an unlikely story

"Oh, its fine." Liv said into her Android. "I can stay, as long as you need me."

She promised Ducky, Dakota was doing OK. They'd just came from the Halloween place, to shop for costumes, but they hadn't bought anything yet. She handed over the phone so Ducky could talk to Dakota about Xander staying over night at the hospital.

Finally, Dakota handed her back the phone. She was straight lipped. Sometimes, it was hard to know if she was happy or not. She could look so sad.

"I'm sure he'll be OK." Liv did her best to talk about the costumes. "I could make you a robe with a hood." She was thinking up all sorts of DIY Halloween costumes. Of course, she spent nights on Pinterest pinning all sorts of ideas. Now it was time to put them to good use.

"We'll find something warm for you to wear when you trick-or-treat." Liv smiled.

"What if its not cold?" Dakota's dead stare made Liv squirm a little.

"Oh, I see. So, so you'd rather be a princess?" Liv's smile was open. She went to look in the freezer of the refrigerator for Dakota's favorite chicken nuggets.

"No, I said I wanted to be a witch." Dakota could be demanding at times.

"Right." Liv nodded. "Its just..I..I think your mother would rather see you, as a princess." Liv found herself saying as she was looking in the fridge for the vegetables Xander always had ready for Dakota to snack on.

"My mother?" Now Dakota was in a pout. "How do you know my mother?"

Liv shook her head, how could she have said something so dreadful?

Still, she thought of the night she'd stayed over with Joey, and she was certain she'd seen something in his closet.

Yes, it had been a little spooky, and she hadn't wanted to go to Joey's since, nor had she wanted to sleep with him.

He was someone's father, after all. She needed to respect that. Still, she did wonder if Dakota's mother wanted to speak to her.

"I don't." Liv quickly said. "I just..feel..feel she would want to see you... in something pretty." Liv promised she would make Dakota the hooded robe from an old black sweat shirt she had at home.

No way, could she tell Dakota that she thought she'd seen a ghost, which so happened to be Dakota's mother.