"How are you?" Tommy's raspy voice pulled her attention away from the book she'd been reading. Not that it had been particularly gripping; even the Silver Shroud comics grew stale after she'd read them seven times.

"I can't complain. You've always been a good friend to the gang. I'm sure my sister will pay you well." Lily replied with a small smile. And she really did mean it. For the last week, Tommy had treated her like a royal guest. He'd blacked out the windows to give her privacy, offered her every book he had for entertainment, and had even given her a couple dozen bullets in exchange for Curie's laser pistol.

"Anything for you." Tommy said magnanimously. He took a moment to inspect the nearest wall, stroking his chin as he spoke. "I remember when you were just ten years old, here with your sister." Tommy recalled. Lily's eyebrows rose with curiosity.

"Really? Didn't you set this place up two years ago?" Lily asked, although she knew the answer. Red had helped him set up the place by giving him the caps he needed to get started and offering him slaves to begin construction.

"I did, but I've been living here for a long time." His tone grew thoughtful. "You might not believe it, but the only part of this place that hasn't changed since then is the 'Rule Breaker' quarters outside."

"Huh." Lily grunted. She was starting to recall traces of her first visit, although the memories were still hazy.

"Your sister threatened to have you locked up with the raiders." Tommy's cracked lips peeled into a small smile. "You cried quite a bit. Even tried to run away, if my memory serves me right." He didn't turn away from the wall; perhaps because he could feel Lily's eyes burning into the back of his head.

"You have a good memory." Lily said through clenched teeth. "It's a good thing I've outgrown my fear of my sister." She lied, doing her best to lower her voice and inject anger into her words. It was a skill that her sister had perfected. "Most of the Commonwealth hasn't." her statement had just a hint of a threatening tone to it.

"Oh, I'm sure you have." Tommy remarked, seemingly unfazed by her attempt at intimidation. "But in the meantime, I'm here with a business proposition for you."

Lily's sixth sense was tingling, although she didn't need the additional warning. She'd known Tommy long enough to know that no business deal of his was ever a fair one.

"Let me warn you, Tommy." Lily growled, her voice taking on a hard edge as her blue-green eyes flashed. "If you're suggesting what I think you're suggesting-" She chose to let the threat hang, ostensibly to sound more ominous. In truth, she wasn't sure what she'd stoop to doing to avoid death. When the prospect of dying had been a distant reality, she'd boasted to no end about how glorious her end would be, how fearless she intended to be when she finally bit the big one. But when her fingers were shaking uncontrollably, when her throat was unnaturally dry and her back was against the wall, she'd begged, pleaded for her life. She wasn't sure she even had the strength of will to reject his forthcoming offer. But for her life to mean anything, she knew that she had to try.

"Woah. Woah there, Lil. There's no reason to go full Tourette on me." Lily thought she say a flash of fear in his eyes. Or was it just wishful thinking? "You don't live as long as I have without figuring out who you don't mess with and what you don't ask." He nodded pointedly in her direction. "Plus, I respect women more than you think." He continued shaking his head. "No, this offer won't compromise your dignity…if you accept, that is."

"Go ahead, Tommy." Lily said, taking off the eyeglasses she'd been using to read.

"I've got a fighter here that refuses to be beat. She's turned every raider, gunner and scavenger that enters the cage into pulp, and in record time too." Tommy continued, looking thoughtful. "She's making the fights rather…boring. Nobody wants to see a match end in thirty seconds."

He looked at Lily with a lopsided grin.

"So I was thinking, maybe we could get you in the ring with her. The guys will go crazy for it; two hot redheads dueling it out on the big stage? It'll be the event of the year, and the caps are going to be through the roof." Tommy smiled and ran his finger across the barrel of Lily's revolver.

"And if I say no?" Lily asked, eyebrows raised. She hadn't missed the word hot Tommy had used to describe her. Whatever Tommy might claim, at the end of the day he was still a lecherous little man. She was starting to regret coming here.

"Oh you won't say no. Because I've got something special for you." Tommy clapped his hands, and a raider moved in carrying a familiar looking backpack. And in his hands…

"Yes, it's your Pip-Boy. I had to pull in a lot of favors to make sure it came here. There's an insane demand for these things you know, especially for one worn by a celebrity. The bag is still full too, all your chems, bullets and clothes are still in there." Tommy guaranteed. Lily felt a hint of embarrassment at the thought of raiders going through her personal effects, but she tried to put that thought in the back of her mind.

"You haven't answered my question yet, Tommy." Lily said with a frown.

"Oh right, I was coming to that. If you do say no, I'll be selling you, your friends, this backpack and this Pip-Boy to the highest bidder." Tommy said coolly.

Lily sighed and put the comic down. "Tommy, you know what my sister will do to this place if she finds out about this…deal."

Tommy nodded silently.

"You know, and yet you act like you don't care. So either you've lost that nose for business." She paused, a small smile on her lips. The ghoul didn't seem to appreciate the joke. "Or you're confident that my sister won't be able to make good on her threat." At this, Lily's smile grew wider as she pointedly cocked her head to one side. The surge of confidence she felt when talking about her sister swelled in her heart. No matter how shamefully Lily disgraced herself, she was confident that Red would cut through anyone, just to get the chance to punish her personally.

"A lot of people have been in your position Tommy. Those that made the right decision are still walking around today. Those that didn't, aren't around to warn people like you." She said, her voice dropping to a low whisper. "So you'd be wise to take this conversation, as your warning." Tommy shuffled uncomfortably; his tongue snaked out over permanently chapped lips.

Without another word, he turned to leave. Lily watched him go, a small iota of pride bringing a smile to her lips. For once, she chose to avoid her doubts, instead reveling in the fear she could still cause in others. Maybe Red would even be proud to see her talking down one of the trickiest ghouls in the Commonwealth. Sure. Red's voice jeered, chipping away at what little confidence she had gained. With a sigh, she returned to her comic. The worn pages of the centuries-old book helped her escape her doubts and fears, for a little while longer.