Um, sorry for the delay. I have excuses. Good ones. But I bet, you'd rather read the story. I'm truly sorry I fell off the ball on this one. So without further ado, please enjoy.

OxOxOxOxOxOx

Flippy for the first time in a long while slept the night away without incident or interruption. His bouts with insomnia eased his vigil on his Flaky, yet after a few days of constant care slightly strung out concerned for the newest oddity in his life that literally knocked him off his feet had allowed him to pass off into a dreamless sleep that only come by exhaustion. He also awoke without incident, witch felt quite refreshing compared to …

Don't think about it. Don't think about it. While Flippy's inner turmoil attempted to manifest itself in the physical realm he continued to war with himself. Think of something else, anything else. Subject change…., Glancing about his room for a suitable distraction from destruction, his eyes were drawn towards the light breaking through his window. What a beautiful sunrise. He thought frantic at first desperately, then he really looked at it.

"Wow. I don't think I've ever seen one that red." Something in him gave pause to that last word. Red. Intense, beautiful red.

"Oh!" He shot up in bed, as memories of the past few days spent with a small red haired girl (Girl? Minor? Young woman? Come to think of it, how old is she?) frightened of her own shadow.

What was he gonna ask her? Or rather how was going to get any answers? He had no idea how to deal with this situation.

None whatsoever.

Should I ask where she came from first? Or why she came her? I don't want her to break down again. I'll never get any answers that way.

Never one to stand idly by, Flippy set to work. Making breakfast. As it allowed him more time to ponder himself in circles. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day anyway.

Besides the poor kid hasn't eaten much of anything since I meet her, the only thing I got her keep down was weak soup.

OxOxOxOxOxOx

"I'm sorry, what? I can't hear you."

"I said, thank you for breakfast!" she repeated slightly louder, and a lot faster, no longer addressing the sheets she was currently snuggled in where she'd eaten, but rather the bearer of the food she'd downed with a gusto that startled Flippy.

Figured she'd be hungry, but geez! I didn't think someone that small could consume that much with such speed!

Thrown slightly off kilter by her sincerity, he replied with a somewhat stilted "You're welcome" Giving his head a slight shake "Ahem, you ready for my questions?"

After much pointless pondering allowed him via breakfast, Flippy decided to play by ear, so to speak. Ask what seemed like generic questions, and avoid pointed ones lest she had a another minor meltdown. Or heaven forbid, a major one. He shuddered at the thought.

"Yes." Flippy did his best to not laugh. It was difficult task, what with this tiny thing practically overpowered by the flaming hair that screamed "Look at me!" trying her best to be brave, and look fearless. And failing so completely.

"So, tell me. What brings you to this quaint little town?"

She's mumbling to the bed again. Am I really that scary? "Hey, kiddo." he interrupted, "I really can't hear you when you talk to the sheets and blankets. Talk to me." he prompted gently.

Flaky took a deep cleansing breath to steady herself, before looking up (finally!) to speak to him. "Um, I actually didn't come here on purpose." Proud of herself for not stuttering at all, she offered him a small smile.

"Why wasn't anyone been looking for you? You seem pretty young to be by yourself." Crap, didn't mean to say that! "I mean, didn't anyone know you were leaving, or something?" Please don't breakdown, please don't breakdown.

He added an encouraging smile, hoping it would her to keep going.

"I left my hometown. She paused for a moment, Flippy didn't say anything because it looked like she was trying to gather more courage than she possessed in entire small being. Taking another deep breath Flaky continued "No one in my hometown was attached. I have no family. I'm no longer a ward of the state, haven't been for a little over a year now. I left when I turned 19." (Well, that answers the age question.) She turned to look at him., while she hadn't reverted to speaking to the sheets, she'd been looking off to the side so she didn't have to face him, and his green eyes, while she told him her life story. Flaky wasn't a private person per say, it was just that she never had the opportunity to share with someone.

"So, you left your home town with nothing but the clothes on your back?"

"Well, I never had much to start with, but yeah, my clothes and bag." embarrassment colored her tone, mentioning all that she owned with a small breath and brief description.

"Um, you didn't have a bag." Confusion marred her features, "I didn't have a, a, " She began to gesture in the air mimicking the shape with slim fingers "a bag. It's black, a duffel bag with one handle? It's the only thing. . . ." She trailed off, tears brimming her eyes again when he simply shook his head.

"Hey, chin up, kiddo." Gotta stop calling her that. She not that much younger than me. "I was gonna go into town tomorrow. But change of plans. We're going into town tomorrow. It's 'bout time you met the locals anyway. While we're there we can check out the lost and found."

Flippy been watching carefully for her reaction, had seen her laboriously swallow her tears, attempting to make room for the hope building slowly in her ruby red eyes. Flippy filled with a new resolve of his own for diverting waterworks for the first time since they meet moved on to other pressing matters of business.

Such as his bathroom door.

"So you feeling up to helping me fix the door, Flaky?" he asked with an easy going grin. She flinched at statement, Flippy assumed that she thought herself to blame for the it's untimely death. Death? Geez, it's just a door, regardless of how nice. Man, I really need to stop getting so attached to doors that last for more than 6 months. Yet, the reason was that she was reminded once again, of her name dilemma.

Nonsense. Forget the pity party for once and help the nice man fix his door. Timid as she was Flaky, a gentle soul to the core, was a friendly and helpful creature when the fear that ruled her allowed her to be.

Giving Flippy the biggest smile he'd seen her make (i.e. a relatively small, shy shadow of a smile) she spoke soft and clearly "I'd love to."

For some reason or other Flippy's heart seized up for a second. He tried to analyze to sensation but it was gone as suddenly as it came.

Then all the anxiety and nervousness came back, and Flaky turned away from his very green eyes.

"I'm actually not terrible with tools." Small as her ego was, it grow substantially on the fact she had stuttered and stumbled over her words in a while, however short.

"Really?" She felt pride swell in her chest that the only thing she heard in voice was open curiosity, instead of a incredulous disbelief.

Keep it up. Speak clearly. "Yes, I made some money that way."

"That's good to know. To be honest, I thought I was going to have to buy a new door." He chuckled softy to himself "I'm hopeless when it comes to repairs. I have a tendency to make the problem worse rather than repair it."

She let out a soft sound. Her hand flying quickly to her mouth to smother her mirth, could do nothing to hide the humor found in her eyes.

"It's okay. Go ahead, and laugh. I know I seem like the handy type." At his admittance she let more soft laughter, no longer hidden by her fingers. "I'm sorry," she broke to gather herself, only to laugh again before continuing "You're right, you really do seem like a handy type of guy, especially after you took care me. Hah!" Still let out peels of joy "I'm sorry, that's the funniest thing I've heard in a long time."

"Come on, chuckles. Let's get to fixin'. Or rather get you to fixin' seeing as I'll only cause more damage." Flippy said good naturedly.