Lily Winters grabbed a broom from the nearest corner and began sweeping the already clean floors of the new rec center. She could not believe how much it had transformed, from being a heap of bricks and wood to being a place where teenagers from all over Genoa City could come and just chill.
However, it was difficult for Lily to concentrate on how wonderful the rec center was. She had her mind on more important things; her new friend, Devon, would be moving to a new group home the next day. He had a knack for causing trouble; that's what happens when you grow up without proper parents or a proper family, you seem to live by your own rules. And Lily was perfectly aware that rules set by a teenager would most likely not turn out good for them in the end.
"Penny for your thoughts?" a voice asked.
Lily spun around and noticed Daniel Romalatti standing right behind her.
"That's funny, I just said that to someone…" Lily's voice trailed away. Thinking about Devon was too painful.
"Can you come with me for a sec?" Daniel asked.
"Why?" Lily looked suspicious.
"I want to show you something in the fitness room." Daniel said. "Mac showed me it before…"
"What happened?" Lily asked, compassionately.
"Nah, forget about it." Daniel said, abruptly. "So are you coming?"
Feeling a surge of sympathy for Daniel, Lily agreed and followed him through the almost deserted rec center to a room near the back.
"This is the new entertainment system for the fitness room." Daniel explained, motioning towards a huge TV and amazing speakers. "Oh, I think Sierra left the remote at the counter when she was working the food shift. Hold on, I'll go get it."
Daniel exited the room, and Lily took a seat on a comfy looking sofa, examining the entertainment system.
"Not bad." Lily praised, nodding.
What Lily could not see was a small puddle of gasoline right behind the couch. Instead of heading for the food counters, Daniel crouched quickly right outside of the room, withdrew a match from his pocket, set it on fire and threw it in the puddle.
A fire suddenly exploded within the fitness room.
"Oh my god!" Lily squealed.
The fire blocked the exit, so Lily ran for the nearest window. She tried and tried to get it open, but for some stupid reason it could only be opened from the outside, unless you had a special key to open it from the inside, which Lily obviously did not have.
"Help!" Lily cried. "Someone help me!"
"Go get her." Daniel muttered to himself, under his breath. He took a glance at the window, through the tall flames of fire. Standing there was none other than Kevin Fisher, trying to pry open the window, ready to save the day.
Perhaps it isn't the best "hero" scheme, Daniel thought to himself, But who be able to know that Kevin had been involved?
However, then longer Daniel watched (over the screams of help from Lily), the sooner he realized that Kevin was having difficulty opening the window. In fact, he looked as though he wouldn't be able to open it at all. Kevin's eyes were wide and fearful; he did not want Lily to die.
Soon enough, the fire had spread throughout the room, and Lily was only safe on one patch of carpet furthest away from the door.
"God help me." She whispered to herself, then fainted from the thick, swirling clouds of smoke.
Daniel suddenly heard footsteps coming from the entrance to the rec center. Before he had time to hide, Devon appeared and stared open mouthed at the flaming fire.
"What happened?" Devon asked, shocked. However, he did not show a great deal of care on his face.
"I don't know!" Daniel cried, trying to sound terrified. "But Lily is in there! I think she may have fainted-"
"LILY IS IN THERE!" Devon shrieked.
"Don't do anything stupid, man." Daniel warned. "Wait for the fire-"
Devon didn't listen. He tore off his jacket and shirt and ran straight into the fire. Miraculously, he did not catch fire. He spotted Lily on a free spot of carpet and hurried over to her. She had, indeed, fainted.
"Lily." He whispered. He quickly looked around for a fire extinguisher and spotted it quickly. Why hadn't Lily seen it? Devon asked himself. He quickly began to spray the extinguisher at the flames, but it did not cause any affect. There was nothing he could do; the flames were now enormous and reaching the roof of the rec center; there was no way he would be able to run through it again.
However, within all of the excitement and anxiety of the fire and Lily, Devon had failed to hear to joyous and welcomed sounds of fire trucks. Several men and woman were outside the door of the fitness room, dressed in their yellow uniforms and holding up long, wonderful hoses, washing the flames down. Though they were not completely gone, Devon still felt he should take this opportunity of minimal fire, grab Lily and run through the fire once more. And he did.
A half an hour later, the fire had been put out; though Lily and Devon managed to be saved, the fitness room did not. It was torched and black; the new entertainment system would be useless and the comfortable sofa was now just ashes on the black floor.
Lily had come around from her fainting; the first face she saw as she awoke was Devon, but she was immediately taken from him to be examined by doctors and taken to the Genoa City Emergency Room.
"Can't I go with her?" Devon pleaded to the paramedics.
"You're too young, and you're not family." One of them answered, but they had a look of sympathy nonetheless.
Before Devon could think of another mode of transportation to the hospital, Neil and Dru Winters appeared.
"You can come with us." Neil offered. He looked stern and worried, and Dru was weeping in silent tears.
Once they all arrived at the hospital, Neil shouted for Dr. Winters, who immediately aided them by revealing that Lily would be fine.
"Oh thank god." Dru said, relieved. "When can we see her?"
"Shortly." Dr. Winters replied. "She's being checked once more, and then you can feel free to see her. Now excuse me, I have other patients to attend to."
Dru and Neil embraced, thanking the lord for their good fortune. "Shall we go?"
"Yes." Dru relied. Hand-in-hand, the Winters walked to Lily's room.
Devon thought it best that he remain in the waiting room and give the Winters their own space. However, he was extremely anxious to see Lily and make sure that she was okay with his own eyes.
Twenty minutes later, Neil and Dru emerged from Lily's room.
"Do you mind if I go talk to her?" Devon asked. He saved the sarcastic tone, feeling that now was definitely not the time.
"Yeah, go ahead." Dru replied, lightheaded. Her and her husband headed down to the cafeteria to get some coffee. Meanwhile, Devon slowly turned the handle and entered Lily's hospital room.
"Hey, stranger." Lily smiled. She was bandaged up in a few places with minor burns, but Devon still thought that she looked beautiful.
"Hey," He replied. "How are you?"
"Fine." She answered. "Did you save me?" Devon looked at her quizzically. "My mom told me." She admitted.
"What did you want me to do, leave you in there to die?" Devon asked, coolly.
"I just wanted to say thank you." Lily answered, getting angered by Devon's familiar sarcasm.
"What is wrong with you anyway? Haven't you even been trained in case there was ever a fire? It's called a fire extinguisher-"
"I was panicking!" Lily cried. "I thought I was going to die!"
"Well, thank god you didn't." Devon said. There was no sarcasm to his voice, and once he realized what he said he quickly clapped his hands over his mouth.
Lily smiled. "You do care about me."
Devon rolled his eyes. "Just don't tell the world."
Knock, knock, knock.
Neil and Dru entered the room, carrying a tray of four coffees. They passed both Devon and Lily a cup of coffee and changed into expressions that meant they obviously had something serious to discuss.
"Devon," Neil addressed.
"Yes, sir?" he asked.
"This is the second time you've been there for our Lily. You've shown us that you can be trusted to look out for the best interests of her."
"And you can see her now whenver you like." Dru said, smiling.
"It's no good, I'm leaving tomorrow anyway." Devon shrugged.
"Well, that's the second thing." Neil continued.
"We wanted to know if you wanted to stay with us temporary, until you either find a permanent foster home or until you turn eighteen." Dru offered.
Lily's face lit up.
"I don't need your help!" Devon replied, offended.
"It's not help, exactly." Dru explained. "We just don't want you to move. Please, do it for Lily."
Devon looked over at Lily. She smiled at him with a look in her eye that said, Please stay.
Devon gave it a huge amount of consideration. "Fine." He finally answered. "Under one condition."
"What's that?" Lily asked.
"That you not be annoying every time we're hanging out." Devon answered, simply.
Lily laughed and Devon went over and hugged her. Dru then hugged him and Niel clapped him on the back.
Within a few weeks the culprits responsible for the fire were caught; Daniel was sent to juvenile jail and Kevin was sentenced to prison, where rumor had it he had gone crazy. Lily was released from the hospital and sooner then you could say recover Lily and Devon had begun dating.
And that's my story of what Daniel and Kevin's plot to be heroes in the eye of the Winters happens. Please review and tell me what you all think will happen! Thanks for reading!