"Dawn! Your going to be late!" I heard dad banging on my door.

"Alright dad, I'm getting up," I moaned lifting myself up. Rubbing my eyes, I moved off the bed to the door. Walking into the empty hallway I could hear laughter in the dining room. "What's for breakfast?" I asked.

"Food, now come sit." Dad order pulling the seat out for me like he always did. I could hear mom shuffling around the kitchen. She called out to dad and like he always does he quickly went to her side. Never did my step dad leave her side. He was always there like a dog. Smirking dad came out of the kitchen holding two plates of eggs, bacon, and toast. Mom followed him with another plate of food and a pitcher of orange juice in hand.

"Marcus, don't forget to get the tree on your way home. I don't want to wait at the last minute."

"I didn't forget, honey," he smiled as he came in for a kiss.

Christmas was in a few weeks and it was mom's favourite holiday. Dad didn't care for the holidays unless it was Halloween. He liked the jack-o-lanterns, the costumes and the mischief filled nights. The whole thing. Last year he and I ran out of the house when mom was asleep and t-ped a couple homes in the neighbourhood. We even egged dad's boss' car.

"And Marcus while your out can you pick up that 'thing' at the store." She asked as he pulled her seat out for her.

"Yes. Do you need anything else while I'm out?" he asked taking a seat at the end of the table.

"Not that I can think of. I'll call you if I do," she smiled taking her fork of the table. Dad poured us juice as mom and I ate.

"Mom?"

"Yes baby?" She said swallowing her food.

"Do you think that when the baby is born that everything will be the same?"

She looked at dad and he looked at her. "Well," dad said. "No little one, not everything is going to be the same. For one thing your mom may stay fat."

"Marcus!" Mom shouted. She quickly slapped his shoulder as he smirked.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He repeated laughing.

"Geez." She said puffing her cheeks. Giggling I knew then that everything was going to be okay. Dad loved mom and she loved him. Every day the house was filled with laughter and joy. Even when that day came. Christmas eve was the day when mom ended up in the hospital.

That night it started with a scream and yelling. I got up to check on mom and dad was running all over the place. He was muttering to himself. Asking himself what he should do and were was the bag. "Dad?"

He stopped pacing around and stood in front of me. "Dawn." He was breathing heavily in panic. We looked at each other in silence until mom screamed dad's name. He jogged in place running his finger through his hair. "What do I do?"

Annoyed. "Go take her to the hospital." He glanced over to me. "Don't think, just do it." He gave me a serious face and nodded his head. Next thing I know he runs in their room and comes back out carrying her out of the room to the front door. Within seconds he had her in the car and heading to the hospital. "Idiot, you left me. You could think a little."

Walking up to the front door that was still opened, I waited a couple minutes by the door for him to get me. I sighed with a smile. "Well that's okay." I thought. Placing my hand on the door. I was ready to shut it until I saw a black figure standing in the middle of the road looking down the road. At the direction that dad was heading. Watching this person, he slowly moved his head towards my direction. Slowly taking a deep breath I shut the door, locked, and stared at it until I could breath again.

Three hours later I was sitting on the couch watching TV. With a blanket coving my small body I watched the fireplace in the TV that played Christmas music. Dad always played this before any of us got up. He would make breakfast and when it was time to get up, he would wake me first. Cover me with kisses and then we would sneak in his room to wake mom with kisses. But this Christmas was different. Now it was one o'clock I was alone. The house is scary and that person, I can't get him out of my head.

Many times I wanted to go to the window and see if he was there. But I was too afraid that he would be there, waiting. Bringing the blanket closer to myself I felt a shiver run down my back. When are they getting back? Adjusting myself on the couch, the door knob jiggled. Sitting up I waited for whoever it was to come in. In all my heart I hoped it was not that stranger. The door cracked open a little as I held my breath. Getting ready to scream.

"I'm...a... father." My step dad's voice said from the other side of the door. Letting himself in. All the fear that had built inside was gone. Dad wobbled towards me as I move over so he could sit. He looked shocked with his mouth opened and eyes that were dumbfounded. "I'm a father." He sighed with a smile.

"What am I, chopped liver?" I asked.

"I'm sorry. It's just that I never knew I would ever be a daddy." He looked at me with a gently smile and a twinkle in his eyes.

Annoyed, "So I don't count right?" crossing my arms I looked at the fake fireplace.

"Dawn I didn't mean it that way. It's just that..."

"I'm not your daughter. That's why."

Taking me in a big hug he lifted me up onto his lap. "You will always be my daughter. No if, ands or buts. No matter how you feel, I will always be your father. And no one else." Resting my head on his chest I wanted to cry a little.

"What about my real dad?" I asked.

"What about him?" He rested his cheek on my head.

"Do you know what he's like? Did he ever wanted me? Does he love me like you and mom do?" pulling myself away from him to see his face. I saw pain in his eyes.

"Dawn, its best that you never know that man." He muttered with his head down.

"Why?"

"He's a bad man Dawn. He has done things that I cannot tell you. I even have a hard time handling the information that I know about him... So please forget about him." Lifting his head up tears came streaming down.

"Did he hurt you?" I whispered placing both my hands on either side of this cheeks.

"And more." He whispered.

***

Bang!

Waking from the pain in my chest from being startled I hear a voice. "Shit." He hiss.

"Connor?" lifting myself up, I forgot the pain that I had. Placing my hand on my stomach I took a deep breath. Letting my eye adjust to the darkness I saw Connors frame. "What are you doing?"

"Go back to sleep. I only came to check on you."

"How are you feeling?" I watched him move around the darkroom.

"You're asking me that? You should be worried about yourself. I almost killed you!" he yelled.

"No it wasn't you. It was the flower," I leaned in.

"Flower? What have I done to you." He leaned on the wall followed by a light bang. Pulling the blanket away I swung my legs off the bed. Letting my toes touch the floor I got and walked over to turn on the light switch.

"The Queen of Night." I smiled. "The flower here, causes people to have dreams that become reality." Wobbling to the flowers, River gave me I pulled out the black tulip. "You bite a petal and make a wish. Like if you wanted someone dead. You wish it and the dream kills that person by dreams. This may have been used to kill those other girls. And because you were close to them it was easy to blame you for what happened." I smiled from ear to ear. "See! You didn't do it. Now we have to find the person that made the wish."

"Stop it Dawn." He ordered.

"Whoever did this has something against you. Don't you see?"

"Enough!" he yelled. A gust of wind came at me as Connor was now in front of me gripping my arms to my side. "I don't want to hear you childish lies. I told you to forget it. You said that you knew nothing! Why?"

"I want..." I whispered. Holding back tears.

"Stop wanting!" he shocked me violently, letting me go I slammed against the computer desk. "It's over Dawn. Stop thinking about me and start thinking about yourself." Disappearing, I was left in the room by myself again. Stupid vampire speed. I came here to help. I came here for you... Connor. Why can't you see that? Gripping the flower in my hand I throw it at the door.

"Fine! Don't believe me. You'll find out in the end!" I yelled hoping that he heard me.