Darkest Powers fanfiction
EVERYONE'S SECRET
Derek Souza/OC: Mary Ralluber

Author's Note: Again, haven't been writing a lot lately. Been so busy with school and life, I just haven't had the time to write. My apologies. /: Hopefully this chapter makes up for it, if it's good. d: I'm always so modest when it comes to my stories. e_e LOL. Anyway, enjoy the chapter. I'm trying to get more Plastic Promises out because, thanks to a fellow writer and reader of my Vampire Kisses fanfiction, I've hatched a Tripp/OC fic. :D Hooray! Never written a Tripp fanfic before. Should be fun, fun, fun. (: (Okay, if you don't read Vampire Kisses: Blood Relatives, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about, so just ignore that little bit up above, 'kay? Hahaha.) Sooo ... yuup. Enjoy the chapter and please review. Your reviews are much appreciated and I very much enjoy the things you have to say. C: You guys rock. ;D

PS: Sorry if the length is too short. /: I'm really trying to get good stuff out on here. Bear with me.

Chapter O5.

Derek anticipated for her answer. His question had somewhat thrown her off as her eyebrows knitted together and surprise spread across her face. What had been so surprising about the question anyway? He prayed deep down that, when he should tell her that he himself hadn't gone through the Change yet (if she had), she wouldn't make fun of him for it. Embarrassment was the last thing he needed.

Finally, her surprise molded to a knowing grin. His gut twisted. She was going to tease him.

"I've gone through the Change. Sucked like hell the first time, but now it's completely refreshing. I love nothing more than being a wolf. I get to run and be free. No one can stop me from running away." He noticed the calm smile her grin had converted into as she closed her eyes and entered a state of peace. Derek found himself drawn to her in this state. Not that she was rude or dislikable when she wasn't like this, but he liked watching her enter her Zen. It even calmed himself.

She sighed heavily one last time before opening her eyes. And, as if she hadn't been meditating for the past few minutes, she asked, "Haven't you gone through the Change also?"

The question Derek had been dreading, and Mary had already asked it. Though he'd been preparing himself for it, he suddenly felt frozen and at a loss. He was beginning to think twice about telling her the truth, but then, why were they even discussing this?

"I, uh …" he began. He was losing his words as they fumbled about in his mouth.

"You haven't gone through the Change, have you?" she suddenly asked, concerned. Her green eyes narrowed and she folded her arms over her overly-matured chest. Derek shook his head shamefully.

"No."

"So this is why you're asking me questions. You want to know about the Change." Surprisingly, her tone wasn't taunting. Instead, she sounded amused and understanding. Her lips twisted into a half-smile as she cocked her head, her long black hair falling over her shoulder.

"Yeah," Derek answered, daring to peek at her face.

"Well, what do you want to know? It doesn't hurt, going through the Change all the time. First time's the hardest. After that it's a breeze and, like I said, it becomes relaxing and freeing. It doesn't take long either. But, just so you should know, when you do Change into the wolf-state, you lose your clothes. As in, they rip off of you when your body shifts. You've got to be naked when you Change." Derek made a face. Mary rolled her eyes. "That's why you Change when no one is around. Should you need to be a wolf in a situation, arrive at the scene in wolf form. Simple as that."

His clothes would shred off if he Changed with them on? Derek thought that sucked, especially because he didn't have very many clothes to begin with.

"So … what if I want to Change back into a human? How would I get dressed?" he asked, shifting in his seat. Mary merely shrugged.

"Gotta dress where there are accessible clothes. Otherwise you're just going to have to plan on being naked until you find some. Unless you like walking around in the nude …"

"No." His answer came immediately and darkly. Mary chuckled.

"Right. Probably got a lot to hide underneath those sweatshirts, huh?" She pointed her chin to him, eyeing his grey sweatshirt. He could feel his cheeks warm and he knew he was blushing. He glared at her, but she returned it with a smirk.

"Can you tell me something about the Change that doesn't involve being naked?" he pleaded, annoyance dripping from his words. He was getting uncomfortable with that specific information. He understood what she said. She didn't need to taunt him with it.

Mary tapped her chin with a dainty finger and looked up at the ceiling, slightly tilting her head. "Well, I've already covered the freedom of the Change — once you get passed the first time — and the clothes bit … what else can I inform you of?" More silence.

Suddenly, they heard soft footsteps coming down the hall. Both of their ears perked up and they sat up, alarmed. Eyeing the other, Derek muttered, "The desk," and they scrambled to Mary's desk where a pile of books and loose leaf papers made home. Some magazines, a tub of miracle lotion, and some make-up accompanied Mary's schoolwork. Derek looked back at her with a scowl for her messy desk. She rolled her eyes and quickly piled everything together while he opened her math book.

"Paper," Derek demanded softly. The patter of the steps was getting louder. They were too soft to belong to either Miss Van Dop or Brady, so Derek figured they belonged to Mrs. Talbot.

Mary obeyed and grabbed a piece of paper from her new pile, searching for a pencil as well. She sat down on the chair, Derek on her bed, peering over her shoulder at her blank paper. She began to write down nonsense numbers and equations to appear as if they had indeed been working.

Suddenly, Mary's door opened and Mrs. Talbot was indeed standing behind it. Her elderly face was wearing a tight smile, but clearly expressed concern for the closed door. Derek felt like kicking himself. Why hadn't he thought to quickly open it before she came?

"How's the math coming along?" she asked the teenagers, walking inside. Mary and Derek looked over their shoulders.

"Pretty good," Mary replied calmly. "I think I'm starting to understand conics now." Mrs. Talbot's smile stretched.

"Good, good. Derek? I believe it's time to leave now," she said in turn to Derek sweetly. He knitted his eyebrows together.

"But it's only been twenty minutes," he informed. Her smile finally faltered.

"Derek, sweetie, it's time to go back to your room," she said, slightly more strict. He sighed. He knew better than to talk back. Besides, if he created an argument, he would get heated and perhaps get violent as well. He wasn't sure if Mary would be able to hold him back if he attacked Mrs. Talbot for making him mad, so he bowed his head, rose from Mary's bed, and left with the elderly woman.

"Mary says she's gotten the hang of her math now," she said once they were outside her room, escorting him to his own.

"She's too confident. She was actually making a lot of mistakes. I don't think she's gotten the hang of conics at all. She still needs my help," Derek insisted.

"Well, if she still needs your help, then you can tutor her tomorrow during homework time. For now, relax in your room. Maybe work on your own homework, dear," Mrs. Talbot suggested. Derek resisted the urge to roll his eyes at her and followed with her suggestion. When he was in his room, he closed the door behind him, and then met with Simon sketching out one of his comics.

"Hey bro," he said casually without looking up from his pad. Then, he dropped his pencil and looked up. "So, how was the talk? I was expecting you a lot later."

"Yeah, me too," grumbled Derek.

"What happened?"

"Talbot came in and insisted I come back. Apparently she didn't want us hanging out alone too long together," he said.

"Well, who can blame her? I don't think she'd be too thrilled to have a bunch of puppies running around the home," Simon joked. Derek narrowed his eyebrows and Simon cleared his throat, looking down at his drawing. "So, how'd it go?" he asked again. "Did you ask about the Change?"

"Yeah, I did," Derek replied, lying down on his bed, fixing his pillows behind his head.

"What'd she say?"

"Well, she told me she's already gone through the Change. That the first Change is the hardest," he started. Simon made a sympathetic face.

"That sucks."

"I know. She also told me that when you Change to a wolf, you've got to be naked so you don't destroy your clothes," he added. This time, Simon's eyebrows rose to his hairline and he suppressed a laugh.

"Well awesome. Hot wolf chick tells potential wolf mate that he's got to be naked in order to Change. Things can't get any better for you, bro," Simon joked.

"Your sarcasm is killing me," groaned Derek.

"Okay, okay. What else did she tell you? Any advice for when you do Change?"

"She did say that whenever she Changes into a wolf, she finds herself at peace, that running relaxes her even more in her wolf form." Derek reminded himself of the serene face she made while her eyes were closed, the small smile dancing on her full lips. Derek resisted the urge to smile himself, so as not to raise questions from Simon.

"Well, I'm sure that will benefit you. You like to run. Maybe you'll find peace running in wolf form as well," Simon said with a shrug.

Derek shrugged in return and didn't respond. He folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the slanted wooden ceiling. Then, unintentionally, he began to imagine himself in wolf form running alongside Mary's wolf form, completely in peace.