I woke to footsteps inside of my room. Alarmed, I shot upward, eyes flying open in panic. I took a shaking breath to calm myself when I realized that it was only my mother, standing just inside the doorway of my room.

"Morning, Sammy," she said softly, sidling up next to my bed. "I didn't mean to scare you, baby. I just … I woke up this morning and I thought it was all a dream. I had to make sure you were still here."

Too tired to form a comprehensive sentence, I nodded. I slid back down my pillows into a horizontal position, and then I tapped my hand against the bed next to me. Mother smiled. She swept across my room to lie down on the bed next to me. The mattress sank due to her weight and I curled into her, resting her head on my shoulder. Mother began to run her fingers through my hair, making me more relaxed and sleepy than I was moments before.

"So, I've been thinking," Mother began slowly, rousing me again.

"'bout wha?" I managed to mutter.

"About a party to celebrate your return. It wouldn't be anything extravagant – we would hold it here. It would be for both you and Danny. Maddie thinks it would be a nice idea, you know?"

"Maddie?" I repeated. "How many people are you dragging into this scheme?"

"Oh, a few," Mother admitted. "But we'll only go ahead with it if you and Danny are both up for it. I don't want to make you uncomfortable in your first week home."

I closed my eyes, thinking about my answer. The last party I went to really didn't end that well, and I didn't know if I would be up to wandering around rooms overflowing with people, all of whom would want to grab me and tell me that they were so sorry about what had happened to me but they were so, so glad I was home now; I could hear their half-sincere voices ringing in my head even as I thought about it. On the other hand, however, it would be a step toward normalcy. If Mother would agree to conditions set in place – such as, if I decided to run back to my room at any point in time, I could not be dragged out – then I might be up for the party.

But, my mind whispered, Danny will be there.

It seemed that my whole body clenched when I thought his name. An anxious sensation whipped through my stomach, making me feel as if all of my internal organs were going to launch out of my throat. My heart ached. I thought of his speech last night, and I thought of how I had gone straight to bed, afterward, not willing to process what I thought of him. It was all too complicated for me to consider. I was more than willing to focus more energy than necessary on being home again, just so that he didn't leak into my thoughts.

"You don't have to answer right away," Mother assured me. "I just want you to think about it."

"Well," I said, deciding suddenly. "If Danny is in, I'm in."

"Excellent," Mother crowed, squeezing me suddenly. "Oh, Sam, I'm so excited!"

"I'm glad," I told her, her excitement infectious. "It'll be … fun."

"Absolutely!" She chirped.

It would be something that was for sure.

(-.-)

Later that morning, I padded down the stairs into the kitchen. I hadn't seen Tara or Leslie yet this morning, although Tara was a notoriously late riser. I'd heard Gavin fussing as I made my way down the steps, so I assumed that she'd be close behind me.

I turned into the kitchen. Dad was already seated at the island, flipping through a newspaper and sipping at coffee.

"Morning, Dad," I greeted, before going to check the coffee pot.

It had been so long since I'd had coffee that I froze in front of the machine for a moment, stumped. I couldn't remember what I had liked to take in my coffee – if I wanted sugar, cream, milk, or nothing at all. Eventually, I poured the coffee, dropped in two sugar cubes, and hoped that memory served me right. I stirred it a little and then lifted the mug to my lips. It tasted exactly how I wanted it to. Relieved, I took a seat at the table, next to my father.

"Did you have a nice sleep?" He asked me.

"Yeah," I murmured.

Out of the corner of my eye, I watched Dad take one hand off his paper to reach around to my shoulders, giving me a one-armed hug.

"I'm so glad you're back," Dad said softly. "I don't know if I can properly explain just how happy I am. I thought I was going to lose you completely and after all we'd been through, after feeling like I just got you back … I just missed you a lot, baby girl."

I could hear the thickening of his voice as he tried not to cry, prompting tears to my own eyes. I had missed him too – I had missed every aspect of my parents and my friends so much that, even though I was with them now, it still made my heart hurt to think about. I reached up one hand so that I could hold my father's.

"I missed you too," I whispered, unable to make myself louder. "And I'm okay … It's all going to be okay."

"I'm keeping you in my sights from now on," Dad said, with the arrogant authority that all fathers know how to use. "You won't get away from me that easily."

"I'm counting on it," I told him.

"I have a conference call," Dad said to me. "Vlad Masters and I are still trying to get this business deal sorted out."

I flinched at the use of the name, before my brain caught up to me. Vlad Masters was trapped in a thermos along with Elliot. Vlad wasn't going to be at the conference call or any business deals for that matter. He wasn't going to be doing much of anything, especially killing and torturing like he had been the past few months. My entire body seemed to sigh in relief along with these thoughts. Though it hadn't sunk in yet that I was safe from him – it would take far longer than a few days of freedom for me to realize that – I was still glad to have the knowledge that Vlad was sealed away. I didn't want him to be able to steal anymore of my life away. It was mine to live, not his to take.

"Good luck," I wished my father, the truth of Vlad's current condition stuck in my throat.

"Thanks, honey." He kissed me on the head and left the room.

I wasn't alone a minute before Leslie and Gavin stormed the kitchen, Tara sleepily trailing after the mother and son.

"Good morning!" Leslie chirped.

"Morning," I replied, while Tara managed a "Harrumph".

"So," Leslie started, "Is it true that you're actually letting your mother throw that homecoming party?"

"Yeah," I answered slowly, then asked, "Why?"

"Just surprised," Leslie admitted. "I know that the party scene isn't your biggest priority."

"It'll make her happy and it'll feel like before, when I was always getting dragged to them." I shrugged. "I had to say 'yes' … It was the only answer, really."

"Wait," Tara interrupted, lifting up her head. "Your mom is throwing one of those fancy parties?"

I nodded.

Her eyes widened. "That's awesome."

"Really?" I responded, surprised that Tara would say that.

"Uh-huh," Tara nodded. "I've always wanted to go to one of those high-end parties and wear a fancy-ass dress. This is probably my only chance to really play dress up."

I grinned at the childish fantasy. "Well, I'll make sure you have one of the fanciest dresses there."

Tara smiled wildly. "And when is this going to be held?"

I shrugged. "Mother didn't tell me that part."

"Uh, either Friday or Saturday," Leslie informed Tara and I. When she caught me staring at her, she only responded, "What? Pamela tells me things."

I laughed at that. "All right, don't admit your girl crush on my mother."

Leslie pretended to be shocked. "How could you tell?"

Before I could respond, Mother herself bustled into my room.

"There you all are!" She cried. "I've been searching the house for you three!"

"You found us," I acknowledged.

"Your homecoming party is going to be on Friday night," Mother announced, "Which means we need to fetch gowns immediately."

Fetch gowns? The phrasing made me suspicious, so I narrowed my eyes at my mother.

Without noticing my expression, Mother ploughed ahead, saying, "I was thinking we'd leave as soon as everyone was dressed. You know, go shopping and such to find them."

"I can just wear something out of my closet," I volunteered. Shopping sounded a little exhausting.

"Oh, well, yes," Mother paused. "I just thought it might be nice to get out, do something, us girls. Your father has business meetings scattered throughout the day and I wanted to do something together."

Well, when she phrased it like that, how could I deny her?

"There's nothing wrong with a new dress," I said suddenly, bringing such joy to my mother's face that I regretted doubting the shopping trip.

"Wonderful!" Mother crowed. "Be ready in an hour!"

She swept away again.

"An hour?" Leslie repeated, then looked down at Gavin. "We have to get ready, baby."

And then it was just Tara and I.

"Sam," she breathed suddenly, "I can't afford one of those fancy dresses."

"Don't worry about it."

Instantly, she protested. "No, no. I can't let you –"

"Tara," I interrupted her, "It's okay."

Her lips twitched. "Thanks, Sam. I'll pay you back."

I didn't say anything. How could I explain to her that this was me, paying her back? She had been here with my parents, assisting them when I was gone. I was grateful to her and Leslie for being here when I wasn't; for holding my parents hands when I couldn't. If Tara wanted to feel like a princess on Friday night, then feel like a princess she would.

"Come on," I said to her, "We'd better go get ready."

Just over an hour later, we were almost at Mother's favourite dress shop. Idle chit chat and Gavin's snores were filling the car. I was lulled by the gentle atmosphere, which is why I wasn't expecting the agonizing, terrifying jolt that came along with Mother's question.

"Honey, have you heard from Gregor since you got back?"

I nearly threw up. The only thing I wanted from Gregor (or should I say Elliot?) was to throw something at him – like a brick – and not miss his giant head.

"No," I managed to say, trying to keep my cool. As far as my family knew, there was no such person as Elliot and Gregor was a nice boy who'd just happened to be dating me when I disappeared.

"How strange," Mother mused. "He kept checking in with us, more infrequently as time passed, but still. He was a nice boy, Samantha."

"He was," I muttered quietly.

Gregor had been a nice boy, before I'd seen the core that was Elliot. As soon as I thought this, my mind confronted me with this parallel: Phantom had been a nice boy, too, until I'd realized that it was Fenton all along.

I shook my head at myself, making a face at my own comparison. Elliot and Danny weren't on the same level, at all. Though it was true that both of them had caused me emotional pain and both of them had gotten me into a less than optimal position, Danny just didn't deserve the same kind of hate that Elliot did. Right after Danny had traumatized me; I might have thought that he deserved to be condemned to hell. Since then, I'd had a change of heart, though I wasn't sure exactly when that occurred.

I was torn from my muddled thoughts by Mother's announcement.

"Everybody out! It's time to shop!"

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

~TLL~