Wayde sat on her bed, quietly reading one of books.

She jumped when the phone rang.

She lifted up the receiver.

"Hello?"

"Wayde?"

"Quinn? How did you get through to me?"

"I'll explain later. We've got an idea of how to get you out of there. The news has been all over you and Derek making your first appearance tonight at this Coriander's Ball. The three of us are going to be there and we'll be waiting for you by the west wing doors. You got it?"

"Yah. But Quinn, how can I sneak away?"

"Don't tell him. Just disappear into the crowd."

"Quinn...remember this is a world full of psychics."

"Look think of something to distract him, just...slip away and don't think about slipping away."

"Alright and Quinn?"

"Yah?"

"Good luck."

"You too."

**************

Derek checked his cuffs before glancing in the mirror. His tailored tuxedo fit him perfectly.

"Sir?"

His valet Rosencrants opened the door. "Miss Wells is ready."

Derek nodded his head and walked to the main foyer. In his hand was the short stemmed white rose and the diamond necklace he'd bought for Wayde.

A door opened on the left and Wayde emerged in the beautiful baby blue and white ball gown.

Derek grinned as he saw her fidget with her long kid gloves.

She slowly descended the stairs a frown on her face.

"You look beautiful Wayde." He leaned forward and laid a soft kiss on Wayde's check before she could stop him.

"Here, this is for you." He handed her the white rose and opened the black case.

Wayde looked down, obviously ready to insult whatever gift he'd bought for her.

"Oh." Wayde said as she gazed at the sparkling diamonds on black velvet.

Derek laughed.

"I've had it for nearly seven years. Now, tonight, finally you can wear it."

Derek walked around her and clasped the necklace on.

Wayde avoided looking at his face and instead fidgeted with the white rose buds in her hair.

The front doors were opened and the black limousine pulled up. Putting her arm in his, Derek led Wayde down the mansion's steps and into the limo.

As they settled down in the limo, Derek reached for her hand. "Your hand is like ice! Are you nervous?"

Wayde looked out the window. "No."

Derek sensed she knew she lied to him but let it pass. Something itched at the back of his mind though, was she hiding something from him?

Derek shifted in his seat and looked at Wayde.

"We don't have to go if you really don't want to." Wayde looked over. "No, really I'm fine."

Now Derek knew something was wrong, but what?

***********

The limo pulled up twenty minuets later in front of Triumph Hall where the Coriander's Ball was being held.

"There will be reporters Wayde," Derek warned. "Please, smile and just keep beside me."

The doors opened and they stepped out.

"Sire?! Mr. Prime Oracle?!"

"Miss Wells?!"

"When's the wedding?!"

"Did you always know of each other?!"

"Do you really love each other?!"

The hundreds of questions were flung out at the two of them.

Derek simply smiled and waved and maneuvered Wayde inside the hall.

Once inside Wayde shook her head. "I've always seen that on TV but now that I've been threw it I never want to do it again."

Derek laughed. "You'll have to get used to it I'm afraid."

Wayde was about to say something but stopped.

Derek felt the itching in the back of his mind again.

"Sire. Miss Wells!" A white haired man approached them then bowed. "Thank you for coming.

"Hello George. Where's Verna?"

"She's organizing all the Ladies to meet Miss Wells."

"Meet me?" Wayde asked.

"Of course, your future Ladies in Waiting Miss Wells."

Wayde turned to question Derek but Derek jumped in first.

"Wayde let me introduce you. This is my friend George Coriander and Verna is his wife heading over this way."

"Sire." Verna curtsied. "Miss Wells. Yes I can definitely see why Derek chose you above all others."

The silver haired petite women clasped both of Wayde's hands. She pulled her forward to examine her.

"You must come and meet your Ladies in Waiting."

Derek smiled, "Go on. Have some fun. But the first dance is mine."

************

Nearly four hours later Wayde was becoming worried. So far there hadn't been a chance to slip away because she'd either been beside Derek, or with one of her 'future' ladies in waiting.

Finally she decided to act.

"Anna?" She asked one of the Ladies. "Where's the washroom?"

"Oh," Anna replied eagerly. "It's on the second floor take a left then a right, you'll see it."

"Thanks."

Picking up her skirts Wayde moved up the stairs but instead of taking a left she turned right and headed out onto the balcony. She moved quickly along until she thought she was near the west wing.

She slipped inside a small room and reentered the hallway.

"I hope this is the west wing." She whispered to herself.

Wayde walked down the darkened hallway until the end. She turned the knob of a room and stepped inside. She pushed open a window and peered over the side.

"Quinn?" she called out softly. "You out there?"

"Wayde!"

Her three friends were hiding behind the fountain down below just on her right.

"Man am I ever glad to see you guys. Umm...how do I get down?"

"Climb out on the ledge, you should be able to climb down the side." Quinn said.

"Okay." Wayde placed one leg over the windowsill.

A sudden movement caught her eye. In the doorway stood a woman with a gun pointed right at her head.

"Quinn!!!" she screamed before the world went black.

***********

Derek's glass of champagne fell to the floor.

"Sire? Mr. Prime Oracle?"

"Where's Wayde?" he asked.

The bodyguards looked confused.

Derek pressed a hand to the side of his head, where was she?

Suddenly he felt it, her mind, it opened with a scream and then…silence.

"Oh God no!!!" Derek screamed.

The guests froze.

Derek pushed his way past people and ran up the stairs and down the dark hallway.

Guards and bodyguards trailing after him, while he frantically looked for the darkened room.

Finally he saw a door wide open, he ran into the room and moaned.

"No!" He rushed forward gathering Wayde limp body in his arms.

He checked for the wound, and found it near the side of her temple. She was bleeding a bit, but it was her colour that scared him.

She was as white as a sheet and very limp.

"Wayde? Can you hear me?"

"The ambulance is on its way sir."

Derek held Wayde's body to him like a fragile doll.

He looked up at his guards.

"Find out who did this!" He snapped. "I'll have them killed for this!!"

************

Derek rubbed his eyes and took another sip of coffee.

"Sire," one of the nurses said. "Maybe you should go home, get some rest."

"No." He replied firmly. "I won't leave her."

Wayde was still unconscious.

Dr. Morris, the best neuro psychic in the world had been flown in a few hours ago to look at Wayde.

"Sire?"

Derek looked up and saw Dr. Morris standing in the doorway.

"She's stable Sire, but I can't say if she'll come out of it exactly, her brain is too quiet right now."

Dr. Morris pulled her ponytail out. "You can go in and see her."

There was a commotion at the far end of the hallway.

"Sire!" A PBI agent called out running down the hall. "We've apprehended three suspects. Do you wish to see them?"

"No. Those aren't the ones who hurt Wayde Agent Lee. But they were there to kidnap my Fiancée. Hold them anyway."

The Agent saluted and ran back the other way. Who was he to argue with the best psychic in the world?

Derek walked through private waiting room heading to Wayde's room.

His brow furrowed in concentration as he rubbed his temple. Why couldn't he see who it had been who'd tried to kill Wayde!? Why couldn't anyone see it?!

*************

It had been two days, two agonizing days of sitting by her side, holding her hand. Begging her to come back or threatening to have her friends killed if she didn't wake up, then back to soothed honeyed words.

The nurses who came and went all gave him heartfelt glances of sympathy and pity. He was the most powerful person in the world and yet he was left as helpless as a babe while the woman he loved lay unconscious.

It was nearly midnight and Derek had begun to nod off when the machine Wayde was hooked up to gave a little beep.

Derek rubbed his eyes. The machine gave another beep, then another.

Derek turned his and opened the door.

"Nurse." Derek he called out. "Nurse!!"

Two nurses came running down the hallway and into the room.

"The machine was beeping. What's wrong?!" Derek asked.

The nurses didn't answer but went about pressing buttons on the machines and checking tubes in Wayde's body.

Derek ran his hands threw his disheveled hair.

"Well?!" He shouted.

One of the nurses looked up with a smile. "She's coming out of it."

Derek looked down at Wayde's face. He then collapsed back into his chair. He reached a hand out to her face just as her eyes opened.

"Derek." she whispered.

Derek's hands shook as he clasped each side of her face. Tears spilling from his eyes he leaned over and kissed her gently.

Derek smiled when he realized that it was the first time he'd ever kissed her in this life time.

Wayde looked around her. "Where, where am I?"

"You were shot Wayde. Don't worry, you're alright now."

"Shot?" Wayde licked her lips. "Thirsty."

"I'll bring some water." One of the nurses said.

"What happened?" Wayde demanded again.

Derek rested his finger on her lips. "Shh…you're still very weak. Don't worry about anything just yet."

"Sire?"

Derek raised his head to see Dr. Morris in the doorway with her hands on her hips.

"I know you're very glad to see you fiancée back in the land of the living...but as my patient, I do have to make sure she's alright."

Derek pulled back while wiping the tears from his face. He nodded to Dr. Morris.

"Of course Dr. But don't make it too long."

He leaned over and kissed Wayde's temple.

"Rest easy sweating."

Copyright 2000, Charmeye.