(Ray- Leah, played by Lily Collins. This story is also on Wattpad)

The nickname everyone gave Leah Gallagher as young kid was Ray. Why Ray? You ask; Well because of her radiant smile of course. Her smile that she showed even when she was hurt or weak; a smile that hid a world of pain that she did her best to conceal because she was everyone's bubbly, helping, kind girl.

She was there Ray of sunshine- or at least to her Abuela she was anyway, and really that was all that mattered.

There wasn't anything Leah Gallagher wouldn't do for her Abuela. She took care of her and made sure she had everything she needed and in return, her Abuela showered her in pure love and affection, something foreign in her household.

It was early morning and Ray was dreading getting up and working. 19 years of age and Ray worked with the people who ruined her entire life. A rehabilitation counselor, following people around for a few days a week to help them find jobs and the like.

Most people would say that it was a noble profession, that she must have had a lot of patience- but the truth was, most of them she knew from her neighborhood and if not, she knew how they grew up; just like her- a broken home with alcoholic druggie parents or worse.

A soft knock on her door brought her back to reality. "Ray?" Came a soft voice. Fiona, her amazing hard working older half sister always made sure to wake her up in case her alarm didn't go off.

"I'm up Fiona, thank you."

"Okay well when you're ready, there's toast and scrambled eggs downstairs.

"Okey dokey." And she was up. Ray quickly started getting dressed into a pair of black skinny jeans, some worn out black buckle boots, a thick knitted grey sweater, and a long black coat. Ray put her hair up in a messy bun then quickly brushed her teeth and left her room. Her phone dinged as she was walking downstairs and she stopped to see the text.

Manager: I have a new case for you. This ones kind of difficult, figured you'd be the right person to take it on.

Me: Difficult how? Not another one of the violent ones right?

Manager: No, not exactly. Just a really different character. He's a repeat so it might be kind of hard to keep him on the right track. I have it set up for you and him to meet at the cafe near the office at 10. I'll send you his picture so you know who to look for.

Me: Okayyy, and what about my other appointment I'm supposed to meet today? Terry and I have been really close to a break through and I'm supposed to walk him to the Job fair today.

Manager: Take him with you. Look, I know I'm asking a lot but you're the best at your job and I'm begging you. This guys in and out of rehab at least every week, he needs some change or he's gonna be in an early grave, Ray.

Me: You really know how to tug on my heart strings, Mike. Okay, but I expect to get paid double for this.

Manager: Of course! Thank you Ray, you really are a Ray of sunshine

Me: How original

Manager: I know. Oh and his name is Klaus btw.

Me: Thanks, that's an important bit of info I needed.

Ray walked downstairs to see everyone including her Abuela at the table already. Ray sat down and started munching on some toast.

"So confiscated any fun drugs from some weirdos that I can sell?" Lip, her half brother asked.

"No." She replied dryly.

"No to not confiscating any drugs, or no to me selling any..?" He poked her cheek with toast hanging out of his mouth.

"Oh hush nieto, let the poor girl eat." (Nieto- Grandson) Even though her Abuela was only her grandma, the whole family treated her as their grandma too. After she started getting too old they had her come live with them because family sticks together.

"Okay, okay. You know I'm surprised with who our father is that you'd really want to hang out with more people just like him." Lip commented.

"No ones quite like Frank, you should know that Lip." Fiona said as she walked by with Liam.

"I feel like you're trying to annoy me this morning.." Ray muttered

"Love you too." Lip mad a kissy face at her. Ian walked in then.

"From the look on your face Ray, it seems like you're annoyed."

"Wow, what an educated guess Ian. If only Lip could be as smart." After saying this Ray shovelled some eggs in her mouth and then downed a glass of orange juice and stood up. "I'm leaving, whoever needs a ride to school or wherever, come on."

"Mi amor, ¿tienes tu pistola en ti?" (My love, do you have your pistol on you?)

"Sí abuela, siempre lo tengo conmigo. Me preguntas cada vez que me vaya si lo hago." (Yes Grandma, I always have it on me. You ask me every time I leave if I do."

"Sé que sé. Solo me preocupo por ti, trabajando con todos esos locos todo el tiempo. Sabes que nunca estuve de acuerdo con el estilo de vida de tu madre o sus elecciones antes de morir, pero me alegro de que te haya entrenado como lo hizo de otra manera. Siempre me volvería loco. Me pregunto si vas a volver a casa." (I know, I know. I just worry about you, working with all those crazy people all the time. You know I never agreed with your mothers life style or her choices leading up to her death but I am glad she trained you like she did otherwise I'd be a crazy mess all the time wondering if you're going to come home.)

Ray rolled her eyes. "You're like a repeating record, I've heard this a million times." She muttered in English. Ray turned around and started walking towards the door, Lip trailing behind her as well as Debbie who had been sitting in the couch watching tv. "Carl, aren't you coming?" Ray asked.

"Suspended." Fiona answered for him.

"Oooof course. And Ian?"

"Have to miss, important ROCT meeting today." He responded, looking down at his breakfast.

"Okay well lets go then you two." Ray said and walked out the door.

"I call front seat!" Debbie hollered.

"You can't call front seat, you're a kid." Lip scoffed at her.

"Ugh Lip no fair! Ray, isn't it dibs?" Debbie looked at her with big puppy dog eyes.

"Er, it's I don't want to get pulled over and go to jail for child neglect so back seat Debs."

"Ha, told ya." Lip rubbed in. Ray got in the front seat and turned on the car, sitting and heating it up. As she say she got a text.

Manager: This is him.

Ray stared at it for a moment. It was a blurry picture but she could make out details. She studied him for a moment then put her phone back in her pocket.

"Okay, who am I dropping off first?"

"Me!" Debbie shouted. Ray nodded and drove her to school, her mind pre-occupied with the conversation she had with Abuela. Her 'moms life choices' as she put it was working with a secret organization as an assassin which ultimately led to her death. Abuela and Ray were the only ones who knew the truth of what her mom did. Everyone else was fed lies, being told it was a hit and run.

The transition from living with her mom and going over to see Frank and her siblings every weekend, to living with them full time was hard to get used to but she had the comfort of her siblings when things were hard. She never wanted to be like her mom. Her mother, the paranoid, secretive, woman she had always known..

"Bye sissy!" Deb waved and ran to her school. That effectively snapped Ray out of her own head.

"Hey uh.. can you drop me off at Steve's place instead of school? Him and I gotta do something before school." Lip said casually. Ray glanced at him.

"Do what?" She asked suspiciously.

"Just things. Don't look at me like that, Ray. I'm not doin' anything bad."

"Uh-huh, sure. I'll drop you off but I swear if this comes back to bite me in the ass Lip.."

"It won't, it won't! Gosh, you don't have to worry so much sheesh. Save that for the crackheads."

"Lip they're not defined by the drugs they take, they're sick and need help." Lip scoffed at that.

"And what about Frank?" Ray said nothing to that.

"Exactly." He muttered. The rest of the car drive was in silence. Ray Parked outside of Steve's place and they sat for a moment, Lip staring out the window. "Look Ray, what you do is great and all but I'm not one of your broken people you have to fix. I'm doing fine, and hell I'm apparently a genius, haven't you heard?" He grinned halfway at him.

"Yeah, yea you're such a genius." She smirked at him. "I'm not trying to fix you, just trying to lead you to a better path and be the best older sibling I can."

"I know but it's not like we're kids anymore. You don't have to take any hits for me like you used to or hold my hand everywhere. I'll be fine no matter what I do."

"Even if it's illegal.. Whatever illegal thing you're gonna do with Steve, don't let him drag you in too deep."

"I'm the con artist here, not him." He tried to joke. Ray stared at him hard.

"Does Fiona know?"

No and you can't say anything. Promise?" He asked. Ray was silent for a second. "Ray, promise? Please?" She sighed.

"Fine but I swear to god Lip if I have to bail you out of jail again for whatever reason, you're gonna pay me back double what I bailed you out for." He grinned at her.

"Sounds like a deal." He then got out and started walking towards the apartment building. Ray sighed and rubbed her eyes. This felt like a terrible decision.

Starting up the car again she looked at the time. An hour to kill which meant go get a donut. Ray drove up town to get a donut and sat at the counter, munching on the sweet treat.

"You look like you've had a long day and it's only 8:20." Agnes commented in concern to her. Agnes was a sweet lady who ran this donut shop and made every donut fresh especially for Ray.

"I feel like it's already been a full day. I think I messed up Agnes." Agnes put her hand gently over Ray's.

"How sweetie?"

"I think my brother is doing things that might get him hurt but I didn't stop him." She said, looking away in shame.

"Ray, sweetie, you have to remember you are just one person. You can't make anyone do anything and just because he's making a dumb decision, does not mean that it's your fault. I'm sure you being you, told him that it wasn't a good idea and probably bagged him to exhaustion." She said with a smile and wink.

"You hit that nail on the head." Ray chuckled.

"I know. Now how are you? What do you have got going on today?" Agnes asked, pouring her a cup of coffee. Ray shrugged.

"A new guy. My manager insisted I take him on even though I have someone else I'm supposed to be seeing today. It sounded like I was the last resort which isn't great." Agnes scoffed.

"Why do they always put the worst ones on you? You need to put your foot down at some point, otherwise you could get seriously hurt."

"I'm good at my job or so that's what they say. And I promise Agnes if I was in danger I could handle it."

"You're so brave, you know that? I've never met someone so selfless as you Leah." Agnes said using her first name. This made Ray uncomfortable, knowing this wasn't the truth. Ray remembered all the times she pickpocketed people when she was younger and worse.

"Thank you Agnes but I'm not. I'm just trying to do better."

"Oh hush you." Agnes waved her hand at Ray then walked away to serve customers. Ray popped her earbuds in and put her play list on shuffle, listening to music and relaxing for a bit. Time couldn't go any slower it felt like. Her phone dinged then.

Fiona: I hate to ask you but could you watch Liam at 1? I have a job interview.

Me: Fiona I have work! What do you want me to do, just work with Liam on my hip?

Fiona: ... Just for an hour?

Me: Omg You owe me!!

Fiona: Thank you!! I love you!

Ray rolled her eyes with a huff and checked the time, getting up. She put the money down on the counter and a $10 tip for Agnes and left. It took about 30 minutes to drive to the coffee place she was supposed to meet this guy Klaus at.

When she got there she looked around for him but saw no one so she sat down at a table inside. Putting on her earbuds she put on some music and sat trying to get a good idea of what this guy was gonna be like. A twitchy mess? An angry violent ass? She rubbed her eyes tiredly.

Suddenly Ray felt her shoulder get tapped.

"Are you Ray?" Came a velvet voice. Ray turned around and was greeted with an HD version of the man in the photo. He was extremely attractive now that she saw him in real life and her heart seemed to stop for a moment as she stared at him. He stared back at her face, wide eyes and a half smile, his eyes going over her entire face.

"Wow, you're gorgeous and you work with people like me? What's wrong with you?" He blurted out. Ray blinked in surprise, her mouth making a small 'o'.

"You must be Klaus." Ray said bluntly.

"You're correct on that." He sat down in front of her and held out his hand. He wore all black. Black tight shirt, black leather jean, black converses, and a black coat.

"Klaus Hargreeves." That last name sounded familiar. Ray took his hand. "Leah Gallagher But everyone calls me Ray." They shook hands.

"Why do they call you Ray?? That's completely different from Leah." He asked. She chuckled.

"Everyone calls me Ray as in a Ray Of sunshine. Got it as a kid and it's stuck since."

"And are you?" He asked with a smirk.

"Am I what?"

"A Ray of sunshine, of course!" He gave her a goofy smile. Ray was flabbergasted at his personality.

"It depends on who you ask, I guess." She answered somewhat hesitantly, not knowing quite what to say.

"Okay well Ray, I wanna give you a new nickname. Andddddd that's gonna be Freckles." He grinned at her with brown sparkling eyes. Ray bit her lip with a smile and let out a breathy, incredulous laugh.

Today was going to be definitely different.