As Charming as a Snake ((Stephen))

[Dakota Fox S6]

"Mum, really." Dakota placed her slender hands on her hips, her lips forming a pout. "Just because Lucas isn't coming back to Hogwarts with me any more doesn't mean I can't look after myself. I'm in fifth year not first year. God." Rolling her bright blue eyes with obvious irritation, she flicked a perfectly manicured fingernail at the doors of one of the carriages. Dakota was just in time for boarding, having been slowed down by almost forgetting her all-important pad of scented rose parchment. They had had to race back to the London mansion to find it before setting off for King's Cross once more. "Just put it on there, daddy." Flashing her father a sweet smile, Dakota gave her equally short mother a brief kiss on the cheek, hugged her father, and then ascended the steps to stand by her trunk on the train. "I'll write if I need anything. Bye!" Waving at them one more time, Dakota turned, grabbed her trunk, and disappeared down the corridor. She smirked. "Thank God they're out of my hair." Smiling in satisfaction to herself, Dakota began searching for a compartment. She dropped her heavy trunk to the floor after just a few strides and began kicking it along. "I refuse to break a nail," she muttered in disgust under her breath. "This is a man's job, for God's sake."

After searching about half the Express, Dakota came to the conclusion that not a single compartment was free or containing anyone worthy of sharing her company with. She had, though, bumped into Dennis and Andy, two boys in her house and year who worshipped her very feet. "Hiya boys! Could you please take care of my trunk for me? It's just so heavy and I'm completely worn out from carrying it. You two are so strong. I'd be ever so grateful." And that had done it, along with a bit of battering of the mascara-filled eyelashes. Dakota had ooed and aahed as Dennis and Andy had obediently taken her trunk and put it in a safe compartment, and when they were done she was at the sweet talking again. "Oh thank you so much. You two are darlings. You'll take my trunk off the Express for me when we get there, won't you? Great. See you later!" Now Dakota didn't have to carry around that annoying thing with her. Still smiling and looking pleased with herself, she carried on down the rest of the moving train. If she couldn't find an empty compartment then she'd go back and kick those second year Ravenclaws out of theirs. Dakota wouldn't stand to share with someone.

However, she changed her mind when she saw a lone figure in one compartment near the end of the Express. A delighted, vindictive smile curled at her lips as she recognised the somewhat familiar face. Yes. With Stephen Donahue, Dakota could probably get the best of both worlds. He was sitting alone, and although normally she wouldn't deign such insignificant people the right to enter her personal space, this Slytherin boy was someone she was very interested in. This was definitely a chance to corner Donahue alone and see if she could worm anything out of him - test him to see if those rumours about him were accurate. Dakota had heard quite a lot about him and she was too nosy, too curious, to let this opportunity go. Plus, Donahue was such a dark, silent boy; they were always fun to mess with. Dakota liked a good challenge of a game. And yes, it was the best of both worlds for her, because eventually there was no doubt that he would get so fed up with her questioning and flirting that he'd leave. That would leave Dakota with a compartment to herself. What a fantastic plan. "You rock, D," she praised herself aloud with a proud smirk before pushing the compartment door open without even knocking.

"Why hello, you," she began loudly with a charming smile, stalking into the small space bar reservations. "Mind if I join you? Of course not." Dakota didn't even bother sitting opposite Donahue; she plunked herself right next to him, sliding her arm against his and batting her eyes up at him. In all honesty the Slytherin wasn't bad looking at all; he just needed a cooler haircut. "You're Stephen Donahue, aren't you? I've heard all about you, Stephen. I haven't seen you for... what is it, two years now? You were in the year above me, right? Where have you been all this time? You haven't been a naughty boy, have you?" She winked and slipped her hand onto his knee, barely stopping for breath. "I hear you're going to be in my year. How wonderful! You look surprised - don't be, darling. I've got contacts, you see; my daddy's really famous in the Ministry. So's my brother, actually. They're both called Roland and they hear all sorts, meaning I hear all sorts." A beautiful, charming smile. "My name's Dakota Fox, it's lovely to meet you at last. You've probably heard of me. My family's rather well known, if I must say so myself. If you ever have any problems this year you know where to find me. Or maybe I'll just come find you. The girls can always access the guys' dorms, after all, and since we're both in the wonderful house of Slytherin I think keeping in contact is going to be quite easy, don't you?"

[Stephen Donahue S7]

Form pulled slowly out of the muggle car he’d been forced into so he could get to King’s Cross Station. He was escorted not by his mother…no she had hardly spoken to him over the last year…he was escorted by one of the healers at St. Mungos. Maggie was her name and she’d been one of the healers that were certain that Stephen could handle finishing school. He’d been more unsure of himself than she had, but Stephen kept that bit to himself as he forced himself to breathe deep. He was not thrilled about being amongst muggles today. The anger surged through him and it was only from the light touch on his back from Maggie that he remembered what he was supposed to be doing, his eyes faltering from her face to the ground as his teeth clamped together. This was ridiculous, he couldn’t do this…if just being here was trying his patience how could he possibly go back to Hogwarts.

“Because if you don’t go back you’ll be denying yourself the opportunity to help others, to be the person you were meant to become,” she said knowing exactly what he’d been thinking. His eyes glanced up at her, his mouth opened to object, but the sound of a train’s arrival cut him short and he simply nodded in response. Maggie smiled at him as he gave up, moving off to get him a trolley to stow his stuff on. It was only a few seconds she returned and they maneuvered the trunk onto the flat base and placed the rest of the items on top, leaving London to take her place last on top of the boxes. He glanced over at Maggie as she nodded and smiled. “You’ll be fine. Before you know it you’ll be coming back and maybe your mother will even pick you up from here instead of me.” Stephen didn’t want to get his hopes up as he shook his head. “That’d be a miracle in itself,” he said simply before he turned from the healer who’d been his friend for the last year and slipped through the train station, hands clenching tight to the bar of the trolley, knuckles turning white as he glimpse muggle after muggle.

Stephen mumbled to himself as he moved around them, wanting to run a few of them over just to sate his need for vengeance, however he controlled himself…if only barely. His saving grace came in the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Without a sideway glance, without even waiting to see if a muggle was watching him, he walked through the wall onto platform 9 ¾. This was definitely more bearable than being with the muggles, though he couldn’t be sure that some of the students and parents standing near him weren’t muggles or mudbloods themselves. He recoiled at the thought as he pushed his way through the crowded platform pulling his stuff from the trolley and loading it onto the train, simply just leaving the trolley where he had stopped it before climbing into the train, London in front of him as he pulled his trunk behind. He found the first empty compartment and slipped inside, stowing his trunk up top and pulling London free from her cage. “Take this letter to mum and meet me at Hogwarts,” he said handing her the parchment, which she grabbed with her beak just before taking off out the window of the train, and back toward his old home right there in London.

With that Stephen sat, staring out the window as always, hearing the soft murmurings of anyone that happened to take a peak into his compartment. Let them mutter, he thought to himself as the train finally began to move. Finally…he wouldn’t have to worry about some student’s urge to sit and talk with him, or stare at him for that matter. He had no idea of the rumors that were going on about him nor did he care to know. The silence was rejuvenating and a part of him didn’t abhor the thought of going back to Hogwarts…not until the quick sound of the compartment door slid open and a devastatingly cheery voice addressed him.

Hazel orbs flickered from the blurry surrounding outside the window to the somewhat familiar girl that had placed herself right in the middle of him, well not quite, but close enough that he couldn’t even fit a toothpick between them. Stephen’s brow twitched up at the girl as she suddenly started yammering on and on. She didn’t seem to know how to stop talking, let alone listen to what he had to say if she even cared. Eyes slid over her…she seemed to be a rather selfish beauty and beauty would be the correct term for her, but Stephen had seen better looking. Finally she seemed to come to a conclusion with an introduction too. Wonderful, I wonder if she’ll shut up now. The introduction didn’t mean anything to Stephen. He still didn’t know who she was although she swore up and down he should…though he briefly remembered her father’s name, thinking that he may have been on the counsel over a year ago when he’d be taken in. He had also been one of the members that were insistent on keeping him in Azkaban if he remembered correctly. When she was finally finished, he forced a smile as his hand dislodged hers from his leg, pulled himself up and away from her and took a seat across from her. “Let’s get a few things straight….Dakota, if we’re going to be sharing this compartment for the rest of the trip. First, I prefer my personal space to be quiet. Second, I prefer only myself in my personal space. Third, I’m not going to fulfill any wild desire you have to find out about what I’ve done or where I’ve been for the last year so if that’s all you’re here for…” points to the door, “there’s the door and don’t let it hit you on the arse on the way out.”

Stephen sat back…quite surprised with himself. That had to be the most he’s said all year long. Definitely more than he normally did that was for sure. Now he only hoped the girl would take a hint and head back out that door. The name was now starting to ring bells in his head and with her personality he was beginning to wonder if she was some high class Hogwarts student who would tell the whole school about him. More than likely she seemed the type. So Stephen just sat there, his eyes flickering to stare back out the window as arms folded over his chest, hazel irises not even interested in glancing back at Dakota. Though he noticed hat she had yet to leave, making him tense, his jaw tighten just the tiniest amount as he waited for her to leave or annoy him further.

[Dakota Fox S6]

Dakota blinked in surprise as Donahue removed her hand from his leg with what could only be described as calm disgust. However, she quickly morphed her blinkered expression into one of obvious amusement. She wouldn't let it get to her. Dakota always conquered all at the end of the day; she always got what she wanted, whether it be materialistic or male. Donahue was going to be a harder challenge than she had envisaged, but no worries. It was fun! Fun fun fun. Dakota almost laughed out loud, but suppressed it and instead continued to smirk broadly at Donahue, who had now moved across the small space to sit opposite her. Well, no matter. Dakota could work her magic from any distance. She didn't let Donahue's cold words get to her either. So many people had tried to refuse her the same way before and she'd always blasted her way past their indifference to assert her authority. The fact was Dakota was too arrogant to realise or accept that there were some people who were never going to bow to her. Yes, she knew there were those who didn't like her, but she didn't care. She didn't need people to like her! Why should she? As long as she had their utter compliance and as long as she had control over them Dakota didn't need love or sympathy or companionship. Dakota Padme Fox's best friend was herself.

Dakota didn't do best friends for three reasons. Firstly, they just wouldn't match up to her greatness; her beauty, her wealth, her influence - they were hers and hers only, and who could match that? Secondly, she was too selfish to share with anyone who was on the same level as her. If Dakota sensed someone about to threaten her title as Queen Bee she wouldn't treat them any nicer; no, she'd stamp on them until they surrendered the title to her and her only. And thirdly, Dakota didn't trust anyone enough to call her best friend. The people around her were pawns, not friends. They were accomplices underneath her, not equals. Everything about Dakota was better than everyone else, and she knew it. "Quiet, Stephen? But why?" she began when Donahue had finished. His comment implying she should leave had caught her by surprise again, but she'd covered it up quickly as usual. Five years ago Dakota would've sulked and screamed and cried for Donahue to treat her better, but nowadays she knew she had to work her charm until she could get what she wanted. And it was pretty fun, so she wasn't complaining any more. "Being quiet's not fun at all." Dakota crossed her legs and beamed a large fake smile again.

"I think it's my turn for 'getting things straight', Stephen," Dakota continued with her everlasting smile, mimicking Donahue's words. "Firstly, I don't do quiet. There's too much to say and too little time to waste. Secondly, it's not your personal space. I'm invading this compartment which belongs to the Express, which belongs to Hogwarts. It's a free world, darling, get with the times. You might not like it. Well, deal with it. And thirdly, if you really want me out so bad then you're just going to have to D. I. Y." Dakota spelt out the letters with her manicured nail drawing in mid air. "That stands for do it yourself, by the way," she added condescendingly. "Because I ain't moving. I can do what I want and the last time I checked you weren't my dad, so you have no right to shoo me away. I'm quite offended really." Dakota's malicious grin said otherwise. "And honestly, Stephen, if you wanted a piece of this you should've just said." Dakota patted her backside and winked at her disgruntled company. "Loosen up, darling. Life's too short for you to sit there glowering at me," she spoke when she'd finished, taking an interest in her nails. "Oh damn. I'm going to have to re-do that one. How irritating."

Then, Dakota inspected Donahue for a long minute in - surprise surprise! - silence. Her inward thoughts finally came to a conclusion and of course she had to voice them aloud to her fellow Slytherin. Every thought of Dakota's was worth a thousand galleons. "You're really not going to tell me anything, are you? Well, no matter. I know enough about you already." She gave a dramatic sigh and perched her chin on her hand and stared at Donahue. Yes. He wasn't going to be lured in my Dakota's charm; he was one of those. Those who, Dakota had learned over the years, were completely immune to her beauty and intelligence and fame and wealth. She used to hate those people, but now she'd come to inwardly admire them. She hadn't given up on conquering them, because she could if she wanted to, but conquering them meant changing herself fundamentally, and God, that was so sad. As if Dakota would change herself that much for people like Stephen Donahue to accept her. Once upon a time Dakota would have done anything to get their attention, to make them see her as special, but she had enough followers now. Donahue was unneeded, so why bother? He wasn't special. "Oh you're no fun at all, Stephen," Dakota concluded. "Whatever made you so grumpy? You really shouldn't be in fifth year, darling. You'll be eaten alive. After I'm through with you you'll be thrown to the fishes that I so fondly call my fellow classmates."

[Stephen Donahue S7]

Stephen had meant to offend her, had meant to do anything to get her to either pick up and leave the compartment or to get her to shut up and not talk to him, but that didn’t seem to be the case. Oh no, that definitely didn’t seem to be the case as she quickly mimicked him. Stephen just wanted to put his hands over his ears and sit back without listening to her, but other than the childish implications that would bring he found that she might actually enjoy the fact that she annoyed him and if there was one thing Stephen didn’t want…he didn’t want her to be satisfied by anything. So Stephen just quirked a brow up at her and waited for her to go on and on and on…if he was lucky maybe she wouldn’t ever shut up and so he wouldn’t actually have to make conversation. Yeah, that was probably wishful thinking, but still…it was still something he wanted.

Stephen actually looked at her in shock after she spelled out some condescendingly ridiculous acronym in the air. What? He left for a year and the world suddenly became stupid…or something to that nature? There was nothing for Stephen to even say to her little bit. She was completely insane…and Stephen had thought he had problems, but this girl seemed to take the cake. The way she spoke, the way she moved, and she actually thought she was royalty or so it seemed to him. Did the world really go ass-backward while he’d been locked up? It didn’t seem possible, but with her sitting in front of him acting like God’s gift to mankind Stephen actually had to sit there and wonder if he’d accidentally hit his head or if he’d fallen asleep. Only his nightmares were this vivid and disturbing. Though he’d never had some whacked out chick in his nightmares telling him about how fun he was.

He was glowering…even more so after she pointed it out. Stephen had only one goal in life and that was to be left alone. It seemed that goal was not going to be attainable today, because no matter what he seemed to want to say or do this girl was not going to leave him alone. It had half a mind to just get up and leave himself, but that would be admitting to weakness and for some reason Stephen just couldn’t let her win this battle. He wasn’t really sure what he was going to do, but leaving was not an option. His arms crossed over his chest as he shook his head. “I have to admit you have some gall coming in here, acting as if you own this entire train, sitting with me…two things that most students wouldn’t even consider…now I’ve come to two conclusions about you. You’re either daft or truly mistaken. I’m inclined to go with the first, but that’s open for interpretation,” Stephen said with a click of his tongue as his eyes moved over her.

“I don’t care if you want to sit there and talk about whatever pops into your tiny iridescent brain, but do me a favor and leave me out of your conversation. With the way you talk I’m sure you’re used to one sided conversations, so you just talk to yourself…just remember to use your inside voice.” Stephen couldn’t help the sarcasm and bitter resent that coated every word he said. He was hardly ever this rude…heck he hardly ever spoke, but he couldn’t help himself around this girl. She just brought it out of him…made him want to hit her verbally like she had to him. There was so much he wanted to say to her…so much that really revolved around trying to kick her while she was down. Truly the girl needed to learn some lessons about life and stop acting like an immature child who was allowed to do whatever they wanted and get whatever they wanted. Stephen would not allow for that. He would not give her what she wanted…in fact he’d make damn sure that he took stuff from her instead.

[Dakota Fox S6]

Dakota glanced at Stephen briefly as he spoke, but her attention was soon lost as she chose to stare with intent interest at her nails again. Once Stephen had finished, without batting an eyelid, Dakota replied. "Gall? Honey, that ain't the word most people would use to describe me, but I'll take it. Everything's a compliment to me." Flashing Stephen an innocent smile, she continued. "I could own this train if I wanted to. But I don't want to. So I don't." Shrugging nonchalently, she ploughed on without any thought for giving Stephen time to digest or reply to her words. "Remember, darling, I'm not 'most students'." She smiled slyly, then inclined her head forwards and winked cheekily at her company. Now, faking indignation, Dakota leaned back again, sitting against her seat casually as though she was in her comfort zone... on her throne or something. Well, in her head that was usually the case. "Mr Donahue," she started with a smirk. "I am neither daft nor mistaken. I think it is you, really, that is either or both of those things, if you believe me to be both of those things. Don't ask me to repeat myself, I expect you can keep up." Dakota's smirk changed into a sweet smile. "You're lucky I don't take offence easily, darling. Otherwise... well. That can be left open for interpretation, right?"

Oh, Dakota did so enjoy stealing other people's phrases; mimicking was one of her bad habits. It was fun and it wasn't like words belonged to people - what a silly notion. Evidently, though, Stephen didn't share her sentiments. Dakota cocked her head to one side as she listened to her companion's restrained tirade. It was quite amusing, really. Here was Stephen Donahue, trying to reign in his annoyance. For what? To save face? To protect her? To protect himself? Well, whatever his reasons, Dakota suddenly felt a powerful malicious intent to make Stephen angry at her - for him to unleash everything. If Stephen wouldn't give all of himself to her in one way as a man, she would aim to extract the other thing that made him a man: the beast within. "My dear Stephen," she began sweetly in a sugared voice, though there was no denying the spite behind it. "You completely contradict yourself. First you say I can sit here and talk about whatever my 'tiny' and... what was that long, posh word you just used? 'Iridescent', right? Wow, you're clever, aren't you? You smart boy." Her tone took a slight sarcastic corner. "Where was I? Yes, my 'tiny' and 'iridescent' brain. You say I can sit here and talk, but then you demand that I use my inside voice? Darling, if you've learnt anything by now about me, it should not be that I like one-sided conversations, nor that I have a 'tiny', 'iridescent' brain, but that I never use my inside voice. If I did, I wouldn't be me, would I? And oh... that would indeed be terribly tragic."

Flashing a fakely bright smile, Dakota continued. "My inside voice is only used on special occasions. Like when there is a very important secret I must keep. And those - those are rare and inbetween. I don't believe in secrets, Stephen. That's something else you should learn about Miss D." She grinned. "I don't do secrets. What I know, I tell. What's the use of secrets? They're a burden, they're no use cooped up inside when they could be so... entertaining." Flicking a lock of blonde hair off her shoulder, Dakota levelled her eyes straight at Stephen's again. He had the most intense eyes - no doubt he was angry with her - and she wanted more. "What? Am I annoying you? Irritating you? Angering you? Well. What a shame." A malicious smirk surfaced again. "My aim, my goal in life is to be in the spotlight. I'm not afraid to admit it, unlike those fake cowards who pretend they're better than they really are. I'm who I am - no pretence - what you see is definitely what you'll get." She winked again and laughed to herself. "And by getting people to look at me I either make them respect and admire me, or..." Dakota looked at Stephen again, a widening smirk adorning her pretty pink lips. "I make them hate me. People like you, Stephen Donahue, who will obviously never understand people like me. It's just too hard for you to understand, but never mind. I'll just put you in the pile of 'Been There, Done Him, Got the T-Shirt'."

[Stephen Donahue S7]

Stephen could hardly keep up with the girl, his mind spinning from her continued attempts to either threaten him or get some kind of information out of him that she could use later to destroy him with…at least that’s what he was getting out of the conversation, if one could really say that got anything out of the conversations with Miss Priss over here. She was beyond aggravating and Stephen had to seriously consider getting up and walking out of the compartment, but the stubbornness inside him kept him still. He wasn’t going to let this girly push him around, she had no idea who she was messing with and if she did…well then she had a death wish. There was nothing that Stephen wanted more than to be left to dwell in his own silence…but some people just didn’t understand the concept of silence. They were the ones that were constantly talking, moving, and thinking out loud. The kind of person that Stephen would do anything to avoid as their behavior grinded on his nerves…and then there was this girl who blew all of the previous people away. Truly…this girl was something else entirely…something far more demonic and hell bent on pestering him.

Stephen was beside himself at the girl’s response to him. He would have opened his mouth in shock if he hadn’t been glowering. She was beyond reason. All he could do was sit there and listen to her talk about things that had no meaning or he could get up and let her win. At this point in time he was almost going to take the latter, but he didn’t want her to win…didn’t feel she deserved it, but his anger was boiling and he was having a very hard time keeping himself in check. Like his father before him, anger would always be his downfall…always. It had been the hardest thing for him to learn to control and right now he didn’t feel like he was in control…not at all. Everything he said was being turned against him, making his rage grow. She didn’t know what she was doing, who she was playing with. It was obvious she didn’t know as much as she thought she did, because if she had really thought about it she would have realized that Stephen was not to be trifled with and that his very personality would be the one to deliberately take out his actions on the person that deserved them. Right then and there, of course, the girl was the one that deserved his anger…but Stephen was fighting the urge to hurt her…battling the demons within him to keep one annoying girl from getting hurt.

However, all was lost when Dakota continued on with her little rant about how she wants people to admire her or hate her. That was the end of Stephen’s attempt at keeping cool, his whole form pulling up from the seat and his fists slamming into the walls on either side of Dakota’s head, his face inches from hers. “Listen to me you bloodsucking ***** I don’t care about your pathetic little life or about who admires you and who hate you. You know nothing of the real world and the moment you learn about it you’ll go running to Daddy like the baby you are,” he growled low as his eyes burned into hers, his whole body shaking from the rage that he was trying desperately to get a hold of. “You want to get inside my brain like the rest of your zombied friends? It’s people like you, Dakota Fox, who will obviously never understand people like me…so while you try to grasp that thought keep in mind that I did kill my father and I did go to Azkaban, and as such I have no problem killing a little girl with no respect of personal space or people in general.” He hit the wall again behind her to push himself up, his eyes glaring down at her. There was nothing else said from him as he grabbed the handle to the compartment and slid it open, exiting the room. He would let her win, at a price, but right at that moment he couldn’t be in the same room with her without fear of actually doing something that would land him in Azkaban once again. So with that, he moved down the train and pulled open another compartment, scaring the four second years out of it in an instant and send them running to another compartment while he sat down and oddly enough fell asleep.

[Dakota Fox S6]

Dakota arched a half offended, half amused eyebrow at her rather irate companion. Finally - a response. She took it with open arms; embraced it and laughed in its face. This was what Dakota lived for - to pull strings, press buttons... to know she was in control, that she was better. The best. No one was going to best Dakota, and certainly not Stephen Donahue. No man, older than her by however many years, would ever have the better of Dakota - not even Daddy. Her smile for Stephen turned cold. "You don't know me," she reminded him in a gently menacing voice. "Just like I don't know you."

A strand of golden blonde curled around her toying finger as she snapped her straight stare away from Stephen and gazed thoughtfully out of the window. A smirk lighted on her lips. "It's not about age. It's about what you do with it. I can act like a total b****, but what are you going to do about it, Stephen?" Dakota mocked. "Are you going to let your aggressive, manly anger get the better of you? Are you sure you know anything about this place you call the 'real world'?" She shook her head dismissively and laughed. "Don't be so naive, darling. I am not as naive as you think. Acting like a b**** doesn't make a b****. They're two different things entirely. Maybe prison got to your head." Dakota's cutting tone accompanied her gaze switching back to catch his eyes in a direct challenge. "And I certainly don't suck blood," she added in a low whisper as her eyes twinkled merrily. "There are many different and easier ways of extracting things I want."

Dakota smirked triumphantly at him as his voice rose in anger. "But I have already, Stephen," she drawled, waving a lazy hand at his face. "See? You're losing control. Because of me. Little. Me." At Stephen's threat, she didn't even bat an eyelid. Instead, she leaned forward and whispered, "I'd like to see you kill me. Do you think I'm scared of a murderer?" After several seconds of electric silence, Dakota drew away and sent Stephen a royal, arrogant smile. His punch against the wall didn't even elicit a flinch. Dakota had seen angrier men. She did, after all, live in a family dominated by males. Then again, none of her father's and brothers' anger had ever been directed at her.

Truth be told, Dakota wasn't surprised much by Stephen's confession. Somehow she had been expecting it; after all those rumours and now, seeing him react to her. He had been easy to break; too easy. And now she had got what she wanted, she was bored. Dakota watched as Stephen exited the compartment, door slamming shut behind him. "I'll see you later, darling," she called through the wood, knowing he could definitely hear her shrill, sharp voice. "I won't forget you." Smiling to herself satisfyingly, Dakota ruffled her immaculate blonde hair and re-aligned her skirt. Then, she settled down to relax and relish the peace and quiet of a single lone compartment all to herself. But, ten minutes later, a very bored Dakota sent for one of her toy-boys to join her for the rest of the train ride. It was much too quiet and unamusing, sitting here by herself, with just scenery and train tracks to accompany her. Dakota didn't know what to do with herself without entertainment. And although for now Stephen was forgotten, Dakota knew she would be paying him another visit soon.