/AN: Hey, everyone! I actually updated this chapter once. Nothing has been updated yet, except for the author notes. So if you haven't read it yet, continue on with chapter 13. If you have, please be aware, the ending notes contain valuable information to the continuation of this story! Don't skip it!

Disclaimer: I don't own it, yada, yada.

Without further ado: Chapter 13: Safe Haven Part 1./

It was about four fifteen by the time they all piled into the van. Simon took the driver's seat, mostly because he was the only one of them who could legally drive and if they happened to run into trouble on the road, he was the one they wanted to be driving. Tori had claimed the passenger seat. "Perks of an injury," she had said.

Chloe rolled her eyes and took the seat behind Simon on the middle bench and Lucy took the seat behind Tori.

Within an hour, Lucy had moved back to the back seat to stretch out and Tori was knocked out cold in her reclining seat. Chloe couldn't tell why, but she was completely wired. She hadn't had any caffeine, just a water and a sandwich when Simon had stopped the van at a Subway for a quick dinner. Nevertheless, she couldn't seem to sleep.

Simon finally glanced back at her in the rearview mirror. "You know if you wanted to catch some z's no one is going to stop you…"

Chloe looked away from the window to Simon's face. "I tried. My brain won't shut off." she said.

"Adrenaline still going?"

"Something like that. I just can't stop thinking." She brought her gaze back to the window. It was dark now and had been for a few hours. She could barely make out the dark shapes of trees and mountains as they drove.

Simon removed Tori's iPod from the dock and deposited it safely in the glovebox. "I'm here to talk if you need me."

Chloe let out a small sigh. "You listened to me talk all day yesterday."

"And did I complain once?" he asked her, meeting her eyes again in the rearview.

"I think Kit taught you to drive better than that," Chloe said, avoiding the subject. She nodded to Simon, who was now looking to her more than keeping his eyes on the road.

Simon laughed. "Please. Because traffic is so unbelievably heavy tonight." He had a point there. There was no one else on the road except for them and maybe a straggler here and there.

"Just the same, Kit will be bent if you wreck the car. And I do believe Derek told you to bring me back to him in one piece." Chloe replied.

Simon swallowed hard. "Touche."

That earned him a smile.

"I'm still angry with him." Chloe said softly.

She could see Simon frown in the dim light of the dashboard. At first, he didn't say anything. In the silence, she could hear Tori mumble and shift in her sleep, and Lucy's soft, even breathing behind her. After a few minutes, Chloe was certain he wouldn't say anything, and she turned her attention back to the window.

"I know I shouldn't be, but he usually thinks ahead. He could have turned off his phone while he was driving or called us.. Simon, I thought he was dead! You can't tell me you weren't thinking the same thing."

Simon nodded. "Okay, you have a point. He did worry the crap outta me."

"He had options but despite that genius brain of his, he chose the one that cut us all off." She continued.

"That's a reasonable reason to be upset."

"Darn right it is." Chloe replied.

Simon gave pause. "It frustrates me too," Simon started, "but I'm sure he had his reasons for doing what he did. He always does."

"Still gonna kick his butt when I see him finally." Chloe said, stubbornly.

That got Simon to smile a little. "I'm sure that'll be a fun reunion!" he dropped his voice real low, still somehow managing to keep his voice down. "Chloe! I missed you so much-" he brought his voice up to a falsetto pitch. "-you mother stuffer, I'm going to kick you so hard your inner wolf is gonna feel it!"

Chloe burst out laughing and then buried her face into a nearby pillow to muffle it. The last thing she wanted to do was wake Queen Tori. "Mother stuffer?" she asked when she finally caught her breath.

Simon was laughing now too. "It's a phrase Lucy uses."

"I love it." Chloe replied with another soft laugh.

They drove on for a few minutes before Chloe said, "Crap, I've gotta pee."

Simon glance at her. "Again? Jeeze usually it's Lucy who has the bladder of a squirrel."

"Lucy doesn't currently have two tiny humans pressing in on her bladder." Chloe replied pouting a bit.

Simon cringed. "My God, I hope not. You'd have to find a new driver because I'd have a panic attack."

"Sorry Simon, I forgot to tell you," Lucy said sleepily from the back bench, "I'm carrying our impossible love child."

"No one tell Mason. We'll be dealing with World War Three." Tori mumbled from under her blanket. So much for not waking her...

Simon was smiling as he pulled off of the freeway. "See Lucy, I told you we should have used the cucumber!"

Chloe felt her face go red, but she was laughing just the same.

"But what fun is that Simon?" Lucy asked, moving up to the middle bench sitting behind Tori.

"The type of fun that doesn't make a baby." Simon replied.

Lucy chuckled. "Chloe hasn't had too many problems."

"Oh yeah, because peeing every three hours and always being hungry but feeling like you're going to get sick every time you eat and then sometimes actually getting sick, is a wonderful way to spend your days." Chloe said sarcastically. She was bouncing in her seat uncomfortably. She really had to pee.

"But that only lasts a few more weeks, right? And think about what you'll get at the end of it!" Simon said.

Could last a few more weeks. Everyone is different and some women are sick the entire pregnancy. The thought filled Chloe with woe and she was about to correct Simon when Tori said, "Two screaming, pooping little devil monsters?" Tori asked, finally sitting up. She smoothed down her hair and rubbed her eyes.

Simon deadpanned. "No, but thanks for that Tori. It was much appreciated."

"You're welcome."

"I'd like to experience it one day," Lucy said thoughtfully. "Carrying a baby and giving birth, being a mom. I think it'd be nice."

Simon almost screeched to a halt in the middle of the road. He looked at her in the rearview mirror. The panicked look on his face would have been enough to make Chloe laugh, had she not known exactly how he felt. Nothing stopped Tori from laughing though.

"Lucy, is there something we should talk about?" Simon's voice had taken on a slightly higher pitch.

She laughed. "Relax babe, I didn't mean anytime within the next ten years."

Simon let out a relieved sigh and continued driving.

"I thought you liked babies," Tori said, looking at Simon.

"The best part about them is being able to give them back at the end of the day." Their driver said with a smile.

Chloe blinked at the bright lights of the gas station as she undid her seat belt.

"Where are we?" Tori asked.

"Just passed the New York border about ten minutes ago. We'll be in Syracuse in about two and a half to three hours." Simon looked at the three of them. "Last stop. Food, drink, bathroom, get it now. Next time we stop, we'll be at our destination."

Lucy fidgeted. "I should probably stop by the bathroom." She hopped out with Chloe.

Tori looked at the dashboard and burrowed back under her blanket. "Can one of you bring me back a water bottle please?"

Simon sighed. "I'll get it when I go in to pay for the gas."

"Thanks."
Tori curled up again as Chloe and Lucy walked into the gas station. When they returned twenty minutes later, Tori was already asleep, and Simon was back in the driver's seat.

"What took you two so long?" he asked, starting the engine as the girls got back in the van.

"Well after we emptied our bladders, Mama over here decided that she needed nourishment again." Lucy said. "So we picked up some late night hot dogs and some snackage for the road."

Chloe passed him a hot dog which he took gratefully.

Lucy quickly finished her hot dog and kissed Simon's cheek before heading to the back bench behind Chloe. Both Lucy and Tori were asleep again within minutes.

"Try and sleep Chloe. You've been up for a while." Simon said.

"If I could sleep, don't you think I would?"

"Still angry at Derek?"

Chloe nodded.

Simon shook his head. "You're gonna have to forgive him eventually."

"Oh, I will. I'm just going to wring his neck first."

Chloe reclined back in her seat, but was unable to sleep any at all. She watched what she could from the window. Fields passed by and then cites and eventually they began going through a suburban area that led into forested patches.

"Simon, are you sure you know where we're going?" Chloe asked softly.

"Yeah," Simon said, keeping his voice down. "I'm just looking for the right street."

Chloe moved forward in her seat to look out of the wind shield. Two big looking dudes on bikes pulled themselves off of the side of the road and moved in front of their van to drive in front of them. A heavy feeling settled in Chloe's chest. She turned and looked out of the back window. Three more bikers were trailing behind them.

"Simon…"

"Yeah, I know. I see them."

"What do we do?" Chloe's heart raced in her chest. Couldn't they ever catch a break?

"I…" Simon paused. "I don't know." They were boxed in by a biker on each side.

Chloe felt the seat next to her shift. Lucy had woken and sat down beside her. "Can we break away and lose them?"

"I can try… but there's no more room on the road, the trees are too thick for the van to go through." Simon replied.

"And if you run them down you risk damage to us and the van. Same if you go through the forest." Chloe said. "Can we run on foot?"

Simon rolled his eyes. "I know two of you are werewolves and you have an almost endless amount of energy, but I'm a mostly normal human and I'm freaking exhausted. Not to mention, Tori's broken ankle."

"How long have we been being followed?" Lucy asked.

"About ten minutes or less. Ever since we got onto this road."

"They haven't attacked us… If they were Cabal they would've attacked us by now wouldn't they?" Chloe looked between Simon and Lucy. Tori was still snoring softly in the passenger seat.

"They would have." Lucy agreed.

Simon gave a deep sigh. The look on his face was grim. "I hate to say it but I can't do anything without sacrificing our safety. The way I see it we're safest in here with the small amount of weaponry we have."

Chloe and Lucy made no move to argue.

"Someone should probably wake up Tori…" The sorcerer said from the driver's seat.

Lucy glanced at Chloe, who settled back into her seat. "Don't look at me. I'm not waking the beast."

"Coward." Lucy stuck out her tongue and leaned forward against the back of the passenger seat. "Tori?" She shook the girl's shoulder. "Wake up. We might have an issue."

Tori's muffled voice came from beneath the blanket. "Go the fuck away!"

Lucy's face hardened. "Look, witch. You need to get up before I stomp on that bad ankle of yours. We don't have time for your buttheadedness!"

Tori sat up and gripped Lucy's wrist harshly, sending a sharp, electric current from her hand into the blonde's arm. Lucy jumped back, desperate to get away from the unexpected assault.

"Say please next time, were-bitch,"

"Crabby pants." Lucy snorted, rubbing her arm. Tori's attack hadn't left a mark, but Chloe had been on the receiving end of the witch's tempermental outbursts before and she knew first hand that they could be on the painful side.

Tori flipped her off and turned around. "What issue-oh. Well shit. Why didn't someone wake me sooner?"

Chloe rolled her eyes at that.

The group sat in a tense silence that dragged on for what seemed like forever. Finally, things got interesting.

"Guys, I think our biker friends are the Pack's welcoming committee." Simon said, his voice cutting through the thick, uncomfortable silence.

"What the hell are you talking about?' Tori griped.

Their driver pointed at a sign above the gate they were headed for. "Syracuse Nature Reserve. That's the place dad told us to find."

Chloe was on the edge of her seat now. Her heart was thundering in her chest once again, but from excitement and anger, this time, not fear. She couldn't wait to tear Derek a new one.

The bicyclists led them past a guard and through the gate, deep into the reserve. At last, they slowed to a stop. Chloe and the others watched at the men dismounted. None of them inside the van, however, moved a muscle.

A middle aged man with dark, greying hair appeared at the driver's window. He couldn't have been older than Mr. Bae. Slowly, almost reluctantly, Simon rolled down his window.

"Simon Bae?" The man asked. He nodded hesitantly. "Which means you must be Tori Enright," he nodded to the passenger seat and then turned his attention to the middle bench, "and you young women must be Lucille Clarke and Chloe Saunders."

Again no one said a word. What could they have said? There was nowhere for them to run. If things went south, there were sitting ducks.

"I can understand the distrust after what the four of you have been through. My name is Miles Hollis. Pack Alpha. Welcome to Syracuse."

A broad grin broke over Simon's face. "Oh man, sir, you have no idea how happy we are to see you and not some Cabal asshole."

Miles gave the tiniest of smiles. "Yes, that would be unfortunate." He turned back to one of the helmeted riders that had been their apparent escort. "Mei, show them to the parking lot and then notify Dylan and Derek of our guest's arrival."

Chloe matched Lucy's fidgeting. The other weregirl must've been nervous too. She watched as the cyclist removed their helmet, releasing long brown hair. Simon sputtered and coughed causing Lucy to kick the back of his seat. Chloe would've laughed, had it not been for the pool of rage bubbling in her gut.

"Yes, sir." Mei's voice was gentle and definitely submissive.

"Gemma will meet you there to get them set up with a place to sleep. She said that she has something arranged, but refuses to say what."

Mei nodded once more and Miles left. He was probably busy with other things, but Chloe wished that he had stayed. She didn't know what it was, but she felt safer when he was there over looking things, despite him having said less than twenty words to them.

The girl that had been one of their escorts didn't seem that big or threatening, but she must have been able to hold her own. She turned to the van. "The parking strip is down this side road and to your left. It's where we keep the bikes and other reserve vehicles. I'll meet you down there." She turned away without saying another word.

With nothing else to do but obey, Simon put the van in gear and drove down the street. There weren't very many lights on the reserve, which bugged Chloe, even though she was beginning to be able to make out shapes in the dark. Maybe it was because of her necromancy, but she much preferred day time and well lit areas in comparison.

The parking strip as it turned out, was a patch of dirt under a line of very old looking trees. Simon parked the car next to a newer model sedan.

None of them made to get out of the vehicle. Simon sighed and said, "It's now or never. No matter what, we have each other's back." He looked at the three girls with sincere eyes. He looked as scared and cautious as Chloe felt.

"Enough of the chick flick moments, if I'm gonna die tonight, we might as well get it over with." Tori opened her door, and the others followed suit.

A lean, authoritative woman stood next to Mei at the end of the lot. Their small group slowly made their way over.

"Welcome, guests. I'm Gemma, the All Mother here at the reserve. If you need anything at all while you're here, don't hesitate to ask." She scanned all of their faces with a gentle but critical eye. "Of course, you've met Mei. She's what we'll call my second. If ever you need something and I am unavailable, feel free to seek her out."

"I'm always available, but try not to need me." Mei said quietly. She was looking directly at Lucy.

"She's always available because she never does anything productive!" a small group came up behind Gemma and Mei in the darkness.

Dylan clapped a hand on Mei's shoulder.

Mei rolled her eyes. "Says the guy who spent how long looking for his long lost StarWars sibling?" she stuck her tongue out at the boy beside her.

"Chloe?"

Chloe felt her body tense and the anger bubble up in her core again. Derek stood a few feet in front of her. Simon was frozen just to Chloe's left.

"Chloe don't do anything-" Simon was cut off.

Chloe let the rage go and advanced toward Derek. "You stupid, inconsiderate, bastard of a werewolf!" Derek didn't make any move. His face remained passive and calculating, continuing to allow his girlfriend to move toward him.

Finally, when she reached him, she pulled her arm back and slammed her fist into his arm as hard as she could. Derek actually flinched and held his bicep. Chloe dug in her pocket and withdrew her phone. "Do you know what this is?" Derek stared at her with a blank look.

"It's a fucking phone you ass weasle! People use it to communicate with other people all over the world! You would think a genius like you could figure that out!" Chloe threw the phone, which hit Derek effectively in the jaw and then landed in the grass.

Again Derek made no move to advance on Chloe. She had never acted this way before and he wasn't sure what would make matters better or worse.
Over the course of the next few seconds, Chloe felt her anger dissipate until all that was left was the fear of never seeing Derek again. Her arms shook and finally, the tension in her chest released all she could do was throw herself into his arms and cling onto him for dear life.

She felt his arms wrap around her as she sobbed. The rest of the world faded away and the only thing left was Derek. He didn't say a word, he just rubbed her back and held her as she cried, not knowing what else to do.

Finally, when her sobs quieted, she said, "I thought you were dead…"

"I'm not dead, Chloe. I'm right here." she could hear the low rumble of his voice in his chest and the thumping of his heart inside his rib cage. Both were two of the greatest comforts in that moment.

Chloe shook her head. "I thought you were dead and that I was going to lose the twins or have to raise them alone."

Derek pulled Chloe back a little so that he could look at her. "What do you mean lose the twins? Chloe, what's going on?" He cupped her cheek gently, not caring who was watching.

Chloe shook her head. "They're fine, I'm fine, there was just a scare-"

"A scare?" Discernable worry clouded Derek's eyes. It would've been invisible to anyone else, but Chloe was able to identify it immediately.

Gemma placed a gentle hand on Chloe and Derek's shoulders. "I understand that things have been difficult the past few days, but may I suggest that you both continue catching up once we get you all settled in?"

Chloe was about to respond with something snarky - there was no way this woman understood anything about what she had been through the last twentyfour hours - but Derek shot her a look and said, "Thank you, Gemma. It's the place you showed me toward the back, right? Away from the cemetery?"

Gemma nodded. "I'll follow you all out there and make sure you get settled in okay.

Derek nodded. Simon and the others moved away from them, obviously allowing some privacy. They were returning now, per Gemma's request. The first thing Simon said was, "Jeeze bro, you have a bruise forming…"

Derek glared at his brother and punched his arm lightly.

There wasn't much to be seen around the preserve in the dark. The shadows of modest houses and decently spaced buildings dotted a large portion of the area, hidden amongst the trees and foliage. The dirt path they were being led down looked more like an overused bike trail, and it was leading them a great deal away from what looked like the main camp. Finally, they came up on a towering, mid sized cottage that sat back in the forest at least half a football field or more from where they came in at.

Their new safe haven was a good sized, albeit, run down house, at least from what Chloe could see in the poor lighting.

"I apologize about the appearance of your lodgings. If we had had more time to prepare, we would have been able to refurbish some things." Gemma said as she unlocked the door. "It is furnished though, there are plenty of new beds and a couch that's been donated by one of the Pack members."

A bed sounded nice, although, Chloe didn't really care where she slept at the moment as long as Derek was next to her. Gemma led them through the wide doorway and into a spacious kitchen, flipping on some lights in the process.

The poor fluorescent lighting flickered for a minute before remaining steady, bathing everything in a too white light. It had ample floor space as well as an island. It wasn't the chef palace that they had back at the manor, but it wasn't like any of them knew how to cook anyway.

"Electricity works but may need to be updated. We haven't used this building in a very long time. Most of the pack prefer to live closer together, as you've probably noticed," Gemma said, leaning on the counter

The kitchen had ample floor space as well as an island. It wasn't the chef palace that they had back at the manor, but it wasn't like any of them knew how to cook overly extravagant meals anyway.

"In addition, the water lines to the house weren't able to be turned on because the plumbing is in desperate need of an upgrade."

Tori's jaw dropped, but she didn't say anything.

Gemma continued, ignoring the stricken, panicked look on Tori's face. "The gym up the street is open twenty four hours a day, seven days a week and is fully equipped with showers, hot tubs, and saunas which you are welcome to use as often and whenever you like. There's also a portable bathroom set up on the back deck for easy access during renovations."
Derek watched as Gemma took in the exhausted kids in front of her with a sigh. "Enough of that for now though. It's late and you kids should get some rest. Unless it's dire, any injuries you have can be tended to in the morning. You'll be notified when Kit, Marlee, and Scott arrives."
Dylan hugged Gemma as she made for the doors. "Thanks for doing this Ma," he said.

The alpha female gave him a warm smile. "Get some sleep," she said as she headed out.

The six teens, minus Mason, glanced around at each other uncomfortably. For a few tense minutes nobody said a word, and then Simon stretched and said, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm crashing on the couch in the den."

"Dibs on the recliner!" Tori made a mad dash to claim her makeshift bed before anyone else could beat her to it. She practically jumped into the plush, slightly worn cushions in the chair and kicked her shoes off, not bothering to untie them.

Lucy giggled and grabbed a pile of blankets from a basket next to the ottoman and began making what looked to Derek like a nest on the floor in from of the couch. Dylan ran to her assistance, grabbing on end of a blanket as they attempted to make a suitable bed roll.

Derek sighed and looked to Chloe who looked half dead on her feet. He pulled her close to him and kissed the crown of her head gently. "Go lay down with the others. I'm going to do a quick sweep of the house and then I'll join you."
His words must not have completely registered in Chloe's brain because the second he began to pull away, she held him tighter.

"No!" Chloe's shrill, panicked voice caused the Simon and the others to stop whatever they were doing and look at her and Derek. He was frozen in her grasp.

"Chloe," he said gently, "I'll be right back. I won't even go outside."

She looked up at him with glossy eyes. She was exhausted and they both knew it. "Let me go with you?"

Derek hesitated for a fraction of a second before giving in. He bent down and lifted her up carefully, holding her securely in his arms before heading for the main foyer.

Chloe snuggled against him, relishing in his warmth and the familiar scents that surround him. She barely noticed which rooms they were in as Derek cautiously checked each one for threats.

Logically, he knew that they were safe, but between old habits and gut instincts he wouldn't be able to sleep without checking the house at least once. Especially with the ambush so fresh in everyone's minds. He would make a point to hound Simon of every detail after all of them had gotten some decent rest.

By the time that Derek had returned to the front room, Chloe was still fighting sleep, watching him carefully and blinking every other second. He sighed, resisting the urge to roll his eyes. She was stubborn as ever, and he didn't expect it to get any better as her pregnancy progressed.

Simon had apparently opted for the floor with Lucy and Dylan, leaving the couch open. Derek shifted his weight so he could remove his boots, being careful not to lose his grip on Chloe.

Finally, he fell into the soft, large cushions of the couch, laying his mate gently on his chest in the process. Chloe looked up at him, blinking more. She reached out and caressed the planes of his face gently.

"This feels like a dream…" she whispered.

"It's not," Derek replied simply. "You need sleep," he told her, running a hand through her tangled hair.

Chloe hesitated, her voice shaking. "I'm afraid you'll be gone when I wake up."

Derek pulled her closer, wrapping his arms firmly around her waist. He would only admit to himself that a very small part of him felt the same. He took a deep breath, inhaling the faint scent of her shampoo mixed with sweat and dirt, and something distinctly Chloe. A heavy, tense feeling from deep inside him released, like a taut rubber band being flown into action, allowing Derek to relax for the first time in days.

"I'll be here, Chloe. I'm not going anywhere," he told her at last.

/AN: Okay, Fanfiction guidelines dictate that the chapter system not be used for author's notes so here I am! It's been way too long since I've updated. Almost two years if my math doesn't fail me. (For the record, it usually does.) I PROMISE you, I have not abandoned this story. In fact, it's been on my mind quite a lot. As a few reviewers have pointed out, there are some details that don't match up as the story flows and I've caught them, as well as a few other things that I would like to flesh out and improve. I started this story as a very unorganized and eager sixteen year old and I'm now steadily approaching twenty three. My writing style has changed and I've had a great deal more writing experience since I started and I truly want this story to be the best it can be.

So for the last seven or so months, I've spent a lot of time looking for an Alpha and/or Beta to help with the reconstruction and editing of these first thirteen chapters, as well as where I'm taking this fanfic next. So far, I've come up empty. I'm looking for someone that knows the Darkest Powers well so I can spit ball ideas back and forth and flesh them out rather than jumping right in and winging it. I'm also looking for someone that will catch when I need to beef up details, to catch awkward wording, and help with grammatical things such as spelling and punctuation. It would be a long term job as I currently have quite a ways to go for Afterward, a sequel planned, as well as a short story that centers around Mason. Like I said, this story has been on my mind a lot, and has taken on a mind of its own if I'm being honest.

When I finally do set about updating things, there won't be too much tampered with. However, I am planning on changing a couple major details for the sake of sense and continuity, but it's nothing that will effect the main plot line.

If I don't find an Alpha/Beta by the end of August 2018, I will move forward with the daunting task of going through it myself, but ideally I would like to have a long term partner to assist. That being said, I would like to extend an offer to the amazing people that have stuck with this story since the beginning and dealt with the crazy long update periods: you guys. If anyone thinks that they would like to help, and has the editing skills to do it, or if anyone knows of a really good Darkest Powers Alpha/Beta, please shoot me a pm.

Thanks so much for taking the time to read this, and for your continued support. See you soon. -Kit/