Simon's POV

I couldn't believe what I had just seen. I knew Tori had some serious behavioral issues, but when she pointed her finger at Chloe, I knew what that meant. A light blue spark of magic shot out from Tori's finger and hit Chloe directly in the chest, knocking her back hard enough that she went through the window. I knew Tori has never been very fond of Chloe either, but what she had done...

I don't know what happened next. All I remember is seeing Derek jump out the window and in no time at all, I was down the stairs and out the front door to find Derek already carrying Chloe inside the house, unconscious. Derek laid her down on one of the couches in the living room and just knelt there beside her. There was a huge black mark where the bolt had struck her in the middle of her chest. Chloe was totally unresponsive and that's what scared me the most. But my biggest worry at this moment was my brother. He's the quietest he has ever been since Dad brought him home years ago. He was holding Chloe's hand in both of his and just kneeling there so still you'd think he was a stature or something.

"Why does it smell like smoke in here?" I heard Cole say from somewhere behind me. I turned to see him coming into the room and he stopped dead when he saw the three of us. "Jesus, what the hell happened?" He rushed around us to see Chloe for himself.

What surprised me the most about this site was that Derek didn't even seem to notice Cole's presence. He was too devoted to his girlfriend, who none of us was sure was okay.

"Chloe!" Chloe's aunt Lauren rushed in and knelt down beside her niece, completely oblivious of the rest of us. "Oh my God." The tears began to well up in Lauren's eyes and I felt for her.

She turned on us. "What happened?" she yelled.

Derek said nothing.

"I just got here," Cole said casually.

"It was Tori," I said in a low tone. When Lauren turned to look at me, I repeated myself.

"What do you mean it was Tori, Simon?" she snapped.

I explained everything based on what I saw myself. First, Lauren couldn't seem to comprehend what I was saying, but as I went on telling her my side of things her facial expressions went from no surprise, to horror, to straight up heartbroken. I knew what she was feeling. I mean, Chloe's my friend I would hate to see what Tori's magic could have really done to her.

Quick footsteps came down the stairs and that's when I saw Dad and Ruth rush into the room.

"How is she?" Dad asked.

No one said a word.

"Lauren?" Dad looked at Chloe's aunt.

Lauren shook her head, her shoulders shaking as she cried. "I can't -" She sniffed. "I'm not equipped to handle supernatural injuries, Kit."

Derek's POV

She's going to be okay, Derek, Phelan said in my head.

I growled internally. I really was not up for dealing with him or anyone else in the room, especially Cole. God, I just wanted to shove him out the door and tell him to get lost, but I don't want to leave Chloe's side for a second.

GOD DAMN IT, TORI! What the hell drove that crazy bitch to insanity that she had to attack Chloe? Chloe has done nothing to the girl since she first arrived at Lyle House. If anything, she has done more to defend that witch than anyone ever has. How could someone just do that? God, all I want to do is kill her right now, but where's the sense in that?

I can feel Lauren's slight hostility towards me as she knelt down beside me, but there was nothing I could do. She was Chloe's aunt worried about her injured niece. I held on to Chloe's hand for dear life. We just had this conversation last night, about my inability to continue going on without her since my feelings for her were realized.

"Derek!" Simon's voice broke through my thoughts. I didn't look at him, but I showed him he had my attention.

"She needs to be moved."

My grip on her hand tightened. "What do you mean move her?" I growled.

"Ruth can help her, but she needs space," Dad said reassuringly. As gentle and supportive as he was trying to be, nothing could help except knowing that Chloe was really okay.

"Derek, can you carry her to the empty bedroom at the top of the stairs?" Ruth asked me in a gentle tone.

For a moment I didn't move, but when I gathered myself and picked Chloe up - making sure she wasn't going to fade on me - I followed Ruth up the bedroom upstairs and laid Chloe softly down on the bed. Ruth kept the room dark and lit a few candles on a nearby table. She stood over Chloe and waved a hand over the black mark on her chest. She did this a few times before the mark disappeared while she continued to chant.

A felt a hand rub my back and I turned to see Amy standing beside me, which was odd, but I was too focused on the current situation to care much. I watched as Ruth concluded her witchy thing, but was confused when Chloe didn't wake up.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Ruth half-smiled. I guess she was afraid to be too blunt with me. "She'll be okay. She needs rest." She pulled up a blanket to cover Chloe, blew out her candles and walked towards the door.

I stopped her. "So that's it?" I obviously wasn't happy. "What about Tori?" I turned to my dad.

He crossed his arms. "We had to put her under some form of sedation."

"What kind of sedation?" I growled.

"It's a spell Ruth and I put together to calm Tori down enough to put her out."

Unbelievable. Tori is down the hall in some form of sedated sleep while my girlfriend is in another room, unconscious for God knows how long. I made a move to enter the room, but a hand on my chest prevented me. I look to see Lauren standing there, her eyes looking into mine, but not with hostility. For once she actually looked at me and something in me changed. However, I wasn't leaving Chloe for a second.

"I'll stay with her for now, Derek," Lauren whispered. "I promise she won't leave my sight."

For a moment I looked at her and could see how she wanted to be with her niece. After what Chloe had said to her, maybe it was best if she be with her. I guess it was sort of her way of making amends.

"I'm not leaving this door," I whispered back to her sternly.

Lauren nodded and went to sit next to Chloe on the bed. The rest of us retreated, but I never left my spot beside the bedroom door. Nobody was going in to see Chloe.