Summary: After Max dumps her, Casey wants to change things in her life.

Rating: M. Important: This is for mature audiences only.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything related to the show, actors or characters.

Note: This story loosely follows the series. However, for the storyline to work, Derek and Casey are both 17. Edwin is 15 and Lizzie 14. Marti is 9. Important: In no way do I condone sexual activity for kids under 16. However, I didn't want to make the kids older because it wouldn't work with my storyline. That said, I'm very proud of this and I hope you enjoy and review. I've got seven chapters in the can, but I will tweak them if the reviews dictate.

Thank you and enjoy.

A Slippery Slope

Chapter One: Changing her life

Casey was feeling a lot of things at that moment. Insecurity, restlessness, an unsatisfaction with her life. She was tired of playing it safe.

Max had broken up with her a few weeks earlier, claiming that things "just weren't working out". Casey knew for a fact that he had left her to go back to his ex-girlfriend, Amy. He hadn't said as much, but two days later, she saw them in the hall holding hands. He studiously ignored Casey, instead turning his head the other way. She watched them pass her, not having the energy to make a scene. And why would she? Word around school (courtesy of Emily) was that Max had gone back to Amy to get what Casey wouldn't give him – sex.

After everything they went through, it always came down to one thing – sex. She was tired of the issue coming up again and again. She had a strict code of rules in her life – always be honest (well, as much as you could), try your hardest, be loyal to your family and friends, and no sex before marriage. There were tons more, but these were the biggies.

Now she was sitting dejectedly in her room, pondering her life and what she wanted to do with it. This break-up shouldn't be affecting her as much as it was. She was strong, she could deal with it. After all, she got through her break-up with Sam, and there were many more emotions in that relationship. Hell, she and Sam were better friends now than when they were together. Funny how that works sometimes.

Now that she looks back on it, she believes that the demise of her relationship with Sam also had to do with sex. Oh, he never out-and-out pressured her, but he certainly would push the envelope. A grope here, a squeeze there…sliding his hand in her shirt…like she wouldn't notice that at the movies! No, she and Sam had parted amicably, and shortly after, he had started serial dating. He was quite the player, more so than Derek, although Derek tended to get more attention for it.

There were two weeks left of her junior year. Next year she would graduate high school, and then go to university. She hadn't decided where yet, but she was entertaining many offers. Her grades were excellent, so she had her choice. Casey still wanted to go into medicine, she just didn't know in what capacity. A surgeon? General practitioner? The field was wide open.

She spied a picture of her family on her desk and picked it up. A lot had changed in the two years they had moved in with the Venturis. The picture was a recent one, taken at a park a few weeks earlier. George and Nora were standing at the back, their arms around each other and big smiles on their faces. Edwin, Lizzie and Marti stood in front of them, Edwin in the middle with his arms around Lizzie and Marti on either side. Casey stood next to her mother with a distracted half-smile on her face, and Derek stood opposite her next to George, his arms crossed trying to look annoyed, but failing miserably.

She studied it closer. Her mother and George looked happier than ever, recently disclosing to the children that they were expecting a baby of their own in the winter. To say she was shocked at first was an understatement: she was furious, then disgusted (I mean, who wants to think of their parents having sex?), then resigned to it. Casey realized how selfish she was being when she observed how happy her parents were about the news. So now, she was totally on board, happily helping them plan the nursery and finishing the room next to their bedroom in the basement.

Her eyes fell on Marti. She was getting so big! As crazy as ever, she was extremely opinionated and outgoing. If she liked you, you were set for life, if not; you had no chance of changing her mind. She was losing her baby fat, along with her baby teeth, and her hair was now past her shoulders.

Lizzie, too, was growing up, gaining inches on Casey everyday, it seemed. She was still a tomboy, but she had taken to wearing light make-up (with the help of Casey) to accentuate her eyes and lips. Nothing dark, just sheer and natural. She was still captain of the soccer team and had many friends. Casey also noticed that Lizzie was starting to receive phone calls from boys at school, but she never seemed that interested in just one. "They're just my friends, Case," was what she would say when Casey would ask.

Casey's eyes moved over to Edwin. He had changed the most. He was as tall as Casey now, with shaggy dark hair that fell over his forehead and his eyes. He had grown out of his "research" days and had joined the track and cross country teams. His body was long and lean and tan from all of his outdoor training. He looked at the camera with a smirk; his dimples prominent in his still-boyish face, despite the trace of stubble on his jaw line.

Casey shuddered a moment, then shook it off. Her eyes drifted to Derek, who looked the same, except his hair was shorter again, finally caving in to George's nagging about getting a haircut. (Think second season) His lips curled in a half sneer/half smile, looking like the king he thinks he is. Casey shook her head slightly, a smile appearing on her lips. She and Derek started off on a bad note (to say the least!), but the years had mellowed both of them – to the point where she would even consider them to be friends. Of course, if she were to say that to Derek he would vehemently deny it and then proceed to pull some awful prank on her to make his point. But Casey knew what few people did: Derek Venturi was a nice guy who had – gasp! – feelings.

Casey's eyes drifted to herself in the picture again. She looked the same. She always looked the same. Her hair pulled back in a ponytail with a sensible cotton shirt (not too low!) and sensible shorts (not too short!). She sighed and put the picture back on the desk. She needed a change, and she needed it now!