Dray. November. II

Dray. Stumbles inside, Aron waiting just inside. Dray doesn't look at him. 

Aron. "Sit down."

Enter Lou, shuts the door behind her. 

Dray stands, wavering slightly on his feet. "She told me to go to my room. Who am I supposed to be listening to here?" A little brazen/arrogant. Reckless. 

Lou. Coldly. "Have a seat."

Dray. Drops into the chair, drops his head in his hands. 

Aron. "Would you like to tell us what the hell you were thinking?"

Dray shakes his head. "I wasn't thinking"--

Lou. "Well, that was obvious. Why did you get behind the wheel?"

Dray. "Grace was too drunk to drive, and she wanted to leave the party, so I just... I went along with it."

Aron. "You went along with it? You were too drunk to drive. What the hell, Dray? You could have been killed"--

Dray is fighting tears, and Lou bites her lip and sighs. 

Lou. "We'll talk in the morning. You're still drunk." Dray opens his mouth. "No. Upstairs."

Dray does as he's told, head down, feet dragging. 

Aron turns to her. "What the hell are we going to do with him?"

Lou shakes her head. "I don't know, love."

Aron sighs heavily. "I trusted him tonight. I really did. That was clearly a mistake."

Camera-->>> Outside the door, Dray is listening, rubs the back of his hand across his face to try to wipe away the tears in his reddenned eyes. 

Dray. November.

Dray. Just after school, Friday. Grace at Dray's locker, standing a little too close and leaning in.

Grace. "Party tonight at Alec's house. You in?"

Dray stiffens, steps back a little. Grace frowns. "Last time I went to a party my mom busted have the school."

Grace. "We could leave early. After party at my house." She smiles up at him. "If you didn't sneak out-- if you just told them you and some of the guys were crashing at Shepherd's house tonight or something-- they wouldn't question youu. Come on." She links her arm through his. "Don't blow me off again, Dray. I won't wait for you forever."

She turns to walk away, still smiling a little but shaking her head.

Dray. "Wait. No, really, wait up. I'm coming. My parents can just deal."

That evening. Dray. "Dad, can I take the car to Shepherd's? Ian has some new game and he and Shep and Caelan and Alec want to play it tonight and then crash at Shepherd's for the night. Is that okay?"

Aron looks at Lou, nods slightly. "Yea, that's okay, as long as there isn't any drinking. You'll call us or come home right away if there is, right?"

Dray nods quickly. "Oh, there won't be any. And I wouldn't drink if there was."

Aron nods, smiles down at him. "I trust you, Dray. See you tomorrow morning sometime?"

Dray nods, not meeting Aron's eyes. "Yea. See you tomorrow."

Party, three hours later. Dray's had a few drinks, not drunk, and not enjoying himself either.

Grace. Very drunk. "Hey babe." Giggles, tries to speak over the loud music. "Come on, loosen up. Live a little."

Dray stands, lets her pull him to the dance floor, but won't accept the cup offered to him until Grace takes and forcibly pushes it into his hand. "Come on, Dray, you can't let them get under your skin like that. Drink up." Downs her own cup.

Dray drinks his, getting slightly buzzed, but still mostly aware. "Ready to go to your place?"

Grace. "You bet your ass I am." Giggles again. "Shep and Lacey and Caelan and Bridget are there already. I only invited the cool kids, sweetheart."

Dray laughs, beginning to loosen up. "So who's driving?"

Grace. "You are, silly."

Dray shakes his head. "But I've been drinking."

Grace. Impatiently. "Godamnit, Dray, if you can't do this one little fucking thing for me, we're done. Why is everything such a big fucking deal with you?"

Dray. Sighs. Puts down his empty cup. "Fine." Grabs his keys, her hand, pulls her out the door. 

They drive in silence until Grace crawls across the space between them, in his lap. "Babe, you still mad?"

Dray has had more to drink than he thought. Swerves a little, wraps an arm around her shoulders, smiles a little vaguely. His hands inch down her arm, gentle on her skin.

The car swerves again.

Behind them, a siren. Dray swears loudly. 

Grace giggles, too drunk to care. "Oh, babe, it'll be okay."

Dray shoves her off of his lap. "No it won't. I'm so fucked."

Gerry looks in the window, swears when he sees that Dray is drunk, then holds his hand out to take Dray's license. "I'm taking you home, kid."

Dray opens his mouth, Gerry holds up his hand. "I don't care. I don't want to know why the hell you're drunk or what you think you're doing getting behind the wheel of a goddamn car, so don't bother."

Grace flinches when she sees Gerry's partner, Bryce.

Bryce is out of the car, arms folded. Shortly. "In the back."

Grace. Small voice. "Dad"--

Bryce shakes his head, slams his door as he gets back inside the squad car.

They pull up in front of the house, Gerry gets out and opens the door on Dray's side. Lou appears at the door, concern flashing across her face, replaced quickly when she sees that Dray is okay. 

Dray doesn't get out immediately, so Gerry pulls him to his feet.

Gerry. "Come on, kid. You made your choices, now you gotta go face them."

Dray stares at the ground. Lou walks forward, her face hard. Sharply. "Drunk?"

Gerry nods, looking at Dray a little sadly. 

Lou. Sharply. "Up to your room. Now."

Dray opens his mouth to speak, Lou holds up her hand to stop him. "Upstairs. Now."

Lily VI

Outside the mall. Three squad cars present, lights blaring. Two officers pushing the two men and a third accomplice (in the van) into the backs of squad cars. 

Lily getting her split lip cleaned up by a paramedic, Lou standing beside her, Tarin and Jessica clinging to Lou.

Lily finished, looks at Lou, her face emotionless but her hands shaking.

Lou holds out her hand to help her up.

Lily takes it.

Lou. Pauses. "Damn."

Tarin giggles. 

Lily, hint of a smile.

Lou. "That was the best goddamn roundhouse I have ever seen." She pulls Lily to her feet, then abruptly into her arms. Whispers. "And if anyone touches you or your sisters again, I will tear them limb from limb."

Lily holds on a moment longer. "I didn't know you were a badass." Giggles apologetically at the word, and Lou winks at her.

Lou. "Sweetheart, I could say the same for you. Hapkido?"

Lily nods. "Eight years. Tae kwan do?"

Lou nods, grins. "Twenty years."

Lily nods in appreciation. "Are we going to have to testify?"

Lou looks down at her seriously. "Not more than a day, and not in the same room as those men. They were wanted on charges in at least 6 states, so they don't need much testimony from you."

Lily sighs in relief. "Will they be in jail for a long time?"

Lou. "Hopefully for life, if they can nail them on all the charges they're facing."

Lily smiles grimly. "Good."

Lou nods, throws an arm across Lily's shoulders. "Damn good."

Lily's Mother

Mall bathrooms, out of the way. Lily and Tarin, washing hands. Door slams open, man standing in the doorway. Smiles.

Lily steps in front of Tarin.

Man. "Well hi there, sweetie."

Lily. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Man. "Sorry, fiesty, it was an accident. Who's the little girl? Your sister?"

Lily. "Get out."

Man. Takes a step inside. "Hey now, no need to be so defensive. What do you think I'm gonna do?" 

Lily. "I think you're going to walk out of this bathroom and leave me and my sister alone."

Man. Grabs her shoulder, leans in.


Lily flinches, pulls back. "Get out of my face!"

Man. Leers. "And who's going to make me?"

Lily grabs his hand, twists his finger back, shoves him to the ground, knees him in the face. "Tarin, run!"

Tarin takes off running, the man grabs her, Tarin screams, and Lily spins in a roundhouse kick straight to his jaw.

Enter a second man, laughing. "Van's in the back." He grabs Lily, who screams, he covers her mouth and pins her arms to her side. She's flailing and Tarin is fighting feebly.

The door flies open.

Lou. Drops her purse, flying into action, kicks one man in the teeth, tooth and blood goes flying, grabs the man holding Lily and flips him onto his back, kicks him in the balls. Sends the other man flying backwards against the wall, nails him with a few quick punches.

Both men on the ground, moaning. Lou kicks one out of her way, and grabs Tarin's hand. Snarls. "Mess with my daughters, again, fucker, and I will kill you. Slowly." 

Lily IV

Two days after the argument, the conversation on the porch, and the backyard soccer game.

Aron and Lou sitting on the porch. 

Lou. "Remind me why we're keeping the dog?"

Aron. "Laina adopted it?"

Lou. "We have how many children and we let the four year old make our important decisions?"

Aron laughs, leans back on the porch swing, and pulls her closer to him. "As I recall, neither of us were capable of saying 'no,' and Laina uses that to her full advantage."

Lou laughs, leans her head against Aron's shoulder. Her smile fades suddenly, remembering. "Did you talk to Lily anymore?"

Aron shakes his head. "I tried."

Enter Katie, holding Marlaina by the hand. Marlaina has blue smeared on her lips. "Dad, Lise ate all of the blue skittles again."

Enter Lily and Dray, Lily catches Katie's words and her look turns black. "And how is that your business?"

Katie looks up, hurt, and Lise hides behind her leg, avoiding looking at Aron and Lou.

Dray glares at Aron, and Lou rolls her eyes.

Aron breaks up the tension by catching Katie's eye and smiling. "Thanks, Katie. Lise, let's go inside and get you cleaned up. And we need to have a talk about this, little lady, because you can't go around eating all the candy in the house."

Lily scowls. 

Lou. "Lily, I'm taking the twins shopping for school clothes tomorrow, and since I've never shopped with them before I kind of need some help. Could you come with? I mean, you know their style, what they need, better than I do."

Lily softens. "What time?"

Lou. "Is 10 am okay?"

Lily nods, exits. Aron leaning against the door jam, smiling at her. "Lise is in bed. Should we... maybe... call it a night?"

She grins at him. Exit.

Lily III

Later that same evening. Back yard. Dray and Lily run into each other.

Lily. Jumps in surprise. "Where the hell were you?"

Dray. Sneers. "I could ask you the same question."

Lily loosens up enough to grin. "Then let's agree to no questions?"

Dray relaxes, grins suddenly. "Deal."

Lily. "And don't scare me again. I almost kicked in your teeth."

Dray looks slightly intimidated. "What are you, some karate kid?"

Lily. "Hapkido, actually. Brown belt."

Dray. "Damn. Pity the guy who crosses you."

Lily. Casually. "The last one had stitches."

Dray. "What? You're not serious."

Lily. "Dead serious."

Dray. "Ho-ly shit. You and Mom would get along."

Lily's grin fades. "Yea, maybe not, kid. I don't do the whole mom thing."

Dray looks more serious. "If you ever mention this in public, I'll deny it, but my mom's okay. And also kind of a badass."

Lily. "Yea, I thought my last mom was okay, too, but I haven't seen her in four years. And the one before that died, so you know, that was cool." Sarcastically.

Dray. "I'm sorry."

Lily. "I survived. I always do."

Dray. Smiles. "You should talk to my mom. Really. She won't pressure you. Actually, I think she wants to take you and the other girls shopping or something. What do girls do for five hours?"

Lily grins in spite of herself. "Um, shop? What do guys do when they go shopping? Compare dick sizes or rate the women walking by?"

Dray. Laughs out loud. "Yea, something like that. She must be taking you to Victoria's Secret or some place for school shopping."

Lily. "I hate to break it to you, but Victoria's Secret is for sexy lingerie, not back-to-school clothing."

Dray laughs, even though he flushes slightly. "Do you know my girlfriend, Grace?"

Lily. "Yes, but if you're connecting this story back to sexy lingerie, I hope I don't have to hear it."

Lily, Dray, laughing, talking, Lucan calls and asks them to join a soccer game which soon involves all 12 Morgan children, 3 neighbor girls, and a stray dog who shows up half way through and ends up being adopted because no one can say no to Laina.

Lily II

After supper. Lily on the front porch. Aron joins her, holding a sleeping Annalise.

Aron. Quietly. "Lily. We should talk."

Lily looks pointedly away out over the darkening fields. "I don't have anything to say to you."

Aron sits down beside her, wraps an arm around her shoulder, and Lily is crying suddenly. Aron pulls her closer and she buries her head against his shoulder. 

Aron. "Hey, hey, what is it? Talk to me, sweetheart."

Lily. "I hate this, Dad. I hate living with all of them. I don't know them and they don't know me and they're taking everything away"-- Her voice breaks.

Aron rocks her gently, silently. Enter Lou, turns to go immediately, but Lily jumps up. 

 Lou. "I was just going"-- Reaches out to Lily.

Lily. "Don't touch me!" Hiding her face, pushes past Lou and runs inside.

Aron leans back against the bench, closing his eyes.

Lou. "Damn it."

Aron smiles just slightly, opens his eyes and looks up at her. "Not your fault, love. Lily is working through a lot right now."

Lou. "I was going to ask if she wanted to go school shopping with me tomorrow. I guess that's a no go."

Aron. "She needs clothes?"

Lou. Grins. "Exactly."

Aron. "I'll try talking to her again, but she closes up fast, so I can't promise anything."

Lou. "I know. And I'm sorry."

Aron kisses her forehead lightly. "Don't be, love. See you upstairs?"

Lou grins, raises her eyebrows at him. "You better."