Wow, I can't believe how long it took me to update. I am so sorry you guys. I will try my hardest not to let it be so long before I update again. You have my word. I don't have time to individually thank all of you who reviewed last chapter. Just know that I am very grateful for your encouragment and your wonderful words of praise. Now, you guys sit back and enjoy the chapter that you waited so patiently for.

Chapter Thirteen- Rewriting the story

Almost three months had passed since Derrick's death and life for Chloe and Paris was slowly but surely moving on. After that night when Chloe had told Paris the truth about Sark, mother and daughter had grown closer. The two made more of an effort to spend time together, knowing now that life was short.

Though Paris had been shocked at first, and didn't want to believe he was capable of it, when she'd learned what Sark had done to earn himself a place in prison, she slowly began to accept it. And Chloe was there for her, making it easier for Paris to accept the truth. But, though Chloe told Paris about the past, she never could find the courage to tell her daughter about what had transpired in the park three months ago. How could she tell Paris that she'd made Sark promise to stay away? After all, the girl was enamored by her father and would not take kindly to her mother forcing him to stay away. So, Chloe kept that part a secret.

"I'm going to Jade's after school." Paris called from her bedroom as she finished getting ready for school. "She asked if I could spend the night, too. So can I?"

"As long as you promise to behave and you guys get to sleep at a decent hour." Chloe called back. She was in the computer room, across the hall from Paris's bedroom.

The young girl rolled her eyes.

"I promise." She replied. A car honked in the driveway. Paris through her backpack on over her shoulder.

"That's Jade." Paris said, moving into the computer room. She kissed her mom on the forehead.

"Bye, Mom, I love you."

"Love you too." Chloe replied, kissing Paris on the cheek. "Have fun, okay."

"I will." Paris promised.

The car horn sounded again.

"Bye, Mom." She called as she ran towards the front door.

>>>>>

Chloe sat back from her computer as the front door closed. A finger- the nail chewed nearly to the skin and the polish chipped- tapped on the desk impatiently as the remaining pages of her story printed. It was done, finally. Chloe watched with a smile of satisfaction as the title page came out and the printer silenced. Finally she could shut her editors up about the deadline. Chloe's smile vanished swiftly only to be replaced by a deep frown. The story was finished, true, but the ending didn't sit right with her. She pulled the last page out from under the stack and read it over.

He had come back, just as he'd said he would those three years ago. But things had changed so much in that time. She had changed. She knew, deep in her heart, that things could never return to the way they were. And that perhaps she shouldn't even try and make them return to how they had been. After all, love is never the same. It is always changing, always morphing into something new, something that no one can predict. And so the question remained in her heart and mind. Did she truly love him back then? Or had it all been merely a myth? And if so, did she really love him now?

Her eyes roved over the words, taking in every detail. Something just wasn't right about it and she couldn't help think that she shouldn't even take it to her editors when she was so unhappy with it. Biting her lip, Chloe wheeled her chair over to the paper shredder. As the page went through, she couldn't help but feel somewhat sad. All that work, gone. But then again, it hadn't been her best work. It had been something written merely to subdue her editors.

And why should I give them something I'm not happy with just so they won't bitch and complain? She wondered as she moved back over to the computer. She stared at the words on the screen only briefly before deleting, not just the last page, but the entire story.

A feeling of satisfaction came over her. Now was the time that she could rewrite the story. Not just the last page, but the whole thing.

>>>>>

"I want to see Sark." Syd's eyes widened at Chloe's words and she choked on her coffee. She could barely believe what she was hearing.

When Chloe had first called her that morning, asking to meet for coffee, Syd was happy. She hadn't seen Chloe since the funeral on account of her daughter holing herself up in the house and refusing to see anyone. But now, when she finally decided to end her stint as a hermit, she wanted to see Sark. Sydney couldn't believe it!

"What?" She asked, regaining her breath.

"I want to see him, Mom. I…I have to see him." Chloe said, her voice firm and resolute. Syd knew that there was no arguing with Chloe when she spoke like that.

"Why?" Out of all the questions that were floating through Sydney's mind, that was the first to come out.

"I don't know," Chloe shook her head, her eyes holding an imaginable sadness. "But what I do know is that ever since Derrick died I have been blaming myself for not loving him as much as I should have. And I guess…I don't know, but I guess I just want to know if I had reason for not giving him all he deserved."

"Chloe, I-" Syd was at a loss for words.

"I know that you hate him, Mom. And I know that you would rather rip off your own fingernails before allowing Sark into the same room as me. But please, do this for me." Chloe pleaded.

Syd sighed. She never really had been able to deny her daughter. She loved Chloe too much to do that. And besides, Sark had said that he wanted to be the one to tell Chloe that he was the reason that Derrick was dead. Perhaps this was his chance to do it. Syd knew that she hated herself for keeping it a secret this long. If Chloe didn't know soon, Sydney wasn't so sure she could keep the secret much longer.

"Alright," she relented with a sigh.

>>>>>

He'd been dreaming about her again. It happened nearly every time he fell asleep. He would dream of Chloe, that they were back together again. And then, just as they were getting closer, she would find out the truth. And she would hate him. He always woke from those dreams in a cold sweat, the hurt and angry look in Chloe's eyes haunting him even in wakefulness.

Sark shifted his position on the uncomfortable hospital bed. The doctors said he was mending nicely and that they had hopes he could leave the hospital soon.

After he'd been stable enough to leave the ICU, the CIA had moved him to their own hospital. One where the doctors were not only trained in medicine, but self-defense as well, and where guards stood at his door 24/7.

It was a lonely existence for Sark. And he couldn't wait to rid himself of it.

There was a knock on the door, and he pulled himself up into a sitting position; wincing as his slightly bruised, but healed ribs protested his movement.

"Come in." He said.

The door opened and Sydney walked in, her mouth set in its usual frown.

"How are you feeling today?" She asked. It was her standard question whenever she came to visit him.

"Like hell." He replied with a falsely cheerful smile. "To what do I owe the pleasure of two visits in one week?"

"Chloe wants to see you." She said. Sark was sure he hadn't heard right. Why would Chloe want to see him? Surely Sydney, despite the fact that Sark had asked her not to, had told Chloe the truth. Hadn't she?

"Why?" He asked. Sydney surprised him by chuckling softly.

"That's exactly what I asked her." She replied. "But who knows why Chloe does anything?"

Sark felt a small smile tugging at his lips. That was quite true.

"I would have thought that she would hate me by now." Sark said. "I mean after you told her the truth and all."

"I told you I wouldn't tell her, and I haven't." Sydney snapped. "And that's why I'm letting her come and see you. You said you wanted to tell her, and now's your chance."

"But-" Sark was ready to protest it, he didn't want his dreams to become a reality.

"We'll be in tomorrow so you should start practicing what you're going to say." Sydney interrupted coldly before turning on her heel and walking out of the room.

>>>>>

Well, I hope this was worth the wait. I'm sorry again for how long it took me to update. I swear I did not mean for it to take so long. But y'all know how writer's block is. Sadly there is yet to be a cure for it. But when there is, I will be the first in line. Lol. Please review and tell me what you thought.