A/N: Well this is it, guys. Three years later. I think I've grown a lot as a writer since I started this (at least, I hope I've grown a lot as a writer since I started this). Thanks for sticking with me. Go love somebody. Love the gays. We need it.

Anne Harris was used to being exhausted, and today was like any other day. It was a slow morning at the cafe, still too early for the breakfast crowd, and just a few quiet customers nursed mugs of coffee at the bar. Anne was letting her young coworker handle things for now - he was fitter than her, and young people had too much energy anyway - as she leaned against the counter, nearly dozing.

The bell tinkled at the front of the cafe, signaling that someone had come in. Anne didn't open her eyes until her coworker pressed, "That's your section."

Damn, she thought. They had to sit in one of her booths. Lifting her head and attempting to shake the tiredness out of her old bones, she picked up a couple of menus and ventured out from behind the counter, for the first time since arriving at work that morning.

"Hi, hon, what can I get you?" she said to the young girl in the booth. She was young, pretty, with blonde hair and tired green eyes.

"I'm waiting for someone," the girl ventured sweetly, as if afraid she was somehow breaking a rule. "Is that okay?"

"Sure thing," Anne nodded. "Not like we're short of booths. Want anything while you wait?"

"Could I get some coffee, please?"

"I'll bring a pot," the waitress nodded again, setting down the menus. "Take your time."

Though most of her wanted to get back to her catnap against the counter, she was curious about this girl. Lots of people came in, and Anne had learned to recognize the look of someone who had been up all night. This girl was one of them, maybe traveling. But she was young, too, from the looks of her. Anne hoped for her sake she was waiting on a parent, but she knew that most likely wasn't the case. They got runaways in now and then, stopping by on their way away - mostly they didn't have any idea where they were going, just what they were leaving.

As she thought over this, quietly getting the pot of coffee and taking it to the girl's table, she found herself staring out the window. Each clean-cut adult that passed, she silently hoped they would come in and sit with the girl; each greasy-looking boy, she willed away with a fervent hope for the girl's well-being. She was a mother, not that she saw her own grown children much anymore, but these runaway-types always tugged at her in a way.

Staring out the window, ignoring her coworker as he moved about in the same small space, Anne suddenly noticed what looked like a wild animal, traipsing through the city. It took a minute for her to realize it was just a dog - admittedly a very large, wolf-like dog. She watched as its owner led it - or, more accurately, was dragged - to a beat-up car and opened the door to let it in the backseat. The owner then opened the window slightly and shut the door, leaving the dog inside. He then locked the car and started towards the diner. Anne realized with a sinking heart that this dirty-looking, long-haired boy could be the girl's companion.

Then she realized, with a start, that this dirty-looking, long-haired boy was a girl.

Tugging her leather jacket tighter around her, she entered the diner and went straight for the other girl's table. The blonde's eyes darted towards the car, and she appeared concerned, but the other brushed it off.

The dog? Anne wondered. Poor kids, they look exhausted. Well, it wouldn't hurt anyone...

"Noticed your dog," she mentioned casually as she approached their table. "If you like, you can bring him in and I can find him some water, scraps maybe."

"Isn't that against the rules?" the blonde worried her bottom lip between her teeth.

Anne shrugged. "Well, we're not busy."

The brunette grinned slightly. "'Kay. Be right back," she assured the other.

The girl returned with the dog at the same time that Anne returned with a bowl of water. "Wow, big boy," the waitress smiled. "Here you go," she cooed to the dog as she set the water down on the floor.

"Alright, girls, I'm Anne. What can I get you?"

The girls ordered, Anne observing their behavior the whole time. Working as a waitress for years, that was the way she kept herself entertained. The brunette's posture was masculine, protective. She rarely took her eyes off of the girl across from her. The blonde, on the other hand, kept her eyes down. In the brunette's presence, she seemed different than she had before the other girl had entered the cafe - her eyes looked somehow tireder, as if she felt safe enough to relax now.

Anne had watched a lot of people come through over the years, and these two obviously had a strong relationship between them. She wasn't one to judge, but her heart ached for these girls. There was a lot of hate in the world.

She hurried to get their order ready; they must have been hungry if they'd driven all night, as she suspected. When she brought the food, the dog perked up, pressing against her legs and straining up towards the smell of bacon.

"Sorry," the brunette winced. "Down, Kenji."

"No problem," Anne assured her. "He's being an angel. I'll get him his own bacon, don't worry."

"Um, could you get us some more coffee, please?"

Anne stared down at the empty pot.

"I'm still on my first cup," the blonde protested, "don't look at me."

The waitress laughed, smiled at the other girl, and took the pot.

"Up late?" she inquired casually as she set down the pot of coffee for the girls and the bacon for the dog.

"We're traveling," the brunette rolled her eyes and poured herself another mug, full to the brim.

"Alice," the blonde reprimanded quietly. "We're moving," she offered.

"Yeah? Where to?" Anne was being pushy, she knew, but the girls didn't seem annoyed, and she just wanted to know if there was any way she could help them.

"Castro," the brunette - Alice - gasped out after swallowing a large gulp of hot coffee.

"Hey, that's not far now," Anne smiled. "Just about another two hours. You'll make it in no time."

"Yep," Alice grasped the blonde's hand over the table. "We'll make it."