Chapter 4

The bell rang and Dani scrambled to her feet and ran towards the door. The whole afternoon went by with her gazing out of the window, completely cut out from her family who questioned her disappearance. She just exclaimed that she was feeling under the weather. After hours of waiting, the clock chimed 9:00 p.m, and the bell rang after a few minutes. She didn't wait a heartbeat to answer the door. The hallways were long and short, some narrow and some wide. And it didn't help that her bedroom was on the top floor.

Her feet were killing her, and her breathing was shallow. Her lungs burned for air, but she didn't halt. Questioning glances were sent her way, but she didn't acknowledge any of them. All that mattered to her was her sister's safety from that maniac who was hurdling after her. After 15 minutes she reached the door, but she was too late. She opened the large portal and was greeted with a blow of cold crisp air on her face. She was still panting. He was already in the house.

She turned around and closed the doors, as she made her way to the dining room where maids were shuffling in and out with heavy platters in their hands. She asked her mother who was yelling at a maid, "Who was at the door?" Her mother turned her gaze towards her youngest daughter and smiled as she made her way to her after dismissing the embarrassed maid. Pamela ruffled Dani's hair affectionately and asked, "How is my little angel?" completely disregarding her previously asked question. Dani pulled away slowly, "Mother! Who was at the door?" a little more loudly than she had expected.

Her mother furrowed her eye brows and said, "Why Daniel, of course." Dani gulped the lump in her throat and slowly asked her next question, "And where is Sammy?" she used the nick name she was well acquainted with. And her mother's next statement drained the colour off of Dani's face.

"She was with Danny the last I saw time them. Maybe in the library...!" Pamela trailed and Dani gasped and ran towards the library on the second floor. Dismissing her mother's further inquisitions about her current state of distress.

Danielle dashed towards the stairs and when she reached the hallway leading towards the library, she saw something glimmering in the light of the candles that illuminated the room. She picked it up and gasped as she saw her sister's hair clip. She slowly walked towards the library, with each step she took, the horror filled her eyes. She stood outside the slightly ajar door, and heard a soft whimper and a moan. She pulled away, but managed to grab the handle and pushed it forward eliciting a creak from the old mahogany door.

She slowly made her way inside, candles lighting the room enough for her to walk forward. And the sight in front of her made tears prickle in her eyes. She was too late! As she placed her hands on her mouth.

No one moved. Dani stared past Danny's shoulder into the terrified eyes of her sister. He had turned to look back at the intruder, but he did not let Sam go. He had pushed his body against hers, pushing her dress right up above her knee and had trapped her where the shelves met at right angles. His left hand was behind her neck, gripping her hair, and with his right he held her forearm which was raised in protest, or self-defense.

He looked so huge and wild, and Sam with her bare shoulders and thin arms looked so frail that Dani had no idea what she could achieve as she started to go toward them. She wanted to shout, but she could not catch her breath, and her tongue was slow and heavy. Danny moved in such a way that her view of her sister was completely obscured. Then Sam was struggling free, and he was letting her go. Dani stopped and croaked, "Sam!" through tear strained eyes. When Sam pushed past Danny and looked at Dani, there was no sign of gratitude or relief on her face. Her face was expressionless, almost composed, and she looked right ahead to the door she was about to leave by.

Then she was gone, and Dani was left alone with him. He too would not meet her eye. Instead he faced into the corner, and busied himself straightening his jacket and arranging his tie after he buckled his belt. Warily, she moved backward away from him, but he made no move to attack her, he didn't even look up, finally he walked towards the door through which Sam had left and before closing the door behind him, he held onto the handle for a while, as if thinking something deep. But without turning back he closed the door behind him. Dani stared at the door with teary eyes. Her inner tremors killing her from the inside as a wave of new tears escaped her eyes and she closed them.

Her sister's life was ruined just because she was too late. Of course her sister would hide the truth from everyone, her sister was just that, always taking the hits in life with a brave face. She herself was the coward one who left her sister in her time of need.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

There was an ethereal glow that cascaded both lovers. As they made their way to the dining room one by one. The whole family including Jonathan, Gregor, Starlet and Pamela were siting on their respective chairs. All in the depth of some conversation. Sam breathed out a greeting to every one, with a smile that refused to leave. She sat down on her chair and Danny came and sat down beside her.

Her breathing was uneven due to the rust of emotions that swelled inside her chest. And the man who managed to take her breath away was beside her. There was this nagging feeling that her little sister had seen, but Sam had decided to talk to her after dinner. Her mind was fuzzy. She had felt loved and nothing seemed better than that. Her whole world was glowing. All those years of reading romantic novels that described the rush of ecstasy and how one would feel after making love, well she wanted to say that this felt better than what they had described in the books that she read. There was no word to describe how she felt.

She poured some gravy over her rice and slowly nibbled on her food.

Danny was having trouble breathing, and the fact that she was next to him didn't help. He was now exclaimed with the fact of how much he loved, and the intensity of his emotions. Both ate their meal in silence as every one else chattered, it was a content feeling. That was, until Dani came in the room. Her face void of any emotion and no trace of tears on her face.

Sam was lost to the events of ten minutes before and could not have composed a simple sentence. Danny was familiar with the household and would have started something off, but he too was in turmoil. It was enough that he could pretend to ignore Sam's bare arm at his side, he could feel its heat and the hostile gaze of Dani who sat diagonally across from him. Danny felt hot all over as he felt Sam brush her bare shoulder with chest as she leaned towards the water jug. And normal times she would have asked one of the maids to do it, but when his eyes rolled to back of his head at the feeling, well she wouldn't trade that for anything.

Dani's voice picked volume as she exclaimed, all the while looking at Danny, "Don't you think it's quite hot in England today?" it was more of an exclamation than a question. And her mother picked up her line of vision and her eye brows furrowed, "Danielle! That was a very bland remark. Apologize right now or go straight to your room." Danielle looked at her mother with a look of pure innocence, "Oh dear! I wish I could take my words back. I apologize for my behavior," and she turned her eyes towards Danny and Sam, as if accusing them with her statement, "But I've done nothing particularly wrong today." The words cut them like a knife, and no one noticed her accusation except the ones who were the convicts.

Danny sighed as he felt Sam hand slide down to meet his under the table. Danny brushed his hand lightly and sensually with hers and her breath hitched.

"It must be hot. For goodness sake, Sammy, your blushing!" the remark came from Jonathan, just to lighten the mood, but he didn't know that he had caused more distress. Danny pulled away from Sam's warmth and resumed eating. Sam gave a chuckle, "It must be that. And the fumes from the turkey is not helping either." Danny heard the slight tremor in her voice. Jonathan and Gregor gave a laugh, "Good old Sam, top forms!" and Sam smiled a little.

Some time during dinner, Star winced and everyone's attention turned towards her as they caught sight of the cuts on her arms. Pamela said, "My dear. Have you tried the antiseptic on the cuts? You should apply something on them before it gets infected!" it was Marshall who answered, "I'm sure there just normal cuts. They'll heal with time." and Star excused herself and went to the loo. Dani also excused herself and the dinner ended shortly.

Everyone went in the library to resume their train of conversation when Dani burst in, "I've got a letter!" and Sam shot up from her position, "Give me that!" she shouted. If her sister had invaded her privacy this badly, then she was going to be in a heap of trouble. Dani opened the letter and everyone's attention turned towards her. Sam was dashing to stop her when Dani spoke, "It's from Adam!" The room elicited in murmurs and Sam stopped and breathed a sigh of relief that it wasn't hers.

Dani spoke loudly, "I never wanted to come here. And Star has been trying to trap me with her. I am running away!" small words of a child's imagination and Dani looked up to meet the eyes of everyone who looked worried. They all began their search. Jonathan, Marshall, Sam, Danny and herself. They all ran outside the mansion and searched everywhere with flash lights in their hands.

Dani walked towards the fountain in the woods and walked forward, she was free to wander in the woods on her own. She could clear her conscience. Her childhood had ended in a flash. She couldn't protect the one person who mattered the most to her. Well at least her sister was safe now with their brother on the other side of the mansion and Danny was not in her sight. That was when she heard a muffled whimper. She walked closer under the bridge and saw a hulking figure that ran as soon as she positioned her flash light towards it. It was a male and the minute the light was cascading him. He ran and before Dani had a time to face him, he disappeared. And when she nestled her flash light towards the place where he was a moment ago. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw the figure of a mostly naked Star on the ground sobbing. She ran towards her and covered her as she pulled her up.

"Star! Are you alright?" she didn't reply but buried herself in Dani's arms. Dani understood.

"It was him! Wasn't it?"

"Dani! I don't..I-I don't know!" she stuttered.

Dani set her lips in a thin line, "It was him. I know it!" and she knew who him was. It was non other than Danny Fenton. He had claimed another and he was going to pay this time for ruining another innocent life. She swore she would make him pay.

She helped Star up and they made their way to the Manson Mansion. In the way she found her brother who gasped when he heard of what happen to Star. Dani didn't tell him who did this, but there was going to come a time today when she would. Jonathan carried Star in the mansion and laid her down on the couch of the living room and the maids nursed her cuts and bruises. Everyone was shouting hysterically about the situation.

Dani looked around the room and saw that everyone was here, except for Danny Fenton. She knew that her conscience was true. She spoke, "I know who it was!" and she was greeted with immense gazes of the denizens of the Manson Mansion. Jonathan kneeled down to her level and took her by the shoulder, "Dani! Who was he?" And Dani stared at him with an unwavering gaze. Sam furrowed her eye brows as she looked at her sister. Fearing the worse. Dani shook out of her brother's grasp and ran outside the living room and into her sister's room. No one followed her. She opened her sister's drawers and boxes and finally she found the letter in the jewelry box.

She grasped the letter and ran back to the living room where every one was gazing at her with scrutiny. She came towards her brother and handed him the letter, and Sam's eyes widened with recognition. She tried to take the letter by force, but Jonathan had already read it. He looked back at Sam who was glaring at him. He handed the letter to his mother and his gaze turned soft towards Sam, "Oh Sam..." he came forward to embrace her but she pulled away.

"How dare you! How dare you all!" she shouted. She came up to snatch the letter but she was pulled back by Jonathan. Sam struggled to break free, "It's my letter!" she shouted, "You have no right!"

Pamela did not even look up from her reading, and she gave herself time to read the letter several times over. When she was done she met her daughter's fury with her own colder version, "If you had done the right thing, young lady, with all your education, and come to me with this, then something could have been done in time and your cousin would have been spared her nightmare."

Sam stared at her, disbelief evident in her features. She refused to believe that he could have done something like this. She refused to believe the non sense Dani had told them. She was the only one fighting them as the police came, and yet no sign of Danny. She began to worry for him. The inspector asked every one of the house hold questions and all declared that he was the convict and that they had never suspected that they had given refuge to a criminal. When Dani came in front of the inspector, her face was set with confidence. The inspector looked at her and asked, "You saw him then?"

"I know it was him!"

"Let's forget what you know. You're saying you saw him."

"Yes, I saw him."

"Just as you see me."

"Yes."

"You saw him with your own eyes."

"Yes. I saw him. I know it was him!"

"You know it was him or you saw him. Be precise!"

"I saw him. I saw him with my own eyes."

She didn't feel guilty for what she said.

Everyone was brought before the judge, even the servant boy, Mikey. When Sam came, her face was set in a scowl, "You shouldn't believe in the words of a thirteen year old. Her imagination fancies her and gets carried away a lot," but all the proof was against Danny. And he wasn't even there to prove his innocence.

O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O

Dani's bed was made, the smooth satin sheets ruffling as she shifted. Knowing full well that sleep was inevitable. Everyone was outside, waiting for Danny to come back. Everyone including the police. Dani shot up from her bed and she turned to look outside through her window. She finally saw someone coming from the horizon. It was him, and he had Adam climbed on his back as he made his way to the mansion. She saw as the police whisked the child away from him and pushed him against the police vehicle and handcuffed him as his head was down. She saw as they lured him towards the car and as her sister ran towards him and the police stopped.

Danny turned and took half a pace toward her and, surprisingly, the inspector stepped back. The handcuffs were in full view, but Danny did not seem ashamed or even aware of them as he faced Sam and listened gravely to what she was saying. The impassive policemen looked on. If she was delivering the bitter indictment Danny deserved to hear, it did not show on his face. Though Sam was facing away from her, Dani thought she was speaking with very little animation.

They had moved closer, and now Danny spoke briefly, and half raised his locked hands and let them fall. She touched them with her own, and fingered his lapel, and then gripped it and shook it gently. It seemed a kindly gesture and Dani was touched by her sister's capacity for forgiveness, if this was what it was. Forgiveness.

The inspector pulled Danny away, but Sam held on to him as she said something in his ears. For him alone and finally both were pulled away. Danny was pushed towards the car, but he turned just in time and said something to Sam over his shoulder and he was in the car. Dani saw as the car left and Sam's shoulders hunched and shook violently, it was evident that she was crying. And Dani knew she had never loved her sister more than now. And guilt cascaded her.

Dani saw as the car rolled towards the gate and Maddie, Danny Fenton's mother came running towards the car and screamed, "Liars! Liars! Liars!" but the car went pass her. And Dani felt like dying.

Okay. It made me cry. This was so unfair. And if non of you have read the whole story or read the book or have watched the movie. Then don't. Because I assure you that the ending will bring tremors. It is extremely heart wrentching. Oh and this is a British story, so every one has a British accent. I had to make them like me, it was unfair that I wrote stories with practiced American accent.

Anyway, I poured two chapters in one. So it deserves double the reviews.

And the next chapter will be set during the World War II. The story will progress 4 to 5 years later. So keep tuned.

Blak-Ice; I am replying now. After this chapter I'm not so sure if you would think Dani as a sweet and innocent girl. She ruined their lives single-handedly with a small, petty lie.

And I'm looking for a Beta! Help needed.

Love,

Red