Chapter 21

Chione woke up in the Medical Bay again with Skulduggery beside her.
"What time is it?" She asked sleepily
"It's just about 10am" He said.
"Wow, i've been out for ages, it was around 6pm when i went under, right?"
"Yeah, about that. It took about 3 hours to get your father out of the way, he kept trying to keep us out. Then when we finally got clear it took a couple of hours to put in a level 4 barrier. We're starting to work on a level 5 in case he gets through." Skulduggery explained.
"Thank you for trying so hard to protect me, Skulduggery, you're a really good friend." And she hugged him.
"My pleasure, Miss Asahina, That's what we do."
She smiled and got out of her covers.
"Where's Dexter?"
"He went home to keep his distance, remember? we need to check if the barrier works."
"But if it does, how will we know?"
"Well, i think you'll still hear your father's voice as a whisper, but it won't hurt anymore, and it won't be strong enough to control you, or that's what we're hoping for at least. Otherweise there is no telling but i'll say to give it till the ball. I won't keep you and Dexter apart there, I assume you're coming?" he tilted his head.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
"Good, i'll probably not see you until then. Apparently Tanith and Valkyrie want to go out on the 24th in the afternoon and get make-up and girly things. I'm staying far away, i'm not being the driver again." He tilted his hat towards her and walked out.
Chione gave a little laugh and thought she would practice her dancing before she met with Ghastly in the throne room. She danced around the room a couple of times then left the Medical Bay. Ghastly was setting up music when she walked in, he turned round and smiled.
"What are you doing here? I thought you were meant to be resting."
"But yet here you are, setting up the music like you expected to see me." She smiled, Ghastly chuckled. They met in the centre of the room and practiced the waltz before Ghastly moved on to the more complicated dances which she picked up fairly quickly. She had learned 3 new dances in the 2 hours they were there before he got called away again.
"You're a natural", he said as he left, "just keep practising, see you tomorrow."
"Bye!" she said cheerfully. She sat down and thought about the ball, imagining all the beautiful gowns and how wonderfully everyone will dance as they have had years of experience. She smiled and left. She decided to try and walk home. She had the next two days to do what she wanted. She walked out of the sanctuary into the cool Winter afternoon, hair flying backwards in the breeze. This made her smile more, she loved the wind. It made her feel alive even though she couldn't feel the cold of it, a tear came to her eye from the force of it. She raised her arms and made it snow as she walked through a park. It was completley empty, whcih was weird for this time of day. She danced and swirled around with the wind and the snow as her hair was whipped back and forth.
"You really are beautiful, you know that?" said a man from behind her. She stopped her dance and grinned. She turned around and Dexter was smiling at her dressed in jeans, army jacket and scarf.
"Dexter!" She ran towards him and hugged him tightly. He laughed and lifted her up then put her back down.
"I thought you were supposed to keep your distance?" She said against his chest.
"I couldn't, not from you. Especially when you were dancing like that." Dexter held her head with one hand and her waist with the other.
"Ghastly is teaching me how to dance for the ball." Shw pulled away and smiled up at him.
"Lucky him" He smiled.
She blushed and looked around, still empty.
"I wasn't going to go to the ball, but i'll definectly have to go now" Dexter said, touching a hand to her cheek.
"Why is that? she said as she turned to face him.
"To try out your beautiful dancing skills of course."
She laughed, "Dance with Ghastly then."
"Nah,i've danced with himso many times already,it gets boring after a while. You're muchbetter anyway fromwhat i saw."
She looked around again and people were suddenly walking round the park. Dexter followed her gaze and smiles. "Want to go to my place?"
She instantly snapped her head backto him with a shocked expressionon her face."What?"
"Do you want to come to my apartment? you keep checking that no one is watching you, don't you?"
"Y-yes.."
He smiles and took her hand, leading her to his apartment which was practically round the corner.