smiled in spite of himself.

"What's so funny?" Nikolas demanded, moving to stand in front of him.

Johnny stood and Nikolas was forced to step back and tilt his head up slightly.

"I can go," Johnny muttered, glancing at Lulu.

"You were here first," Lulu argued. "Nikolas can come back."

"He's your brother, right?" Johnny asked.

"Yeah," Lulu nodded.

"Alright, then he's more important," Johnny shrugged. "I'll see you later."

"No, you won't," Nikolas replied. "I'm having you banned from seeing her."

"You don't even know my name, so good luck with that," Johnny smirked. "Bye, Lulu."

"Bye," she replied, smiling as he left.

"Explanation," Nikolas said, turning his eyes to Lulu. "Now."

"You don't order me around," Lulu said angrily. "And you don't order my friends around either."

"Lulu, you're not here to make friends, you're here to get better," Nikolas reasoned.

"Ugh, you have no idea why I'm here," Lulu groaned. "You don't know what my life is like right now. And that guy, he makes it better for me."

"I don't see how talking to a crazy guy is going to help," Nikolas sighed.

"He's not even a patient here," Lulu muttered.

"Then how did you meet him?" Nikolas wondered.

"He was visiting his dad," Lulu answered. "We ran into each other, literally, and got to talking."

"About?" Nikolas prodded.

"Stuff," Lulu said vaguely.

"Come on, Lu," Nikolas replied.

"It was private," Lulu maintained.

"At least tell me his name," Nikolas begged.

"His name is Johnny," Lulu said softly. "And he's really nice. So, if you try to get him banned from my room, I will not be speaking to you for a very long time."

"I'm just concerned, Lulu," Nikolas said, taking a deep breath. "I don't want you to make an attachment to someone and then they disappoint you. I think that could be really dangerous for you right now."

"I'm not a little kid, Nikolas," Lulu reminded him. "You don't have to protect me all the time."

"I should have been protecting you from L-" Nikolas said, cutting himself off.

"Logan," Lulu finished. "You can say his name. But you're wrong. I'm responsible for getting involved with Logan, even though I wasn't sure I could trust him."

"What makes you think you can trust this guy?" Nikolas questioned.

"I'm not sure, I just know I can," Lulu shrugged. "He's different. A good different."