disclaimer: I own nothing

Chapter 1: Slip of the Tongue

"Take my hand. Take my whole life too. For I can't help falling in love with you."

Nine-year-old Casey giggled as her mother twirled her around with one hand and stirring the pot on the stove with the other. She had chosen an Elvis Presley c.d. today and sang along to "Only Fools Rush In." After the song ended, Casey hugged her mother's waist and her mother hugged her back.

"I love you baby, don't ever forget that," she said.

"Love you too mommy," Casey replied as they heard a car pull into the driveway.

"Oh God, he's early!" Casey's mother cried, running up the stairs while pulling Casey along.

Casey almost lost her footing countless of times but didn't pause. She knew where she was going and didn't want to go but she knew she had to. Her mother opened the hallway closet and Casey walked in. When she tried to close the door, Casey clasped her hand.

"I don't want you to leave mommy. Please, it's so dark in here. I hate the dark."

"I'm sorry baby, you have too." Her mother stroked Casey's head, kissing her forehead before closing the door and locking it.

Casey sat down on the floor beside the towels and bed sheets that were stored in there. Theoretically, she could open the door and walk out, Drew had taught her how but she didn't dare. He put her in here and only he would bring her out. This was her punishment. Although she hated it, it was better than watching him hit her mother. She loved her mother too much to do anything that would cause her harm. So instead, she sat down, hoping that her daddy would leave soon so she could come out again. She had to go to the bathroom really badly, but she couldn't leave.

"Please leave soon," she begged in a whisper before she clasped her hands around her knees and rocked back and forth. This gave her a bit of comfort as well as help block out the yelling that seeped through the doors.

"Please leave," she begged again…

"Wise men say, only fools rush in. But I can't help falling in love with you," Seventeen-year-old Casey sang as she twirled Marti around.

Marti joined in singing as they both danced around the kitchen. It was early in the morning and only Casey and Marti were awake. They were always the first one up on Saturday mornings and it became a ritual with them to dance to a song. It was usually something by Elvis Presley because Marti had taken a liking to his songs.

Casey felt a tense pain in her chest as she sang the song but pushed it out of her mind. That was in her past and this was now. She loved talking to Marti because her childhood was so much different from her own and tried her best to make Marti the happiest child she could.

Casey always gave Marti her undivided attention. She loved the way Marti acted. She was young, she enjoyed life, didn't have a care in the world and most of all, didn't have to sit in a closet for hours.

She twirled Marti around one more time as the song ended, both were laughing.

"I thought I heard someone up," Lizzie said coming into the kitchen. "What's for breakfast?"

"Pancakes," Casey stated as she turned on the stove. She and Marti had finished mixing the batter just before they started dancing.

"Awesome, then I can work off those calories at taekwondo," Lizzie replied as Edwin came into the kitchen.

"I smell pancakes," he said, sitting down beside Lizzie.

"You smelled right," Marti said, bouncing up and down on her stool, waiting for the pancakes as their parents walked in.

"Good morning," Nora said cheerfully.

"Morning mom, George," Casey said as she placed the pancakes in the middle of the island.

"Dad, don't forget, you're taking me to my first ping-pong match," Edwin said.

"Can I come too?" Marti asked. Many members of the family were curious about Edwin's sudden interest in ping-pong.

"Sure," George replied through his bites.

"And we have to leave soon, mom, to take me to taekwondo," Lizzie told Nora.

"I know."

"And I need new running shoes."

"I know."

"So do I," Edwin said.

"Me too," Marti piped in.

"We'll go shopping after," Nora said.

"Can I just meet you at the store and drop off Edwin and Marti; I need to go to the office this afternoon. I have a big case," George asked Nora.

"That's fine. Maybe we can go out to eat after and then grocery shop. Casey, do you want to come?"

"No thanks, I have homework."

"Oh, right. Could you maybe clean up a bit around the house, it will help me a lot."

"Sure," Casey said.

"Maybe you can get Derek to help too," Nora replied. The entire family stopped talking before they burst into laughter. Derek neither cleaned nor listened to Casey.

"Sure, I'll do that," Casey said. She really didn't want a fight today. It seemed like it was going to be a good day and didn't want to ruin it.

About an hour later, Casey was waving goodbye as each of her family members climbed into their designated cars and drove away. Casey smiled as she closed the door but her smile thinned as she heard stomping from upstairs. Seconds later, Derek banged down the stairs, looking like he just woke up.

Casey gasped. "It's alive! It's alive!"

"Shut-up," Derek retorted. "I smell pancakes."

"Sorry, they're all gone. Maybe next time you'll get some if you wake up at a reasonable hour," Casey said as she began to collect board games that were left in the living room from the night before.

"Ten o'clock is a reasonable time for a Saturday."

"Sure it is," she said, ignoring him as she climbed the stairs.

Derek watched her go. He was angry. He wanted pancakes. This was the tenth time Casey had done this to him, excluded him in a family event. Not that he wanted to spend much time with his family but if they decided to spontaneously begin a game of tackle football in the backyard, he wanted to join, even if it was Casey's idea. Or play a board game that Casey had asked if the other family members wanted to play. Derek was never asked. Okay, it was partly his fault. He didn't seem like the kind of guy that would enjoy such things but he sure would enjoy some pancakes. He felt like Casey was always deliberately excluding him from things and wanted to get back at her. Teach her a lesson to not mess with him.

Without thinking things through, Derek quietly followed Casey upstairs. He saw her still in the games' closet, her back to him as she put away the games. Quickly, he turned off the light and closed the door, locking it just as Casey banged on the other side.

"Derek!" she screeched. "Let me out!"

"Maybe next time you'll make extra pancakes," he called back as he quickly changed clothes and left to go to the mall. He knew no one was in the house but they would only be gone for an hour and Casey would be let out. He knew he would probably get the grounding of his life when Casey was freed but he didn't turn back. Casey would tell his dad anyways and he would still be in trouble. At least this way, he would enjoy his freedom a bit more.

'Breathe, just breathe.' Casey instructed herself as she sat in the small dark games' closet. Her mind didn't register that this was the games' closet and that she could turn on the light. She was imagining the small hallway closet that she lived in for the first nine years of her life. She was back there, waiting for either mommy to let her out and sing and dance or daddy to let her out and yell at her or hurt her mother. Casey began to silently rock back and forth, humming in her head because she didn't dare make a sound.

'Cause I can't help falling in love with you,' she thought over and over.

---

Derek looked at his watch. It had been five hours since he left Casey stuck in the games' closet. He figured that was enough time for his dad and Nora to calm down and give him a reasonable punishment. He let himself in and called out but only silence welcomed him. Puzzled, he looked around the bottom floor and couldn't find anyone.

"Anyone home?" he asked.

It then daunted on him that Lizzie mentioned yesterday about needing new running shoes. Worried, he took the stairs two at a time, running to the games' closet. He prayed that Casey wasn't still in there. Five hours stuck in a closet would drive anyone crazy.

He slowly opened the door, seeing a pale face Casey sitting still. Her legs were bent and her arms were wrapped around them. Derek could clearly see her white knuckles as she clutched her hands tightly. She looked like a ghost, completely paralyzed with fear.

"Casey?" Derek said, crouching down in front of her.

"I'm sorry daddy. I promise I won't mention Drew ever again. Please let me out," she whispered.

"What? Casey, what are you talking about?"

"Please let me out, please it's so dark!" she cried, rocking back and forth.

"Casey! Casey it's okay!" Derek said.

He was completely confused but more frightened. He had never seen anyone act like this, especially his strong spirited stepsister. Not knowing what else to do, he shook her shoulder but she began to scream.

"No! Please! Stop it! Daddy stop! Don't hurt mommy!" she screamed, pushing Derek away, jumping up and running out of the closet. She collapsed after a few steps because she hadn't moved her legs from their position in such a long time. Hitting the staircase, she tumbled down the stairs.

At this time, the rest of the Macdonald-Venturi clan walked in the door, seeing Casey fall.

"Stop it! Stop it please! I won't say his name anymore! I promise. Just STOP!" she screamed.

Nora dropped the bags that she was carrying and lunched for Casey, pulling the girl into her arms.

"Annie it's okay! Annie listen to me, it's okay. He's not here. He's not here," she repeated. She whispered soothing words as Casey calmed down.

Only when Casey pulled away, coming back to the present that they both realized that they created a scene. Casey looked at Lizzie, making a silent connection. They had to push Casey's behaviour out of the spotlight. Doing the only thing she could thing of, Casey blurted,

"Derek locked me in the games' closet for hours."

As she hoped, everyone looked at Derek.

"Derek how could you do something so cruel?" Nora gasped, following Casey's lead.

Derek wasn't paying attention. As his father and Nora gave him a lecture and punishment, all he could think of was what happened. Why the hell did Nora call Casey, 'Annie'? And why was she begging for someone to stop? Something was going on, and he wanted to know the answer.

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