A/N: I really love the TV show and the books, so I just decided to take a shot at writing my own fanfiction. I wrote the entire outline of this story and three chapters in one night. It's a little bit of an addiction. Any feedback is welcome, good or bad. So here's to hoping that you find my humor humorous, my romance romantic, and my drama dramatic. Cheers.

Disclaimer: I do not own Chloe King, or any of the characters. I only own the plot line of this story.


Reality Check

By: Rosepetals186

Chapter One: Why Am I So Cool?

Where am I?

That's the first thought that pops into my head when I wake up. I am propped up against a white picket fence, my legs extended out in front of me, my head back towards the sun and my arms hanging limply, barely caressing the ground. I take notice to the shovel in my hand, and the bag of seeds lying next to my leg.

What are these for anyway? Did I decide to take a break from protecting Chloe, and then chose to garden? Or maybe the shovel is a weapon and the bag contains some type of deadly poison?

As my hand reaches towards the bag, I realize that my tan skin is already darker than usual.

How long have I been lying in the sun?

I gently lift the bag, bringing it to my face. I inspect every angle, until finally I dump the contents of the bag onto the ground.

Sunflower seeds? So I seriously was just gardening…

"Jasmine, dear," I begin to stand up, stretching my stiff legs. "Come inside!"

Inside?

In my direct line of vision, I notice nothing spectacular; a few tall trees, a big log, and a rather large lake.

So why is there a picket fence in the middle of nowhere?

"Jasmine?" I quickly turn around, trying to use all of my mai powers to make the turn swifter, but I ultimately just end up stumbling sideways.

Why am I so clumsy all of a sudden? Maybe I have been out in the sun too long…

Slowly I lift my head until I quietly let out a strangled gasp.

I was facing a beautiful cottage. But not just any cottage: my dream cottage. It was a cottage that I had built in my head and constructed as a child. When I was younger, I dreamt of a day where I would move into a place like this. Escape the reality of my life, be whoever I want to be.

Everything about it was perfect, down to the last detail. The exterior was entirely stone, every window had blue shutters and flowers were lined up against every open spot of the outer walls. I couldn't have asked for a more accurate interpretation of my dreams.

I slowly begin to walk towards the cottage, running my hands along the empty clothing lines. My eyes quickly scan the premises until I notice the side door of the house is hanging wide open, swinging back and forth with the wind.

An open invitation, huh?

My feet step onto the tile of the house and it all hits me at once, I am overwhelmed by a smell, a familiar smell, but in my life, an uncommon one.

Chocolate chip cookies?

I begin to gravitate towards the smell, letting my legs carry me, when suddenly a force knocks me over and onto the ground, a force larger than I could have imagined with a very cold nose, and a very wet tongue.

"Oh my goodness," I gushed, "Aren't you just so cute!" I smile as I rub the dog's stomach and it rolls over. I examine the dog, caressing it lightly, trying to figure out the breed. I finally give up though, realizing I never really studied dogs because they would never be kind enough to me in person to take interest. Dogs aren't exactly mai's best friend.

And then I get it, all at once, I get it. I lift myself off the ground and try to extend my claws, but no such luck. Of course, in this reality, I am not mai.

No wonder I garden… I guess without being mai, I never met Alek and I never had a duty to complete, so I became really bored and started to garden… Why am I so cool?

I turn my body towards the house once again, taking in the long, narrow hallway. My feet begin to resume movement, as I stalk down the hall towards the door, the dog trailing behind me at my feet. When I reach the door, I cautiously turn the doorknob, and swing open the door. My mind goes blank as I take in the sight before me, in the seventeen years of my existence I never expected to ever be met with what was standing in front of me now.

The figure before me turns around, balancing a large sheet of cookies, just having been removed from the oven, with a pink oven mitt covering her right hand. A warm smile is plastered on her face, and she is wearing a flower-patterned apron with the words, "Kiss the cook," on it.

What the-

"Mom?"


"Is that any way to talk to your brother?" He said, dropping the mock American accent, rubbing his bloody hands together.

Brother?

My eyes are fixed into place, listening to his heartbeat, hoping to hear some type of irregularity, something to prove he's lying.

We stand in silence, just glaring at each other for what feels like eternity, until we are pulled out of our trance by my phone. He jumps into action, lunging for me; I swiftly dodge his knife, barely missing the sharp blade.

"I'm too sexy for my shirt, too sexy for my shirt, so sexy..."

What the-

That's definitely not the ringtone that I had set earlier today.

"Wow, Alek, looks like rejection by our parents isn't the only problem that you have," I growl in response, running full speed towards him, using all my weight to push him onto the table, effectively breaking it.

"Just for that comment, I'll make your death slow and painful." I hiss, and use his momentary disadvantage to look at my phone, as it is still ringing. I click it on and see a picture of Paul, smiling brightly into the camera.

Of course that'd be his ringtone.

How did he get my number? And why would he be calling?

Chloe.

I left Chloe unprotected. And there would have been no back-up tonight, Jasmine is…well…

Shoot.

I turn around in time to barely miss a dart coming at my face. I tumble on the ground, defending myself with the kitchen counter, using it as a shield. I catch my breath, extend my claws and jump out from behind the counter; only to fall to the ground in confusion.

Where did he go?

I look around and find the place completely empty, aside from the bodies on the floor.

THE BODIES ON THE FLOOR!

I crawl over to Jasmine, tears now completely streaming down my face. I couldn't believe this, she was my family, the only real one I ever had. She was like a sister to me. I put two fingers on her neck checking for a pulse, although I was pretty sure of my answer. Her skin was ashy pale, her chest wasn't heaving up and down, her eyes were closed and her wound definitely wasn't healed.

I was so distracted by crying that I had difficulty pressing my finger to her neck properly to search for a pulse.

Bingo.

She's still alive.

I act quickly running into Valentina's room to find the first aide kit. I clean her wound and try to help her best as I can, but the knife pierced vital organs. She should be dead, this doesn't make sense.

I then make my way over to Valentina, sure as anything that she's dead; I can see the empty poison dart lying on the floor near her. But I press my fingers against her neck and once again feel a pulse.

They both have a pulse, yet neither one is breathing, and neither one should still be alive?

Does. Not. Compute.

I opt for picking them up separately and moving them into their bedrooms on their beds. Hopefully, this is some type of ancient mai thing that I don't know about. Or at least, I hope there is some sort of explanation, I'm just happy that they aren't all entirely dead. There's still hope.

Chloe.

Chloe!

I pick up my phone and quickly hit redial, someone picks up on the second ring. I can hear sobbing in the background, needless to say, I'm concerned.

"Hello, hello. Alek?" I can hear the urgency in Paul's voice, he sounds on the verge of tears as well.

"What is going on Paul?"

"Come to the theater near the park. Do it now. It's important; some things can't be explained in words."

I hung up the phone, thoughts of what could've gone wrong swimming in my head, but deep down, I knew the answer; she lost a life, I just knew it. The guilt consumed me, I should have been there and if not there, here. I'm supposed to be the hero. Looking at Jasmine laying on the bed, I walk over, kiss her forehead, and then without a second thought, bolt out the door, running faster than I ever have in my entire life.

There's still hope.


I would like to say that I have a thought to share, a feeling, or even just a sentence. But I don't. I'm numb.

My name is Chloe King, and I am a murderer. Not the good type that kills bad guys, or does the dirty work for the Scooby Doo Crew. No, I'm the type who kills the ones she loves, the innocent, by keeping secrets and being selfish. That's the worst type, especially for me, because I'm also something worse than a murderer, I'm the uniter. I have nine lives to live, nine lives to endure, nine lives to suffer. When will I ever get it right?

Tears are still streaming down my face as I continue to stare at the boy sprawled across my lap.

The dead boy, I should add. The one I killed.

I lift my head, removing my gaze from him as I try to focus on something—anything—else. I look at Paul, who is sitting on the steps below us, just looking down, sad, and frankly, uncomfortable. Amy is hovering above me, hands on my shoulders, trying to comfort me, but I barely feel her, and I barely even notice her touch. I hear her sniffles, I hear her cries, but I don't make any move to hug her.

This isn't going to be a best friend bonding moment. Even that is too twisted for me.

"Chloe…" And then I hear it, that voice, that accent, even the heartbeat. I hear it all, and I dissolve into nothing again, because I know what he's going to say and I don't want to hear it.

I told you so; I'm bracing myself for it.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I owe you so much more than that too." My head snaps up, and my eyes search his face, trying to figure him out, what's his angle.

"Why are you sorry? This is what you wanted, him out of the picture." I say bitterly, shifting my gaze downward. I'm angry, I guess. I want to take out my frustration on something, I want to feel something.

"Chloe…" I look up at him again, and if I didn't know how he really feels about Brian, I would have actually believed that he cared. His face looks so pained. "Yes, I want you to want to be with me, and that isn't something I'll deny. So yes, having him out of the picture would be helpful, but by out of the picture, I just met out of your life, not out of existence. I would never wish this fate on anyone."

My eyes start to brim with more tears. I didn't think one person could produce so many in one sitting.

"I wouldn't either…"

He begins to walk towards me, moving slowly, as if testing the waters. Somewhere in the mix of things, Paul and Amy managed to make themselves disappear; I wonder how they escaped without my notice, but oh well. Alek leans on the steps facing me, and then he gently drapes his arm over my shoulders, pulling me in. For a long time, we just sit on companionable silence, until I begin to speak up again.

"Why are you even comforting me? I hurt you. You told me I'd regret it, not picking you." My tone was not accusing, simply curious. I didn't have it in me to fight anymore tonight.

"Don't you?"

I think for a moment about my answer. In a way, I do. If I had just picked him, Brian would still be alive, but either way, someone had to get hurt.

"I do regret letting it go this far with Brian," I cast my eyes down, not wanting to look him straight in the eye for this part. "But I don't regret what happened with us, only that you found out the way you did." I feel him begin to withdraw his arm, but I hold him still.

"No, listen. I care about you, Alek, I do. But right now, I don't love you. I could someday fall in love with you, but right now I'm confused, I just wanted to play human for a while longer. Brian gave me that; he let me keep that piece of me, that piece that isn't mai or the uniter. I needed that then, but it's time that I start stepping up and accepting who and what I am. I am the uniter, I can't afford anymore mistakes. I don't have as many lives left."

As soon as the words come out of my mouth, I know my mistake.

"I don't have as many lives left..."

Alek becomes stiff next to me, and I know what is coming next.

He suddenly turns to me and wraps his arms around me, causing Brian to roll off my lap.

Say what-? That wasn't what I expected. Again.

I bury my face into his chest and just breathe in his scent, I feel him stroke my hair, combing it through his fingers.

"I'm sorry, Chloe, I'm so sorry. I'm supposed to be your protector, and I failed." I pull back and my heart clenches when I see the shame on his face, the look of utter defeat.

I take his face in my hands. "Alek, you haven't failed. I would have lost all my lives by now if you weren't here. But what I need is for you to be with me now, all of you, right here, right now. Forget the past, it's over, I need you now." The intensity in my voice surprises even me.

He pulls me in again, hugging me fiercely, as if it was the last hug we would ever share, like I could vanish in midair. We pull back again, both having tears in our eyes, and we just stare at each other. I start to lean in unintentionally, and he does as well. Our eyes begin to close; our lips lightly brushing against each other when we hear a sudden gasp of air from the previously unmoving corpse in the room.

"Brian?" I say scrambling closer to him, looking him up and down, making sure I'm not dreaming.

"What are you, Chloe?"


A/N: Phew. Success! Chapter One is complete. Sorry for any grammatical mistakes. Some crazy stuff went down this chapter; I tried to add humor when I could, but some parts I wanted to be intense. Give me any of your reviews, I'll gladly accept them.