Disclaimer: I do not own DP

Chapter Three

KPOV

I looked up from my newspaper wondering what was taking Derek so long outside. I decided to go check that he is okay. I left Simon finishing up his breakfast and made my way onto the back porch. I almost didn't spot Derek at the bottom of the garden; he was leaning around the fence so I assumed that he had found the old gate that leads into next doors garden. I watched and waited for him to turn and look at me, usually he would have noticed my presence by now, but he didn't even glance in my direction if anything he seemed to lean more around the fence looking into next doors garden. So I decided to see just what had Derek so fascinated. When I walked over to the side of the porch I could easily see into the garden and what I saw surprised me, but in a good way. There was a little blonde girl, no older than Simon, doing handstands in her garden. I looked towards where I knew Derek was and I almost took a step back at the intense look on his face as he watched the girl. The mixture of emotions on his face that I could see even from here were of protectiveness, devotion and utter disbelief like he couldn't believe what he was seeing. I couldn't help but wonder if this tiny little girl could be his mate. Which confused me a little because when Derek had first come to live with Simon and me he would talk to me constantly about a girl he had met at the lab called Chloe and he worried that he would never see her again, and I had suspected that this Chloe might be his mate so maybe I was looking too much into this. I was distracted from my thoughts by a thump and turned to see that the girl had fallen while doing a handstand, when I looked at Derek I saw him leave his hiding place and run to the girl with a worried expression on his face. When he spoke I could hear him perfectly.

"Chloe are you okay? You didn't hurt yourself did you?" So I was right, this is Chloe.

I watched as Chloe jumped up squealing his name and threw her arms around him in a hug. I have to admit that I was shocked when I saw him laughing and hugging her back, I don't think I have ever seen him willingly hug anyone before and especially not with a smile on his face.

Just then I heard Simon come out and when I looked at him I realised that I had a big grin plastered on my face.

"What you smiling at dad?" Simon asked me and in answer I picked him up so that his feet were on the porch rail and pointed to Derek and Chloe.

"Why is Derek hugging that girl? And why is he smiling like that?" Simon asked me quietly.

"Because I think that that girl, Chloe, is the same girl who Derek met, and became friends with, before he came to live with us and I think he has missed her" I replied.

"I'm glad Derek has another friend" Simon said with a grin. I grinned back at him and said "So am I"

As me and Simon stood there and watched Derek and Chloe as they attempted to tell each other everything that has happened to them in the last two years I considered the possibility that they could be mates. I just couldn't be sure so I decided to keep an eye on them both. I wouldn't tell Derek until i was positive and he was older. After all seven years old is too young to explain about mates.

I know this is a little short but I really wanted to do Derek and Chloe's reunion in another perspective before I got on to the good stuff. As always please Read and Review.