Unable to sleep, Lily crawled out of bed and headed for the kitchen to warm herself some milk. Gran had often fixed some for her when she couldn't sleep. She poured some milk in a pan and set it on the stove to warm.

The sound of the back door opening startled and she whirled around suddenly. Spot was standing in the kitchen staring at her.

In a quick glance he took in her slight figure standing in the middle of the kitchen in her nightgown. "What are you doing, fool girl?! Don't you know better than to walk around in your nightgown in a house full of boys!" He stormed across the kitchen, tossing a chair out of the way, and grabbed her arm. He drug her toward the back stairs, but stopped suddenly when he heard a baby's cry coming from Gran's room. He turned and gripped both of her arms tightly. "Where did that baby come from?"

She bit her lip. "He...He's mine..."

He shook her. "Who is the father?"

Tears filled her eyes. "Y...y...you are, Spot..."

"DONT PLAY STUPID WITH ME, WHO'S IS IT!?" When Lily burst into sobs, he shoved her across the room. "Get out of my sight!" She quickly disappeared into Gran's room.

Spot turned and reached for the doorknob when he heard a faint whistle and a thunk. He glanced to the side to see a knife in the door just inches from his head. He didn't need to turn around to know who had thrown the knife, and he also knew that she hadn't missed. She was warning him.

Taking a deep breath he reached for the doorknob again, only to hear a sharp crack and feel the sting of a whip as it wrapped around his wrist. He turned slowly expecting to see Sippi at the other end of the whip, but was surprised to see Rae holding the handle, her normally clear gray eyes, stormy.

"Walk out that door Conlon and you won't live to regret it," she stated, her voice low and threatening.

With a flick of his wrist he pulled the whip from her hand and dropped it to the floor. He slowly turned and left the lodging house, leaving the door standing open behind him.

Cursing, Rae turned and went into Lily's room. The girl was sitting in the rocking chair sobbing while the baby lay in his crib crying. Rae scooped up the baby and carried him over to Lily. "Lily honey..."

Lily glanced up, sniffling. "He hates me," she sobbed.

Rae sighed. "He doesn't know what he thinks. He never has. My cousin is an idiot, pure and simple." Lily continued crying. Rae placed the baby in her arms. "Little Man is hungry. You feed him and leave Spot to me."

Sippi stumbled down the stairs when he heard pounding on the front door. "If that's Tug, he can spend the night on the porch, because I AM NOT letting him in," Sippi muttered to Rae.

When they reached the main room, Lily was standing in the doorway to the kitchen with the baby in her arms. They could tell by looking at her that she was trembling. Rae changed paths and went over to lead the girl to a seat, while Sippi went to open the door.

"You can sleep on the porch, Tristan Shamien! It's after midnight!" Sippi yelled, very upset at having been woken out of a sound sleep.

"I've got Spot...he's hurt!" Tug retorted.

"Bring him in," Sippi growled. "Rae! Grab your bag, Spot's been hurt."

Rae jumped up from where she had been sitting beside Lily and hurried across the room. She caught one look at Spot's bloodied form and cursed. "I'll be right back," she said, running up the stairs.

"What did you do to him, Tug?" Sippi demanded.

"I didn't..." Tug started to answer.

The girl at his side cut in. "He didn't do nothing! We were..."

"Raven!" Tug snapped. "Shut up!"

Sippi sent Tug a look. "Do I want to know?"

"No," Tug muttered.

"We were..." Raven started again.

"SHUT UP WOMAN!" Tug yelled at her.

"Put Spot in Lily's room and then get upstairs. I've half a mind to tell you to pack your stuff. You're on thin ice, Tug."

Raven threw up her hands. "I know...don't tell me. I'm leaving."

Sippi rolled his eyes. "I can't believe that I'm saying this, but you can have the basement room for the night."

"Can Tug stay with me?"

"NO!"

Rae ran back into the room. "Come on Tug! Get him in a bed so that I can take a look at him!"

Tug hurried to follow her bidding. "What do you need me to do?" he asked, after depositing Spot in Lily's bed.

"I need some of those sheets that Gran set aside to use as bandages."

Tug nodded and left the room.

A couple hours later Rae walked back into the main room. She dropped onto a couch next to Sippi.

"How is he?" Sippi asked, holding her close. He had finally convinced her to marry him and they had gotten married the week before.

"Broken ribs, busted lip...possibly a concussion...he's knee is swollen and I'm not sure why. He'll have some nice shiners."

He looked over at Lily who had fallen asleep on the other couch. "Lily and I talked. Most of Spot's boys have left, but there are still a few here. Maybe it's time to open this place up to the girls too. With some very strict rules..."

"That's nice..." Rae muttered, laying her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes. "Raven will be glad for a place to live."

"She IS NOT staying here!"

"Come on, Beau...be nice to the girl."

"Fine, but if she breaks one rule, she's out and that's it!"

The first thing he noticed upon opening his eyes was his young bride sitting in a rocking chair nursing the baby. He knew now that he had been wrong in accusing her. Lily was too innocent. She gently rocked the chair as she hummed, her eyes closed.

"What did you name the child?"

Her eyes flew open.

"It's just a simple question, Lily."

"I thought it best to wait for you..."

He nodded. "Any ideas?"

"No sir."

"You don't have to say sir to me, Lily."

She hung her head.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"Boy," she answered with a sniffle.

"Well bring him here...I can't see him over there..."

She stood with the child in her arms, still not looking at him. He tried to push himself into a sitting position, but cried out in pain, clutching his ribs. Lily turned and flew from the room. Spot muttered curses under his breath, cursing Lily, his ribs and anything else he could think of.

Sippi strode into the room. He roughly moved Spot into a sitting position.

"Can't you take it easy?" Spot demanded. "I've got broken ribs here!"

Sippi snorted.

Spot glared up at the Southern giant. "What is your problem?"

"That girl you happen to be cursing is not one of your many conquests. She happens to be your wife."

"I didn't mean to get her pregnant!"

"Just how many other girls in this city have you said that about, Conlon?"

"It's none of your business!"

"Someone has to try and protect your wife and the mother of your child!"

Author's Note: This fic is a story about the Gran Kelly Lodging House. You can check it out at