The sunlight streamed in through the dark factory windows. The pair lay in the twisted sheets with Sam laying behind Mira arms wrapped around her frame. Sam stirred and lightly kissed Mira's shoulder remembering the night before. His free hand ran over her hair and down her bare smooth back sending shivers up her spine waking her… she stretched and turned over

"Morning." She sighed snuggling into his bare chest.

"Morning sweettart." He rested his head on his propped up arm and held her close. Her eyes flew open.

"What time is it? I have to work and i have rehearsal for a new piece tonight." She chuckled "I have a tutu this time." That was one thing she disliked, the big elaborate costumes. She loved the simple ones. She grabbed her under garments and skipped to the bathroom while Sam got dressed himself.

Mira looked into the mirror and smiled. She couldn't be happier. The only thing that bothered her, was that Sams candy story didnt add up.

"Sam?"

"Yes, sweettart?" She threw her bra over her shoulders and closed the clasp as she ventured back to the bedroom.

"Can I ask you something?" His eyes sparkled as he laid his eyes on her.

Oh goody, Round 2.

"Looking like that honey, you can ask me anything." The too familiar smirk flashed across his face as he came closer to her. She held his shoulders at arm's length, stopping the temptation. She knew this question would set him off… but she needed to know.

"Why… I mean… what…" taking a deep breath She plunged into the question. "How did you find Sweet Tooth…what happened to you?" His face blanched and his eyes glazed over, almost as if he was looking through Mira. His shoulders tensed; his jaw stiffened. He muttered something through his gritted teeth.

"They died. My mother was killed and my father rotted in a nuthouse." Sweet Tooth was doing everything he could to surface. Meanwhile Sam was trying to tell Mira the truth.

"what... how?" She knew about his mothers death but the rest….Sweet Tooth was surfacing.

"The bat...his mother was in labor with him. But there were complications. His father was driving like a mad man to the hospital. Thats when my mother apparently got in the way. They paid bills for us and said sorry, but...that's not enough." Mira stared at Sam putting her clothes on slowly. She saw that his face was changing. Sweet Tooth is coming soon. "Then my father started buying nothing but candy, to make up for the empty space. I'd go to school with nothing but candy. My obsession began. Someone caught on and said my father was unfit. He was crazy. He was stupid." By now Sam and Sweet Tooth were talking to noone but themselves. "He should have avenged my mother. He should have killed them." Mira's eyes widened.

"Sam?" Sam shot her a look as if to say 'Sweet Tooth is getting stronger I can't stop'

"Then I got thrown around to aunts and uncle's until I ended up with Uncle Jack." Sweet Tooths grin spread across his face erasing Sams soft pleas. "He was jealous of my family, we were the perfect happy family before that bat came and ruined the party. My uncle was hard on me, he treated me like shit. ANY time I cried about my parents he beat me." He said as he turned his head to Mira. She tried to hide the fear in her eyes knowing it would only fuel him. "He was the one who taught me that soft spots are weak spots." He took a step towards her eyeing her with an evil lust.

"You ...don't have to" He took a few more quick steps and was inches from her.

"I don't have to what, darling?" Sam was screaming trying to resurface, but Sweet Tooth was feeding off the fear in the air. He slung an arm around her waist pulling her to him. Mira didn't resist but she knew she had to end this.

"Sweet Tooth ..." He cut her off by pulling her in for a hungry, malevolent kiss. When Mira wouldn't kiss him back he broke away from her.

"What don't I have to do... Mira."

"You dont...you don't have to...you dont...have to kill batman, you're being insane." As soon as the word insane left her mouth she knew it was over. Sweet Tooths face turned beet red and his brow furrowed. The next thing Mira felt was a hand thrashing across her face, a loud slap echoing in the room.

"Don't ...call...me...insane" A split second later Mira's eyes were welling up but Sam was resurfacing, appalled by what Sweet Tooth had done. Sam had come back and saw Mira standing frozen in her spot a bright red mark on her left cheek. He reached out to her and she recoiled. "No Mira its me Sam." He was crying "Mira I'm so sorry I wasnt strong enough please it's me, baby" Mira was terrified but she knew that Sam was back. She reached out to him and they embraced. It was a sweet embrace that long lost lovers had after meeting again after years of seperation. Sam was shaking "I don't know...how long I can be here, he'll come back" He collapsed to the his knees and buried his face in his hands. Mira crouched in front of him and tried to console him

"it's alright Sam I'm here and I'll never leave. Please stay with me. I love you..." Mira stroked his head and hands trying to help him. Suddenly he moved. His face was still down but in an instant his left hand left his face and went straight to Mira's throat. Mira couldn't breath and swatted at his hand but he was too strong. A laugh that ended in a squeal of insanity came from the hidden face. He revealed his deranged eyes and stood dragging her up to his face.

"Guess Who?" He cackled. She was inches off the floor. "Let's play a game shall we?" She stammered.

"Sa..." He squeezed tighter and she felt woozy.

"it's called... Sweet Tooth says...Now Sweet Tooth says... Sammy will NEVER love you as long as I'm around. Sweet Tooth says ...Sams not coming back for a while." Tears rolled down her face. Sam...help me. "Sweet Tooth says ...GET OUT" He screamed in her face and tossed her like a rag doll to the bedroom door. She hit the door frame and landed on the floor with a thud breaking her wrist. She yelped in pain and Sweet Tooth took quick steps to her body "I said..." He kicked her roughly in the stomach and grabbed her and pulled her by her hair to stand. "Get out" He pushed her out of the room so that she smacked into the hallway wall. "And don't ever come back..." Sweet Tooth lingered in the door way looking down his nose at her struggling body. How pathetic. How could Sam love that. He slammed the door and the hallway was silent except for quiet sobs emanating from the floor.

Mira lay there crying into the floor until she heard foot steps coming from another direction.

"Miss Sisko" Gob, of course. "Are you alright?" He helped her scramble to her feet feeling pain shooting to every joint. "What happened?" She couldn't speak so she merely looked at the bedroom door with more tears flowing like a waterfall. "Oh..." She turned away from Gob and tried to run. She stumbled but finally made it to the front door. By now she was flying, trying to wipe her tears as they came. She heard Gob call after her but she had to run. Be anywhere but here.

Sweet Tooth stood in the dim window watching her go. In his head he faught with Sam.

"What have I done. How could I … She'll never speak to me again."

"Sam…it's better this way. Sweet Tooth doesn't love anyone so shut up you dum dum." Sam had been silenced, forced in to the recesses and was nothing but a struggling conscience. Sweet Tooth realized that he was barely able to stand and was bracing himself on the window sill, he realized that his face was wet, and he realized that Gob was in the room.

"Sir…I thought you had a soft spot for Miss Sisko…"

Sweet Tooth cringed. He wiped his face turning towards his dresser never looking at Gob.

"No Gob… don't be an idiot. Soft spot…means weak spot." Sweet Tooth pulled his powder blue wig on and began to put on his suit.

"And Sweet tooth doesn't have weak spots."