I don't own the Darkest Powers, I just thought of this when I remembered how much I hate airport boutiques. I think Derek might be a bit OOC, but I tried. Please review! Anyway, I did a lot of puns for this story/references. I will personally thank you if you can catch them all. Also, I do take requests sometimes so if you want me to ever write something specific, you can PM me. Also, in case you didn't know, my e-mail is available on my profile if you want to e-mail me, to either review, or anything. I like getting e-mails. I will not stalk you if you decide to e-mail me, I just really like getting to know who reads my stuff and all. So my e-mail is setkia dot writer at gmail dot com and it's on my profile too.

In Essence
by: Setkia

"Hey Derek, why's there no more Tylenol in the medicine cabinet?"

When your boyfriend's a werewolf, even the most domestic things can become lethal.

"Hey Derek, can you come with me to the pharmacy?"

Derek looked up from the book he was reading to see his girlfriend— he could still hardly believe he got to call her that— Chloe Saunders staring at him patiently, a couple of bills in her hand.

"What for?"

"I want to buy some new shampoo."

"Shampoo?" Derek echoed. He knew she used a strawberry scented shampoo and conditioner, Herbal Essence or something along those lines. "Can't you go on your own?"

"But I want to change it," said Chloe. "I'm getting tired of its smell."

"I don't really have any complaints, but why do you need me to come along?"

"Because," said Chloe, sounding slightly exasperated, "you're my boyfriend," here she grinned, as though still quite satisfied with the fact that she got to call him her boyfriend as well. "I need you to approve of the smell. I can't have you hating the way my hair smells, can I?"

Derek stared at her.

"I—I mean, only if you w-want …"

"I'll go," said Derek. "Stop worrying so much."

"Why were you staring at me like that then?"

"I can't look at my girlfriend?" Derek rolled his eyes. "Come on, let's go. I'll tell Kit we're leaving."

Chloe blushed. Derek had his moments. Being on edge because of the Edison group caused all sorts of paranoia within her, but every now and then Derek could wipe them all from her mind in a single moment with a line like that. He definitely wasn't the traditional boyfriend. He was better.

"So any idea what you want?" asked Derek, his hands stuffed into his pockets.

"I don't know, is there anything here that you really like?"

Derek took a moment to pause and took a deep breath. Almost immediately she could see that he swayed slightly. "You okay?"

"Yeah, fine," he said. He placed his hand over his mouth for a moment, but she could see he wasn't yawning, he was biting the skin of his palm lightly. "Something citrus-y is too strong."

"I like vanilla—"

"No."

Chloe looked at him. "Any particular reason?"

"It's a strong smell is all," said Derek.

Chloe nodded. She lowered herself to the floor and started to look at the names of some of the scents. "Long Term Relationship? There's a smell for that?" She laughed. "Who comes up with these names?"

"It's all about commercialization, it has to sound fancy," Derek said with a shrug. He bent down, squatting with his height. She couldn't help but notice his feet were slightly unsteady. "Drizzle of Sunshine," he read slowly. "That kind of sounds depressing."

"What about this one?" Chloe said, pulling Hawaiian Paradise off the shelf.

"No," Derek said, shaking his head. "Smells like coconuts."

"Got a problem with coconuts?"

"I don't particularly like them," Derek said with a shrug. "Do you really have to change your shampoo? I like the way you smell."

Chloe stared at him.

Derek's eyes suddenly averted hers. He coughed into his shoulder and stood up, noticeably leaning towards the shelf for a moment before he steadied himself. "I mean … is that a weird thing to say?"

"No …" Chloe blushed. "What do I smell like anyway?"

"Underneath all the strawberry shampoo and apple scented body wash?" Derek bit his bottom lip. "Hmm … Grass, forest air, if that makes any sense, a bit like the ground actually. Very down to earth, very … nature-like."

"Is it the call of the wild that attracts you?" Chloe joked.

Derek shrugged. "Either way, I don't see what the problem is with your shampoo."

A woman with a baby in her carriage walked past them and Derek fell against the shelf, nearly knocking over some of the products. He sucked in a deep breath and covered his face with one of his hands before slowly breathing in through his mouth.

"Are you okay?"

"Yup, perfectly fine."

"You don't sound like it."

"I'm just peachy."

"You're being sarcastic."

"Am not."

"You totally are."

"Am not."

Chloe rolled her eyes. "Then how about breathing like a normal person?"

Derek stepped back from the shelf and looked left and right before taking a breath again. Chloe was satisfied this was a "normal" breath. "I'm as normal as a genetically modified werewolf can be. Can't you make your choice and we can get going?"

"I still haven't picked anything yet," Chloe pointed out. "If you have a problem with the shop or whatever, just help me choose and then we'll be out in no time."

"I don't have a problem with the store," Derek said defensively.

"Why do you look like you're bracing yourself for impact then?"

"You're imagining things." Derek looked around the shelves, picking something random and handing it to Chloe. "That one. I like that one."

"Winter's Frost?" Chloe read off the label.

"Can we just buy it and go?"

"I'm not going to let it go, you're acting all weird. I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong," Chloe said defiantly.

Did Derek like the fact that Chloe had a mind of her own? Yes. Did he enjoy it when she got stubborn like this? Most of the time, yes, there was something about a woman knowing what she wanted that was inspiring. Did he fully appreciate it when he felt like he was going to pass out in the middle of the pharmacy? No, not really.

"Look, just stick with the strawberry, it smells fine."

"Why are you so against me buying something else?"

"I'm not against it!"

"Then why are you so counter diversity?"

"I'm not!"

"You're getting really defensive!"

"I am not!"

A young child of about eight ran by the two of them, a woman— pressumably his mother— chasing after him. Derek shut his eyes, held in his breath and pressed himself against the shelf.

Chloe watched him stay still as a statue until the woman had disappeared and then some time afterwards.

"Hey Derek, when you said vanilla had a strong smell …"

"It's a really strong smell."

Chloe nodded, understanding.

"I'll just get strawberry."

"You know, I don't see why you're so embarrassed," said Chloe, watching as Derek gulped down two Tylenols.

"I can't walk into a pharmacy without getting nauseous, I think I have the right to be embarrassed," Derek said, bracing his hands on either side of the sink. The world still felt like it was spinning slightly.

"I can't stand those airport boutiques," Chloe said. "Everyone can get overwhelmed by stuff like that. Some people can't handle saunas without getting lightheaded, it's not that weird."

"It's just ten times worse because of the whole werewolf thing," Derek said.

Chloe bit her bottom lip. "I can't really relate, I guess, since I'm not like you, but … If you just told me, I wouldn't have made you go with me. You could've said no."

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing bad," Derek said. "It's just … Our lives are so hectic, aren't they? Running from the Edison Group, genetic mutations, between having sorcerers in the house and a necromancer, the only thing we don't have under this roof is some sparkly vampire. It's nice to do something normal, isn't it?" Derek rolled his eyes and tossed his head back to stare at the ceiling. "Provided you don't pass out from frigging Long Term Relationships."

"Stop beating yourself up over it," said Chloe. "We're all limited by things we can't do. I can't go into cemeteries—"

"Yeah, but a normal person doesn't hang out in cemeteries in their spare time," Derek pointed out. "On the other hand, you have to stop by the pharmacy, especially if you have a diabetic brother."

"You're a great brother you know," Chloe said with a grin.

Derek looked down at her and gave her a weak grin back. "Yeah?"

"You're a great protector in the first place," Chloe continued. "Everyone looks up to you, even Tori can count on you. You're the greatest leader out of us all, Simon can rally people up but he doesn't know how to command or direct others."

"You could just call what I do being bossy," Derek pointed out.

"You're not bossy, you're just very … insistent," Chloe said.

"You think I'm bossy. I've screamed at you enough times to prove that. I have no patience."

"Well I have plenty for the both of us."

Derek grinned. He leaned down slowly, when—

"Hey Derek, why's there no more Tylenol in the medicine cabinet?"

Derek shut his eyes and growled. Chloe giggled. "Anyone told you that you have horrible timing, Simon?"

Simon grinned at the two teenagers. "Various times, but then again, that's why I'm not a drummer."