I don't own any of the characters…rub it in!

Chapter 1: Music Hides the Pain

Casey lied down on her bed and bobbed her head to the music that was coming out of her stereo. The door began to shake as someone was trying to get inside. Casey finally got up and swung the door open. "What do you want Derek?" she said with one hand on the door knob and the other on her hip. "I want you to lower your music because I can't hear myself think!" Derek said with a sarcastic smile as he pushed Casey aside and lowered the music.

Casey stormed towards him and raised the volume. "My room, my music. If I want the music loud its going to be loud no matter if you like it or not." Derek sarcastically laughed while grabbing the stereo and then walked out of the room. Casey let out a grunt and followed him to the room.

"Please give me my stereo back." Casey asked as she stuck out her hand. Derek handed the stereo and then smiled. "Here. Just don't put it so loud please!" he asked as he jumped on his bed and then breathed in deeply. Casey looked at him for a moment and then walked inside her room. She placed the stereo on her dresser and she jumped on her bed. Her eyes glanced at a picture of her and Sam. Casey closed her eyes and then laid her face down on the pillow. Why did he break up with me? Casey thought as tears began to form on the rim of her eyes and her hand knocked down the picture.

Derek looked at the picture of the family and he smiled. His fingers lightly touched Casey in the picture and he retrieved his hand. Why am I acting this way? he thought as he got up from his bed and walked out of his room towards Casey's room. He knocked on the door and waited for her to open.

"Leave me alone!" Casey shouted. Derek opened the door and closed it behind him. He walked towards the bed and sat down on the edge. "What point of leave me alone did you not get." her voice was muffled because of the pillow. She slowly got up and wiped her tears, still not looking at the person who had entered her room. Derek remained quite and looked at Casey. When she finally turned to find Derek at the edge of her bed, she rolled her eyes and sniffed. "Are you here to make fun of me? Make me do something for you? Ruin my life?" she said as she bent her knees in front of her face and hid her face in between.

"I am here for you." Derek said softly as he looked at Casey and then at the floor. He could hear Casey shuffle and put her head up. Derek looked up at Casey and saw her sitting right next to him. Tears began to fall down her face as she sniffed again and then looked at Derek. "What's wrong Casey?" he asked.

Casey had burst out in tears and she leaned on Derek's shoulder. Derek looked down at Casey and wrapped his arms around her. "He dumped you didn't he?" she asked as he let her fingers go through her hair and then he looked at the picture on the ground. Derek sighed as she looked up at him and nodded. Derek wiped her tears and then slowly got up and looked at the picture of Sam and Casey. She looked so beautiful in the picture. Her eyes sparkled and her smile made his stomach flutter. Derek shook his head lightly and placed the picture face down on her side table.

Derek walked towards the door and then looked back at Casey. "I'll be right back. I need to do something." he said as she walked to his room and grabbed his phone. He pressed a number and then the talk button. A ringing sound came out of the receiver and then a teenage boy's voice.

"Hello"
"Sam…its Derek."

"Oh what's up D?"

"You broke up with her. And you didn't tell me"
"Um…I couldn't. I thought you would kill me"
"Well guess what? I found out anyways. And now your going to regret breaking her heart." Derek pressed the end button and placed the phone on the charger. He walked into Casey's room and shut the door. Casey sniffed and then looked at Derek. "What did you do?" she asked as she slowly got up and wiped her tears. Derek smiled and gave her a reassuring look. He placed his hand on her arm and she motioned her downstairs towards the kitchen. When they both got there, Derek took out some orange juice and strawberries. He poured the orange juice in the glass and gave it to Casey with the strawberries.

"I've heard that girls like to eat a lot of sweets when they are sad. But since your not normal I shall give you sweet healthy fruits." he said with a small laugh and then smiled. He looked at Casey and she had a small smile on her face. She picked up a strawberry and popped it in her mouth. "I talked to Sam and let him know that I am going to kill him tomorrow at school." he said as he grabbed a strawberry and popped it in his mouth. Casey looked at him and then swallowed the strawberry.

"Why would you do that?" she said as she took a sip of the orange juice and placed it down on the counter.
"Because…you're my stepsister and I told him that if he broke your heart I would break him." he said with a smirk and then winked at Casey. He popped in another strawberry and then chewed it, thinking about Casey. Yea you want to defend her…but there is another reason your doing this. he thought to himself as he glanced at the refrigerator then back at Casey.

"That's nice of you Derek. I didn't think you would do that." she said with a confused smile as she took another sip of the orange juice and swallowed the other piece of strawberry she had in her mouth. Once she had drunk the last piece of orange juice, she got up and put away the strawberries. She let her fingers run through her hair and she walked towards Derek. He was still deep in thought when she had walked behind him. Casey wrapped her arms around him and smiled. "Thanks Derek." she whispered as she headed up the stairs and closed the door to her room. Derek had awoken from his deep thinking trance and smiled. He could feel Casey's arms around him and he got up from the chair and ran to his room. He closed the door behind him and he lied down on his bed again. He covered his face with his hands and he shook his head. What is wrong with me? he thought as he turned off the lights and staired at the ceiling.