"So do you really think this is going to work?"

Dakota and David walked back to the mansion. The evening grew cold, the clouds covered the stars, and the wind tried in vain to push the two in another direction.

David shook his head. "It should, but I'm more worried about Charlie now. There is a very strong chance that Karma could pick him up, I caught him once when he first came to Darkwood listening in on a conversation Darron and I were having about him. If you're looking for his presence it's not hard to find."

They walked in silence for a moment listening. No lights lit the mansion and it looked haunted in the black night. An owl's call echoed through the woods and doves sent messages to each other. They reached the sidewalk and parted ways each bidding the other goodnight. Dakota watched David walk to the gates of Darkwood Community. He sighed. What would it be like having to go back to his apartment, alone, and walk past the room in which a good friend had died only an hour ago? Dakota shook his head and walked away from the mansion. The night felt nice despite the darkness and wind, it almost seemed to call to him. As he made his way through the park his worry drifted from Charlie to Alex. Dakota noticed his friend's distance since he woke up, distant, and depressed. A very bad combination. Dakota knew the reason. Though three weeks had passed since Cody banished Alex from her life he could still see the pain eating away at his friend. Alex tended to let things do that. He would get so deep in the pain that he would crouch away from the world and let no one comfort him.

That had been part of the reason he had gotten so into drugs originally, or so Dakota theorized. He had not been able to find his significance in the girls he dated, and therefore tired to numb himself to the pain.

The wind picked up now and a new smell reached Dakota's nostrils, a familiar smell, sort of sweet. But it emitted a bad feeling.

He stopped and thought for a moment. Why did it create such a horrid worry, or fear? What could it be? The realization hit him like a fist to the face. He followed the smell until he found the source. Dakota slapped the marijuana out of Alex's hand. All he could see was the picture of Alex lying in his room on the floor, cold hands, blue face.

"What are you-, what..." his anger inhibited his ability to speak. Why would he do this again? Did he not remember what happened last time?

Alex ignored him. He reached down grabbing for his lost article like a child who had dropped their candy. Dakota stomped it out. He then grabbed his friend and slammed him up against a tree.

"Stop it!" Dakota yelled.

Alex shoved him off. They fell on the ground and wrestled for a moment. For the first time Dakota realized how strong his friend was. It took all his strength to get them standing upright again. Alex pushed him off and sent a hard right to Dakota's face knocking, his friend to the ground. Blood ran from Dakota's jaw. Alex, realizing what he had just done, sunk down beside him covering his face with one hand. Dakota whipped the blood away and laughed a little.

"Man, you always did through a hard punch," he commented.

Alex did not join in the laughter, a tear rolled down one of his cheeks. "I'm sorry Dakota-"

"Oh dry up," Dakota said. "I can take a hit Alex, just be glad I'm in a good mood."

Alex pushed away the tear angrily realizing how ridiculous it was for him to be crying. Of course, he had been doing many ridiculous things lately.

"On a more serious note," Dakota said seeing the state his friend was in. "If I ever catch you doing something so stupid again I will have absolutely no qualms about kicking your butt."

They stood up, brushing off leaves and dirt as they did. "That's what you said the last time you caught me doing drugs," Alex said with a grin, he obviously had only gotten to light the joint.

"Yeah well, this time I mean it," Dakota said. They walked back to the mansion together, a new hope growing with each step.