Lunar Clock

~Chapter 29: It's Not What it Looks Like! ~

CPOV

It was six days until we rescued Kit, and it was when we were discussing our game plan over breakfast that I noticed that Derek was sitting beside me (rather than Simon), but it wasn't like he was being very talkative to me or real friendly like Simon was, he was always standing up with his arms on the table drawling out specific details of the diagram of the building. Arguing different strategies with the adults and suggesting things based on experience of the layout.

Just to tell you, apparently the building Aunt Lauren showed me was the main headquarters of the Edison group where I was imprisoned after being caught running away from Lyle House. Just thinking about all my past experiences there brought chills to my spine.

"How do you know this place so well Derek, you even know where every closet is!" He sat back into his chair, his eyes burning unintentionally into mine. I looked over at the adults who were stock still, acting like I said something out of line. Did I?

"I lived there until I was five Chloe; I know most of the place like the back of my hand." I just answered with a quiet "oh." due to my stupidity; I must have forgotten him telling me about it at some point over our friendship. All I could do after that was look at my feet as I flustered and out of the corner of my eye I saw Derek flinch.

"I-I'm sorry, I thought you knew..." I nodded up to Derek and showed that it was okay and he seemed a little uneasy about it, or was that nervousness? It must have been about bringing back unwanted memories of his childhood... or maybe I was making him worry about his father. Oh god, why must I keep opening up his old wounds?

"Sorry!" I spat quickly, everyone had their eyes on us and I really got the feeling that I really needed to leave. Derek didn't accept it, nor did he refuse, he just blinked in confusion with his mouth left ajar.

"For what, what did you do? Why are you sweating bullets over this?"He then glanced away and noticed everyone looking strangely at us. "Why are you all staring?" Derek shot a look at our spectators and they shot their eyes away almost instantly. He grunted at them, then got up from his chair and turned to me.

"Come on Chloe, we obviously are here only for a spectacle, so let's get gone and do something more worth-full of our time shall we?" His eyes sent me a message of "just come on, I'll explain all this in a minute." And I quickly rose to my feet.

"Okay."

To our backs I heard nervous whispers and sensed peoples worry, but what worry did they need to have? What was going on? Derek I really really need to know, so if you understand all this crap please don't hesitate to tell me!

After a moment I realised that Derek was leading me to a room I hadn't been in before. It was a small crowded room full of junk on the second floor, he called it the reading room but there was no books (fitting name now isn't it?) and asked me to sit down on the small couch in the middle of the carpet space.

He stood over me, his finger tapping his side profusely.

"Bad Chloe." I muttered to myself forgetting that Derek could hear it.

"Don't start that one up again."

"I'm sorry but, am I in trouble or something?" he shook head.

"No, I just wanted to talk to you. Something is up between those friends of ours that they are not willing to tell us."

"Really?" I said surprised, I honestly hadn't noticed anything about our gang until just a moment ago. So what was Derek keying into?

"I don't know what is going on but I intent to find out," he looked down to me with calm eyes."And I need your help." I was still a little foggy, but accepted. I couldn't stand being left in the dark like this by the group.

The smile Derek grinned warmed my heart, then I stiffened and looked away, my heart was racing and a strange feeling came over me for a fraction of a second, but when it was gone I was left clueless without any understanding of my past actions, I had no idea what just came over me at all! Just breath Chloe, it will be okay.

"Um," I crossed my legs as I sat up straighter on the sofa. "So what is our game plan?"

So apparently I'm the distraction, I had to try to make it seem like we were up stairs (meaning I had to make as much noise as I could to simulate two people walking around on the second floor) while Derek sneaked down to the bottom of the stairs and listened to the conversation going on in the kitchen. Apparently he suspected that if we left they would bring up the subject they were hiding from us, it was a long shot but I trusted Derek; unfortunately though after about ten minutes of random walking back and forth the hallway I began to get sick of my role of distraction.

I didn't care if he caught and scolded me; I was going to try to find out the truth for myself. When I noticed he was not at the bottom of the stair case like he was supposed to I used this as my chance to get closer to the kitchen and sneak a listen myself. I took a breath and held it as I shoved off down the stairs quietly. Okay... here we go.

DPOV

They were speaking quietly, too quietly to make out; they must have expected me to listen in on them. I had to risk tip toeing down the hall and plastering my ear to the wall in order to hear anything. Dammit, I hate when things don't go as planned! Carefully I placed my ear to the wall; I held my breath for a minute checking for any trace of their conversation then wham, Andrews voice came in clear as a bell.

"Do you think that he would be listening in on us?" he asked.

"He wouldn't dare come this close to the kitchen, and besides we are whispering so it would be hard to make out from a safe distance." Simon answered. I lifted my ear away and grunted silently. He knew meway too well. "Anyway, do you think it is true that he... you know?" I grunted again, he was making it hard to figure out what was going on, darn that Simon! Andrew huffed, kind of like when someone grunts when they nod in agreement.

"I do believe so... he has all the characteristics of it alright, but he is very young and this would be a very unpractical time for him to_." Andrew was cut off and I heard a clap of skin, Simon must have covered Andrew's mouth.

"Shh, did you hear that?" I shot from the wall and looked around, there stood Chloe all flustered as she tried and failed to keep quiet. She stepped on a squeaky floor board and jumped back. I dove and pushed her against the wall, one hand over her mouth and the other on her shoulder.

"What the hell are you doing down here?" she struggled and shook her head. I muttered sorry and lifted my hand from her mouth, she was going to say something when all of a sudden she looked over towards the kitchen with her eyes wide with terror.

"Derek!" called a voice, I shot a glance the way she was looking and saw Andrew and Simon, their mouths agape with shock.

"This is worse than I thought." Andrew muttered nervously to Simon. It took me a second but I got what they meant. I shot away from Chloe in a flash, my face heating.

"No, NO this isn't what it looks like!" Chloe was going to step in when all of a sudden Andrew raised his hand for her to keep silent.

"Until I figure out how to calm you're..." Andrew paused to find the right word. "Temptations toward Chloe Derek, you are secluded to your_."

"Temptations?" I was horror-struck, I would never... I could never_!

"Derek,"

"But_"

"Room,"

"Andrew, but I don't_"

"NOW!" I turned on my heels and stomped down the hall. Chloe was trying to defend me but all the two did was tell her she was confused and it was only natural. Only natural... only freakin' natural? Are youkidding me? When I looked back they gave me faces lined with disgust, only Chloe gave me sympathy mouthing sorry with sad eyes in my direction. I closed my mine and sighed, climbing the stairs and stopping when I made it into the corridor.

Wait... I don't have a bedroom!