Lyra looked at the hotel/diner she had just been hired at after lying about her age and some heavy convincing that she was a hard worker. It was small, dirty, and grungy, and at the end of the bad part of town, or so she had been told. She had been warned to be careful of thugs and whatnot.

"Don't stand there! Get an apron and get to work." The lady who had hired her so skeptically barked, making Lyra jump, startling her. "Ever been a waitress before?" The woman asked, frowning.

"No, I am sorry. I told you a lie. I'll be going now." She hung her head, starting for the door.

"you a fast learner or you one who I'm going to have to baby-sit?" The lady asked gruffly, making Lyra turn around, her hopes high.

"I'm a fast learner. I wouldn't let you down. If you could just show me once, I'm sure I can get the job down and done well." Lyra's eyes were misted over as she pleaded. She needed this job. This woman was willing to pay her under the table, not needing an ID, and she doubted jobs like these were easy to find in LA.

"Good then, here's a menu. Study it while I get some stocking done." the gruff lady nodded, thrusting a menu at her. She liked this kid, not sure why, but she didn't want her roaming the streets and her good natured personality going awry with the street life. The day flew by for Lyra and she had actually made it to the last hour of the night.

"What can I get for you?" Lyra asked, her eyes on her notepad as she took another order that seemed like her hundredth of the day.

"Tuna. Without crust." The guy replied, looking deep in his own thoughts. "And a Pepsi. Is the manager around?" He asked, looking at the girl.

"Yes, one second. I'll be right back and I'll send her over as well." Lyra said, walking to the back, her feet aching more than they had ever ached before. She realized just how tired she was now that it had slowed down enough for her to get in a drink. Mary, the owner and only person working with Lyra besides the cooks, was at her customer's table when her order came up.

"Take a break. You earned it. I'll see you in fifteen. Grab a bite to eat, its' on me." She nodded as Lyra sat down the plate in front of the blonde haired guy. She smiled a grateful smile and left the two alone.

"SO, Mom, when did you go soft?" Brian grinned as his mom, Mary sat beside him, also looking rather tired

"I didn't. You hush that. That little girl is a hard worker." His mom replied, popping him with her towel. He gave her his boyish grin and the two of them sat there, staring at the petite girl sit at the bar by herself, lost in what seemed to be her own world.

"She looks familiar. What's her name?" Brian asked, breaking a bit of silence after he had scarfed down.

"Lyra. She says she's 18 but I don't buy it." His mom frowned, watching the girl twirl the napkin in her hand over and over.

"Ah, so now you're hiring underage help, huh? Lucky for you I lost my badge." Brian teased, making his mom look at him in shock. The two were close and he was a momma's boy, no doubt about that. She also knew he had made the choice to let the badge go and had traded it for friendship.

"That mouth of yours is goin to get you into some trouble, Brian. Better watch it." She scolded, though smiling.

"Do you want me to start on the dishes, Mary?" Lyra cleared her throat softly, scared of being yelled at for interrupting. She didn't want to sit there longer than the time she had been allotted so she thought it would be better to interrupt and ask.

"You are a hard worker, I must say. This is my son, Brian." She introduced, not really wanting the poor girl to work any more. She looked pale and worn out.

"Hi, I'm Lyra." She smiled, her eyes downcast as she talked. Self confidence was never her thing. She had been raised in money, a controlling environment, and one that someone always found fault with at least one thing on a daily basis.

"Brian O'Connor. You look familiar. You from around here?" He asked, knowing she wasn't as he had patrolled this area many times as well as grew up in it after leaving Arizona.

"No, I'm uh.. From ….out of town." Lyra stretched and yawned, deciding to play like she was being smug, not so nervous.

"Out of town, huh? That town got a name?" Brian asked, looking in to her eyes. They looked so familiar, almost like he was talking to someone he had just met. But these eyes were blue, he mentally argued to himself.

"Brian, Leave the girl alone and let her get some sleep" His mother chided, smiling at a very exhausted Lyra. She handed her a key. "Here's to the first room on the right. I'll see you at 8 am sharp, deal?" She asked, and Lyra nodded, not a word further. She headed out the door but stopped. She took a look at the small but homey diner and thought sadly of how this seemed more like a home than her stuck up, ritzy house she had left not even 24 hours ago.

"I swear she looks so like someone I know." Brian sighed, trying to shake her face and features that seemed to mirror someone he knew. He just couldn't put his hand on who it was and that frusta rated him.

"Everyone in LA looks like someone else. Or for that matter, the world. They say everyone has a twin somewhere." His mom said, getting up slowly, the day wearing on her too. Brian laughed at her, like he often did at her old time sayings and ways, though she knew he loved her. "So you and your gang still coming to breakfast in the morning?" His mom looked at him after putting up the closed sign.

"Yes, and it's crew, thanks. Not a gang." Brian laughed, repeating Mia's exact words that she had corrected him with.

"You know what I mean. You and Mia have a fight?" His mom asked, amused by his smart comebacks he was using one after the other. Brian was usually so low key and tonight he didn't seem to be normal at all.

"Nope. We're good. I'll see you in the morning, all of us and maybe a new one too. Leon's sister is living wit us now." Brian kissed her cheek and headed for the door.

"Be careful out there and tell them boys to be ready to eat." She smiled as Brian let himself out. She locked the door behind him, watching that he made it safely to his car.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"I'm sorry I'm late." Lyra rushed in to greet Mary at two minutes past eight o clock. Her flustered face made her laugh, especially since the room wasn't but maybe twenty steps away.

"You are a worrier, aren't you?" Mary asked, her eyes on Lyra's wrinkled clothes. Lyra nodded, gave a soft smile and reached for her apron.

"Did you bring any clothes with you?" She asked, not trying to be rude or sound belittling but in concern.

"I did.. I just .. I left them at a friend's house on the other side of town." She lied, trying her best to ignore her guilty conscience that was already nagging at her for lying.

"Ok, well, if you need to take some time off, you let me know." Mary nodded, the cooks starting up the grills.

"Thanks." Lyra smiled, shocked at her niceness. She felt guilty for making such snap judgments on Mary, the city of LA, and maybe, she thought, just maybe she was wrong about her life too. She was in thought when the bell chimed on the diner door, indicating they had their first customer of the day.

"Man, you're mom's cooking always smells so good.." Jesse grinned as he looked at Brian as though somewhat envious.

"Yeah, Man, she's the best cook." Brian agreed, getting a look from Mia. He coughed, sat up straight and grinned. "Aside from yours, Babe." he nodded, putting an arm around her as he pulled out a chair for her to sit in.

"Momma's boy." Vince muttered with a laugh. He was trying to be funny but was concerned as to why Mira wouldn't get out of bed to come with them to eat. He yelled at himself for even caring and tried to focus on what he wanted to eat.

"Yeah, I am." Brian said, his eyes looking for his mom. Then they fell on Lyra, her new help. He was quiet as she walked over to take their orders amongst their talk.

"Can I take your orders?" She asked, her voice too soft to be heard.

"You gotta speak up with this crowd, honey." Mary walked over, drinks already made and on a tray.

"Oh, ok." Lyra took a step back, not sure of herself or this group of loud talking, rough looking guys and one girl. Only one of the girls looked to be of normal nature to her and even she had a rough quality to her.

"Who's the new help?" Mia asked Brian, whispering.

"Her name's Lyra." he said, tuning back into what his mom was telling the group. Then he got a slap on the shoulder by his own girlfriend. "What was that for?" He asked, rubbing his arm as Dominic stared at the two with a raised eyebrow.

"Come here. We need to talk." She jumped up, pulling him away from the table hastily.

"Everything okay, Mia?" Dominic asked, stiffening a bit.

"Fine, Dom. Fine. One second." She promised, holding up up a finger to indicate a minute.

"Mia, he's thinking we're fighting and his method of deal first and ask later is not exactly a fun thing. What is wrong?" Brian asked, his eyes fixed on the girl he had fallen in love with., who happened to be staring at the girl walking back to the back.

"That is Leon's other sister!" She said, her voice in a whisper but with conviction. Brian laughed and rolled his eyes, scoffing.

"Mia, I know what you're thinking and the coincidence and all. I thought she looked familiar too but how would both his sisters just pop up at the same time, same city and all?" He asked, trying to not piss her off. He could tell she was mad at him for laughing at her assumption and that made it even more funnier and harder to control the laughter.

"I'm serious, Brian. His other sister is named Lyra. How many Lyras' do you know " She asked, her arms now folded.

"Ok, not many. I saw her last night. She has blue eyes. His sister's are twins and yeah, they are fraternal twins, but don't you think the eye color would be the same?" he asked as the crew kept throwing glances their way.

"I'm a find out." She shook her head and headed back to her seat, making Brian throw his hands up at her anger towards him.

"Problems in paradise, Dawg?" Leon asked, laughing.

"Nope, we're cool. You need a girl, Man." Brian joked.

"Hell nah, Dawg. I don't want NO females crampin my style." Leon said, earning a look of disapproval from Mia.

"That's not right, Leon. She's your sister. Gawd, you are such a typical male." She scolded, as Dominic made a cutting throat motion as to not get her started behind her, unbeknownst to her. "that's your sister, Leon. How could you?" She ranted, repeating herself.

"You know only alcoholics repeat themselves." Dominic joked, earning a death look from his own flesh and blood.

"Dom, don't start with me.." She was interrupted by Lyra coming out with a tray of food, already made. She studied the girl and took note how much of a difference there really was. Then she nudged Leon. "I think that is your other sister." She said, her tone low as the girl continued to put food on the table, though in a shy kind of way.

'Now how would you say something like that? Don't punish me. I already got one and she's in a hell of a lotta shit that I got to a deal wit." Leon grimaced, digging into his over easy eggs that he loved so much.

"You complained for years about not having family and now you got them and ugh, Leon!" Mia threw up her hands and got up.

"Just let her cool off, Man." Letty advised, smiling at how much her temper mirrored Dominic's. She watched Mia traspe after the waitress and even follow her back into the back. That was Mia. If she had a strong enough conviction, she would find it in her to figure out how to get what it was that she wanted.

"Excuse me." Mia smiled, her smile apologetic when the petite girl jumped. "Sorry, I know I'm bothering you and you are busy but.. I need to ask you a question." She admitted, her cheeks flushed from her spout of anger.

"Ok." Lyra said, looking around, knowing Mary was going to get after her soon to get to work. If Marry saw hat was. She hadn't' been around that much today. But the day had just begun, Lyra reasoned to herself in thoughts as she stared at the one girl she thought maybe she could have something in common with.

"Do you have any brothers or sisters? Because you look a lot like someone I know and I was just wondering…" Mia trailed off. Lyra turned around, facing the group, her heart beating, no, pounding in her temple. She had heard Leon and what he had said. This only confirmed that he was her brother but wanted no part of her. She drew in a deep breath and faced the tall girl who was questioning her.

"I'm sorry. I don't have any. I'm an only child. Interesting, I get that a lot." Lyra smiled meekly, hoping the girl wouldn't see her shaking hands.

"Oh..ok. Sorry to bother you." Mia stammered, wondering how she could be wrong when it all fit together so well.

"I better get back to work." Lyra nodded and headed for the kitchen. Mia walked out, her facial expression unable to read as she sat down.

"Better eat, Mia. We got to get downtown soon." Jesse said, pushing her plate towards her. Leon tried to not smirk or look too happy but the subject of his sisters was just too much for him an he was both glad and relieved it wasn't her.

A/n: Sorry to take so long, things have been more than hectic! Go Temp, its on you now! Don't forget to leave us a nice little review! (It's that little button in the corner, so hit it and go on wit it, lol). Later, love Cheer girl