Cammie POV

Zach was being his overprotective self and blocking me from whatever 'danger' might be at the door. Of course, danger was something that would always be present in our lives. We'd chosen it. That didn't mean I wasn't capable of handling myself.

But, sometimes, I won't deny that I loved that he was so protective and would do anything for me.

Now wasn't one of those times. I wanted to know who had done this to my son. I pushed him out of my way, and stepped around him to see the last person on earth I would have ever believed to be behind this.

"DeeDee? Is that you?" I asked.

Her face lit up into that perky smile that I had always associated with her. "Cammie!" She squealed.

Before I could make sense of it all, she was running towards me and enveloping me in a hug.

She pulled back and her face stretched tight into an even bigger smile. She was like some rabid pink bunny high on laughing gas.

"Oh, look at your son! He's so handsome," she cooed as she pinched his cheeks. Grant grabbed my arm before I could hurt her. "And all of your friends! I trust you are all well," she said as she sent smiles their way. She turned her attention back to me, "How have you been? Oh, silly me! I don't need you to answer that. I know you've been fantastic. Your family is so precious, and everything just seems perfect."

Zach and I looked at each other in confusion. Was she a part of this or simply caught up in something she wasn't aware of? She seemed so oblivious.

Zach pulled himself together before I did and a dazzling smile took precedence on his face as he confirmed her statement, "Cammie, Riley, and I have been great."

Her smile dropped, and her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. Her voice was a lot smaller when she spoke again, "You mean, Cammie, Riley, and Josh." She patted his shoulder like a mother would correct a child and reassure them so they wouldn't be offended.

Josh had finally broken out of his shocked state, and he spoke for the first time, "Cammie and I aren't together, DeeDee. You know that. Riley is Zach's son. Not mine."

The confidence on her face dropped at once, and she seemed to shrink right before our eyes. She squeezed her eyes shut and clenched her fists, shaking her head back and forth. She whispered, "No, no, you have it mixed up."

"DeeDee? I think you should sit down, okay?" I suggested.

She shook her head once more before she opened her eyes. A smile instantly lit up her face. "Tea sounds nice, doesn't it?" She asked.

"I'll get it," Bex said, going off to the kitchen. I knew she was taking the opportunity to prepare for whatever circumstance might come our way.

I led DeeDee over to the couch, hoping to stall for Bex. We could just knock her out with a hit to the head and be done with it, but this was DeeDee. Perky little DeeDee who Josh had cheated on and whose parents had been deserved to be handled with gentleness.

I gave everyone a look that told them to let me handle this and for them to just sit back and be ready for anything.

"So, how have you been DeeDee?" The concern was evident in my voice. This was… not the DeeDee I knew.

"Oh! I've been fantastic!" She sang with sincerity.

I looked at her, stunned. "Really?"

She smiled and smoothed my hair down, "Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"

"I just… thought that with everything going on in your life lately, you might be struggling. You know, your parents and Josh and…" I trailed off as she looked more and more confused.

"What are you talking about? Everything's great! Everything's just like it's supposed to be. My family is happier than ever, and you and Josh are the perfect couple you were always meant to be."

I wish that I could have let her be happy, but a false happiness? The longer you continue in it, the harder it is when you're brought back to reality. I didn't want to cause her that pain.

I started with something that might be easier to swallow, saving her parents for last.

"DeeDee, Josh and I aren't a couple. Zach and I are married. Happily so. With a child." I poked Riley in the ribs, and he erupted into a fit of giggles.

When I looked back at her, I saw that her hand had started to twitch, and she closed her eyes again, whispering in denial.

I pulled her against me in an attempt to calm her. I rubbed her back and made reassuring noises, but she pulled away and pushed me backwards.

"You're wrong, Cammie," she hissed.

"No, DeeDee. I'm telling you the truth."

"You promise?" She asked the question with a child-like innocence and insecurity.

I looked straight into her eyes and replied with the most sincerity I could muster, "I promise."

She still didn't look entirely convinced, but she let it go, "I guess that's okay, then. You and Zach always were the cuh-uuuu- test couple!"

I smiled and thanked her.

With a child's curiosity, she asked, "Does that mean Josh and I are together then?"

From the corner of my eye, I saw Josh hang his head in shame.

Giving DeeDee a comforting look, I explained, "Not exactly. Josh wasn't very good to you."

"But, if Josh and you aren't together, then he and I must be." Her voice rang with conviction.

I tried to explain it in such a way that it made the break-up seem like a good thing. Something she controlled. "You deserve better, though, so you broke up," I said.

At my words, her face fell. "None of this is making any sense. I still think you're wrong, Cammie."

"No, DeeDee," I told her firmly.

She just looked at me in pity and shook her head.

By now my patience was running out, and I did something I sincerely regret. I snapped. "Listen, DeeDee. Zach is my husband. Not Josh. Josh cheated on you. And your parents? They're dead." The second the words left my lips, I regretted them.

DeeDee's eyes filled with tears, but they quickly were only full of rage.

"Stop lying, Cammie! You're lying to me, and I don't appreciate it!" She screamed.

Zach started to step forward and soothe her, "Calm down, DeeDee, okay? We don't want anyone getting hurt."

Her expression sent fear through my body. It was more than angry. It was psychotic. She looked at Zach in disbelief before she resumed her screaming, "We don't? I think we do."

At that, she pressed a button on her wrist. I waited for the pain, but when none came, I remembered what Zach had told me. Jonas and Liz had taken care of it. She couldn't hurt me or Riley.

Seeing nothing had happened, Delly looked at us in surprise until understanding dawned on her face. "Your little techy friends must have disabled it, huh?" She let out an animalistic noise of frustration that I don't think I've ever heard before. Her face lit up as if a light bulb had just gone off.

Menace filled her voice when she directed her next question at Zach, "Did your friends know there were two?"

Zach's face drained of all color, and he looked at me in panic. "W-what?" He stammered.

Then everyone froze, waiting for someone else to make the first move. It wasn't until the air conditioner kicked on that everyone went into motion at once. I saw Bex come from the kitchen, sneaking up on DeeDee from behind with a needle and saw Josh and Zach coming at DeeDee from her sides. They weren't quick enough, though. Her finger pressed another button on her wrist.

I heard someone scream and felt pain worse than anything I had ever experienced. It was only when I realized I couldn't fill my lungs with air that I realized the scream was mine.

I saw Bex inject DeeDee with whatever she had made in the kitchen. DeeDee immediately fell to the floor, hitting her head on the coffee table.

I thought that the pain would go away once the threat had, but it continued. It didn't end, and neither did my screams.

Riley was crying in Bex's arms, and I tried to pull myself together for him, but the pain was blinding. Zach was shouting orders and pulling me into his arms. The light overhead made the tears on his cheeks sparkle; his beautiful face was the last thing I saw before the pain pulled me into unconsciousness.

I know this is short. I apologize! I hope you like it anyway. I wanted to end it here because it would be awkward if I did it any other way.

And, even so, you have to admit that I've been doing really well with length lately, so I should get a little bit of leniency, right?

Also, I think I'll be wrapping this story up this weekend or one day next week. But, I'm going to try to this weekend! One last long chapter and a possible epilogue?

So, tell me your thoughts! Please(: I love y'all! Thanks for reviewing, as always(:

-Mary Katherine(: