Disclaimer:

Me: Oh, what a lovely day. The birds are singing, the sun is shining.
Derek: Seriously. You don't own Darkest Powers.
Me: But, but...But....
Derek: GET OVER IT!

Chapter 1:

CPOV

It's been six years, eleven months, and twenty-nine days that I've been apart from him. It's weird. Even though my heart refuses to go on, time refuses its objections and continues anyway in some defiance. I still live in New York, and yet I never see him. How could it be?

The familiar forest passed by as Andrew drove me to my house. I couldn't believe it; I felt numb. We had beaten the Edison Group. As elated as I should've been, I didn't feel anything. I sat in the back, wedged between Tori and Rae. My aunt couldn't be saved. When we had infiltrated their building, we found her already near death. I sat and held her hand as yet another one of my family members died.

It's all I can do to get up everyday, go to work, come home, and eat. I've made it to directing my own independent films. I've tried to direct a horror film; it didn't work. The supernatural was a part of the film, and it was all I could do to not break down crying. Nope, no horror movies, romance movies, anything that reminded me of the past. Strictly independent, indie films. Those were the safest; everything else brought back the memories.

Derek had realized that I was taking longer than I should have. I didn't know what to do; I was frozen, just trying to comfort her as best as I could. He followed my scent to the room where the Edison Group had tortured her to point of sickness. All I could see was her face; pale from the proximity to death, bruises and healing cuts scarred her face. He stood behind me, and I could hear his deep breathing. My own head was reeling from the lack of oxygen. Then after a bit, he dropped down so that he was crouching, and hugged me. I tucked my face into the crook of his neck as the tears exploded from my eyes. He squeezed me tighter, and my sobs shook me. Just like losing my mother; except worse. I hadn't been fighting for her life for what seemed forever.

I got up from bed, feeling the usual depression of living each day. I jumped in the shower, following the rituals of getting ready. Got dressed in a pair of cargo pants and a camisole, followed by a thick sweatshirt. Got a cup of coffee and some toast. Left for the set. When I got to the set, I saw that no one was there. I went into a trailer, trying to warm up from the chill of New York fall. I got out my work journal and jotted down some ideas that grasped my mind during the night. Then I let my mind simply drift, just doodling. I was early anyways; about an hour early. The limitations of my life don't really include a social life.

He massaged my back. I could feel him breathing on my neck. Derek's smell comforted me, even though it seemed like the whole world was falling down. The pain was so great.

"C'mon, Chloe. She's gone, now. We have to go to," Derek whispered in my ear. I couldn't move, and Derek seemed to sense that. He picked me up, and carried me out of the building all together. He brought me to the van. Simon was there.

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" Simon asked, standing up immediately. I heard a large blast and smelled smoke. I clutched to Derek. He must've mouthed something to his brother, because the next thing that Simon said was, "Oh, Chloe."

Derek put me down on the ground, holding me up so that I still wouldn't fall.

"I've got her now, bro," Simon said in a small, sad voice. I could feel an additional pair of arms around me. But I didn't want those arms. I wanted the ones that carried me outside. I still had my eyes closed, and I clutched to whom I thought was Derek. But then I smelled Simon's cologne, and I looked desperately around. Derek was gone.

Simon pulled my head to his chest, running his hands through my hair. I cried even harder. When we all got into the van, Simon sat with me, Derek in the front, and Rae and Tori in the middle. Kip had died also. I tried to feel compassion towards Simon, but none was there.

They drove me home first. Everyone gave me their e-mail addresses, except for Derek that is. He said he shared Simon's. They let me out near the fence, but far away enough so that they wouldn't be picked up by the cameras. One by one, my friends got out of the white van. Rae and Tori were crying. I hugged them first, saying that I would e-mail them soon. I gave Andrew a hug. He whispered to call him if I ever wanted help with necromancy. I had his number on the slip with the e-mail addresses. Then Simon gave me a hug. I didn't like how long it lingered; sure, Simon was there in my time of need. But it made me feel for him like a brother, whereas before I was beginning to get annoyed. But just when I was about to say something, he pulled away, giving me a kiss on the cheek. I blushed furiously, trying to portray that we were just friends. Then Derek walked over.

My heart stopped. I couldn't breathe. How the hell was I suppose to say goodbye to him? We stood awkwardly for a minute; I was trying to memorize his emerald eyes. Then he leaned down, almost completely bent over to hug me. I tried hard not to cry; I really did. But the moment that I was in his arms, my face in the crook of his neck, I just couldn't handle it. I could feel his heart pounding. His clutch on me was strong and firm. Good, I thought. I never wanted to let go of him.

I tried to hold onto him as long as I could; breathing deeply in his woodsy smell. He whispered something, though I couldn't hear it. I pulled away to try and ask him, but Andrew took that as a sign that I was ready to go.

"C'mon Chloe. It's time to go."

I looked at everyone, lingering on Derek. "I-I'm g-g-going to mis-s-s everyone s-s-so much. Please, let's not lose each other." The tears kept rolling out of my eyes. I kept watching Derek, though Simon was still trying to capture my gaze. "I love you all." I let that little piece slip out, trying to tell Derek that I didn't want Simon. I wanted him. I loved him. And I was saying goodbye.

I waited for a few seconds, trying to see if there was any lightbulbs going off in his mind. When I didn't see any, I turned, took a deep breath, and began the walk up the road; away from my true love.

I didn't realize that I was crying until my assistant director, Melissa handed me a tissue. She's been with me ever since I started directing. She knew that I had a hard past; she was almost my best friend.

I smiled weakly at her. "Thanks," I said after blowing my nose. Then I looked down at my journal. I had sketched a wolf. A sharp pain went through my chest.

"Hey, that's pretty good," she said, looking down. "A movie idea?"

"No, no, no no. It's, uh, I used to be really connected with wolves. And, um, it had a bad ending." I took a deep breath and shut the book. "So, any news?"

She shook her head sadly. "Unfortunately, Lindsey decided to go and party last night. She's getting her stomach pumped and won't be able to return to the set for a while."

I groaned. Lindsey is the only character in my entire film, and her acting's amazing. It has to be. We had to do auditions for a year until we found her; we have no understudy.

"So that means no filming today?" she asked, grimacing.

"No filming," I said, and began to pack up my things. This was not good. I put my entire being into my work so that I can go home exhausted. Now I'll have to spend the entire day wallowing. "Can you call everyone and tell them the news?"

Melissa nodded. "Of course." As I began to leave, she said something.

"Chloe, are you going to be okay tomorrow?"

I flinched. Tomorrow will be the day that I left the group; most of the time I try to just spend it in bed, crying. Melissa knows that that day isn't a good day for me.

I shrugged. "I'm not going to go jump off a bridge, if that's what you mean."

"Listen. I've got tickets to go see Rent, but I have to take care of my sister's kid. Take 'em."

My eyes bulged. "Melissa, you can't do that. They must've been so expensive."

She made a face. "Yeah, well, you need to get out missy. I don't want you wallowing around tomorrow. When's the last time you actually went out and did something?"

I finished packing up my bags. "That doesn't matter. What's going to happen to the tickets if I don't take them?"

"I guess that I'll have to just throw them away. No one else that I know likes that kind of stuff."

I sighed. I didn't really want to see a musical about death and love, but if it's for Melissa....

"Fine. I'll take them."

She smiled, and fished two rectangular pieces of paper out of her bag. "Here you go! Try to have some fun, okay?"

I nodded, and left the set to go home and pack.

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