It's been seven years since we defeated the Edison Group. We still live in New York. Buffalo, New York to be specific. Chloe and I have been married for two years. Simon's with Sophie Bell, a witch, and the complete opposite of Tori.

After so many months of hiding, we decided that it was time to get into action-we guys didn't object, but I wasn't to comfortable with the girls going to head with battle, so I made them stay at an abandoned hotel from the 1900s.- and it took us about a month before we fully defeated them. It took a lot of sneaking, running, and pain, but we did it.

I looked out the window at the setting sun, thinking of how screwed up all of our lives were. But we're all happy now.

Tori, surprisingly, got married to a werewolf named Liam and they had a son named Ethan. They live three houses down, right next to Simon and Sophie.

We don't have any kids yet, but I know Chloe wants them. I do, too, but we just barely got settled in, and that would surely complicate things.

Chloe walked in and sat on my lap, running her hands through my cropped black hair.

"I wanna baby," she murmerd.

There it is.

I kissed her lips slowly and gripped her hips. "I know, babe. But we just moved in, wouldn't that complicate things? I wanna make sure we're staying here first."

She frowned at me. "You don't want a baby?"

I shook my head at her. "That's not what I meant. I just want to make sure we're where we want to be."

"Of course I'm not going to leave. I love it here. I love you. I want a baby."

"We're not ready yet."

She glared at me and hopped off my lap, grabbing her shoes and coat, slinging her purse over her shoulder. "Fine."

"Where are you going, Chloe?"

"Out." She opened the door and stepped over the threshold. She paused half way through it.

"Oh, and by the way? You're sleeping on the couch tonight."

With that she slammed the door and stomped to her car, throwing the door open and jumping into the seat before slamming that door, too. I sighed, knowing I wouldn't be able to sleep without her, and watched her drive away.

Chloe's Point Of View

I tried to focus on driving, but the tears made it impossible, and I eventually pulled off to the side of the road. I let out a low sob and turned the heat up, trying to calm myself. I was being irrational, and completely out of character, but I couldn't help it.

I wanted a baby, and Derek didn't. It was hard, seeing Tori and Liam with Ethan. And Sophie, Simon's girl, was 4 months pregnant. My two best girl friends were either expecting a baby or already had one.

And then there's me.

I drove to Tori's and threw open her door, walking in to see Liam throwing Ethan up in the air and Tori watching them with an adoring smile on her face. Seeing this made me cry harder and they both ran over to me.

"Chloe? Chloe? Are you okay?" Liam asked frantically, putting Ethan down in his baby bouncer. I shook my head and breathed deeply.

"No." I choked out.

"Chloe? Is it Derek? Did you get in a fight? Did he cheat on you?" Tori asked.

"Yes, we got in a fight, and no, he didn't cheat on me. He would never do that. But, I um. . ."

"You cheated on him?" She asked in disbelief.

I scowled at her. "No! Ugh, I told him I wanted a baby."

Tori raised an eyebrow. "He left you?"

"No."

She sighed in relief. "Oh good. Because, you know, that guy really loves you. Liam told me that whenever him, Simon, and Derek go out, Derek gets really bad separation anxiety and has to leave early because he misses you so much. It's really cute, you know? That he can't even go five hours without you-"

"Okay, Tori, you completely just went off topic-"

She flushed. "Right, right. Sorry. So what happened?"

After I told them what happened, Tori looked disappointed and Liam looked doubtful.

"That's not it, Chlo. He told me that he wants one, but he just doesn't think it's the right time. He'll come around." He set a reassuring hand on my shoulder and I smiled.

"Thanks guys. I told him I'm making him sleep on the couch tonight."

Liam snorted. "He can't sleep without you. You know that."

"I know, just thought I'd give him a little scare."

Liam's phone chimed and he took it out of his pocket and looked at it. He grinned and handed it to me.

Message Recieved

Derek

God. Chloe is making me sleep on the couch! What the hell am I supposed to do?

I smiled and typed a reply.

Stop being such a baby and give Chloe what she wants?

Message sent.

Not yet. He replied. We're not ready.

I sighed and handed Liam his phone.

"I'm going to go home. Thanks. You know, for helping me."

I walked to the door.

"No problem, Sis." Tori smiled. "Love you!"

"Love you, too."

I sighed again as I started my way home to my werewolf.

Derek's Point Of View (That Night)

Breathe. In and out. In and out.

I looked at the clock on the cable box. 2:38

I've gone six hours without Chloe.

Six hours without my mate.

I rolled over, trying to ignore the ache in my chest and imagined that Chloe was in my arms. I listened upstairs to where the love of my life was sleeping, sleeping in our bed. Without me. And I, sleeping on our couch, so many miles away. Without her.

Her heartbeat was fast, like she was scared, or uncomfortable. Restless. Just like I was. A feeling of dread settled over me, a gut wrenching feeling that something would happen to her. But I knew it was just the nerves, the separation getting to me, making me anxious.

It had been awhile since I had this feeling. Precisely about three months ago, when Tori and Chloe got us back for playing a prank on us.

Flashback:

"Liam, I don't think this is a good idea. They're going to get mad." I said uneasily. He grinned and continued putting baby powder in their hairdryers.

"Just put the fire crackers in the toilet and hurry up. They'll be here in like twenty minutes."

I reluctantly put them in the toilet, frowning as I did so.

End of flashback

Needless to say, I was right. They weren't happy. I'm pretty sure Tori, had he not been a werewolf, would have broke Liam's nose. And Chloe ignored both of us for a week.

But that wasn't the worst. What Tori and Chloe did will probably scar both Liam and I emotionally for the rest of our lives.

Flashback

I turned the key and walked into our house, stopping in my tracks. Glass shards covered the floor and ripped up papers.

My heart stopped in my chest.

Those were pictures. Of Chloe and I.

I ran into the kitchen to find her standing with two suit cases and three traveling bags. My heart picked up double time and I couldn't seem to breathe.

"Chloe?" I choked out. She stared at me with a blank face.

"Derek." Her voice was emotionless. Void.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving."

I felt my eyes grow huge and shine over with tears. My hands started shaking.

"You're what?" I couldn't bring my voice above a whisper, and even that shook.

"I'm leaving."

I'm leaving.

The words kept playing over in my head, like they didn't mean anything. Like it was just a casual thing to say.

I'm leaving. I'll be back later.

Except she wasn't coming back. She was leaving.

I stared at her until the room started to spin, the lump in my throat constricting me. My chest seemed to shrink, a odd, painful sensation erupting from it. Like my heart was breaking.

And it was.

She slipped her wedding ring off of her fingers and threw it on the granite counter top.

"No," I whispered hoarsely. "No. You can't. Leave me. You can't leave me. Please. Please. I don't know what I did, but I, just-don't. Go. Please, please, don't go." I couldn't even form a sentence, the panic mounting in me, taking control. Doing anything to keep her here. To keep her from leaving.

Leaving me.

My knees buckled and I fell to the floor, sobbing and shaking pathetically. I wanted to be strong, but the pain was unbearable, and I couldn't focus. My head pounded from the force of the sobs escaping me, and my stomach rolled in waves, knotting at the seams. She was leaving me. Leaving.

I felt her hands grip my biceps and yank. I looked up and hiccuped, trying to get under control.

"Don't leave me," I begged. "Please, I'll- I'll do anything. ..just, don't. . ."

By this point I was hyperventilating, terrified out of my mind. Her expression softened into a gentle sadness.

"I'm not," she said soothingly. "We- Tori and I- were just getting you guys back. I didn't think you would freak out so much. I'm sorry. Are you okay?" She pressed her hand to my chest, my heart still sprinting. "You feel like you're going to have a heart attack. Did I really scare you that much?"

I hung my head, still shaking. She wasn't leaving.

"No. You terrified me. Why-why would you-?" I squeezed my eyes closed, trying to calm down.

"I know. I'm sorry. So sorry. I'm not leaving, okay? I can't leave you." She said firmly.

I nodded weakly.

"Good. Now help me clean up this mess."

End of Flashback

I stood up, sprinting up the stairs and opening our door quietly before slipping in. I was met with the familiar feel of our bedroom, and in the darkness I could make out the hulking figure of our king size bed. I climbed into it, pulling the thick mocha comforter over us.

"I thought I told you to sleep on the couch."

"Yeah? And I thought I told you that I can't sleep without you."

She sighed tiredly. "I don't want to fight with you, Derek."

"Then don't. Let me stay."

"I'm still mad at you."

"You shouldn't be. I make a very validated point and you know it." I wrapped an arm around her waist and laid my head down on her stomach, kissing it repeatedly. She ran her hands through my hair, her cool fingers raking my scalp. I shivered.

"I know. I'm sorry. But I really want a baby, and I just. . ."

"Look. How about we'll start trying on our anniversary? Just so you'll really be sure."

"Our anniversary is in three weeks."

"Exactly."

"Do you promise?"

"Yeah. Pinky Promise."

"Oh, and Derek?"

"Huh?"

"I get to pick the name."