Star woke up under an old vintage blanket, which would have been quite beautiful if it hadn't yellowed and didn't smell funny. She looked around for any of the boys and she didn't see any of them but she did see a perfect long stemmed white lily laying on the table. She was sure that it wasn't there last night and she picked up a small piece of paper next to it and written on it were the words;

'For you my Star. D'

David had left her a flower and his gesture made her smile and she had butterflies in her stomach. These boys weren't so bad after all, they'd all been nice to her, looked after her with her ankle, they'd been courteous with her and none of them had tried to touch her or hurt her. They'd all, in fact, been perfect gentlemen. She rotated her ankle and found it wasn't as sore as it was last night and she sat up. She thought about her dad and that he'd probably thought she'd stayed at Tee's house, then she thought of Tee. She needed to go see if she was home yet, then she wondered what time it was because she felt like she'd been there for hours. She got up and tried to have a look outside and she couldn't see much but it looked like it was late afternoon or early evening, judging by the shadows. She had been there for hours, she'd basically slept all day and she had to go. A prism caught her eye and she began to look around the room again, still blown away by the magnificence of the cave, only now she could actually take the time to look around properly when she had enough natural light to see. There was a skateboard up against the wall under the Doors poster, a collection of drawings on the floor near a chair in the corner, a pile of tapes and CD's next to the boom box and a range of different bottles in the corner behind David's wheelchair. There was stuff everywhere, it looked like stuff they'd acquired from all over the place, from beaches, concerts, parties, maybe other people's houses… There was also what looked like an old elevator shaft in ruins and a number of caverns or rooms leading off from the main cave she was in which is where she imagined the boys had slept. She hoped they hadn't left her there and disappeared, but then dismissed that thought because they wouldn't leave her here alone with all their stuff. She'd never met anyone remotely like these guys before. No one had ever stood up for her or shown such an interest in her or given her a new name like David did, the new name thing was still strange to her. He was definitely an original, to the point of being utterly unique. And those eyes, those incredible, hypnotic eyes that made her feel like he was staring directly into her soul, she could look into them forever. She smiled remembering the kiss they'd shared and she felt like she'd found the man she'd been waiting for her whole life. As much as she wanted to stay in this fantasy world outside of her own, reality was pulling her out of her dream and she began thinking of how she was going to get home. She dreaded to think of the reception she was going to get from her 'family' and the thought was ruining her piece of mind. She turned to pick up her flower and found David leaning against the wall watching her.

'Hi.' She said feeling shy and almost like he'd caught her doing something she shouldn't.

'Hello Star.' He walked towards her, cupped her face and kissed her lightly on her lips making her stomach flutter. 'Are you OK?'

'Yeah, my ankle is feeling better.' She said. 'Thank you for my flower.' She said, blushing, holding the bloom. 'It's beautiful.'

'Only the best for my girl.' He said and she smiled.

'David, I have to go home.' She said looking down, her smile falling.

'I will take you there to collect your things but you're not going back to stay there. I will not allow you to live with a man who has done that to you.' He said with an authoritarian tone and she looked into those blue eyes and tried to find some understanding of what exactly he was saying.

'I have nowhere to go. I have to go back, I have to go to school.' She said.

'Star, forget about school, you can come stay in a motel near here so I can see you.'

I have no money, I can't.' Her voice wobbled and she began to get upset.

'You don't need money. I told you, you are my girl and my boys and I will take care of you.' He hugged her and tried to calm her down.

'You can't… David, you don't even know me.'

'I know all I need to know. It's done Star. All you need to do is get your stuff and I will take care of the rest.' He said as the other boys began to appear out of the back of the cave. The thought of going back in the company of David made her feel better but the thought of living off him and being a burden to him made her feel worse. This guy was insane, why would he want to do this for her? Maybe he was a pimp, he'd given her a new name and wanted to set her up in a motel. He probably had girls set up all over this tiny town and had them working for him. She couldn't understand his intense interest in her 16-year-old self and what she had to offer a man like him. He looked like he could have anyone in the world, they all did, and she was just a simple teenager. She needed to talk to Tee and get her take on it all, and find out where she'd got to last night.

'Star and I are going to pick up some of her stuff. We'll meet you down the Boardwalk later.' David told the boys, placing his hand on her lower back. 'Shall we?' She looked up at him and again he'd made the decision for her. She walked out ahead of him and began to climb the rocky pathway out of there. She was perplexed at how he seemed to be making major decisions and taking over her life after mere hours of knowing her. It was odd that he even wanted to.

'Are you ever afraid that the rocks will collapse and trap you in there?' She asked walking past the large danger signs which she could now read in the fading light.

'No.' David said simply and continued walking up to the ridge. 'Is your ankle alright for the bushwalk?' He asked. The thought of rolling her ankle again in the darkness didn't appease her and before she'd answered, he spoke deciding for her again. 'Stay here. I'll go get my bike and come pick you up.' It was like he'd read her mind and he disappeared into the forest and she stood there alone on the cliff and looked out to sea at the light house spinning its light around. She had a feeling her life was about to change in ways she couldn't even comprehend and she prayed it was going to be for the better and not the worse and that she wasn't going from one domineering man to another. But at least this one was hot and had promised to never hurt her. Before long she heard the deep hum of a motorbike engine and he came up along the ridge pulling up next to her.

'Hop on.' He said to her which she did and happily hugged him tight. If he was willing to help her, who was she to look a gift horse in the mouth? He took off north only this time she enjoyed the ride and didn't feel nervous of the rider.

Arriving in southern San Francisco, they rode up the 101 north towards Hunter's Point and she was shortly jolted back to reality when she found herself looking at her shabby house. She was embarrassed he saw where she lived but then again, he lived in a cave so she dropped her emotion of shame and it was quickly replaced with fear. She reluctantly got off his bike and stood there while he dismounted.

'Come on. He's not going to hurt you with me here.' He said taking her hand. They walked up the small path together and she opened the front door, gingerly stepping inside.

'Come inside.' She said to David and he followed her.

'Nick? Is that you?' Her dad called out and her heart sank.

'No dad, it's me.' She said cringing.

'Get in here you little bitch!' She walked towards the living room. 'Where the fuck have you been?! Nick tells you to get home, you get home! Where have you…' He stopped as David walked in after her. 'Who the fuck are you?'

'This is my friend.' She said and watched as her dad looked him over, with a disgusted look on his face.

'Your friend isn't welcome here. Get out.' He said to David. 'I need to talk to my daughter alone.' She gripped his hand tighter and prayed he wouldn't leave.

'I'm not going anywhere. She's here to get her stuff and she's leaving with me.' David said calmly.

'Like hell she is. Get the fuck out of my house.' Her dad stood up and prepared to face David. He was an ex boxer and still held a lot of strength and still maintained a boxers ego.

'Go and get what you want.' David told her and let her hand go.

'Who the fuck do you think you are.' Her father pushed David and she stood there terrified. 'She's my daughter and she's not going anywhere.'

'Go Star.' David ordered while he held his ground and eyeballed the old man. She went to go down the hall but stopped at the sound of her father's voice.

'Don't you fucking dare!' Her father warned her and she didn't know what to do. 'And her name isn't Star, she's lying to you already.' Her father laughed.

'She's coming with me. I know what you've done, you piece of shit.' Her father smiled.

'She loved it. She's mine and I can do whatever the fuck I want with her.' He said arrogantly and Star closed her eyes, feeling sick.

'You will never be alone with her again.' David told him, his tone changing, which made her father step back in the same way her brother had last night.

'Well if she's yours and is leaving with you, then nothing of hers is leaving this house. You wanna babysit her then you pay for her. She's nothing but a slut anyways. I'm done with her.' He said and she began to cry. 'You leave this house, you selfish bitch, you leave empty handed. I'll burn it all.' She looked at her father, not wanting to abandon all of her stuff but knowing what would happen should she stay. 'All your mother's precious shit gone.' He threatened her and she looked at David before bolting out of the house and running down the street. She stopped at the corner, sobbing and hoped David wouldn't come out too soon and see her like this. He came out shortly after and came and hugged her.

'Fuck him. I will come back with my boys and get your stuff later.' She was numb, she really was out on the street now, whether she wanted to be or not. She needed to go see Tee but she couldn't ask David to drive her out to her friend's house while he waited for her. She could hardly speak in the state she was in. Once they were back in Santa Carla, she would find a phone and call Tee. David walked her back to his bike and told her to get on which she did without speaking and they travelled back down the coast. They rode to a small motel just off the Boardwalk and he told her to wait by his bike while he went in and got her a room. He came out ten minutes later and walked with her to one of the cabins and walking inside, she stood feeling uncomfortable and awkward.

'Thank you.' She said looking at him feeling very flat.

'Star, you're my girl and I will do anything for my girl.' He said stroking her hair. 'I want you to stay here, have a shower, calm down and relax. I am going to go get you some new clothes and then we will go get you something to eat.' She went to protest again, but stopped herself and just said thank you again. A shower would definitely make her feel better but so would having some of her stuff, she had so little of her mother left, it would break her heart to lose it.

'Are you going to be alright?' David asked her and she nodded weakly. 'Don't go anywhere and I'll be back in a couple of hours.' He swiftly kissed her on the lips and left. She was right and a shower did make her feel better and she came out and sat on the bed wrapped in a towel and laid her head back against the wall. The bed side clock said 11:15pm and she wondered how far away David was. He seemed to keep interesting hours and she wondered what he did for work. Her stomach growled and she hoped he wouldn't be too long, she was hungry. She'd have to go find a job soon though, she couldn't have him pay for everything. She'd look for a job tomorrow, maybe on this boardwalk he spoke of. Half an hour later David came through the door and she instantly felt self-conscious being found in nothing but a towel but he didn't seem to mind in fact, he seemed to enjoy it..

'I see you've made yourself comfortable.' He raised his eyebrows at her smiling. 'I have a skirt and a top for you.' He gently laid them on the bed next to her and she again thanked him and went into the bathroom to get changed. He'd bought her a stunning sparkly long purple skirt and a white button up singlet and they fit perfectly. Maybe being his girl wouldn't be so bad, he made her feel beautiful and confident and as she came out of the small room, she could tell just by the look on his face, he also approved. 'Come on. Let's get you something to eat.' He said heading outside. They went down to the Boardwalk and it was better than she imagined. There was so much going on there that she couldn't wait to go there during the day and explore all the shops, there was surely a job available for her here. They met up with his boys and went to a small authentic taco stand with some outside tables. The boys seemed happy to see her and were again very nice to her. Paul walked up and kissed her on the cheek upon seeing her again but she could see this bothered David.

'How's your ankle? Need me to carry you around again?' He joked and she smiled back at him. Dwayne was again very quiet and Marko again gave her strange looks but she didn't pay them too much attention after what had already happened. This was the craziest week of her life, aside from the week her mom died.

'Star, I'm going to take you back to the motel and then I have to go and do something with them.' He said after their meal.

'You go, I will be fine. I'll walk back to the motel.' She insisted, not wanting to put him out any more than she had already.

'You will not walk around here on your own. I will take you back.' He repeated and something in his tone told her to not fight him on it. He drove her back there and walked her to the door.

'I'm going to go down to the Boardwalk tomorrow morning and try and find a job so you don't have to keep paying for everything.' She said to him. 'I can meet you down there tomorrow?'

'No, you don't need a job. I will be here at 8:30pm to pick you up. Don't leave here until I get here.' The way he said it, it was a directive and she stood there not sure how to take it. Did he really expect her to stay here all day? 'I have a gift for you.' His face softened as he spoke then he pulled out a small yellow and white gold filigree heart pendant on a gold chain from his jacket. She was pleasantly surprised and kissed him to thank him and he placed it around her neck. 'Don't go anywhere. I will pick you up.' He repeated and kissed her again and he left. She held the pendant he'd given her in her fingers and her heart surged. He really was amazing and she was sure she'd found her dream man. She couldn't believe it, he'd saved her from her dad, set her up in a nice place, given her clothes and gifts and fed her. It was all perfect.

Now she was just waiting for the catch.