POWERLESS

So a quick note- this is intended to follow The Reckoning. They will have their powers, and i'll try to keep everyone in character. Without giving too much away, "powerless" refers to a lack of control rather than a lack of actual powers...thats all i'm saying for now )

After a week at their new High School, one thing caught Chloe off guard: It was strange how normal everything seemed.

The awkward introductions, the hasty reorganization of seating charts and schedules- it was all remarkably similar to all the other times Chloe Saunders had switched schools.

Only this time she wasn't Chloe Saunders.

"Chloe Davis?"

She nearly forgot about her new name as Ms. Coldwell took attendance, but Tori elbowed her in the ribs. "Here!" she answered hastily, then shot Tori a glare.

"What? It's not my fault you're too tired to remember your own name," Tori replied.

The tone was light and teasing, but Chloe could detect the tension underneath. She saw how stiffly Tori sat in her desk- arms crossed, fingers drumming anxiously against one of her arms. It was harder for her than it was for Chloe or Simon or Derek, who were all used to moving.

But then again...they were all a bit on edge, and the last thing she needed was to blow their cover. She pulled out her notebook, exhausted, but determined to not slip up again.

Of course it didn't help that she'd gotten roughly four hours of sleep the night before- one of which was spent in the woods, huddled up against her wolf of a boyfriend. Lately he seemed to get less tired from the changes, stopping for a quick nap, then running and (carefully) playing with Chloe until he was completely exhausted and could change back.

As for the rest of the night…There was a steady stream of nightmares.

A giant chasm appearing at her feet. Bodies in various states of decay crawling out from the ground, their eyeless faces turned towards her. Grasping at her skin and her clothes. Pulling her down into the void…

Derek's skin sliced open, fur spilling from the wounds...

Simon and Tori tied to a stake, surrounded by her own blue flames…

Her mother…faceless, voiceless…always just out of reach…

In the background she could hear Diriel's laughter.

"You won't be able to save them…You can't even save yourself…"

Just like every night since they'd escaped from the Edison group, Chloe would fall asleep, only to wake up shaky and slightly out of breath. The last few nights had been the worst, with the same dreams- bad enough that Derek had crept silently into her and Tori's room to wake her up, then sat with her downstairs at the kitchen table while she sipped hot chocolate and he ate cereal from a mixing bowl.

They would talk quietly for a while, then she'd pass out at the table and wake up tucked in her bed.

It had become a bit of a routine, but last night had been bad enough that as hard as she tried, she still couldn't fall back asleep.

They're just dreams. Chloe stubbornly reassured herself, then turned her attention back to Tori's comment.

"It's getting harder to tire him out- we were up pretty late playing frisbee," Chloe replied, then winced at her mistake.

Shoot. I wasn't supposed to mention that.

One of Tori's favorite past-times was making fun of Derek for his…canine qualities. The last thing she needed was more ammunition. But this time she took a different angle.

Tori smirked, lowering her voice to a whisper. "Well no wonder you're worn out…so what exactly is frisbee code for?"

Chloe blushed at the implication. "You know exactly what it means!"

"I don't blame you- a few hours out in the woods, far away from everyone else…Fido doesn't wear anything when he changes right?"

At that point Chloe elbowed Tori, who gasped and doubled over in pain. Ms. Coldwell shot them a nasty look.

"She gets pretty emotional over…um," Chloe glanced at the book they were supposed to be reading, "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn."

Chloe mentally smacked her forehead.

"Really? Well, I appreciate your interest in literature- I'm sure you two won't mind an extra assignment. Two pages, double-spaced, explaining how Mark Twain's work relates to your own lives. Now as I was saying…"

They were both silent for the rest of class.

Thirty-five agonizing minutes later, the bell rang and they filed out of the classroom. Since they had been seated towards the back, Chloe and Tori were among the last to leave.

While Chloe shoved her notes into her bag, half-listening as Tori ranted about how their teacher was a "power-tripping, psychotic, bi-o-tch", she spotted a familiar figure leaning against the lockers: tall, dark, and intimidating as always, Derek Souza glared at a boy who had been in her past two classes and had tried talking to Chloe at lunch, but brightened when he saw her.

Chloe tried to ignore how her heart jumped around in her chest. She sidled up to him and slipped one of her hands into his, her head falling to lean against his shoulder as they walked along the hallway. They weren't big on PDA, but she felt him kiss the top of her head when Tori wasn't looking, pausing for just a second to inhale.

He'd explained early on that smelling her was a comfort thing- that he instinctually relied on his sense of smell as much as sight or touch. He'd obviously been embarrassed, but Chloe liked how it made such an innocent gesture seem…intimate. She squeezed his hand, and matched his smile with one of her own.

"So I knew Chloe kept you on a… tight leash, but frisbees for good behavior?" Tori quipped, grinning wickedly, "If I buy you chew toy, can I borrow your car?"

Derek groaned. "You told her?" he half growled.

"Sorry…It sort of slipped out," Chloe apologized.

"Told her what?"

They all turned a bit to see Simon, still wearing his clothes from last-period gym as he jogged to catch up with them.

"That Chloe's been teaching Fido how to play fetch," Tori laughed.

Simon rolled his eyes. "Do you always need to be such a witch?"

"Oh yeah? Bite me Harry Potter."

They eased into their usual sibling bickering, walking towards the parking lot while Chloe and Derek followed a few paces behind.

She felt him nudge her shoulder. "You okay?" he asked quietly.

For a second Chloe caught her reflection in his worried eyes- wispy blonde hair, pale skin that seemed even paler when contrasted with the dark shadows beneath her tired eyes…

"Yep- Just a little worn-out," she replied. He didn't look convinced, so she summoned up a cheerful smile, "How was AP Trigo-whatever it is you're taking?"

He frowned. "You can't distract me by talking about math."

"I'm not talking about math. I wanted you to talk about math."

"Chloe."

"Yes?"

For a moment he paused, looking genuinely frustrated. "There's something…something you're not-"

"I CALL SHOTGUN!"

Derek sighed as Simon cut him off, fishing the keys to his Jeep out from his coat pocket.

The beat up wrangler had been purchased on the sly, provided conveniently enough by the same person who had created their new ID's, documents, and Derek's drivers license.

Just as she was about to get in the car, he leaned down. His breath was warm against her ear, but it still made her shiver. "You're not off the hook on this one," he whispered, giving her hand one last squeeze before letting go.

Chloe sighed, annoyed but not surprised. For someone with limited social skills, he had a remarkable knack for calling her bluffs.

Ready for the weekend, they piled into the Jeep and headed back to their new home.

So I need to ask for a favor...please review and let me know if you want more/loved it/hated it/any constructive criticism- BE AS HARSH AS YOU'D LIKE! I promise that any response will be appreciated :) XX