"That's it, I'm done. Stuffed." I patted my tummy and grinned at Derek across the table. He was smiling, a pink tinge crossing his cheeks, "I had no idea you could cook so well! I mean, you make pretty decent bacon and stuff, and I guess you do like to eat so it makes sense that you would feed yourself with stuff that actually tastes good..." I realized I was blabbering and was embarrassing myself. Again. You'd think I'd be used to it by now.

"Yeah well, I just figured that me cooking would be better than going into town. For dinner I mean. You know, since your picture is still up all over the place." He said matter of factly.

"Oh, yeah. Right, well I guess that was a pretty good idea." I was determined to keep the tone of this night on the ups, rather than letting the ever practical Derek bring us back down to earth. "So, what's next?"

"I was thinking we could watch a movie or something. Isn't that what most people do; Dinner and a movie?" Derek stammered, "I mean, only if you want to, we could do something else. If you want..."

I looked at him. I mean really looked at him, for the first time in a while. Now that the puberty smack down was over his skin had really cleared up, only a few red spots still marred his otherwise smooth face. And for a guy that was already pretty tall I think he'd grown a few inches. At least I didn't remember him being that tall. The lines that had accumulated on his face during our weeks on the run, then further weeks taking out the Edison Group had finally smoothed out; it could have been from finally having a safe, consistent place to sleep knowing we were all safe. Or it could also be that he was finally getting the calorie intake that a teenager of his size needed. Personally I thought it was the latter.

This movie has more plot holes than a Swiss cheese, I thought to myself, and not even a good character to redeem it. I looked over at Derek, and though he was focused intently on the movie, his eyes were glazed over and his fingers were twitching like he was agitated.

"If the movie is that bad we can change it you know." I told him, watching him jump from the sound of my voice. I laughed adding, "At least I know that you can be startled!" I laughed again and he tightened his arm around me. Derek pulled me closer to him and I laid my head against his chest, listening to his heart hammer a staccato against his ribs.

"I'm sorry. I'm just nervous I 'spose... I just wanted to make sure that tonight worked out really well... and I might have taken some advice from Tori and Simon when I shouldn't have." He looked away from me, the back of his neck turning red.

"What do you mean, 'listened to Tori and Simon'" I couldn't wait to hear this. Any piece of worldly advice from those two couldn't possibly be any good.

"Well I uh... I picked this movie because it's terrible and I knew you wouldn't want to actually watch it. Tori told me what kind of food to make and Simon might have advised me on the rest of the night." I groaned, just imagining what Simon could have told him.

"You know what, never mind. It doesn't matter." He said quietly, almost to himself. Hoisting me up on his lap he pressed his forehead against mine, closing his eyes and sighing deeply. "It doesn't matter because... all I need is you." And with that he kissed me and I could feel my insides flip, just like they did every time he kissed me.

I could immediately tell that this kiss, this moment, was different from the rest. Derek's kisses were usually firm but tentative, like he wasn't positive if I wanted it too. But this time they were resolved, insistent and passionate.

I rolled backward as he pushed me gently, laying me on the couch rather than sitting on his lap. We continued to kiss- make out is probably more the right term - like that for a while. Growing more comfortable with each other I tentatively began to reach out and touch him. Exploring him I found he shivered when I ran my nails along his neck, and I laughed when he moaned slightly when I ran my fingers through his dark hair. Eventually I felt something touch my lips other than his. I pulled back slightly and looked at him quizzically. He shrugged and grinned a little bit,

"Simon said this is what to do, and Tori agreed..." he at least had looked abashed and I laughed before pulling him back to me.

If I thought kissing before was good it was nothing compared to this new way. I guess it would be called a French kiss. It was a bit sloppy and a bit awkward at first, but overall I found myself getting lost in his kisses even more. His hands seemed determined to remain firmly planted on my waist but I slowly brought one up to my face, letting him caress my cheek. Eventually Derek moved his fingers to my hair, running them through my fine locks and gently rubbing my scalp. I responded instantly, hooking my leg around his hip and moaning.

Suddenly he pulled back from me, his eyes wide. I blushed and looked away and only told him "I guess I like that..." after he set his imploring vibrant green eyes upon mine. He grinned; his confidence bolstered and put his head down to kiss me again.

Eventually I found myself wrapped around Derek's body, my leg hitched over his, his arm wrapped around my back. The entire lengths of our bodies were touching as we continued to kiss on the couch. I couldn't tell how much time had gone by, it must have been at least an hour but I could hardly tell let alone summon the concentration to care.

After Derek had found out how much I enjoyed having my hair touched he encouraged me to explore him a little bit too. I felt the hard panes of his chest with my hand, felt his abs ripple and clench with my explorations. His hand had reached my stomach and was resting on the side high up, massaging and lightly tickling me. I freed one of my hands from behind Derek's back and slowly hitched up my shirt a little bit so he could touch the skin of my abdomen. His eyes opened and were all I could see, looking into mine, asking permission. Wondering if it was okay. I nodded lightly and the intensity behind his eyes made them glow and I might have swooned a bit. Just a little.

When he finally touched my bare skin I felt although I was truly alive for the first time and I knew I had been right all those months ago, to choose Derek. He was I wanted to be with, who I wanted to spend my life with, be it in peace or bringing down the bad guys.

Derek was still kissing me with, if possible, even more fervour than before. His whole body was pressed up against mine and I it was then that I felt him against me.

I had no idea what it was at first. I thought it was the sleeve of a sweater at first, soft but dense when rolled up. But that didn't make any sense; there was no sweater on this couch before and there was no way it was on the couch after all our rolling around anyways.

I guess I might have known from watching movies, I mean it was a pretty common theme with teen movies; and no matter how hard I tried to avoid those crummy things it was inevitable that I would watch a few. Or it could be that it was just a built in sensor, kinda like that whole sensing dead people thing. Minus the fact that that was bad and this, this was good.

I grew still as realization hit me. It was him, Derek, pressed up against me. I blushed, my cheeks burning furiously and my heart hammering even more than before if possible. As irrational as it might have been I felt a rush of power. Not that kind of power. A different kind; the kind that made me feel like I would be able to do just about whatever I wanted at that moment. I made him feel like that, me. I felt a surge of pride and pressed my lips firmly to his. He groaned in response, rolling his hips, pressing even more deeply onto me. He moaned again.

Suddenly he went still. Opening my eyes I watched as he jerked back from me, eyes wide. I could see fear, and embarrassment warring in those emerald eyes as he quickly pulled back and sat up.

Glancing at me, he muttered, "I'm so sorry" before running from the room.

I sat numbly for who knows how long until I heard the front door open. Quickly I stood and made a beeline for the stairs, heading for my room.