𝐍𝐎 𝐑𝐎𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐒, ꜱʙɢ

22

The group, minus Dominique, huddled around Mike in worry, who held his nose as it dribbled lightly with blood.

"Fuck that girls good." He uttered out laughing lightly before coughing at the twinge in his throat.

"Dad! She broke your nose!" Ashlyn reprimanded, holding a pack of ice to her father's neck as her mother chuckled.

"Why are you laughing?!" Ashlyn spoke, frustrated at either of her parents lack of care for her father's wellbeing.

"Trooper, she was pulling her punches. She didn't hit me nearly as hard as she could've. And my nose isn't broken, Ash, Dominque hesitated and only hit me hard enough to disorient me. She's got some mad skill." Mike spoke, rubbing his daughter's head fondly as her eyes widened, remembering the glare she had thrown Dominique. The teen's eyes widened at the new information, seeing Dominique's situation in a new light.

They knew she had a tendency to loose track of herself in a fight- like what had happened in Savannah, but she had withdrew any violence against Mike unless absolutely necessary when she was pinned down.

She had beheaded a phantom for them- to save Logan from what would've certainly caused him some serious injury's. And yet, they just pushed her to the side and immediately took another's, ignoring her as she stared.

Ash felt a bit sick at the revelation. She even watched as Dominique immediately went over to apologise with the most horrified look on her face, but she threw her the coldest glare she thought she had ever given anyone.

Her mind flicked back to the bathroom that night at her house; where Dominique sat and comforted her despite not knowing her entirely yet, and despite her closer friends being downstairs. She stuck with Ash because she knew she needed her. And when Dominique looked so utterly horrified at the damage she had caused Mike, Ashlyn threw her aside like garbage, and ran to her dad, who she knew was more than capable of getting up himself.

Logan's mind flashed back to the hallway a couple of days ago, where Dom put her reputation and herself on the line to defend him from Barron. Images of Dom latching onto the phantom on the bus and killing it to save him from certain injury reeled in his head as he stared at the mat, a saddened look on his features as he remembered everything Dom had done for him. He had watched her run out of the graveyard walls, But in that moment, was too afraid of her to bring her back.

Aiden's head was filled with memories that he and Dom had created together. How she put up with him even when he was in the wrong. It was the little things that Dom did that mattered the most; like the words she had said to Ashlyn in the bathroom that night that he had accidentally overheard, or embracing his weird, silly personality with open arms and a wide, eager smile, even when she had saved him a headache in the cafeteria when he smashed his head down on the table, her palm saving his forehead form any damage.

Taylor, Tyler and Ben all thought back to similar circumstances. Like when Dominique had almost gotten herself killed saving Taylor from the horde of phantoms, or when she had shown Tyler some self-defence in private because he was too proud to ask Mike or Ashlyn for help. In Ben's case, he remembered when they first met; how accepting Dominique was of his mutism, how she had taught and communicated with him in sign on multiple occasions, or when she stopped the conversation and directed it him to make him feel included with the group, knowing he was reluctant to say anything if he wasn't asked. It made his heart warm.

But in the end, they couldn't return the favour. They all sat by and watched her leave with tears burning her cheeks, knowing full well that Mike could take care of himself.

In fact, the man was standing up, having a comfortable conversation with his wife as they talked about Dominique's prowess and how to teach her to refine her skills.