Finn sat in his truck outside Lily's apartment, cursing himself for getting involved, for not being able to walk away. He leaned his head back on the headrest of his seat. He should be on his way to Lana's hotel, not sitting here, watching Lily's apartment, risking someone calling the police on him.

Lana was a smart, beautiful, funny woman, who understood how it was all supposed to work. She worked for the communications company that handled the studio's press. Finn had met her two years ago when she had flown in from Los Angeles to handle the press for the show. They had hit it off, and it was understood that it was a friend's with benefits situation. When she was in town, they would spend time together, but otherwise, they didn't have much to do with each other. It worked fine for both of them.

Or it had work fine for both of them. When Lana had called Finn had been pleased, he had cleared his schedule and found a friend to take care of Mike. It had been going smoothly, even though something had been holding Finn back, making him delay returning to Lana's hotel with her. Then he had looked to his left and seen Lily, she had given him a hesitant smile, and he had felt riddled with guilt.

Why? He hadn't promised her anything. He had done his best to push her away. A night or two with Lana was just what he needed to get his mind back on track and off the little klutz of a girl who was probably passed out by now.

He rubbed his hands over his face as he thought about the situation. When Lily had looked at him pleading for help he hadn't hesitated, he had sent Lana on her way and then pulled Lily out of danger once more. How she had made it to adulthood was really beyond him.

He picked up his phone and called Lana, she answered after the second ring.

"Hey, I take it you're not coming?" she asked. Finn could hear the amusement in her voice.

"No, something came up," he explained without really explaining anything.

"I guessed as much, does it have to do with the curly haired girl that you escorted out of the restaurant?" she teased.

"Yes, she's a co-star on the show, and I didn't want her making a scene." It sounded good to him.

There was a moment of silence. "Alright, we'll go with that, although you weren't really with me this evening, your head was somewhere else, and once you spotted her, you kept your eye on her the entire time."

"I served with her uncle, so I feel the need to keep an eye on her." Finn was digging deep for a responsible reason to be interested in Lily.

"Sure, either way, I look forward to meeting her on Monday. It will be interesting to meet the girl who is softening your hard heart. If something changes, you know where to find me."

"Thanks, Lana," Finn said, ending the call.

It was getting late, and Finn was debating calling Lee to tell him what had happened when he looked towards Lily's apartment and saw the boy she had introduced as her brother, Henry, pacing in front of the building.

Finn didn't waste a minute as he joined him on the sidewalk where he was looking up at the door.

"I wouldn't advise it," Finn said softly behind him.

The boy jumped and turned to look at him, and Finn could see tears welling up in his eyes. "T-t-thank you for helping her," he stuttered.

"Why didn't you?" Finn asked as he crossed his arms and looked down at him.

"I was afraid. They threatened me and then Lily."

"Continue," Finn encouraged, watching Henry closely.

"I met one of the girls on the plane, and I thought she was cool. Then she introduced me to her other friends, and they were alright at first, but then something changed. One of the guys liked Lily; he said he hadn't had a virgin before and that she had to be one." Henry took a deep breath. "I tried to tell him to leave her alone, that it wasn't cool, but he didn't like that answer."

Henry leaned against a car parked on the curb. "Is she alright?" he asked, his voice breaking.

"Yes, I stole her key, and I'll go check on her in a bit."

"Lily doesn't like drugs or alcohol because of what it did to her parents, so I knew she wouldn't get drunk, and that the guy's initial plan, he was going to get her drunk, but that changed at the restaurant. When Lily went to the bathroom, one of the guys held a knife on me under the table while another one put the drug in her drink. They kept it on me until she started to feel the effects and even after. I was glad when you appeared to take her away. I don't think I would have been strong enough. I was waiting for my chance, but I couldn't fight them all." Henry hung his head, and if he were the type to cry, he would have been.

"Did you tell Lee?" Henry asked, looking at him with concerned eyes.

"I thought about it, but I wasn't sure that I should since I didn't have all of the facts." Finn angled his body away from the boy. "Where are you staying?" Finn asked.

"I was staying here," Henry said, looking up at the darkened windows. "Do you think she'll remember any of it?" he asked.

"Probably, and she will forgive you when you tell her what happened," Finn assured him with a smile, knowing that she had most likely already forgiven him.

"Will she be safe?" Henry asked.

"Yes, I'll keep an eye on her this evening." Finn knew that he would have to call Lee and figure out who this guy was so that Lily would be safe long term. "I need all the names of the people in the group."

"Why? Henry asked, and Finn could hear the fear in his voice.

"I have to make sure that Lily is safe and it might mean visiting some of them. I will also have to tell your father because I will need his help." Finn knew Henry wasn't happy about it.

"There's something else, something I haven't told Lily about and I don't want to," Henry stood up straight crossing his arms. "Her mother."

Finn grew completely still as he sensed another threat.

"I went back home to spend some time with friends, and they told me she was back. It was also all over town that Lily was on the show and was going to be famous. I think her mother might try to contact her," Henry continued as Finn listened without interrupting.

"What's the problem with her mother?" Finn needed a little more clarification if he was going to keep Lily safe.

"I'm not sure, but Lee would know, or you could ask Lily. All I do know is she really messed Lily up when she was younger, so did her dad, but he's dead."

Finn sighed, so much for Lily having led a charmed life. He recalled her reaction to his sister's visit and her sudden change in personality made sense. It was probably the reason why she had such a tight bond with Mike. "Where will you stay?" he asked Henry.

"I'll go to Aunt Penny's and Uncle Sam's. They will let me stay with them." He looked back up at the window. "You'll keep an eye on her?" he asked.

"Yes, I will."

"Thanks," he said. "I'll get you those names," he threw over his shoulder as he turned and left Finn standing on the sidewalk.

Finn pulled her key from his pocket. He would check on her one more time before he settled in for the night. She was probably passed out on the couch. He had slipped the key of her key ring after he had opened her door for her. He could have stayed in the apartment with her, but her uninhibited honesty was hard to resist.

Finn let himself silently into her apartment and noted that she wasn't on the couch. He wandered into one of the bedrooms, noting how feminine it was and saw Lily asleep on the bed. She was wearing a t-shirt and underwear and she looked so sweet and innocent. Too sweet and innocent for the thoughts that he had running through his mind at the sight of her.

She was smiling, and when she laughed, it caught him off guard. Who smiled and laughed in their sleep? What kind of joy must a person have in their heart for that to happen?

"Finn," she giggled, and his heart stopped. She was dreaming about him. "Finn, please," she moaned as she rolled over restless, knocking the covers off of the bed.

He automatically stepped forward and covered her. When he looked back up at her, her eyes were partly open, and she was looking at him. "Don't leave," she begged, scooting over to one side of the bed.

Finn didn't want to be strong anymore, and he kicked off his shoes and laid on the bed next to her, making sure the covers were tightly against her. She rolled over and buried her face in his chest. "You smell good," she sighed before she looked up at him. He looked down at her, trying to figure her out, and he couldn't help but wonder how much of this she would think was a dream in the morning.

"You're so handsome," she said, tracing his face. She rested her fingers against his lips for a moment and then placed them to her own. "There, I stole a kiss," she giggled before she rolled over and snuggled up against him.

"Lord help him, he was a goner, she had won. This little slip of a girl had stolen his heart. He let out a shaky breath before he pulled her a little bit closer. It would make it so much harder to keep his distance.