A bit of a shorter chapter, but the last one that kind of sets the tone before the story starts to pick up. Thanks for the patience!

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Later that week, Lilah still followed Remi Tucker-Tweak around the halls to know her way around. Maybe more so that she had protection from a wave of social anxiety by being attached to someone else. With a girl as chatty as Remi, it was like a personal shield from having to talk too much.

Remi was typically more 'girly' in nature and a social butterfly. Lilah tried not to be bias as Remi had only been nice to her and didn't seem to judge when Lilah expressed her different interests in activities and taste. From what Lilah understood, Remi volunteered to be her welcome buddy and seemed more than elated on the job.

"And then there's the Bay of Pigs Memorial Dance!"

Lilah just tuned back in at such an odd invite. "The what..?"

Remi stopped by a tug on Lilah's arm, she was relatively handsy, to point at one of many fliers on the hall poster board.

Lilah knew her history and was a little disturbed. "As in the Bay of Pigs Invasion?"

"Yup."

"Isn't that a little-?"

"Weird as hell to be commemorating? You betcha."

Remi led her to the cafeteria, seeing Lilah tense as they were the last of the few students to arrive for the lunch period.

"What's wrong?"

Lilah observed the room of kids she had still not adjusted to. Particularily the table of fourth grade girls she'd been ushered to get to know this past week.

"I'm not that hungry."

Remi knew some of the girls in her grade could come off as little she-beasts. But she was not about to let it push Lilah away!

"Come on! The gals love you!"

Lilah was once again whisked away to get their lunch trays, as a group of fourth-grade boys nearby gathered at their own table.

"Who's driving us to KFC after soccer?"

Liam raised a hand with a mouhtful of cafeteria tacos. "My dad's got it."

Adam put down his juice box. "Your mom always drives to soccer."

"When theres fried chicken involved you can count on Clyde Donovan."

Adam supposed that made sense as he looked to another fourth-grade friend, dark-haired and siena-skintoned Gabriel Rodriguez. "Where are you having your birthday?"

"Whistlin' Willy's."

"That's cool."

A relatively pale brunette Jack Thelman disagreed. "How're they even still open. That place is haunted with old people."

"I just want pizza, man."

Adam picked at his tacos as he looked across at his best friend. "I don't know what I'd do for mine. I don't even wanna turn eleven."

"Why not, dude?"

Maybe from the amount of 'Your Body and Head are Changing' pamphlets his father slipped under his door the closer Adam got to his tween years. As if the idea of change wasn't scaring him enough and Kyle Broflosvski wanted to give a helping hand in every milestone.

"I dunno," Adam tried not to bring them down to his sour mood lately, picking up with a smile. "There's that new laser tag place on Main street."

Jack played with his dipping sauce with a broken chip. "My mom says laser tag makes you go blind."

"Your mom's no fun," Liam stated.

"Hey, fuck off, dude!"

"Just sayin'!"

Two girls passed by with their lunch trays by Adam's left and he looked up. Recognizing his family friend Remi instantly and the new girl whom she'd been escorting around the school the whole week. If Adam had proof otherwise, he'd say the girl was entirely mute.

Remi and Lilah arrived to their table with the other girls, Lilah clamming up immediately. She tended not to say much despite Remi trying to encourage her into the conversation. One girl had finally had enough of it.

"Is that a smiley face pin?" A dirty blonde Lillian Preston suggested with distaste.

"I think it's cute!" A brunette Willa Biggle squealed.

Lilah played with one of her pins, feeling like her whole body was being psycho-analyzed. "Thank you.."

Remi quickly covered for Lillian's snootiness. "So, what d'you think of the school, Lilah?"

The new girl pulled forward her taco. "It's nice. I'm thinking of joining band."

"Good luck," Lillian stated. "They don't take newbies past September."

Lilah withered a little.

"They can make acceptions if you're new," Willa encouraged. "Especially if you're good!"

"Lilah says she's great at the trombone!" Remi said, looking to her. "Right?"

"Um-"

"You should play for us!"

"Yeah," Lillian added, not sure she loved the read she was getting on Lilah. To her, someone this quiet always thought they were better than everyone else. "How 'bout after school? We'll get you a trombone."

Lilah kept silent, not wanting to oblige but afraid to disagree with the clearly assertive girl.

"Do you ever say anything?"

Remi frowned. "Calm the hell down, Lillian. No need to be rash."

Count on Remi for being the little peacekeeper. That had been Lilah's first impression of Remi and it was proving to be true. She didn't want Remi to keep acting like she had to hang out with her though.

"D'you wanna come with us to the mall, tomorrow?"

Caught off by the invitation, Lilah stuttered. "I'll..ask my dad."

"Great!"

Back at the boys' table, the others had followed Adam's gaze to the Cartman girl who'd been shown around by Remi. It wasn't uncommon for kids to be interested in a newcomer in this school, considering the closeness of the town.

"Dibs on the new girl, by the way."

The boys looked up on the change of subject from Liam.

"You can't just call dibs on the new girl!" Jack complained.

"Why not?"

Adam looked over at where he last saw Lilah quietly listening to the girls' chatter.

"Just cuz she's quiet doesn't mean she'll easily go for you."

"I've got mad game, bro!"

Adam barked loudly at his friend's bold statement. "Dude, please. Being an asshole doesn't mean you've got game."

"Like you've got game."

With the spotlight shifted to Adam, he realized he never really was much of a ladies' dynamo like his friends claimed they were themselves. "I never said I did."

"That's what someone who thinks they have game would say."

Whatever Liam was implying, Adam had enough, raising an auburn brow. "Your point?"

"Ten bucks the new girl wouldn't go for you."

"I'm not betting on asking some chick."

Gabriel got hyped on Liam's behalf. "I wonder what a social service girl kisses like?"

"Gross, dude.."

"Yeah," Jack spat in an obnoxious laugh, poking at the ginger boy beside him. "What happenes if you kiss a girl and your dad sees it in the hallway?"

The other boys laughed and Gabriel jumped in. "Yeah! Does he pull you both into his office?"

They roared with laughter as Adam rolled his eyes, trying to act more annoyed than he was embarrassed.

As the Broflosvki-Turner household ate dinner that night, Adam ate his chicken cacciatore quickly compared to the rest of the family. Having not eaten as much at lunch due to his friends' stupid banter and forgetting to grab his recess snack this morning.

"Did you eat today, Ad?" Heidi asked from one long end of the table. On one hand, she was glad one kid was eating while it was impossible to currently get her six-year-old to eat her dinner at all.

"Not really."

His mother's concern peaked. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Yeah, I'm good," he assured his mother, trying to avoid concerning his more nervous father sitting on the other end of the table. "Just wasn't hungry."

"How was everyone's day?" Kyle insisted.

Instead of eating as her mother encouraged, Ella started; "I walked into class, I sat with Beth, an' Taylor, an' Riley! We did spelling, an' glitter art, an' then we had recess, an' then we played four-square, an' then we came back into-"

"Ella," Adam halted from his growing headache, dropping his fork to rub his eyes. "'How was your day' doesn't translate to 'recap your whole day.'"

Ella stuck a tongue out across at her brother as Heidi tried to get her to eat something. "Adam, don't be rude."

"Just sayin'."

"You've been in a bit of a mood, lately," Kyle commented, instantly seeing the aggravation in his son's face. "Something up?"

"Not really."

Heidi looked up at the feeling of her husband's concerned eyes on her. Thinking back to a discussion that maybe there was some mental exhaustion beginning early in Adam despite his young age. It was hard to get him to talk though when Kyle couldn't ask much without getting on Adam's nerves.

"How was school, Ad?"

"School was fine!"

Heidi frowned. "Adam, your dad is just asking a question."

"He should know, already!" Adam pushed his plate forward and got up from his seat. "He works at my school! Everyone knows that!"

He bolted for upstairs leaving two parents in shock, and dread that something like this would become common.

"That's new.." Heidi said.

Kyle poked at his dinner. "A lot's new."

Heidi smiled sadly, wishing Adam's usual happiness and quick-witted humour would return too. But, she couldn't stop him from growing and being frustrated as he morphed into a different person.

"We knew when he got older he may not like going to school where his dad works," Heidi reminded with a slight laugh. "But three more years and he'll be in middle school. Then Ella. And you'll have work all to yourself again."

That thought scared Kyle the most. Adam just speeding through these next few years and becoming a middle schooler. Hell, Ella? They were already growing up far too fast in front of his eyes.

His wife read it in his face as she took his free limp hand. "He'll be just fine."

"Mommy, I'm done." Ella piped up, showing she finished her greens.

"Bring it to the sink, please."

Her daughter grabbed her plate, smiling like it was a trophy as she brought it to the kitchen. Kyle looked up to where his son ran to his room moments ago. "It's Cartman."

The name alone raised some alarm bells and was spoken so suddenly. Heidi blinked. "What? Eric-?"

"I mean, not this," Kyle tried to divide the unrelated subjects. "The kid social services brought in, Cartman has temporary custody."

She didn't know what to think, staring wide-eyed. "I thought..he wasn't in contact."

"You and me both.."

Heidi picked up her water glass, not drinking it and just spinning the liquid. "Well..that's good, right?"

Kyle stared at her for a long time as they silently finished their dinner. Not forever though before Kyle saw the light in his wife's eyes light up as she lifted from her seat to bolt to the couch.

Her husband turned in his chair, knowing what was going on in that brain of her's as she opened her charging laptop where she last left it on the coffee table. Profusely typing with daggered fingers and pointed eyes as she put on her thick black frames.

What do you call that bridge when your kid has yet to reach his tween years but is acting out early? I hope not bad parenting.

As she started her blurb, Kyle got up to come around the couch. Looking at her progress as he leaned against the back.

Without sounding entirely prejudice, I wish it was my daughter we were dealing with at this age. I can get inside the mind of a girl. And by the time it rolls around with her, we'll already know what to expect after my son. Who else?

Kyle's chin met her shoulder as Heidi slowly paused, lifting her glasses to prop on her head. "It was a better idea in my mind."

He didn't know what she meant, kissing her cheek from behind as her face flushed.

Lilah emerged from the small bathroom she shared with her father after brushing her teeth and in fresh pyjamas. After a pretty quick dinner, she insisted she wanted to spend the night in her room catching up on new school material. Her father, still in his barcalounger watching the Broncos, didn't protest. Sucking down on an ice tea to prevent the itch.

As the dim TV glow went up and down against her father's limp watching, Lilah intervened. "I'm going to bed."

Like a cue, Cartman's phone rang before he could answer her. Pulling it out from where it laid underneath him and groaning at the contact name as he sat up unwillingly.

"What..?"

He handed her the phone, which she least expected. "Your mother. It's mandatory."

If that meant social services, she might as well not do any of them trouble and answer. She took the phone as she wandered to the small kitchen while Cartman's eyes fell back on the game.

"Mom..?"

"Make it a minute."

"Make what-?"

She was met with a groan. "The court is gonna take note of how often I contact you, so show some interest!"

Mother of the year, huh. Lilah didn't feel like doing her any favours when her whole life just felt like she was a burden to both parents she barely called parents. She couldn't act like she didn't miss the normalcy with her mother that she was used to though. Something about hearing her voice was familiar and like home.

"Can't you call me tomorrow?"

"I'm in Austin."

Lilah's brows pinched. "Doing what?"

"ACL Music Festival, THEN this guy I met is taking me to Mexico for the week!"

Fine. Let her go get lost in another country with some meathed she probably fucked and vomited all over in her daughter's bed.

"You got your passport taken away.."

"Oh whatever, you're no fun."

Honestly, Lilah didn't mind the moments when her mother would flee for weeks at a time. Was it easy to provide for herself? Hell no. But that apartment became a little more bearable without her around.

"Too bad you can't dig your grimy little hands into my Summer fund. It's the one thing they didn't touch when they hauled your ass away."

Her daughter hugged her loose pyjamas around her shoulders, hating the obvious draft in this apartment her father seemed immune to. "I don't touch your money.."

"HA! Tell me that the next time you use it for those stupid overpriced school lunches. Your gonna suck your father dry, you hog."

As if there was money to suck dry. Her mother may have had a way to swipe money better than her dad, but if Lilah touched it even for the better reasons she'd get a hand bitten off.

"Why would you wanna stay in that hick town, anyway. There's enough bad blood around there with those rednecks and your father's prude ex he grew up with."

Lilah didn't bother to question who would voluntarily be her dad's 'big ex' besides her mom. "It's fine.."

"Please. You'll say whatever you want to stay away from me."

She looked to her father in his lounge chair. "Thats not true.."

"What? Stop mumbling."

"That's not true!" Lilah defied. "Being here is the closest thing to nana!"

Cartman had been ignoring the conversation until then. Tearing his eyes off the Broncos and on his withering daughter in the corner.

"Enjoy Mexico.."

"Oh, bite me you little bitch-"

Lilah shut the call down, limply holding the phone as she looked up at her father.

"I'm going to bed.." she left his phone on the kitchen counter and dipped for her room.

Cartman was fine with the short goodnight, but was no stranger to the effect his ex-wife clearly had on Lilah. It wasn't his doing though as he turned back to the Broncos. Choosing to stay in his chair before a little voice tickled him that he usually drowned out with beer.

"Crap.." he got out of his nest and followed her to her room. Huffing as he knocked on her closed door and didn't wait for her permission to enter.

The girl stared atop her blanket at his silent entry, looking down when he seemed to come for the exact reason Lilah thought. She did not want to have this conversation with him.

"She's a piece of work." Cartman reminded. "But, you already knew that."

Lilah brought her teddy bear to her lap. An old worn thing she has since being a baby. Cartman was pretty sure he bought her that.

"She's just busy.." Lilah insisted.

If she wanted to lie to herself, why not. They spent years pretending like Cartman was 'busy' too.

"Yeah, sure." Cartman said as he began to exit. He stopped at the little faint voice.

"I miss nana.."

Cartman released the intensity of a groan he'd been holding since he picked her up. Knowing they couldn't avoid the subject of his mother for long.

If there was one reason she kept a connection to her father, it was Liane. Lilah lived with her grandmother every summer when her mother went off to spend those months however she pleased without her offspring to annoy her. It was a good deal for both, and a way for Cartman to get some insight on how his kid was doing yearly. Oddly enough, despite Lilah's many summers spent here, she never truly got immersed into South Park's community until now.

Lilah's bond with Liane was naturally strong. Maybe because she was the first blood to show care and responsibility. Liane encouraged those awkward dinners where Eric would haul himself away from the drinking and drugs for a night to see Lilah. Always attempting a conversation with his daughter though the girl just wanted to go back to an evening of learning ink wash painting with her nana. Not spend it with a father who was an occasional returning character since her mother kicked him out when Lilah was only three.

When Liane passed, Eric was in no place to take a kid for a summer, let alone full custody. That was two years ago, and Lilah worried every night her memories of her heavenly sweet nana would soon seem like an imaginary friend she made up during times she felt the most alone.

For Cartman, he resented his mother. And missed her at the same time. And hated that she was a better grandparent than a parent. On paper Liane may have been a sweet mother, giving Eric all that her little poopsykins ever desired as a boy. But it only developed and fed Cartman's inflating ego that led to his downfall. Just because she'd been deprived of love her whole life and raising him spoiled and entitled with her love-bombing was the only way she thought to be best. And when Cartman had no one but himself to blame as an adult with no future, he pointed fingers at Liane. Yet she always invited him back. Always encouraged him not to do his daughter wrong like she did with him.

Liane had constantly attempted to get custody of Lilah. Maybe she would have if her health wasn't constantly declining.

He knew his daughter would always have her grandmother on a high pedestal as something that can't be recreated.

"I can't be her. You know that."

All those boxes they moved the night Lilah arrived belonged to Liane. Just memorabilia of mostly photos, Lilah's artwork from past summers, and even Eric's as a kid. It was almost trashed until Cartman was back in housing and Liane's estate gave it up to him.

He never bothered to look at it all. It's not like it would do much. And if Lilah was still as attached to Liane, it wouldn't be a good idea.

Still, this kid knew what he implied. And nodded sternly.

"Good." He coughed, simply tapping her knee. "Well..night."

"I don't want you to be nana."

He stopped from her firm request, rolling his eyes with his back turned. "And what do you expect me to be?"

Lilah pulled her bear to her chin, wishing she was in nana's kitchen. It always smelled like cinnamon and nana always smelled like lilac.

"This is as good as it gets, kid."

She turned away. Her father shut the door with one last glimpse for certain that she was settling herself under the covers.

Cartman could hear his mother's dying wish that he doesn't screw this up as royally as she did.

To be continued...