At some point, Maria pulled me out of the house and away from all of that was happening. She could tell that I was having a mental overload. We didn't go anywhere in particular. We mostly just walked around the area. It also gave me some time to get to know Maria a little bit more.

Which was a good thing because it gave me the chance to learn a little bit more about Maria. Especially about the relationship of her and Derik. I know that there were more sides to the story than the one that David mentioned to me. Also I felt like it was better to hear it straight from the source instead of believing every word David said.

Also I know that I should talk to Derik about it. But I know that we haven't been in a relationship long enough to talk about past relationships. It was something I was hoping we would have more time to discuss, but with how fast Derik was moving we should probably have that talk very soon. There was really no point in putting it off anymore.

After a few minutes of silence during our walk, the quiet was starting to get to me. Maria must have noticed that something was on my mind as she began to smile, "You might as well ask, Leah. I know you are wondering about some things."

It was as if she read my very thoughts. It was kind of scary when I got to thinking of it. But since she knew what was coming, I asked, "Can you tell me about your relationship with Derik? You can feel the awkward tension between the two of you?"

Maria let out a sigh before she answered, "Our relationship was a bad idea to begin with. Highly toxic and forced to be together because of the rules. I took out all of my anger out on him because I couldn't be with the person I truly loved."

"I keep hearing about these rules," I told her, "What are some of them?"

"David's mentioned one to you already. You know we are siblings when you learn we both fell in love with normal people," Maria answered, "That breaks the rule where you only date those with Gene V. Another rule is one Derik is breaking by interfering with a connection that had been determined by the gene."

Hearing Maria explain only a few rules made me wonder how they keep it all straight. I understand that the rules are were just to protect them from being revealed, but it was hard to think that they had any true freedom. It made me wonder who made all of these rules.

Maria must have saw me trying to figure it all out when she smiled at me, "Ricky's father came up with the rules as protection. He also set everything up with the government to help understand Gene V more."

We continued slowly walking around the block. "Maria, doesn't David know the whole story between you and Derik?" I asked.

"I never told him. Even if I did he would only hear what he wanted," she answered, "The way Derik and I broke up was pretty messy. I thought I was pregnant with Bo's baby so I had to tell Derik. He called my a whore and I slapped him. Then that was the end of us."

The final stretch back to my house was fast approaching. But I learned a few things that answered some questions I had. Also I enjoyed the time I spent with Maria. Being with her felt like I was with Sally all over again. It was comforting and I was sad to see it slowly coming to an end.

"How did you know that Bo was worth breaking the rules for?" I suddenly asked.

"It's funny how both my brother and I fell in love with normal people," she answered with a loving smile as she thought of her husband, "Something deep inside me kept telling me that Bo was different. There was a huge pull to him, no matter how hard I tried to fight it. I didn't know at first but I thought it would be worth the try. It wasn't until after I told him the truth about me that I knew he was the one."

"He accepted you," I finished for her.

She nodded her head, "It took a while for the rest of the family to trust him because David was still recovering from the Emily thing. But he eventually gained their trust and we were allowed to get married."

As if he knew we were talking about him, Bo stood on the curb. Waiting for Maria to return. Bo was introduced to me when he showed up to fix the damages in my house. It was one of his many jobs that the family gives him. I made the mistake of asking if he was part of the Royal Guard and Maria pretty much protested the whole thing as if I suggested his death sentence. Then I ended up realizing how stupid my question was.

But I could appreciate how good looking Bo was. It was clear that he worked out as much as David and Ricky did. His short sleeved shirt didn't hide the muscles he had. His dark brown hair was a little on the long side as it just barely started to cover his ears. The only thing that I wasn't attracted to was his large nose that made his lips look thin and small. Proving that I could be pretty shallow at times.

Maria ran up to Bo and wrapped her arms around him in a loving embrace. Completely forgetting that we were in the middle of a conversation, but I wasn't going to interfer with her happiness. As I walked up to them, I could see David leaning against the front door at the corner of my eye. Part of me worried about him walking around with a sever injury and I wanted to go scold him. But then Derik appeared behind him and directed him back inside.

Once they were out of sight, I turned to let Maria know that I was going to head inside. When I saw her, she had a knowing look on her face. She must have seen the look on my face when David was outside.

She pulled away from her husband's loving embrace and walked up to me, "He is only doing what Bo was doing. Waiting for his loved one to return home safely."

Happiness and the feeling of being loved should have filled me. Instead it was disappointment. Because it was David who should be outside waiting for me. It should have been Derik. But instead he stayed inside trying to get David to come back. Then I remembered that they both were injured. Derik could have been meeting with Doc and that was the reason why he wasn't out here. Maybe he sent David to watch out for me because he couldn't.

Excuse after excuse popped into my head. Just like when I accepted his proposal. He was only insecure because the family made him that way. I was the only one in his corner it seemed. The only one giving him the benefit of the doubt. Everyone else was just waiting to see if today was the day he decided to join the enemy. No one even tried to give him a pinch of compassion and that is what broke my heart the most.

But even though no one has really given him a chance, I still needed to have a good talk with Derik. We needed to get to know each other better before our relationship went any further. I also had to talk to David and see why he kept trying. Why he made it his goal to make Derik look worse and make me second guess my choice. To make me think that I should have listened to everyone and picked David instead.

I understand that both boys have issues. Both pasts are dark and unforgiving. But David had more support than Derik did. Maria patted me on the shoulder before her and Bo walked back inside my house hand in hand. For some reason it broke my heart to see them like that. Even though Derik and I were seeing each other, but we never really went on a real date. He never really acted like the boyfriend I envisioned myself to having. He was always guarded, but I told myself that it's part of his job and not that he was only doing this just to spite David.

I stood in the doorway of my front door as I watched Bo and Mike help the two severely injured ones into the waiting cars at the end of the driveway. Boss stood next to me with a heavy sigh. He wasn't happy about the news that David and Ricky both had to take it easy until their wounds weren't so sever.

"Are they going to be okay?" I couldn't help but ask.

"They have been through worse. None of us have had an easy life, Leah," he answered, "We all have a story to tell. My sister threw herself off the roof of Seadonna tower and my wife left me to do who-knows-what and I almost lost my son countless times."

"Is that why you shelter Maria?" I mentioned to him.

He let out a small chuckle before he answered, "I don't see it as sheltering. But I protect her because I was able to spend time with her unlike David."

"I'm sorry you had to go through that," you could hear the sadness I felt in the tone of my voice. I still couldn't understand how a mother could do that just so she could hurt her husband like that.

"I am too," he finished out conversation and then joined Bo and Mike at the end of the driveway. Probably to discuss what they were going to do since Boss was now short handed. Mike couldn't do rounds on his own and I had a feeling that he didn't trust Derik enough to help out.

As if he knew that he had just crossed my mind, Derik walked up behind me and wrapped his arms around me. His head rested on my shoulder as we both watched the scene taking place in front of us.

"Maria isn't going to be happy," he suddenly mentioned.

"Why?" I asked. Glancing at him.

He pulled away from me with a heavy sigh, "Boss wants Bo to help out with the rounds while I stay inside to watch over you."

I turned to look at him. He was still bandaged up pretty good and worry filled up inside me, "Are you going to be okay to do that? Shouldn't you go back with David and Ricky?"

"They suffered some internal damage, but all I got was a few cuts and a bump to the head. I'll be fine," he said before he held me in a loving embrace, "I'm sorry I couldn't protect you like I promised."

By the sound of his voice, he was carrying a lot of guilt for what had happened. It was something that he felt like he failed in. There were no words that formed that I could say to make him feel better. Only because he felt like he just proved everyone right when they say that he wasn't cut out to be a part of the family. The only thing I could do was wrap my arms around him and return his loving embrace.

After a few minutes, I pulled away and headed for the kitchen. Derik following close behind. I was actually amazed with how fast and well they cleaned up after treating the wounds. Everything was sterilized and no longer covered in blood. If I didn't know better, I wouldn't have thought that Donny and some of his followers came in to try to kidnap me.

Even though they cleaned up everything, I was still a little hesitant to make or eat anything. It is just weird to act normal after your own kitchen was being used as a hospital half an hour ago. Derik must have seen my uncomfortableness and directed me to the living room before heading back into the kitchen.

It feels like every minute I'm reminded that my life wasn't the same anymore. That a whole new world was taking it over and destroying everything that I was comfortable with. But I guess there was some positives with this life as well. There were people in my life now that would risk everything to make sure I was safe. Also they made sure that I had food in the fridge instead of moldy leftovers and three tubs of ice cream.

Derik temporarily came in and gave me a steaming cup of hot chocolate before he went back into the kitchen to continue doing what he was doing. As much as I wanted to watch him cook, I couldn't bring myself to do it. I wasn't like them. I wasn't used to the constant fighting and the need to live as normal as possible after a small battle broke out. That wasn't my life. My life was hanging out with my best friend, playing video games and eating at the dinner down the street.

"I was the same as you when I first joined the Seadonnas," Derik said as he handed me a plate of eggs and bacon, "Sorry. This is all I know how to really cook."

"It's fine," I reassured him as I took the plate and began to eat, "How did you adjust to it all?"

"I didn't at first. I locked myself in my room hoping that it was all a dream. But eventually I just learned to accept it," he answered as he sat down on the chair closest to the television.

Derik and I continued to talk while I ate my food. We slowly got to know each other. Talking about nothing and everything. It was something I needed us to have before he decided to to anything else that was reckless. But a part of me couldn't help but feel like that his heart wasn't really in it. Like he was just doing this because they told him that he couldn't. I really wish I could get rid of that feeling but I just couldn't. It was like a bad rash that just couldn't go away no matter how hard I tried.