A/N: OMG, I am SO sorry for not updating in forever! I've been so busy with school, and now since it's almost over, I can finally write again! Yay! Anyways, short little chapter update here. I'll have the rest out soon. Later!

Our FRiEnDly, FAVOURITE, bunch ends up leaving the mall in Nashville, barely escaping the clutches of a storm, when they find themselves driven to the city of Chattanooga, on the brink of TN and GA. They escape from the rain, taking shelter from the tempest in a downtown hotel….

Noodle stumbled into the hotel room that she and Kate were sharing that night, shaking the water form her hair like a dog. The guitarist and Audrey had switched places, and now the latter was rooming with Russel. Noodle had asked Kate if she minded rooming with her tonight, and the woman had cheerfully complied. They were staying now in a hotel in downtown Chattanooga. When they had left the Opry Mills mall after leaving the restaurant, they had driven two hours to the TN-GA border city and decided to stay the night, so Murdoc wouldn't kill them on the slippery roads. It had started raining fiercely when they reached the city's outskirts and they had fled to the hotel once they had parked the Van.

Back in the room, there was a knock at the door and Noodle unlocked it; Katie was standing outside, soaked and carrying their luggage. She stepped inside, closing the door behind her and tossing the bags down. The older woman walked over and jumped onto the bed, completely exhausted, lying haphazardly on the blankets.

"Thanks," Noodle said, joining her on the bed. Kate smiled, "For what?"

The young girl shrugged, looking off into space, and they were both suddenly quiet for a long time. Finally she spoke, "I never get to hang out with other girls, so I guess it's just new for me. And, you know, after today and all…"

Kate smiled, "It's alright. I get it. Don't worry, Noodle, let's just have some fun, k?"

She smiled widely, "Sure! But what are we gonna do?"

Kate shrugged, "I dunno. What do you want to do?"

Noodle thought for a moment, but it soon became clear that she was drawing a blank. She frowned, "I don't really know. I mean…what's there to do?"

Kate sat up on the bed and put a finger to her chin, "Hmm…well, it's obvious we should do something 'girly'. So, the usual I guess."

The girl hopped up and went to retrieve the bags, leaving a confused Noodle, "The…usual?" she said it as if it was some kind of torture she was about to face.

"Yea! We can have a sleepover. It'll be just like when I was a little girl."

Kate sat back down and dumped the contents of her bag onto the sheets; brushes, make-up, hair products and dye, fingernail polish and other various items tumped out. Noodle looked at the accessories with varied amounts of interest and curiosity. Kate smiled, "We can do whatever, I guess. I do admit I'd love to dye your hair purple, or blue maybe."

Noodle looked at her like she was partly insane, but slowly a smile started to play across her face as excitement grew. Kate laughed and held up a bottle of dye, "So, shall we?"

XxXxXxXxXxXxXx

Twenty minutes later, Noodle and Kate's hair was wrapped up and they were sitting on one of the beds, munching on popcorn and watching HBO on the television. They laughed and cried and screamed together, watched with rapt eyes and held each other just like little girls. Once their hair was finished, they showered and threw on their pajamas with their heads wrapped up in great white towels. They painted each other's nails in crazy colors, though Kate's nails were a bit more messier than Noodle's, given the young Japanese girl had less experience. After their hair was dry, Kate sat behind Noodle and brushed out her tangles, admiring her handiwork- large sections of Noodle's hair had been dyed purple, while Kate's, aside from her blue braids, had dyed her bangs white, which was a stark contrast to her naturally black hair. As she brushed the tangles, however, Noodle had become strangely quiet while Kate handled her hair gently, and the older vaguely wondered whether or not she was staring off, like many of her band mates did when lost in thought. They were all so alike.

When the silence grew awkward Kate cleared her throat and asked tentatively, "Something wrong, Noodle?"

The girl was quiet for a long time, "…No. Nothing's wrong. I'm just….wondering if this is what it would have been like if I'd had a mother."

Kate stopped brushing and cocked her head, "What do you mean?"

"Well…I guess you could say that I technically had a mother, but I don't remember her."

"What?"

The younger girl's shoulder hunched, and she turned her head slightly to glance at her, "I don't remember anything before I was nine. I mean, I know what happened, I just don't remember. Maybe this is like my mother."

They were silent, the only noise being that of the TV. Finally, Kate swallowed and resumed her brushing, "I wouldn't say 'mother'," she suddenly said, "Mother's are too uptight to dye your hair crazy colors and stuff. More like sisters. Hey!" Kate blurted, scooting over to fully face Noodle, "I've got an idea! Why don't I adopt you as my little sister?"

Noodle blinked, "What?"

"Well, sure, why not? I mean, I've always wanted a little sis, and jeez, you could use some girl-time Noodle, if you don't mind me saying."

Noodle's mouth was open, her face incredulous, but soon it gave way to a smile.

"I mean, we don't look much alike, and plus you would be related to Audrey, which would turn anyone off, but that's OK! What do you say Noodle? Wanna be my sister?"

The younger girl stared at her, her face hard to read. Kate suddenly frowned slightly, not knowing whether she was sad or happy or anger. Everything settled though, when Noodle gave a small squeal and pitched forward, throwing her arms around her, "Yes! Yes, Kate-san, let's be sisters!" she squeaked in delight. Kate laughed, rocking back and forward with Noodle in her arms. When they pulled back the younger's eyes were glistening and Kate smiled kindly at her, "Have I ever told you that you are the prettiest girl I've ever seen?"

Noodle sniffled, wiping her eyes on her sleeve, "You're the most beautiful person in the world, Kate-san," she said quietly. Kate held back her tears and opened her arms, in which Noodle fell into. She held the Japanese girl for a long time, lost in thought as she gently rocked her, thinking about many things. She thought about Noodle- how amazing of a girl she was, so strong and talented and beautiful. Yet, all that aside, she saw her as fragile; a vulnerable little girl who was cast into a world that was for grown-ups, that only adult's were supposed to live in. Kate admired her stamina and her façade, but she also mourned for her and her lost childhood. She wondered what Noodle did when she was scared; probably ran to one of her bandmates. Kate hoped that, one day, maybe Noodle would run to her. She wanted to do that much for the girl. Kate hoped that Noodle realized that. But, then again, Kate hoped for a lot of things.

When she let go of her, Noodle wiped her face again and the two girls smiled at each other. Kate ruffled the guitarist's hair, "Come on, it's late. We better get some sleep or we'll be way to beat in the morning."

She nodded and scrambled over to the other bed, crawling under the blankets and disappearing from view. Kate reached over and clicked off the lamp, and as the room gave away to darkness, Kate settled into her own bed and closed her eyes, smiling on the day's events and how, sadly, it was coming to an end.

"'Night, sis."

"Goodnight, Kate-san."

The older woman didn't need to smell the smoke that had just drifted into the room to know that it was late. Not even when the sound of distant singing lulled her to sleep, did she know that is was well past two in the morning.