To the top is Ashley Greene as Rosalyn Spencer (nee Yvonne)

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"There are four kinds of Homicide: felonious, excusable, justifiable, and praiseworthy." -Ambrose Bierce

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Chapter 31- Problems grow

Rose blinked in shock at Deandra. Deandra sat back with a smug expression, extremely pleased that at last she had taken her best friend by surprise. Rose silently gaped at her for a minute and then abruptly got up.

"What are you going to do?" Deandra asked.

"I need to talk to someone; someone who I am sure will help me."

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"Wow, I knew that Ashley had a brother but she never liked talking about him. They had a very strong enmity between them and I am sure there is no lost love."

Rose sighed and looked at the handsome man opposite her.

"And may I ask why you decided not to tell my brother, but me about this?"

"Yeah, you want me to tell Dennis that his lost love had a brother; who I am sure he didn't know about; and that brother has a son who is kind of my best friend. Cool, that would be," Rose said.

Derek laughed and said, "I never knew you would actually come to me for this. Anyway, moving on; you're planning on telling Daemon?"

Rose was silent and then she said, "Honestly? I don't know. But a part of me is saying not to tell him otherwise he will get distracted from his case. But the other part of me feels like he deserves the truth."

"Well, there... you have your answer. Tell him after this case is over. And what about the other guy?" Derek asked as he placed his legs on the table opposite him.

When Rose had barged into Derek's office without any appointment, she had been very surprised when he had just asked her if she wanted tea or coffee.

"I don't know what to think. I don't even know if he knows," Rose said.

Derek sighed and then leaned forward, "Rose, how about I tell you something? From what I know, Reed is basically an abandoned child. Such circumstances cause issues in children. The way how they think and act and even feel may be completely different from both you and me. For example, my parents died at an early age; but I had my brother. So my issues will be different from you who have your parents but are not particularly pleased with them. You get it?"

"Yeah, it even applies to Daemon, right?" Rose asked. Derek stared at her and then nodded.

"You should ask him about that. Till now, he hasn't opened up to anyone about his mother's death and maybe you're the person. After all, he must be very hurt."

Rose nodded absentmindedly.

"But, that will happen after you catch your killer. And back to Reed, I think you are dealing with him in the wrong way. Just think, a guy mysteriously appears, flirts with you, starts liking you, suddenly disappears, comes back, hates his best friend and then all of a sudden is your husband's cousin."

"Oh my god," Rose muttered, "Alec is Daemon's cousin. That mean he is my cousin in law..."

"And you wonder why I tell that your intellectually incompetent," Derek muttered.

"And you seriously wonder why everyone hates you. Do you get off on insulting others, or is it just me?" Rose asked. Derek's eyes flashed as though remembering a memory he wasn't sure if he liked or not.

But in second, he had his smirk pasted back on his face.

"People hate me, but they respect me also. So I am fine. Besides there is a thin line between hate and love. So are you going to get out now or what?"

"Thanks for making me feel so welcome," Rose said sarcastically as she got up from her seat, "Oh and also thank you for telling me that I can come whenever I want."

"You're acting like you need someone to tell you that," Derek muttered.

"Whatever," Rose muttered and walked out. She looked down at the files that Deandra had got for her. Alec's photo stared up at her. She was so distracted that she didn't realize that she had walked into a man.

They both collided and fell down. The papers in the file all fell out.

"What the hell, Rosalyn? Are you trying to kill people?"

Rose looked up and gasped when she saw her angry husband glaring down at her. Even when he was flustered, he managed to look scary.

"Daemon, surprise seeing you here," Rose stuttered.

"I'm not even going to ask what you are doing here," Daemon sighed in defeat. He was about to get up and walk towards, Rose presumed, Derek's office when he saw the papers that she had dropped.

Before he could pick it up, Rose snatched it from the ground and stood up.

"I've got to go," she said abruptly, without waiting for his response. She walked quickly out of the office, ignoring his yells.

"That was close," Rose sighed, "I need to be more careful."

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"Why the hell did my wife visit you?" Daemon yelled as he barged into Derek's office. Derek looked up from the file he was reading and raised his eyebrow.

Like husband, like wife.

"I don't know. Didn't you ask her?" Derek said nonchalantly as he went back to poring over his file.

"Yeah... as if she will actually tell me," Daemon said as he sat on the seat in front of Derek's desk.

"I can't believe this is happening...not a moment of peace," Derek muttered to himself.

"What?"

"See child, what if she just came to see my beautiful face. Face it, after seeing you every day, she must be wanting a change," Derek said. Without looking up itself, he could feel Daemon's anger.

"First of all, she doesn't need to see any more beautiful faces. Second, I am not a child, you old tosser," Daemon yelled.

"See, you know I can't tell you why your wife was here. So, why don't you just tell me what you came here for and leave me so that I can sit peacefully," Derek said.

"Fine," Daemon said reluctantly. Derek watched his nephew mutter something under his breath.

"I need a favor," Daemon said at last.

"And I thought you came here to give your dear uncle a visit," Derek said sarcastically. Daemon ignored his tone.

"I need you to check up on someone for me."

Derek looked at him curiously.

"And you don't have anyone else to do your dirty work for you?" Derek asked.

"That isn't the point. I have too much work to do and my assistant is my wife's best friend. And let's just not go into how much women gossip. So you are the only other person left who I can trust and who won't demand me to quit."

"I knew that," Derek smirked, "If you went to your dad or Xavier with half the things you came to me for, they would probably lock you up in a tower or something."

"I am not Rapunzel," Daemon deadpanned. Derek snorted.

"Ok, I have no choice. Which dead girl do I have to look up?" Derek asked. He saw Daemon's incredulously expression and said, "What? You think I don't keep an eye on the cases you solve?"

"Stalker..." Daemon muttered and then shook his head, "Anyway, I need you to look up on a guy called Alec Reed for me."

Derek blinked. Seeing that Daemon hadn't looked like he was joking, Derek had to suppress the intense desire to face palm. Life was absolutely perfect.

He had half a mind to ask him to go and ask his wife to share her research with him.

"And why are you doing that? Changed your sexuality so soon?" Derek asked.

"No," Daemon said, "He is my wife's best friend."

"Man, you're jealous, seriously?" Derek asked incredulously.

"No, I am not," Daemon said indignantly, "I suspect him and I don't want Rosalyn to know that."

Derek sighed in defeat and nodded.

"I'll do my best."

Derek watched his nephew leave, looking happier than he did when he entered the room.

"Oh and, my face is the only face Rosalyn thinks is beautiful. She herself told me," Daemon said smugly, before he shut the door.

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"This is bad... this is bad..." Rose muttered as she shuffled through the kitchen, "What do I say when Daemon comes... he can't know... shit..."

She looked up at the time and saw that it was already past 9 in the evening. Where the hell was her husband?

Just as she thought that, she heard a sound at the gate. She sighed and waited for her husband to make an appearance.

As she waited for the ass to come, she watched the clock. A frown slipped onto her face when she noticed that five minutes had passed and he still hadn't entered.

Was he strangling some random people in the porch?

Rose quickly removed her apron and dashed outside.

To her surprise, there was no one.

She felt a chill creep into her bones. Who was that? She turned her head and noticed the cricket bat that Daemon had kept outside in case he needed it.

Rose had a very suspicious feeling that the cricket bat was not to play cricket.

She took the bat and walked slowly outside. The sky was dark and she noticed a few rain clouds.

"Hello?" she asked and walked out. It quickly struck her that she was being a mega idiot. When a stranger is out, most people would lock themselves in their houses. But she was different; she preferred walking straight into the intruder's arms.

At least the guy wouldn't have to exert himself to find her like in all those horror movies, she thought sarcastically.

If Daemon saw her out, he would most probably yell and yell for hours. Thinking about that, she started walking backwards, with the bat still raised.

As her foot touched the steps behind her, a guy in a mask jumped up from behind.

"AAAHHH!!!!" Rose yelled in fright and started waving the bat furiously.

The man paid her no notice and instead dashed out. Before she could realize what exactly happened, the man had disappeared.

"What the fuck?" she breathed and ran outside, forgetting about Daemon's warnings and instructions. A fucking ninja had just jumped over her and ran away.

She looked out onto the road and saw that the guy had left. A feeling of chillness again creeped over her. he must have been watching her the whole time.

It must have been Sebastian again...

Rose could see her breath in front of her and that was enough to scare her again. She was about to run inside the house and hide under a blanket or something when something struck her.

Sebastian must have been here for a purpose.

He clearly didn't try to end her life- that meant that there was more to come. But what had he come for?

Her eyes fell on the half open mail box.

"Fuck..." she muttered as she quickly opened it and gaped at the letter inside. She took out the letter and blinked at it.

"WHAT THE HELL?"

"FUCK YOU, YOU NINJA. I KNOW KARATE, I'LL KARATE CHOP YOUR NINJA ASS," Rose yelped as she quickly turned and crossed her arms and swung her foot.

Daemon didn't look amused.

"Are you trying to be funny?" he whispered angrily.

"Not really," she muttered.

"What the hell were you doing outside? Didn't I tell you that after 8, you aren't allowed outside?" he asked.

"Yeah," Rose sighed. She had given up on fighting with him about her curfew time.

"But I heard a noise out and I came to investigate."

Daemon looked so angry that his mouth just kept moving but no sound came. Before he could get back his senses and start yelling again, she said, "I thought it was you. But then I came out and this ninja dude jumped over me and ran out."

"Ninja what?" Daemon said at last. Rose sighed and said, "Yeah, he was hiding there the whole time and then jumped out."

"What did he want?" Daemon asked, his eye wide.

"Oh, I don't know. Maybe some tea. It was a pity he didn't stay till I could get him a cup," Rose said sarcastically.

Daemon blinked at her owlishly.

"What?" he asked at last. Maybe the sudden action must have scared him into silence.

"Yeah and there is a new letter in the mail box," Rose said showing him the letter. It seemed that the letter was enough to trigger back his sense of mind and he snatched it from her.

"Oh my god," he muttered and looked up at her. Rose felt her heart lighten when she saw him look concerned at her.

Stupid man and the stupid emotions that he provoked.

"Please, Rosalyn, I am too young to die. Can you please stop giving me heart attacks?" Daemon asked.

"I'll try," she muttered, "I'm really sorry demon. I know you are just worried."

He looked down at the letter and his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"I already got a letter today morning," he said unsurely.

"Then?" Rose asked.

"A couple of things about how he was sorry that I had to wait long and there was a new clue and all. A new girl was murdered," Daemon said.

"Yeah, Dea told me."

"I knew you girls gossiped," Daemon muttered under his breath.

"What?"

"Nothing, sweetheart," Daemon said and looked again at the letter. Rose didn't even bother mentioning that he had called her something nice.

Daemon looked up confused at her.

"It is addressed to you..." he said in disbelief. Rose's eyes widened and she snatched it from his hand. She hadn't noticed that. Besides, it was the first time in years that she had got a letter; albeit being from her crazy ex boyfriend slash serial killer.

"I need it tested," Daemon said worried as he looked at the letter like it might explode.

"Don't be paranoid. If he wanted to kill me, he would have done it when he was here," Rose said casually as she opened the letter.

Daemon didn't look reassured. In fact he looked even more worried.

Rose ignored him and read the letter.

Hello my dear sweet angel,

Did you miss me? Well, I most definitely missed you. I had been thinking for the past couple of weeks to send you a letter or communicate with you in any way; and at last I have had the courage.

You have no idea, my angel, how disappoint*ted I am in you. I thought you never wanted to marry. You let yourself be subjected to a marriage arranged by your parents. I thought you were better.

But even if you committed that mistake, I must say that you look absolutely beautiful in that red dress that you are wearing. So beautiful, like always. Age will never catch up on you, will it? You will always continue to look just as flawless as before.

I know you realized that you did a wrong and I understand. And I forgive you, baby. Don't worry about that now.

I am really looking forward to see you next time.

And, I have left a gift for you. Always remember that I will never forget what you like. I hope you enjoy it.

With lots of love,

Your Reaper.

Rose blinked in surprise and disgust. Wordlessly, she handed over the letter to her husband. She watched Daemon's expression and wasn't surprised when he pulled her into his arms.

"I'm scared Daemon," she whispered.

"I know... but I won't let him take you. I won't," Daemon said, "I promise."

"He said he left a gift," she whispered and looked up. Daemon didn't look very happy. Rose turned abruptly and checked the mail box again.

There was a parcel inside.

"Ok, I will be damned before I let you open that thing," Daemon announced and steered her from the mail box. She watched as he took the neatly wrapped parcel and open it. Rose stopped breathing as she wondered what she would find. Would it be another head?

But he said he got her something she liked.

Daemon unwrapped the parcel and snorted. He took out a Lindt dark chocolate and looked in disbelief at Rose.

"Wow," she muttered.

Rose took the chocolate from him and looked at it longingly. Sebastian must have poisoned this perfectly great chocolate.

Daemon's attention was elsewhere.

"Hey, Daemon. Is something wrong?" Rose asked cautiously, not liking his expression at all. He looked a little close to tears.

To her surprise, he handed over the box to her. She peered down at it and gasped.

With a shaking hand she took out one of the photos and looked at it in disbelief.

It was a photo of her in a bikini in a beach in France. A beach that she had last visited two years ago.

She stifled her fright as she looked at the other photos. Various photos of her, with different people, in different places. She vaguely even noticed one taken when she had just left college.

But the one that frightened her the most was the one in which she was in a kitchen wearing a red dress and an apron that said 'Kiss the cook'.

The same dress that she was wearing now.

Her knees gave away and Daemon caught her before she fell down.

"Oh my god..." she stammered as the tears rolled down her cheeks.

"I know..." he whispered and held her tightly as he scowled down at a picture in which she was teaching in class.

"I will catch his bastard and end it once and forever," he muttered.

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AN:

Woah, there you go- brand new chapter with 2956 words. 

And I know I was supposed to upload ages ago, but I had a bit of a writer's block. And my new year promise also went down the drain. :P

So Happy New Year to everyone... well, belated happy new year...

And I am thinking of putting*g an update schedule; probably once a week and otherwise when I am free. My exams have started again and I will be busy, but keep you fingers crossed. :D

So what do you think about the new letter? Anyone expected that to happen?

And poor Derek, wonder what he is going to do now...

And before signing off, to the top is Ashley Greene as Rose. Well, I know it is the same actress who played Ashley (Daemon's mom), but I really can't think of anyone else.

So with lots of love,

Ashley.