Author: Hey, this is the third installment! And I'd like to thank the ones who read my story just for reading it. I don't know who you are, but thank you, anyway! Sorry for the short chapter, by the way, but the next bits sort of go together, and tacking them onto this one might make it horribly long...

And to the great and almighty po: Thanks for the review! And thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for the orange! YAY! Yeah, I couldn't possibly write a Stand fanfic without Nick. He has to be there, you know? And no worries about Lilly seeming too calm. In the beginning of things, she's still kind of shocked, and still trying to be so sweet and perfect. It takes a while sometimes, but everyone has a breaking point. -hint, hint-winks- I'll try to be a little clearer about her thoughts/feelings along those lines... And I am honored, even if it ISN'T VIP...

-

Lilly now sat and talked with Tom. In the time there, she'd managed to sufficiently bandage her leg, and her sister had gone out in search of a clothing store. It was a bit difficult to carry on a conversation, as she'd taken to writing things, and he couldn't read. But she was making do with a sort of ad-libbed sign language.

"You know what? I thought of something," Tom said to her. Lilly looked at him, tilting her head to one side. 'What?' "You remind me of my friend Nick, laws yes. He was pretty smart, and he came a long way to Boulder, too. He couldn't talk, either, but he also couldn't hear. You can, can't you?" Lilly nodded. 'Yes, I can.' "Thought so. You two probably could've been friends, if he was still around. He talked to me for a while after he was gone, in the dreams, but he hasn't for a real long time."

Lilly perked up at these words. She excitedly pointed to herself, and nodded. Tom watched her for a minute, looking slightly confused. She thought for a minute, trying to figure out how to explain. Finally, she closed her eyes, 'sleep,' then pointed to her head, 'think.' Together, the two sort of meant 'dream,' she guessed. Then, she moved her mouth, like she was talking to someone. Then she pointed to Tom, nodded, and once again pointed to herself and nodded.

"Dreams, right? And talking..." Tom said, as he started to put the pieces together. Lilly waited patiently, hoping she hadn't done anything too hard. "And Tom..." A perfectly blank look came over his face as he thought back on their conversation. 'He talked to me for a while after he was gone, in the dreams...' And that was when Lilly had started. "You've talked to him, too? You talk to Nick in dreams, like Tom did?" Lilly nodded, and made an 'Okay' sign. 'Yes, you got it right.' She smiled. He seemed very happy.

Just then, there was a knock on the door. Lilly jumped slightly.

"That would be your sister, right?" Lilly nodded again. Hurriedly, she repeated her motions about the dreams, then pointed to Tom, 'you,' imitated talking again, pointed to the door, 'Crystal,' and shook her head. "The talking in the dreams, your sister, don't talk...Don't tell her? Don't tell Crystal about the dreams?" Lilly nodded, relieved that he'd figured that one out quickly. "Okay, I won't. But I have to let her in, still." He went to answer the door. Lilly's breath came funny, making the rising and falling of her chest irregular. If she would've still had her voice, laughter would've filled the air at the thought of leaving her sister outside, standing

at the door.

Crystal walked in, with a smile, carrying a large bag. "Come on, Lilly. Come with me," she said. Lilly got up and followed her sister into an empty room. "Here," she said, handing the bag to her sister, who was glad to find a pair of jeans, a long-sleeved shirt, and a fairly heavy jacket. Crystal stepped out of the room, and Lilly hurriedly changed, glad to no longer be soaking wet and freezing.

The silent girl then bounded out to the room where the others waited. She stood before her sister, head tilted again. 'This better?'

"Yeah, at least now you won't turn into a popsicle," Crystal said, with a shrug. "So, when are we leaving?" Lilly shook her head. 'I don't want to leave.' "We've gotta go eventually, sis. We have...things to attend to, remember?" Lilly gave her a pleading look. Crystal stared at her coldly for a minute, but when it was clear the girl wouldn't give in, she sighed. "Fine, we can stay for a few days." Lilly smiled triumphantly.

-

The three of them had talked for a long time, Crystal reading out notes of her sister's when Lilly couldn't think up a good way of motioning it out. Through the conversation, Lilly had learned a lot about this city, which she intended to make her home, and Crystal had learned much of the goings-on from before the destruction of Las Vegas that Flagg probably wouldn't have even been able to tell her if she'd thought to ask.

It grew late, and a strange darkness was forming in the back of Crystal's mind. She'd have to get somewhere where she could manage to try whatever sort of thought-based communication this was without being found out. From what the girls had been told when they were younger, such meetings sometimes had obvious effects, sometimes permanent ones, like that woman with the white hair. Crystal had never bothered to memorize that aspect of the story (she'd never liked that woman and her trickery much, having always somehow known the truth behind it somehow, though it was supposedly unknown), but she knew Lilly would tell her all about it if she knew what was going on.

"It's getting a little late. We should go, and find a place to stay while we're here," Crystal said. It was true, even though none of it was the reason she wanted to get away.

"You can stay here," Tom said. "This place is pretty big, and I'm the only one that lives here." Obviously, Crystal thought. Who else would put up with this decorating scheme? "There's plenty of room, laws yes. Would you guys like to stay?"

"That could work..." she said, and decided that shutting herself in one of those rooms was as good as a room anywhere else. Lilly nodded, handing her a note. 'Who else do we know here who'd let us stay?' Crystal sighed. They didn't really know anyone else, anyway. "Alright. That's what we'll do. Thanks!"

Crystal was shown to where she would stay. Lilly would've gotten her own space, as well, but before that could be arranged, she was already sleeping peacefully on the couch she'd been sitting on throughout the day.