I told myself I wouldn't do it. I told myself that I was going to wait and take a break. I couldn't stop myself. So, here is another chapter. I honestly like this one. I think it flows a little better. Also, it's a little longer.

This take place a month after the last one. And, there is a surprise POV at the end.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Darkest Powers

Chloe's POV:

I flipped through the color palette and pondered the different choices. Derek had allowed me free reign of the renovations, which included picking out paint colors. And so far, there were a lot. I wasn't doing every room in the house, but there were a fair few. The kitchen, for example, I felt needed a change from the current yellow. And the master bedroom, which was currently purple, I wanted blue. The problem, though, is that there are so many different shades of blue. And each one works in its own way.

"What do you think?" I asked Noah, holding up two of the cards. "Carolina Blue or Prussian Blue?"

He looked at my hand and his paw shot out towards my right hand with a small woof.

"Prussian Blue. Good choice," I said, handing him a ginger snap. I looked down at the barely discernible bump that was now actually visible…if you squinted. "What about you two, huh? Carolina or Prussian?"

There was no answer, but I didn't exactly expect one. As of my doctor visit yesterday, I am officially fourteen weeks along, or around fourteen weeks anyway. She assured me that with first pregnancies, it was common to not feel any movement until well into the second trimester. However, I was feeling something, but I wasn't sure if it was the babies or not. It was sort of a fluttering feeling that made me stop whatever I was doing every time I felt it.

My phone started ringing, bringing me out of my thoughts. I reached over Noah and plucked it off the floor where I dropped it. I smiled when I saw Derek's name in the caller id.

"You have good timing," I said. "Noah and I have just decided on Prussian Blue for the master bedroom."

"Then I have good news for you," he said. "I just done talking with the realtors and as of two o'clock this afternoon, I am the proud owner of a new house."

"Everything went through okay?"

"Uh huh," he said. "I'm stopping by after work today to pick up the key and I thought since your regurgitations are getting fewer and far between that we could go out tonight and celebrate."

"What did you have in mind?" I asked.

"A little bar with wings to die for," he said. "I know, not the most appropriate place to take you, but it's not just alcohol."

"I don't mind," I said. "I'd love to go. Feel up to a game of pool?"

"You're on," he said. "I have to go. Break's over and my meetings about to start."

"Good luck," I said. "I'll see you tonight."

"Be ready at five, okay?"

"I will be," I said, saying goodbye and hanging up. Looking down at Noah, I said, "Here that? Now we have something to paint."

He gave me a smile complete with tongue and looked over at the box of ginger snaps.

"Oh, no," I said. "You've had all you're gonna get. Derek doesn't even know you're getting these. If you start gaining weight, he's gonna get suspicious. Our little secret, remember?"

I rubbed his head before getting up off the floor. I wobbled a little before straightening. I had been sitting cross-legged on the floor for a while looking through different color palettes and now my legs had fallen asleep. I winced at the pins and needles as I walked over to the cupboard and put the box away. It was a brand new box this morning and now it was half empty. Noah had been a very good helper and had earned every cookie. Charlie, on the other hand, was currently giving both Derek and I the cold shoulder. He had a visit to the vet for his shots and he didn't appreciate the strange man feeling him up and sticking him with needles.

I was walking back to my spot next to Noah when there a knock on the door. Noah's head perked up and he ran over, waiting for me to open it so he could jump whoever was on the other side. I pushed him with my foot and opened the door. Simon was standing on the other side.

"Hey," I said. My smile fell as I took in his appearance. He looked like he was going to be sick. "Are you okay?"

"Is Derek home?" he asked.

"No, he's at work," I said. "Come in."

He walked past me inside and I shut the door behind him. I gestured to a chair at the table and I plopped down.

"Would you like some water?" I asked. "Or a bucket?"

He shook his head. "No, I'll be okay."

"Are you sure?" I asked. "You look like you might pass out."

He shook his head again and leaned down, running his hand through his hair. Keeping his head down, he said,

"I'm screwed."

I leaned down in front of him and ducked my head so I could see his face.

"I'm sure whatever it is isn't that bad," I said.

He looked up at me. "I'm married."

I opened my mouth, but no sound came out. I'm sure I resembled a fish. Trying to think of my words carefully, I said, "Are you sure?"

He nodded.

"How?" I asked. "When?"

"Vegas," he said. "I got the mail today and there was a very official marriage certificate in it."

"Oh my god," I said. "Um, let me think. I'm sure there's something we can do. Do you know the woman? Or at least remember her?"

He nodded, looking ill again.

"She wasn't a prostitute, was she?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Worse."

"A man?"

More head shaking. He leaned his head and moaned. "She's going to kill me."

"Who is?" I asked.

He looked up and asked, "Do you think Derek would mind looking after Megan after she kills me?"

I grabbed his hands and looked him in the eye. "Who is she?"

He swallowed. "Emily."

I fell back onto my butt, shocked. Emily had said that she couldn't remember what happened in Vegas, but I never imagined she had something this huge to forget. I looked up at Simon, who was back to running his hands through his hair.

"Okay," I said. "Here's what we have to do. First, stop panicking. Second, we need to call a judge or a divorce lawyer or something to get this taken care of. Hopefully without Emily ever finding out that it happened."

"I tried," he said. "They won't end the marriage before six months. Apparently I chose a very unforgiving judge."

"This is bad," I said. "Emily will not be happy when she finds out."

"I'm aware of that," he said, sounding very much afraid. "She's going to kill me."

"She's not going to kill you," I said. "Possibly horribly disfigure or run over repeatedly with her car, but she won't kill you. We just have to figure out a good way to break the news."

"Okay," he said, nodding. "What way is that?"

"Don't worry," I said. "I'll take care of everything."

"You will?" he asked.

"I will," I said, "You just sit here and wait while I make a phone call, okay?"

"Okay," he said.

I stood up and walked over to the coffee table, where I had left my phone. With one last look at Simon, I hit call. I just hoped Derek would forgive me.

Emily picked up on the first ring. "Hey."

"Hey," I said. "I know this is a little out of nowhere, but do you have any plans tonight?"

"Not a one," she said. "Why? What did you have in mind?"

"I was thinking a little girl's night," I said. "I'll get Derek out of the apartment for a few hours and we'll do our nails and fill ourselves with chocolate mint like we used to."

"Sounds good," she said. "I'll bring the supplies."

"Okay. I'll see you tonight," I said.

"Bye," she said, hanging up.

I stared at my phone for a minute before turning to Simon. "You might want to leave town for a few days."

He nodded. "I'll stay with Dad. Do you mind watching Megan while I'm gone? She has school."

"Of course," I said. "Just bring her over and then you might want to leave as soon as possible."

"I will," he said, standing up. "I'll be back in an hour. And thanks."

"You're welcome," I said as I watched him leave. Turning to Noah, I said, "Derek is not going to be happy."

He lowered his head and his ears drooped. Apparently he agreed with me. I sighed and looked down at my phone. I couldn't call him to let him know because he was in a meeting and he probably would be for at least an hour. I looked over at the clock to see how much time I had. It was three o'clock now, which meant I had two hour and a half hours before Derek got home. That was plenty of time.

I went to the kitchen and began looking for my recipe book. The best way to man's heart, or in this case his better mood, was through his stomach, and Derek was no exception. He never complained when I had my random baking moods in which I baked for days, at least not out right. He'd make small comments now and again about constant runs to the store, but he didn't really mind. In fact, I knew that he liked having a complete table full of decadence at his disposal. So, what better way to put him a good mood than to fill him stomach.

I went with my usual endeavor: cupcakes. Not original, but I had the most fun making them and decorating them afterwards. I decided to make a double batch so that I had some for when Emily came over. I was just putting the first batch in the oven when there was another knock in the door.

"It's open," I called.

Simon opened it and stepped in, holding a small suitcase. Megan walked in behind him.

"Hey," he said. "Uh, here's Megan's suitcase and her medical supplies are in there, too. Derek knows about administering the shots and what she can and cannot eat. I'll only be gone a few days, but if anything happens, Derek has my number, obviously."

He stood there awkwardly and then nodded. Leaning down in front of Megan, he said, "I'm won't be gone long. Remember to be good for Derek and Chloe, okay?"

"Okay," she said.

He pulled her into his arms. "I love you."

"I love you too, Daddy," she said, hugging him back.

He released her and stood up. Before leaving, he said, "And thanks again. For watching her and for…you know."

"No problem," I said. "I'll call you tomorrow and tell you how it goes."

He nodded and left. I looked down at Megan, who was watching me.

"What are you making?" she asked.

"Cupcakes," I said. "Want to help?"

She looked over at Noah, who was sniffing around the coffee table for more ginger snaps and then back to me. "Okay."

I let her crack a few eggs and stir the mixture while I prepared the pan. With her little bit of helping, I was able to get the second batch ready faster than I did the first. By the time the timer went off and I took out the first batch, I was ready and able to put in the new one. I had to wait for them to cool before decorating, but that just gave me time to make the frosting.

"Aunt Chloe?"

I froze and the milk kept pouring, leaking over the top of the measuring cup and into the bowl underneath. When I realized that Megan was actually talking to me and I wasn't just imagining it, I snapped out of it and recovered. Looking over at where Megan sat on the counter, I said, "Yes?"

"Why are we making cupcakes?"

"Uh, because sometimes people do something that might make somebody else angry and it's sometimes a good thing to put them in a good mood first," I said.

"So, you're bribing Derek," she said.

My head snapped over to her. This kid is really perceptive.

"How old are you?" I asked.

"Six," she said.

I stared at her, my mouth hanging open.

"If you're trying to bribe Derek, he likes coconut," she said.

I looked down at the bowl in front of me and back at Megan. Smiling, I said, "You know what, Megan? I think you and I are going to get along just fine. There's an unopened bag of coconut in the cupboard above you."

I poured the milk out of the bowl and refilled it with the right amount. I quickly whipped up a bowl of coconut frosting and pulled the cooled cupcakes over.

"I'll frost and you sprinkle on the coconut flakes, okay?" I said.

"Got it," she said.

We set to work and within twenty minutes, we were all done. I packed away the ones for tonight and left out the ones to soften Derek up out in the open for him to see. Megan helped me clean up and she eventually wandered off to Noah. By the time five o'clock rolled around, I was ready and waiting for Derek.

At a quarter after five, Derek finally got home. When he stepped through the door, he took one look at me and his face fell.

"We're not going out," he said. It wasn't a question.

"I'm sorry," I said.

He nodded and hung up his coat. He tossed a set of keys onto the counter and headed off towards the bedroom.

"Are those your keys to the house?" I asked.

"No," he said. "They're your set."

I picked them up and cradled them in my hand. My set. I pulled my own keys out of my coat pocket and connected the two. Derek came out of the bedroom, pulling a new shirt over his chest.

"Why is Megan in the other bedroom?" he asked.

I hesitated and grabbed the plate of cupcakes off the table. Holding them in front of me, I said, "Cupcake?"

He glanced down and then back up at me. "What did you do?"

"Why do you suddenly think I did something?" I asked.

"You made cupcakes, but you didn't overdo it. That either means you're trying out a new recipe, which you're not because I can actually recognize those, or you did something and you're trying to cover it up by bribing me," he said, crossing his arms.

"Damn," I muttered, "I hoped you wouldn't notice that."

"What did you do?" he asked again.

"Now, this isn't my fault. Most of the blame falls on Simon," I said.

"Blame for what?"

I took a deep breath. "Simon is married."

He stared at me. Just stared.

"Derek?" I said hesitantly. "Are you in there?"

"Simon is married?" he asked.

"He is."

"How the hell is Simon married?" he asked, the news finally sinking in. "To who?"

"It happened in Vegas," I explained. "Simon received a marriage certificate in the mail today and he tried to break it off, but the judge won't end the marriage until six months is up."

"Who the hell did he marry?"

"Emily," I said.

His reaction was not what I imagined it would be. I thought he'd be angry. He laughed. And not just a chuckle. A full, deep, from the stomach kind of laugh. I stared at him like he was crazy, but kept going. When he finally stopped, he was grinning.

"Well, you're taking this fairly well," I said.

"Are you kidding? She's gonna kill him," he said. "I can't wait to see it."

"So…you're not mad?" I said.

"Why would I be mad?" he asked.

"Because our plans for tonight are ruined," I said.

He shook his head. "No. I'm not mad. Where is Simon, anyway?"

"In hiding," I said. "He fled to your dad's and we're watching Megan because she still has school."

"Does Emily know yet?"

"No," I said. "I'm going to tell her tonight, which is why I need a favor. I was kinda hoping I could have the apartment to myself. At least for a few hours. I promised Em a girl's night and I think you're presence might mess with the whole 'girl' thing."

"Sure," he said. "I'll take Megan to a movie or something. Just call me when it's safe to come back."

"Thank you," I said.

I leaned up and kissed him. As I pulled back, he wrapped an arm around my waist and stopped me, pulling me up and completely against him. Moaning, I lifted my arms and wrapped them around him neck. I felt his hand at the hem of my shirt and then I heard a giggle. Derek stiffened and pulled back. We both turned our head to see Megan standing behind us with her hands over her mouth to quiet her giggles. Derek coughed awkwardly and pulled back. I swear I could see the tips of his ears pink.

"Hey, squirt," he said. "How 'bout a movie?"

Her face lit up. "Yes!"

He leaned down for a quick kiss and said, "Just call when it's safe."

"I will," I said.

I watched them go and took a deep breath. This is going to be a long night.

…,,,…

Emily showed up shortly after they left. For the next two hours, we did our nails, ate an extraordinary amount of chocolate mint ice cream, and then did Noah's nails while bribing him with cupcakes. Eventually, we got lazy and I put in the sappiest movie I owned to get Emily's attention. Halfway through it, when I knew her complete attention was on the movie, I decided it was time.

"Emily, I need to tell you something," I said.

"Hold on," she said. "This is the best part."

"Em, this is really important."

"Just let me-"

"Emily, you're married," I blurted.

She turned around and laughed. "What are you talking about? No I'm not."

"Yes," I said. "You are."

"I think I'd remember if I was married," she scoffed.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked. "Even if you drank so much that you forget the entire weekend?"

Her smile faded and she asked, "What are you talking about, Chloe?"

I hesitated.

She jumped at me and grabbed my shoulders. "Tell me."

I swallowed. "In Vegas. You and Simon got drunk and got married. Simon got the marriage certificate in the mail today. He already talked to a judge and he won't end the marriage until six months is up. Emily, I'm so sorry."

The panic on her face quickly changed. Pure rage, at least two levels past what I've ever seen her, had her blowing smoke out her ears.

"I'm going to kill him," she said. "I'm going to cut him up into little bits and use him two feed my cat."

"Emily-"

"Don't 'Emily' me," she said. "I don't care if he is Derek's brother. I'm gonna kill him. He's going to regret the day he ever looked at me."

She jumped up and ran to the door.

"Emily, stop!" I said. "He's not there. He's gone for the next few days so you won't tear him to bits."

She hit her fist against the door. "Coward."

"Please, Emily, just calm down," I said. "I know you're angry. I can't imagine how you feel. But he tried to end it and he can't. I doubt he wants to be married any more than you do, but there is nothing he can do."

She kept her back turned and leaned her head against the door.

"I'm not saying you have to be happy newlyweds," I said. "I'm not saying you even have to talk to each other. I'm just asking you to consider how this affects the both of you. He has a daughter. Don't you think it'll be hard for him to explain all this to her?"

"I won't kill him," she said. "But I'm not promising that he's going to keep all his pieces attached."

"That's all I ask," I said.

She turned around and I saw the anger ebbing. "I'll wait until he comes out of hiding. But then you can't hold me back."

"I won't," I promised. I tried for a smile. "Look on the bright side. You always said you'd get married in Vegas."

She flipped me off and walked back to the couch. I tried to talk to her about it, but she wouldn't listen and kept her attention on the TV. I had a bad feeling she wasn't done venting.

…,,,,…

By the time the movie was over, Emily had cooled off some.

"I'm going to go," she said. "I'm gonna have a long soak and contemplate."

I was afraid to ask what she was going to contemplate. "Okay. I'll call you tomorrow, okay?"

"Yeah," she said.

We stood up at the same time the door opened. Derek walked in and stopped. He put a finger to his lips and pointed to Megan, who has asleep against Derek's shoulder with her arms around his neck. He silently walked through the kitchen and into the guest bedroom. Emily said her goodbyes and left. Derek came out and looked around.

"Did she leave?" he asked. When I nodded, he said, "Sorry. I would have waited, but she fell asleep and I didn't want to keep her out while she was sleeping."

"It wasn't you," I said. "She was about to leave anyway."

"How'd she take the news?" he asked.

"As expected," I said. "She freaked. She promised not to kill him, but that was all that I could do."

"I don't think you could have stopped her had she tried," he said.

"Probably not," I admitted. "When Emily puts her mind to something, she gets it done no matter of who she has to kill along the way."

He pulled me into his arms. "I guess we'll just have to wait and see."

Emily's POV: A Few Days Later

I stepped off the last stair into the lobby and froze. Megan was walking with a woman I recognized as Derek's cousin. She had a backpack slung over her shoulders, which meant she was going to school. If she's no longer staying with Chloe, than that means…he's back.

Racing up the stairs, I got off at his floor, which was the one below mine, and walked up to his door. I turned the knob on the off chance that it was unlocked. Damn. I looked around.

"Key, key," I muttered to myself. "He's got to have the spare hidden around her somewhere."

I checked the potted plant across from the door, but it was empty. Thinking, I lifted it and found the key taped to the bottom. Unlocking the door, I quietly stepped inside and shut the door with a soft click. It was quiet, which meant he was either out or…. I found the bedroom quickly. Opening the door, I found him conked out on the bed. I stepped carefully until I was standing next to the bed and looking down at him. Looking down at him, I really wanted to ring his neck, but something caught my eye. There was a doll laying in the floor by his bed. I scowled. I couldn't kill him. Not with a six-year-old daughter. I sighed and looked at him and noticed that the blanket was pulled down to the top of his pants and he wasn't wearing a shirt. Hmm. Not bad.

I nudged him with my foot and said, "Hey. Get up."

He didn't respond, so I kicked him harder. He groaned and reluctantly opened his eyes. Seeing me, he shrieked and jumped, falling off the other side of the bed. I walked around and he cowered.

"Emily," he said, "I know you're mad, but I tried to get the judge to end it, I swear."

"Get up," I said.

He did what I saw and held up his hands. "I know what you're going to say and-"

"Take your pants off," I said.

The words froze at his lips and he looked at me, confused. "What?"

"Look," I said. "If we're stuck with each other for the next six months, then I'm laying down some conditions. Condition 1: I'm moving in. My apartment is tiny and cramped and honestly it smells bad. Condition 2: I don't want any happy marriage crap. No cuddling and no public displays of affection."

I stepped up until I was standing right in front of him and had to look up to see him. "Condition 3: I haven't had sex in months, so I might as well put you to some use. So take your pants off."

Better?