I don't own DP. Just wanted to clear that up.

Chapter 1

Derek looked around the table. Only two people of the three were here, and it was half an hour since the agreed meeting time. Wherever Chloe was, Derek had a feeling she wasn't going to be here. A part of him was disappointed, especially since as a teen he had told her she was her mate. The rational part of him guessed that Chloe couldn't make it for accidental reasons, but the wolf inside him was moaning with grief. Then again, didn't she know how much she meant to him? She was his mate, his only. He hadn't looked at another girl in eight years, although he knew several girls had looked at him. In the eight years he had shaped up quite a bit. His face was clear, his hair was cut shorter so you could actually see his face, and, if it was possible, he had become more muscled with exercise and regular changes. His height was reaching seven feet. He had been looking forward to Chloe seeing him like this, much to his embarrassment.

Tori, Simon, Chloe, and he had arranged they meet each other at this small town diner. After not seeing each other for almost eight years, Simon felt that a reunion was in order. Derek took another swallow of his coffee. He had become a big coffee person, even though it hardly made him more awake. He just liked the taste of it. He had already downed two cups.

"Where is she? I bet she raised a squirrel on her way here and is now panicking, trying to make it dead again." That was Tori, of course. She had become no less pleasant, but not any bitchier, either. Derek wasn't surprised that Tori was still like this, actually.

Nowadays, Tori worked at a computer software company on some days and taught classes on witchcraft to younger witches on the others. As far as Derek could tell, Tori liked her jobs, and she still had plenty of money to shop and travel. She lived in Miami with her boyfriend, a shaman whose name was Daniel. Tori said they met at the secret facility where she taught. Tori was waiting any day now to get proposed to, and you could tell, even if she looked annoyed on the outside, that she couldn't wait to tell Chloe about it. If Chloe did show up, anyway. Derek could guess that Tori would right away be friendly with her, forgetting all about whatever comments she made about Chloe before she came. That was Tori, he supposed.

"She probably just got lost or something, not anything like that." Simon eyed the donuts longingly, but when he saw Derek's warning glance he sheepishly looked into his coffee. Simon was doing well with his diabetes, and Derek wasn't letting him ruin it now. To avoid his eyes, Simon checked his phone to see if Chloe had called, just as Tori did five minutes ago. Derek didn't check his phone at all, because he knew he'd be able to sense the vibrations of his phone clear as day, just as he would hear Tori or Simon's phone. Derek thinks they were just worried that Chloe wasn't coming, as he had started being the moment it was five minutes after the meeting time. His guess was that Chloe wasn't the type of person to be late.

Derek unintentionally started drumming his fingers, but he clenched his fist to keep it still. Tori looked at Derek curiously, but for once she said nothing. Derek thought she knew the reason for his nerves, but she had the sense not to ask him about it.

Simon had grown up well also, keeping his lean shape and blond hair. And yes, he's still asked whether it's his natural color. Tori likes to remind him of this by constantly asking where he got the dye job. Simon was now working for a graphic design company that specialized in designing for video games, although he changed jobs from time to time. He lived in Texas with his (current) girlfriend, whose name Derek thought was Sharon. He changed girlfriends as much as he changed jobs, although Derek never told him that. He had a feeling Simon won't be settling down anytime soon.

Kit couldn't make it primarily for the reason that he lived in England. Yes, England. He taught at a private supernatural school for adults and teens in London, and as a side job he helps a society of supernaturals capture Edison Group workers who refuse to turn themselves in. The society didn't kill the rogue workers, they just locked them up, questioned them, and, if proven not be a threat to other supernaturals or people, let them go.

Now, supernaturals never get experimented on or altered unless they badly needed to, and only then if they give consent to be. Everyone was happy about hearing that when the announcement was made.

A few years after the Edison Group was taken down, Kit did tell Tori that she still had family. At first, Tori was furious, but after time (and a lot of Chloe's time spent talking to her and soothing her), Tori accepted it, and maybe even started to like having a real dad. Although, I don't know if she was happy about having Simon as a brother.

Simon, Kit and Derek still kept in contact, talking on the phone and e-mailing. Tori kept in contact with Kit, but hardly with Simon or Derek. Derek certainly didn't mind that.

Chloe, on the other hand, occasionally contacted Derek, Tori, or Simon, but it was rare. Chloe's aunt, Lauren, had died during an attack on the Edison Group. No one knew how Chloe took it, because literally a few days later, Chloe was gone. She was eighteen then, but knew enough about living on her own to stay hidden and still support herself.

Derek felt his phone vibrate. He picked it up, and read the short text massage sent by Chloe.

sorry. something popped up. won't be able to make it.

Derek sighed, shut his phone, and relayed the massage to Tori and Simon. He ignored their responses, and laid some money on the table for the coffee. He slid out of the booth, grabbed his coat, muttered a "Bye," and then walked out of the diner.

If Chloe wasn't going to see him, then he'd go to her, no matter what.