Hey Guys,

Chapter 18. Here's a little teaser for yis. Hope you all enjoy.

So, it's been hours since Maria and Scott spoke about what has to happen at the final showdown, with the Demon. Maria is still sitting on the large boulder on the edge of the cliff. At this point it's pouring rain. She has been sitting there for hours, just thinking about her life. About how one minute she was a normal, teenage girl, with everything going for her, to a powerful witch, with no parents, and number one on a Demon's most wanted list? How is this her life now?

Maria's sitting on the boulder, soaking wet, with a pensive look on her face. She has her legs brought up to her chest, with her chin resting on her knees, and her arms around the fronts of her legs. She's just staring out at the world below her, wishing that she could be like the hundreds of kids in Beacon Hills, who haven't got a clue, about what lurks in the shadows. What comes out of the darkness.

''It's quite a view isn't it''. Derek has just arrived and is standing beside Maria, and the boulder, staring down at Beacon Hills''.

''Were you just out for a stroll, or is this a social visit?'' Maria asks him, with a sad tone, not moving from the position that she is in.

''Scott, called me and told me that you were here''. Derek sits on the boulder beside her. ''He also told me, about your little, talk''.

''And what?'' Maria looks at Derek. ''Are you here to try and change my mind?''

''He's just a kid''.

''I know what he is''. Maria rests her chin on her knees again.

''Well why does it have to be Scott? Why not someone else? Why not me?''

Maria looks at him. ''What, do you wanna kill me?''

Derek smiles. ''I think you already know the answer to that''.

Maria releases her legs, and turns her whole body to face Derek. She crosses her legs over each other. ''It can't be you''. Maria takes his hand.

Derek looks at her, a little resistant.

''Relax''. Maria closes her eyes. ''Feel that?''.

Derek's eyes start to water.

''That's the pain, and guilt, that I live with every day... Sitting here with you now... It's magnified''. Maria opens her eyes. ''Because I feel yours too... You can't kill me... Because your weak to the Demon... You lost your family, in that fire... And I know, the guilt that you feel over that''.

Derek looks at Maria worried.

''Don't worry... I don't hate you for it... I also know that, you feel guilty, about what Jennifer did... All the people she killed... You feel like it's your fault, because you gave the Nebathon power... Which brings me to Paige''. Maria lets go of Derek's hand and gets up from the boulder, and walks to edge of the cliff. ''I get it... Guilt... It can be pretty powerful... I mean, it's okay for someone else, to tell you, 'don't worry about it, what happened was an accident'... 'You didn't know'... 'It's not your fault'... Thing is, it was my fault... I knew... I knew there was something strange happening... He was him again... He was my dad again''.

Derek get's up off of the boulder. ''What are you talking about?''

Maria turns and looks at him. ''I killed my Dad... With an innocent, scared look in his eyes... I didn't even think about it... He killed her... And, she was my Mom... He had to pay''. Maria closes her eyes, and tears fall from the them, and roll down her face.

Derek wipes away one of her tears, with his thumb.

Maria opens her eyes and looks at him. She then stands up on her tippy toes, and reaches in to kiss Derek. She kisses him so passionately. And he kisses her back. Suddenly, Maria breaks away from him, and falls back a little weak.

Startled, Derek catches her. ''Are you okay?'' He sits her down on the boulder.

''It's the Demon... Every time, he tries to get in... The pain gets stronger... And I get weaker''. Maria looks up at Derek. ''I'm running out of time... I can't keep fighting him off... This fight has to happen... And it has to happen''... Lights go out for Maria.

Ooh, what just happened there. Guess you'll have to wait for the next chapter. :) Hope you guys enjoyed.