Chapter 1

He was going to freak. More than freak. He was going to… actually I wasn't sure what he was going to do. Yell? Punch a hole in the wall? Implode? Maybe I just shouldn't tell him. Yeah Chloe…great plan I thought to myself as I paced up and down the hall. Like he wasn't going to notice.

I ran a hand through my hair and looked at the clock. Ten to six. Ten minutes. Ten minutes and he'd be striding through that door, searching me out. And he'd know, he'd know something was wrong. There was no way I was going to be able to hide it. I was freaking out myself; I could feel my legs shaking. I looked in the full length mirror in the middle of the hall; the one Tori had given us as a house warming gift and groaned out loud. I could see my legs shaking. And I was pale, pale as a ghost. Which would be a little funny if I wasn't about to start hyperventilating. Ok Chloe… maybe you should sit down I heard the sensible part of me say. Calm down. Breathe. So that's what I did, I sat down, only not in the sitting room, I sat on the stairs. Which wouldn't look suspicious at all when Derek walked in, no not at all. But it was the best I could do. The conclusion I'd come to that morning had waited until now to start sinking in, and now that it was sinking in… well I could hardly focus on breathing let alone getting my legs to move. I closed my eyes and tried to pull myself together. Then I heard a click that sounded suspiciously like the lock on our door. I opened my eyes and saw the door knob was turning. Crap.

The door swung open and Derek stepped through it. At first he didn't see me; he had his back to the stairs as he stopped to hang up his jacket. And when he did catch sight of me he looked simply surprised, not worried, which was good. "Chloe, what are you doing on the stairs?" he asked.

"Um…" I said, "Erm... I… w-w-well I…" and oh crap I was stuttering, which was not so good. Now he was starting to look concerned. I tried to hurry myself up. "I was w-waiting for you." Yeah, well done Chloe.

"Really?" He said, raising one eyebrow.

"Yup. Absolutely. Couldn't wait to see you, and sitting is easier than standing you know." I rushed out, managing a smile. Not a very convincing smile though by the look on his face.

"Are you ok?" He asked, taking a few tentative steps closer. He looked wary now, as if he thought I was going to flip out on him any minute.

And he was right to look wary, I felt like I was going to flip any minute. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. "Of course. I'm f-fine. Brilliant. Peachy." I almost grimaced at that. Did I just say peachy? That was embarrassing.

"Are you sure?" Derek did not look convinced of my peachiness. In fact he looked worried, very worried. "You look pale. Are you ill?"

I almost shouted out yes, yes that was it, I was ill! But I couldn't do it. It would buy me some time; I wouldn't have to tell him, not right away. But he'd be so worried. He always was when I was ill, stressed and anxious, even if it was only a cold. And I wouldn't be able to stand that. "No. I'm not ill, I j-just… I just need to talk to you th-that's all." I resisted the urge to squeeze my eyes shut in embarrassment. Stuttering again was not helping with the putting his fears to rest thing.

"What about?"

"Um… just something. Maybe it would be better if we did it through there though." I nodded towards the sitting room. "Then you can sit too." That sounded like a good idea. This was going to be hard enough without him towering over me all looming and intimidating. I stood up, then thought maybe it wasn't such a good idea. My legs felt like jelly, which was probably down to adrenaline. But whatever the reason it wasn't good because as I stood up I swayed, finding myself gripping the railing for support. Yeah, this chilling Derek out plan was totally working.

"You're not ok." Derek rumbled, his voice close my ear, and I felt his arm slip around my waist. I gently pushed him off. I wouldn't be able to concentrate, not with him this close. I was liable just to blurt it out and that wouldn't be good.

"I'm fine." I said, managing not to stutter this time, but I couldn't look him in the eye. "I've just been sitting down too long that's all. Come on." And I led the way to the sitting room.

Once I was sitting (in the armchair, like I said Derek being close wasn't helping) I took a deep breath. I felt I was finally getting a hold on myself. Maybe I could do this after all.

"What do you want to talk about?" Derek asked from the couch opposite. His voice was low and carried a definite note of concern.

"Well, about … um … y-you kn-know…" oh well… so much for getting a hold on myself.

"No… I don't know." Derek said. "You're going to have to tell me."

"Yeah… yeah I am. Well…you remember that c-c-conver... um conversation we had right? That time… in um that hotel…the o-one w-with all the blue…"

"No."

Well this was going great. "When we t-talked about the E-Edison Group, and y-you and about you know, you when you were s-small… and o-other stuff." Yeah really great. I was about ready to slap myself. But surely he would remember the conversation now. Especially the 'other stuff' we talked about. And maybe it would click and I wouldn't have to tell him, say the words out loud. I was so not ready to say the words out loud.

"Chloe you're not making sense." He said. And although he still sounded worried a little bit of annoyance was also creeping in. If he didn't work it out soon or if I didn't tell him he was going to start losing patience. He didn't like being kept in the dark.

"You know…" I said. "We talked about stuff… other stuff… about us and… th-the future… and stuff… you know." Yeah I was really clearing things up for him. How many times had I said stuff in that last sentence?

"No Chloe. I don't know." He said, a bit of a growl creeping in. He ran a hand through his hair, gave me another worried look. "Just spit it out"

My mouth opened and closed a couple of times. But I wasn't overly surprised at the barked command. Derek wasn't good with sensitive. And maybe I should take his advice. The sooner it was out in the open the sooner I would stop stuttering like an idiot. And the sooner I could stop worrying, the way I had been worrying all day. I took a deep breath, steeled myself, I could do this… I went to open my mouth…

"Chloe…" He growled.

I could have hit him. Instead I blurted out "I'm pregnant." Which, shock wise, probably trumped hitting him if the look on his face was anything to go by. I closed my eyes and waited for the shock to evaporate and the yelling to start.