It's been a while I know and i'm sorry. But I had finals and ou couldn't believe the amount of studying I had, I just couldn't update. But the good news is schoolis now over so updates will be quicker *Dances* finally.

So this chapter's song is Without You by My Darkest Days...I love it.

Vote,Comm, Enjoy :D 

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Kenzie's P.O.V.

"Kenzie!" Claire explained jumping on the stairs to give me a hug "I missed you"

"I was only gone a day Claire" I mused and she pulled away and shook her head at me

"it was a very long day, Charles kept picking on me"

"Don't worry, I'll talk to him" I said carrying her as I walked up the stairs to their room. Lucy and charles were there and they both grinned and waved when I got in. I sat beside them as they played and told me about their day. We sat there for a while before there was a knock on the door.

Lux came in with a grin on her face "Boy do I have a surprise for you" she said with a wink and the kids immediately put all their attention on her. "Get your swimsuits guys we're going to the lake for a barbecue"

The kids all jumped with a scream and started running around the room grabbing their stuff. I stood up, there wasn't anything I could do now so might as well leave.

"Not so fast" Lux said "First,you're going with us...no buts" she said when I started to interrupt "You'll borrow one of my swim suits and after that, I'm going to teach you how to kick a--" she stopped when she noticed the kids looking at her "booty"

"come on, Kenzie. Please go with us" Claire said with an adorable pout

"Yeah Kenzie pretty, pretty please" Lucy added and I saw Lux grin at me from behind them. I sighed, I just couldn't say no to them.

"Alright" I said and they grinned at me before going back to collecting their stuff. I looked to see a grinning Lux and added "I'm not wearing a swim suit. I'm just going to watch over the kids"

Lux shrugged "I'll take what I can get for now" she winked at me "See you there"

I sighed and turned towards the kids and took the stuff they forgot, like sunscreen. I carried the bag for the kids and they followed me to the back of the house and spotted the lake not very far from it. It was huge and people were already swimming and laughing as some made barbecue and the smell was mouth-watering.

The kids immediately took of their clothes they wore over their bathing suits and jumped in the water. I sighed and then turned as i heard my name being called. I looked and saw Cameron calling me and gesturing to the seat beside him and the others on their picnic table. I sighed seeing Chase right next to the seat I was about to sit in.

I kept looking over at where the kids where, scared one of them would get in trouble "Calm down Kenzie, There are adults all around them and they're excellent swimmers" Lux said and I forced my eyes to tear away from the kids.

I looked at Lux and smiled at how gorgeous she looked just in a simple white summer dress, Damon apparently agreed with me, with the way he was looking at her, like she was the only girl in the world.

I heard a scream looked to see one of the people Lux introduced me to, Zach I think, carry his girlfriend Whitney and jump with her in his arms in the lake. 

"Pfft, amateurs" I heard Shane say and turned to him "Wanna show them how to really do a cannonball" he looked towards his brother and his brother grinned and nodded. They both jumped up from their seats and sprinted towards the lake, taking their shirts off on the way.

I gasped as Shane stopped just a few feet away from the pool and knelt on the floor while Cameron  ran from behind him and jumped off his back towards the lake, he pulled his knees to his chest and fell in the lake making water splash around on almost everyone close to the lake.

Lux stood up and clapped "Ten points" she announced and then turned to Damon "I'm going to go swim a bit, wanna come with?"

"Nah, you go ahead" he said and pulled her to him for a kiss before letting her go. Lux smiled and turned around, pulling her dress over her head to reveal her bikini. I gasped as I saw several long scars across her back, whatever caused these was sure to have hurt a lot.

My eyes met Damon's as I noticed him looking at me with narrowed eyes. All traces of the nice, funny, loving guy were gone and instead his eyes were hard and challenging and filled with protectiveness, as if he was daring me to say something about Lux's scars, with fearful consequences if I did. I heard a growl and looked at Chase just to see him glaring at Damon. The two kept staring at each other as if they were communicating silently before Chase sighed and turned to me.

"Sorry about that, he's just protective of Lux. He hates anyone mentioning her scars in fear they'd bring back bad memories" I nodded trying not to think that it was the first time Chase talked to me since the kiss. He knew I was avoiding him, it was obvious.

"Food is ready" Taylor yelled as everyone started swarming around the grill to get their food and I was surprised and what most put in their plates. The plates were literally stacked with burgers and steaks, and not just the guys but the girls as well even though they were all thin.

I saw Chase walk over to me with a plate in hand "Here" he said "so you don't have to wait to get some food" he gave me a plate that's also filled completely 

"I can't eat all of that" I said, I was fat enough as it is I did not need more food. He frowned and looked at the plate again

"It's not much, look just eat what you can okay?"

I sighed and nodded and he put the plate in front of me. He looked like he was about to say something before I saw the kids running towards us. They started telling me of everything they did while swimming and Chase sighed before he left.

I ended up eating about two pieces as I watched everyone having fun conversations, occasionally adding a few comments of my own. They didn't keep me out of the conversation, which was new to me. Everyone kept asking my opinion and joking with me, something that never happened back home.

"Can we swim now, Kenzie?" Claire asked with the adorable pout she'd been giving me ever since she finished eating. I looked at my watch and saw it has been an hour since she ate. 

"Yes you can go swim now Claire" I said and she squealed and went to Charles and Lucy to tell them before they all jumped in the lake. 

"Can I have your attention" I heard Damon's voice say. He was standing near the table we were all sitting on. "I have an announcement to make"

Everyone surprisingly listened and stopped talking, focusing on him. Damon grabbed Lux by the waist and pulled her to him and placed a kiss placing a kiss on her temple.

"Since we're all gathered here, we thought its the perfect time to tell you something." He said and then beamed at everyone "Lux, my amazing fiance" He placed a hand on Lux's stomach "Is pregnant"  

Cheers erupted and I could see the happiness on people's faces. It was a huge house but it was obvious they were all a family. I saw the Jason Hug Lux and the twins jumping around her and bickering about something. But my eyes of course went to Chase as he hugged her, she whispered something in his ear and he pulled away with a roll of his eyes.

I walked over to Lux and as soon as she saw me she beamed "Congratulations" I said grinning 

"Thanks" she said putting a hand to her stomach "it was a surprise, but a good surprise"

"I'll say" Damon said once again wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, it was obvious he couldn't not touch her. "Pretty soon you'll be Mrs. Lytton too, my life is absolutely perfect now. All because you're in it"

Lux turned around in his arms and looked up at him "Well it would be hard without me I men, I'd like to see you try to make a baby by yourself" Lux teased and I turned away feeling as if I was looking in on something private.

"Celebratory drink" I heard Shane say as he handed me a punch glass Cameron standing beside him "I'm going to be godfather"

"He's just joking we both know I'm going to be godfather" Cameron interjected and Shane rolled his eyes. I put my punch cup on the table beside me after taking a sip

"he's an idiot don't listen to him" Shane told me "You know I haven't seen you have fun since we met" I shrugged and he added "Well that won't do will it Cameron?"

"It sure won't" Cameron said and they both looked at each other with mischievous grins. I took a step back as they looked at me

"What are you--"

"Cannonball" They screamed interrupting me. Suddenly Cameron threw me over his shoulder and ran to the lake and then threw me in as soon as he was close to it.

I can't swim The words were almost out of my mouth when I felt my body hit the cold water, I instantly started kicking my legs and flailing my arms in panic. I was swallowing water and I felt myself get weaker and weaker as I struggled. I was so panicked, trying to swim that I didn't feel the muscled arm wrapping around my waist and leading me to the edge of the lake.

I felt myself being lifted and placed on a solid ground, I struggled to breath as a coughing fit took over, water escaping my lips as I desperately tried to regain my breathing. Once the coughing stopped I slumped on the ground, faintly aware of my name being calling.

"Kenzie, kenzie open your eyes for me" Chase's familiar voice reached "She's not answering Miranda I'm going to give her CPR"

I forced my heavy eyelids to open and looked up to see a woman looking on me and then my eyes found Chase who looked panicked, and worried.

"Oh thank god" Chase said letting out a breath "Thank god"

The woman turned my head so I can face her and told me put a finger in front of my eyes and told me to follow her finger as she moved it from one side to the other.

"Okay that's good, can you tell me your name?"

"Ken.." I started but found it hard to talk "K-kenzie T-tatum"

"Okay Kenzie, can you tell me what day it is?"

"S-saturday"

"Okay she's stable and responsive. Now Kenzie you need to rest today, and you might cough a lot due to the water you swallowed but other than that you'll be fine."

As soon as the woman moved away I was immediately lifted from the floor by someone and carried bridal-style, and I didn't need to look to know it was Chase, I felt it. I noticed he was tense his posture stiff as he walked me inside to the house and sat in the living room on the couch with me on his lap.

His arms were tight around me in protective manner as he buried his face in my hair and took deep breaths. I basked in the warmth and protection emitted from his embrace.

Chase finally pulled away and brought my face up, he searched my face and then let his eyes roam over my body, feeling me but not in an erotic way, more like as a reassurance that I wasn't hurt, that I was here. His eyes went back to my face and he leaned his forehead against mine "You scared me to death" he whispered burying his face back in my hair. And just like that I was snapped to reality.

I tried to break free of his hold but it wouldn't loosen as I struggled. "Don't fight him" I heard a familiar voice say from the doorway, I looked up at Lux and she was looking at me and Chase "He needs this now, Kenzie. He needs to know you're okay."

"B-but"

"No questions" Damon said as he walked behind Lux and wrapped his arms around her waist "Just let him hold you, believe me I know" He glanced at Lux " After what just happened, he just can't let you go" and with that they both turned and walked away.

"Chase" I said softly once they were gone and he pulled his face away to look at me and the words I was about to say died on my lips as I saw the pained expression in his eyes, the fear.

"My heart literally stopped when I saw you fighting to stay above the water" he said in a hoarse voice "Please just...just tonight" his voice broke "Stay with me, just tonight"

I should've said no, I knew that. I wanted to stay away from Chase and staying with him wasn't exactly fulfilling that mission. But I just couldn't say no to him, not with the way his eyes pleaded me. I gently nodded and he sighed in relief before carrying me again and walking me up the steps. 

Before I knew it we were in his room, and he set me gently on the bed, as if I was some treasure, before he climbed in with me. And as he circled his arms around me and pulled me to him, the exhaustion finally hit me and I found my eyes drifting closed, somehow knowing that this would be the most peaceful sleep I'd ever have.