Nora was making a sandwich for Marti to have for lunch. Just as she got the little girl calmed down and in a chair, Derek, Edwin, Lizzie and a girl she did not know burst into the kitchen. Derek had another girl she did not know in his arms. This other girl looked beaten up and in bad shape. Dropping the sandwich onto Marti's plate, Nora ran over to Derek and the girl. "Derek, what happened?"

"She saved us from these bullies." Lizzie explained.

"Derek, get her to the couch." Nora told her step-son. "I'll get some warm water and soap to clean her up." She rushed around the room.

Derek took the girl into the other room. "Ed, pillows." Doing as he was told, Edwin put some pillows down for Pyro. Gently; Derek set her down on the couch. "How do you feel?"

"Like someone just beat the sh…" Pyro began but stopped when she realized that there were younger kids around. "I'm in some pain here."

"What's going on, Smerek?" Marti ran into the room with her sandwich in her hand.

"Some guys hurt her." Edwin told his little sister.

"I'm sorry." Marti pouted as she examined Pyro. "Usually when I get hurt, Smerek kisses it better. Do you want me to kiss it better?"

"Marti, why don't you come over here and eat your sandwich?" Lizzie gently grabbed her step-sister by the arm and they sat in a chair on the other side of the room.

Pyro looked at the cut on her arm. "Hey, Blush? I kinda need you to do me a favor."

"Sure, anything." Blush nodded.

"I need you to go find Cowboy." Pyro said. "Tell him the Delanceys got me but I'm ok. Don't tell him where I am because he'll tell Spot. The last thing I need right now is to deal with Spot. Oh, and don't go alone because those crazy Delanceys are still out there."

"I'll go with you." Edwin piped up.

Blush looked at her. "I'll do that but he might insist on knowing where you are."

"Just tell him that I'm with friends and they're taking care of me." Pyro instructed.

Nora came in the room with a bucket of warm, soapy water and a washcloth. As she knelt beside Pyro, Edwin and Blush ran out to go find Jack. "Where are they going?" She wondered out loud.

"To find my friends and let them know what happened." Pyro replied softly.

Nora dipped the washcloth in the water and then wrung it out. As she was about to apply it to the cuts on Pyro's face, Derek took the washcloth from her. "Nora, can I do it?"

Lizzie, Marti and Nora all looked at Derek in surprise. It was unusual that Derek often took initiative in things like this. With a nod, Nora said, "Sure, but be very gentle." Standing up, she ushered Marti and Lizzie into the kitchen. "Lizzie, why don't you go with Marti to the candy store around the corner and pick out some treats." She placed some money in her daughter's hand.

"You're going to have a grown-up conversation, aren't you?" Lizzie asked as she and Marti headed out the door.

Nora just nodded and smiled. Walking back into the other room, she smiled as she watched her eldest, most irresponsible step-son, gently wiping the blood from his friend's wounds. Maybe, he was maturing after all. This new job could be good for him. Taking a seat on the small coffee table across from the couch, she looked at the two teenagers. "We haven't formally been introduced." She said to the girl whom she realized was very pretty under all of that blood and dirt. "I'm Nora McDonald, Derek's step-mother."

Wincing in pain, Pyro replied, "I'm Pyro O'Shea. And, I have you say that it's really nice of you to do this for me."

"Derek, be gentle." Nora told her step-son. "I hope you don't mind me asking but Pyro isn't your real name, is it?"

Shaking her head, the newsgirl replied, "Nah, my real name is Hope."

"That's a very pretty name." Nora smiled.

Derek nodded as he started to clean the cut on Pyro's arm. "Very pretty name for a very pretty girl. You look different than all the other girls."

"That's because I'm half Irish and half Portuguese." The girl explained. "The red hair and last name are the Irish half. The brown eyes and tanned skin are the Portuguese half. And, both are known for having a temper."

"So, what happened exactly?" Nora asked.

Taking a deep breath, Pyro explained what had happened up until she blacked out. "I don't remember passing out but I did. When I opened my eyes, Derek was there."

"Derek, did you fight those boy?" His step-mother asked him.

"I had to, Nora." He replied. "They were going to kill Pyro."

She sighed and looked at Pyro. "Are there any cuts or bruises anywhere else on your body?"

"Oscar shoved me against a brick wall." The girl nodded. "My back is in some serious pain."

"Derek, can you help her stand up?" Nora asked. "I'm going to have to look at your back to see how bad it is."

"Of course." Derek put an arm around Pyro's shoulders and helped her up.

Lifting up the back of the newsgirl's shirt, Nora let out a gasp. "Your back is badly bruised. We have to go to the police about those terrible boys."

"The bulls won't do anything." Pyro told her as Nora put her shirt back down. Slowly, she sat on the couch. "The last guy who went to the bulls about the Delanceys ended up in worse shape than I am."

Derek sat next to her. "Nora, those guys get away with whatever they want."

"Well, I can't let you go back out on the streets in the condition you're in." Nora told Pyro. "You can stay here until you're all healed."

"I have a place to stay." Pyro responded. "It's in Brooklyn."

"I don't think you should go to Brooklyn." Derek told her. "I don't like that Spot Conlon guy."

"I'm going to talk to George when he gets home." Nora stood up. "And, I'm sure we can make room for you here."

"But, you have four kids of your own to take care of." Pyro sighed. "I don't want to be a burden."

"Actually, it's five." Nora pointed out. "You probably haven't met Casey. But, I am not letting you be put back on the streets in this condition."

"You're lucky you haven't met Casey, yet." Derek whispered.

Pyro let out a sigh of defeat. "Fine, I'll stay here. But, someone has to go to Brooklyn and get my stuff for me." She looked at Derek. "I am not leaving my personal journal there for Conlon to read or have someone read to him."

"I know the way there but I don't think I'll be wanted there." The boy pointed out. "And, I don't know what belongs to you."

At that moment, the door opened and Casey came into the apartment with Davey. Nora went into the kitchen to see who it was. "Casey, hi. And, who is this?"

"Mom, this is my friend, Davey." Casey explained.

"Nice to meet you." Davey smiled and took Nora's hand, shaking it.

"You too." Nora returned the handshake. "I'm Nora, Casey's mother."

Peeking past her mother, Casey saw Derek sitting on the couch with a very beaten up girl. "What happened?" She asked, pointing to the pair.

"Derek's friend got beat up pretty bad." Nora replied.

Davey noticed the pair as well. The girl looked familiar. "Pyro?" He went into the other room. "Who did this to you?"

"Who do you think, Jacobs?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Delancey's?" He asked. Pyro nodded.

"Who are you?" Derek asked as Casey came into the room.

"Derek, you are so rude." Casey spat. "This is my friend Davey. Davey, this is my obnoxious step-brother." The two boys nodded at each other.

Pyro looked at Casey. "So, you're the step-sister?"

"Are you ok?" Casey knelt down to look at the other girl's cuts and bruises.

She nodded. "Yep, I'll live. Oh, and I'm Pyro O'Shea."

"Casey McDonald." The other girl nodded.

Looking at Davey and Derek, a thought crossed Pyro's mind. "Davey, I need you to do me a favor."

"Sure, what is it?" He asked.

"I need you to go with Derek to Brooklyn and get my stuff." Pyro explained. "I'm going to be staying here until I'm healed. You can't tell Spot where I am though. So, just let Derek do all the talking. I know you have trouble with lying."

"When do you want us to go?" Davey inquired.

"Now would be a good time." She replied. "Spot's probably in Manhattan looking for me anyway." She put a hand on Derek's back and pushed him to move.

"Ok, I'm going." Derek got up and sighed. "Casey, don't tell her anything bad about me because you know that's just not true."

Casey rolled her eyes as she took Derek's seat on the couch. Uncomfortably, Derek and Davey left for Brooklyn. Nora was in the kitchen cleaning up after Marti's mess. Casey looked at Pyro who seemed preoccupied with her thoughts. The two girls just sat on the couch in an awkward silence.