"I think I remember Jazz Fenton," Tara mused, her voice bouncing from my phone. "Danny's sister, bright red hair, older than us, right?"

"Right," I confirmed.

"Gosh, I hope she's going to be okay."

"Me too," I agreed. "She's still in the ICU, so I can't even go to see her, but I've been told that she's stable and still comatose."

"And what about the whack job?" Tara asked.

"What whack job?" I replied, reaching for my hair straightener.

It was the night of Jazz's benefit get-together at Vlad's. Mother had picked out my gown, make-up, and hairstyle for me. I hadn't even opened the dress bag yet, for fear that it would be a hot pink, flowery monstrosity (though I hoped that it wasn't, as it would contradict Mother's 'let's-get-along' campaign). Right now, my task was to straighten my hair and do my make-up, which I could do and simultaneously talk to Tara.

"You said she was attacked. Who did it?"

I frowned. "You know … I don't know. I was just so focused on Jazz being hurt that I never asked. I don't think they wanted to talk it about it either."

"Eh, I'm sure when they find out they'll let you know," Tara commented before changing subjects. "So, how is it going with Gregor? It's his uncle holding this thing tonight, right?"

"Right again. Things are going really great. We're not moving very fast but it's going good."

"Ooh, I can hear the smile in your voice," Tara teased. "It's cute that you like someone."

I giggled despite myself. "He's great, Tara. He's so respectful of me and I feel like he listens to every word that I say like it's the most important thing he's ever heard, you know? And, oh my, the boy can kiss."

"Aww, you're smitten," Tara teased.

"I am," I confirmed. "He's smitten too."

"It's too bad that I won't meet this new beau," Tara sighed. "Damn New Orleans. Though, if he's such a gentleman, you could extend it past a summer fling so that I can meet him over Christmas when I will be seeing you again."

"I have no idea what's going to happen when school comes around. If we make it, we make it. If we don't … It was great with him and I think I'll be okay with that."

"Don't send break-up vibes into the universe! I'm rooting for this one."

I laughed.

"Anyway," Tara continued. "It seems inappropriate to tell you to have fun tonight because of what it's for but I sincerely hope you don't have a miserable time, regardless. Kiss Gregor, and give him a long one for me because my love life has been dead lately. Tootles."

"Tootles," I responded, hanging up the phone.

I finished off with my lipstick before turning to the garment bag. I unzipped it and prepared for the worse.

The dress was beautiful. My only concern was that it was a full-length ball gown. There was the slight risk of me sweating to death in it. Still, I pulled it out and fluffed the skirt, studying it. The main colour of the dress was black. It was strapless with a corset top. The corset had stiff metal or plastic rods in the front to give it a shape. The fabric around my stomach was a little sheerer than it was around my breasts, giving a peek (but not much of one) of my skin. I hoped my scars wouldn't show through. The dress then swelled at my waist, opening up at the front to pale pink material. There was a triangle of material that was straight and slightly stiff; above that, there was a layer of ruffled material in the same pink colour. Above that, there was a layer of black that extended all around the dress, blending at the bottom of the dress with the pink material.

Another problem with the dress: I couldn't get it on myself. I couldn't tie up the corset back myself. I would need my mother.

I slipped out into the hallway, walking to the very end where my parents' bedroom was located.

"Mother!" I called, knocking on the door. "I need help with the dress."

"Oh, of course! I'll be right out, Samantha. I'll meet you in your room."

I returned to my bathroom. I stripped my robe off and put the dress on so that I wouldn't have to go through the complete embarrassment of my mother seeing me naked. I held the corset up to my front, studying myself in the mirror. If I squinted, I could see the scars left from that long-ago dragon ghost attack. Nobody else would likely notice them; I was only picking them out because I was deliberately searching for them.

"I'm here!" Mother trilled, bursting into the room. She was, essentially, at the same stage as me: her make-up and hair were done but she was in her robe. She immediately seized the back of my dress. "Stand still, darling."

I froze like a statue, despite the fact that she was hauling on the ribbons at the back of my dress. My mother didn't look like a strong woman, but she was practically pulling me off of my feet as she worked on my corset, making sure that my dress would stay in place and that I would look my best in it. Finally, when I felt that I could no longer breathe because of how she was putting force on my abdomen, Mother said that she was finished.

"We're leaving as soon as I get my dress on," Mother warned me. "So be ready."

"I am ready," I assured her. "Just need to get my shoes on."

"All right." Mother swept out of the room.

I picked the plain black heels out of the bottom of the garment bag and slid them on my feet. I wobbled immediately. I'd never been comfortable in high heels, though I'd been able to walk in them before. Now, I was wearing heels taller than I was used to and after months of not wearing heels at all, I was wobbling.

I hoped I wouldn't break my neck.

I took the stairs one at a time, slowly making my way to the foyer where father was waiting. I was standing there for only a minute when Mother appeared at the top the stairs, sweeping down them. I envied her easy ability to walk, even in the tight beige sheath she'd decided to wear.

"Let's go!" She exclaimed, and we all filed out to the car.

The drive to Vlad's seemed short this time; maybe it's because I knew where we were going. Either way, as soon I was entered the great mansion, I immediately scoped out people I knew. The only person I recognized was Gregor, who had apparently been waiting for me.

"You look lovely," he complimented me. "Beautiful."

"Thank you." I glanced at him. "You look wonderful in your tux."

"Mmm. I never thought that I would be dressed so formally during the summer, although it is for a good cause. I barely spoke to Jasmine, though we did meet before – Uncle Vlad and her parents are very close, you know."

"Yes, I heard that." I confirmed. "Are the Fentons here? Is Tucker?"

"The Fentons are here. I don't know if I have seen Tucker – he's the black one, yes?"

"Yeah, that's him."

"I haven't seen him yet, but I could have missed him," Gregor said. "Let's just make some rounds and look, shall we?"

The mansion was filled with men in suits and women in formal gowns. There was a silent auction going on in the basement while a dance floor, along with a live band, was happening in the west wing of the main floor. There was a cash bar and a buffet set up on the opposite side of the mansion, with five-star chefs creating magic in the kitchen. There was even a novelty photo booth, complete with a prop box that people could pay to use. It seemed that Vlad was really trying to optimize profits so that he could give as much as possible to the Fentons.

He clearly loved his friends.

I spotted Maddie Fenton over by the punch bowl, though her husband and son were nowhere in sight. I immediately headed to her, Gregor in tow.

"Hi, Maddie," I said as I approached her.

"Oh, hi, Sam," she greeted in return. "How are you?"

"I'm fine," I replied automatically. "How are you?"

"I'm managing," she answered, mouth twisting. She looked almost exactly like Jazz. "We're all just managing. It's getting better now that Jazz is stable. We're hoping she'll wake up soon."

"Everyone is," I said with a smile. "She'll probably be up before you know it."

"That's what we're hoping on. I have to go find Jack; sorry Sam."

"It's quite all right. I'm thinking of you, know that." I reached out and squeezed her hand.

Maddie placed her hand over mine. "You're such a sweet girl, Sam. I'm glad that Jazz has a friend like you, and that you were able to help Danny in school like you did."

"I'm glad I was able to help him. And Jazz has been a great friend to me; I just want to see her be all right."

"We all do," Maddie leaned forward and kissed my cheek. "If you're looking for the boys, I'd head for the kitchen."

"Not the buffet?" I asked, but she'd already moved away.

I returned to Gregor, who had respectfully stayed back while I had talked to Maddie.

"Maddie said Tucker might be in the kitchen. I'm going to go check. Are you coming?"

"Yes," Gregor kissed my cheek. "I want to stay by your side. After you chat with them, we should go for a dance."

"I think you might be able to talk me into that." I nudged his side. "Now, can you please lead me to the kitchen?"

"Scared you'll get lost?" He teased.

"That's exactly what I'm afraid of. This is a big place."

"I know. I almost had Uncle Vlad draw me a map during my first night here," Gregor joked.

He took my hand and we weaved through crowds, heading to the kitchen. Before we arrived, however, I spotted Tucker. As he towered over everyone, he was easy to find in a crowd. He was leaning in a mostly-empty corner. I tugged Gregor toward him. As we grew closer, I saw the Tucker had Mikey on his left side and Danny on his right. I wondered if it would be awkward to bring Gregor into the social circle, but I wasn't about to abandon him. It didn't seem right. And I did want to spend some time with him through the course of the night.

"Hi, Tucker; Mikey," I greeted. I swallowed my hurt at the sight of Fenton's face and also said, "Hi, Fenton. I'm sorry about Jazz. I hope she gets better soon."

Fenton's already white face seemed to get paler. "She will," he growled, with a passion I couldn't understand.

"How are you holding up?" Gregor asked Fenton. "My sister was in a car accident when we were very young. I understand that it's hard."

"I'm fine," Fenton said shortly.

"Uh, we were about to go get some food," Tucker mentioned quickly. "Do you want to join us?"

I didn't blame him for trying to get out of the situation. The awkwardness of it was starting to affect me.

"Actually, Sam and I were about to dance." Gregor put a hand around my waist. The gesture felt possessive. "Unless you want to get something to eat, Sam."

"Sorry, Tuck. I'm not feeling very hungry right now. I'll catch up with you later, okay?"

"Cool," Tucker shrugged.

"Hey, Sam, save a dance for me?" Mikey asked. "It's been awhile since you almost stepped on my feet."

"Come find me after you eat your supper," I encouraged him.

"Sure thing."

I followed Gregor to the dance floor, which was more populated than I would have assumed. It was hard to get a grasp on how many people were in Vlad's house; they just seemed to be everywhere. Interestingly enough, though, I had yet to see the host. It wasn't something that I wasn't in a hurry to do, so I just left that thought alone.

The music that was playing was a slower-type dance. Gregor pulled me into his body, and I leaned into his warmth. It was nice to sway in someone's arms; to think about nothing but music and spinning. After finding out about Jazz, everything had been off-kilter in my world. Tucker and Mikey had been reaching to me for support, and while I'd been venting my feelings to Tara and Leslie, I felt like I had to be strong for Tucker and Mikey. They'd been closer to Jazz than I was – Tuck especially – and I felt like I had to be there for them.

I was never good with being strong; I simply wasn't. I hadn't been strong enough to fight for my own life when it really mattered that I do it. In the subsequent months, I'd been equally as weak. I'd clung to the little things – Mother, books, television shows, even cleaning my room – to distract me so I wouldn't think about killing myself again. I clung to the little sliver of light that was my mother trying so hard to keep me with her so that I didn't swallow more pills. I wasn't still alive because I was strong; I was still alive because I wouldn't even let myself think of it, knowing that the possibility of a repeat performance was very real.

I'd been using other people to keep me here. First Mother, and then Phantom. I had never been able to stand on my own two feet and it was terrifying to me that other people needed my support.

"What are you thinking about?" Gregor asked me, his voice low as he leaned to my ear.

"Jazz," I answered automatically.

"She'll be all right," Gregor comforted me.

"I hope so."

I hugged him tightly.

I still couldn't stand on my own.

I don't own anything recognizable. Thanks to my betas: Forever Sky.

~TLL~