When they were both inside, and the front door was securely closed, Demitri finally spoke.

"T, I'm really sorry that you can't go to the dance." He said, not sounding sorry at all.

"Yeah yeah whatever." Tara said, as she walked to the kitchen for a snack. "You're the one who told dad about when I saw Peace at the park. And it was a freakin coincidence!"

"Was the second time a coincidence then?" Her brother said, following her to the kitchen. "You know why we don't talk to him. You know what his dad did."

"The hell I do!" Tara said angrily, turning around to her brother. "Demitri, dad lied to us! He's been lying to us for the past 10 years! Maybe longer! Who knows anymore!"

"Tara, what are you talking about?" Demitri said with a completely serious face. "You're sounding delusional."

"No, Demitri!" she continued yelling, "I'm not delusional, you're just obviously too much of an idiot kiss-ass to see the truth! Mom's dead Demitri! She has been for 10 years! Dad just keeps up the illusion! You know he can do it and so do I!"

"But T, why would dad waste his energy on that? He went inactive after the defeat by Baron Battle." Demitri said, trying to play dumb. His thoughts however were saying differently. He obviously didn't bother with his shield today. That, or Tara's anger was forcing her past it.

"Fuck off Demitri. I don't want to hear your lies anymore. Or dad's." Tara said calmly as she went up to her room and slammed the door.

The first thing she did when she got in her room was to hurl a huge fire ball out her window and into the swimming pool below, vaporizing most of the water in it. Having vented some of her frustration out, she then turned her iPod up as far as it would go and played the loudest music she could find, drowning out the world around her.

After a few minutes, a boy climbed quietly through Tara's bedroom window. Tara was still laying on her bed, eyes closed, and music blaring. The boy quietly walked over, careful to not make much noise to attract any one else in the house, and tapped Tara on the shoulder. The girl on the bed sat up and immediately flamed up her hand before realizing who it was.

"Geez Warren! How the hell did you get in here?!" she whispered, putting her hand out and pulling out a headphone.

"You're window. I saw the pool half destroyed and decided to see what was up." Warren whispered back. "there's one of those vine-ladder things so I climbed up. Your brother didn't even see me."

"Who the fuck even cares anymore." Tara said, leaning against her bedroom wall, clearly still pissed off.

"You confronted him then?" Warren asked, sitting on the bed beside her, as she rested her head on his shoulder, allowing him to put his arm around her shoulder.

"Yeah, I told him I was tired of their lies and then he still tried to cover for dad." She explained. "I even told him that mom was dead."

"How did that one go over?" Warren asked, rubbing her shoulder in a comforting way.

"Didn't believe me, of course." She said with a sigh. "Why would he? Dad probably told him I hit my head or some shit."

"Wow, you are full of profanity when you're mad aren't you?" Warren said.

"Shut up." she replied, trying not to smile, and playfully pushing him. "I'm not cussing too badly."

"You know I'm just playing." Warren said smiling and kissing Tara on the forehead, causing her to blush.

"Remind me why I hated you again?" Tara said, trying to hide the small grin on her face.

"Something about my dad was a murderous bastard that tried to kill your dad." Warren said, in a clearly joking tone.

"Those words never came out of my mouth thank you." Tara replied. Looking over at her neighbor.

"I know, I was just teasing Langley." He said as he kissed her softly on the lips. Just then, a pair of headlights trailed into the window.

"Damn it. Dad is back. You have to go." Tara said as she stood up.

"I'll talk to you later okay?" Warren said. Tara nodded in response, as Warren tilted up her chin to kiss her again.

"Be careful okay?" Tara said as the boy lowered himself onto the vine-ladder on the side of the house.

"Will do." He said as he went out of view. Tara then put headphones in with the music turned down low enough that she could still hear talking, and began heading downstairs when she had seen Warren had made it to his yard.

When she got downstairs, Tara decided to at least attempt to talk her father into letting her out of the house. She really didn't want to miss the homecoming dance, even if she had no date. Hopefully the old approach she'd always used would work this time. Sometimes there were perks to being "Daddy's Little Girl".

"Dad?" She called when she reached the living room, "Daddy?"

"Kitchen Christine." Her father's voice called flatly.

'Great, he used the middle name instead.' She thought, realizing that he must still be upset. She was rarely ever called Christine. 'This might be harder than I thought.'

"I have something to tell you." He said in the same flat tone as before.

"Yes dad?" Tara responded curiously. He didn't sound angry, but that was the only time that her middle name had ever been used.

"I am leaving the house for a week." He stated as he began pacing. "Your mother and I will be going on vacation and trusting the two of you with the responsibility of caring for the house. We feel you are both mature enough to do this. Are we correct in thinking so?"

"Yeah dad. Of course." Tara said very confused.

"Good." he said, breaking out of the flat tone and back to his normal one. "And to show how much I trust you with this, I'm going to let you go to homecoming like you wanted."

"R-really? Just like that?" Tara asked, now both shocked and confused. It was strange that her father was just letting this go. Even more strange that he was 'going on vacation'. She wondered what exactly he was up to.

"Yes sweetie, just like that." He replied, now sounding a little more himself. Though it still sounded forced, "Is there a reason I shouldn't?"

"No, no dad. Its fine." Tara replied. "Thanks. Um, dad?"

"Yes Tara?" He said as he went to the refrigerator to get sandwich ingredients.

"Where are you and mom going exactly?" She asked, wondering what excuse he would use. "You know just in case we have an emergency."

"You can just call my cell phone. We'll be straight back if you need us." He said, avoiding the actual question.

"Oh, okay." Tara said, not surprised at the detour.

"Here, go get some things for the dance. I think your mom's old dress is in the attic, it'll look wonderful on you." He said with a smile as he handed her his credit card and ate his sandwich.

"Thanks Daddy." Tara said, giving her dad a hug and dashing up the stairs towards the attic.