Once again, it's been a while. I write, then I hit a road block, then I remember what I want to do and write again. I will say, getting emails about new followers and replied always help remind me to write. Just saying. But I also have to thank all the people that have read and continue to comeback to this story when I update. I also apologize, for the long waits and also for this chapter. But its needed for where this story is headed. I did throw in a flash back because I love the "pre-drama" Chloe/Alek too and it really informs how and why they act the way they do. Enjoy!

Six Years Ago: Summer Before College on the Road

"Love, love me do…You know I love you…I'll always be true…So please, love me dooooo…"

The song faded on the radio and before the next one started I heard the faint, "You have a good voice, you should sing more often."

I looked over to the honey curls and blue-green eyes in the passenger seat of the car snuggled in a blanket which had been napping only moments before. I smirked before returning my eyes to the road.

"I was not singing."

A small laugh rose from the blanket mass, "you were too, and you sounded good singing along."

"I was not."

"Was too."

"Was not," I tried to insist.

"Fine," she conceded, but still needed to get in the last word, "but I quite liked the whatever sound that was." She shifted to sit up and gaze out the front window. The sun glinted off her hair as she squinted to take in the surroundings whizzing by. "Which state are we in?"

"Guess."

"Mississippi?"

I smiled at her and she sent me a beaming look back. "Actually, we just crossed the border into Louisiana," I stated, "we'll be in New Orleans shortly. We should probably call their pride leader to set up dinner."

Chloe leaned back in the seat with a groan, using the blanket to block the light and hide from reality. "what if we, you know, didn't?"

"Didn't what?"

"What if we didn't alert the local pride we were coming, especially since I'm the Uniter and they always put up a fuss. Instead, we could just enjoy New Orleans like two normal teenagers who are going to a post-graduation road trip," said the voice from beneath the blanket.

I let out a slight scoff, "Normal?"

Now a head emerged to give me a stern look with a raised eyebrow, "well, I was attempting to be."

"But you're not."

"Am too." Chloe argued, returning to our previous two-year old comebacks.

"Then what were you dreaming about, you were mumbling again," I asked. It was a low blow since I knew her nightmares were getting worse again, ever since the start of the trip. I had ignored it thus far in order to enjoy the expedition, but I was willing to take the risk in an attempt to get her to talk about it.

She gave me a deeper glare before starting to dig through the blankets to look for her phone, "fine… what's the New Orleans's Pride number?" she asked with a huff, avoiding the other subject.

I snuck another glance at the Uniter, supposed leader and savoir of the Mai world and the bridge between races, as she furrowed her brow, scrolling through her messages. There was probably one from her mom. It was part of her deal to go on this road trip that she checks in at least once a day. There was probably also one from Jas, or five. She was arguable more protective than Ms. King, insisting on hourly updates on our location or possible threats. We also texted her once a day.

All Chloe wanted was to be a normal girl at this time. She knew she was the Uniter, but for the moment she wanted to be a normal girl celebrating her high school graduation and some freedom before she went off to college.

"You know what?" I snatched the phone away, "I think we could use a little normal."

Chloe looked at me with a glow that could melt anyone's icy heart, it had certainly melted mine. "Normal?" She asked with hope. As much as she knew her life could never be fully human or her own, it never hurt to try for a couple moments of normalcy.

"Normal." I assured.

Present Day: The Apartment at 4:00 AM

And that's what this felt like now, Chloe's plea was for a couple moments of normal, and that's what it felt like snuggled together on the bed in the guest bedroom. No questions of the past or future, just a normal couple sleeping side by side. A feeling I could get used to but knew we would never achieve because only after a couple hours of slumber Chloe started to scream.

Well, I heard the scream, but I was more woken up by the kick to the thigh that nearly pushed me out of bed. Chloe had rolled slightly away as we had slept, which was fortunate since she was currently thrashing around like a flag in windstorm. Any closer and I would triple the bruises I had forming due to training.

But then I really heard the screams. The cries of pain as she wrapped herself further into her blankets with the tossing a turning. Between the piercing shrieks I could manage to decipher some words.

"Please, make it stop, it burns…" she wailed while rocking side to side, nearly rolling herself off the other side of the bed. Her movements were mimicking that of the elementary taught "stop-drop-and-roll" but she acted as if her hands were bound. Another scream of agony jumpstarted me into action.

"Chloe, Chloe," I attempted to shake her but it was hard to get close enough. She was not responding to any verbal orders, too entrapped in the nightmare that had taken hold of both her mind and body.

Biting the bullet that I was going to be kicked once more, I scooped her up, blanket and all, and made my way into the attached guest bathroom. The blankets helped contain her flailing limbs as she thrashed in my arms. I managed to get her into the walk-in shower and turn on the water to cold.

The water appeared to instantly sooth, extinguishing whatever figurative flames which had been engulfing her body. After several more moments, Chloe stopped convulsing and slumped into my arms. The blanket pooled at our feet and I used the wall to support us as we slide to the floor. Freezing water continued to shower down on us, but I didn't feel a thing. All my focus on trained on watching Chloe's eyes.

They fluttered open, blinking away the water droplets that were hitting her face. Her eyes finally fixed on me and I could distinguish the mix of tears among the droplets streaming down her face. It was one of those moments that started to build to something bigger.

I had almost forgotten what they had felt like. There had been a brief reminder during our fight in the gym, when I had her pinned to the mat below me. Only I had ruined it by asking her that question. It was the sort of moment that I had naively tried and tricked myself into believing I had with other girls. A moment where others in the world stop existing and it is only the two of you, unspoken words said with emotion in a pure of moment for two. I had been deceiving myself when I thought I could feel that with anyone besides Chloe.

I reached out to tuck back the snow-white band of hair behind her ear as the water weighed down her curls and stuck to her face. My palm rested her cheek and she leaned into, never breaking our eye contact. I searched her face for an explanation, for she was usually an open book in situations like these, but came back empty handed. There were only constant waves of contentment crashing over me. She was living for and in this moment, as should I.

I dropped the ongoing investigation in my mind and gave myself over to the person who already possessed me wholeheartedly. The magnets started to tug again, pulling us together. I glanced down at her lips, wet from the rain of the shower, but full and completely kissable as I knew she glanced at mine. Our noses touched and I could feel her exhale and the spray from her eyelashes as they closed. Another moment that continued to intensify, and I selfishly let it continue for a couple seconds longer since I wanted to fully relish in the feeling of the euphoria that was building.

Despite all the fights, the running away, broken hearts and years of being separated, I knew that we would always end up back here.

Only, I held out one second too long.

As I went in to make the final connection between our lips I heard, "I can't do this Alek."