Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned Darkest Powers. Kelley Armstrong is the genius who came up with it.

Chapter Five

CPOV

I was sat in the newly furnished tree house reading a magazine on the latest movie releases but for once I couldn't seem to concentrate. These last few weeks had been some of the best weeks of my life and Simon and Derek were the sole reasons for that. They didn't judge me based on my small size and they never once mocked me for my stutter unlike most kids, and even some adults, did. In fact they both repeatedly told me that they thought it was cute. As I sat there I remembered the look on their faces when they saw how I had decorated the tree house.

***Flashback***

I could hear them climbing up the ladder and I anxiously looked around to make sure that everything was in place. I quickly tried to look at the room as they would, for the first time.

I had put up some forest green curtains over the two windows, daddy said I could have them because they were from the old house and were much too small for any of the windows at this house. I really liked the colour of those curtains but I couldn't quite figure out why.

I had also managed to find a matching forest green rug that I have placed in the middle of the room. I also found a whole bunch of mismatched cushions of all different shapes and sizes that I have placed around the room to make it more comfortable.

I have put two potted plants on either side of the doorway, I'm not really sure what they are but they are green and leafy so I thought they would match the curtains and rug.

Daddy also gave me some old Christmas lights that work off a battery and I placed them along the tops of the walls.

Simon's head popped above the ladder first and when he looked around he had a huge grin plastered on his face so I took that to mean that he liked it. Next came Derek and he kept his expression neutral as he took it all in. I fidgeted nervously waiting for his opinion, I really hoped he liked it I had tried really hard not to make it seem too girly. When I couldn't take the silence any longer I decided that I had to be the one to break it.

"S..So w..what do you g..guys t..think?" I reluctantly asked while looking at my feet.

Simon immediately started talking.

"Oh my god Chloe, this place looks amazing. How did you get all this done in just an hour? How did you even manage to get all this stuff up here? When we saw you, you only had the one box. And how did you manage to get those lights so high on the walls?"

I giggled at Simon's reaction as he stopped talking so that he could take a breath.

"Y..Your d..dad helped m..me carry t..the things up and h..helped me p..put up t..the l..lights. and c..curtains" I answered Simon.

I finally looked at Derek and saw that he still had that same neutral expression, my heart dropped but I still needed his answer.

"W..What d..do you t..think D..Derek?" I asked.

The moment I finished the question a broad grin spread across his face and the change caused my breath to catch and he picked me up in a bear hug, though still being very careful not to hurt me, and spun me around making me giggle again. When he put me back down he whispered in my ear.

"I think you're amazing."

I couldn't stop myself from blushing at that.

***End Flashback***

We have added a few more things to the tree house in the last week. We now have an old coffee table and three old wooden chairs that Mr Bae gave us. Other than the three cushions that are on the chairs, all the other cushions are now piled high in the corner making a big comfortable nest of sorts which is where I was now sat.

As well as all the furniture we have also brought many of our belongings here, there is a huge tower of board games that looks to be in danger of toppling over. There are also books and magazines piled high next to the games as well as an old draw that has Simon's spare art supplies in it.

Simon has also decided to put his own personal touch on the tree house by doing drawings of all of us and putting them up along the walls. They really are quite good.

I was so caught up in my thoughts that I didn't hear Derek climb the ladder, then again I rarely hear Derek approach.

DPOV

I climbed the ladder to the tree house hoping to find Chloe there. Before I even got half way my favourite scent in the world, strawberries and apple pie, floated down to me and I knew she was in there.

When I got to the top I immediately spotted Chloe sat in the big nest of cushions in the far corner with a magazine in her hand. I waited a moment for her to notice me but she seemed lost in thought. I walked over to her and sat down on the big cushion next to her. The movement of the cushion must have startled her out of her thoughts because she jumped almost a foot in the air. I couldn't stop the chuckle that escaped me at that.

"Skittish as a kitten" I mumbled but judging by the mock glare she shot me I knew she heard which only had me chuckling more and soon Chloe joined in with her cute little giggle. It is moments like these, these completely normal moments with Chloe that I treasure. She has become such a big part of my life in such a short time that I don't know what I would without her now. She is the one thing that stops me from feeling like the monster that I will one day become.

I hope you like. Thanks to everyone who reviewed but more are always appreciated.