Disclaimer: I don't own The Darkest Powers trilogy or any of the characters.

This takes place when Simon finds Chloe looking at a picture of him and Derek at Andrew's house.

He saw her looking at the pictures on the wall. The one where he and Derek had been roasting marshmallows a few years back. When things were normal and before his dad and Andrew had their fight.

She was grinning at the picture. Something had caught her eye to make her smile like that. What it was he didn't know, but it was nice to see her smile.

"That was taken out back here." He told her making her jump. She was always jumpy. Always freaking out when someone showed up behind her. It made him laugh.

Simon really liked Chloe he'd decided. It wasn't just that she was pretty, or even that she was like him. She wasn't like most other girls Simon had taken interest in, she wasn't superficial.

She seemed generally interested in the photograph so he told her about it. He talked about the clearing and how it was the year before they stopped visiting Andrew.

He wanted to keep talking to her. He brought up things just to keep conversation rolling like camping gear and what he'd missed out on but he really just wanted to keep her talking.

Simon was used to girls. He had had a lot of girl friends and he knew what to do. He always did the same thing. He would just act nice and plainly interested, subtly flirting and cast glances their way when he knew they were looking. He would innocently hold their hands and comfort them when they needed it.

He hated to feel like it was all put on, like he was just reeling them in, but in a way that was what he did. He pulled them in until they were captive to his charm.

She asked about guard duty and he explained that his brother probably wouldn't let them take their shift.

It bothered Simon how she seemed so concerned about Derek. What had happened in their time separated? Last time he'd seen the two Chloe had felt like Derek hated her, like she was just a tool that had caused more trouble than it was worth. Now she was deeply concerned about him getting enough sleep and taking her shift.

Simon assured her that he would hassle Derek, and he would. Derek was still his brother and he didn't want him exhausted, pushing himself to the limit after they'd got a good night's sleep; even though there was something weird going on between him and Chloe.

She started walking away but there was still something bothering Simon. He had pushed his suspicions about the two into the back of his mind, but he needed to ask now.

"Chloe?" He called after her. "Was Derek okay with you today? I know he was getting up in your face before we left Buffalo and I was worried. You guys seem fine now…" This was his more subtle way of saying "What's going on between you two? Because when we got on that bus you didn't want anything to do with each other and now you're way too fine with each other for something not to be going on." But that was a mouthful and a little too abrasive for his taste.

Chloe assured him by saying things were great between the two. This hit home.

"Good." That was all he could say feeling his heart sink into his stomach. He saw the concerned look on her face and tried a little harder. "That's good. I'll see you tomorrow then. We'll talk." But it wasn't good and Simon knew it.

That's when it all came together for him. Derek had finally found the girl. Simon would have normally been happy for his brother, but not today. He wasn't happy about this because Derek had found a girl, but the wrong girl.

Derek had found Simon's girl.