Okay, here is what you have all been waiting for. Now this starts off depressing, but don't worry, read on. It will get better. Read review and enjoy. 3

Chloe's pov

Dreams can be a Paradise. Somewhere you can run away and hide from the cold hard truth. But there's a line between that fantasy, and the real world. Only, sometimes that line can blur, or fade. Then your left to question what parts were reality, versus figments of your imagination. In my dreams, everything is perfect. My family is alive and loves me for me. Nobody is out to kill me. And Alek is always with me. I'm happy. It's a utopia. But then i wake up, and am forced to face the horror of my life. My mother is dead. My father left me. Everywhere i turn, i meet the face of someone else that is out to either kill me or control me. And i am completely alone. Anyone that gets close to me is immediately in danger. And it's all because of that stupid title. Uniter. I wish that was someone else. Anyone else. But it's not. It's me. And i need to face it. I need to embrace it. I have united the humans and the mai, but my job is far from done. I still have a long way to go.

Sometimes, i wish i just didn't wake up. I wish i could live happily in my dreams forever. Because when i wake up, the line between my dreams and actuality is blurred. Sometimes i hold on to that blurred line. If it weren't for that space between fact and fiction, im not sure i could go on.

I knew it had to be a dream. Today was going perfectly. Alek and I had made up, everyone was having fun, nothing bad had happened. And he was thinking about me too. He still cared. The worst part was that i knew it was all going to end, that my happiness wasn't was no way this could actually be happening. I knew none of it was real. I knew it wasn't true. I knew it was a dream. I knew, but somehow, when i woke up, it still hurt just as much. Maybe even more. Whenever i wake up from a dream, i am slapped in the face with reality. And it hurts. But this time, it was more like a full on punch. I couldn't stop myself from thinking of it. And each time i did, it was like another blow to my already withering psyche. Over and over again, i was hit, smacked, kicked, and stabbed with the pain. Usually, the pain hit and left. Now it just lingered there, reality was seeping in. I wasn't wanted. Not by Alek. Not my mother. Not my father. There was nobody out there. And i couldn't stop it. All i could do was numb the pain for a while, by finally facing my sad reality. I needed to stop dwelling on the bad things, and move forward.

I got up from my bed, and went straight to the bathroom. I looked myself up and down in the mirror. I saw a single tear had escaped from my eye. I honestly felt pathetic. I was crying over a dream. Or rather the fact that it wasn't real. I was crying over reality. I quickly wiped away the tear, and walked out of the bathroom. Everyone else was asleep, so i went out the front door. I had learned a few things over my time as the uniter. So i didn't wander very far. I took a seat on the bench that was on the mini front porch. The sun had barely started to rise, so i just soaked in the morning air. A few people were walking and talking here and there, but for the most part, it was quiet. I sat there, enjoying the quiet. I pulled my knees up to my chest and focused on the air that was lingering on my skin. I breathed in the cold, loving all the scents that came with it. I heard someone waking up inside. Just starting to stir. I ignored it, and took pleasure in my last few moments alone. Then, Alek emerged from the room. I glanced over at him, he was wearing a dark sweater, zipped up half way, and the rest showed his bare chest that was hidden beneath it. I peeled my gaze away from the always-perfect Alek, and let them settle on the grass. He clearly noticed the quiet that i was so obviously delighted in, so he just sat next to me on the bench, relishing in the peace along with me. We sat for a while, im not sure how long. I shivered, and then the comforting silence was broken.

"Chloe? Are you okay? You must be freezing." Alek said quietly. He unzipped his sweater, and started to take it off. I looked down to see i was wearing pajama shorts, and a thin V-neck. I should be freezing, but i kind of liked it.

"I'm fine. Really. I like the cold." I answered, rejecting the sweater he was trying to sling across my shoulders. "It's... comforting."

The quiet started up again, but it didn't last long.

"Chloe? Can we talk?" Alek asked me. His voice was unsure, almost as though he hadn't really wanted to ask me. In fear of my answer.

"I can't stop you." I teased. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Well... it's about the other day. When we... kissed."

"Oh... that."

"Yeah. But it's more than that. I know it is. Chloe, that first day, when your car broke down. You almost kissed me. Am i right?" His voice was still quiet, but there was real passion hidden in those words.

"Yes. I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For doing that to you. It wasn't fair."

"What are you talking about Chloe?" I didn't answer him, so eventually he moved on. "And then... I heard you and Amy talking. About the almost-kiss."

"Well of course you did. You can't help but eaves drop, can you?" I teased again.

"No. I can't." He answered with a smile. But then it faded. "Chloe, did you really mean what you said? Did you really think that? That you would lose me?" I shrugged in response, he seemed angered by the fact that i wouldn't give him much and that this conversation was mostly one-sided, but he let it slide. "You could never lose me. You know, i went looking for you. I wanted to prove you wrong. I wanted to show you how i felt. I saw your beautiful, blonde, bouncy curls, and i went for it. I turned you around, and kissed the hell out of you. Only, it wasn't you. Turns out it was Sierra. Great first impression to make on your sister, huh?" I couldn't believe it. Was this true? Had he meant to kiss me? I stared at him in surprise, but still said nothing. "Then there was Lucas. Man, you have no idea how jealous i was. I was seething with it. He wanted you, and i couldn't stand it. And don't forget Keira. I wanted to kill her for hurting you. Then of course, there was the kiss on the couch. I feel really bad about that. I wanted to just hold you tight and never let go. But i was afraid, Chloe. I was afraid that the only reason you wanted me, was because of him. I'm not even sure how, but in my head, that made sense. And so i pushed you away. Then later i realized that it was a mistake. It was a mistake because... because i couldn't stand to be away from you."

I pinched myself, because i was sure i was dreaming again. I had to be. There was no way that this amazing thing was actually happening to me. It was impossible. The line between fantasy and reality must have been blurred. I bet i just fell asleep on this bench. Yeah that had to be it. There was no other explanation. I pinched myself harder. Willing myself to wake up, before any more damage could be done, and i woke up in more pain then i was in before. I loved Alek, but these dreams were one day going to take a toll on my mind. I swear i was going to go insane. I pinched myself again. Still nothing. There was pain of course, but nothing changed. I still sat here, on the bench, with Alek.

"Chloe, what are you doing? You're gonna hurt yourself." He pulled my arm away from my skin, releasing my flesh gently. He took my hand, and intertwined our fingers. "Chloe, if you don't feel the same way, tell me. I'll understand. But if you do, then just know that i never want to be away from you again. I love you." I looked down at the bruise that was now forming. Then back into Alek's chocolate eyes. I guess i really wasn't dreaming. but for once, reality was better.