Dakota breathed in deep and let the cool air rush back out. He watched the refulgent sun melt into the hills. The sky burst into brilliant pinks and oranges and stars began to blink their eyes. He stood on a balcony that protruded from one of the rooms of the Darkwood mansions just breathing, breathing and listening. At brief intervals the sound of laughter from a group of teenagers down stairs traveled up to his ears. He listened to each voice and two, the two of his children's, rose distinctly above the rest. Just to hear them filled him with an unspeakable joy. Ever sense he had sloughed off Paul's firm grip all the sights now seemed more vibrant, all the smells more strong. New life had been given to him, a new perspective. He no longer felt the hate he had before for Paul, but now pity. Not in a superior, self-righteous way, but in a sympathetic way. He wished Paul could understand, or that he could understand Paul. The creak of the door opening made him turn. Alex walked in with a large grin plastered to his face. "Alex, hey man how's it going?" Dakota asked. They hugged and slapped each other on the back. Alex chose his words wisely. With all that he and Cody were going through he wanted more than anything to ask his newly revived friend for advice. But before had had come he had promised himself that he would not be selfish. Dakota had been through a lot. Now the trick was to act like he was great without fully lying. "Good, what about you?" Dakota laughed and walked out to the balcony again into the breeze. Alex followed. "And just what is so funny?" He asked. Dakota sat on the cement railing. The cold seeped through his khaki shorts. "You have gotten really bad at lying all of a sudden Alex, you are loosing your touch." "What? I am not lying." Dakota raised his eyebrows and rested an elbow on his knee. The laughter down stairs grew louder. Alex sighed and rolled his eyes. "Cody and I had a fight," he said climbing up onto the railing. "Apparently some girl came and told her that I made my whole conversion experience up just to get in to her pants. She hates me now." Dakota stood on the balcony and looked down at the pool below. He glanced back at Alex for a moment and then dove in. As the water rushed past him he could hear Alex's muffled voice yelling something about being totally crazy. When he reemerged Alex stood beside the pool with his arms crossed. Dakota backstroked and grinned up at him. "What possessed you to do that?" Alex asked. "That was one of the coolest feelings ever," he turned upside down in the water blowing bubbles out of his nose. He swam over to the side and climbed out. Dakota sat down in one of the plastic chairs. The thick rubber lines sunk in beneath his weight. "You wanna know my advice about Cody?" Alex nodded. He definitely wanted Dakota's advice. The waiting had nearly killed him. Dakota was the only one he trusted, the only one who could give him sound advice. "Do not go talk to her." "What?" Alex gave his friend an odd look. "She obviously thinks that you only lie to her so she will not believe anything you tell her right?" Alex remained silent. It made sense, but he still did not understand how this would help their faltering relationship. "Let me go talk to her," he offered. "I've been in a coma for a long time, she can't hurt me." Alex agreed. "But wait," he said. "What did jumping off the balcony into the pool have to do with any thing?" "Nothing," Dakota replied. "I just wanted to make you sweat." Alex punched him in the shoulder hard. But laughed. It was great to have his friend back. And if anyone ever did anything to hurt Dakota again, they would have to answer to him.