I can't apologize enough for not updating. Things really got on top of me recently and my life has just been an absolute mess. Luckily I'm finally getting the support I need and I'm finding it easier to get back into the swing of things. I'll be updating more frequently, I promise.

Please read and leave a review. I love reading what you guys have to say!


"Oreos, chips, icecream and gummy worms. Anything else?" Simon asked me.

I let out a chuckle. "It's perfect, thank you. I still can't believe you came all the way to Buffalo for my accident prone ass."

"Your accident prone ass is worth waiting on." He winked and flashed a cheeky grin.

When I called Simon to tell him about my accident, I was adamant that I was fine and didn't need any help. So what did he do? He showed up the day after with all of my favourite movies and snacks so we could spend the weekend together, like we had originally planned. Well... sans the indoor rock climbing. I was devastated that I let him down because we were both so excited, but the next best thing was a weekend full of movies and junk food with one of your best friends.

We were halfway through watching our fourth movie, The Godfather, when there was a knock at the door. I was still painfully terrible at using my crutches so Simon hauled himself off the couch after pausing the movie to answer whoever it was on the other side.

"Hey-"

"Chloe!" Liz barged through the door, almost bowling Simon down. She balked at my cast. "Is that necessary for just your ankle?!"

"Mhmm, it's itchy as hell." I groaned.

"God, you poor thing. I feel so bad that I couldn't help you out when you needed me so I had to come back and-" she glanced over her shoulder when she heard Simon close the door behind her. "Oh my gosh, I didn't mean to interrupt your date!"

"It's not a date." Simon and I said in unison.

Liz raised a perfectly groomed eyebrow. "Looks like a date to me, but if you insist it's not..." She trailed off.

"It's not." Once again, Simon and I perked up at the same time.

An awkward pause. "That's Liz, by the way. Liz, that's Simon."

"Ah, so you're Simon." Liz smiled and batted her eyelashes. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her naturally flirty behaviour.

"You make it sound like you know a bit about me, should I be worried?" Simon glanced over knowingly and chuckled. He glanced at his watch, "I should get going anyway. I've got a massive job to do back home but it was good seeing you, Chloe." He leaned down for a hug. It lingered a bit longer than a usual friendly hug would, but it was kind of nice. He was definitely a nurturing soul. "Let me know if you need anything."

"I will Simon, thanks again."

He flashed me one last smile before he closed the door behind him. Can women my age still get butterflies in their stomach? Because I had those.

"He drove two hours to see you?" Liz asked incredulously. "Damn, he's going to be a keeper once you guys get your shit together."

I couldn't help but turn beet red. "He's a really good friend. You know how it is."

"Yeah, I do. You guys are gonna get together, I know it." She said, confidently as she plonked herself down on the sofa next to me. "I just can't believe he left halfway through a movie."

"He's a busy man." I spooned a heap of ice cream in my mouth. "Freelance artist." I mumbled through a mouthful of food.

"Busy and he still came all the way here to look after you." She winked. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her. Ever since we were in high school, the moment a boy looked at me Liz was convinced that we'd get married and have twenty babies. Maybe it was because she felt sorry for me - I was never much of a looker and I never had a boyfriend until Liam and we all know how that turned out.

"He's cute, but I'm not interested. It's only been a few weeks since-"

"Liam, I know, but maybe Simon is exactly what you need to get over your asshole of an ex. He's handsome, successful, he bent over backwards for you this weekend and -"

It was my turn to cut her off. "I'm not using Simon as a rebound. I respect him too much to do that."

Liz huffed and took the tub of icecream from me and spooned some into her own mouth. "Fine, but I'll take him if you don't."

I chuckled. "Sure you will."


"Where the hell are you?" A gruff voice sounded down the phone.

"I went for a run, what's it to you?" I replied sarcastically.

"Very funny. You're supposed to be at home. Resting."

I sighed. Derek didn't have the nurturing trait that his brother did. He was more demanding than anything else. "I had to take a folder into work and somebody called in-"

"It's not your problem, Chloe." He cut me off. "They know you're supposed to take it easy."

"I'll only be here for a few more hours, I promise."

A pause on his side of the phone, and an eventual sigh. "I'll pick you up at three. Don't let them make you do too much."

"Yes sir." I replied with even more sarcasm before he hung up.

"Trouble in paradise?" Angela questioned. "If Liam's giving you a hard time I swear to God-"

I held up my hand. "We broke up a few weeks ago." I chuckled. "That was my flatmate. He's a bit... overbearing."

"Overbearing, huh? So what's he like?"

I scooted my chair over to the filing cabinet behind me and started putting papers in their place. "He's... interesting." I smiled.

Angela looked at me quizically. "Girl, that's not telling me much. Is he messy? Tidy? Is he hot? Oh, does he walk around in his boxers?"

When I thought of Derek, the word 'hot' never came to mind. He wasn't cute, or endearing. Maybe handsome? Not the conventional kind of handsome like a movie star, but he was unique. I had never seen eyes as green as his before, and it was for sure his defining physical trait.

I shook off my thoughts. "No boxer action yet, sorry to disappoint."

Angela smirked at me. "You wouldn't hate it though, would you?"

I slapped her playfully and we resumed our work.

Three o'clock rolled around and we had finished up all of our tasks, so Angela and I had nothing to do but greet patients and gossip. When the familiar bell on the door rang, Angela's head snapped up to greet the customer. She uttered a quick swear before turning back to me and muttered, "Damn, he's fine". I giggled and without looking up, I told her that she could take care of this one.

"Let's go." The familiar gruff voice from earlier said in my direction.

Only then did my head snap up to meet those green eyes. "Derek, hey! Let me just get my coat. You weren't waiting long, were you?" I stumbled over my words as I scrambled to get my things together. I was finally off my crutches and only stuck with a moon boot so getting around was a lot easier.

"Just got here." Ah, a man of many words.

I said goodbye to Angela as we were leaving and when Derek's back was turned, she mouthed something that I could only make out as "dayummmmmm". I couldn't help but chuckle and shake my head at her.

"What?" Derek turned around and stared down at me.

"Nothing." I said behind giggles. "Let's just get home."

He eyed me suspiciously but thankfully let the subject drop.

"You know," I started as we made our way home. "I am allowed to leave the apartment. Or did I miss the fact that you're my keeper now that I've got a bung foot?" I teased.

"You are, but not when you're supposed to be resting. How did you even get to work anyway? You couldn't have walked that far."

"I caught the train. It's not that difficult. Anyway, my foot is fine with this stupid moon boot, you're the one who has a problem." Derek gave me his signature eye roll coupled with a sigh. I took a moment to think. "I know what you're like." I told him.

"What?"

"You don't have that nurturing tendency like your brother. You show that you care by being a demanding, overbearing asshole instead." I looked over at him as he drove. His lips were pressed in a firm line, but his eyes danced with amusement.

"Who says I care?" He grumbled. "Maybe I just like being a jerk."

"Why?" I questioned.

A shrug. "Keeps people away."

"If you wanted to keep people away you wouldn't be renting out your spare room to me."

Derek was a lawyer, he made good money. It didn't make any sense to me his need to rent out the spare bedroom for some extra cash.

"Maybe I made an exception for you." He smirked.

I snorted a laugh. "You couldn't have possibly known that I'd come along."

He rubbed the stubble along his jaw as he thought. "You're right, though. I like having somebody else in the apartment. The noise is... nice I guess."

"Then get a dog?" I answered quizically.

He laughed. An honest to God laugh from the guy who always had a straight, stern face. In my mind, I did a little victory dance because I finally got him to crack. Derek never really showed much emotion. When Simon was in town, he told me how close he and Derek were, but when Derek saw his brother for the first time in God knows how long, he barely blinked twice. He didn't seem like an emotional person at all. It was kind of weird.

"You know, I'd love to have a dog." Derek started, interrupting my thoughts. "When Simon and I were kids we had a husky called Danger. He was the best thing to happen to us."

"Can you imagine the amount of havoc a husky puppy would wreak on the apartment?" I giggled. "I can't imagine any of your files would go unchewed with the amount you leave out in the open."

I looked over right on time to see Derek roll his eyes as he pulled into the parking garage. "You good to get out on your own?" I shot him a look. "Okay, okay, just asking... jeez." He grumbled.

We took the elevator up to the apartment where Derek fumbled with his keys, searching for the right one. He finally found it and jiggled it in the lock. Once he heard it click, he pushed the door open and flicked the light on.

"Oh shit." He cursed.


A/N: I'm going to leave it on a cliff so it gives me more incentive to update. Can you guys guess what's waiting for Derek and Chloe on the other side of the door? :P