Her eyes opened to be greeted by the comfortable sight of her room; lazily glancing over to her window surprised when she saw Vlad sitting in a chair his eyes closed. She went to speak, but nothing came out of her mouth and she held her throat wincing in pain feeling gauze wrapped around it. Slowly she inched over to the side of her bed getting up, vision blurring for a moment, carefully walking over to Vlad tugging a blanket onto him a smile spreading across her lips gently. She shifted to her heels spinning around on them gently beginning to leave as Vlad grabbed her wrist gently catching her off guard pulling her back to him. His eyes were glazed over slightly with sleep as he smiled gently in her direction looking up to her with his blue eyes. She slowly went back to his side smiling gently sitting down next to him on the floor head resting against the side of the chair eyes fluttering closed when he began to pet her head gently. Quietly she sat next to him listening to him breathe, dozing off a little later snapping awake an hour later finding him sound asleep in the chair, the blanket she wrapped around him now slung across her shoulders grabbing onto it moving away from him heading out into the house smiling. She made her way downstairs searching for the kitchen still a little lost even after a few weeks of living there, jumping at the sound of the doorbell ringing heading over to the large front doors smiling at the thought of helping Vlad out; opening the door standing there in slight shock as the Fenton's stood outside. A grin appeared on her face looking at the family noticing everyone to be there, smile growing larger seeing a slightly annoyed looking Danny who didn't notice her yet.
" Danny..?"
The boy looked up to his friend a smile appearing on his face pushing his sister aside to hug Dakota having her hug him back tightly, Vlad groggily walking down the main staircase looking at the two intertwined kids. She pulled back slightly to look at her old friend who looked at her in relief him, noticing the older man standing behind her before she did stepping aside for him to let the family in, Danny's father getting left outside. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks as she watched her friend take notice in the Packers themed things watching him intently dragging him away with her to show him to her room. Once away from the adults and Danny's sister Dakota looked over to her friend seeing worry in his eyes. Her head tilted slightly in confusion flinching when he reached out to touch her bandaged neck turning her gaze away finding interest in the floor. She didn't know how she would be able to tell him the truth it hurt her to lie to him, but she had to in case he didn't believe her. Her eyes flickered towards his grabbing his hand gently pulling him further into her room, then breaking away from him jogging over to the stereo system turning on the music letting it fill her room, but quiet enough to keep Vlad from telling her to turn it down, hopping over to her friend taking his hands in her. She smiled as he chuckled getting the hint beginning to dance with her to the music laughing with her as they danced around hand in hand. Her eyes were aglow as they spun around dancing wildly to the music feeling light on her feet as she twirled around smiling when he grabbed her hand to make sure she didn't fall over. She laughed resting her head on his shoulder listening to him laugh above her shaking her head slightly looking up to him softly, a coy smile on her face looking into his gentle blue eyes. He rested his forehead against hers with a smile on his face looking into her blue and green eyes sighing gently at her heterochromia iridum finding it fascinating, wondering if they would change to the opposite color is she was to get ghost powers like he did. Her smile faltered slightly seeing that he was thinking deeply about something backing away, worry bubbling up in her stomach having it melt away when he wrapped his arms around her waist focusing back on her pulling her into a tight hug resting his head on the top of hers. She blinked a few times, eyes softening closing them shut tightly holding back tears hugging him back just as tightly pushing her face into his chest stifling a small laugh filled with hurt, looking up to him gently a smile on her lips. He pulled away at the sound of the door opening Vlad poking his head in.
" Dakota it's almost time for dinner," he cooed to her gently glancing to Danny slightly looking back to her.
" Okay Vlad we'll be down in a few minutes."
She sighed out gently when he left running fingers through her hair brushing it over to one side looking at Danny softly shaking her head laughing once again; her face stayed in a smile for the rest of the night happy to see her friend again.
With a gentle gasp Dakota woke up in the middle of the night her heart pounding in her chest neck burning. Slowly she rose to her feet wobbling out of her room into the hallway, rubbing her eyes making her way down the hallway jumping when she sees a boy plummet to the floor from the doors of the library rushing over, she gasps gently looking to Danny lying on the floor in pain. Flinching she glances over to Plasmius who hovered in the doorway eyeing Danny, hands glowing a light pink. Her eyes widen as he moves to attack him throwing herself on top of the boy the older ghost being taken aback by her abrupt movements.
" Plasmius don't hurt him please," she whined softly looking up to him sadly.
" Little one move out of the way," he barked quietly at her making sure not to wake up anyone else.
She shook her head crouched over the boy looking up to the ghost sadly, not noticing Danny was awake staring at her with awe for standing up to such a powerful ghost as well as not getting attacked by him. Slowly she moved to her feet to block him watching as the older ghost settled to his feet, walking over to the girl taking her cheek gently in his hand sighing out softly at her determination and dedication. Her eyes shifted to the floor widening when she felt him shift his breath fanning over her neck gulping thickly flinching as he moved closer to her. She bit her lip knowing what was going to come next hoping that Danny was out, but unaware he was watching the whole scene unfold as the older ghost sank his teeth into her neck, through the bandages, the air ringing with a sickening snap of the skin the boy's face instantly paling at the sight. Dakota's eyes closed head falling limp rolling to the side as the ghost feasted pain shooting throughout her neck. Her eyes opened when she heard the boy's choked yell at the other her eyes shifting to him as the boy lifting into the air, turning into the white haired ghost right before her eyes. Plasmius' attention snapped away from the girl's throat to the floating younger halfa in front of him snarling blood staining his mouth down to his chin the girl grasped in his arms. The boy raised his hand having it light up with a soft green glow charging up his power, the older halfa snarling at the younger one daring to attack him the girl whimpering in his arms, bringing his attention back to her eyes softening slightly Vlad coming back in control looking at the now unconscious girl sadly. He nuzzled her gently glancing to the boy pulling her closer to his chest licking her neck gently brushing away the blood knowing he would have to wrap her up once more. Snorting he swept her off her feet spinning on his heels walking away from the boy, feeling him follow watching him closely for the girls sake phasing through the door of one of the bathrooms, watching him begin to patch up the girl knocking the boy out hard enough to make him forget a few minutes not wanting to expose Dakota to the ghost zone and all of its horrors.
Dakota woke up a little groggy blue eyes staring at her, not really focusing on what was in her room with her more curious why she was hurting all over. Her eyes pushed open, focusing on the older man that was sitting next to her watching her with a worried expression changing when he saw that she was waking up.
" Good morning little badger how did you sleep?" he questioned gently.
" Why do I ache all over Vlad?" she asked not remembering anything from the previous night the older halfa relieved.
" You tripped down one of the staircases, luckily I was still up and heard you little badger you got quite banged up."
She nodded the best she could smiling softly as he brushed back her hair cupping her cheek slightly before pulling his hand away.
" You won't have to be downstairs tonight okay, you can rest up."
Her heart dropped a little but she nodded anyway deep in her gut wanting to stay with Vlad for the night and be showed off to his former colleges sighing gently closing her eyes. He shifted next to her pulling away from her as she opened her eyes watching him leave something in her squirming around in her stomach. Fear? No. Worry? Not that. Disappointment. She nodded to herself curling up in her blankets the word sinking into her mind holding back tears as it ricocheted around in her head. A disappointment to Vlad to her friends to Danny to everyone. Her hope slowly drained from her body leaving her a tired shell once more eyes staring lazily at the wall pain replacing any other emotion for the moment.
The day passed into the night as Dakota kept herself shut up in her room, flinching as people began to scream from down below in the party room causing her to shoot to her feet running out into the hallway towards the room, not caring if her head pounded. People pushed past her in fear as she squirmed into the room seeing how much of a wreck it had become; Danny's father floating around in the air. She watched him from the doorway as he scared everyone out of the room his head turning to her stopping, slowly floating down in front of her Plasmius emerging from Jack's body walking to her pulling her into his arms. The people ran away in shock and fear as the halfa hugged her tightly, creating a shield around them, a blast bouncing off of it from one of the ghost weapons brought from the Fenton's. She stood there a little stunned herself looking to the ghost gently wrapping her arms around his back slowly returning the loving gesture head resting on his chest. Her eyes flickered up to his seeing him wink to her the shield falling down watching him pull away from her, standing in front of her protectively hand behind his back a small shield forming in front of her as he was blasted in the chest beginning to melt right in front of her the pink shield holding its form till the ooze disappeared looking to the floor where the ghost had just vanished, glancing over to the Fenton's who cheered for their victory her stomach twisting jogging away from the scene hearing Danny's cries for her ignoring them. locking herself away in a room collapsing to her knees pain aching throughout her chest. Tears rolled down her cheeks sniffling as she curled up on the cool tile shaking in grief wishing she could've done something to help him since he saved her. One word raced through her head. Failure. Failure. Failure. She quieted down after a few minutes listening to everyone leave, hoping Vlad wouldn't find her like this keeping quiet, but continuing to cry. Nothing could hold back her tears the salty liquid clouding her eyes, ears ringing with a voice calling for her. Slowly her head raised from the cold tile staring lazily at the older halfa that had burst into the small room to look for the girl his heart dropping at the sight of her broken and crying on the floor. He practically trusted himself to his knees in front of her, scooping her up gently in his arms cradling her in his arms her head pressed up against his chest, tears soaking into his suit.
" It's okay little badger I'm here, I'm here…" he muttered holding her tightly to his chest.