Hey everyone! Sorry for the delay. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, etc. 53 reviews for only five chapters. I really am flattered! Thank you for all the kind words, I really appreciate it. This chapter took a bit longer to write than usual, so let me know what you think.

Derek: she doesn't own darkest powers.

Enjoy the chapter!

CPOV

I sat down at the table and watched as Derek inhaled food. It was still early, so no-one else was awake. I simply sat there and thought. Over the past few days, my mind had been attempting to force me to accept something that I, quite frankly, did not want to accept. It was so cliché, really. Besides, we did not have the time for this kind of thing. We were on the run for our bloody lives, for god's sake. And I wanted to allow my teenage girl hormones to make everyone's lives infinitely more difficult than they already were. What did I think was going to happen? That I would profess my love to Derek, he would say that he loved me too, and then we would run off to start our lives together and live happily ever after in eternal bliss? Was I dense? I hadn't really factored in the whole running for our lives thing. The constant danger of imminent captivity. But, of course, that was simply a minor detail. Right.

My thoughts were broken by Derek, who was now invading my personnel space, not that I minded. A light blush came to my cheeks, due to the thoughts that had just been going through my mind. Thankfully, he ignored my scarlet cheeks and gazed at me with concern.

''Chloe.'' He said. ''Are you okay?'' He had even stopped eating; he must've been really worried.

''I'm fine.'' I replied, confused. ''Why do you ask?''

''Well,'' He said. ''You just looked really worried. You were deep in thought. I was afraid that something might be wrong.'' It was extremely considerate of him to notice, and even more so to ask about it. I could, of course, tell him what was on my mind. But how would he react? Would he feel the same way? Or would he reject me and subsequently never be able to look me in the eye again? I didn't think that I could bear that. It seemed that I would have to suffer through this in silence. Maybe my feelings would dissipate with time. Though I doubted it.

''Of course nothing's wrong, Derek. What could possibly be wrong?'' He shrugged his shoulders and dove back into his dwindling pile of food. And I went straight back to staring at him. How could he be so dense? So oblivious?

The first person to stumble down to the kitchen was Andrew. He didn't even seem to notice the two of us until he got his coffee. When he did finally see us, he simply sipped from his cup and stared at us, waiting for an explanation. It was unnerving; in some ways it was worse than being shouted at.

''Derek completed his change. That's why we were gone for so long.'' I explained, hoping he would understand.

''Fine.'' He said. ''But if it happens again, let me know beforehand, okay?'' Then he turned around and left. And once again, we were left alone.

A silence descended upon the room. Derek didn't seem to notice and munched on happily, perfectly content. But the silence was suffocating me, pressing against me, making it hard to breathe. I stood abruptly. Derek looked at me in surprise.

''I'm going to take a shower.'' I said hurriedly, and then proceeded to flee the room. I had to get a grip of myself. What had it been? A few minutes? And I was already losing control. Maybe the shower would help. This thought calmed me. I grabbed a towel and headed towards the bathroom.

I sighed in content as the hot water poured down my back, releasing the tension from my muscles. Being on the run really made you appreciate the little things in life. Like a hot shower, for instance. You don't know what you have, until it is gone. No truer words had ever been said.

I stepped out the bathroom door, refreshed and with new resolve. I could face Derek and not completely humiliate myself. Nothing had actually changed, not really. I had realised my feeling, yes. However, that did not necessarily mean that he had done the same, or that he had any such feelings to realise. Everything was so complicated.

I heard the first sounds of life in the house and went downstairs to find Simon at the table with a bowl of cereal. Derek was still eating. Seriously, where did he put it all?

''Shower's free.'' I said and sat down. I hadn't eaten any breakfast, but to be perfectly honest, I wasn't in the least hungry. I looked at Derek, who seemed to be coming to the end of his feast. Finally. I began to wring my hands, a nervous habit. I didn't know what to do, simply sitting there. Should I say something, but what? Should I simply leave? I sighed and decided to grab a bowl of cereal. There was no point in denying myself food over the issue. I sat down and forced myself to eat. The silence in the room again seemed to be trying to suffocate me. I stood up quickly and put my bowl in the sink. When I turned around, I bumped into something large and hard. Derek, of course. He had been bringing his plated over and I, being the fool that I was, had accidentally walked into him. Yes Chloe, I thought sarcastically to myself, you're quite the catch.

My cheeks flushed and my gaze travelled up his torso to his mesmerizingly emerald eyes. The intensity of his gaze shocked me. When our eyes connected the kitchen, and Simon, simply melted away. I could see nothing but Derek, and his so very green eyes. Our bodies were flush with one another. His head began to lower slowly, so very slowly as to be almost imperceptible. It was hesitant, cautious. I began to inch closer towards him. My lips parted slowly and my eyes fluttered shut. I could feel my stomach clenching in anticipation and his breath on my lips. So close, so close. Just a second more, and then our lips would connect. The mere thought made me dizzy.

However, the magic spell was broken. Tori entered the kitchen noisily, yawning, snapping the two of us from our reverie.

''Any food in the house,'' She asked, ''or has the dog wolfed it all down?'' She sniggered at her pun. Derek had jumped from me, as if he had been burned. His eyes shone with something I could not distinguish. Regret? Disgust? Repulsion? I gulped audibly. He ran his fingers through his hair, avoided my gaze and left the room. Tears began to well in my eyes. He didn't feel the same. I looked around the room, searching for an escape. Simon was gone and Tori was eating her cereal happily. Tori wouldn't take any notice if I left. I held back the tears and rushed to my room. I closed the door firmly, fell onto my bed, and wept.

Poor Chloe! Hope you enjoyed it. Don't forget to let me know. Review. The Reckoning is out in 4 days! I can't wait!

Thanks,

Kate.