Wayde closed her bedroom door after her new maid had left.

She glanced around, after nearly a month in the hospital, her room really did feel like home.

She rubbed the head of her cat Ginger when he jumped up on the blue settie.

She walked into her room, her bed to her left, hidden inside the small alcove. On her right, her private dinning room and kitchen. She loved these rooms, they were hers, and a place to hide from the world.

It had been two months since she'd first arrived on this world, one month spent in the hospital, and three weeks since she'd last heard or seen from Derek.

She'd heard the rumors on the TV, that he was out and about, even dating again.

Somehow that didn't surprise her, but she felt a tiny..just a tiny little bit of jealousy.

Something was changing in her, she could feel it, in the way she talked to people. The way she walked around her new home.

The dreams were more interesting now, she had more controll in them. She was able to watch entire conversations between Kate and Thimothy. She was begenning to understand Derek a bit better.

Well, his former life, anyways.

Wayde opened her doors onto the balcony that looked over the green lawn and garden.

She smiled and waved to her staff working in the garden. She was going to plan her own party soon, for the staff. They were so helpful, even if they were working for Derek as well.

She sighed.

"Well Ginger," she told her cat. "What do we do now?"

The cat meowed a response that sounded like, 'Food!' Wayde smiled, "Nope, already fed you this morning Mr Tubby."

Behind her she had switched the TV on to find our the weather forcast, when suddenly her ears perked up.

"...and it sems he has. The Prime Oracle, has recently been attending local parties in the presense of different women. Miss Wells, having recovered from her life threatening ordel, is no where in sigh. This is understandable since their engagement was broken off late last month."

Wayde snapped the TV off.

Something was coiling in her stomach.

So, while she had been in the hospital bored out of her mind and thinking Derek was just as misserable as she was, he wasn't!!

He was already out playing the field again!

Ginger looked up at Wayde questionly.

"Well then, good for him." She snapped.

She looked over to when Ginger was sitting on the table and saw a stack of letters and invitations...hmmm.

"I wonder..." A smile lifted the corner of her lips.

Wayde quickly walked over to call one of her maids.

"Two can play at this game." She muttered.

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

Derek rubbed the back of his neck.

It had taken forever to get ride of Claudia, who had managed to stay until...he glanced at the clock, 4:30am.

Derek threw his jacket on the floor and his shoes went flying too. He landed onto his bed, heaved a huge sigh and driffted off to sleep.

"Thimothy! What are you doing here?"

Derek smiled, "I came for a kiss."

Wayde jerked back, "Really? I think Miss Kimberly is more interested in your kisses then I!"

Derek felt a blush climb up his neck.

Wayde shrugged her shoulders. "Anyways, I don't care.

Derek lauhged, a rolling sound. "Oh yes you do! You're jealous my dear...and you can only be jealous if you love me."

Wayde hit him with the dust sweaper.

"Go back to your ball your lordship."

Something hit Derek on his head, waking him up from the pleasant dream.

"What the hell are you doing!" he asked his valet.

"Cleaning sire."

"Do it some other time!"

Derek shoved his head back under the covers.

***********

Copyright 2000, Charmeye.