::: SEVEN :::

I stretched my muscles out as I kicked the blankets off me, the bed was comfortable but there were other matters at hand that I needed to sort out like talk to Derek. Getting ready for the day, I was soon walking down stairs to the kitchen where I could hear the sound of pots and pan hitting.

I halted at the kitchen doorway at the intensity of the room, it was like a flash back at Lyle House and it made a shiver run down my spin. Tori wasn't chatting away, Simon wasn't smiling and Derek was back to frowning - the whole atmosphere made my throat go dry as no one looked up as I entered the kitchen, not a single greeting- it was like someone had hit the 'mute' button on the remote.

All I could do was stare at Derek as I stood at the table near him- he always knew what to do. Out the corner of my eye something to my right moved and I saw Paul look up in confusion- there was nothing there. I closed my eyes as Andrews swearing tone and the sound of chaos in the kitchen, no one moved to help him so I stayed seated.

The next thing i knew Liz appeared beside me at the table. "You need to get out of there." I didn't get a chance to speak as she vanished- looking around the table everyone was seated as usual, it was Paul that caught my eye and he looked ready to bolt.

Andrew came to stand in the some spot as Liz. "Chloe why don't you sit down near Tori?" Tori? I always sat with Derek. I glanced at Andrew and the expression on his voice told me not to argue with him. I took the seat next to Tori as Andrew placed breakfast into the table, everyone dug in with silent actions.

The whole way through breakfast I had Liz's voice in my head, telling me to get away. Paul and I shared a couple of looks but kept silent as breakfast finished in a fast pace with no chatting - the only sound been Andrew as he put his dishes in the sink. "You kids clean the kitchen." He walked out when he received nods from us.

Everyone looked relieved as his presence left the room- I was still left in the dark about what the situation was about. I was about to ask when Paul spoke before me. "I think we should do as she says." Paul was staring directly at me and the other eyes followed his direction in question. I saw Derek tense across from me- Right, He doesn't talk to me but wants me safe.

"A friend from Lyle house, Liz." The answered the silent question and Tori's attention shifted at the sound of her friends name.

"What did she say?" Tori never said it but I could tell she missed Liz at times like this.

"She said to leave." I gave everyone a chance to think about it before starting with my questions. " What's going on this morning? Do we need to leave again?" I directed the questions at everyone but my eyes were on Derek.

"Last night Andrew was trying to get me to leave. He doesn't think its safe for me to be around others because we don't know what the Edison group had done to me." Derek's eyes were trained on me as he spoke to the group, his expression made my stomach drop. "Its not right for me to have a mate at this age." I couldn't keep my mouth shut any longer at the mention of our relationship."

"What about Dylan? His mate is Tiffany?"

"Dylan is older, I'm eighteen were Dylan is twenty five. Andrew is upset about last night, his anger and pushing that at the rest of you as he threatened to take us back to the Edison Group." Derek gave a glance around the table before answering. "If Liz told us that it's time to leave, we Leave."

Chace spoke up from the group."I agree, I haven't met them before but I've heard of the Edison group, I don't wish to get personal with them. Tell you the truth, they scare the shit out of me."

"I'm with Derek and Chace. Get out of here when we still can, we'll plan and leave tonight." I stared at Dylan as if he was speaking another language- I didn't know how I didn't see the age difference as he spoke like someone older.

The agreement was to leave for tonight- that was the aim. When the sun goes down, the plan would go into action as the darkness would come to our advantage at been tracked. Tori, Simon and Olivia will put up a spell so Andrew doesn't suspect a thing while we escaped right under his nose. Olivia wasn't really sure about escaping from Andrew and i fully understood her reasons as he is her father but come to the conclusion that the oters were more so her family than her real father. The whole situation felt like a repeat of Lyle House.

After confirming that everyone knew the plan we went our separate ways to prepare ourselves. It was safer to split up so the other guys didnt get mixed up with us as the Edison Group were still searching for the four of us. It was upsetting to thin about leaving a group of friends once again- I hadn't really got a chance to spent time with Paul and work with controlling my powers but there was more pressing matters like staying alive. In the plan, the wood shed is meant to be our meeting point to group up and say our final good byes.

When the kitchen cleared it left Derek and I alone in the kitchen - the tension between us was worse than the morning during breakfast. Derek's muscles were tensed up and the hard line between his eyes told me there was something wrong before he spoke. "We shouldn't be together. It would be best if we stayed friends." It took me awhile to realise what Derek had actually said - He. Doesn't. Want. Me. I couldn't believe that the words were coming from him, my Derek wouldn't speak like that. It was Andrew getting inside his head - making Derek think he was a monster.

"Dont, Dont listen to Andrew. You'll never hurt me, I love you. Please dont end our relationship because of someone else."

"Its the best." Before I could argue anymore Derek was out the front door.

"Derek! Derek! Come back! Derek! Please come back." My body felt heavy and my emotions were slipping like quick sand as they twisted at the idea of never having his strong arms safely wrapped around me.

It didn't realise the tears were streaming down my face until Dylan appeared beside me pulling me into his arms. "Its alright. He just needs time to think, he'll be back." The comfort words coming from Dylan hardly had any effect me- I wanted my Derek.

My Life.
My Heart.
My Air.
My World.

Derek is my everything.

:^:^:^:^:^:^:

PUBLISHED: 06/10/2010

REVISED: 21/05/2013