Author's Note: Hey girlies! It's only Tuesday morning, but my idiotic brother got me sick, so I get a day off today. To me, day off = day to write, so here I am! This probably won't get posted until Friday night, but I might as well get a head start, right?

Before I start ranting about nothing in particular, I'd like to take the time to thank everyone who reviewed the last few chapters. This is gunna get old fast, but I want you all to know that I'm so incredibly thankful to you for everything you've done. Special shoutouts go out to . and maveldiaz for being some of the first to add me on twitter, and Jessika_XoXo for actually responding to my random tweets! .: I should have mentioned this last chapter, but I didn't know it was you! Sorry hun! :) Also, to agony-fairy and burningimpossiblybright: you guys are almost as random as I am, and I love our hilarious (and often pointless) conversations! XD

Also, if you're looking for some amazing fanfics to read, I definitely recommend Biting the Hand that Feeds and Animal I Have Become by my friend Aqua279. Trust me, her stories are AMAZING and you will definitely be glad you listened to me!

Anyways, to those of you who still havn't but want to, add me on twitter! You'll get teasers for every chapter of this story, plus outtakes from The Finding! I know most of you guys were regular reviewers for that story...wouldn't you like something extra to keep you going until the sequel? ;) (Preparing for explosion of reviews and messages…) My twitter is sch _ 94, or you can PM me for the link to my livejournal. I think that's it for now, except for this brief little description:

This chapter will be following the pattern of the last. Chloe is now 12, and things are definitely changing for her…

Didn't you miss my incredibly long author's notes? I knew you did! Enjoy!

---

Disclaimer: Steph and Christina are watching Silence of the Lambs while enjoying some candy.

Christina: HOLY SHIT! Did you see that?! He ate the guy's friggin' face off!

Steph: *Mouth full of chocolate*
Sowwy, I wawen't wisening. Wha whid woo way?

Christina: *Rolls eyes*
Hey piggy, are you even paying attention to the movie?

Steph: *Swallows painfully*
Yeah! That guy's making a woman suit, right? And that other guy has a thing for Clarisse, and-

Christina:*Narrows eyes*
You read that on Wikipedia!

Steph: *Attempting to hide laptop*
No I didn't! I swear!

Christina: Yeah you did! That's what you've been doing this entire time, isn't it? Writing your update and reading the movie summary on Wikipedia?

Steph: I, uh….I didn't-

Christina: STEPH! I don't care if you own the plot and feel the need to update regularly! You're gunna watch Hannibal Lector eat the flesh off some guy's face and you're gunna watch his blood drip onto the pure white snow and you're going to feel your stomach twist into little tiny knots and you're going to enjoy it! DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME, MAGGOT?!

Steph: *Shrinking into couch and covering self with pillow*
Ye-yeah! I g-got it! Now can you b-back up please? You're invading my personal space!

---


Advice

Advice is what we ask for when we already know the answer but wish we didn't.

-Erica Jong

---

Twelve Years Old

Dear Diary,

I can't believe I've already been 12 for three whole weeks! It seems like just last week I was moving in with Lauren and Andrew and hiding under the covers when I heard noises outside my window! So much has changed since then: I have two new best friends, I know more about my 'powers', I've grown over 3 inches… Speaking of growing; Simon says that his dad says we're gunna hit our growth spurts soon, but I don't feel any different…

Speaking of Simon, where is that boy?! Him and Derek were supposed to come over early to help me with math since Lauren and Andrew aren't home – who needs math anyway? – but they're still missing in action. I'm starting to wonder whether I should be worried or not…

"Chloe! Get your math-challenged self out here right now! And bring a calculator!" Simon called from the backyard. I marked my page with a ribbon and slipped my most prized possession into its spot in my desk drawer. I grabbed my math books and calculator and made my way outside.

"You guys were supposed to be here hours ago!" I chided. "What happened; did you get lost in the forest or something?"

Simon smiled a crooked smile. "Nope! I made Derek explain everything to me before we left so I could be the one to teach you! I'm an algebra expert now!" he said proudly. He bent down to retrieve his books from his backpack.

Derek appeared behind me. He leaned down to whisper in my ear. "It took me hours to explain to him that 'x' isn't the same number every time," he said solemnly. "Just smile and nod when he stops making sense, okay?"

I nodded slowly as not to attract Simon's attention. I knew what he was really telling me to do: protect Simon's feelings.

For the next couple of hours, Simon attempted to explain pre-algebra to me while Derek sat a few meters from us, reading another one of his father's books about supernaturals.

Every time he came to visit, Derek would bring some sort of research material along with him. While Simon and I talked and played, Derek would read.

We often left him to it.

The one and only time I had ever asked him about it, Derek had quickly shut the book and buried it deep into his backpack, coming over to sit with Simon and I on one of the boulders surrounding the pool.

"Hey…Derek?" He looked up from the ancient tome resting on his lap. "Remember wh-when you looked up what I was? It was a long time ago, but…"

"Yeah," he grunted. "Necromancer. Why?"

I dug the toe of my shoe into the ground nervously. "Did you… ever f-find anything else out? Maybe that book you checked in was lacking some of the details...it was pretty old, after all. Did you ever find out anything new?" I paused to take in a much needed gulp of air. "Because…well, I sorta have a feeling that this ghost-whispering thing isn't it, you know?"

He stared at the book in his lap with a blank look in his eyes. "Derek?" I repeated.

What's wrong with him? Is he deaf or something?

"No," he mumbled. When he looked up at me again there was something in his eyes…indecision maybe? He was biting his lip nervously too, as if he was trying to make up his mind about something…

He cleared his throat. "Ugh…no," he finally said. "I…ugh…never found out anything else."

"Oh…"

"It's understandable, though – necromancers are pretty hard to come by these days, so there isn't much information available…" he said, rather quickly it seemed.

"Oh…" I repeated defeatedly. "Okay, well…what have you found out about Simon?"

"Based on what I've read, Simon's just an average sorcerer, I think. He's still working on some pretty basic spells, and-"

"They're not basic!" Simon called from behind me. "They're extremely complicated, and it's not my fault I never have time to practice!" he said with a huff.

Thinking fast, I said, "Calm down, Simon! Derek's just jealous because your powers are better than his! Right Derek?" I shot him a look that said: just go with it.

Apparently he got the message. "You're right, Chloe. I'm sorry Simon!" he said sincerely.

Simon smiled. "That's okay Derek! So, Chloe, are you ready to give up on this math stuff yet?"

"Definitely! So, Derek, about your powers-"

He cut me off. "Hey, did Lauren and Andrew ever say anything about you talking to your mom that one time?"

"Huh?" I said lamely, disoriented by the sudden change of subject. I finally realized what he meant after a few seconds. "Oh! Sorry! Um…well, no… but I did hear them talking about me a few days ago; something about 'abnormal behaviour'…

"But you havn't even been talking to your mom as much as you used to! You've only been doing it once a week like I said, right?"

I didn't say anything.

"CHLOE! I can't believe you didn't listen to me! Now look what's happened!"

"She's my mother, Derek! I can't just ignore her when she comes to see me!"

Or at least that's what I had told him. Truthfully, I was still the one initiating our talks every night.

Derek crossed his arms. "You have to stop, Chloe. I meant it this time! It's the only way to calm Lauren and Andrew down. We've been through this, haven't we?"

Simon appeared beside me. "Leave her alone, Derek! You can't blame her for missing her mom! I still miss Mom, and it's been years!"

"Simon!" Derek gasped, horrified.

"You're mom is dead too?" I repeated slowly. "Why…why didn't you tell me?"

Derek took control of the situation. "It's not important right now. What's important is that you understand that you have to do everything in your power to keep Lauren and Andrew from getting suspicious, okay?"

"But…I would have wanted to know, Derek! Friends are supposed to know stuff like that about eachother!" I told him. A thought occurred to me seconds later. "Unless…unless you don't think of us as friends?" I finished quietly.

Simon looked crushed. "We are friends, Chloe! Derek's just being a meanie because-"

"Simon!" Derek hissed. He turned to me. "I'm sorry for not telling you, okay? It just never came up! Now, can we please move on?"

"Fine," I agreed. "But no more keeping secrets! Friends are supposed to tell each other everything; agreed?" I held out my pinky ceremoniously.

"Agreed," he mumbled, entwining our pinkies.

I smiled. "Good." I looked down at our little fingers, which were still connected. He jerked his back and cleared his throat when he noticed me looking.

"Guuuuuuuys, can we do something fun now? I brought my new monopoly; it's the Disney version!" Simon said excitedly.

It was my turn to interrupt. "Um…actually Simon, I was hoping we could do something else….how 'bout a movie instead?"

"Uh…okay! Derek?"

"That sounds fine."

We snuck back into my room. I locked the door and selected one of my favourite movies from the bookshelf, popping it into the DVD player before dimming the lights.

About halfway through the movie Simon began fidgeting. I ignored him and kept watching, completely absorbed until I heard a yawn and felt something brush my shoulder. I turned to glance at my shoulder, where Simon's arm was now resting. "Uh… Simon? What are you doing, exactly?"

He smiled. "I have no idea! I saw it on TV once and wanted to try it out… Did I do it wrong?" he asked, frowning slightly.

"Um…no, it's actually kind of nice," I admitted. I leaned into his arm gently and stayed there until the movie was over.

***

Derek rushed out the door before I even had time to put the DVD back in its case. "What's his problem?" I asked, utterly confused.

"Hormones, I think. I hope we don't get like that!"

I shuddered dramatically. "Me too!"

"Anyways, Chloe, I'm gunna go follow Derek. G'night!"

"Night Simon." I walked him to the patio door and watched him leave. Derek was waiting for him and watching from the edge of the tree-line with his arms folded across his chest.

What's his problem? I wondered.

I went to bed that night feeling uneasy. The tension between Lauren, Andrew, and I was getting worse, and although I knew I should be following Derek's advice, it wouldn't stop me from speaking to my mother the next morning…

There was also a nagging feeling in the back of my mind telling me that I was missing something when it came to my ability, or 'powers', as Derek called them. He was always acting so suspicious when I asked him about our powers…

What could I be missing?

And better yet…

Could Derek be hiding something?

***

"Mom, what's wrong? I haven't seen you like this since that night you went all apocalypse-"

"Chloe, I can't talk right now sweetheart. Things are happening fast and I need to go away for a while in order to keep you safe."

"Mom! You can't be serious! Noone is after me, okay? Remember the last time you said there was danger? It turned out to be nothing more than 2 kids: Simon and Derek!"

"My previous warning still applies, Chloe. I wasn't talking about Simon and Derek last time. I was talking about… well, there's this group, and they've been doing horrible things. They've been-"

She was gone before she could say anything else.

"Mom!" I called into my unlit bedroom. "Mom!" I shut my eyes and concentrated, trying to get her to reappear.

After several more failed attempts I picked up my pillow off the bed, covered my face with it and screamed, letting out all of my anger and frustration. When my lungs were empty I whipped the pillow across the room, knocking over my frilly pink desk lamp.

I'm tired of feeling clueless; tired of waiting for answers that'll I probably never receive.

"You know what, mom?" I whispered angrily to myself. "Someday, I'm gunna get tired of being hung up on!"

---

Author's Note:

"I'm doing His work. You're not gunna stop me!"

*Bang! Bang!*

"He just did."

Lmfaooo! I love Criminal Minds, as you probably already know. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I can't wait to write the next one and post it, but that all depends on how many reviews I get :) At least 20 please!

One last thing! I heard this song and immediately thought of the whole Chloe-Derek relationship! Give it a listen! It's called "Look After You" by The Fray (don't diss my music, please!). Happy Halloween darlings!