A/N: As said so many times before, I don't know when I'll be able to update. The past few days have been so busy, and I'm surprised I was able to go put up that quick author's note. However, whenever I am able and on a computer, I'll type up chapters, so they can be uploaded. I'm saving them on floppy disks cos I am cool like that.

And no, this isn't a final chapter or anything, and I haven't given up on this fic, but its hard to type things when someone's always around.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters that are owned by Jhonen Vasquez. Because I'm not him, bless his soul. But I do own any characters you don't recognize, such as my original character.

Warning: Wow. I don't know. This contains violence and swearing… And probably some other things that I haven't thought of just yet.

Friday passed with relative ease, school being no more than a small hassle before the big event of Squee staying over at Danielle's house. The boy, of course, was frightened- staying over at a homicidal maniac's house? Actually sleeping where a man (or woman, of course) could have died? Who wouldn't be frightened? In the back of his mind, he knew that if something were to happen, Danielle would protect him. And he knew that Johnny, however crazy he was, wouldn't harm him. But it was still a terrifying prospect.

When the afternoon bell rang, it's shrill sound echoing down the corridor, Squee left his classroom, and was surprised to find Danielle already waiting for him. Looking about unsurely, the boy finally started following Danielle whom was trying to pull him away from the door.

'What're you doing?' he asked, squirming his hand out of her grasp. Danielle grinned, a slight bounce in her step.

'I'm just excited that you're comin' over tonight… I haven't had someone sleep over before.'

'I've never ever slept over someone else's house before…' Squee put in, a small smile upon his face. Danielle gave a small squeal, grabbed Squee's hand once more, and began to run. They ran out of the school grounds, barely missing their peers which were also running about, and onto the footpath. They continued to run until they exhausted themselves, Danielle promptly falling onto the footpath in a gasping, seven-year-old girl heap, Squee barely able to stand above her.

'Are you… okay?' he gasped, falling onto his knees. Danielle nodded, and, with the help of her friend, managed to stand once more. After allowing their breath to be caught, they began to meander to their block. Nearing Squee's house- being as that was closer than Danielle's at the time being- Danielle slowed her pace.

'So, do you want me to come in or are you going to come by later?'

Squee scratched his arm, and took a glance over at his house, considering what to do.

'You… can come in if you want. I just need to get my jim-jams and stuff… But I have homework to do.' Squee paused, and placed a finger to his lips. He wanted to stall as much time as he could so he didn't have to go next door.

'We can do it at my house… Come on Squee, please? I haven't had anyone over for ages and we can do your homework at my house!'

At Danielle's desperate pleading and the wide smile she through in at the end of the sentence, Squee finally nodded, and led Danielle up to his door.

'Okay, but you're going to have to be very quiet, cos Mummy's sleeping and Daddy works really hard.'

Danielle nodded, and Squee slowly opened the door. It creaked somewhat, but when no sound was made within the house, the two tip-toed in. Squee's father was working on his computer, and when the two children passed, he didn't even lift his head. Danielle took some comfort in this, but Squee's head sunk somewhat, and just led his friend up the staircase.

Danielle wanted to stop and look about- maybe even take a tour of the boy's home- but Squee was persistent in taking the quickest route to his room.

'I thought you wanted to dawdle' Danielle spoke up when they arrived at their destination.

'I don't want Daddy to be mad if I make any noise. He's busy.' Squee replied with a soft sigh. Danielle cocked her head, but didn't bother asking with what. Parents were finicky- some days they wanted to play around, and others they wanted to work. She knew- her mother used to be like that.

Squee grabbed his pajamas, and tossed them into a bag he found in his closet. Danielle watched as she sat down on the edge of his bed, and nursed Shmee on her lap. Only a few minutes passed, when Squee announced that he was ready. Grinning, Danielle bounced off the bed, and snatched her friend's hand.

'This is so exciting!' she squealed, and rushed for the door.

'Shh! Slow down, Daddy might get mad and Mummy might wake up!' Squee whined as Danielle sprinted down the corridor. She gave a sigh, and stopped. When Squee joined her, the two began a much slower pace down the stairs.

'I don't see why you're so paranoid; your parents can't be that bad.'

'They're not bad,' Squee replied shortly. 'I just don't want them to get mad. They're good parents.'

Nodding her head slowly, Danielle crossed the floor and to the door with Squee. His father didn't even lift his head as they left the house. Squee's face fell as Danielle snatched his hand and led him to her yard.

'I didn't say they were bad, I just said they couldn't be as bad as you make them out to be.' She said quietly, trying to cheer up her friend.

'I know.' Squee mumbled in response. Danielle just sighed, shook her head, and pulled a somewhat reluctant Squee to her front door. Danielle opened it, and the two walked in silently. There was a crash in the kitchen, and Johnny walked out, covered in gore.

'Squeegee! Danielle!' he cried, surprised to see the two. It was a strange sight to see- Danielle seemed unfazed that her father-figure, the one she lived with, was literally dripping with blood, whilst Squee's complexion paled dramatically. He dropped his two bags, and was about to run out of the house when Danielle grabbed his arm, and pulled him through the room and out a hallway.

'Danielle, what was- er- Johnny doing?' Squee asked uncertainly.

'Someone probably annoyed him.' Danielle replied nonchalantly as she opened the door to her room. 'This is my bedroom; you can put your stuff down if you want.'

Putting his stuff down next to the wall by the door, Squee folded his hands behind his back, unable to get the image of Johnny covered in gore out of his mind; something difficult for someone so young to do.

'Um, is he going to kill us?' Squee asked quietly.

'Who? Johnny?' Danielle laughed loudly, scaring Squee. 'Oh, please, no!' She gave another giggle, and shook her head. 'You're so silly, Todd.'

There was a loud crash from down the hall, which halted Danielle from moving into another peal of laughter. Her brow shifted downwards, and she shuffled towards the door. Grabbing the wall, she peeked around the corner as another crash sounded.

'Dan-'

'Shh!' Danielle hissed before Squee could finish her name. Stepping into the hallway, she let out a shaky call. 'Johnny? Johnny, is that you?'

'What? Yes…' There was a lengthy pause, where Squee could hear Danielle's somewhat ragged breathing, her hands shaking as she clung onto the doorframe. It appeared that Danielle was about to call out again, when Johnny yelled out again. 'I'm going out… I'll be back later tonight.'

Danielle shrugged towards Squee, looking over her shoulder at him, before starting down the corridor. The tinkling sound of keys echoed down the walls, and the sound of the man walking followed.

'Where you going?' she cried.

'Out… I've got a headache…' Johnny replied shortly, as the sound of the front door slamming finalized the argument.

'Take some asprin…' Danielle mumbled as Squee caught up with her.

Squee tilted his head, as he gazed around the front room. There were bloody handprints everywhere, and there was a crimson pool of something which Squee suspected to be blood coming out from under the kitchen door. Holding back the taste of bile, Squee looked towards Danielle, whom was pouting rather childishly.

'What's wrong with him?' he whispered hoarsely.

'He's in one of his moods again…' she replied haughtily.

'Oh… Um, what do we do then?'

Danielle sighed, shrugged, and sat down on a crate which had less blood on it than the others.

'I dunno… I usually just do my homework or play with Lola.'

'What do you do about dinner, then?' Squee asked, crouching in front of her as a cockroach skittered passed.

'I make it myself.'

'Oh.' Squee nodded, somewhat understanding her. 'When does he come back?'

'Whenever he wants to.'

Squee nodded again. Danielle rose from her seat, and pulled something out from under the crate she was on.

'I've got a ball. Let's play catch.'

'You keep your balls under crates?' Squee asked, staring somewhat confused at the dusty ball.

'Not usually. Johnny does.' She replied in an offhand manner, throwing and catching the ball. Squee just shook his head, and took a few steps back, narrowly missing a drying puddle of blood.

'Alright… Throw it.'

Danielle grinned, and tossed the ball. It sailed over Squee's head, knocked an already broken lamp over, and bounced on the ground. It hit the kitchen door- getting rather bloody in the process- and rolled towards the basement door. It hit the door off its latch, the door creaking open, and the ball bounced down the staircase. Danielle and Squee waited for the ball to stop, and when it did, Danielle shrugged.

'I'll get it… I never was good at throwing balls anyway.' She grinned cheerily, and ran towards the basement door. Her foot slipped in the puddle of blood, and with a cry of shock, she skidded towards the basement door. Unable to catch herself in time, she lost her already unstable footing, and tripped as she fell onto the first few stairs. Squee watched in horror as she fell down the steps, tiny cries of pain and surprise as she fell down the stirs. Much like the ball, there was a deathly pause as she finished her fall.

On the verge of tears, Squee walked uncertainly to the basement door.

'D-Danielle? Danielle, are you okay?'

And much as he suspected, there was no response.

A/N: It took me three weeks to write this. It was gonna be longer, but I don't get much computer time. And seriously, this isn't the last chapter.