*IMPORTANT* I forgot to mention the first time I uploaded. After you read the chapter, make sure to read my A/N. I don't want to say anything here because it will spoil this chapter. Also, I really hope to get a lot of feedback on this chapter. It's the longest I've written and probably the most thought through one.

I know I usually upload the next chapter in the morning but by the time I got home last night I was exhausted. I was literally running on two hours of sleep. I started writing the chapter because I didn't want to make you upset for not having the daily update at the normal time. Everything I wrote was horrible and I wanted this chapter to really please you.

So all I can say is that I'm sorry that I'm uploading this chapter tonight instead of this morning like usual, but I needed to sleep so I could make this chapter work. I am overwhelmed with the amount of reviews I got in such a short time and felt bad that I couldn't keep my eyes from closing. I hope that you aren't mad and can forgive me. Maybe this chapter makes up for it?

Alek's Point of View

"This is exactly what I meant when I said it was too late." She had told me. I was torn between feelings of anger and hurt and I knew I had to get out of here, fast.

"Stay here, I'm going out." I opened the door and walked out, slamming it shut behind me.

Anger pulsed through my veins as I raised my fists. I wanted to punch something as hard as possible, but refrained. I grabbed onto my hair and looked up in frustration. I waited for the elevator, rethinking my decision to leave. Instead, when the elevator opened I went right in and pressed for the lobby. I couldn't stand in one spot the entire time the elevator descended. I paced back and forth inside and when the doors finally opened I ran. I ran out of the hotel and out into the night air of the city.

I tried to calm down by taking deep breaths, but it was no use. Chloe had pushed me to my breaking point. I was tired of her inability to respond to the simplest questions that I asked her. Trying to talk about something that involved the past or almost anything else was like talking to a wall with Chloe, you got nowhere. No response at all.

Instead she turned it around on me. She couldn't answer me on two very simple questions, one of which just didn't make any sense at all. She should have no problem telling me who Jason reminded her of. What was the big deal? I shrugged that off and focused on the more important question.

What did she mean when she said it was too late? She refused to answer me. It wasn't till I stormed towards the door that she answered.

"This is exactly what I meant when I said it was too late."

I remember what she had said prior to that.

"Why do you think I close you out? Who shut who out first Alek? Tell me that! You! It has always been you with the problem!"

So I was the reason that this was all happening? How could she blame this all on me? It's not like she wasn't a part of it. She started all of this when she chose Brian.

Was it really my fault that it was too late? Her words rang through my ears. Who shut who out first Alek? My mind wandered back to when it all came tumbling down.

I held the blood covered knife in my hand. I had just stabbed Zane up his ribcage and into his heart. He dropped to the ground, dead as soon as I pulled the knife from his chest. I stood in shock at everything that had just unfolded in front of me. I took a step back, and dropped the knife. It clattered to the ground. I turned slowly to see Jasmine and Valentina on the ground. Their heartbeats faint. I didn't know what to do. I grabbed a dish rag and ran over to Jasmine, who had a stronger heartbeat at the time. I placed the rag and held it firmly to her stomach, trying to stop the bleeding. I got my cell phone out and dialed one of the healers from the pride. I told them as briefly as possible what happened.

The healers came and within a half hour Valentina and Jasmine's heartbeat picked up. A wave of relief washed over me when I began to feel sick. Something wasn't right. I immediately thought of Chloe and was filled with terror.

After double checking with the healer that Valentina and Jasmine would recover I left to find Chloe. I ran as quickly as I could to her house. I listened and only heard one heartbeat. She must be home alone. It was then that I heard the cries and screams coming from her room.

I ran up the block at an inhuman speed and climb up onto her roof. I pushed through her bedroom. Chloe was nowhere to seen in her room. I caught onto the scent of blood and panicked when I saw the bloody t-shirt on the ground.

Her bathroom door was shut when I heard another cry escape her mouth. I ran to the bathroom door.

"Chloe?" I heard her gasp.

"Alek!" She sounded surprised.

"Are you alright? Open the door!" I said urgently.

"No…I can't."

"What's wrong? I saw your shirt." She didn't answer me, I heard sniffles coming from within the bathroom.

"I'm coming in." I replied, the smell of blood getting stronger.

"I'm not dressed. Please just go away…you don't want to see this…I don't want you to." She said between sobs.

The smell of blood was getting stronger. Ignoring her words I reached for the door handle to find it locked.

"Chloe, I will force this door open if I have to." I said sternly, and worried. Chloe let out a long cry of agony and she left me no choice. I backed up and forced the door open with my body.

It flew open, only causing minimal damage. I ignored that at the sight of Chloe. She was lying in the tub, wearing a blue bra and panties. I barely took notice to her attire as the first thing I saw was all the blood. It was surrounding her. Her hands were grasped on her stomach, her hands crimson. Blood was surrounding her everywhere. Her legs were covered in the blood that was slowly filling the tub. Bloody hand prints and smears were all over the side of the tub.

My eyes widened in fear as I ran to her side.

"Chloe! What happened?" My hands shook uneasily as I went to take her hands from her stomach.

She was extremely weak as I took her shaky hands away easily. My eyes widened in fear as I saw three gaping wounds in her stomach.

"Answer me Chloe what happened?" I asked urgently, taking my now blood covered hand and placing it on her cheek gently.

"The Order." Was all she cried. I got up quickly and brought back a towel, holding it against her stomach to try and stop the flow.

"It's no use." She said and I looked where she was looking. On the floor at the opposite end of the bathroom was another towel, soaked in blood. I was trying to figure out how she was still alive. Next to the towel I saw a blood covered bullet on the floor.

I took my cell phone out of my pocket and dialed for more healers. It seemed like we were stuck waiting forever. I held Chloe's hand as my other firmly held the towel against her wounds.

"Alek…I need to tell you something." She whispered, wincing in pain.

"Shhh, you can tell me everything once you're healed." I said soothingly.

The healers came, and I watched worried from the corner of the bathroom.

"You said on the phone that she had three wounds?" One of them asked.

"Yes…why?" I asked, confused.

"There's only two." I went over to look and see where he was talking about. A faint pink line was where the third hole had been.

"Impossible." I muttered. Chloe was healing on the brink of death.

"Chloe, have you already lost a life?" One of the other healers asked. She looked wearily over at me and muttered a barely audible yes. Before I could react, Chloe started screaming. I immediately ran over and grabbed her hand.

"What are you doing to her?" I screamed.

"Nothing! We don't know what's wrong." One responded quickly.

Chloe's grip on my hand was seemingly strong as she cried out it agony, tears streaming down her face. I heard a clanging noise and the healers gasped. I looked to see what was wrong only to become shocked myself. Another bullet was now in the bottom of the tub. Her wound was healing quickly, being replaced by another pink line. Instead of Chloe's heartbeat growing weaker as it should have been, it was growing stronger. Her strength was building as well.

The healers didn't seem to be doing anything to help her, which angered me. They were talking and I couldn't understand what they were saying. Finally, the one that seemed to lead the rest turned to us.

"From what we can tell, it seems like the Uniter is still recovering from her death. The bullets seem to be pushing themselves out, the way they came in, and her wounds are self-healing from there. We don't really know what else to do. There's nothing we can do, she will have to heal on her own. As we have seen, it isn't killing her, but only making her stronger."

I understood what they were saying, but was still shocked when they left. Chloe still had one bullet in her. I leaned over to kiss the top of her forehead, completely forgetting about everything from earlier tonight.

"I guess that this is what Valentina meant when she said each death would be more painful from the last." Chloe whined. My hands were still covered in her blood as I rubbed her back, doing everything I could to soothe her.

A half hour later and Chloe was screaming in pain again. Finally the third bullet protruded out of her and the wound began to heal. I made sure that she was okay before giving her privacy to wash up in the shower. I washed the blood of of my hands and told her that I would be on her roof waiting for her.

Chloe came out a short while later and sat on the roof beside me.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Better now, but still a little ehh." She responded.

"Where's your mom?" I asked, wondering where she had gone to. It was unlikely for her to not be home around this hour. Whereever she was, it worked out that she hadn't been home to see the events that happened in Chloe's bathroom.

"Business meeting thankfully." She responded. "Alek, I need to talk to you." She said uneasily.

I looked over at her, giving her a gentle smile.

"Brian's dead…he kissed me." She said slowly. Sudden anger washed through me as I clenched my fists, my jaw tightening. I didn't know what to say, the rage was boiling inside me. I decided that I was no longer needed and was going home.

"Alek…please let me finish. He kissed me…I didn't want…" I cut her off, not wanting to hear another word.

"You just couldn't stay away could you? Now look what you did. Look what happened because of your recklessness. You died and so did that human. I hope your little kiss was worth it."

"Alek…let me explain!"

"No…you chose who you wanted and look where it got you. I'm done with you." I spat and disappeared from the roof, leaving her there, ignoring her as she yelled for me to come back.

I was sitting on a bench in Times Square as I recalled that night. Chloe came to the penthouse in tears the next day. She was talking about everything, including something that had to do with her mother. I didn't bother to listen to a word of it. Before I knew it, she was moving into the penthouse with all of us. I ignored her, the only time I acknowledged her was when I would shoot a snide comment at her, just to piss her off and try to make her feel how I felt.

For months she would approach me, trying to talk about that night, him. I wouldn't listen to her. I did shut her out. After a while, Chloe started shooting the remarks back at me and other than that ignoring me entirely, just as I had done to her.

Recalling everything that happened the past two years made me realize that I had shut her out. It had been me. Chloe was right about it all. Before I could think anymore, my phone rang. I quickly pulled it from my pocket, in hope of seeing Chloe's name flash up, but was disappointed to see that it was Jasmine. I reluctantly picked up.

"Hello?" I mumbled.

"Hey Alek…what's going on…everything's okay right?" She questioned, obviously able to pick up my mood.

"No Jasmine, not really. What do you want?"

"I was calling to see if things have improved with you and Chloe but from what I'm picking up they haven't."

"No…no they were. They were really starting to turn around until we had a big blow up about an hour and a half ago." I explained frustratingly.

"What do you mean?" I sighed, annoyed.

"Meaning we were at least starting to become friends when I asked her something about a conversation we had earlier this week." I explained, not going into details. "One thing led to the next and we fought about everything from the past two years. She said I shut her out first."

"Well, you did." Jasmine interrupted. "You practically put her on mute and only talked to her when you wanted to take your anger out on somebody." I sighed, realizing that she was right. Before she called I realized it had been me. Jasmine only confirmed it.

"Alek…where is Chloe…you're with her right?"

"She's back at the hotel." I said flatly.

"Well, you can't leave her there by herself. What if she left?" She lectured.

"She'll be fine." I stated.

"Alek, you better make things right. I'm really tired of hearing and seeing you two at eachothers throats all the time."

"I'm going to try." I said.

"Now get back to the hotel before she leaves, then you'll really be sorry."

"Bye Jasmine." I said, irritatingly.

I got up from where I was sitting. I knew that it was up to me to make everything right. Everything was out in the open now. It was time to mend all the broken pieces. I was going to pick up dinner and go back to the hotel. I just hope she didn't hate me forever.

I was looking around, trying to figure out where I should get dinner for the two of us when I saw the Swarovski store across the street. I thought about the ball tomorrow and the dress that Chloe told me she was wearing. I had remembered why I asked her in the first place. I had been planning on buying her something to wear with it as we walked through Central Park. Things were going really well between us and I thought it would be romantic. Unfortunately, things spiraled down as soon as we went back to the hotel.

Not wanting to give up on us, I walked over, thinking of what I could get her for tomorrow. My eyes traveled the displays until I found the perfect thing.

I walked back towards the hotel and came across a Chinese restaurant. I ordered take out for us before proceeding towards the hotel. I had been gone for a few hours and had felt awful for everything that went on.

As I got off the elevator and walked to the door, an instant wave of fear passed over me as I remembered Jasmine's words. What if she leaves? I tried not to think of the possibility as I walked into the suite. I could hear Chloe crying upstairs and was hit with an instant pang of guilt. The item I bought her was in my hand and I didn't want her to see it. I quietly opened the coat closet and put the Swarovski bag on the top shelf, hidden. Even if she had opened the closet, she wouldn't be able to see it in the back corner.

I slowly ascended the stairs, Chinese food in the bag in my hands. Chloe was sitting on the bed, facing towards the bathroom so I couldn't see her face. I saw that her hands were a little shaky and she had stopped crying.

"I brought back dinner." I said quietly, not knowing what else to say. I didn't know where to begin, what I would say. It was clear she didn't want to talk to me. Her back was to me. I wanted to embrace her and let her know how sorry I was, but I didn't want her to push me away. I stood there for a minute in hopes of hearing her voice. Instead she just sat there, no movement or sound escaping her except for the steady breathing and the pounding heart in her chest. I sighed and walked out onto the terrace.

I placed her food in her seat in hopes of her coming out. I was slowly eating mine when I heard movement in the bedroom. She had gotten up and I heard the bathroom door close, the faucet turning on.

Five minutes later, she appeared on the terrace. Her eyes were dry, but I could tell she had been crying for hours. Her face was red and puffy, even in the moonlight. She silently sat across from me and began to eat. I finished my dinner before her and decided to stay with her. I had hoped she would say something because I was too afraid to.

She didn't glance up at me once as I watched her eat. She seemed calm, but I knew that on the inside she was falling apart. When she was finished, she got up, not acknowledging me and went to walk back into the suite with her empty containers.

"Chloe?" She stopped, not turning around. "I'm sorry." I managed to say, scared of what she would say. I didn't want to fight again.

"Thank you." She paused. "For dinner." She continued. She walked back into the suite. I felt awful that she ignored me.

As I was walking back into the suite, I noticed Chloe grab her phone from the bed. Amy's ringtone was going off. Chloe walked passed me, not looking at me again as she went downstairs.

I sighed and threw away the rest of the containers from dinner. I changed out of my jeans into a pair of grey sweats and taking my shirt off.

I lay in bed, my mind swarming with thoughts from the past two years. I thought of all the horrible things that I had said to her. This really was all my fault. I was too stubborn and concerned with my own feelings to notice what it had done to us. I heard Chloe's steady heartbeat in the living room below, probably texting Amy so I wouldn't be able to listen in on their conversation.

No matter what I did to try and take my mind off things, my thoughts always wandered back to Chloe. She was all that was on my mind. It didn't make things any better that deep down I knew that I was very much in love with her. I fell in love with her over two years ago. As much as I tried to stop, I couldn't. I didn't mean for any of this to go on for so long. It's been two years! What the hell was wrong with me?

My mind wandered back to what she had said a few days ago.

"I didn't want to be in love with him, because I was falling for you."

She said she was falling for me two years ago. She also said that it was too late now. What if it wasn't? I strongly believed that we could fix this.

Determined, I got up to go downstairs. My hopes of talking to her fell when I saw her asleep on the sofa. Not wanting her to wake up with a strained neck I walked over and picked her up in my arms.

She subconsciously wrapped her arms around my neck and snuggled into my chest. I smiled to myself as I began walking back upstairs.

"Alek." She said softly. I stopped in place and looked down at her.

"Yes?" I asked, but she was still sleeping. One of her hands was falling from my neck and running down to rest of my chest.

"Please don't leave me." She whispered, it was barely audible but I heard it. I smiled, but felt guilty again remembering how I walked out that night. I continued up the stairs and laid her gently on the bed. I covered her and lay beside her. I had heard Chloe talk in her sleep before but was normally unable to make out what she was saying. I had no idea whether Chloe had been sleeping, or awake at that moment.

"I'll never leave you again…I promise." I said. I knew she probably couldn't hear me, but I needed to say it.

"Thank you." I was shocked when her eyes fluttered open and she looked at me. Her eyes closed and she fell back to sleep.

I smiled, in hopes that we made some sort of connection before I drifted into a deep sleep.

Chloe's Point of View

The next morning I woke up facing Alek. His features were soft and our arms were touching side by side. I thought that I had fell asleep on the couch but then I remembered a pair of strong arms, only known as Alek's, carrying me up the stairs. I was half asleep but I could still remember asking him not to leave me again.

When he laid me in bed he promised that he wouldn't. Feeling somewhat at peace, I thanked him and went back to sleep. I wasn't sure where he had gone, he was gone for hours, but I know he came back in a calmer state.

After dinner I had gone downstairs. Amy was calling me, but I didn't want Alek listening in so we texted for a while. I told her everything that I could through text. Amy responded back as a friend would, but towards the end of our conversation she added what she thought.

Amy told me that she thought the reason for all this was because Alek loved me. I didn't believe that when she told me the first time and I still didn't. I remember how she told me that things would work out between the two of it and she knew it. She told me to stay calm and now that everything was out in the open, things would get better. Amy knew that I loved Alek, which is another reason she constantly pushed me to tell him how I really felt. I never had, I had told him what I wanted to tell him two years ago but then added that it was too late. I didn't want him to think I still felt for him because I knew that he didn't anymore.

I heard Alek began to stir beside me. I got up slowly remembering that today was the ball and I needed to start preparing for it both physically and emotionally.

"Chloe?"

Sitting on the edge of the bed my back was facing him, so I turned my head to the side to acknowledge him.

"Can we talk?" Alek was rising so that he was resting on his elbows.

I gently nodded my head as I got up. I realized I was still wearing my clothes from when we went out yesterday. Ignoring that, I walked out onto the terrace to enjoy the morning air.

Shortly after, Alek followed. The last time we had actually talked out here was when we had the big blow up. He stood next to me as we both stared ahead at the view the terrace gave us.

"You wanted to talk?" I asked, nervously. I didn't want to fight again.

"Yes…" – he paused for a moment before continuing – "I'm sorry."

I looked over at him, surprised to see that he was the one apologizing and he looked sincere about it.

"I shouldn't have pressured you into answering things you didn't want to answer, nor should I have reacted the way I did." He said firmly, careful with his words. I didn't say anything mainly because I didn't know what to say.

"And…you're right. I did shut you out, and I'm sorry about that. I was a complete asshole, still am." He said, making a point to keep eye contact. I looked away.

"I understand that you're sorry, but that doesn't make things okay." I responded.

"I know it doesn't…but I hope that one day things will be?" He questioned, unsure as to whether or not that's what I wanted. I looked over at him. I was able to tell by the look on his face that his words were genuine and he did want to make things alright.

"I hope so." I agreed. I didn't really know what to say. Alek wasn't one to apologize, but it seemed like he was doing a lot of that lately…as if he were trying.

"I'm sorry too…for what I said." I said sincerely. "It was mean and it was out of line."

"It was, but it was also true." Alek agreed, his lips curving into a smirk and I knew what was coming next. "Plus, I kinda deserved it." He chuckled. I couldn't help but let out a small laugh as well.

Most of the tension had risen from that point, but things were still very awkward between the two of us. Alek and I barely spoke that day. We ate breakfast and lunch in silence. It wasn't until we were getting ready for the ball that Alek approached me.

I had just showered, brushed my teeth and put on my make-up. I straightened most of my hair and put it in an updo, letting a few loose tendrils cascade around my face. My dress was hanging and my shoes were beside it.

The dress was yellow, similar to a Daffodil. It was strapless and was a mermaid dress. I put it on slowly, careful not to damage it as I slid it up. It immediately grasped onto all of my curves like a glove. I felt like Belle for a moment. It was the perfect dress for the occasion. I slipped on my heels and walked out of the bathroom. I heard Alek downstairs, he must have still been getting ready. I walked over to the long vanity mirror to get a better look. The fabric was scrunched and it draped as it went down my legs. It was a beautiful dress and I was surprised on how well it fit me.

I was still looking in the mirrors when Alek came upstairs. He was in his black tuxedo and his hair was styled as usual.

"You look beautiful." He said slowly, drawing it out. I smiled at myself in the mirror.

"Thanks." Alek approached me. He had something in his hand, but I couldn't tell what it was.

"Yesterday when we were in the park, I wanted to get something for you…that's why I asked what you were wearing to the ball today. I planned on getting this for you before we fought, but it didn't work out that way." He was now standing behind me.

"I picked it out after everything happened last night." I looked in the mirror down at the blue box he held in his hands. I quickly looked up at him, making eye contact through the mirror to see the small smile on his face. I looked back down at the box as he slowly opened it.

It was an absolutely beautiful necklace. It was a set of oval crystal stones. They were all clear except for the two light yellow crystals that surrounded the center one. I was at a loss of words on how pretty it was.

"It's beautiful." I told him. It was all I could say because of how overwhelmed I was. I knew that it was expensive and was shocked that Alek spent his money like that on me. I looked back up at him, my eyes wide. He smiled, not saying anything and took the necklace from the box.

I watched him from the mirror as he placed the necklace around my neck. It hung perfectly on me. The smile on his face never left as he finished putting it on. His hand brushed against my skin, sending a wave of bliss throughout my bones. I took in a sharp breath.

"It looks even more stunning on you." He said, looking at me through the mirror. He placed his hand lightly on my right shoulder. I turned my head to look at it. We stayed like this for a minute. I wanted to say something more, and I could tell he was contemplating on the thought as well.

"Come on, the limo's waiting for us downstairs." His hand trailed down my arm as he took my hand.

I'm writing the next chapter and it will be up tomorrow. Usual schedule again, so I hope that you all review as much as you did on the last chapter because I would not be able to write this story without all of it. I never thought this story would take off like it did.

My goal is to write a chapter a day to this story for at least one month. It's going to be a long story, and I hope that you can all enjoy it as a daily soap opera. I have a lot of fun writing it.

I didn't expect this chapter to be so long, but a lot of you wanted to know how it went down two years ago. I really hope that that part satisfied you. Maybe I will write more flashbacks in future chapters, just let me know what you thought.

I know I said this chapter would be the ball but the actual ball is going to be long and I didn't want the chapter to have more than it needed. So basically, this chapter is a two-part. Alek and Chloe really needed a turn around. The breaking point really got things out into the open and they both want to fix this, especially Alek since he knows it's he who shut her out first.

I put the link that leads you to the page for the fanfic. On that page, I put links to Chloe's dress and the necklace that Alek got her. :)

I normally upload at around six or seven in the morning, so that's less than 12 hours away now.

I'll put it up even sooner if I get crazy reviews like yesterday. So with all that said…review!

You know you want to! ;)