Here's the next chapter – not hugely eventful but them this isn't exactly an action packed fanfiction. Still not sure where I want this to go really. Oh well, I'm sure it'll just come naturally, eventually.

After Vera had shut the door that once again left her alone in her flat she leaned against it and looked around the lonely space. The house was a mess, to say that least. She'd left dried up paint on many of her pallets and art materials lay strewn messily on most of the surfaces, many tainting the once clean furniture. She sighed. "Perhaps I should . . . clean up?"

She said aloud even though there was no one to hear her. She'd taken to doing that lately. Vera had spent so long being mute that she liked to remind herself of what her spoken voice sounded like. She knew it didn't exactly make her look sane, but she didn't care much as no one was around to know. Besides, she found it stopped her from getting so lost in her own thoughts.

Busying herself with chores wasn't exactly fun but she felt restless. Like she was unsure of what to do with herself and cleaning provided a welcome distraction. There was still lots of the day left and she couldn't help but wish her walk with Mr. Gavin, or Klavier as he'd asked her to call him, had gone on a little longer.

Vera wanted company and she hated cleaning. All too aware of how weird she'd look phoning Klavier up (not to mention she didn't even have his mobile number) she looked around her vaguely tidier room.

"Hmm . . . it'll do. I wonder if Trucy's busy?" Vera thought aloud reaching for the phone book.

She wasn't and within 20 minutes there was a knock on the door.

"Hey Vera!" she said happily, "I'm so glad you invited me. I'm so bored at the agency! Seriously, Apollo's turned into some kind of workaholic crazy person doing all this paperwork and Daddy's no better. I was trying some tricks and things out but things aren't flowing today- So how're you Vera?"

That was what she liked about Trucy (besides how nice she was). How happy she was. Vera liked how she'd talk and talk and though some found that annoying, she liked it. It was kind of like the opposite of her but their friendship worked well.

"I'm fine thanks. I'm glad you could come too." Vera said, with a little smile as Trucy made herself at home, slumping down onto one of the sofas and Vera sat on the opposite one. "How's the case going with Apollo?"

Trucy scowled. "Urgh, it was doing al right. We found a lot out but then Apollo got all grumpy with me and said I was getting on his nerves and went to go do all his paperwork. What a grump. Been up to much today?"

"Not much. I went for a walk earlier with Mr. Gavin though."

Trucy's face suddenly looked shocked. "Mr. Gavin- oh wait, you mean Klavier, right?" She laughed. "For a minute I thought you meant- oh, er, never mind. Anyway, that's random. What was he doing here?"

Vera shrugged, ignoring Trucy's mistake. "He just turned up at my door and told me he wanted to help me-"

"Help you?" She looked confused.

Vera nodded. "Yes, he said he felt bad about what his brother did to me . . . and my father. So he was going to help because I said it was daunting trying to live life. Then we went on a walk in the park."

Trucy smiled, "Sounds nice. You're so lucky, Vera. I wish Klavier would turn up and my door and take me on a walk!"

"Why?" she asked, not understanding what Trucy was getting at quite.

She snorted slightly in response. "Because he's hot. I mean, have you seen him! He used to be in a band. He plays guitar AND he's a successful Lawyer."

Vera giggled uncertainly. "Trucy!" she exclaimed. "Do you think so?" She'd never really noticed him being "hot" or the fact he was in a band and also a Lawyer and she wasn't completely sure why the last parts would make him more attractive to a person.

Trucy nodded with a mischievous grin. "Don't you fancy him, Vera?"

Vera suddenly blushed. She'd never discussed anything like this before. Usually, when Trucy was around Apollo was there so any "girl talk" wasn't possible, but now they were alone she wasn't sure how comfortable she was discussing things like this with Trucy. All the same, she thought she'd best be honest.

"He's really nice and kind and I guess he's handsome . . . maybe. But he's my friend I think."

"Well that's fine too. I mean, you're right- Klavier's really nice. All that other stuff is just material. I mean, if you liked him 'cause of that it'd be pretty shallow."

This confused her. ""Shallow"? What does that mean?".

"Hmm, it's kinda hard to explain. It's like when you don't like someone for their personality but instead because of how rich the are or just because they're good-looking. As in, there are no deep feelings for them as a person. Just for their possessions and assets."

She nodded, "I get it. So all that stuff you said before about him being a Lawyer and he was in a band and him being handsome, if I liked him because of those things and just because of those things it'd make me shallow?"

"Yep." Trucy said, "Which isn't good. Because if you only liked him for those things if he ever lost them the relationship wouldn't last. Well as you liked him for things like him being kind and funny or whatever then it wouldn't matter whether he was Lawyer or a rock star-"

"-Because it would be true love?" Vera finished.

Trucy giggled, "You're so naive Vera." she replied with a knowing look. "But yeah, if you believe in that kind of thing."

Vera smiled back but inside she was still full of questions. Trucy was right; she was so naïve and more than that she was innocent. She was nearly twenty and though unaware of the detailed ins-and-outs of relationships, she'd never even been out with a boy, kissed one and what came after that she wasn't completely sure.

"Trucy . . ." she said, breaking the silence that had ensued. Trucy was staring at her latest painting (she liked painting originals now).

"Yeah?"

"Have you ever had a relationship?" she asked shyly.

Trucy laughed a little, "No, but I've liked boys before at school. Not that any of them could keep up with me, of course." she added."Daddy says I'm too young to go out with boys anyway. He said at my age their all deeply immature and not ready themselves so I should wait until I'm eighteen at the very earliest." She recited it in an almost script like way, as though she'd heard it so many times she knew it off by heart.

"I'm nineteen and I haven't."

"Well yeah," she replied. "But until a few weeks ago you'd had basically no contact with the outside world. And you were home schooled, I mean, where would you have met any boys?" Trucy looked thoughtful.

"You're right. I only know a few men and I'm not sure I like any of them really, as more than a friend, I mean.." Vera said, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear leaning back.

Trucy smiled encouragingly at her. "That's fine though isn't it? I mean, there's no point trying to be with someone if you don't like anyone. Daddy said boys are still immature at nineteen anyway. You can just wait until you meet someone you like."

Vera looked a little uncertain now. Trucy gave her a sympathetic look. "What's up? Is something bothering you?"

She grimaced and said: "Truth is, I don't know how to be a relationship. I don't know what couples even do. I'm weird, I don't speak a lot and I don't know anything about boys-" she started to panic quickly, getting ahead of herself feeling close to tears almost. The true realisation hit her hard, cause her to quickly blow the subject out of proportion.

"Woah, Vera, calm down, there's no need to get upset." Vera didn't reply, she was looking at her lap silently, a tear rolled down her cheek. "Hey, if you won't cheer up for me, what about Mr. Hat?" He suddenly appeared at her side. "Cheer up Vera! I myself am a man and I can teach you all about my questionable species!" Trucy made him say triggering a quiet giggle from Vera.

"And I may never have gone out with one but I do know about them. I – we can teach you."

"Really?" she sniffed, and looked at them, her eyes watering. "Thanks so much Trucy and Mr. Hat. I'm so pleased you're my friends." She grabbed a spare sketchpad and quickly drew a quick sketch of the two of them and wrote "thank you" at the bottom.

"It's no problem, Vera . . . hmm, now, where to begin?"