I do not own Darkest Powers, what a shame… .

Chapter 2

I woke with a smile on my face. I could still feel his strong arm wrapped securely around me, and his chest rising and falling beneath my head. I drank in his warm earthy scent and sighed with delight.

His deep voice startled me, making my eyes flutter open automatically, to my pleasure I saw a sleep-laden, tousle haired Derek, peering lazily back at me.

"I don't think I have ever had anyone smell me and sigh before." He murmured groggily, I looked down and felt heat rise to my cheeks. "Hey, it's okay. I wasn't trying to embarrass you, I just thought it was...." He whispered, hand pulling my chin up, so I would meet his eyes. I smiled, trying to make him feel better.

I began trying to maneuver myself out of the bed, figuring we were done sleeping, when his arm tightened around me. I looked up to see his lips twitch into a new found smile.

"Please, stay?" he said softly, a tenderness in his words and touch as he encircled me with both arms, pulling me back into his hot embrace. At some point I fell back asleep, snuggled into him.

***

"OH MI GAWD!" Tori practically shrieked. I woke immediately, heart hammering in fear. She was standing over us, jaw almost on the floor, eyes bugging out of her head. Shock was radiating off of her in waves.

"Shut up, Tori!" Derek growled, stroking my hair soothingly.

"Oh, T-tori! I-its not what y-you… probably are thinking-" I stammered, and she cut me off quickly.

"Look, I don't care anything about your love life, Chloe, but this is just wrong! You're leading Simon on!" She cried. Love life? That's a bit harsh…I thought, before I looked down to see me half on top of Derek, his hands on my now bare waist. I must have slept rougher then I had thought… I was just opening my mouth to defend my behavior, when Derek beat me to it.

"Damn it, Tori! You know, Chloe isn't leading Simon on!" He bellowed, adding in a grudging mutter, "They've held hands and stuff, big deal."

"Oh, come on, Derek! You're his brother! Yet you're going to sit there and tell us, he doesn't want Chloe, bad?" She stressed the word bad, getting more upset by the second. I slowly untangled my self from Derek's protecting arms and climbed the rest of the way over him, to the edge of the bed. He followed my example and we both stood simultaneously, his chest up against my back.

"Tori please calm down. Nothing Happened. Derek was just helping me sleep; we weren't doing anything wrong. You of all people should know how hard it is for me to get a good night worth of sleep!" I pleaded her with my eyes to stop.

"Okay Chloe," She huffed exasperatedly, looking me in the eye now. "But if you don't tell him about you and Derek soon, and let him down gently, I will say something then. We all know that is not what you want." She warned, eyes flashing. She then turned and flounced out, closing the door softly behind her.

I heaved a sigh of relief, leaning back into Derek's chest with out thinking. Then remembering myself. That and the fact that I was leaning into the chest of a half-naked teenage boy, whom I had just slept the night with, I lurched forward spinning to face him. He was watching me carefully, like that of a wounded animal, his blank mask slipping securely across his face again.

"No." I said, shaking my head, grasping his hands in my own. "You will not give me that cold, unfeeling gaze anymore, Derek Souza!" I glared. He simply looked down at our hands, and pulled away from my hold on him. Instead he grasped my hands in his, rubbing intricate circles into the backs of my hands with his thumbs. Our eyes met. He stepped closer and bent down slightly.

"Chloe? Why did you have me sleep with you, instead of Simon last night?" He asked quietly, sounding so vulnerable it hurt my heart. I must have turned three different shades of maroon. I opened my mouth to answer, but one of his fingers stopped my reply. "Please, don't spare my feelings, please just tell me the absolute truth." He whispered, moving even closer.

The closeness between our bodies was so distracting that it scrambled my thoughts completely. I couldn't have lied if I had wanted to! My heart was having a spasm attack, my breathing was shallower then any smokers, and my eyelids were fluttering rapidly, trying desperately to clear my thoughts. He was so close now that we were breathing each others air.

"I asked you, because…" I gulped, slowing myself down so I wouldn't stutter. "Because, you make me feel better, safe. Yes, we argue, yes you could be so dangerous, but I don't care. When it counts you're always there, you would never purposefully hurt a thing, except maybe Liam and Ramon, but they don't count!" I looked up to see him roll his eyes a soft grumble erupting from his chest, at the mention of their names, I continued. "Your brother may be able to sweep everyone off their feet and enchant them with his charm, but" I looked deeply into his eyes now, thrusting all emotion into my eyes. "But, you. Derek, you take my breath away!" I whispered.

We were now mere inches away from each other. Those luminous green eyes, now took on a new glow. Not of obsession, or ownership or anything as drastic as I've seen from other guy's, it was one of hope and happiness and…love? I saw the decision to make his next move, click in his eyes. He began moving closer to me, eyes concentrated on my mouth, mere millimeters away now. I parted my lips waiting-

"Knock, Knock!" Came Simon's voice on the other side of the door. "Hey, you up sleepy head? Can I come in?" He asked, obviously hopeful. Derek sighed leaning his forehead against mine. I hugged Derek around the waist and replied back.

" Uh, no, no, no! No, you cannot come in right now Simon! I'll be out when I'm ready."

"Oh." He said choppily, obviously not expecting that answer. "Well, I guess, I'll just… see you downstairs." I waited until I heard him walk away, and then melted into Derek's arms for support. Today was going to be grueling…

A/N: I know it was really short, sorry! I'm thinking the next couple chapters may be of Tori, i really enjoy her character! :)