Sorry I haven't updated in so long! I'm so glad it's only 8 more days 'til school lets out! (Yes, I know some of you are already off for the summer. And you're so very, very lucky.)

I own nothing on HOA. Next chapter: 15 reviews. And I mean it this time.

Chey's POV

Horror slowly crept onto his face as Fabian listened to me. I felt my own body tensing from the memory. In the back of my mind I also knew that there was something Fabian was not telling me. When I finished, I looked at him curiously in the near-black room.

He sighed. "Rufus told me something before he went off to who-knows-where. He said that 'Only the chosen will be there in time.' I know it wasn't Nina, or you would've woken up sooner. I'm not sure…"

Realization dawned on me before he even finished. "Fabian, you're chosen. Nina might be the 'chosen one,' but that doesn't stop another from being… the C."

"And if I am, I apparently saved you from dying… unless there's more to it than that." He stared at me, a quizzical expression replacing the one of terror. "Are you sure nothing else happened in your dream?"

I shook my head. "Not that I can remember, anyway," I lied. I had not told him about the two different couples in my own little reality. It would be too much at once to grasp.

"Many things can go wrong, my dear,"a soft voice told me. A sudden chill came over me, and I knew it was Sarah before I even turned around. She nodded toward Fabian, who also saw her. "Nina is indeed the chosen one and her sister has a choice to make. When someone else chooses for her, the chosen one will cease to exist, and the sister must discover the true path of her destiny. Another chosen one, your friend there, will help you through this… should anything happen in the first place."

"Sarah, what do you mean? Is it Rufus?"

She did what resembled a curtsey (although I'm not sure it was) and disappeared. My eyes remained focused on the spot where she was just standing. Her gentle voice whispered one final sentence: "Stay away from the Eye, or all shall pick a side."

Curiosity and bewilderment surged through me. I looked to Fabian, only to see a mirrored expression. A flicker of fear appeared on his face again before it faded. I knew some of what it meant, although I did not like it. We needed to stay away from Nina or everyone would have to choose. A new look of understanding crossed his face. I told him what I had previously decided to leave out.

"Fabian, in the dream, you and Nina had broken up. You said you wanted to be with me, and she had been cheating on you with Trevor. I know this isn't true for actual reality, so I wanted to keep it from you. But now I know that that was a big mistake, especially after what Sarah said to us. We need to have absolutely no secrets between us for this. If Rufus finds out…" I could not finish the statement. Then again, I did not have to. He understood.

"Both of you should know by now that I would do anything to protect you. With Rufus involved, it's even more so. I like you, Chey, and I still like Nina. What I don't know is which one of you I love more."

You heard him say love, too, right? Sometimes this boy can really get on my nerves. "Right now you don't have much of a choice," I reminded him.

"Oh, no, I believe the two of you have a choice," another, creepier voice said behind us. I whirled around as best I could on the couch to spy Rufus in the dark foyer. "And it is my job to make sure you choose correctly."

Fabian was quickly on his feet. Still a bit shaky, I stood up as well. Rufus kept his gaze calm and unwavering; it almost made me nervous. I knew, however, that it was exactly what he wanted. I would never let him get that kind of satisfaction.

"A chosen one, a chosen sister, and a chosen lover. Interesting friendship you have there," he commented. I felt my eyes narrow suspiciously. "Now, I know one thing that each of you cherishes most, or at least, more than other things. If any harm comes to them, I am quite sure you would do anything to stop it."

"Just get to the point!" I snapped impatiently.

"Now, now, I will not be rushed. These things take time to perform correctly."

Fabian edged closer to me, and his fingers entwined with mine. I instantly relaxed and felt something else… something powerful. Rufus seemed to sense it, too, as surprise etched his face.

"You know perfectly well what will happen when we choose against your liking. The power is growing, and there is nothing to stop it. You can either leave in one piece or perish where you stand." I was shocked by my newfound courage, as was Fabian. Rufus just kept the same blank stare he had before. I took a step forward. "Never mess with a chosen one." An ominous tone edged my voice.

The classic words of a villain were thrown over his shoulder as he left: "This isn't over!"

Next day

Fabian and I were the first ones up because we were so close to the kitchen and the smell of food. Somewhere in the chaos of the night's confusion, we had fallen asleep. I knew that the presence of both Sarah and Rufus was not a good thing.

Breakfast was interesting. Nina was the last to arrive at the table. When she bent down to kiss Fabian's head before sitting, he abruptly flinched away from her. In that instant, I knew our close seats to her would not be a good thing. I got up and quietly talked to Trudy in the kitchen. She agreed, gave me two plates of food, and went back to serving the others. I motioned to Fabian with his plate that we were eating in his room. My expression must have shown some intensity, because our housemates immediately started gossiping as soon as we were out of sight.

"Ignore them," he advised once we were in his room. "They don't know what's going on."

"I know, but poor Nina… She must think you suddenly hate her or something."

"Thank God Joy is no longer in this house, otherwise I'd have three girls to love. Although, I think I'm only in love with one of them. The other two are more of sisters to me." He avoided meeting my gaze, but among everything else that had happened, I did not know whether it was me or Nina he was talking about. He turned back to me when I didn't respond. "I meant what I said earlier. I would do anything for either of you in a heartbeat."

"I know that, too. But what did Rufus mean about things we cherish? If it's Nina, I really don't know her that well. If it's Joy, neither of us cares too much. And if it's someone else… there's no one that really comes to mind besides those two."

He gave me a look that clearly read "Stop talking before you wind up getting hurt." I knew he would never truly hurt me, but I also knew he couldn't bear to think about that right now. I shut up and he sighed.

"We have to stay away from Nina, but we also have to protect her. What can we do?"

"Make the choice," I whispered without thinking. Louder, I continued. "Don't you see? This is the choice we have to make. If we choose to save Nina, I might leave in the process because of the events and other decisions that will follow. If we just leave her alone, she'll be the only one who gets hurt."

Fabian seemed to be borderline angry now. "Yes, those are the easiest options in the world!" He tried to contain his glare, but it showed. "Think, will you?"

A memory of the interrogation room flashed in my head. I cringed. "No…" I choked out hoarsely. "Don't send me back there." Exhaustion coursed through me with a sudden rush of power following it. The feeling caused me to slump on the ground until it passed. I leaned my head back on the wall. "Fabian…"

He kneeled next to me. "Chey, I'm here for you. Don't let go."

"This isn't Rufus… It's something much more powerful… and literally breathtaking…" I coughed, struggling to breathe as the sensation grew stronger and stronger. "I went too close to the end. None of this should've happened. I shouldn't be here right now!" Despite my lack of air, I kept talking.

"You have every right to be here." He squeezed my hand comfortingly, and I felt the power ebb. "Sometimes I was worried you would pass, but you never did. You have proven your place is here with us." He snaked his arm around me to pull me closer to him. I buried my face in his chest as tears welled up in my eyes. "The things you stress over, the ones I can tell you're nervous or worried or upset about, every last thing in your life adds to your destiny. Both you and Nina have a one greater than all of us, yet you need our help." He sounded so sure, so confident, I knew he was more than an assistant to me as he had implied. "If it wasn't for your family, you and Nina wouldn't even exist. The curse never would've been lifted, and none of us would've changed from the entire experience."

I melted in his dark green eyes. Except for the new memory implanted in my brain, everything returned to normal for me. "And we never would've met," I finished, drinking in the depths for as long as I could.

"No," he whispered. Then his lips met mine in the perfect kiss. "I love you," he murmured when we broke apart.

"I love you, too," I sighed happily. "But I know you love Nina as well."

"Then we'll keep this a secret," he decided. "I hate doing this to her, but it's for her own safety and for the sake of true love."

I smiled. "You are the chosen lover. For both of us."

Yeah, I know: The ending of this chapter sucks. Cheyenne/Fabian/Nina love triangle! My plan is working! (No, you cannot know about my plan yet. It's a surprise.) Who will Fabian choose? Will Cheyenne have to save her housemates from Rufus? Will any of their housemates discover this new couple? And what will happen if Nina finds out?

I update when there are 15+ reviews.