HERE'S YOUR PRIZE bloodyXfangs! :)

Disclaimer: Meow. (that's cat-nese for "I don't own DP")

[CPOV]

"Is it alive? I mean, dead? I mean. Wait. Let me think this through." I paused, quickly gathering my thoughts and started again, taking a deep breath. "Is this darn bunny dead-er now?"

Derek nodded, not even cracking a smile. He was focused intently on the undead creature that was no longer writhing around like it was possessed... which it was... so to speak. Like, by it's own spirit. Does that count?

"Yes. Now poke it with a stick." I looked up at him, startled. Say what?

He smirked at the look on my face. "Poke it with a stick, Chloe."

"Can I know why?" I muttered, but went searching for a long stick nonetheless.

"So we can make sure it's spirit departed. What if we leave and it starts that spazzed hopping all over again?" He explained. I could hear the shudders in his voice. He didn't particularly enjoy that part. And when it was chasing me, I got scared and sort of jumped on Derek's back. Which meant that the zombified bunny was chasing both of us, and we (Derek) had to run as fast as we could because it wouldn't quit following us.

"Okay, okay. But can you do it?" I asked, finding a stick to my liking and tossing it at Derek like a spear. He quickly caught it.

"Don't do that. You could kill someone. Poke and eye out or something." He scolded, and I stuck my tongue out at him. I have lived around him long enough to realize that scolding, reprimanding, and all that jizz was just his way of being overly protective. It used to bother me. It still does, but now it seems sweet.

"Yes sir." I saluted him and he glowered at me. He stretched his arm out, to hand the stick back to me.

"You have to do it."

"Why?" I groaned.

"Because you raised it."

"Only 'cause you had me raise it."

"You wanted to practice."

"You could have found something that had died recently."

"It was as recent as I could find. Did you want something with it's brains spilling out?" He growled. I was going to reply that he'd like that, but stopped when he came up behind me and put my hand on top of his. My breathing kind of hitched, and I prayed he hadn't heard it. He did, most probably, because his cheeks were reddening. But he ignored it. What a gentleman.

"We're gonna poke it together, okay?" He said, his voice right behind me now. ACK. I glanced back and saw he was on his knees, so he could more or less be the same height as me. It was sad because he was still taller than me on his knees.

We forwarded slowly, and I chickened out and raced behind Derek, peeking over his shoulder at the offending woodland creature.

"Chloe. You got this. Shall we review your history with scarier corpses?" He asked, looking back at me, smirking.

"No." I said, none to forcefully.

"Well, there were those in that crawlspace. Weren't they all bone-y, and gross from being underground for who knows how long?" He said, sitting down and making me sit across from him.

"Derek." I warned. I wasn't all that happy to go back down memory lane.

He ignored me completely. Typical. "And then, hmm, there was that homeless guy? The one that harassed you? And it smelled. Immensely." He wrinkled his nose for effect. It looked cute.

"No more." I said pathetically, trying to fight a smile off.

"And didn't you tell me you raised some bats?" He asked me, tilting his head wearing an innocent expression.

I gave up and laughed. "Bat. Singular."

He threw his head back and laughed. "Ah. How could I forget? And in your sleep. Impressive."

"Whatever." I mumbled, eying the bunny. He sighed and turned himself, his back towards the bunny and he picked me up and sat me across from him again.

"Now, where were we? Ah yes. There was that bird that wouldn't stop squawking. That dead guard in the EG place. Oh, and Tori's mom. Is that all?"

"I tend to block out unpleasant memories, so I wouldn't be able to tell you."

He smiled at me. But that creased into a frown as he was thinking of something. Unbeknowest to me, I had TOTALLY UNCONSCIOUSLY reached over and with my two hands made his lips go up in a smile again. He looked funny. Eyes so serious, and then grinning like an idiot. He went cross eyed to look at my hands, then quickly stuck his tongue out, making me jump back in surprise.

"Thank you for doing me the courtesy of releasing my mouth." He said, mumbled from beneath his hand, where he was rubbing his mouth.

I crossed my eyes at him and made chipmunk cheeks. He gave a genuine bark of a laugh.

"I like it when you laugh and smile Derek. Why don't you do it more often?" I sigh, and make circles in the grass with my finger.

"I only laugh and smile when I feel there is a need to. I don't like to waste them." He replied honestly.

I looked up and grinned at him. "So I should be honoured that you smile and laugh when you're with me?"

He nodded, "Definitely. Bow down, maid." He took up a haughty tone that I've never heard before.

"Wow. You could become an actor." I say in all seriousness.

"As if." He says, probably smirking at the very thought.

Yes! I've taken his attention away from the bunny! Home free, baby!

"Chloe..." Derek begins. I look up and the first thought that came to me was, argh, back to the bunny. It was totally different though.

"Yes, Derek?" Trying to sound innocent.

"Do you remember when we first met Liam and Ramon?" He asked, totally straight to the point.

"How could I forget?" I mutter, averting my eyes.

"Do you remember something they said?"

"That they could smell the hair dye on me?" I asked, shuddering at the memory.

"No. Think harder." He pressed.

"Do you realize that you probably PMS more than girls do?" I pointed out. I mean, what was it with the mood swings?

"Chloe." He snapped. "I'm being serious."

"When are you not serious, Derek?" I countered, glaring at him.

"Please." His voice kind of broke, as if it were a word he didn't use often. Which he didn't.

"Okay. Fine. No, I do not remember anything in particular. We kind of had a lengthy conversation, followed by some violence. You're going to have to help me out here." I sighed, and lay down.

Derek looked down at me. He seemed nervous. "Remember how he said, 'Hey check this out, Ramon. Looks like the pup has a mate.' or something of the same relevance?"

I nodded and pulled myself up using my elbows. "I didn't get what he meant. Guess I was too shocked from the experience to remember to ask you."

"Mhmm. Well, he was kind of right." He whispered, looking down, the tips of his ears getting red. Was he blushing? Why do guys blush from their ears?

"About what?" I sat up now, so that we were face to face. He was all hunched over. I wondered what was going through his mind.

"About me finding a mate." Now he was talking so silently that I had to lean in to hear.

"Derek, look at me." I commanded. His shoulders slumped and he lifted his head. He didn't meet my eyes though. "Derek. At me. Not at the grass." He sighed and met my eyes. I loved his eyes. They were so green and beautiful. I wish I had green eyes.

"Now explain." I prompted. "What is a mate. And how does this pertain to me?"

"A-a..." He cleared his throat. His voice came out raspy. "A mate is something a werewolf has. You know wolves? Real ones? It's sort of like that. Only, it's humans for werewolves."

I stared at him with a blank look. "I have no clue what you just said."

He sighed and shoved a hand through his hair. "Okay, Chloe. Lets explain it in easier terms." He picked up a twig, and lifted up a blade of grass that he barely had to tug on, to get loose.

"This is... twiggy." He waved Twiggy around.

"How creative." I mumbled.

He shot me a glare. "Do you want to learn or not?" He had this whole huffy tone.

"Yes, Mr. Souza. Please educate me." I said with mock enthusiasm. Then I giggle. "Okay. No kidding around, now. Go on. What's the grass's name?"

"Grassy." He replied, matter of factly.

"Original. What happens next?"

"Well... Twiggy was kind of a reserved guy," He looked up at me, making sure I was following along. I nodded. "And then there was Grassy. She was sad too. And stubborn as hell."

I resisted the urge to ask why this sounded so familiar. This would only set him off... worse, he'd stop explaining.

"Twiggy and Grassy didn't like each other at all. They always fought whenever they were within earshot of each other. But they respected each other, nonetheless."

I grinned. I couldn't help it!

"Then, Twiggy and Grassy spent more time together and got to know each other. They realized that, yes, they could be friends. So they became just that. Twiggy really liked Grassy, because everyone saw Twiggy as...as a..." He coughed a bit. "As nothing more than a stick."

I laughed. That was funny, you had to admit it. Derek smiled at me. Sort of a sad smile.

"But Grassy saw someone else, and overlooked his rough outside. Even overlooked all the twig molecules inside of him. She saw Twiggy for what he was. A twig."

"Twiggy fell hopelessly... in... love with Grassy." He wouldn't even meet my eyes now. Oh my Gosh. Did Derek just say he-

"But he was unsure about how Grassy felt about him. So he just suppressed his feelings and did whatever he could to make Grassy as happy as she could be. Which was easy. It seemed that Twiggy just being there made her happy. He didn't understand this. Twiggy liked facts, and numbers. Here, the numbers just didn't add up. How could someone love a twig like him?"

I moved a little nearer to Derek, resting my head on his shoulder, my hand on his arm. "Go on." I whispered.

Derek nodded. "Well, Chl-Grassy. I meant Grassy. She seemed to like him a lot. And then one day, Twiggy remembered what the evil branches had once told him. That Twiggy had found... um... his soil."

I pressed my lips against Derek's shoulder to stop the giggles. But he could still feel it, and he chuckled lightly at that.

"His soil. Which was something he can't live without, if he ever wanted to grow into a tree one day. So he decided that he'd protect Grassy forever and always. Because Grassy helped him in so many other ways that Twiggy couldn't even tell her. Because he'd die if Grassy wasn't with him. Or at least, become dreadfully emo. And irritable. He loves Grassy a lot."

He turned and gave me a satisfied nod. "Yup. That pretty much sums it up. Do you understand?"

"Yes." I murmur. I was grinning so idiotically that I couldn't let him see.

"Then explain it back to me."

I bit my lip.

"C-Chloe? Did I... did I do something wrong?" Derek's voice was full of worry and nervousness. I sigh and nod.

Derek stiffened. "Care to explain?"

I nodded again. "Well?" He asked impatiently.

I looked up at him, idiotic grin and all. "You were being annoyingly adorable. I would pounce you right now, but I'm not like that."

Derek's face rearranges itself from it's passive mask to a face of happiness. For once, all of his emotions were clear on his face.

"You really mean that? You aren't disgusted?" He asked hopefully.

I shrug. "Depends. How long have you been 'suppressing your feelings'" I made air quotes with my fingers.

"Uh, since the run in with Liam and Ramon." He muttered, tucking his chin into his chest.

I punch his arm as hard as I could. Judging by the unenthusiastic response I got from him, it didn't hurt. But it hurt me. Ouch.

"Then I am thoroughly disgusted. What's the matter with you? How could you have dealt with all those feelings just bottled up inside of you? Didn't it hurt?" I turn away. How could he do that to himself?

Derek grabs my chin and makes me look him in the eye. "Do you not understand? I thought you were in friggin' love with Simon. My brother. I've done so much to him, and he takes it all in stride. I thought I could at least let him have you. If that's what would make him happy. And we weren't exactly on the best of terms then. And I was in denial. I didn't even think you liked to be seen with me, let alone be my freaking mate! Be realistic, for once in your life, Chloe. Try to understand what I was going through." He seemed quite angry.

With a jerk of my chin, I have my face released from his steely grip. Derek flinched back in surprise. "I didn't hurt you, did I?" He whispered.

I shook my head. "No, you didn't. But I'm hurt on the inside. At my own ignorance. I knew I loved you, Derek!" I cried out and threw my hands up in the air, letting them fall to my sides at their own will. "I knew! And I brushed it off as something else! I'm a horrid person. How could you ever love- let alone like- me? That's what I always thought. That I wasn't exactly your type. Who could like me? I look like a twelve year old. I'm not exactly anyone's type."

Derek half-smiled. "I do have a type."

I slumped against his shoulder again. "Oh yeah?" I asked in a tired voice.

"Yeah. Wanna know what?"

I sighed. "Sure."

He shifted a little underneath me so he could see my face. "Well... I like strawberry blonds. With fine hair. I like big blue eyes. I like tiny people. I like stubborn attitudes. People who don't flinch away whenever they see me. I like people who stand up for themselves. Don't care too much about their image. I like brave people. Even if they are scared, they do what's right." He looked me right in the eye. "Chloe, that's you."

I smiled at him. "You're sweet."

"And you're my mate. Whew. Glad I got that off my chest." He sighed, relieved.

"And I'm glad I got that all on camera." Tori's voice pops out. She and Simon both crawl out from under a bush.

"TORI! I told you not to say anything. They were about to kiss!" He cried, miming throttling his sister from the back.

"Oh don't get your panties in a twist." She said off-handedly. "We see that enough, thank you very much."

"I do not wear panties!" Simon declared, and tried to grab the camera out of Tori's hand, which she kept just out of reach.

"Give me the camera." Derek growled, and pushed me away gently to get up and try to snatch the camera away. Tori ducked under their arms and ran back in the direction of the house.

"No way. Guess what we're watching for movie night? Bring on the popcorn!" She yelled.

"Well this is awkward." I said, standing up.

"Very." Derek agreed, and came and put an arm around my waist.

"Well I thought it was cute... kinda. I mean, if I were you, I would have flirted a bit more and..."

And so we walked and listened to a play by play account of Derek's confession to me, with added criticism. We didn't mind. We just liked being together. And we will be. Forever and always.

*.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.*.*.*.**.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.*.**.*.**.*.*.*.**.*.*.*

"Chloe, go back and poke the bunny with a stick."

"Aww, Dereeeek...!"

"Fine, we'll go together. You go first though."

"Derek? Did you hear that suspicious twitch sound?"

"Yes, of course I did. I'm a werewolf. We have heightened senses-AAAAHHH! RUN CHLOE, RUN! IT'S ALIVE AGAIN! Oof. No, gosh darn it, Chloe, Get off my ba- IT'S GOT MY LEG!"

Hi peoples.

I'm not gonna lie. That sucked immensely. I'm not used to writing romance-y fics, but that was what she requested, so...

Anyways, I'm going to write a whole lot more! YAY! This is going to be those "One-Shot" fics, where I have a collection of them. Tee hee.

I hoped you liked it, and was mushy enough for you, bloodyXfangs! I'll practice writing more romance fics later on. :P

Thanks for reading!

R&R