Later that evening, Lily gets back into her sleek, black Porsche and leans back for just a moment, the hazy feeling coming over her mind once again. Shaking it away the best she could, she turns on the engine and drives away from the shelter just as her stomach growls.

"I bet Mom and Dad are still at work", she mumbles to herself. "I'll just swing by the Claw, see if Ace is working."

As she turns down the familiar roads that she knows better than the back of her hand, she begins to pass the older car dealership on the corner of Main and Beckett Street. Her family purchases a majority of their vehicles there. Coming to a stop at the stop sign, her eyes catch something very blue and very shiny.

Her gaze is cast over her shoulder and her eyes land on a gorgeous 1960s classic Sunbeam Alpine Series 3. A wave of nostalgia and comfort seems to wash over her bones as if her body knew something her mind did not. Without quite realizing what she's doing, Lucy backs up into the car lot and grabs her purse, hopping out of her Porsche.

"Dale Harper!"

A chunky older gentleman turns around from inside the garage and grins, wiping his greasy hands on a rag. "Ah, Miss Lily Hudson, to what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was just...wondering when you got that classic Sunbeam in?"

"Just this morning. Isn't she an absolute beaut? Turned over from an estate sale. No next of kin, apparently. It's in near perfect condition, runs and everything."

"I'd like to buy it."

"You?"

"Yes, me. I don't know, you could say that it spoke to me. Plus, you know I enjoy being a bit different from my family from time to time."

"Yes well...wow. Alright, why don't you come inside, and we can negotiate or go over paperwork, eh?"

"Sure", she smiles sweetly, a happiness in her heart for the first time that day. "As you probably know, money is no object."

"As always."

"I do have one favor for you though."

"Shoot."

"Well, I'd like to drive it right away so I would need one of your guys to drop the Porsche back at my home. I assume another would follow so he could get back here, and I could pay for the inconvenience."

"I think we can make that happen."

"Thank you, Mr. Harper."

"My pleasure, little lady", he smiles.

.

.

.

Lily revvs into The Claw parking lot, grinning from ear to ear before killing the engine and pushing hair away from her face from the top being down. Grabbing her purse, she exits her new car and heads into the restaurant with a spring in her step.

Once she is inside, she immediately looks left, peeking through the open space to the kitchen. Sneaking a peek at a wild printed button-up, she grins and rushes through the employee door, and moves onto her tiptoes, covering the eyes of the tall shaggy-haired blonde at the sink.

"Guess who!?", she beams excitedly.

A chuckle escapes his lips as he moves from her hands. "My Lily. Right?"

She smiles brightly up at him as he turns around to face her. "Hi Acey", she replies teasingly, blushing enough so that her cheeks nearly match her hair.

Ace grins and leans down, hugging her close before moving away ashamedly. "Oh, gosh I'm getting your shirt wet, and it probably cost a lot..."

Lily cuts him off by pulling him close again. "I don't care", she whispers.

"Since when? You've always cared about your appearance. Not in a bad, overly egotistical way like a bunch of your family, but still."

"I don't know. I've just felt a bit different lately", she murmurs into his neck as she clings to him. "I don't want to be a carbon copy. I want to be myself and I want to...to not carry their reputation all the time."

Ace strokes her hair and sighs, relaxing into her hug. "I know, but you have it no matter what. You'll always be a Hudson, Lil. And we both know what that means, don't we?"

Lily leans back and looks up into his gorgeously blue eyes. "It doesn't have to. Not now, not...not anytime soon. Maybe not even ever."

"Lily, I'm a dishwasher at a seafood restaurant who's still living with his parents. Those are not the standards of partners that your family is used to having. They only accepted Lucy because she got pregnant with you and they wanted a grandchild, despite the conception being...a bit taboo and out of wedlock. You forget that I've heard all the stories just as you have. I'm sure the Hudson stories are a part of every family in this town by now."

Lily sighs and strokes his cheek gently. "But they saw how it worked out with my mom and dad."

"So did my parents. And they saw firsthand how Lucy went from this carefree, adventurous girl to...to just another Hudson. Prim and proper and following their rules. And no offense Lil, because I do love you, but I never want to be that way. I don't want to be a Hudson or have anything to do with them except for you. Because you are a little different. You are your mother's daughter, and I'm glad for that."

She looks down at her hands and wrings them a bit, never realizing that her mother had quite changed, but maybe she had.

"I worry about you constantly. You know your family has family members that have pretty much been cast out. But there are rumors..."

"Yeah, they have but I heard what greedy bastards they were. What rumors?", she crossed her arms, getting defensive.

"Look, I don't want to fight with you or upset you..."

"Just tell me, Ace."

He grabs her hand and gently pulls her into the locker room, closing the door. "Well...it's just funny that those family members left and were never seen again. Especially if they were cut off from Hudson money. Where exactly did they go?"

Lily scoffs and rolls her eyes. "I-I don't know. They probably..."

"What? Went to a shelter? That you all own? Or did they become homeless in another state? A Hudson would never allow themselves to do that. It's below them, even in bankruptcy."

"I don't know, okay? Maybe they all had secret boyfriends and girlfriends like I do."

Ace's jaw sets a bit, and he runs a hand through his hair. Her face falls when she realizes what she said.

"Ace-"

"It's fine."

"No, Ace I-I'm sorry."

"Me too."

She goes over and hugs him from behind, resting her cheek on his back. "I don't /want/ to keep you a secret. There's just so much to think about and...all the reasons you've said too. But you know that you're good enough for /me/. I just want to avoid losing you and I know that if they found out...there could be consequences and I want to avoid all of that. I want as much time with you as I can get. Is that so wrong?"

He sighs as he leans both hands on his locker. "No, that's not wrong. But it sucks being a secret because your family will be ashamed and forbid you from seeing me."

"I know it sucks..."

Suddenly the door opens loudly and Georgia Fan barges in with her arms crossed. "What sucks is having to manage employees that disappear randomly throughout the busiest time of the day and night", she smiles bitterly.

Lily lets go and Ace immediately straightens up. "George. I-I'm sorry, I just- er..."

He turns to Lily. "I'd better go. See you later?"

"Yeah", she says a bit sadly. "I'll actually be at a table. I'm quite hungry."

He nods and rushes back out to the kitchen. George walks in, arms still folded, and looks her over condescendingly before grabbing a fresh apron from her locker.

"I'm sorry I took him away from his work. It wasn't on purpose, I just needed to speak with him urgently for a moment."

"Right, yeah, because the entire world revolves around what the Hudsons want and need. Got it."

"That's not what I'm saying" she replies, getting a bit angry.

"You don't have to say it. It's in your entire being. Must've been so nice to grow up on a silver spoon. Some of us have three siblings and a single mother and can't afford to putter around town all day. Some of us work to help out families, not to further their reach of power."

Lily opens her mouth to reply, but George cuts her off again. "Oh and another thing, Ace is a really nice guy. He's caring and smart and would help anyone if you asked. Hell he's a hard worker too when he is working. I think it's a damn shame that you want to come in and corrupt him with all your crap. He deserves so much better than you and your blood money. If you truly wanted what was best for him, you'd let him go before the day comes that your family finds out and he's just the next irrelevant person to them that conveniently "leaves town".

With that, George storms back out of the room and into the kitchen. Lily seems frozen to her spot, taking a shuddering breath, her anger melting into sadness. Not because of how George perceives her, but because there is a part of her that knows she's right.

Returning back to the dining area, she finds a single corner table and sits, her thoughts and feelings all muddled.