-I don't own Darkest Powers and never will T_T-

this = story

this = Chloe's mthoughts

(this) = beginning/ending of a flashback

-Chapter Three-

After breakfast, Derek and I decided to go watch TV in the living room. I never really liked this room. It had dark purple walls, a shade so dark it was almost black, but not quite. The beautiful cherry oak hardwood floors were perfect but also went with the gothic theme of the room. The large 72" HD TV hung on the wall, a window on one side of it and a few dozen black and white photos on the other. None of us, except for Andrew, knew who the people in the pictures were. He said when everyone returned they would help him explain everything about anything they could. The designer black leather couches were spotless, the silver frame gleeming in the late morning light streeming through the window. There was also a new silverish-whitish Apple desktop in the corner by a large, overstuffed bookshelf.

I didn't even notice that we had sat down or that Derek had wrapped his arm around my shoulders again.

"Hey Chloe?" I jumped at his voice. Even though it was soft and quiet for a change it still startled me. "What's got you thinking so hard?" He smirked at my exspression, his eyes gleeming with amusment.

"Oh, I was just thinking about how much this room kinda creeps me out." I shrugged. "I mean, its not eveywhere you see a totally decked out Gothic masion in the middle of nowhere with a really creepy looking living room and all the other rooms are normal." I looked into his eyes just as a grin spread slowly across his face. Over the past few weeks, Derek had loosened up significantly. By that I mean he was almost always found with a smile or laughing, instead of his usual scowl and sarcastic remarks. Sometimes, when someone really ticked him off, and usually that person was either me or Tori, he would return back to his brooding self.

"So, this room scares you Chloe? I didn't know. I guess then we should leave, huh?" His gaze was starting to make me nervous.

Out of nowhere, I was off the couch and sailing through the air towards the celing. I screamed as I started to fall and closed my eyes, waiting for the impact. But instead of feeling the wood of the floor, I felt something warm and strong wrap around my waist. I opened my eyes to see Derek laughing his head off. I guessed he would've been doubled over if he wasn't holding me.

The only reason I didn't hit my head on the celing was because it was really high. It was at least half of a cathedral building's celing. When I first inspected it, I discovered that the celing went all the way up to the third floor. I was amazed at how high someone would build such a room ment only for sitting and drinking tea back when it was made.

By the time Derek had calmed down enough to talk coherently, I was royally pissed. I screeched "Derek!" and stomped out of the room, up the stairs with him hot on my heels with apologies. (A/N: by the way, tori&simon are in the backyard during all of this.)

Once I reached the staircase leading to the third floor, I spun so quickly that I caught him off guard. I inwardly smirked at his pleading exspression.

"Derek," I said slowly, menecingly. "Why did you do that? That was really scary and mean! I mean, you could've missed and I could've-" I was broken off by Simon clomping up the stairs behind Derek.

"Sup, guys," he greeted. I glanced at Derek and my face fell. He was back to his jerkie self.

"Hey Simon." I said, faking my cheeriness. He gestured for me to sit on the stairs while he continued to talk. I just complied, having nothing better to do.

"So Chloe, I heard there was going to be a movie on tonight. Do ya wanna watch it with me? I hear it's good." He sounded so hopeful, so innocent that I had to agree. Then he started rambling on about some zombie movie in the threatres. This brought me back to Lyle House, when Simon tried cheering me up about the zombie incedent by talking and joking about it. Then I remembered why I needed cheering up in the first place. How Derek, my best friend, had been there to help me through it. This thought made me smile.

"Chloe? Chloe? Are you even listening?" I was broken from my trip down memory lane by Simon's franticly waving hand in front of my face.

"Yeah, sorry Simon." I then relized that Derek had left. "Excuse me." I just got up and left, off to find Derek.


Much later, I found Derek in his room. I had looked everywhere but there. The thought just didn't occure to me that maybe, just maybe, he would be in a place of rest. Duh, Chloe.

He was laying down on his bed, just staring at the ceiling, clearly lost in thought. I was accually surprised when he didn't here me coming in.

"Boo!" I yelled, jumping on him. I successfully scared Derek Souza. I felt so proud.

"Damn, Chloe. Are you trying to give me a heartattack?" He mocked anger but he was clearly shocked that I scared him, even a little bit.

"So, what's gotcha thinkin' so hard?" I sat on the bottom of his bed, sitting Indian style. He copied me on the other end.

"Well," He drawed out. Appearently, he didn't want to talk about it right now. I held up my hand, telling him to stop.

"Derek, you don't have to tell me now. You can when you're ready, okay?" He smile in thanks.

Suddenly, we heard the front door swing open and a stampede of footsteps followed.

"Kids!" Andrew called. "Can you come down here?"

"Guess that's our que." Derek joked. I smiled.

"Guess so." We both got up and left together, walking down the stairs side by side. We met Simon and Tori at the bottom.

"Where's-" Tori was cut off by Andrew calling from the livingroom.

"In here kids." Andrew called from the living room. We all walked in and found him sitting on one of the chairs, flanked by people on either side.

"I have something to tell you kids."