Oh my gosh, it has been way too long since I last updated. I am so sorry. Writer's block is horrible, especially when it keeps me from giving you all the update that you have been waiting so long for. Anyways, I hope that you like this chapter. Maybe with the arrival of Alias's new season I will have more inspiration and be able to get more chapters out sooner.

Chapter Nine- Dreamed Reality

All around her the earth was dark, cast into shadows by the grim, black sky. Chloe tried desperately to see around her, but the darkness was impenetrable.

Suddenly, she felt a hand rest on her shoulder. A scream threatened to tear itself from her throat, but it became lodged somewhere between her lungs and mouth. She turned slowly- doubting that she would be able to whose hand lay on her shoulder, but determined to try. Her eyes were flooded by a light that seemed to come from nowhere.

Chloe closed her eyes, then opened them slowly. The light faded slowly, leaving spots dancing in front of her eyes and the dark silhouette of her mysterious companion's face. She squinted, trying to make out the person's face, but he remained in shadow.

The hand slid from her shoulder, down her arm, and held her hand tightly. Fire erupted from the tips of Chloe's fingers and quickly spread up her arm. The fingers entwined with her own were strong and sturdy and lightly calloused. There was something comforting and familiar about his touch.

Chloe's body was trembling with anticipation and a need to see this man's face. The fire rested in the pit of her stomach. The whole situation was strangely erotic to Chloe.

The man leaned in, his breath hot against her lips. The fire burned white hot within her and Chloe found herself leaning towards the dark figure. His lips were mere inches from her own, she could practically feel them.

"Chloe."

Her eyes snapped open, the fire instantly extinguished as she found herself back in her own home, on her own couch, and the only man near her was Derrick.

She pushed herself up on the couch, wiping a small bit of drool from the corner of her mouth.

"Derrick?" She yawned sleepily, "I thought you weren't getting home until seven." She looked at the VCR clock that winked bright green across the living room floor. It was only six.

"I know, but I though I'd come home early and take you out to dinner tonight. We haven't gone out, just the two of us, in awhile."

Chloe wiped the remaining sleep from her eyes. She couldn't believe that she had fallen asleep. Chloe never was able to sleep during the day. It was some weird quirk that she had.

It's gotta be all the stress I'm under for my deadline, she thought. The small voice in the back of her head disagreed with her.

It's stress, sure, but stress from Sark being back, not from a damn deadline.

"That sounds good," she smiled up at her husband, "but it's a little short notice for a sitter, isn't it?"

"It's alright," Derrick shook his head, "I called Jenny up on my way home. She said that her night is free and she can watch Paris."

"Well then," Chloe stood up and kissed his lips gently, "I guess I better go get ready then."

Derrick's arm wrapped around her waist as he pulled her in for a more passionate kiss.

"Yep, you better. I can't have my woman looking anything less than sexy."

Chloe rolled her eyes and retreated to her bedroom.

>>>>>

Paris watched Chloe as she pulled on her long black evening jacket over a stunning emerald green dress. Jenny, the seventeen-year-old that had babysat her for the last two years, stood beside her, nodding her head as Chloe relayed all the emergency numbers and the information of the restaurant that they would be at.

"I know, I know, Mrs. Mitchell." Jenny nodded her head. "Now you two kids get outa here and have a good time."

Paris grinned as Jenny practically pushed her parents out the door.

"Now," Jenny said turning back to Paris, "what should we do?"

A sly look passed over the young girl's eyes. She had plans for Jenny, plans that the older girl would never even know that she was helping to execute.

"How about we get some ice cream."

>>>>>

Chloe fidgeted in her seat as Derrick gave his order to the waiter. She couldn't get that dream out of her head. Who was the man that she had nearly kissed, that she had felt such a desire for? The key was in the hands. They were too rough to have been Derrick's hands. No, his hands were soft from office work. The hands in her dream had showed signs of physical labor more strenuous than Derrick had ever done.

Across the table Derrick raised his wine glass in silent salute. Chloe followed his example and raised her own glass.

"To finally having a moment, and a night, to ourselves." He said, gently touching his glass against Chloe's. She forced a smile and sipped at her wine. The fruity taste burst over her tongue, leaving a pleasant after taste in her mouth when she swallowed.

Derrick's hand reached across the table to gently hold hers. Chloe looked at their entwined fingers, their wedding bands glowing softly in the dim candlelight. Unbidden, tears rose to her eyes and suddenly, she knew who her mystery dream man was.

>>>>>

His foot tapping impatiently on the cobblestone patio of the ice cream shop, Sark searched the small crowd for Paris's familiar blonde head.

That day in the park had brought father and daughter close to each other. Sark knew that he now had an ally in his quest to have Chloe back. Paris had seemed so eager to have him in her life that he just knew that she wanted him and Chloe together so that the three of them could be a real family. Until that time, however, they had formulated a plan in which they would be able to see more of each other. Now that Sark had seen his daughter and spoken with her, he wasn't about to let her go.

He saw her coming towards the shop, her blonde ponytail bobbing with each bouncy step. A young woman followed behind her, laughter on her face and her own dark pony tail bobbing along with Paris's.

Sark shifted in his seat as Paris and the other girl entered the ice cream shop and ordered their cones. They came back outside and took their seats in the table next to Sark's. He watched them from the corner of his eye. Paris was like any other child, overly eager for the ice cream that soon ended up dripping onto her clothes. Her mouth was surrounded by a ring of chocolate and her tongue was working feverishly over the mound of ice cream that was tucked inside the waffle cone.

He wished so desperately that he could be sitting with her, instead of at the table beside her. Sark wanted the world to know that this young, smiling, and beautiful little girl was his own. He had helped to create her. It was his blood that ran in her veins.

A melancholy sigh escaped his mint-chocolate covered lips. Finishing up his own cone, Sark stood and tossed his napkin into the trashcan. He ran his tongue over his lips, licking off the ice cream residue. With a last look at Paris, he headed across the street.

>>>>>

Wow, so a very short chapter, but I hope you guys liked it. Please review and tell me what you thought. I hope that I can get the next chapter out sooner than I got this one out, but I make no guarantees.

M.B: I think that Sark might be in a few episodes this new season. Let's keep our fingers crossed that my info is right about this. I need my Sark fix. Lol.

Sarks-Girl-89: It is not yet determined whether or not Chloe and Sark will be getting together. Lol. Who am I kidding. We all know that there is going to be at least a little bit happening between them. I just don't know the extent of what's going to happen with them yet.

Helena252, csk8-20, victoria, Lil Aussie Alias Chick, and the different person: Thank you all so much for reviewing this story. I'm just sorry I kept you all waiting so long for an update.