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Dessie was running late. She had been out busking again, making pocket change and the money she would use to buy Christmas gifts. She knew that Xander would prefer she stop playing her guitar for money, he gave her a weekly allowance which she avoided using whenever possible. It wasn't hers and she didn't earn it. Besides this way she would be able to keep any gifts secret. But now she was going to be late which led to questions which led to the same old discussion.

With a sigh the nearly seventeen year old, she had just over a week left until her birthday, shrugged deeper into her coat. The wind had turned icy as the last of the sun faded behind the tall city skyline. It was strange actually since the relative warmth of the day should have been trapped by the cement playground that was Destiny City but weather patterns in general were changing so what did she know.

Luckily it seemed the turning weather were driving people off the sidewalks, or maybe it was the rapidly darkening city. It didn't take a genius to know that staying out at night in this city is hazardous at night. That meant she didn't have to dodge so many people, it made walking a hell of a lot easier.

Dessie never did know what had her stopping to look in a shop window, what had drawn her gaze away from the bright Halloween display, or what had her spotting a large dark figure in the distance. She couldn't make out any identifying features, the figure stuck to the shadows but all the same she knew he was watching her. He was following her. She knew and for the first time in months she felt dread settle into her bones.

She knew who was following her. It was the same person who months earlier showed up again after years of no contact. It was her father. It had to be. Who else would be watching her… following her… tormenting her… and then leaving so she would always be looking over her shoulder. Waiting for the next time he appeared. Always watching. She wanted to scream out, ‘what do you want!’, she wanted to hit and punch him, she wanted to just curl into a ball and cry. But she didn't do any of that.

Nope, not at all.

She continued on her way, doing her best to act nonchalant but feeling more and more like a rabbit being stalked by a wolf. Her shoulders hunched more and she did her best to hid within the overlarge coat, her guitar case slung over her back acting as a shield against the hostile eyes she could feel on her.

Only once did she change her mind. Dessie stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, wincing when someone behind her nearly ran into her, the lady in the suit cursing her as she detoured around the immobile Dessie. With a curse of her own the blond spun on her heel and started to charge towards the shadow. She was no rabbit! She was not a child! Not anymore! She would not stand for being terrorized! She couldn’t! But even as the young blond build up her anger, shoring up the wall blocking out the fear, the shadow disappeared. It was gone. As if it had never been before.

A different chill ran down her spine. Fear washed over the wall of anger and smothered it along with her breath until she was gasping and shivering. The distant blare of a horn had her jumping. For the first time in a very long time she ran. Dessie pivoted on her heel once more and started to run down the sidewalk, panic nipping at her heels as every nightmare she ever had about her past and her present came back to haunt her. Every time she thought it was safe to slow down a glance behind her proved that the figure was back… he was hunting her. He would never let her go as long as she lived. As she rounded yet another corner she fumbled in her pocket for her keys, for once glad for the present Xander had given her last year.

The car chirped as she hit the key fob and she practically dived into the driver seat, tossing the battered guitar case into the passenger side seat. Its beaten and worn appearance looking absurd in the spotless interior of the new car. The doors locked behind her with a solid sounding thunk and for the first time since she spotted her ‘shadow’ Dessie could breath. It was like a weight was lifted from her chest, like the quiet interior of the nearly year old car was able to calm her down and restore the balance she fought hard for. She waited for her hands to stop shaking, watching the carpark entrance the entire time, no shadow appeared. No one was following her. No one knew where she was. And no one was coming after her!

Like the feeling she got months ago, Dessie shook it off. There was no way her father would have followed her to the city. There was no reason for it. It was more likely some negaverse trick to freak people out. Or some youma that had started to hunt her as prey but chose someone else. Still feeling a bit skittish Dessie tossed a quick text to Xander, several texts and missed calls needed some response, before slowly making her way home, every passing minute helping to calm her nerves and allowing her to center herself. She had just been imagining stuff. That was it. Nothing else. She did not have to worry about her father showing up. Last time was just her imagination as well so this time was just her stressing over something that didn’t even happen.

By the time she pulled into the driveway of the Jacobs house the blonde had once more contained her emotions. She was in control again and next time she wouldn’t be so freaked by some trick of the lighting. Now all she had to do was hope Xander was otherwise occupied since the car clock said it was nearly ten… way past dinner.