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((By 'magical' she means she has my phone numbers and will call me at all hours of the night on a school night unless I get my rear in gear...))

However, Ialo was to be disappointed, for the only one inside the room was Addie Harper, swinging her feet absently along the side of the bed. When Ialo suddenly appeared, since she was still somewhat under Eldest's brainwash, she merely smiled, curling her feet under her.

"Hello there, mister. Are you another one of Daddy's friends?" She asked, her eyes dark and glassy, her expression pleasant and just a bit confused, as though she didn't know where she was or what was going on. And, of course, she didn't.

"...I'm Addie, Addie Harper. Who're you?" She asked, smiling softly, then for the first time seemed to notice the anger in his eyes, on his face.

"Did I...do something wrong?" She asked, blinking in confusion.

"Of course. Did we move again, then? We're always moving, you know, but I always seem to be sleeping. This doesn't look like Montana, or Australia." She said, and was relieved when her brain stopped being clouded as Eldest's brainwash was removed for the moment, though of course she didn't know that.

When he sat beside her, she looked into his eyes, and for just a moment she froze, her gaze locked on his.

A large room, with tension so thick it could be cut with a knife. There were accusing voices, angry slaps, disappointed eyes. She wished she could curl up in a ball and just disappear. But then he came to her rescue. He'd been taking care of her in one way or another since she'd come here, and now he was saving her from her father's wrath. A kind, patient voice with temper just under the surface, carefully controlled. He would make it all ok again, he'd make them see reason. She owed him for more than he could ever possibly know. He was her light in the darkness, her one hope for sanity in this stupid, stupid world. She looked at him, and she called him Headmaster.

With a start she jerked herself back, and gave him a confused smile, shivering just a little. "You look like someone I saw in a dream once. He was a teacher of some sort or...something. I'm sorry, I have a horrible memory. Do you know me, or did I..." Without warning, her eyes went glassy again, and dull, and a man appeared in the corner, coming over to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Not just yet, darling, not yet. It'll be too much for you just now." He murmured, and then Eldest, leader of all the Ancients, looked into Ialo's eyes and smiled.

"You forget, young Dragon, that I've seen her soul stripped down to nothing. I looked, and I was shown just exactly what she could handle. The way she is right now, too much at once would break her. She had nothing but good, respectful, even grateful memories of you, though. You did right by her, in every way you could. She felt she owed you for that, and had she not had so many other things crowding her mind, she'd have been one of your most loyal aquaintances. When she trusts, after all, she trusts absolutely. But of course, you'd know that." Eldest smiled, settling down on the bed so that Danni was between the two men.

"You're quite bright, young Ialo. I've wanted to meet the man who could motivate her to try and control what she was. She didn't want to let you of all people down, when you seemed to hold so much faith in her. She worried quite a bit about not letting you down when you'd given her a second chance. And, in a second-hand way, you gave her Cook, as well. You were her...let's say her third father. The responsible one, whereas Cook is the indulgent one and Sylvester the biological father. I've wanted to thank you personally, when the time was right, for being there physically when I could only remain on the sidelines." He bowed his head once, briefly, in respect and thanks, a rare concession for him.

Eldest ran his hand over Danni's hair, smiled back when she grinned blankly at him, unaware of anything much.

"You can't blame yourself, for any of that. In fact, you were one of the reasons she didn't take that jump earlier on. She didn't want to let you down by giving up the life you'd given her. She thought you'd realize, once she ended her own life, how weak she really was, how unworthy of your confidence. But in the end, she decided she'd rather just end it than gradually lose yours and other peoples' respect by failing in life. If she was going to fail you, she only wanted to do it once. And in the back of her mind...she hoped you'd be so offended by her actions that you'd write her off entirely and not mourn. She didn't want anyone to suffer, she just wanted to be able to...be at peace. A young girl's mind and heart can only stand so much abuse." He let out a sigh, taking the girl's hand in his own as she stared blankly ahead, a half smile on her face.

"If there's something you wish to tell her, you can do so now. If you direct something directly at her when she's in this state, she'll remember it, no matter what. And she'll know. Just seeing you triggered a memory in her mind, after all. They're coming back to her, in bits and pieces, small doses that she can handle until they form a whole. She's already relived her death, and it seems she can cope with the way things ended, since its like she's watching a movie of someone else's life. It's only when she realizes that it's her own that we'll have to worry." He assured him, and to demonstrate, Eldest tilted Danni's head up with his fingertips, meeting her gaze.

"Addie, your father named Sly gave you your favorite blue ribbons for Christmas, and you were so very, very happy." He paused, and as her eyes cleared, temporarily free of his control, and she truly smiled, turning to Ialo.

"Mr. Ialo, have I showed you my ribbons? My father gave them to me, but not...not Salem Daddy, Sly...They're blue and black..." Even as she spoke, she got an image of a tall, dark man in her head, eyes mildly disapproving one minute, full of patient amusement another time. Such a contradiction, and still her love for him made her want to reach out for him if only once.

She blinked, and the thought was gone, and then her eyes went glassy, back under control.

"Anything can trigger a memory, good or bad. Small doses, like I said. So go ahead and speak. I can leave the room if you'd like." He offered, running a hand over Danni's hair again.

At his words, a hypnotized Danni smiled, reaching forward, as though touching something only she could see. "Pretty dragons. Flying makes you free..." She murmured before falling silent, her eyes remaining blank the whole time.

At his touch, Danni froze, her eyes widening in instantaneous fear as she cringed back.

In her mind, she saw a huge dark dragon crawling out of the very pits of hell, its sharp tail swinging towards her, catching her in the stomach and slamming her back. Then the scene switched, and there was a three headed Hell dragon now, staring at her in hatred and annoyance.

"No, no, it's scary. Daddy, it's scary down there. The hell dragons are scary, Daddy, help me. I don't want to fight anymore hell dragons." She whimpered, cringing away from the memory.

Eldest nodded, understanding, and took Danni's hand, placing it back in Ialo's. Focus all your energy into your hand, pass it to her so she understands." He commanded while Danni's dark eyes jerked from one side of the room to the other, searching for an unseen enemy.