Dani accepted a cup of hot chocolate from Sour Bill who was watching her concerned. She was embarrassed beyond belief. Seeing the fear and concern on both Ralph's and Vanellope's faces made her feel guilty for scaring them so badly though she had no control over her reaction. She wasn't prone to seizures.

" I'm sure it was nothing..." she tried again.

" Nothing?! I've never seen anyone glitch so bad in my life and believe me lady I would know. "

" Any idea what caused it? " Ralph asked placing a blanket over her shoulders. She really hated the fact he was taking care of her like she was a helpless baby.

" No." she said curtly.

" Fear." Sour Bill said picking up a frond shaped piece of licorice and fanning her with it.

" What?" Ralph glanced at him startled. Sour Bill looked a bit uncomfortable. "Sometimes Princess Vanelope would glitch when she was really angry or scared. Well madam didn't look angry but it sounds like she was pretty scared."

Dani cringed as all eyes swung her way.

" Is that true?" Vanellope demanded. " Did you freak out cause you were scared? "

Dani stood up and handed Sour Bill the cup of hot chocolate. " Welp been great meeting you and loads of fun but I gotta go."

She turned to leave. Ralph quickly fell into step with her and Vanellope scrambled after her.

" Look I promise I wont laugh or anything but I'd love to have you come back and if something here scares you I'd like to know so I can you know...get rid of it or hide it or something..."

Dani kept walking.

" Come on lady there's nothing wrong with being scared of something, I was scared all the time that my game would get unplugged and I'd die cause I can't leave my game."

Dani glanced briefly at the little girl. " What does it matter to you if I come back or not?"

Vanellope hopped in front of her moving backwards with ease meeting her eyes with earnest hope.

" Cause you're fun, You make fart brain there blush and well I'd like to see you spend more time with him ..."

Dani opened her mouth as did Ralph.

" As FRIENDS...I mean admit it it's more fun then just sitting at the dump or drinking yourself stupid at Tappers right? "

Dani paused hands clenched. She blew out a breath an dropped her head briefly. Ralph and Vanellope stood silent.

" Snow." Dani said softly.

" What?" Ralph asked, her voice had been so soft he hadn't understood her.

" Snow ok? I've got Chionophobia, fear of snow alright? I freak out when I see it."

" Ohhhh." Vanellope said " Powdered sugar mountain looks like snow...I gotcha...wow...I'm sorry I would have sent you a different way heck we could have gone off track even if you wanted. Well no foul it won't happen again right Ralph? "

" No it won't." Ralph said grimly. " You had no business racing in that kart anyway you could have killed yourself!"

Dani sighed rolling her eyes. She was feeling a little better albeight embarrassed as hell. She felt like she had been sucking a mouth of pennies and her heart was still racing. Not to mention the cold sweat that had covered her body was just now drying but she was hoping Ralph wouldn't notice.

Unfortunately he looked like he saw everything. He was definitely not dumb.

Vanellope sighed and took Dani's hand.." Look let's go back to the castle, we can play poker, or charades or something."

Dani shook her head. Everything looked too bright now. Her fear had put her on edge and hated herself for that.

"Actually if you don't mind your sovereign I'd like to go to game central. I don't think I'd be much fun right now anyway."

Vanellope looked crestfallen." But you'll come back right?"

Dani smiled at the little girl wondering if she had ever been blessed with kids would they have been as snarky and sweet as this one.

She held up her pinkie and with a grin Vanellope hooked her pinkie through hers.

" I'll come back and we'll figure out a way to race without ol sour puss there."

Ralph glared at them. He couldn't stay mad though not when Vanellope launched herself into his arms for a hug. She whispered in his ear " Ask her out stink brain!"

Ralph rolled his eyes and then motioned for Dani to get into the car that Sour Bill had pulled them around to take them to the entrance of ' Sugar Rush.'

Once in the car a tense silence fell over them. Ralph found himself bemoaning the almost kiss he had gotten and wishing he could think of something to break the silence.

He was dying to ask and she probably knew it since it loomed unspoken between them.

Snow? Who the heck was afraid of snow? And why? Snow was for fun things like snowmen, snowball fights, snow angels all things Ralph hadn't gotten to do until he went ' Sugar Rush '. He glanced over at Dani. Her face was tilted back a peaceful look on her features and her eyes were close as if she were relaxing and contemplating the meaning of life. Her hands were held tightly together shaking knuckles white with strain.

Ralph cautiously reached over and took her hands. Her eyes flew open and she tried to tug them away.

" No it's all right really..."

" I'm just warming them ok? Take it easy." He began rubbing his large hands in a circular motion and to Dani's surprise her hands suddenly did feel much warmer. She relaxed wearily. The pleasant friction helped make her fear fade away and the memories were once again locked in her head where they belonged. She remembered having a therapist she had hated who had kept pushing her to remember, to pull out every detail assuring her it would make her life much better as if pulling the rotten garbage of her mind would make her food now taste better. That was the first time she had run away. ' Sugar Rush' would be her 25th time. She was certainly racking up some numbers running away.

She kept silent hoping against hope he wouldn't ask about her fear. She didn't want to think about it. Of course not wanting to think about it didn't stop her from thinking about it. She could almost hear faint screams the weird sounds but all that showed up in her mind was blank white wall with teeth reaching for her. She shivered.

She realized that Ralph had stopped rubbing her hands and she tugged them away and sat back trying to bring her mind back to the present. If this was even a presence. She was beginning to think something alot weirder then dying and going to Hell or Heaven or Nirvana, or whatever was going on here.

At the opening of ' Sugar Rush ' the surge protector appeared and for once Ralph was too distracted to be irritated with the guy. Dani walked a little ways away and sat on a bench. It was on this bench almost wistfully watching Ralph that she felt a large warm hand on her shoulder.

" Madam your beauty has blinded me, for truly I've never seen such a fine woman in all my days. Tell me, might I have your name? "

Dani glanced up startled. A tall character dressed in some kind of steam punk armor smiled gently down at her. His eyes were sky blue and his hair as black as a raven's wings swept from a high forhead accenting his cheekbones and strong jawline. He must have been a high graphic game because she could even see the faintest hint of stubble along his jaw line and clifted chin.

Dani blushed and smiled shyly at him. " Hi, My name is Daniel but everyone calls me Dani."

" Dani." he mused. "A strong name...My name is Genova Scottia Malcom. But please pretty one," He kissed her hand " Call me Malcom."

Movement on his shoulder caused her to glance up and she gasped with pleasure. A small blue dragon had climbed up on his shoulder spreading it's wings briefly for balance before tucking them close to it's body. With it's full cheeked little face she thought it was the cutest thing she had ever seen.

" Oh wow! How adorable!"

" I assure you Baltor here is hardly worthy to be in your presence. Do you like him You can hold him if you like. Here." He plucked the dragon of his shoulder.

Dani started to protest " Oh no I wouldn't want to hurt him..." Baltore slithered up her arm and slid himself around her neck like a stole heaving a sigh of pleasure as it's tail flicked back and forth.

" Oh this is wonderful!"

" Yeah, yeah it's awesome now why don't you give the little biter to M there so we can be on our way."

Dani glanced startled to see Ralph looking cross and glaring down at Malcom who merely smiled indulgently at him. Baltore hissed flicking out it's snake like tongue almost seemig to blow a rasberry at the large wrecker.

" Ah Ralph. taking a break from destroying everything you touch? " Malcom curled his nose slightly " This may not be my business Ralph but uh maybe you could actually pull on clean clothes when you leave your game. The smell of smashed bricks and garbage are not to everyone's taste." He turned and held out his hand and Baltore slithered back up his arm to it's perch on his shoulder.

" My lady please come to Tapper's with me, let me buy you a drink. You must be new for I never would have forgotten seeing you before. From which game do you hail from?"

" The game of none of your beeswax and she's coming back to my game with me." Ralph said standing to his full height.

Malcolm shrugged " Well theirs no accounting for taste but I must say Ralph I never would have realized your taste were so exquisite when it came to women. My lady maybe tomorrow? We can have a drink and you can tell me about your game and I'll tell you about mine? I can even take you to my game. I'm a pilot and I drive a wondrous hot air with dual engines balloon."

Dani had been standing quietly a little annoyed the men were talking about her like she wasn't standing RIGHT there. She glanced at Ralph and he crossed his arms his face plainly telling her that for whatever reason he didn't like this guy. Well tough. She wasn't going to just spend her time doing only what he wanted her to do or go where he wanted her to go. So she turned to Malcom and offered her hand to him which he quickly kissed.

" I'd like that."

Malcom bowed at her while Baltore chirped a good bye at her.

She turned to look at Ralph and saw that he was beyond livid. His huge hands were clenched so tight she could hear his knuckles creaking. She decided if he clenched his teeth any tighter he might very well break the lot of them.

Tough.

" Ok let's go." she said sweetly "I want to try out that fire pit!"

Ralph stomped off leaving her to walk behind him, she wasn't going to galloped after him again. Just before she went through The door to " Fix It Felix Jr." She turned and saw Malcom resting against a game door 3 doors down. ' Flight of Fancy ' it was called. She had never heard of it. Malcom gave her solemn wave and she waved back before following Ralph into his game.