Sorry chapter ten took so long to get out I've been really swamped lately with some minor issues otherwise this would have been out last week. Anyway I hope you enjoy it and I will try to get chapter eleven out sooner than this but I can't make any promises.

Chapter Ten

I groaned as I opened my eyes to see a familiar silver haired, recently turned ally, guy so close that I could feel hear him breathing. I froze processing this before freaking out, shooting up and fell backwards behind a log and of course I screamed as loud as I possibly could.

"What the hell are you screaming about?" Vlad asked groggily, "I was sleeping."

"N-n-nothing." I stuttered as I managed to pull half my body up over the log still wide eyed, "Just tripped."

"Get sun burned too? Because you face is ruby red." He laughed fully awake now.

"Sh-sh-shut up!" I growled unconvincingly, "I'm embarrassed that I somehow managed to trip over a log!"

He yawned and stretched as if he hadn't heard me at all, jerk! I glared at him as I managed to pull myself the rest of the way back over the log, who would have guessed there was a mini drop off behind it?

"Having fun?" He asked offering me a hand.

"Hahahahaha you're so funny! I'm just dying of laughter over here." I hissed, "I fell down a small drop off and tripped over a log but I'm just having so much fun that I didn't notice anything!"

"Well judging by how sarcastic you are whatever happened back in Amity didn't harm you in anyway." He snorted pulling me up.

"Ouch!" I hissed falling into him looking up at him through tear filled eyes.

He was looking at me wide eyed and leaned in, what was happening? He was close again and then he just let me go and I dropped.

"What the fuck was that for!" I yelled in pain as I managed to sit back up, "First you pull me up and the minute you see I'm in pain you let me fall to the ground! What's wrong with you!"

"You seemed fine to me." He said turning away from me.

"I seemed fine!" I yelled, "I was practically crying I don't call that fine! You're such a jerk I swear!"

I managed to crawl up against the log, leave it to me to get hurt tripping over something. "Please I'd be worried if I wasn't being a jerk."

He was facing me again, tears falling down my face before I could stop them. "I got hurt tripping over the log I guess but don't mind me."

He sighed walking over to me rolling up my jeans so he could assess the damage. I looked away feeling faint when I realized my leg was bleeding badly.

"We don't know where we are and your pick now to get injured." He replied.

"It was an accident!" I yelled, "I woke up, freaked out because I didn't recognize anything and tripped backwards over the log."

"I know that you freaked out I heard you scream." He replied soothingly. "Hopefully there's a small town of something nearby because your left leg has a minor compound fracture. It doesn't look too bad the pain is the worst part of it."

He touched my right leg, "Ouch! That hurts!"

"And probably a minor fracture in your right leg." He said, "There's no way in hell you'll be able to walk."

"Explain what the hell you mean." I hissed through my tears.

"Some bone is sticking out of your left leg but it isn't too bad I've seen worse." He replied slowly, "And probably a minor break in your right leg that hurts but isn't too bad, probably a crack in the bone."

I was feeling sick and put my entire wait against the log, "So one leg is broken and the other might be."

"Will be if you walk on it." He corrected.

I glared even though it probably wasn't as intense because I was in too much pain, "So how the hell do you propose I do then? Crawl?"

"You could if you want the situation to become life threatening." He explained, "Dirt will get into the wounds and infect them. You could develop gangrene, if that happened you'd either die from lack of medical attention or lose the limb it's infected depending on the severity of it and that's with medical help. However, if we just sit here you could get blood poisoning."

"What's blood poisoning?' I asked painfully.

"It's a life threatening condition that can get worse very quickly." He explained picking me up bridal style. "It can arise from infections throughout the body and with a compound fracture, no matter how sever or minor, it's more likely to develop. You can get it faster crawling in the dirt so for now I'll carry you."

"Ok." I yawned putting my head against his chest too tired to protest.

"In the meantime get some sleep." He said.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep.

XXXX

When I woke I could feel a stabbing pain in my leg but I saw dim light around me. I looked around, when did I get here? More importantly where was here? I heard a door squeak open so I turned to see Vlad walk into the small dimly lit room and sit down next to my bed. Long dark shadows were cast randomly about the room looking as though they were moving with the flickering flames from a fireplace that crackled lowly in the far right corner of the room. Some of the small lights scattered about on the ceiling were burned out while others were dim and dying. A cool chill seemed to circulate throughout the room despite the fire crackling in the fireplace. There was one window in the room but its dark wood shutters were closed making it impossible to tell if it was day or night.

I looked at Vlad begging for an explanation of some kind and I knew just by the way he was looking at me that I didn't need to ask. He looked towards the fire with a solemn look on his face which scared me. I pulled back the dull covers to make sure I still had legs and thankfully I did so why did Vlad seem like he was hiding something?

"Vlad?" I asked cautiously in case he was in a foul mood.

He looked at me emotionlessly and I shivered, "It'll be a few weeks before your injuries are fully healed until then we are stuck here."

"Where is here?" I asked feeling more comfortable, "Plus we don't have time to wait around I can walk immediately if it's needed."

"We're in a very small town I don't know the name of it yet people here are very introverted." He explained, "Besides you aren't going to be walking until your injuries are completely healed after all there is no point in you fighting with the condition you're in you'd only lose. We can't afford to have you dying off before we stop are new enemy and his hound dog."

"If we don't leave than everyone in Amity will be turned into mindless slaves." I argued, "We have to do something, anything to bid us time."

"We ran out of time the minute she admitted to her crimes Danny." He said, "After the first nightmare time was no longer on our side the only thing we can do is try and find a way to help those we can and find a way to turn them back."

I thought for a moment feeling saddened, "The only way is to kill them Vlad they made sure that that was the only option. They wanted me to suffer and what better way to do so than to take over Amity Park and have me kill them all. It's either they kill me or I kill them there is no other way."

"There has to be something we over looked a sign perhaps." He said, "Maybe there's a way to help we just have to look harder."

"The only reason you're trying to find a way to reverse everything is because you're afraid that I'm going to have to kill my mother at some point." I argued back more than likely breaking his train of thought, "Had my mother not been involved you'd encourage me to slaughter them all. It scares you to think that she's going to die but if I were to tell you my father would die eventually too you'd care less."

"I…" He began looking away.

"You can't reverse death once she's gone she's gone it scares you because you can't undo it." I lectured, "What happens can't unhappen it's life you have to take it in and accept it. You think it's hard on you well what about me? I have to kill my own family just so I can survive, I have to kill those I protect, the ones I love, my friends, everyone! You aren't the only one that has it so damn hard Vlad!"

"It's not as easy to accept as you make it sound." He whispered.

I sighed, "I never said it'd be easy but you already knew you'd be faced with this reality you have to move on Vlad. No one can help them now they have no mind or soul they are nothing more than puppets with their strings cut! He controls them and she commands them I'm sure once they're killed he frees their souls or at least some of them. "

He was quietly looking at the dying fire once more looking as though he was lost in thought even so I knew he could hear what I was saying. He was depressed and in denial he didn't want to accept that it was too late to save my mother or anyone else for that matter. I can't blame him I was still trying to accept it myself except I was taking it slowly learning to accept the thought in small pieces.

I shook my head as silence dominated the room, "You wanted to help me knowing that you'd have to face this realization at some point. So what's it going to be me or a dream?"

He looked at me as if what I had said was taboo or something but instead of answering he simply got up and walked out of the room. I sighed again as I laid back down staring up at the darkened ceiling trying to piece things together. Slowly I fell into the first deep and peaceful sleep, without pills, I've had in a long time.

XXXX

I woke again to dim sunlight filtering in through the window, who cracked it open? Yawning I stretched and stared up at the ceiling once again lost in thought. I hadn't seen Vlad in a while and with nothing keeping time and no way of telling the day I had no idea how long it had been since I had last seen him. Maybe he returned to his castle giving up on any idea that helping me would be worth his while. The thought saddened me and I don't even know why. It was strange all these weird feelings I've been having lately, well, other than the ones about Sam or this master of her's. Silence dominated the room again even as people I didn't know walked in checking on me. One girl seemed too shy to walk into the room fully but maybe she knew what happened to Vlad.

"Umm… Excuse me little girl but have you by chance seen a guy with long white hair tied back into a pony tail by any chance have you?" I asked softly smiling.

She shook her head she spoke in a language I had no clue about! I looked at her, a confused look most likely plastered to my face. She walked into the room reluctantly and just stared at me as if expecting me to repeat what I had said.

"He's the guy that was with me." I explained, "A friend."

` "I know." She said in a thick accent, "He went on a walk earlier I forgot you don't speak the same language we do."

"Do you know when he'll be back?" I asked, "And how long has it been since we've gotten here?"

She shook her head, "I'm sorry I don't know when he'll be back but you've been here for almost a week now. Father says you should be able to walk now though just be careful since the fractures haven't fully healed."

I nodded my thanks as she left the room leaving me in the silence once more. I was glad that I was allowed to walk around but I don't know if I should go talk to Vlad, he must thinking about the discussion we had the other day or was it night? Was it even the other day? I should have asked her how long I was asleep since Vlad was here. I walked over to the window and opened it in time to catch the sunset. The colors painted the sky perfectly giving something nice in a time so dark and unpredictable.

I returned to my bed and stared out the window as stars started to replace the vibrant colors of the setting sun. Diamonds sparkling in a never ending abyss reminding me there is always light within the darkness even it might be dim but always there. I heard the door crack open, almost too excitedly I turned hoping to see Vlad but to my dismay it was just the little girl again.

"You're back." I said smiling politely. "I forgot to ask you how long I had been asleep since my friend was last in here that is if you know of course."

"Three days." She replied, "Here's dinner."

She sat the plate down on the small nightstand next to my bed before leaving without another word. I sighed as I looked at the plate there were only a few pieces of bread, some cheese and a small portion of what I guessed to be shredded pork. I ate the bread and cheese but left the meat since it didn't look all that appetizing. Then I waited still hoping that Vlad would come back and visit or at least tell me what he had decided. Almost as if on cue the door creaked open once more revealing the millionaire half ghost and my temporary ally.

"Well?" I asked wanting to skip to the answer I really didn't want to hear.

"I know I can't help you and hold my fantasies or dreams." He replied looking at me silently.

I looked away, "So you choose your dreams."

I got up and walked over towards the window only to have my arm grabbed stopping me from reaching my destination in the small room.

"You didn't let me finish." He said.

I didn't look at him, "Then continue and make it quick."

"I can't have my dreams and fantasies and help you." He repeated, "I know it's unrealistic to think I can have both and I know that what has happened can't reverse itself. Regardless of what happens from here on out I'll help you until the end."

I turned and looked at him in shock, "Really?"

"Yes for now until our new enemies are beaten then we will go back to our natural instincts and fight each other again." He added.

I sighed figuring as much but why did I feel like part of me expected to just remain allies? "I know."

"We can start our journey back tonight." He said, "You can walk and I can help in fights so we should be good for the time being. I don't trust the people here they seem a little too strange for my liking. It'll take a week to get back to my castle mansion so by then you're leg will be completely healed and we can come up with a better plan."

"What plan did we have the first time we returned to Amity Park?" I asked, "We were technically making it up as we went along with the exception of the knives you miraculously had on you even though I don't remember either of us going to retrieve them before we left."

"I thought they might come in handy so I grabbed them while you napped." He said, "I had a feeling we'd be allies so I wanted to make sure we had some form of weaponry."

"Weapons didn't do us much good though." I pointed out, "I agree though let's go now before sunrise."

He nodded and led me to the door opening it quietly he checked down the hall to make sure no one was coming. He nodded to me and we left, the hall was as dark as the night except here there was no guarantee of light this was total darkness. This is exactly what Sam and her Master are, darkness the essence of it. Shivered staying as close to Vlad as I possibly could to Vlad fearing that something would pop out of nowhere and I would be screwed unable to fight properly. I could still feel a piercing pain in my legs but it was worth it to leave this creepy place.

We managed to find the door and escaped into the cool night leaving the drafty, old, runned down building behind and started our journey back to the castle.