A/N: Hey Babes! Miss me?! I know you did, LOL. Im sorry but life has been kicking my butt. And writer's block hasn't helped the situation. If only you knew how many times I sat down to write the story and nothing would come to me. Okay so there is a change in the contest thing, I am not doing it anymore because that means I have to type the chapters in advance. I usually like to do the chapters in one sitting because I love it when the story writes itself without my permission. I also wanted to address something I read in a review. A reviewer said something in the story is dismissive of male rape: I am NOT dismissive of any type of rape. Chloe and Derek's interactions should not be frightening (If you find them frighten, sorry bra. Don't read the story then), I do not sit down in front of my laptop to write creepy stuff. Also Said Reviewer, I like having characters that are deeper than what the eye can see or a character that you can pretty much guess everything they are going to after just one chapter.

~Rant Over~

I am gonna do a Q&A soon so compile your questions about what's going on right now. It could for the characterS or me.

Enjoy! xD

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own DP but the new characters and plot are yours truly.

"Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved."

-Helen Keller

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~YEAHBOY~~~~~~~~~~~~

Derek POV

"So you aren't gonna go out for the football team? Even though the coach practically begged you to try out?" Simon said surprised. I don't know why he is though, we have had this conversation a million times before.

"No, I am not as I have repeated a million times."

"But you would be really good as quarterback or linebacker. You have a nice body with great speed and a solid build." Teari said as she twirled her long blonde hair with her index finger and battered her eye lashes.

"Thanks I think.. but I am still not trying out." I said as I grabbed by keys and walked out of the basement and through the doors that lead to the garage. I heard Simon yell something along the lines of "you are such a waste of football skills.

Yeah, I knew a lot about football and I could play pretty well but that doesn't mean my dream is to become a high school airhead jock with a brain the size of a baby pea. Nor would I like to deal with morons as team mates. I got into my car and drove out of the garage and unto the high way I went. I turned on Exit 564 and a few more minutes of mindless driving I arrived at the Orphanage. I go to the Orphanage 3 times to volunteer. It started out as just a form of community service that I needed to graduate and what colleges like to see on resumes. But I have actually started to like it there, especially this annoyingly spunky little (insert Incy's age back then here) girl who had a smart mouth and was a few years ahead of the other kids her age and insists on doing anything to annoy me.

I got out of my car and began to walk towards the porch. It was a dark out and it kinda looked like a scene from a horror movie. This is why I hate fall and winter, it is only 4:30 pm and it looks like it's 10 at night. I walked up the stairs and I saw a baby's car seat that was covered with a thin blanket. I stopped for a second to wonder why there was a car seat outside the door and who was the idiot who forgot a car seat outside. Probably one of the many idiot, wannabe parents who come in here with high hopes of adopting a perfect baby.

I grabbed the car seat by the handle and lifted it. It was strangely heavy for an empty car seat. I put the car seat back down so I could see what was inside that was making it heavy, God forbid some moron put something dangerous in it and I was about to take it into a building filled with children.

I yanked the blanket off the car seat only to find anything but a bomb.

It was a baby.

~FlashBack Over~

"Derek! Wake up! Hey! Dude! Wake the hell up!"

I opened my eyes to find Chloe hovering over me screaming. I glared at her with my swollen eyes but she didn't get the message to quit hovering at first. But when she did get it, she retorted with "Next time I'll let you slip into a deep abyss of nothingness and anger." as she walked away.

"Simon called, he said you need to meet up with Andrew to prep for the tournament." She said as ran her hands through her hair.

"Ugh.." I got and stretched. I couldn't take my mind off Incy and Iyzo. I could only imagine what they were feeling right now Incy already has trust problems now this is going to make it even worse than it was before.

But I was told the best thing for them is for me to lay low and pretend my world is crashing down. So I am going to finish off the tournament, which should be easy because they don't really have fighters that are great, they used me for publicity. I would say the best are me and Ramon..ish.

I got up, got my car keys and drove down to the gym, not giving a flying hell that I probably look like I just got hit by a bus.

~~~~~~~~~~~~YEAH BOY~~~~~~~~~~

Chloe POV

The last few days have been extremely stressful. Aside from the fact that Derek could lose Incy and Iyzo, he has to finish the tournament and some poor soul will have to face him today. But thankfully I don't have to go because I have to work.

I drove to work, almost mindlessly, thinking about what the social workers said and the look on Derek's face. I pulled into the parking lot and got out of the car and went into the restaurant. Audrianna was filling a glass with orange juice as I stepped in through the back door.

"Look who decided to show up?" She said as finished up

"Nice to see you too Audrianna." I retort as I clock in and grab my apron and tie it around my waist.

The rest of my shift sped by as if I was in a trance. As I clocked out, my phone rang, I look at the screen to see that it was Melissa calling.

"Hey" I answered, the fatigue very obvious in my voice.

"Hey girly, come outside." She said

Come outside? The hell? I was too tired for games. Not today.

I walked outside the restaurant after I said good night to Brad as he closed up. I walk out into the darkness to find Melissa and Amber waiting outside a black car I didn't recognize.

"What are you guys doing here? Its 10 pm." I said as I walked towards Melissa's hyperactive body.

"We have come to rescue you from your stressful new life." Amber said philosophically

"Guys, I cant…"

"Yes you can, you need to relax and ease your mind of all this stress. And you need to talk about it. Talking about it always helps." She continued

Melissa grabbed my arm and yanked me into the back sit of the car. I entered after giving her a dirty look for shoving like a rag door. I didn't need to be re told of how easily I could be dragged around.

"Hey Chloe, Long time"

I looked at the driver's sit to see Nate smiling at me mischievously.

~~~~~~~~~~~~YeahGirl~~~~~~~

I haven't laughed or had so much fun in so long. I missed hanging out with my friends, all these Derek related problems are absolving my life. Even though I was in my work clothes, Nate and the girls have made me laugh so hard I fell off Nate's couch.

"Well it's time for us to get going, we have work bright and early tomorrow, so we'll see

You guys on Tuesday at our place for some fabulous cake that we'll be making for our little indoor welcome back party since Chloe can't go anywhere without being followed." Amber said, for some reason the last part sounded weird to me.

"I guess I should get going to since I need a ride home since you guys made me leave my car." I say as I gave Melissa and Amber mock glares but it didn't last long because Melissa made a face at me and I lost it and started laughing like a seal.

"No! Chloe stay a little longer." Nate pleaded, shooting the power of his big brown puppy dog eyes at me like beams.

"I cant, Derek had…." I begun

"Omg, Chloe. Derek this, Derek that. You're his wife not his secretary or slave. Geez loosen up would ya?"

"Yeah Chloe, we just reconnected today and you're about to ditch me. We have a lot to catch up on, and

I know you wanna stay. Don't let this guy, completely take over your life" Nate chimed in

I looked around, at my friends, they were right.

Kinda.

Since this Derek thing entered my life, it's been about him and how we can ruin this and how we can't ruin that.

I sighed and gave in, "Fine, but just for a little bit longer."

Nate beams at this new revelation and adds "I promise to give you a ride home. Or at least back to Brad's so you can pick up your car."

Nate and I said our goodbyes to Melissa and Amber, and I waved from behind Nate as he closed the door to their turned backs.

"So what do you wanna talk about?" I say as I head back to the couch

"I don't know, anything Chloe… We've been apart for a long time, and you have some explaining to do anyways." Nate exclaims as he takes a sit very close to me.

"What do I have to explain?" I know damn well what I have to explain but I'm going to pretend that I don't simply because it is easier.

"You know well what I'm talking about. Like first of all marriage?, you're 21! Are you nuts?! You couldn't even drink until a few months ago. And second really? Of the 7 billion people in the world you chose him? He is an ass clown." Nate says with a disgusted look on his face.

I frown at Nate, he was doing the same exact thing my aunt did; telling me what I should do and how I am stupid for making certain decisions.

"First of all, you're not my father so you have less than zero say. And second, I thought we were catching up not critiquing me. So thanks and I am leaving now." I get up to head towards the door when he grabbed me around the waist, "Hey! Hey…I didn't mean to make you feel like I am attacking you, I am just worried like you haven't known the guy for that long according to Amber. I'm just worried about you and your safety. I haven heard but the crazy fans and stalker paparazzi. Chloe, I am just worried. That's all, I am sorry if I hurt your feelings, okay?" He says, unleashing the power of his eyes and cheekily smile.

"Fine, but seriously everyone needs to stop worrying about me. I know what I am doing."

No you don't.

"I know you do. Can't I be worried for my best friend that I have known since forever?"

"You can but don't be a douche about it. I already have that role filled. I don't need another Aunt Lauren hovering over me." I answer as I played with my fingers

"Speaking of Aunt Lauren, she called me and asked about you. Why are you ignoring your aunt, the only relative from your mom's side you know,?" Nate stared at me as he awaited an answer, or more likely an excuse.

"I don't want to talk to her." I say, staring blankly back at him

"Why?"

"Because she treats me like a child. I am 21 years old, yes I need some of her wisdom and advice but she is always trying to tell me what to do. If I want to get married, Dammit I will get married. I'll do as I wish, and I no longer care what she thinks."

"Chloe, you're already married…" He said smiling. It seemed plastered on.

"You get the point you jerk!" I pushed against his shoulder and I laughed when he pulled my hands towards him and wrapped me in a hug. I hugged him back.

"You didn't think that before..at least before I left you didn't think that. What changed?" He asked quietly with his chin on my head.

"My eyes just opened to it recently, I don't like be told what to do as if I don't have a brain of my own." I answer

"Might this be related to your new husband? Is he the one filling your head with that nonsense?" Nate asked

I pulled away now. Once again, someone was insinuating that I was being manipulated and controlled by another.

"See! That's exactly what I am talking about! Why can't I come up these thought on my own? Why must someone else always have to plant the seed and water it? Why can't I have disconcerting thoughts like everyone else without people assuming that it is someone else's thoughts? This has absolutely nothing to do with Derek!" I yell. I got up from the couch and grabbed my jacket.

"Whoa! Whoa! That's not what I meant." Nate grabbed my arm before I could step away from the couch.

"That's not what I meant. I was just saying that It's unusual for you to fight with you aunt and that she's really worried. And that maybe you should give her a call or at least a text so she will stop worrying. I am not saying you're dumb, because obviously you're not. I am just saying this isn't the you I remember." Nate gushed

Yeah well this isn't the me I remember either.

"Yeah, whatever. Can you please take me to my car?" I asked

"Chloe….I am sorry. Am I forgiven?" The beams he calls eyes shine down on me, pleading and begging for me to forget the last five minutes.

Well I guess I can. I mean I haven't seen him in so long. We just got back together and stuff. I'll let this go. My aunt is the one planting things in his head.

I miss my best friend and I am glad his back.

"Yeah, you are." I threw my hands around his shoulder.

~~~~~~~~~~`LINE BREAK~~~~~~~~~~

I'm off today but I woke up to a text from Tori saying we're all supposed to go to Kit's house to talk and stuff, I pulled into Kit's the drive way and parked my car.

I walked into the living and saw everyone sitting down. Including my lovely husband.

I looked at his bandaged wrist, that freaked me out yesterday when I saw it. Apparently he knocked out his opponent wrongly, he put force way too much and some of the force apparently bounced back and his wrist was twisted.

"Hey Chloe" Simon and Liz say at the same time. They smiled at each other knowingly.

"Hi," I say quietly as I took a sit next to Liz and Simon. I avoided eye contact with Derek. He has been weird since yesterday. I mean like he didn't tease me or tell me I was doing something wrong. Yeah he is probably worried about the girls but that made him snappier than he usually is. But something changed his attitude. When I tried to start a conversation, he flat out said he didn't want to talk to me.

Liz filled me in that Kit is still fighting for the girls with the board. He is trying, and trying hard but the board was trying harder.

"Derek, you…"

Clack Clack Clack

Was all I could here. It sounded like heels. A woman turned the corner and stopped in front of us all, smiling.

"Mom?" Simon says as the woman's smile turned into a familiar smirk I have seen before on Simon. The woman was obviously of Asian descent. She smiled at Simon. And then towards everyone in the room, although she stopped at Derek and gave him a look I couldn't comprehend even though it didn't seem negative.

"Hi Honey, how have you been? Don't ask me about how I have been because none of you have cared enough to even check up on me." The woman was smiling so she wasn't angry…I think.

"Sorry mom, we have been busy with a lot of…stuff." Simon replied

The woman turned to Derek who looked like he would rather be anywhere but here.

"Hi, Derbear" She said smiling

Derek rolled his eyes and said "I thought we agree I've outgrown that horrid nickname."

"You'll always be a big baby to me. Also how come I had to here that you got married from TMZ?" She attempted to fake a stern face but failed so she settled for a scowl.

"Er….It's a really long story. I am sorry I didn't tell you, I wasn't exactly planning on ti happening it just kinda did." Derek explained

Well that statement could not be more true.

"Okay, so why didn't you four call and tell me?" She said as she looked from Simon to Kit then Liz then Tori.

"You see what happened was…urm…We.." Liz began

"Oh no, save your explanations for later, I am not here for any of you today. I am here to get to know my new daughter-in-law."

I stopped breathing and I'm pretty sure I was turning blue from lack of oxygen.

She looked at me and said "I would be delighted if you would accompany me to lunch down so we can better acquaint ourselves. And I'll deal with you guys later."

I just nodded like an idiot. Unable to say anything.

~~~~~~~~~~~LINE BREAK~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Chloe I know this is a bit odd but I honestly have always considered Derek my son so I feel a certain responsibility about getting to know the women he dates or otherwise." She says as she glances at her menu then looks up at me.

"I u-u-u-nderstand." I say a little nervous. My "husband's" adoptive mother wants to get to know him because she cares about her son and wants to make I am not gold digging him.

"Oh Darling, please don't be nervous. I am just shocked he was willing to get married. He always seemed to keep every female that wasn't related to him at arm's length." She said smiling as though she remembered some memory about Derek doing something of that sort.

Really? Because he is very touchy sometimes

Not like you don't like it

"Yeah." Was all I could manage because I don't know if she knows that this was an accident, that I didn't really know Derek or that I wasn't in love with Derek. Or maybe she think I am gold digger.

Jenny as she told me to call her chuckled, and said "I guess I would be nervous too. Anyways tell me about yourself? What do you? How old are you? How in the world did you meet Derek? Because he isn't the club type."

You would think he wasn't, but alcohol begs a differ.

"Well..Urm…I grew up here in New York, I just recently graduated from NYU, urm….. I don't know what else to say. I'm s-s-s-o-o-rry, I'm really screwing this up."

"Sweetheart, its okay. And the stuttering thing? Don't worry about it, I used to stutter a lot. You think yours is bad, I couldn't say a word without stuttering." She said as she reached across the table and squeeze my hand

"And you know what made it worse? The fact that I used to focus on it a lot, whenever I spoke, I would internally berate myself about stuttering which inevitably caused me to stutter even more because I would start to panic and a stuttering hell would break loose from there on." She continued

I laughed and she laughed along with me. I guess that relaxed the nerves because my heart wasn't beating like it was trying to escape from my chest.

"Well I like you already, you have the one quality many people lack, the ability to laugh at yourself. I can see why Derek fell for you." She chuckled.

Yeah fell for me…totally he completely did.

The waiter finally came over to us and asked if he could take our orders. I ordered Pasta and Lobster, at least that's what I think it is. Jenny ordered a gourmet burger which surprised me.

"Do you have any questions? About me? The crazy, dysfunctional family? Derek? Anything he refuses to tell you?, because I know he does that."

"Actually..I do have a question.." I hope she doesn't think I'm intruding or anything. But I'm curious.

"Go ahead, what is it?" She said as she gave me a serious look

"Well, urm…what happened to Derek's parents?"

She gave me a sympathetic smile and sighed.

"That's a touchy subject for Derek and you can only imagine why. Well we don't really know what happened to Derek's parents. Kit met Derek when he was 5 years old at a police station where Kit worked as a detective at the time. They had been a major fire on a street and 5 houses were burning, they didn't know what caused the fire at time, but Kit suspected that it was arson because apparently the fire started from the forest behind the houses and spread from there. When fire fighters entered the houses to make sure no one was still inside, they found a sleeping boy. He was sleeping on a couch and somehow the fire hadn't touched him. The fire fighters rushed him out as quickly as possible due to the fact that he had been in there long enough to have suffocated from the amount of smoke in the house." Jenny explained with glossy eyes as though she was playing the story Kit probably told her back in her head.

"He was brought to an ambulance and to the shock of the medics he was perfectly fine. He was just asleep. He was brought to the station after no one claimed him. Kit and a few others looked him up the city directories, and he came up. They saw that in his birth certificate, they was only one name; his mothers. I think Kit said Elizabeth Cann. She was searched for up and down, she couldn't have died in the fire because they were casualties but people had minor scrapes and bruises apparently." Jenny stopped as though she was waiting for me to say something. Problem is, I don't know what to say.

"So his mother was never found?" I assumed because he ended up with Kit

"No, she was never found. Elizabeth Cann was never found nor heard from again." She said ominously

"So kit adopted him then and there?" I wanted to know the end of the story so badly for some reason I cannot explain.

"Well not really, Derek needed a place to say till they found something to do with him so Kit offered that Derek stayed with him instead of being thrown into the spirally hell called the American Foster system, where he will most likely stay, because getting out of the foster system is unnecessarily difficult and particularly traumatizing for some children. So he stayed with Kit for a few days, which turned to weeks, then 3 month because the investigation had progressed and concluded that it was arson but it had to be more than one person because fires were set simultaneously. And eventually Derek grew on Kit and Simon. Simon liked having someone his age, and Kit liked Derek because he was a quiet kid who was brilliant despite what had happened. When the investigation was concluded, though only one of the men were caught, Kit adopted Derek. And well the rest is history." Jenny smiled towards the end.

I was speechless. I just kept on looking at her, with the shock probably written on my face.

"Anyways, no more sad stories, at least it had a happy ending right? Sort of?"

I laughed because she was trying to lighten the heavy mood.

"Good, now where the heck is our food she says?" As she turns around to see a waiter heading towards us.

"So..you're not going to interrogate me?" I blurted out

You're and idiot. I didn't know being interrogated was a good thing, you moron.

Jenny laughed, it sounded like bells that were clinging.

"Oh Heavens no, I know your husband and father-in-law have done enough of that."

I smiled, I like Jenny. She is very laid back and well... she is just surrounded by sunshine. The waiter arrived at our table and placed our food down.

Jenny and I spent the rest of the afternoon having random conversations. And suprisngly, I actually enjoyed it. She radiated motherly love in everything she said about Derek, Simon, Tori, and even Liz.

~~~~~~~~~~~LINEBREAK~~~~~~~~~

Derek POV

I hate begin woken up, its one of my many pet peeves.

"Chloe, please go away. I am so not in the mood for your crap right now. Go play or something." I said as I picked a pillow and covered my head with it in an attempt to block the sun that was shining through.

Chloe jabbed me again.

Damn it, this girl does not listen.

"Go away, I am willing to pay you to…."

"Daddy….." a tiny, extremely low voice said

What the hell? Now I am getting auditory delusions. That's just fabulous. Just muthahumping great. I pulled the pillow closer to me head without opening my eyes or turning towards the tiny voice.

"Daddy, wake up!" The tiny voice attempted to scream

This time I turned around and nothing can explain the amount joy that ran through my veins, pumping into my heart.

"Iyzo!" I hugged her and picked her up with both my hands despite the cast on my left. Despite the pain in my hand. I saw Incy standing in the door way making a face at me. I hugged my daughter as she buried her face in my neck and hug me back as hard as her tiny arms would let her.

I looked up at my Dad, at the verge of tears because honestly I thought I had lost them forever.

"I told you I would." Dad said as he ruffled Incy's hair as she came to sit on my bed.

"You did. Thank you, for them, for everything." I say as I look down at a smiling sister.

"I am not done yet. We've been bumped from step 4 to step 9. We are now approved by the board despite their qualms. In fact we're in the last step; the family and home visit. After that, they are Souza for life.

"So that means I can finally adopt them,?" I say, surprised and excited at the same time.

"Yes but we have to pass the home and family visits/interview. An interview with husband and wife to see how strong their relationship is.

"Really?" I say, already saddened again because I am in a fake marriage and that could literally ruin everything.

"Yeah but we'll cross that bridge when we get to it." My dad said

I looked at my daughters and exhaled a breath I didn't realize I was holding.

A/N: So I don't like how I wrote this chapter. I just don't know about this chapter. But still review! REVIEW! REVIEW!