It was cold outside, but she could care less. She needed to get out of the house. Away from the noise, the fighting, and most of all Derek. A snow flake landed on her hand and she watched it melt.
Inside the house she could hear Edwin and Liz fighting about something. She hated it when they did that. It sounded like her and Derek sometimes. She shivered and she convinced herself it was because of the cold.
Derek. Just a name. It was more than just that though. Now it was a world. Derek's world. A world with Derek is completely different than one without. It was like an alternate reality.
She heard the voices stop inside and sighed in relief. Now if they could only stay quiet. Like that was likely. She didn't think she had ever had more than a moment of quiet since she had moved in with the Venturi family.
She heard the door behind her open and she sighed. Never more than a moment of silence. Derek sat down beside her. She kept looking forward. Maybe if she ignored him he'd go away.
"Case, why don't you come inside?" he asked and she was surprised by how concerned his voice sounded. She looked at him.
"I don't feel like going inside." She answered and he sighed.
"You should at least put a coat on. It's snowing! You can't just sit out in the snow like this Case!" He said and she glared at him.
"Since when do you care about me at all?" She replied before turning her head to face away from him.
"Look Casey, I don't know if you've noticed, but there are a lot of people in this house and our parents are a little scattered. It's easy for them to over look you since you are the perfect child. I notice though. I've noticed how depressed you've become. You don't even fight with me anymore. It's like you have a little rain cloud over you head. You're no fun to be around. Not that you were before." He said the last part in a whisper and to his surprise she giggled.
"Derek, I wouldn't worry about me if I were you. It's just a phase, I'm sure, Okay?" She pleaded and he sighed.
"You're staying out here, aren't you?" He asked and when she nodded. He sighed agian. "I'll go get our coats."
"Wait our coats?"
"You expect me to leave you out here all by yourself?" She smiled at that. Never a moment of silence and maybe she liked that when it came to Derek. He was always there looking out for her, even if he would never admit it. He cared about her. Maybe he even... NO, Case. Bad thoughts, really Bad thoughts. But when she had said 'You're a good guy Derek Venturi' never had she been more right.
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