"Where is the kid gonna sleep?" Mike asked.

The boys all turned around and searched the pad.

"How about the couch?" Micky asked.

"Yeah." Mike said. "okay."

Davy, Micky, Peter, and Mike went up stairs and retrieved a few blankets and pillows. They lugged them down and set up the armless couch. Peter didn't stay long. He announced that he was going to bed and Davy followed him. Mike helped Micky set up the couch for sleeping, and then went up stairs himself. Micky checked the clock on the wall.

1:24. A.M.

"Wow! After midnight," Micky said. He looked over his shoulder to Lani who was still coloring at the bar. "You must be-" He cut himself off when he saw that she was asleep. "Tired..." He finished.

Micky smiled and stood to his feet.

He walked up to her and wondered if he should pick her up or not. He wanted to let her sleep. He didn't want to startle or wake her. He felt like she deserved it.

Micky decided that the counter wasn't a safe place for her to sleep.

"Come on." He sighed and picked the girl up. Lani wrapped her arms around Micky's neck and cuddled into him.

He laid her down on the couch and tucked her in.

He hummed the words to 'I Wanna Be Free.' And turned off all the lights. He tiptoed up the stairs and closed his door quietly as not to wake her. Micky climbed into bed and said a quick prayer.

"God, please help us."

////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

Micky was sleeping good when he felt a small finger tapping his forehead. He opened his eyes to see Lani clutching a blanket; a terrified look on her face.

Micky yawned and propped himself up on his elbow.

"What's up?" He asked.

She just starred at him wordlessly.

"That's right. You don't talk." Micky rubbed his eyes. "How about this. I'll come down and you'll show me what's eating you okay?"

Lani nodded.

Micky swung out of bed and took Lani's hand. They walked down the spiral stairs and into the living room. Micky handed Lani a new piece of paper. She wrote down the letters...S...K...A...R...R...E...D.

"What?" Micky tried to decipher the young girl's handwriting and misspelling. "Oh! Scared!" Micky said.

Lani smiled and nodded.

"Oh well did you have a nightmare?" Micky squatted down to her.

She nodded again.

"Oh..I'm sorry." He said. I'll stay with you until your asleep.

She nodded.

Micky laid her down on the couch and tucked her back in. He turned on one of the orange and purple lamps and sat down beside the couch.

"Would you like me to tell you a story?"

She nodded. (Again.)

"Once upon a time there was a cobbler named Mike, a tailor named Davy, an innkeeper named Micky, and an unemployed bum named.......Bob.