you guys have been amazing with the reviews and subs, and therefore... ladies and gentlemen, i now present to you the moment you have been waiting for...

Chloe POV

It takes four minutes of pure silence for me to realize that Alek thinks he's getting away with what happened back in the doctor's office.

I clear my throat and it reminds me of the last time I did it. The club. Alek. Mimi. Kissing. The memory brings up a whole new question in my mind.

"That night at the club..." I begin, not sure how to finish the question.

He swallows and doesn't answer.

"What happened to Mimi?"

He looks at me for a second, then back at the road. "She went home I suppose."

"You suppose?"

"I didn't stick around to find out, if that's your question."

Hmm.

"Why not?"

"Is this a question game? Because if it is, I think it's only fair if I get a turn also."

The question game was something Amy, Paul and I played all the time when we were younger. I wonder how he knows about it.

"Fair enough," I say slowly, wondering what kind of mess I just walked into.

"Have you kissed Brian since he...came back?" Alek says, eyes emotionless. It must be so hard for him to ask. I look at him for a moment and memorize what he looks like now. This is the face of Alek with his guard up, I tell myself. I forget that I haven't answered him and he looks at me heartbroken for a split second, and then the second's gone. "I guess I should have assumed as much," he says coldly.

Wait, what?

"Excuse me?" I say out loud.

"We all see how you helplessly throw yourself at him, Chloe. It's no surprise that the moment you find out the curse doesn't apply, you'd be all over him." He pulls into my driveway and now turns to fully look at me.

I'm too angry to respond rationally.

"Really, Alek? You want to go there? Fine, how about we discuss your little kissing toy too then?"

"I don't have one," he says, eyes narrowing. "That's you, remember?"

"Mimi, Alek. MIMI." I throw the name at his face. "You obviously don't care about her, or you wouldn't have left her at that club to chase after me." I can't believe the words are coming out of my mouth.

"At least mine's Mai," he counters.

"That makes it better?" I exclaim, astounded at his stupidity. "Alek, you're a jerk, you know that?" I snap open my seat belt and get out of the car, slamming the door behind me. I walk furiously to my house door and bless Bastet that I have my key with me this time.

Alek POV

Is it wrong that even as she leaves storming mad, and I'm raving jealous, all I can think is- "God Almighty, she's beautiful..."

I watch her hair fly after her, her delicate shoulders hunch in fury. I watch each porcelain finger curl into a fist, her long shapely legs storm up the path. I want to run after her. I want to hold her in my arms and kiss her until she forgets what Brian's lips taste like. If she would let me, I'd treat her right. I'd never look at Mimi again for as long as I live. In fact all she had to do was give the word and I'd never even think of another girl. I wouldn't lie to her like I've lied to the others. A girl like Chloe deserves only the best. I can't deny how I feel about her, not anymore. Not after I ran out on Mimi, a girl some guys would die for. Not after she died again and I felt like I couldn't breath. Like if she didn't open those eyes, I'd make sure mine never did either.

Bzzzzzt

The texts. I'd completely forgotten about them. I take out my phone, panic spreading through my body.

You would think the Guardian would keep the Uniter close, wouldn't you? I wonder what will happen to her now that she's alone...

I jam it back into my pocket and run out of my car. Scrambling onto her roof, I look into her window. Chloe's sitting on her bed, listening to her Ipod. Safe. Alive. Breathing. Pissed off breathing, maybe, but still breathing nonetheless.

I can't let stupid fights get in the way of my protecting her. Not again. I'd barely forgiven myself for the last time.

I unlock the padlock I installed and ease her window open. She glares at me and pulls out a headphone.

"I don't want to talk to you," she says abruptly, stabbing at my heart.

"I'm sorry." I say quietly. It feels weird. I haven't said that in a while. "I didn't mean what I said, I was just...jealous." I finally admit out loud. There goes my reputation.

Her eyes soften. "I haven't kissed him again," she says, head down, voice so quiet I almost don't hear her.

"Brian?" I ask, clarifying.

She nods and a huge grin breaks out on my face, until I realize something.

"...Why did you let me think you did?"

Chloe looks up at me, eyes wide and guilty. "I was mad," she says finally. "I was mad about you and Mimi kissing, I was mad about Brian just assuming we were gonna be together, mad at Jazz for acting all different, at myself for getting killed, at-"

I take a step forward and kiss her lips, cutting her off. My hands hold her hips and pull her close. It's even better than last time. When I pull away a few seconds later she's a little stunned.

"Well that was kind of rude," she says sarcastically, giving me a wry smile.

"Sorry," I say for the second time tonight, although this time I can't say I mean it.

She puts her hands in back pockets and bites her lip, staring at the floor. I know she's thinking the same thing that I am.

What now?

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