"I'll be fine," Lorabelle said with a smile as she went about making up a bed as best she could. "Good night Ben, see you in the morning."

As she nodded off to sleep, Lorabelle grinned as she thought about tomorrow. Tomorrow she would try her hand at cooking human food. She'd seen many people do it on the magic box, and it looked so simple! So, as her way of saying thank you, Lorabelle decided she would try and make Ben something for breakfast before he left for school.

Ben let out another yawn in response as he turned to his bedroom. After changing into a pair of sweatpants and tossing his shirt into the nearby hamper then crawled into bed, falling asleep almost immediately.

As the sun rose, so did Lorabelle. Stretching, Lorabelle grinned as she ran her fingers through her hair and slipped off of the couch. Brushing her hair over her shoulders, Lorabelle quietly headed for the kitchen, her bare feet hardly making any noise. Opening all of the cupboards as well as the fridge, Lorabelle surveyed the options. Spying a box in the cupboard she recognized, Lorabelle grabbed it with an eager grin. "Pancakes it is," Lorabelle whispered happily before getting out the ingredients to make chocolate chip pancakes and fresh orange juice. Only finding canned orange juice, Lorabelle shrugged. Not being able to read, she followed the picture directions and prayed for the best as she went about making pancakes and orange juice.

Ben rolled over, smacking the top of his alarm clock to turn off the annoying buzzing sound before getting out of bed and running a hand through his mangled hair. "Lora?" Ben mumbled as he wandered out of the bedroom and saw the empty couch. "Lora?" He asked again, walking through the apartment and stopping at the doorway of the kitchen to lean up against the frame. "Good morning." He said, still rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Good morning," Lorabelle said with a warm smile, her face smudged with flour and bits of dough clinging to her hair and clothing. "Did you sleep well?" Lorabelle asked as she tried yet again to flip the pancake like they did on the magic box.

However, for Lorabelle, it usually ended up even falling on the side or it fell on the floor. She even managed to get one on the ceiling that stuck pretty good. Managing it, mostly, Lorabelle grinned as she patted the semi-burnt pancake down to cook the other side.

"Hungry?" Lorabelle asked as she nodded to the two platefuls of pancakes on the counter. Most were burnt, but some were edible. They were all deformed looking, though.

"Very, thank you." Ben grinned despite the mess in his kitchen and walked forward to sit at the counter. The sight of pancakes was a bit sad but Ben was glad that Lora was proud of the job she had done and he had to admit that it wasn't all awful looking. Pulling up a plate, Ben placed a few of the less damaged pancakes onto it and took a few bites. The burnt taste lingered in his mouth but Ben wouldn't complain, knowing that it would discourage Lora from cooking. "Its good, Lora. Thank you for making me breakfast." He grinned.

"You're welcome!" Lorabelle said with a grin as she looked over her shoulder at Ben. "I saw humans doing it on the magic box and it looked fun! So, I decided to try it to pay you back for helping me so much. I'm not as good as them, but it sure is fun!" Lorabelle added with a laugh as she slid the pancake onto the plate and poured more batter into the frying pan.

"Can you show me more....recipes? I think they're called?" Lorabelle asked over her shoulder as she watched the pancake intently.

"Of course." Ben chuckled. "I can help you after I get back from school. I have some recipes my mom gave me but I haven't tried them out yet." He explained as he finished and took a drink of orange juice which was a bit too concentrated still but Ben drank it anyways. "I'm going to get changed." Ben said as he stood before wandering off to the bathroom to shower and dress for the day.

Sliding the final pancake onto the plate, Lorabelle turned off the stove and piled a stack of pancakes onto a clean plate. Grabbing a fork and pouring the sweet syrup all over them, Lorabelle dug in with a wide grin on her face.

Ben had changed into a pair of dark jeans with an old red, t-shirt before returning to the kitchen where his back pack lay in the corner. "I'm heading out now, Lora." Ben said as he slid the back pack over his shoulder and reached out to give her a half hug. "Have a good day and I'll see you this afternoon." He said before putting his hands in his pockets and walking out the door back to his school for his first class of the day.

Lorabelle waved goodbye as she continued to eat the pancakes. Finishing all of them, Lorabelle went about washing the dishes and cleaning up the mess she made. Still, with the mess she created, it was going to take her the entire morning and a good portion of the afternoon before she was able to get the place spick and span. Then, and only then, could she clean herself up with a nice warm shower, adjusted to feel just like rain water.

Ben made his way through the halls to make his way back to the apartment, his backpack now laden with homework. The sound of sobbing made Ben pause, looking behind a corner to find a black haired girl hunched over and crying. "Adeline?" Ben asked, recognizing her from one of his classes. The two had been a handful of dates during freshman year.

"Ben?" Adeline asked, wiping the tears from her cheeks in an attempt to recover some dignity.

"What's going on?" Ben asked as he kneeled beside the bench, spotting the piece of paper in Adeline's hand.

"They're revoking my housing. My roommate-" Adeline paused as fresh tears worked their way down her cheeks. "My roommate had alcohol in our dorm which just happened to be the only dry dorm on campus. They're claiming I knew about it so they're revoking my right to student housing based on their zero tolerance policy." She sobbed, shaking her head. "I'm going to have no where to live. I'm going to have to drop out." Adeline said, dropping her head in her hands.

"Adeline, you're not going to have to drop out." Ben said as he reached out an arm to put around her shoulders. "We'll figure something out, okay?" He soothed.

Drying her hair with a towel, Lorabelle walked through the apartment to Ben's room to find the dress she was wearing when she came to this world. Slipping it on, along with a pair of undergarments, Lorabelle returned to the bathroom and began arranging her hair and making it presentable. Finishing, Lorabelle headed to the couch with the towel and turned on the magic box.

"Ben I can't ask you-" Adeline started though Ben already had his arm around the girl's waist to support her as they walked out of the building toward's Ben's apartment.

"Adeline don't worry about it. Just consider this a temporary fix to your housing situation. You need a place to live and I can't have you on the streets." Ben assured her as they entered his building.

"Thank you, Ben." Adeline sighed when they reached his door.

"Lora?" Ben called out as the two students stepped inside. "Lora? I have someone I want you to meet."

Looking at the girl, Lorabelle asked curiously, "Who's this? Why is water coming from her eyes? And why is her face so red and puffy?"

"Oh my God." Adeline whispered as he hands went to her face which was indeed puffy. "I'll be right back." She said before disappearing into the bathroom to wash her face.

"That's Adeline." Ben explained as he set his bag on the table and walked over to Lora, sitting beside her. "The college took away her student housing so I asked her to live here for a bit to figure things out. Her eyes were all red because she's been crying, thinking she was going to have to drop out."

"But... where will she stay?" Lorabelle asked, quite confused on the situation. "Where will she sleep?" Looking around the apartment, Lorabelle seemed to realize the situation. "There is no where but what you call a couch... is there." Offering a smile, Lorabelle nodded, "I will make this easier, then. I'll be fine on my own. After all, I am a fairy," Lorabelle added with a laugh. "Thank you for all you have done and for teaching me about this place, Ben. I really hope you are able to help your friend. It was very kind of you to take me in like you did, and I will always appreciate it," Lorabelle added as she placed a kiss on Ben's cheek. Standing, Lorabelle handed him the towel she was holding with a wide smile, "I'll see you 'round, okay?"

With that, Lorabelle nodded and headed for the door. Leaving the shoes that Gina has loaned her, so that Ben could give them back to her, Lorabelle slipped out the door and made her way out of the apartment building before Ben had a chance to object. After all, in Lorabelle's mind there were only two options. She leave, or force Ben to make even more sacrifices to keep them both there. To Lorabelle, the better option was to take her leave and try to make it on her own.

After all, was that not her punishment? To be alone in a world she didn't understand? "I guess this is the Court's way of reminding me," Lorabelle said with a laugh as she clasped her hands at the base of her back and looked over at the setting sun.

"Lora?" Ben called to the empty door, stunned by what had just happened. He had never wanted her to leave and he raced down the stairs of his building only to find that Lora had been lost in the crowd. Ben felt a knot of panic growing in his chest as he walked back up the stairs of his building. Lora didn't understand the human world and anyone on that street could take advantage of the kind person that she was.

"Ben? What was that about?" Adeline said when Ben had re-entered the apartment, his hands running nervously through his hair. "Where'd she go?"

"I-I don't know." Ben shook his head as he fell onto the couch, Adeline sitting beside him. "She was talking about how there wouldn't be enough room for all of us and she just-left. She just left. I don't know where she is." Ben rambled on, Adeline stroking his back soothingly.

Feeling a rumble in her stomach, Lorabelle looked around for a place to find fruit. Seeing a small stand along the road, Lorabelle walked over and spotted her favorite apples. "May I have one?" Lorabelle asked the shop cart owner.

"Sure, just one? That'll be twenty-five cents," the stand owner replied with a smile.

"Twenty-five.... cents? What are.. cents?" Lorabelle asked curiously, clearly confused and true in her question.

"Are you from around here?" the man asked.

Lorabelle shook her head, "No, I'm new here, so I'm not really familiar with how everything works."

"What currency do you have where you come from?"

"We don't have a currency.. We trade back home," Lorabelle replied, still quite confused.

"From one of those small villages, eh? I'll do you a favor. Take a few apples, they're on the house, and look into getting a job here in the city so you can get a hold of some of our currency. That's how you buy things here. Those apples should tie you over until tomorrow," the man said kind smile as he handed her a small bag of apples.

"Thank you for the apples! Where can I find such a.... job?" Lorabelle asked the man with a large smile as she took the apples.

"If you walk along main street, you're bound to find a few shops that are hiring. A pretty girl like you would have no trouble getting a job in a fashion boutique. Just keep an eye out for hiring signs and you'll find one in a jiffy," the man said with a wink.

"Thank you, thank you very much!" Lorabelle said with a warm smile before continuing on her way, taking a bite into the sweet apple as she walked.

It was only then that the man noticed she was barefoot and began questioning if she had a home to go to. But by then, it was too late for him to call after her. By then, she was lost in the crowd and too far away. Besides, he didn't even know her name to properly call for her. Sighing, the man simply began packing his stand up for the evening as he did every other night at the market, hoping the young girl would be safe for the night.

"It's okay, Ben." Adeline reasoned. "I'm sure she'll call when she gets somewhere safe." She said, trying to comfort him.

"She's not going to call!" Ben lashed out, standing up and starting to pace. "She doesn't know how to work a phone. She doesn't even know what a phone is. I have to find her." Ben said as he slipped into a jacket and started for the door. "Just wait here alright. I'll be back." Ben said before running out the door to find Lora, leaving a stunned Adeline behind him.

As Lorabelle walked, Lorabelle saw shops closing and people walking around with bags full of groceries and clothes. Others, she saw carrying books or toys for small children. Smiling at them as she walked, Lorabelle finished her apple and tossed the core into what she believed humans called a.... garbage pail.

Little did Lorabelle know, as she walked through the streets of the city watching everyone and trying to learn how to best assimilate into this world, someone was watching her, studying her, eying her.

"Hey, Joe. I think I found someone to fill in for Jamie tonight. New, right off the streets. Never seen, but damn Joe, you want to see more. Definitely a good replacement for Jamie. Best part is, the girl is clueless and needs a job," the man murmured into the phone as he pretended to flip through a magazine at a stand.

"Any family?" Joe grunted over the phone.

"Not that I can see. Seems she's from out of the country and from one of those third world country village types where you don't have money, but you trade around. I think we could con this girl good and get a lot of use out of her, in many different ways," the man murmured into the phone.

"Good. She'll be a good investment. Get her before someone else does," Joe said, a grin very much present in his tone.

"Understood," the man said with a grin as he hung up the cellphone and began following Lorabelle once more.

"Lora!" Ben called hopelessly as he ran through the crowd, bumping into people along with any objects that lay in his path. "Lo-" His voice cut short as he doubled over a garbage can before gathering his wits and continuing on.

"Excuse me." Ben stopped a young couple, both of them giving his disheveled appearence a wary glance. "Have you seen a girl? Black hair, about this tall-" Ben held up a hand as to Lora's height, "she's barefoot and looks lost."

"Look, man." The guy stepped in front of his girlfriend protectively. "We haven't seen your-" But he didn't finish as Ben hurried on in a crazed run.

"What was that all about?" The girl asked her boyfriend who shook his head. "Poor boy, probably lost his mind." She said before they continued walking home.

Once Lorabelle had left the hustle and bustle of Main Street and started wandering along the roads that led towards the country side, the man following Lorabelle seized his opportunity. "Excuse me, Miss? I couldn't help but notice your bare feet and the look of lost on your features. Please, my name is Maxwell. I run a shelter downtown. We provide jobs and room and board for the women we help."

Lorabelle looked up at the man with a warm smile. He looked kind, and sincere. Lorabelle's smile widened at the sound of a job and a place to stay. Unaccustomed to acting and quite naive and innocent, Lorabelle spoke excitedly, "A job and a place to stay? Truly? Oh, sir, I am very happy to hear your kind words. Are you sure you have room and it would not be too much trouble?"

'Hook, line, and sink 'er.' Maxwell thought to himself with a grin, "Yes, yes of course Miss..?"

"Sterling, Lora Sterling," Lorabelle said with a smile and a small curtsy.

"It is a pleasure to meet you Lorabelle, and I'm sure you will just love it downtown. Bright lights, lots of company.. Truly an exciting place for a young pretty little thing like yourself."

"I cannot wait to see it!" Lorabelle said happily as she followed the man back into town, but down alley ways instead of on the main street itself.

"Lora?" Ben cried, his voice becoming hoarse as he paused with a hand on a brick wall to catch gasping breaths. "Lora!" He called again as he moved on, pushing himself forward before spotting a familiar head of black hair disappearing into an alleyway.

"Lora!" Ben cried again, louder this time despite his tired throat and throbbing feet as he hurtled himself into the alleyway and running face first into a dumpster. "Oi." Ben grabbed his sore nose which he was sure was broken before standing up and stumbling down the alley as he still tried to focus his vision. "Lora?"

As the two were talking, Lorabelle's ear perked up. "Ben?" Lorabelle said softly as she looked to her right.

"I'm sorry, what did you say Miss Sterling?" Maxwell asked, a bit annoyed at having been interrupted during his very interesting account of his first time in the city.

"I'm sorry, I thought I heard someone I know calling my name... Please, continue," Lorabelle said with a warm smile as she looked up at Maxwell.

"Oh," Maxwell said nervously as he hurried Lorabelle along, afraid of running into whoever she thought she heard. "So anyway, like I was saying..." Maxwell continued, a bit louder than before in hopes of overpowering whoever was calling for Lora.