So, the deal is, I whenever I write a new Sarah/Derek fic, I'm going to update it here. I'm not promising it'll be updated every day or even week. It's just better than having them pile up, cause I'm just like that haha.
Got into Derek's head this time. I find him a lot harder to write from than Sarah. He's a lot harder to understand than her, and I hope I sorta got him down in this one. How was I?

Special, special thanks to 'Private Charlotte Angela Reese, long-lost sister of those looovely Reese boys' for beta-ing this for me and cause she's just awesome like that.

Enjoy&Review!!

There was something soothing about the sound of a gun being taken apart and reassembled. All the clicks and clacks that seemed rhythmic, somehow calming. It's what drew him toward the doorway, while on his way to leave to go to see Jesse. He spent most of his time with her now, when he wasn't with the Connors, or off doing a mission for them. Sarah rarely questioned his absence which both relieved him and confused him. He could lie pretty well, but Sarah always somehow seemed to be able to tell when he did. If she didn't ask, he wouldn't have to be caught lying. But, shouldn't she be worried about what he was doing? One wrong move and he could bring disaster down on them.

Her back was to him as he leaned against the doorway. The box containing most of the guns had been pulled from under her bed, and she sat crossed legged on the bed, surrounded by them. Peering over her shoulder, he saw a small hand gun in her hands. Click, click, clack, click. If she turned around and saw him staring at her, there was no doubt in his mind how she would react. But Derek never cared if she was angry with him or not, it didn't faze him. He actually liked the way she thought when she was really angry.

It wasn't the first time he had thought about how she probably wished he was Kyle instead. Hell, Derek would have preferred he was the dead one, and his brother was here with Sarah. At least John would have his father, Sarah would be happier. Kyle wouldn't be running off to go make time with a girl. Derek frowned at that thought and shifted, crossing his arms over his chest. He had no reason to feel guilty, so why did he? No, that feeling had to be something else besides guilt. He was getting it confused with something else.

Clack, click, thud. She set the gun down and picked up another one. Derek knew he really should get going, but he couldn't bring himself to move. He should at least say something, instead of standing there watching her. Mind racing, he desperately searched for something to say to her, but couldn't think of anything. Right now, she seemed so relaxed and at ease, even if she had a gun in her hands. It seemed wrong to disturb her. He knew as soon as she became aware of his presence she'd tense, and walls would be thrown up around her.

He had walls, of course. He understood why she had hers, but that didn't mean he didn't like to push those walls. See how far he could get, which wasn't as far as he would like. But lately, he'd hardly had a chance to try. No, he's mostly gone, only to show up when they absolutely needed him. Which was becoming less and less often. Of course, he knew that didn't give him reason to just leave them. He wasn't planning on it, this was still his mission. To protect John, and even Sarah when she rarely needed him to. That was okay with him though, he liked how strong she was. It was no wonder his brother had fallen in love with her.

"How much longer are you planning on standing there?" Her voice broke through his thoughts and he jumped, standing up straight.

How had he been stupid enough to think she wouldn't sense him staring at her?

Clearing his throat, he considered an answer.

"Not much," he replied sarcastically and took a step into the room, but hesitated.

"You leaving?" she asked, not turning around to look at him, still reassembling and cleaning the gun in her hands.

He was caught off guard by how casually she asked that. Most of the time she didn't even acknowledge his absence. He would wonder if she noticed him leaving at all, but he knew that she noticed everything. "Yeah," he breathed, nodding, though she couldn't see him. He watched her for a moment longer in silence, the only noise coming from the gun. "Aren't you going to ask me where I'm going?"

"Nope," she answered simply, moving to a new gun. He resisted the urge to ask why not.

"I could be putting you guys in danger," he told her. For a reason unknown to him, he wanted her to ask him what he was doing. To demand that he not go and stay there. To get angry at him for being gone all the time.

"You're not," she informed him. Taking another step towards her, he studied her hard. She glanced over her shoulder at him, before going back to the gun. "I trust you...enough." Her voice was firm and business-like, as if they were discussing a plan of attack. He knew she trusted him somewhat, of course, or else she wouldn't let him around them. The most likely reason that she trusted him so much around her or John was because he was a Reese, Kyle's brother. He opened his mouth to say something when another voice spoke.

"I'm going to head to the store now with Cam," John said as he pushed past Derek into the room. "Got the list?"

Sarah put the gun she was holding down, and stood up, walking over the the small table next to her bed. Picking up a small piece of paper, she turned around and held it out for him. He grabbed it, but she didn't let it go at first. "Back in an hour," she warned him. He nodded and she released it. Derek was still amazed by all these little everyday things that they did. Things he had missed in the early years after Judgment Day. He'd soon moved on from mourning the loss of his old life, having to constantly fight for survival in his life now.

Creeping out of the room, he turned and made his way down the hallway. All he felt like doing was getting away for a moment. He heard foot steps behind him, and guessed it was John. Just as Derek was about to reach the door, someone grabbed his arm. Stopping, he turned to see who it was and was surprised to see Sarah. "What?" he asked, watching her face closely.

"Here," she said, letting go of his arm and reaching behind her. Pulling a gun from her waistband, her face stayed emotionless as she held it out to him. Slowly, he took it from her and made sure it was loaded. Satisfied, he looked back up at her, but she was already making her way back down the hallway.

John appeared in front of him, holding the keys and paper in one hand and his cell phone in the other. "That's weird," he observed, glancing down at the gun in Derek's hand.

"What?" he asked as John moved past him, towards the door.

"That's her favorite gun," he called over his shoulder, heading out. Derek watched as the door slammed shut before tucking the gun between his jeans and back. Giving one last glance down the hallway, he turned and headed outside. Though he had lost all desire to go see Jesse now. But, he really needed to get out of that house. It was already becoming too clear that he was adjusting to this life. To the world before Judgment Day, where he wasted time having meaningless conversations and lingering in doorways.