I did leave you guys in a bit of a cliff hanger the other day. So I figured the sooner I got this chapter out the better.

Oh and hint-hint one of your many pondering questions shall be answered in this chapter. A question that I have been waiting to reveal for a while now, and just for kicks we will stay with Deryn's POV a little while longer. :D

So…let's get started!

Chapter 4

Deryn could not move a single muscle.

Yet her eyes remained fixed on the man seated beside her.

And now much to Deryn's disapproval the paralysis of her body had begun to spread to her brain, a very unwanted paralysis since now she could not form a coherent sentence to save her life. And it was all thanks to this barking Emperor who decided to take it upon himself to completely ruin whatever composure she had left.

Yet Deryn had only herself to blame for her current predicament, the lord? A butler with a thick German accent, and a fiercely expensive car, how had I not seen this coming? In her mind she truly deserved whatever was going to happen to her from this point on, on the excuse that she behaved like a complete ninny right from the start.

What added insult to injury was the fact that quite frankly Alek was enjoying himself at her expense, at least that's what Deryn assumed since the Emperor was gracious enough not to wipe that stupid smirk off his face.

It took Deryn several moments to really look at his face and allow it all to sink in. He had grown a mustache, a slightly thin one just above his upper lip, which made him look both older and sophisticated. Then she noticed his hair had grown and been properly looked after, it still retained its red-brown coppery sheen since it had been elegantly brushed back. His eyes were still the same, a deep and dark lovely green that seemed to pierce right through Deryn's soul and burrow it self deeply inside her chest. His jaw was stronger and his skin still retained its previous color, he was handsomer then ever before which made this entire encounter all the more difficult.

He slid just a few inches closer to Deryn, although he was extremely careful in not to damage the ebony suit he wore along with the silk powdered blue handkerchief just hanging outside his pocket.

"Well…aren't you going to offer me a proper hello? I didn't come all this way to see you, just so that you can remain mute in my presence." The sound of his voice once again elicited a small reaction from Deryn; it was in fact enough to get her to start functioning with her brain again.

"Barking spiders Alek! How do you expect someone to react when out of no where the barking Emperor comes out to meet them? And not to mention when said Emperor left to go attend their royal duties, leaving their closest friend behind to deal with—"

Alek's hand suddenly finds her own and holds it firmly, Deryn immediately stopped talking when she felt him make contact with her skin.

"I know your mad, and I'm sorry…really I am. But you know as well as I that I couldn't stay, I had to leave…for my people."
Deryn looked away, she was still angry. She had thought that over the years the anger would have subsided, but instead she had been holding it in all this time not really dealing with it.

And of course he would have absolutely no idea of her struggle to forgive him, or to try and forget him as much as possible. But oh was it difficult…very difficult.

"You have no idea what you put me through Aleksander! All the nights I spent awake thinking of you, and all day wishing I could just see you again! And now here you come as posh as ever to—"

"Deryn" that one word shut her up. It was now responsible for her lack of focus, and for everything she had gone through since he left.

He leaned closer to her, his hip now touching hers; his hand lifted and turned her head slowly to face him and his magnetic eyes again. They were deeper now, as they stared into her own eyes, pleadingly, and at that moment does Deryn understand that he was going through the exact same thing when they were separated.

Before Deryn could utter a single sentence, he leaned forward and kissed her right on the lips.

His lips were soft yet firm, and they molded and shifted perfectly with Deryn's, whose own lips had begun of their own accord to kiss him back. She felt the little hairs on his upper lip tickle her skin.

His lips! Oh god how she missed them against her own. She wrapped her arms around his neck, forcing him to come close, so she could feel his chest and warmth against her own, so she could smell his scent again and taste him as much as possible before separating again.

The kisses turned into something almost primitive then, a need that neither one could satisfy; he wrapped his arms around her torso and pulled her tighter. One of his hands soon began trailing up and down her spine, to the point where Deryn could feel herself catching fire. They pulled apart at some point, but only to breathe in the amount of oxygen needed to continue, then they found each other again.

Alek wasted no time then, he lightly licked her bottom lip with the tip of his tongue, asking for entrance into her now preoccupied mouth. Without any hesitation, she opened wider and allowed their tongues to come together and mingle in a hot and steamy experience. Deryn heard him moan softly as their tongues danced inside their mouths, neither one of them wanting to break away.

Deryn felt the car underneath her suddenly bump and continue along its path, this bump had unfazed Alek, but it had done enough to awaken Deryn from her blissful mind. She realized that somehow during the ordeal, Alek had maneuvered her back against the car door, her hair was now slightly plastered to the window, while Alek had found his position from on top of her, with her legs securely wrapped around his waist. At that angle she could feel the bulge that was lurking just underneath Alek's trousers, which made her blush a deep shade of scarlet and pull away from Alek out of sheer embarrassment.

"What's wrong?" Alek look down at her as she pulled away, with a confused expression on his face.

"We shouldn't be doing this, not in a barking car!" Deryn manage to breath out these words, not ready to admit why she really stopped.

Alek tilted his head to the side his expression was still confused,

"why not? I thought you liked it when I did this..."

He pushed his head down and trailed kisses along her neck, Deryn couldn't help but moan as she felt his lips against the soft lines of her neck. He even moved the collar over with his teeth, just so that he could send a bite mark at the place where her neck and shoulder meet.

Deryn heard herself let out a high pitched groan as he continued his little expedition along her collar bone. It took a few extra seconds for Deryn to find the right words to stutter out;

"I-I—I didn't say that. I me-meant just not right n-now!

She started to regret her decision when she felt him stop and raise his head to look at her fully in the eyes. She was already slightly panting from what they've just done, but he seemed almost unfazed by it, he didn't breath as harshly as she did.

"Alright then, I'll try to…contain myself until we reach the manor." He said with a bemused grin on his face.

"Wait…Manor?" Deryn asked, still not quite understand what was going on around her, let alone a simple sentence.

"Oh, that's right. It seems I have failed to mention that you will be staying in my house for the remainder of your time in the city." He said this in such a matter of fact tone that Deryn guessed he had not anticipated a debate to suggest otherwise. Deryn raised an eyebrow and quite haughtily she whispered;

"And who said you had any right to do that?"

In response Alek lowered his gaze and gave her a soft and tentative kiss on her lips, it only lasted for a few seconds, but it said more then what Alek could have said with any kind of speech.

"Fine then…but I don't want to be any inconvenience to anyone, alright?"
Alek smiled and pulled back and away from her,

"Don't worry, you won't be" he stated as he started to adjust his now somewhat wrinkled suit.

Deryn followed his example and sat up again, still not sure how she felt about him stopping their little intimate session. She readjusted her collar and did her best to smooth back her now disarrayed hair. Of course no amount of hair pulling would have Damaged Alek's hair; it still retained its previous shape.

They both then sat back into their original positions, the only difference being Alek had now casually allowed the tips of his fingers to brush against Deryn's own fingers. Even through this simple touch, she could feel herself wanting again to experience the pleasure of his body on hers again. The thought of it made her blush and look away from him and at the scenery, she needed to get her thoughts straight, she needed to focus on something else.

She noticed the people outside and the passing cars and buildings, the monotonous rhythm of the cars quiet bumping and engine caused Deryn eyes to blur and wonder about past events.

As Deryn ran at full pace towards the tower, she heard a horse neigh in the distance and start to gallop close to the location where she was headed, she swore out loud and quickened her pace, damn they must have spotted me.

But when she turned to inspect the rider, it was none other then Alek, blood was slowly dripping down his face just above his eyebrow, but all in all he seemed to be alright, Deryn let out a relieved sigh.

"De—Dylan!" Alek cried over the noise of machines and gunfire, he drew the horse to a halt and once he was close enough, he jumped off and hurried over to Deryn.

"Still alive your princeliness?" Deryn murmured under her breath, she couldn't help but grin at his appearance and grasp his arm in the process.

"Glad you're here mat! Now come on and let's get moving before we are blown to bits by these barking Clankers!" Deryn then pushed Alek forward and they both began running to the communication towers. While running Deryn did her best to explain the situation to Alek in hurried tones, he nodded and understood quite quickly what the plan was. He then took the time to tell her how he borrowed a horse from a German solider at the expense of his own head.

They both reached the tower and quickly ran inside; no German had taken the time to stop them because they had all gone out in one last effort to annihilate the Darwenists. So no one really noticed two teenagers running towards the communication tower, especially one who could pass off as a German soldier and the other who spoke fluent German. Once inside they climbed up the metal steps and waited just outside the door to the communications room, Alek pulled out a British revolver that he acquired while heading over to Deryn, he then stood opposite to her against the stairs.

"This has to be quick. Those Germans can come back any second!" Deryn whispered to Alek while he did his best to reload his pistol.

"I know. There is somewhere I have to be right now...Its just I wanted to make sure you were okay."

Deryn couldn't help but feel offended at the comment;

"I'm not some moony lass playing dress up you know! I am a British soldier after all; I can take care of myself."

Alek looked up at her he appeared ashamed at what he just said, and Deryn couldn't help but feel a little bad about the words and tone she used against Alek.

"I know." Was all he said, but he locked his eyes with her and did his best to convey just how much he knew that she didn't need him. When in fact Deryn Sharp did need him, and not just now, but after she will need him. She will always need him. There just isn't anyway for Deryn to bend her pride enough to say that, not yet at least.

"Just...stay close to me. Okay?" She wanted to say something else, but this was all she could think of at the moment. He seemed to understand however since he looked up and nodded in approval.

With that thought in there minds Deryn kicked open the door and rushed inside.