A/N: Whoa, I haven't written a Derek/Chloe story in a very long time. . .but I love these Characters, and I've recently read the Darkest Powers series again. . .and I couldn't get these two characters out of my head. I'm going to try to update as often as I can, and I'm going to try to keep everyone in character as best as possible.

Disclaimer: I don't own Darkest Powers! I just play with the characters a bit.

Enjoy!

Party of Six

Chapter One:

One Month, and Fourteen Days of Being on the Run

After being on the run for a month and a half, you soon realize that it's no walk in the park. It's hard. It's frustrating. And it makes you insanely paranoid.

You're constantly wondering if you'll be in the same place the next day. You worry that your every move is being monitored. Your actions and words dissected. Every new, unfamiliar person you spot, could be an enemy. Most likely, they're not.

But that logic doesn't linger in the back of your brain.

The fear and the suspicion do.

Living in a house that had four bedrooms, a backyard, plus a large wooded forest beyond that wasn't so bad. At least to Chloe it wasn't. But to someone like Tori, it was a huge problem. Especially considering the fact that there was only one bathroom, which they all had to share.

"I'm giving him sixty seconds," Tori stated, speaking mostly to herself. Or at least that's what Chloe figured, since she wasn't looking at her as she stormed up to the bathroom door. "Did you hear that? I'm giving you sixty- now fifty-three seconds before I break down the door!"

"I can't hear you," Simon's voice was muffled through the door separating them, but Chloe could have sworn she heard him snickering.

"Forty-one seconds. So help me, I'll do it. What you could possibly being doing in there? You've been in there for…" Tori turned to Chloe. "How long has he been in there for? An hour!" Chloe shrugged. There was no point in getting in the middle of it.

Tori's fist connected to the thick wood. "You've been in there for over an hour, even Chloe agrees-"

Chloe's eyes widened. "Hey, no I di-"

"I have to pee! Open the door, Simon!" More pounding.

"I never agreed with you," Chloe objected.

"Shut up," Tori hissed at her.

"Go squat near a tree," Simon suggested. "I saw some nice maple's in the forest. Their leaves make great use as toilet paper."

Chloe wondered if he was speaking from experience, and then figured Tori was thinking the same thing, because she shuttered.

Warm arms wrapped around her waist from behind her. She didn't even jump this time, knowing immediately who it was. "Hey," Chloe murmured, leaning back against Derek. "Have a nice drive with your dad?"

Warm lips pressed against the side of her face. The slow rhythm of Derek's heart hummed softly in her ear. "Yeah. I did," the low timbre of his deep voice relaxed her. "What's going on?"

"That's it! I've had it," Tori declared. "I'm breaking it do-"

The door swung open.

And Simon came strolling out. One towel wrapped around his waist, and the other around his shoulders. He stopped short once he noticed the three of us. "Hey," he said, almost nervously. "Are you all waiting for the bathroom? I'm sorry, I didn't realize. . ." An embarrassed flush covered his cheeks. "I thought it was just Tori who had to go."

Tori huffed. "Well, its been an hour. What did you expect, moron?" Shoving him aside- hard enough where Simon stumbled, and had to make a fast grab at his towel, so he didn't flash us- before slipping into the bathroom.

The door slammed shut behind Tori.

Simon, gave us a small shrug, and another, "Sorry again," before making a quick dash to the room him and Derek were sharing.

Derek was shaking his head, before taking hold of Chloe's arm and leading her into the living room, to the right of them.

Pulling her down next to him on the old couch, Chloe leaned into his side. Basking in his warmth.

His size, and the air of power he possessed may have frightened others.

But not Chloe.

It made her feel safe. He made her feel safe. Cared for in a way that her father, and even her aunt had never been able to demonstrate.

"Were you guys able to pick up that extra shovel?" She asked, her gaze lingering on their entwined hands, resting on Derek's knee. He was running the fingers on his free hand through her hair in a soothing manner, one that was making Chloe drowsy.

They had all gotten up early to help shovel the snow that had fallen. A blizzard had hit late in the night, and they had needed everyone's help to shovel the snow away from all the entrances, in case of an emergency.

It would have given the Cabal the advantage. Having them all snowed in and trapped in the house. Unable to escape if they wanted to try to, and let's say, burn them alive inside.

Chloe shuttered at the thought.

Derek noticed, and his hand froze in her hair. "Hey, you okay?" The concern in his voice was evident.

"I'm okay," Chloe assured him, or at least tried to. But this was Derek. And if anyone could read her, it was him. He knew when she was lying, or "making the truth sound better," as she put it.

His hand was pulled out from under hers, and then fingers were on her chin. Lifting her face to his.

Green intense eyes assessed hers.

Searching.

Analyzing.

"You haven't been sleeping much have you?" His thumb gently rubbed at the dark circles under her eyes. He swore. "I told Lauren we should have let you sleep in. You're going to bed early tonight."

She wished she could have told him he was over-exaggerating. But he wasn't. Chloe hadn't been getting more than a couple of hours of sleep at night. She felt drained, emotionally, as physically. But the nightmares haunted her. Dead bodies plagued her every dream. And going to bed at night was becoming a chore she'd rather do without. "It doesn't matter. I can't fall asleep. I don't want to," she said, feeling rather pathetic. Weak. She hated confessing it, especially to Derek who barely ever showed weakness.

Derek was quiet for a moment. Thinking over her words, she figured. Probably trying to come up with a solution in that complex mind of his. Fingers continued to glide once again through her blonde strands. "Would you be able to sleep if I stayed with you?"

She blinked. "Uh, you know Aunt Lauren would never condone that. . ."

"No. I meant now. Right here. We'd be in open view for everyone. It shouldn't be a problem," he said, only a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

Aunt Lauren had come up with some weird rules in the past month. They weren't allowed to act as a couple in public due to the fact that her and Kit were posing as a recent married couple. She was to be Lauren's daughter from another marriage. And Derek was Kit's adoptive son. While Simon and Tori were to be Kit's biological children- which they actually were. When Tori and Simon had found out from Kit that they were brother and sister. . .well, let's just say they didn't take the news too well. They still weren't fully accepting it yet.

"You look dead on your feet, Chloe," Derek observed, shaking her from her thoughts. "I'll be back in a sec." He heaved himself off the couch, heading down the hall before she could protest.

It's not that she didn't want to try to sleep with Derek by her side, it was that she felt bad. He shouldn't be spending his time watching his girlfriend as she slept, because most nights she couldn't keep her eyes closed with out waking up screaming.

Chloe sighed, glad that the screaming had stopped. The first week on the run had been the worst. Hands had shaken her awake, as she thrashed around, whimpering, and crying out in fear. But Derek had been there every time to hold her hand and calm her down.

The heavy blanket landed by her feet. Derek appeared in front of her, silently spreading it out, making sure it was covered up to her shoulders. He sat at the other end of the couch, holding Chloe's upper half up, before placing the pillow on his lap, and her laying her back down.

Heaven.

That's what it felt like, resting on the pillow in Derek's lap. "Are you just going to watch me while I sleep?" She asked, yawning. Her eyes already felt heavy.

Warm lips pressed against her forehead for the briefest of moments, before she head him laugh. A rarity with Derek usually, but not with her. She got to see a side of him that others would probably never get the privilege to. And she was okay with that. She felt honored that he felt so comfortable with her.

"Physics," he replied simply.

Derek was a man of few words.

"How boring," she mumbled.

She felt one hand shift to the armrest- probably where the Physics book was, and the other hand was placed on her head. For the third time, his fingers slide through her golden locks.

"Sleep Chloe," he rumbled softly in her ear.

And she did.

AN/N: Hoped you liked it, and I really hope that everyone was in character as much as possible, especially Derek. Let me know what you thought, and if I should continue this.

Chapter Questions: Who's your favorite DP character? If this were going to be turned into a movie which actors-actress' should play which character.

My Answers: Derek's my favorite character. And the actress should play Chloe would be Anna Sophia Robb. And the actor that should play Derek would have to be Reiley McClendon (Google him, and tell me he's not a Derek worthy match. I dare you), or possibly Josh Hutcherson. . .but he might be too pretty, and too short. . . Anyway, let me know your answers.

Reviews Are Love. . .Send Me Some. . .

When Will I be Updating: Soon. I Hope.