A/N - So sorry for taking such a long time with this. I wanted to finish my other LWD fic before I continued this. I know it may seem really confusing, and Derek slightly out of character (kinda) but he has a reason for acting like this. I promise. Also, all will be revealed soon... :)

Please tell me what you think.

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He's had this routine. When Edwin was first brought from the hospital, he had been unhappy at the lack of attention placed on him. It started innocently enough. First he would hide the milk bottles, then hide the baby under a blanket, until finally throwing a glass of water onto his dark head to see if the child could by any chance swim. When his little sister arrived for the first time, he found her fascinating. He didn't try to hurt her or drown her. But he did feel the need to steal her toys in an effort to get back the attention he lost.

Years later... the newer Venturi stared at him with big, familiar blue eyes. Arms reaching out with curiosity in it's gaze. The setting was the same. Mother, father, siblings, child. However, the people, were different. The woman, new. The siblings, new. Him, older. He had been the last to 'coo' over the child, who reminded him of the union between Nora and his father. He doesn't know what to feel. Or how he should feel. With an interest worthy of an explorer, he held out his own hand, his breath pausing when the tiny fingers fist around his own.

Yes, he finds the child fascinating.

He blocked out everything else. The excited chattering expressed by his siblings and younger step-sister as they circled around Nora. The tired sigh-es of the parents of this new born baby as they relived the events of last night. Everything around him blurred into a haze. Everything... except a feeling.

His eyes rose from the tiny toddler only to fall on the one person who stood watching him from across the room. Their eyes met. Her face is impassive. So was his. They hadn't spoken in weeks. They had avoided each other any chance they got. It took something this monumental for each to place down their guard for a few minutes and let their presence be known in one place at the same time.

She was the first to look away. Her gaze falling on the baby for a minute before her face split into a grin and she faced her mother. Questions spilling out of her so effortlessly that no one, save him, would know of it's rehearsed nature.

Turning back to the toddler, he gazed in envy at the tiny thing. What he wouldn't give to be a child. Ignorant. And happy. And not fearing for what the future would bring.


When she first sits next to him, her legs crossed, her gaze watching strangers with interest, he thinks that maybe, a truce was in order. Personally, he wanted to hold back. He was never more stubborn than when he was with her.

Sighing, he leans back. And he doesn't even notice his knee bounce in agitation until her hand firmly rests on him. His eyes fall on her slim fingers on his leg before they meet hers again.

"I still haven't forgiven you." She whispers softly. Her eyes concentrating on his shoulder.

"I haven't forgiven you either."

Her lips quirk slightly before she releases him from her hold. He tries to pretend that he doesn't miss her touch. They stay silent for a while, neither willing to bring up the real reason they had to talk.

It was she who broke the silent first. "What do we do?"

And the thing is, he feels as hopeless as she sounds. "I don't know."

"Do we tell them?"

He looks at her briefly, before his eyes follows her gaze to rest on a family of four across the hallway. "I don't know."

After another moment, she sighed in defeat. "I better get going." Rising, she dusted her top. Her fingers shaking just slightly. He watched her as she started moving away, her body pausing as she turned to face him. "I'm going tomorrow. Thought you should know."

He nods. Her meaning too clear to ignore. "I'll be there."

She smiles slightly before she turns on her heel and leaves. He watches her disappear around the corner before he lets out a low breath. His hands rubbing his face in frustration. How they get themselves into these type of messes, he will never understand.


He remembers the most ridiculous things about his childhood. The fights, the neglect, ultimately, everything ending in divorce.

Things have changed since then. He never thought he would end up here. Unhappy at the prospect of a little brother. It made him sick to his stomach. How could he not want something so innocent? So frail?

He hated himself. He hated his thoughts. And he knew she had those same thoughts. Was that not how she looked when she had seen him in the room? Her eyes betraying the same ideas he tried so hard to stifle within him?

Times like this, he understood hating one simple moment in time. If that wedding hadn't happen, they wouldn't be here, like this, praying for redemption.

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A/N - Right. So...I know you're probably speculating as to what's happening. And I gladly say, speculate away :) It just might give me help with this plot bunny.