Blue & Gold - PG-13 - Chloe/Derek - Chapter 14 [b]
Title: Blue & Gold
Series: Unbalanced (1 of 3)
Category: Teen Wolf/Smallville
Genre: Romance/Drama
Ship: Chloe Sullivan/Derek Hale
Chapter Rating: PG-13/Teen
Overall Rating: NC-17/Explicit
Word Count: 6,219
Summary: The day Chloe was born, a prophecy was made and her destiny was laid out for her. "The White Wolf. Bound to the Broken Boy. Destined to meet a Demon Wolf. The hells will rain pain like no other, but she will survive. She will fight. And when the day comes, she will bring order again."
[return.]
"Beacon Hills? What the hell does California have that Smallville doesn't?" Lois complained. "I wanted you to come out here for Spring Break."
"Really? Because you never mentioned it," Chloe countered.
She sighed. "Fine, so I just thought about it, but it would've been nice to see you, cuz. It's been like, forever since we got to hang out."
Chloe rolled her eyes lightly. "You've been a little preoccupied, Lo. How's school going anyway?"
"It's reached a whole new level of suckage, actually. I'm just glad I only have a few more months left and then I never have to set foot in a high school again."
"It can't be that bad. Every time I call, you're busy, so you must be doing something."
Lois scoffed. "Let's just say there is a high concentration of weird here that I happen to enjoy hunting down and exposing."
Chloe grinned, laughing under her breath a little. "Sounds like you might just be an investigator in the making. Maybe it runs in the genes."
"Yeah, well, don't send in my resume to the police academy yet. I don't think detective is exactly what I'm aspiring to be. Especially since I have a rap sheet that won't look too pretty to prying eyes."
"Most of that was before you were eighteen…" She rolled her eyes. "And I'm pretty sure your dad redacted so much of it that they'd have a hard time making anything out of that mess."
"It helps that I have a kick-ass cousin who could put those magic fingers to work and blot out anything else in police records, right?"
She paused for a moment. "Like…?"
"Let's just say the local police force isn't my biggest fan, and may or may not have arrested me a few times."
"How many times is a few times?" she sighed.
"More than five and less than ten."
"Lois…"
"What?" she cried defensively. "These people are seriously uptight, okay? I mean, if I wasn't hunting down these freaks, I'd be tipping cows. They should thank me for putting my tracking skills to better use."
Frowning, Chloe shook her head. "Are you at least being careful?"
"Look, I may not have wolfy powers, but I'm trained, okay? I can handle myself. Don't worry so much."
"You've been arrested multiple times and you're tracking down some seriously dangerous characters, but you don't want me to worry?" Her eyebrows hiked. "Is there something in the water over there? Of course I'm going to worry."
"Well how about you do less long-distance worrying and come visit to see for yourself just how amazing I am at what I'm doing?" Lois suggested hopefully.
Her lips twitched. "I would, really, but I made a promise. And besides, I think mom wants me to train with Talia. If this alpha thing really does happen, I think it makes sense to see how other packs work. Even if it doesn't, it could be cool to be under Talia's wing for a week."
"Curiosity killed the cat," Lois harrumphed.
"Pot, meet Kettle."
"Fine, but I still think you're missing out."
"On your sparkling personality, yes," Chloe agreed, amused, "but I have plenty of time to come visit you later."
"Except not. Aren't you heading down there for the summer too?" she wondered.
"Yes, but not right away. I finish school sooner than the kids do, so I'll have a few weeks before we make the trip. Why don't I come visit then? Sound good?"
"Yeah…" Lois sighed, still disappointed.
"Come on, three weeks, just me and you. You don't think that's better than just one?"
"Fine, but we're going shopping and you owe me at least one pair of awesome shoes."
"I'll buy you two," Chloe promised, smiling.
"All right, sold."
Laughing under her breath, she shook her head. "All right, so tell me about the latest freak of the week," she encouraged.
"Oh, you won't even believe this one…"
Settling back in her chair, Chloe grinned as her cousin put her story-telling skills to work and filled her in. Admittedly, some of the things that happened in Smallville sounded downright crazy. Some part of her actually really wanted to visit and do a little investigating of her own. The journalist in her was desperate to get to the bottom of why so many people there went nuts. But things were hectic right now, between Bo, Deucalion, and everything with Derek, she wasn't sure she had the time or inclination to go looking for trouble elsewhere. She would leave it for the summer. She didn't want to put off seeing her cousin, but she was really looking forward to Spring Break with Derek and what was a few more months? Lois might not like it, but she understood.
An hour later, after finally saying goodbye to Lois, Chloe hung up her phone and left her bedroom. She could hear Bo downstairs, helping Brody out with some animal or another. Sam diligently working on her homework; she'd been paying extra attention to it and her chores lately, as if she thought her parents would suddenly change their minds and not let her go to Beacon Hills to visit Cora unless she behaved.
Making her way further down the hall, Chloe knocked lightly on Noah's door, opening it when he gave her the go-ahead.
Laying on his bed, he had a comic book spread open in front of him. He turned over to see her, head propped on his hand. He raised an eyebrow at her curiously.
"Wanna go for a run?" she asked, smiling.
With a lopsided grin, he rolled off his bed and pulled on his sneakers. As he walked toward her, she noticed just how much he'd grown in the last few months. Growth spurts were common at his age, even if he wouldn't reach his full form until around eighteen. He was noticeably taller than her, lean and lanky, just like Bo had been at his age. Unlike Bo, however, Noah had a quiet intensity about him. She imagined the girls in his grade saw him as mysterious when really he was an open book. He didn't talk much, but there wasn't anything hidden behind his kind blue eyes. Noah was a sweetheart, sometimes uncomfortable with his height and strength. He didn't make friends easy, but when he did, he was loyal to a fault. While she tried not to play favorites, it was hard not to see Noah as her closest sibling. It helped that he was only a few years younger than her and had always kept close to her when he grew up, looking up to her for guidance and, later, providing his own when she needed it.
They called out what they were doing to their parents as they raced downstairs and across the porch, leaping off and landing in a crouch in the grass. Chloe glanced at him once and then took off toward the trees. Noah was faster than her; he always had been. He had longer legs and he just seemed to move with an ease that she could never master. She was by no means uncoordinated, but Noah put her to shame. As they moved through the trees, he ran literal circles around her, leaping and bounding as he laughed happily. For all that he could be a homebody, content with his comics and books and the quiet of his room, he was truly in his element in the woods.
They ran for what felt like hours, until they reached his favorite spot. She could hear the water rushing long before it was within sight. Noah darted ahead of her and she watched as he bounced from rock to rock, making his way across until he was on the mound of dirt and grass that sat in the center, like its own mini-island. Chloe wasn't as quick to cross toward it. Noah had long memorized where every rock sat and just how to step on them, especially the less sturdy ones, so that he never tripped. He could cartwheel his way across. In fact, as a little boy, he'd once walked across them in a handstand. She'd never forget the smile on his face, how proud he looked. At least until Bo knocked him into the water, throwing his balance completely off.
While Noah was good on land, he wasn't as comfortable in the water, which was why he was so proud that he could cross the rocks. It was his way of facing his fears without having direct contact with them. He was eight at the time and he'd panicked when his head went under.
"Noah, you have to calm down!"
"Just swim! Use your arms and legs," Bo shouted.
"You're going to be okay. Just listen to my voice," Chloe shouted to him, running down the bank of the water to keep up with him. "Noah, listen to me!"
"Chloe! Chloe, I'm drown-I c-can't-"
"What a baby," Bo muttered. "Let the mutt drown then."
She knew he didn't mean it. He was lashing out. He was angry that what he thought was just a joke had turned into something serious and could get him in trouble with their parents.
"He's panicking." Chloe started forward into the water, the frigid water feeling like knives against her skin.
"What're you doing? He'll be fine. He's just freaking out."
"He's just a boy, Bo! Quit being such a jerk." Rushing forward, she finally leapt into the water, ducking down low and swimming forward. She couldn't see anything. Everything was murky under the water. But she charged forward, cutting through the water with ease, until she finally found Noah's kicking legs. He kept slipping under, his head ducking beneath the water. She broke through the top and wrapped her arms around him. "I got you. It's okay, No. It's me."
But he was too panicked and his hands were still flailing around. His claws were out and she felt them pierce through her cheek, tearing downward. Her flesh flayed open and she felt the warm stream of blood as it flowed down her face. She shifted immediately, but she didn't attack. The Instinct told her to, it told her to gut whoever had hurt her, but she knew better. This was her brother, her baby brother, and he was just scared.
"Noah!" she screamed, a fierce growl entering her voice.
He went still very suddenly and she felt his whole body go limp in her arms. He was still sniffling, still twitching, but he didn't fight her now. He let her lead him back to the shore, his head balanced on her shoulder. She carried him, despite the fact that he wasn't all that much smaller than her. Her muscles protested, cold and slower to respond thanks to the water. But she brought him right up onto land and held him in her lap as she sat down. He was shaking, both from fear and the air against his dripping went body.
Stroking his hair, she rocked him back and forth, waiting for him to calm down. When he finally looked up at her, he saw the still healing wound on her cheek and tears leaked out the corner of his eyes. He reached up, tracing the jagged flesh, and then he stared at her sorrowfully, his lips trembling.
"Shh…" she told him, pressing her forehead to his. "It's okay. I'm not mad."
"I am. What a waste of time. It's just water," Bo muttered.
Chloe ignored him. And, thankfully, so did Noah.
But even now it was clear that Noah never forgot. Chloe wondered sometimes if that was the moment he decided he couldn't trust Bo. What happened with the snakes hadn't helped matters either; he saw his brother as a bully and his opinion never changed. It didn't mean he didn't love Bo, only that he didn't particularly like him.
Standing at the edge of the water, Chloe carefully put a foot on the first rock.
"Hop, hop, jump, jump, hop, jump, hop," Noah called to her.
She smiled faintly. He'd long ago figured out a pattern to get himself across and it had never failed him. She followed it, but at a much slower pace than he had. When she was at the last rock, he held a hand out to help her and she landed on the ground beside him. They took a seat on the dirt and just watched the water move past, splitting as it met the island, coursing around it, only lapping gently at the edges.
A few minutes passed before she asked him, "Are you excited for soccer camp?"
He perked up, turning to grin at her. "Yeah. It should be fun. Coach said he might put me in goal for a while. He thinks I have the reflexes for it."
She snorted. "I'm pretty sure you have the reflexes for any position." She bumped his shoulder. "But with how fast you are, shouldn't he keep you on the field?"
He shrugged, dropping his gaze. "I can't run as fast as I do out here… I usually try to keep pace with Darryl, he's the fastest on the team. But he was getting kind of pissed that he wasn't number one, so I backed off."
"And you're okay with that?" Her brow furrowed. "It's not really fair to you, is it?"
"You sound like mom." He grinned when she shoved him lightly. "He's human, Chloe. I've already got an advantage. And besides, if he wants the spotlight, he can have it. I just like being on the team… Coach says we're the best we've been in years. He's crossing his fingers we're going to walk away with a trophy."
"Yeah? Maybe I should call Lois up, have her visit. You know how much she likes playing cheerleader for your games."
He rolled his eyes. "She brought an air horn last time."
"Don't forget the 'Noah is #1' t-shirt she had specially made," she reminded, smiling.
"Nobody else has," he muttered, ducking his head. "Some of the guys still ask me if she's single."
Chloe threw her head back as she laughed. "They're a little young for her."
He shrugged. "I don't think they care."
Chloe smiled. "What about you? Anybody you have your eye on?"
Blushing, he rolled his eyes.
"Come on, you can tell me…" She nudged him. "What about that one girl? What was her name? Natalia?"
"Natasha," he corrected.
"And…?"
"And nothing…" He dug up a rock from the dirt and tossed it into the water. "We study together sometimes. Whatever."
"Study, or study…"
His face flushed an even deeper red. "We kissed a few times."
"Look at you, Casanova."
He snorted and bumped her shoulder. "Shut up."
"Tell me more about her. What's she look like?"
He inhaled deeply, looking entirely too put out, but he answered her questions anyway. They spent a while just sitting there as Noah waxed poetic about the pretty Natasha with her brown eyes and black hair and a tiny beauty mark on her cheek. Chloe smiled as he talked, looking more and more animated, opening up to her about how she made the first move and how his stomach flipped whenever she looked at him. It was sweet. Puppy love, maybe, but it was still something and Chloe was happy for him. He deserved that.
They didn't start making their way back home until the sun was just starting to set. As they moved through the woods, light faintly filtering through the trees, the air slowly becoming cooler, Chloe felt light. Her dad had been right; she was glad she was a wolf and not a bird. She wouldn't trade her pack for all the freedom in the world.
"Mom, I'm telling you, they don't have yellow peppers here," she complained into her phone.
"I bought them there last week," Moira muttered.
"Well, maybe they're out of stock."
"Are you sure you're looking in the right place?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "There is a pepper section. Red and green are right here, but no yellow to be seen… Are you sure you're not color blind? You know, it's not uncommon…"
"Chloe Anne…" she warned.
Blowing out a breath, she raised her head and looked over at the shop owner standing by the till. "Look, I'll ask. Maybe he had some in the back. But if he doesn't, you're getting an extra red and green, all right?"
"Fine. Don't forget the ginger root, either."
"I won't."
"And milk. I think we're out of milk."
She rolled her eyes. "Okay."
"Oh, and can you pick up egg noodles?"
"I told you we should've made a list," she reminded.
"Well, I didn't remember we were out of so much until after you left."
"Uh-huh. So yellow pepper, egg noodles, ginger root, and… milk? Is that it?"
"Yes."
Her left eyebrow popped up skeptically. "You're sure?"
"Brody wanted ice cream, if they have any there."
Standing in a small organic foods store, Chloe cast her eyes around. "I'll see what I can do."
"Okay. I'll see you when you get home."
"All right. Bye."
"Bye."
Hanging up her newly acquired cell phone, given to her by her dad for her upcoming trip to Beacon Hills, she put it away in her purse and started toward the front of the store. They were out of yellow peppers, unfortunately, but they did have everything else she needed on her list. Well, except for the ice cream, but there was a store three shops down that sold the kind she knew Brody liked. Walking out of the store, reusable bags filled with groceries, Chloe made her way down the sidewalk, caught up in her thoughts. She had just turned to walk inside the store, the bell jangling above, when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head abruptly, she stared at the figure standing directly at the end of the sidewalk on the next block over. He stood under the cover of the overhang, shadowing his figure, but he wasn't hard to make out. The sunglasses perched on his nose and the walking stick beneath his hands gave him away if nothing else. Her heart stuttered in her chest and then seemed to stop altogether.
Part of her wanted to confront him, find out what he was doing, why he was there, why he seemed to be following her, watching her. Another part told her to run, to avoid and hide and take cover. She wasn't sure which side she was going to answer to, but then a car drove by, blocking him out, and when it had passed, the sidewalk was empty. No Deucalion to be seen.
"You coming in, Miss?" a voice called and her head turned to see one of the store employees looking at her oddly.
"Yeah, sorry." She glanced back one last time but Deucalion had disappeared. Walking inside, she tried to focus on the task at hand. She had to get Brody's ice cream and get home. But her mind was distracted and she could feel a flood of adrenaline rushing through her. Her flight or fight instinct had been triggered and now she wasn't sure what to do with herself.
One thing she knew for sure, though.
Deucalion was letting her see him, which meant he was sending some kind of message, and whatever it was, it wasn't a good one.
[Next: Part XV.]
author's note: So, school's been kind of hectic. Even though I've had this written and waiting for a while, editing it just felt like it was going to be the most draining task. Buuut, since I've been watching a lot of TW lately, trying to catch up on my days off, I found myself motivated. And excited! Because I just realized the next chapter is when Chloe and Derek are reunited! Yay!
I'd love to know what you guys think about what you learned in this chapter. It gave some more insight to Bo, both who he's been and who he's trying to be, and I always love writing Chloe & Noah scenes! Plus, some Lois! Always fun! And a surprise visit from Deucalion!
Thoughts would be awesome!
Huge thank you to the following reviewers of last chapter: purple_moon123, bogusbabe, ghaziak, moonstar_sfu, jaimer90, and Rehana Motilall.
Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review; they're my lifeblood!
- Lee | Fina
Series: Unbalanced (1 of 3)
Category: Teen Wolf/Smallville
Genre: Romance/Drama
Ship: Chloe Sullivan/Derek Hale
Chapter Rating: PG-13/Teen
Overall Rating: NC-17/Explicit
Word Count: 6,219
Summary: The day Chloe was born, a prophecy was made and her destiny was laid out for her. "The White Wolf. Bound to the Broken Boy. Destined to meet a Demon Wolf. The hells will rain pain like no other, but she will survive. She will fight. And when the day comes, she will bring order again."
[return.]
"Beacon Hills? What the hell does California have that Smallville doesn't?" Lois complained. "I wanted you to come out here for Spring Break."
"Really? Because you never mentioned it," Chloe countered.
She sighed. "Fine, so I just thought about it, but it would've been nice to see you, cuz. It's been like, forever since we got to hang out."
Chloe rolled her eyes lightly. "You've been a little preoccupied, Lo. How's school going anyway?"
"It's reached a whole new level of suckage, actually. I'm just glad I only have a few more months left and then I never have to set foot in a high school again."
"It can't be that bad. Every time I call, you're busy, so you must be doing something."
Lois scoffed. "Let's just say there is a high concentration of weird here that I happen to enjoy hunting down and exposing."
Chloe grinned, laughing under her breath a little. "Sounds like you might just be an investigator in the making. Maybe it runs in the genes."
"Yeah, well, don't send in my resume to the police academy yet. I don't think detective is exactly what I'm aspiring to be. Especially since I have a rap sheet that won't look too pretty to prying eyes."
"Most of that was before you were eighteen…" She rolled her eyes. "And I'm pretty sure your dad redacted so much of it that they'd have a hard time making anything out of that mess."
"It helps that I have a kick-ass cousin who could put those magic fingers to work and blot out anything else in police records, right?"
She paused for a moment. "Like…?"
"Let's just say the local police force isn't my biggest fan, and may or may not have arrested me a few times."
"How many times is a few times?" she sighed.
"More than five and less than ten."
"Lois…"
"What?" she cried defensively. "These people are seriously uptight, okay? I mean, if I wasn't hunting down these freaks, I'd be tipping cows. They should thank me for putting my tracking skills to better use."
Frowning, Chloe shook her head. "Are you at least being careful?"
"Look, I may not have wolfy powers, but I'm trained, okay? I can handle myself. Don't worry so much."
"You've been arrested multiple times and you're tracking down some seriously dangerous characters, but you don't want me to worry?" Her eyebrows hiked. "Is there something in the water over there? Of course I'm going to worry."
"Well how about you do less long-distance worrying and come visit to see for yourself just how amazing I am at what I'm doing?" Lois suggested hopefully.
Her lips twitched. "I would, really, but I made a promise. And besides, I think mom wants me to train with Talia. If this alpha thing really does happen, I think it makes sense to see how other packs work. Even if it doesn't, it could be cool to be under Talia's wing for a week."
"Curiosity killed the cat," Lois harrumphed.
"Pot, meet Kettle."
"Fine, but I still think you're missing out."
"On your sparkling personality, yes," Chloe agreed, amused, "but I have plenty of time to come visit you later."
"Except not. Aren't you heading down there for the summer too?" she wondered.
"Yes, but not right away. I finish school sooner than the kids do, so I'll have a few weeks before we make the trip. Why don't I come visit then? Sound good?"
"Yeah…" Lois sighed, still disappointed.
"Come on, three weeks, just me and you. You don't think that's better than just one?"
"Fine, but we're going shopping and you owe me at least one pair of awesome shoes."
"I'll buy you two," Chloe promised, smiling.
"All right, sold."
Laughing under her breath, she shook her head. "All right, so tell me about the latest freak of the week," she encouraged.
"Oh, you won't even believe this one…"
Settling back in her chair, Chloe grinned as her cousin put her story-telling skills to work and filled her in. Admittedly, some of the things that happened in Smallville sounded downright crazy. Some part of her actually really wanted to visit and do a little investigating of her own. The journalist in her was desperate to get to the bottom of why so many people there went nuts. But things were hectic right now, between Bo, Deucalion, and everything with Derek, she wasn't sure she had the time or inclination to go looking for trouble elsewhere. She would leave it for the summer. She didn't want to put off seeing her cousin, but she was really looking forward to Spring Break with Derek and what was a few more months? Lois might not like it, but she understood.
An hour later, after finally saying goodbye to Lois, Chloe hung up her phone and left her bedroom. She could hear Bo downstairs, helping Brody out with some animal or another. Sam diligently working on her homework; she'd been paying extra attention to it and her chores lately, as if she thought her parents would suddenly change their minds and not let her go to Beacon Hills to visit Cora unless she behaved.
Making her way further down the hall, Chloe knocked lightly on Noah's door, opening it when he gave her the go-ahead.
Laying on his bed, he had a comic book spread open in front of him. He turned over to see her, head propped on his hand. He raised an eyebrow at her curiously.
"Wanna go for a run?" she asked, smiling.
With a lopsided grin, he rolled off his bed and pulled on his sneakers. As he walked toward her, she noticed just how much he'd grown in the last few months. Growth spurts were common at his age, even if he wouldn't reach his full form until around eighteen. He was noticeably taller than her, lean and lanky, just like Bo had been at his age. Unlike Bo, however, Noah had a quiet intensity about him. She imagined the girls in his grade saw him as mysterious when really he was an open book. He didn't talk much, but there wasn't anything hidden behind his kind blue eyes. Noah was a sweetheart, sometimes uncomfortable with his height and strength. He didn't make friends easy, but when he did, he was loyal to a fault. While she tried not to play favorites, it was hard not to see Noah as her closest sibling. It helped that he was only a few years younger than her and had always kept close to her when he grew up, looking up to her for guidance and, later, providing his own when she needed it.
They called out what they were doing to their parents as they raced downstairs and across the porch, leaping off and landing in a crouch in the grass. Chloe glanced at him once and then took off toward the trees. Noah was faster than her; he always had been. He had longer legs and he just seemed to move with an ease that she could never master. She was by no means uncoordinated, but Noah put her to shame. As they moved through the trees, he ran literal circles around her, leaping and bounding as he laughed happily. For all that he could be a homebody, content with his comics and books and the quiet of his room, he was truly in his element in the woods.
They ran for what felt like hours, until they reached his favorite spot. She could hear the water rushing long before it was within sight. Noah darted ahead of her and she watched as he bounced from rock to rock, making his way across until he was on the mound of dirt and grass that sat in the center, like its own mini-island. Chloe wasn't as quick to cross toward it. Noah had long memorized where every rock sat and just how to step on them, especially the less sturdy ones, so that he never tripped. He could cartwheel his way across. In fact, as a little boy, he'd once walked across them in a handstand. She'd never forget the smile on his face, how proud he looked. At least until Bo knocked him into the water, throwing his balance completely off.
While Noah was good on land, he wasn't as comfortable in the water, which was why he was so proud that he could cross the rocks. It was his way of facing his fears without having direct contact with them. He was eight at the time and he'd panicked when his head went under.
"Noah, you have to calm down!"
"Just swim! Use your arms and legs," Bo shouted.
"You're going to be okay. Just listen to my voice," Chloe shouted to him, running down the bank of the water to keep up with him. "Noah, listen to me!"
"Chloe! Chloe, I'm drown-I c-can't-"
"What a baby," Bo muttered. "Let the mutt drown then."
She knew he didn't mean it. He was lashing out. He was angry that what he thought was just a joke had turned into something serious and could get him in trouble with their parents.
"He's panicking." Chloe started forward into the water, the frigid water feeling like knives against her skin.
"What're you doing? He'll be fine. He's just freaking out."
"He's just a boy, Bo! Quit being such a jerk." Rushing forward, she finally leapt into the water, ducking down low and swimming forward. She couldn't see anything. Everything was murky under the water. But she charged forward, cutting through the water with ease, until she finally found Noah's kicking legs. He kept slipping under, his head ducking beneath the water. She broke through the top and wrapped her arms around him. "I got you. It's okay, No. It's me."
But he was too panicked and his hands were still flailing around. His claws were out and she felt them pierce through her cheek, tearing downward. Her flesh flayed open and she felt the warm stream of blood as it flowed down her face. She shifted immediately, but she didn't attack. The Instinct told her to, it told her to gut whoever had hurt her, but she knew better. This was her brother, her baby brother, and he was just scared.
"Noah!" she screamed, a fierce growl entering her voice.
He went still very suddenly and she felt his whole body go limp in her arms. He was still sniffling, still twitching, but he didn't fight her now. He let her lead him back to the shore, his head balanced on her shoulder. She carried him, despite the fact that he wasn't all that much smaller than her. Her muscles protested, cold and slower to respond thanks to the water. But she brought him right up onto land and held him in her lap as she sat down. He was shaking, both from fear and the air against his dripping went body.
Stroking his hair, she rocked him back and forth, waiting for him to calm down. When he finally looked up at her, he saw the still healing wound on her cheek and tears leaked out the corner of his eyes. He reached up, tracing the jagged flesh, and then he stared at her sorrowfully, his lips trembling.
"Shh…" she told him, pressing her forehead to his. "It's okay. I'm not mad."
"I am. What a waste of time. It's just water," Bo muttered.
Chloe ignored him. And, thankfully, so did Noah.
But even now it was clear that Noah never forgot. Chloe wondered sometimes if that was the moment he decided he couldn't trust Bo. What happened with the snakes hadn't helped matters either; he saw his brother as a bully and his opinion never changed. It didn't mean he didn't love Bo, only that he didn't particularly like him.
Standing at the edge of the water, Chloe carefully put a foot on the first rock.
"Hop, hop, jump, jump, hop, jump, hop," Noah called to her.
She smiled faintly. He'd long ago figured out a pattern to get himself across and it had never failed him. She followed it, but at a much slower pace than he had. When she was at the last rock, he held a hand out to help her and she landed on the ground beside him. They took a seat on the dirt and just watched the water move past, splitting as it met the island, coursing around it, only lapping gently at the edges.
A few minutes passed before she asked him, "Are you excited for soccer camp?"
He perked up, turning to grin at her. "Yeah. It should be fun. Coach said he might put me in goal for a while. He thinks I have the reflexes for it."
She snorted. "I'm pretty sure you have the reflexes for any position." She bumped his shoulder. "But with how fast you are, shouldn't he keep you on the field?"
He shrugged, dropping his gaze. "I can't run as fast as I do out here… I usually try to keep pace with Darryl, he's the fastest on the team. But he was getting kind of pissed that he wasn't number one, so I backed off."
"And you're okay with that?" Her brow furrowed. "It's not really fair to you, is it?"
"You sound like mom." He grinned when she shoved him lightly. "He's human, Chloe. I've already got an advantage. And besides, if he wants the spotlight, he can have it. I just like being on the team… Coach says we're the best we've been in years. He's crossing his fingers we're going to walk away with a trophy."
"Yeah? Maybe I should call Lois up, have her visit. You know how much she likes playing cheerleader for your games."
He rolled his eyes. "She brought an air horn last time."
"Don't forget the 'Noah is #1' t-shirt she had specially made," she reminded, smiling.
"Nobody else has," he muttered, ducking his head. "Some of the guys still ask me if she's single."
Chloe threw her head back as she laughed. "They're a little young for her."
He shrugged. "I don't think they care."
Chloe smiled. "What about you? Anybody you have your eye on?"
Blushing, he rolled his eyes.
"Come on, you can tell me…" She nudged him. "What about that one girl? What was her name? Natalia?"
"Natasha," he corrected.
"And…?"
"And nothing…" He dug up a rock from the dirt and tossed it into the water. "We study together sometimes. Whatever."
"Study, or study…"
His face flushed an even deeper red. "We kissed a few times."
"Look at you, Casanova."
He snorted and bumped her shoulder. "Shut up."
"Tell me more about her. What's she look like?"
He inhaled deeply, looking entirely too put out, but he answered her questions anyway. They spent a while just sitting there as Noah waxed poetic about the pretty Natasha with her brown eyes and black hair and a tiny beauty mark on her cheek. Chloe smiled as he talked, looking more and more animated, opening up to her about how she made the first move and how his stomach flipped whenever she looked at him. It was sweet. Puppy love, maybe, but it was still something and Chloe was happy for him. He deserved that.
They didn't start making their way back home until the sun was just starting to set. As they moved through the woods, light faintly filtering through the trees, the air slowly becoming cooler, Chloe felt light. Her dad had been right; she was glad she was a wolf and not a bird. She wouldn't trade her pack for all the freedom in the world.
"Mom, I'm telling you, they don't have yellow peppers here," she complained into her phone.
"I bought them there last week," Moira muttered.
"Well, maybe they're out of stock."
"Are you sure you're looking in the right place?"
Chloe rolled her eyes. "There is a pepper section. Red and green are right here, but no yellow to be seen… Are you sure you're not color blind? You know, it's not uncommon…"
"Chloe Anne…" she warned.
Blowing out a breath, she raised her head and looked over at the shop owner standing by the till. "Look, I'll ask. Maybe he had some in the back. But if he doesn't, you're getting an extra red and green, all right?"
"Fine. Don't forget the ginger root, either."
"I won't."
"And milk. I think we're out of milk."
She rolled her eyes. "Okay."
"Oh, and can you pick up egg noodles?"
"I told you we should've made a list," she reminded.
"Well, I didn't remember we were out of so much until after you left."
"Uh-huh. So yellow pepper, egg noodles, ginger root, and… milk? Is that it?"
"Yes."
Her left eyebrow popped up skeptically. "You're sure?"
"Brody wanted ice cream, if they have any there."
Standing in a small organic foods store, Chloe cast her eyes around. "I'll see what I can do."
"Okay. I'll see you when you get home."
"All right. Bye."
"Bye."
Hanging up her newly acquired cell phone, given to her by her dad for her upcoming trip to Beacon Hills, she put it away in her purse and started toward the front of the store. They were out of yellow peppers, unfortunately, but they did have everything else she needed on her list. Well, except for the ice cream, but there was a store three shops down that sold the kind she knew Brody liked. Walking out of the store, reusable bags filled with groceries, Chloe made her way down the sidewalk, caught up in her thoughts. She had just turned to walk inside the store, the bell jangling above, when she caught sight of something out of the corner of her eye. Turning her head abruptly, she stared at the figure standing directly at the end of the sidewalk on the next block over. He stood under the cover of the overhang, shadowing his figure, but he wasn't hard to make out. The sunglasses perched on his nose and the walking stick beneath his hands gave him away if nothing else. Her heart stuttered in her chest and then seemed to stop altogether.
Part of her wanted to confront him, find out what he was doing, why he was there, why he seemed to be following her, watching her. Another part told her to run, to avoid and hide and take cover. She wasn't sure which side she was going to answer to, but then a car drove by, blocking him out, and when it had passed, the sidewalk was empty. No Deucalion to be seen.
"You coming in, Miss?" a voice called and her head turned to see one of the store employees looking at her oddly.
"Yeah, sorry." She glanced back one last time but Deucalion had disappeared. Walking inside, she tried to focus on the task at hand. She had to get Brody's ice cream and get home. But her mind was distracted and she could feel a flood of adrenaline rushing through her. Her flight or fight instinct had been triggered and now she wasn't sure what to do with herself.
One thing she knew for sure, though.
Deucalion was letting her see him, which meant he was sending some kind of message, and whatever it was, it wasn't a good one.
[Next: Part XV.]
author's note: So, school's been kind of hectic. Even though I've had this written and waiting for a while, editing it just felt like it was going to be the most draining task. Buuut, since I've been watching a lot of TW lately, trying to catch up on my days off, I found myself motivated. And excited! Because I just realized the next chapter is when Chloe and Derek are reunited! Yay!
I'd love to know what you guys think about what you learned in this chapter. It gave some more insight to Bo, both who he's been and who he's trying to be, and I always love writing Chloe & Noah scenes! Plus, some Lois! Always fun! And a surprise visit from Deucalion!
Thoughts would be awesome!
Huge thank you to the following reviewers of last chapter: purple_moon123, bogusbabe, ghaziak, moonstar_sfu, jaimer90, and Rehana Motilall.
Thank you so much for reading! Please leave a review; they're my lifeblood!
- Lee | Fina