The day Ellen had dropped the boy off at the dorms where his friend lived, he had told Sin all about that entire day from the moment he had gotten to the Mexican place all the way up to the point where she’d dropped him off. He was excited and scared all at the same time. He was still so very surprised that a complete stranger would want to take him in like that. So why did he wait so long to finally pick up the phone to call her? Probably that part of him that’s scared about the whole situation. But she’d promised that she wouldn’t lock him in a closet. That had to count for something.

A couple of days had gone by before he finally started feeling antsy to call her. He woke up that morning and stated, “I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna call her. Today.” He was, of course, talking to Sin and not to himself. Well, not just to himself anyway. He showered and tossed on a baggy pair of black jean shorts and a dark red t-shirt. It’s about 10:00 in the morning now and he’s sitting there on the edge of the bed staring at the phone. He’s got her phone number in his hand. Come on kid. You can do it. Just pick up the phone. Dial the numbers. And wait for an answer.

He finally picks up the phone and reaches to dial the numbers. He sets the phone back down again before he even pushes the first button. He glances at Sin and then back at the phone. Deep breath. Let it out slowly. There you go. Now try it again. The phone is in his hand now. Fingers are finally pushing the buttons. He’s put the phone to his ear. He can hear it ringing...

Len answers it rather quickly. The cordless is in her workspace on the bench. She's sitting at the work bench nipping tiles into shapes for a mosiac she's been working on. She's been trying to do little projects or do things in stages so that she doesn't go stir crazy while she heals.

"Hello." she answers her voice sounds very gravelly, she's been talking too much since she got home, mostly calling people, people calling and visiting, and oh yes, if she'd stop singing in the shower it might help her voice heal. The way they are talking now though, the doctors say it never will. She doesn't care, she's alive....and very much not broken in spirit.

He’s very nearly ready to hang up the phone after just the first ring. He’s nervous. To the point where he feels like he wants to throw up. Poor kid. Before he can pull the phone away from his ear to hang it up, he hears a voice on the other end. It doesn’t sound like her. At least, she sounds worse than when he’d last talked to her a couple days ago. He glances over towards Sin with a nervous look on his face. He looks kinda... green.

“Ellen?” he asks finally after sitting there stupidly for a few moments. “It’s Blade...”

"Ah yes , the boy who won't tell me his name. How are you?" she asks him. He sounds very nervous. Should she blame him, she wouldn't at all if she knew what Greg had done to him. "I was wondering if I'd hear from you."

He frowns slightly on his end of the phone. “I... I told you my name,” he objects slightly. “Blade...” He knows what she means and is still hesitant to give his real name. He falls silent for a few moments before he opens his mouth to speak again. “Álvaro,” he says quietly. “Álvaro Carlos Machado.”

"Oh good, now I can have the lawyer start the paperwork." she rasps with a chuckle. She writes it in paint marker on the back of some sandpaper, it's what's handy and she won't forget.

“So....” he says slowly. “Now what?”


((eep... shortness))

"Should I come get you then? Are you all set to go?" Len asks, she's just a bit nervous herself.

He shrugs slightly but then remembers that she can’t see him through the phone. Silly nervous boy. “I guess,” he says. “If you still want me to...” He's thinking that perhaps she's changed his mind which would leave him back in the screwed state since he doesn't have anywhere else to go.

"I would still like you to, yes. Let me get my act together and come get. I shouldn't be long." She tells him.

A slight smile comes to his face and he glances towards his quiet friend. “Okay,” he says. “See you soon.” He hangs up the phone and turns entirely towards his friend. “She’s coming to get me...”

It doesn't take her long to call her lawyer's office with the name. Kenny, her lawyer promises to get right on it. Once that is out of the way she goes to pick up Blade.

Blade gets his stuff all together with Sin’s help and then heads outside with it all to wait for Ellen. Blade wrote down her number and gave it to Sin. “We need to hang out again sometime. Gotta stay friends. Okay?”

It doesn't take long for Len to get there. She watches as the two boys say their goodbyes and waits. She'll have to be sure to let Blade know his friend can come over anytime he likes.

She would ordinarily get out to help Blade with his things, but her present state prevents it. She is pleased to see his friend helps him though.

With Sin’s help, he gets his stuff loaded into the car. Of course, he doesn’t have a whole lot but still. He says his good-byes to his friend and tells him to call him anytime so they can hang out and stuff. Then he climbs into the backseat of the car and buckles his seatbelt.

“Okay...” he says and turns to stare out the window. “I’m ready...”

"You should sit up front sometimes, you make me feel like I'm a chauffeur when you sit back there like that." Len tells him.

He’d been waving out the window until he couldn’t see his friend anymore. No. The boy is so not going to cry. Please do not think that. It takes a hell of a lot more than saying good-bye to a friend to make him cry. A whole lot more. Like the dark.

He’s staring out the window when she talks to him. “Kids ain’t supposed to sit in the front though,” he said a little confused. “At least... that’s what I was told.”

"You're not exactly a little boy you know. It is safer for small children to be in the back. But you are a young man, of age to converse with, that seems to come eaier when I drive if you are up front. Let me guess though, you were also told children should be seen and not heard?" Len answers his comment.

“Not in so many words,” he answers. “But, yes. I guess you could say that.” And let’s not forget about leaving the house without permission. Or speaking Spanish. Or... the list could go on I’m sure.

"Utterly stupid, children are people too." She says as she pulls into her driveway.

He shrugs slightly and continues to watch out the window as she drives. Head turns to look out the front window as the car comes to a stop and gets shut off. “This your place?” he asks. Well, duh! You think she’s going to take you to someone else’s house? Sheesh. Silly boy. He unbuckles his seatbelt and waits. What’s he waiting for? Permission to get out of course.

"Yes we're here, my humble abode." She says with a raspy laugh. She turns the car off and slowly gets out of the car.

He gets a slightly embarrassed look on his face. No. He’s not blushing. Just embarrassed. And feels stupid. It was a stupid question. Admit it. He watches her get out of the car and fidgets with the strap on his backpack.

With both canes she makes her way to the front door. She unlocks it and waits for him. She really does wish she could help him withhis things but she can barely help herself right now.

Hmm... poor kid seems to still be sitting in the backseat of the car. He just sits there for a few minutes fidgeting with the strap on his backpack while she gets out of the car and then goes up to the front door.

Finally, he starts to climb out of the car and grabs his stuff. He’s really only got three bags of stuff. His backpack, the laptop bag and a big bag of clothes. The clothes are his original clothes that he’d brought with him and the bland clothes that Greg had bought for him. He doesn’t wear them anymore though. Not since that day. Too many yucky memories attached to them. Things he’d just rather forget entirely at this point.

He finally makes his way up to the front door and follows her inside. He just stands there. Again, waiting to be told what to do.

"Come on in." She tells him. She shows him his room. She'd made Gunn help her move some furniture one day while Jayme minded the gallery.

The room had a full sized bed, a dresser, night stand and an artists table, with all sorts of things in all the drawers cubbies and compartments. In fact on top of the table was a milk crate full of pads and other supplies. (she went shopping and picked up some things for him)

He follows her and stops in the doorway. He blinks several times as he looks around and then turns his gaze to her. “You... you did... this... for me??” He sounds /totally/ flabbergasted. He’s standing there with his mouth open. Is it obvious that no one’s ever done something nice for him, much less do something like this?

"You like it? I had to have Gatt help memove the furniture around some. " She told the boy.

He’s still standing there with his mouth gaping open. Blinking. “Like it?? Like it??” he stammers. “Holy shit...” Potty mouth boy. "¡Lo amo!"


(¡Lo amo! = I love it!)

"Hey great, you wanna see ecverything else first, Or put your things away?" she asked him. Glad he really seemed to like his room.

How strange. He’s not gotten yelled at for swearing. Nor for speaking Spanish. His mind holds onto those. No. That doesn’t mean he’s going to go around swearing like a sailor. He moves towards the bed and drops his stuff on the foot of the bed. “Can I do it in a little while? Put my stuff away I mean,” he asks.

"Sure, come see the house then." She says. The only room she doesn't show him is her room. She shows him the workshop, the kitchen, living room, the patio out back and all the cabinets plus the bathroom. Her house isn't that big but it's paid for.

Can you feel the boys excitement as she shows him around? It’s there. Quite a bit there actually. “You’ve got a really kick ass place,” he tells her and then gets an embarrassed look on his face. “I mean... I really like your house.” Oh look at that. Blade corrected himself for swearing. The kid might have some manners after all.

"Yes, watch the language they will check up on me to see if I take care of you propper." she reminds him.

“Sorry...” he mutters and hangs his head slightly. “Didn’t mean to...” He almost sounds... scared.

"It's okay just try to get a handle on it, you should at leat be aware you're saying those sorts of things and not simply blurting them out in everyday conversation. Are you hungry?" she asked changing the subject.

“Yes, ma’am,” he muttered softly. “I will...” He twisted his foot on the floor for a moment. “Yeah. I am.” Hungry that is.

"Come on, help me figure out what to fix. I forgot to eat, was working with tile. What sort of stuff do you eat anyway, I ought to know what to get at the grocery store you know? You got a favorite cereal, or do you like pop-tarts, or what?" She asks words rasping and laughing.

“My favorite is homemade Mexican,” he says with a slow growing grin. “Other than that though, I usually eat just about anything put in front of me. I... um... was never really ever given a choice.”

"Works for me." she says and she rummages around in the fridge. "Spaghetti sound okay for now, I'm not quite up to anything elaborate yet. "