Hey guys! I had a request that I continue on from where I left off with 'In the Attic' from TianoWolf so I thought I would finish it before starting any other chapter J So here we go…Derek's PoV again!

We collected Tori and Simon just as they were heading to rescue Chloe. After a very brief explanation about the earthquake and the wolf, me, by her side, Chloe asked Simon if he had gotten a hold of our dad. Simons face darkened, telling both me and Chloe that the answer was not one we were looking for.

"Voice mail," he said.

"Seriously?" Chloe sounded astonished by this. I on the other hand knew why he had reached voice mail right away. Dad had turned off his phone so he could get to us and save us from the safe-house. He was in for a surprise when he got there.

"It said he was unavailable and switched to voice mail. I left a message. He could have been out of range or on he phone or…" Simons face darkened further and I knew that he was thinking the same thing as Chloe was. 'Unavailable' could mean many things, but everyone was hoping for the best. I knew that he would have went to the safe house to get us out but i had no clue what kind of Edison Group people still lurked in the woods.

"We'll call again as soon as we're out," Chloe Aunt said. "Which should be soon."

We headed for the nearest exit. We had gone maybe twenty feet when Chloe stopped slightly and started listing to Liz.

"Guns?" What? Shit!

Chloe let us know what was going on know. Three armed guards were headed this way. Great.

"There's an unused wing to the west," Lauren said. "They wont guard that exit because its through a second door." Im glad we had someone with us that knew the building and all of the exit ways.

We followed her and Chloe used a key card to get us onto the wing. As soon as we were through, I stopped short, the hair on my back rising, lips curling in a silent growl. I knew this place. I know why this part of the building wasn't being used. It was the werewolf subjects part! God Dammit!

"Do you smell someone?" Chloe asked me concerned.

I shook my head at her with a grunt, as if to say sorry, and we started out down the hall again, but I was wary know. I kept glancing from side to side, from door to door. Every time I saw something that reminded me of my brothers I winced inwardly. I couldn't let Chloe worry about me when she needed to get out of here.

"I know this place," Simon said. "I've been here.

"Your dad used to bring you to work sometimes when you were little." Lauren said. She knew what this place was but she didn't feel like telling Simon why he remembered it, the real reason why. Dad did used to bring him with him but he also used to bring him hear so I would have a companion, seeing as my brothers used to shun me from the group. Dad felt bad for me and brought Simon when he learned this. But when my brothers started acting up and word went around that they were going to be terminated, dad stopped bring Simon for me and decided to adopt me instead.

"Yeah, I know, but this place…" He looked around, then he rubbed the back of his neck. "Creeps me out, whatever it is." I could understand why he felt like this. I had the creeps being back here after so long, too.

"the exit is around the corner and down at the end," Lauren said, ushering us on. "It leads into a yard. We'll need to climb the wall, but that's another reason they wont guard it." She seemed very proud of herself for knowing all of this information and passing it along made her feel important. I understood this also. I didn't have much to go on except my knowledge and strength, and I tried not to use my strength if I could.

We continued along. Me and Simon weren't the only ones getting chills. It was so quite I could hear Chloe heart beat as if it was beside my ear. It was a little frantic but she had a right to be freaked out by a place like this. An empty, dead place. Shadows lurking along the walls, out of reach of the emergency lights that had come on since we had been here. It stunk like antiseptic had socked right into the walls and floors. Just like an abandoned hospital.

Chloe turned toward the open door on her left and stopped short. I stopped, too. Desks. Four tiny desks. A wall of faded posters of alphabet animals. A background, still showing the ghosts of numbers.

I nudged her legs, telling her we had to keep moving. She looked down at me then back at ht room. She knew why this was all so familiar to Simon and me now. This was were I had grown up.

She just kept staring at the desk at the back of the room. It was were I used to sit to get away from my brothers incessant bickering.

I nudged her leg again, wining slightly, and she looked down. I was now staring at where my brothers had sat. I could almost hear them growling at each other.

When Chloe looked down at me im sure she saw the hairs on my neck standing on end. She murmured an apology and started following the others, me following her.

We passed two more doors before Chloe stopped dead. Liz must have told her something because she nodded at nothing.

"What?" Lauren asked. Chloe told us that there was someone coming. "From down there? That cant be. It's-"

Footsteps cut her off. She looked franticly around then motioned us to a door.

"The key card, Chloe, quickly!"

Chloe opened the door and we all tumbled into the room, me being the last. Chloe shut the door and the lock whirred shut again. They all looked around the room trying to see with only the emergency light. I looked around for a hiding place and found one rather quickly seeing as I was the only one who could see.

I knew what this place was but I wasn't going to worry about it right now. We were in what looked to everyone else as a huge storage room filled with boxes.

Chloe then piped up. "Lots of paces to hide," She whispered. "I suggest we find one."

We split up as the footsteps got unbearably load, at least to me. Chloe turned around fast and nearly tripped over me. Opps. I guess that I hadn't moved in a while and my fur was standing at end again.

She looked around and squinted towards the back of the room against the wall. Her face went from slightly red to a ghostly white.

"T-this was-" She began

"Where is everyone?" A voice just outside the door boomed.

I snapped out of my trance like stance and grabbed her sleeve between my teeth, and tugged her deep into the sea of boxes to where the hiding spot I found was located. It was in the back corner where the boxes were piled three high, leaving a small space for us to hid. I nudged her toward it. She whispered to the others while I went to get them.

I found them all, and within a minute they were al squished into the small space with me at the opening guarding them.

"Scientists," a man snorted. "They think they can hire a few rent-a-cop half-demons and they're ready for something like this. Arrogant sons of…" His mutters trailed off. "How close is Mr. St Cloud?" The man asked, now standing right by the door.

"His flight will arrive in seventy-five minutes, sir."

"Then we have a hour to clean this mess up. How many kids was It again? Four?"

"Three were recaptured. The fourth- the werewolf- wasn't, but there was a report that he'd entered the building."

"Great. Just great." Their footsteps stopped right at the door. "All right, here's the plan. I need two survivors. If you can get me two, Mr. St Cloud will be happy. And that doesn't include the werewolf."

"Naturally, sir."

"We need a place to set up a base of operations. The team will be here in five minutes."

"It doesn't look as if they use this wing, sir." A door creaked. "This room even has desks and a blackboard."

"Good. Start setting up and get Davidoff on the radio. I want him down here now."

Chloe waved at Liz to check things out. She was really handy to have around when we needed some spying done. Well as long as there wasn't another necromancer in the spying area.

They all strained to listen, praying they'd find some problem with the room or be offered a better one. It didn't happen, and I knew it wouldn't. We had already been lucky.

"At least they're on the other side of our escape route." Tori said.

"It doesn't matter," Simon said. Im glad he did since I kinda cant right now. "We've got a Cable SWAT team setting up down the hall. We're screwed."

Chloe looked at the door and listened. I guess Liz just got back and was telling her something.

Then there were boots clomping down the hallway.

"We'll hold tight." She said. "They'll send those guys searching-hopefully somewhere else. When we get a chance. We'll run."

I decided that if we were gonna be stuck here for a while then Chloe might as well be comfortable so I slip behind her and let her rest against my side. She started to relax and so did I. Our heart rates slowed and breathing evened out.

"So how you two came on you own. " Chloe said. "How?" well we started running then I We got a car and Liz drove.

"But Derek doesn't have his license."

Simon laughed. "Doesn't mean we don't know how to drive. Dad let us start last year, bombing around empty parking lots."

"That's a few minutes to the mall, not eight hours on the highway." Chloe said, worry in her voice.

I grunted, trying to tell her that I didn't drive but she didn't understand.

"How'd you communicate?" Chloe asked Liz. Paper and pen in the truck and we didn't while we were running, Liz just headed me in the right direction by pulling on my fur.

As Chloe listened to Liz I heard noises start down the hallway. I flank twitched without my permission, but Chloe started rubbing it absently, my muscles jumping under her fingers.

Chloe then asked her Aunt, "Rae's dead, isn't she? Dr. Davidoff said she was transferred, but I know what that means. The same thing it meant for Liz and Brady."

Lauren looked startled at the names and the assumption.

"Rae? No. Rae isn't dead. Someone broke in and took her. They think it was her mother."

"Her adoptive mother?"

Lauren shook her head. "Her birth mother. Jacinda." How come that name sounded familiar?

"But Dr. Davidoff said she was dead."

"We said a lot of things, Chloe. Told a lot of lies, telling ourselves is was better for you all, but really, just because it was easier. If Rae thought her mother was dead, she wouldn't ask for her. From everything I heard, though, they think that's who-"

My flank twitched again, this time more violently. Chloe looked down at me as my shoulder muscles started twitching. I was going to change back. SHIT! This couldn't happen here! Not now! I growled at her when she I caught her looking at my face, telling her to pay attention to her Aunt.

As her aunt talked, she rubbed the muscle in my shoulder and I leaned against her hand, relaxing, knowing that she was safe for now.

"We need to get going." She said all of a sudden. "I'm going to call Liz."

Liz told Chloe that Toris mother had joined the SWAT team and that I was to be shot on sight, not tranquilized. Well this should be fun. Reinforcements from the Cable satellite office were on the way to help sweep the building with manpower and spell power. They were determined to find us before this St. Cloud guy arrived.

"We're going to have to make a run for it," Chloe said. "As soon as its quite-" I started to convulse before she could finish. Shit!

"Someone doest like you plan," Tori said. "And just when I was thinking how nice it was that he doesn't have a voice. Wont keep him from arguing apparently." God she was annoying!

"That's not it," |Chloe said calmly as I convulsed again. "He's Changing back."

"can it wait, because-"

My whole body spasmed, all four of my legs shooting out. The bacl one kicking Simon and my fronts swatting Tori. They both got out of the way as fast as they could.

"I think that's a no," Simon said. No, Really?

"We need to clear out." Chloe said. "As you can tell, this requires room. And it might not be something you want to see." She was an angel sent to me! She was the only one who could stand to sit there and watch this, and she was one of the skittish people I know!

Chloe shooed them out, then turned back to me.I was now lying on my side panting. "You've done this alone now, so I guess you don't need-" I didn't let her finish. I needed her to help me through this. When I Changed at the safe house it killed me not having Chloe by my side. She took some of the pain away by just being there, talking to me.

I caught her jeans in with my teeth, pulling her gently, my eyes asking her to stay. She told the others that she was, Thank God!, and said if they heard any sign that the SWAT team was searching this hallway, they were to get out-all of them.

"We aren't leaving you two," Simon. Always the stubborn one!

I growled.

"He's agreeing with me," She said with a small laugh. "For once. You have to go. With any luck, they'll presume that means that Derek and I are someplace else."

Simon didn't like it, but he only grumbled for me to hurry. I'll try my best, bro.

Lauren stayed after they were gone. "If anything happens, you're coming with us, Chloe. Derek can look after-"

"No, he cant. Not like this. He needs me."

"I don't care." She was even more stubborn than Simon!

"I do. He needs me. So I stay." She was standing up to the only family she had at the moment so she could help me. God I loved her. Wait…what?

They locked gazes.

Chloe walked over to her aunt and hugged her. "I'm fine."

"I know." Lauren hugged her back, fierce and tightly from the looks of it, then left with the others.

My change came much faster this time and a bit easier, I didn't vomit this time, but I didn't when I changed before either and the safe house last night. When it was over I fell onto my side, panting, shacking, and shivering. I needed contact with Chloe to keep her from worrying, and to thank her for staying again.

My grasp was tight but she still intertwined her fingers with mine, shifted closer to me, and used her free hand to brush away my sweaty hair off my face.

"Whoa," Simon said as he stood at the entrance of our corner, a pile of clothes in his hands. "You really need to get dressed before you start that." Wow, he really had bad timing.

"I'm not starting anything," I said.

"Still…" He held the clothes to me. "Dr. Fellows dug up some hospital greens for you. Get dressed then…whatever." Crap.

"We weren't-" Chloe began.

"Have you still got my note?" What note?

She nodded. Well now im confused.

"Give it to him." Okay…?

Chloe pulled a folded page from her pocket and handed it to me.

It was a note from Simon, obviously, and it explained that he wasn't mad anymore about me and Chloe, that he understood and was happy for me, and that he was sorry for leaving Chlo in the woods by herself.

Chloe nodded at Simon as I refolded the note and she handed me the scrubs and turned away to let me get dressed.

"We good?" Simon said to me as I sat there.

"Yeah."

Simon turned to go, but I called him back and gunted as I got to my feet. We had a quick conversation about the note and if he was really okay about this whole thing.

"So your sure your not mad? I would understand if you were." I said.

"Bro, seriously? Shes your mate, im guessing at least, and you were willing to let me have her so I would be happy. You are the best brother I could have asked for. Thanks." Then he slapped my back and walked away.

I dressed as fast as I could. We had to get out of here soon.

When I was done getting dressed I walked up to Chloe and put my hand tentatively. She turned and my face was right over hers. I had been wanting to finish our kiss for the past day and a half. She lifted her face up towards mine as I wrapped my arm around her waist and-

"What the-?" Okay! I am sick of getting interrupted!

We both jumped-again. Tori stood there, staring at us, well mostly Chloe. Simon was behind her, grabbing her arm.

"I told you not to-" He began.

"Yeah, but you didn't say why. I sure didn't expect…" She shook her head. "Am I the last one to know everything around here?"

Chloe turned toward the door then. "Derek's ready. We need to move."

As Chloe pointed out we had one gun-thanks to Lauren-, a werewolf, one poltergeist, one super-charged spell-caster, one not-so-supercharged spell-caster, and one perfect necromancer, even though she said she was useless, Liz apparently agreed with me, because from what I heard of the conversation between Chloe and her, she seemed to remind her that we needed her so she could relay her words.

Our plan, though, didn't include any of our powers hopefully. We were falling back on what dad had taught me and Simon for dealing with significantly stronger opponent: Run like hell.

While Liz watched the operations room for us we would try and make a break for the exit door. If we failed? That's when the gun, spell-casters, poltergeist, and werewolf would come in to play.

According to Liz, as Chloe relayed, there were five people in the room- Mrs. Enright, Dr. Davidoff, the head suit, his assistant, and one SWAT guard. They seemed to be staying put, manning the war room while the employees searched for us. Every now and then, one of them would pop in and give them an update or get an order. We were all praying that the few minutes it took us to get to the door and out one of them wouldn't come around any corners and spot us.

As we coordinated a what-if plan of attack, I stood beside Chloe. We weren't doing anything, we weren't even holding hands, but her Aunt kept giving us weird looks and frowning.

Then out of nowhere, "Derek? Can I speak to you?" huh? Was she gonna give me shit for loving her niece? I sure hoped not cuz if she was I would probably snap and punch her out.

I looked at Chloe wondering if she knew what was going on but she seemed as clueless as I was at the moment.

"W-we don't have time to-" But she was cut off by Lauren.

"It'll just take a second. Derek? Please?" She honestly looked like she wanted to talk to me and not yell. I guess I could give her the benefit of the doubt.

She waved me across the room. Tori and Simon were arguing over spells, so no one noticed, except Chloe, what transpired between me and her Aunt.

"Derek, if this goes bad I need you to promise me that you will get Chloe out, no matter what. If there is any sign of danger im going to try and distract them."

I didn't like this. Not at all. I shoot a glance at Chloe and shook my head. I couldn't do that to her. Her aunt was the only person she had right now.

"Derek, please! I need you to do this for me…Chloe needs you more then she needs me. I love her like my own daughter and I need to know, no matter what, that she is safe. Please. Do me this favor?" She looked on the verge of tears as she pleaded with me.

I stepped back slightly, hair goin into my face, and thought about what she had just asked me to do. I couldn't believe that she had asked me to take her niece and run. I decided that it wouldn't come to that and nodded.

She looked relived. She stepped forward and grasped my arm, leaning in to tell me what she was doing if it did come to the fight. I kept my gaze down, nodding. I still didn't like it but if it kept Chloe safe then I would try my best to help.

When Lauren was done explaining I walked strait to Chloe. When she was in ear shot I said, "You ready?"

We stepped aside as her Aunt went to get my brother and bother.

"Was she telling you to stay away from me?" She asked.

Should I tell her the truth? No. Then she would know what would happen and go after her aunt before I had a chance to grab her.

"Yeah." I squeezed her hand out of Laurens sight so it would look like I was telling the truth. "It's okay. We're good."

The we headed for the hall.

Our biggest worry was the click the door would make when it opened and closed. I listened and told Chloe when the men were talking to open it. Then I took the lead. Chloe was behind me, then Simon, Tori, and Lauren behind her, incase of the what-if plan.

It seemed like the thirty feet from the room to the door was taking hours. I could tell that everyone was anxious to be out and gone, so they wanted to bolt, but I made it clear before we left that we had to be silent which meant having to go slowly.

We'd gone no more than ten feet when someone in the war room spoke. "We have a breach, sir. A perimeter spell."

I sped up a bit.

"Hold on," SHIT! "It seems to be right out side-" Lauren's plan was about to go into action.

"Chloe?" Her voice whispered through the hall.

Chloe spun to see her aunt jogging the other way-toward where the Edison team and the Cable guys were. She called her name again, like she was trying to search.

Chloe opened her mouth, but I clamped my hand over it before she could make a sound. My arm snuck around her chest, holding her still. Then I whispered in her ear, "I'm sorry."

"I think I hear them." Davidoff said.

"Chloe?" Lauren was now full out running, shoes slapping the linoleum deathly load. "Chloe?"

She wheeled into their room and let out a fake but very convincing yelp.

"Hello, Lauren." Mrs. Enright said. "Lost your niece again?" She then cast a binding spell, freezing Chloe's aunt. "I see you still have that gun. Let me trake that, before you kill someone else."

As Chloe struggled to get out of my grasp and run to help her aunt, I waved the others to keep going. I made sure that Simon and Tori were past us as I swept Chloe into my arms and headed for the exit.

Before we got to far Chloe twisted around to look at her aunt one last time. I turned slightly, too, to see Diane holding the gun to Laruen's head.

"Time to rid ourselves of a very inconvenient-" I smelt something that was familiar then coming down the hall.

"A gun, Diane?" A mans voice called. "Guess your charm isn't the only power you underestimate."

A man stepped around the corner, and for a second, I seriously thought I would burst out crying. He was smiling, that smile anyone of our group members would have recognized even before Simon started.

"Dad!" He shouted, skidding to a halt down the hallway.

Dad lifted his hand, waving causally, like he'd walked into us sitting around chatting about nothing. Then Chloe struggled and I let her go, I was in complete shock that he was here.

"Hello, Kit." Diane turned the gun on him.

He tsk-tsked. "Is that really the impression you want to make, Diane? Prove to everyone here that a witch needs a gun to fight a sorcerer?" Wow he was cocky!

It worked though. Mrs. Enright lowered her gun and raised her hand, ready to cast.

"There," dad said. "That's better. Now come over here and show me how much you missed me." Yep, definitely cocky.

Mrs. Enright cast an energy bolt, but dad deflected it by raising his hand and making the bolt stop short and explode in mid air. The guard advanced on Lauren, gun pointed, now that the binding spell Diane had her in was gone.

Simon lunged forward, but dad motioned for him to run. Simon kept going. Until I caught his shoulder that is. I then looked down at Chloe and then back at my father. Who do I protect? My dad for the past ten years of my life, or my brother and mate?

Then my decision was made when the little blond I was holding onto tightly whispered, "Fight." I released Simon and pushed Chloe towards the door, hoping she would take the hint and get out of here with Tori while she still had the chance. didn't happen.

Tori locked the guard that was advancing on Lauren in a binding spell and yelled for her to follow Chloe. She instead jumped to her feet and grabbed the guards gun, smacking him in the head as I plowed into Davidoff, sending him flying.

Tori cast spell after spell. They were spells I havent seen very often so I couldn't place the names, but they were making the walls shake again. The crakes that Chloe had caused earlier widened. Plaster rained down all around us.

I turned to look at Chloe and saw in her stance and face that she wanted to help. I yelled at her to get back, then one of the guys hit me with a spell, sending my falling forward. Dad sent a lightning bolt at the man.

When I looked back up Chloe was still out of the action, thankfully, and the building was still shaking violently. There was white dust everywhere, enveloping everyone, and I could only catch the fights that were close by.

Tori was facing her mother not to far away.

A board was running at Mrs. Enright, im guessing Liz.

I took down the main suit, while dad and Simon took the other.

Lauren stood over Davidoff, gun to the back of his head.

Then with a deafening crack, the ceiling gave way. Huge chunks of plaster and broken wood crashed down around everyone. Boxes and crates and filing cabinets fell from the attic. Where was Chloe?

I looked around until I saw her staring at the mess around us, but then she looked up, as did I. the ceiling was splitting right over her head.

"CHLOE!" I yelled as I ran at her, pinning her to the floor under me while the rest of the ceiling collapsed around us. I blocked out my wolf. I couldn't think of that kind of stuff right now. I had to get my family out of here alive and not think about the mate that lay beneath me.

When the hall stopped shaking and rumbling I heard dad call for me.

"Here, With Chloe!" I called load enough for him to here.

I then moved off of Chloe, taking her hand and pulling her up with me. She rose, coughing and blinking. She then started to squint and move. I still held her arm, staying close.

"Tori!" She yelled.

Tori lifted her head from where she was laying, brushed a hand over her face and said, "I-I'm fine."

As she got up Chloe looked around franticly, I assumed looking for her Aunt. I saw her first, but Chloe wasn't far behind me. She was stirring under a pile of ruble between us and Tori. Chloe went to leap forward but I pulled her back.

"Stay there guys," Dad said. "Tori-" When I looked over he was staring at Tori, like he had just really seen her. WTH?

"Dad?" Simon said.

He shook off his surprise. "Tori? Head toward me. That ceiling doesn't good."

Chloe and I both looked up and saw broken timbers and huge pieces of plaster swaying overhead. Boxes teetered at the edge.

Tori looked around. The guard and the two suits were all laying motionless beneath piles of plaster and wood. Dr. Davidoff lay on his stomach not moving in the least. Beside Tori, lay her mother, eyes open, staring up.

"Ding-dong, the witch is dead," Tori said. She swayed, and I was tempted to run over and drag her out of there, but then she made a weird hiccup noise, shoulders hunching. "Mom…"

"Tori? Hon?" dad called to her. "I need you to come over here, okay?"

"Aunt Lauren," Chloe said. "Shes caught-"

"I've got it," Tori whipped her sleeve over her face and bent to start pulling pieces of debris from Lauren.

A plank flew from a pile behind Tori. Dr. Davidoff's eyes were now open, mentally guiding it. Chloe opened her mouth as if to scream, but it was to late. It swung down and hit Tori in he back of the head. She fell face-first into the ruble. Lauren scrambled up, pushing the last pieces off of her. Then she stopped. Davidoff had rose behind her, gun pressed to the back of her neck.

The plank that he had hit Tori lifted and started to move toward him. Liz. He saw it. "No Elizabeth." He swung the gun to Tori. "Not unless you want some company in the afterlife."

The wood dropped to the ground.

Davidoff moved the gun back to Lauren then. "Pick that board up again, please, Elizabeth, and move in front of me, so I can see where you are."

She did.

"Now, Kit. Im going to give you five minutes to take your boys and go. The modifications appear to have succeeded with Simon. As strong as Derek is, he seems normal for a werewolf. Another success. Chloe and Victoria are the problem, but I assure you, they'll be well cared for. Take you boys and-" I didn't let him finish. We all knew what he meant when he said 'well taken care of'. He was going to kill them, just like he killed Liz, Brady, and that Amber girl. I wasn't about to let that happen to either of them. Chloe was my mate, and Tori…She's like a sister to me. I couldn't let them die on my watch!

"I'm not going anywhere. Not without Chloe."

I stiffened. I expected her to argue. But it seemed like she didn't hear me. I could hear her heart rate, and it scared the shit out of me that it could go that fast.

Davidoff then lifted his eyes to me. He frowned, then nodded. "So be it. I wont turn down the opportunity to keep our only werewolf subject. Take your son, then, Kit."

"I'll take both my sons," dad said. "And Victoria and Chloe and Lauren."

Davidoff only chuckled. "Still don't know when to cut you losses, do you? I'd think ten years on the run would have taught you a lesson. Think of everything you gave away because you wanted Derek back. I'm sure Simon would have been happier if you hadn't been so stubborn." God. This guy is going to die if I have anything to say about all of this. He was REALLY starting to get on my nerves.

"Stubborn's good," Simon said. "And it runs in the family. I'm not leaving until you give them up, too."

Chloe was afraid, I could tell by the stiffness of her shoulders. I rubbed them for her. Simon then looked over at her. Sweat pored down her face. What was she doing?

"Go, Chloe." Her aunt called. "Just go."

"That's not how this works," Davidoff said. "I can shoot you and Tori before Kit or Derek can take me down. Make up your mind, Kit. There's a Cable team on the way, if they havent already arrived. Cut you losses and go."

A shape rose behind him. I sucked in a breath as I figured out what Chloe had be concentrating on. "Good, Chloe. Keep going," I whispered to her. Dad and Simon quickly looked away so Davidoff wouldn't turn around.

"You only have a few minutes, Kit."

"Pick up the gun," Chloe said.

He laughed. "Your aunt knows better than to dive for a gun ten feet away, Chloe."

"Dr. Davidoff," She said.

"Yes?"

"Shoot him."

He frowned mouth opening. Mrs. Enrights corpse swayed. Her eyes on Chloe, rage filing them.

"I said-"

She fired. Davidoff hung there, mouth working, hole through his chest. Then he dropped. Chloe squeezed her eyes shut and Diane dropped as well. Chloe's aunt went to Davidoff and checked his pulse.

"He's gone," Chloe said. "I-I can see his spirit."

Then we heard someone shout and boots clomping boots in the distance.

"We have to get out," Dad said. "Lauren-"

"I'm fine."

"Derek, grab Tori and follow me."

I grabbed Tori, then we raced out the door just as the shouts echoed behind us. Dad yelled for Simon and Lauren to get over the wall, as he boosted Chloe and I carried Tori. Chloe and Simon go to the top and crouched to help me with Tori.

As we climbed down, dad stood atop the wall, ready to shoot spells at anyone who came out. But no one did-the rubble and the bodies slowed them down long enough for us to get far away. By then, Tori was conscience and we could all run, me beside Chloe the entire time, and get far far away.

Dad parked his van a mile away in a shopping mall. He'd bought it a month ago, using faked paperwork, so it could be traced back to him, and it looked like he'd been living in it. He threw his sleeping bag and cooler into the back and we all climbed in.

We ended up in Pennsylvania somewhere. No one asked. No one cared. It was a very long, very quite drive. Chloe and her aunt were in the back, and I kept glancing back at her. She soon fell asleep to Simon and dad talking in the front seat.

We pulled into a roadside motel. Dad got us two rooms and we split up, girls goin in one, and guys in the other. Dad said he would order pizza for us all and then we would meet up and talk. No one was hungry, and Simon wanted some alone time with dad. I did, too. But that could wait. I really wanted some alone time with Chloe, so we could talk, and so we could finish what we started the other day.

While dad and Simon talked in our room, I listened to the girls, seeing when I could leave and hang out with Chloe. All I got for the first couple of minutes was Tori saying that her stomach was queasy because of the long drive, so she was gonna sit outside and get some fresh air, which I got. She also needed some time by herself, seeing that she had just witnessed her mother dieing. Lauren asked her to go behind our unit, so no one driving by could see her. Then it was just Chloe and her aunt.

"How are you doing?" Lauren asked Chloe.

"Okay."

"What happened back there…at the lab…"

She didn't finish. Anyone who had been there would have known what she was referring to-Killing Davidoff.

"I'm okay." Chloe said. "I know I cant go home right now, but I want Dad to know im okay."

"I'm not sure that's-"

"He has to know. Even if he cant know about the necromancer stuff and the Edison Goup stuff. He has to know im safe."

There was a pause, and I thought that she wasn't going to answer Chloe. "We'll find a way."

Chloe went to find Tori and sit with her for a while so I though I would wait a couple of minutes before I went out to find them. I didn't know if I should listen in to this one or not, but its kinda hard to not hear everything within a half-mile radius when you're a werewolf.

"I'm sorry about your mom," Chloe said to Tori.

A short bitter laugh. "Why? She was an evil, murdering bitch."

"But she was your evil, murdering bitch."

Tori gave a choked laugh. I practically see her sittin against the wall with her arms around her knees, Chloe close beside her watching her cry, not knowing what to do. I actually felt bad for Tori. She was and evil, self-centered bitch sometimes, but she didn't deserve that shit life she had.

Dad chose then to tell me to go and get the girls for dinner. I walked around the building the long way, to give them a bit more time. But when I stepped around the corner I saw only Chloe, so I tilted my head to the wind, pretending to sniff it, then smiled when I caught the strawberry scent. I looked down and saw her, my lip curving up automatically.

"Hey," I said. "I thought I-"

Tori lifted her head and whipped her eyes with her sleeve, and I shut up.

"Sorry," I said gruffly and started to retreat. I felt like I intruded on their bonding time. God, im an idiot.

"That's okay," Tori said, getting up. "My pity session is over. You can have her now."

As she walked away from us and back to the room, I just stood there. Then Chloe waved for me to sit next to her, but I shook my head.

"Cant right now. Dad sent me to find you."

She went to get up, but stumbled forward. I didn't even know what was going on until Chloe looked up at me. I didn't let go. Instead I bent and was going to kiss her, but I stopped short.

"Your aunt," I said. "Did she say anything about your plans?" I knew that she didn't but I still had to ask.

"No."

I leaned again, but stopped short again.

"Didn't she say anything? like if you were going home or not?" I know I probably sounded like a complete loser but I couldn't bare to lose my mate.

"I'm not. As long as the Cable is still out there, we cant. I suppose we'll stay with you guys, if that's what your dad has in mind. Probably safest."

I exhaled the breath I hadn't noticed I was holding as she finished. She was looking at me with understanding in her eyes.

"Im definitely hoping that we stay with you guys," She said.

"Me, too."

She slid closer to me, I wrapped my arms around her small body. Our lips touched-

"Derek?" dad called. "Chloe?"

I growled out load, which earned a giggle from Chloe as she backed up.

"We seem to get that a lot, don't we?" She said.

"Too much. After we eat, we're going for a walk. A long walk. Far from every possible interruption."

She grinned up at me. "Sounds like a plan."

Speaking of plans, dad had a lot. Over pizza he confirmed what Chloe suspected-we needed to go on the run again, this time from the Cable.

"So everything we did back there, at the lab…it didn't do any good?" Chloe asked.

"Probably only pissed the Cable off," Tori said. Always the positive one, she was.

"No, it helped," Dad said. "The Edison Group wont recover from this anytime soon, and it'll take some time for the Cable to sort through everything and plan a search. Fortunately, being a Cable, they've gotten a lot oon their to-do list, and we wont be at the top. You're valuable, and they'll want you back, but we'll have some breathing room." He glanced at Chloe's aunt. "Lauren? Living on the run may not be what you had in mind, but I'm going to strongly suggest that you and Chloe come with us. We should stick together."

I looked at Chloe, tensing. I was ready to jump in if her aunt disagreed. But when she said, "That would be best," I relaxed. So did Chloe. Simon grinned and shot her a thumbs-up. Chloe then looked over at Tori. She was holding herself as still as she could, face ridged, not giving anything away.

"And Tori will come with us, right?" Chloe asked.

"Of coarse." Dad said smiling at her. "I suppose I should make sure that's okay with her, though. Will you stay with us, Tori."

She nodded, and slid a quick half smile at Chloe, saying thank you.

"We'll need to lie low for a while," Dad said. "I have a few ideas of places we can go. Simon says Tori got a list of other subjects. We'll make contact with them. They have to know what was going on…and what happened. We'll look for Rae, too. If she's with her mom, that's good, but we'll need to make sure of that. We don't want anyone left behind."

Chloe and I went out after dinner for our walk. Alone.

There was an open field behind the motel and we headed there. Finally, when we were far enough from the motel, I led her into a little patch of woods. I hesitated then, still just holding his hand. I had never done this before so I had no clue what to do. Then Chloe stepped in front of me, and my free hand went to her waist.

"So," She said. "Seems you're going to be stuck with me for a while."

I smiled. A real smile.

"Good."

I pulled her against me. Then bent down, her breath warming my lips. Her pulse was racing so fast she could barely breathe. She looked like she thought I would stop again. But my lips touched hers, and she still kept waiting for me to pull away.

My lips pressed to hers, then parted. And I kissed her. Really kissed her-arms around her, mouth moving against hers. I had made up my mind now. This was what I wanted, and I wasn't ever holding back again.

She slid her arms around my neck, and I tightened my grip on her waist, lifting her off her feet. Kissed her like I was never gonna stop, and she kissed back with the same force, like she didn't want me to ever stop.

It was a perfect moment. All I could feel was her. All I could see was her. All I could taste was her kiss. All I could hear as her pounding heart. All I could think about was her, and how much I wanted this, and how incredibly lucky I was to get it, and how tightly I would hold onto it.

This was what I wanted. This girl. This life. This me. none of us were ever getting our old life's back, but we didn't care. We were happy. We were safe. And I was right where I wanted to be.

Hey guys! I know its been a week or so since I updated, and im sorry for the wait! I have been working a lot this week and last, and I have been having writers block in my spare time. I have A LOT of chapters to write right now, so if you would like a chapter done ask me, but I cant promise that it will be up right away.

To Brittana4ever I am sorry that I havent started you chapters yet but I was thinking of making it a completely different story! I havent gotten to start it yet, and im not sure what to call it, but I was thinking that you may have an idea of what it should be called.

And thanks to PatronusCharmBabe I have another story that I want to start soon! It will be a re-write of the entire trilogy, one book per story, a different PoV for every chapter…what do you guys think? Sound good?

Thank you again to you all for reading and reviewing! I love you all! And I love everyone that has helped me with my story, and other stories/ideas!

Love y'all!

~RenesmeeRedbird~