Author's Note: The "car scene", along with the scene is from the Back from Neverland Episode of Dawson's Creek, Season 3.
I've been a rock and I got my fences, I never let them down.
When it comes to love, I keep my senses.
I don't get kicked around.
I shivered once, you broke into my soul.
The damage is done now, I'm out of control.
How did you get to me?
No one else on earth could ever hurt me.
Break my heart the way you do.
No one else on earth was ever worth it,
No one can love me like you.
-- No One Else On Earth, Wynonna Judd
Chapter One
Casey hated going to the mall on Christmas Eve. A simple ten minute drive always turned into a half hour, and a shopping trip that would normally take an hour always ended up taking the entire morning. The shoppers were always frantic, and the cashiers were always grouchy. And yet, for the past three years, she had been forced to partake in the chaos.
"What do you think of this?"
Casey reluctantly turned her attention back to her step-brother, Derek, who was holding up a University of Toronto hockey sweatshirt.
"For Sarah?" she asked, unable to control the grin that spread to her face.
Derek glared at her. "What's wrong with it?"
"Are you really going to spend the sixty dollars you've saved up for her on a sweatshirt?" Casey asked him pointedly.
"So what are you saying?" he asked, tossing the sweatshirt aside. "That I should get her something else?"
"I'm saying you probably shouldn't get your girlfriend and your little brother something from the same store," Casey told him, looking around the sports store.
"But this is easier," Derek said, eyeing the sweatshirt forlornly. "Besides…. What else am I supposed to get her?"
"What does she like, Derek?" Casey said, rolling her eyes.
Derek shrugged. "I dunno…"
Casey stared at him in disbelief. "You've been dating for six months! How can you not know anything about her?"
"Well we don't exactly talk much…" Derek said smugly.
"And suddenly I'm remembering why I never ask you about your personal life," Casey said, shaking her head in disgust.
"Hey," Derek said, his voice growing defensive. "I don't hear her complaining."
Casey let out a short, sarcastic laugh. "That's not saying much."
"Not all of us can be as perfect as Sam," Derek snapped.
"No," Casey told him angrily. "But at least Sam respects me."
Derek laughed bitterly. "Oh really? How many times has he tried to get in your pants, Casey? And let me tell you something. I'm not the only one on the hockey team who knows that you won't give it up."
Derek's entire expression changed the moment the words flew out of his mouth, but it was too late. The damage had been done.
"You're lying," Casey said softly, her voice beginning to falter.
Already she was beginning to picture Sam in the locker room, telling the entire hockey team that his girlfriend was a tease. Or a prick. Neither was too flattering. And if the entire hockey team knew….
Suddenly it felt like she had the wind knocked out of her. All she wanted to do was to get out of the store, out of the mall… but somehow, her feet were weighted to the ground, unable to move at all.
"Okay," a familiar voice interrupted from behind, breaking the silence. "What'd we miss?"
It was only when she turned around to face Edwin and Lizzie that not only did the entire hockey team know about her sex life, but the entire sports store knew as well.
And so she did what any normal sixteen year old girl in her position would do.
She ran.
Derek ran his fingers through his hair in frustration as he watched Casey run out of the store.
"Damnit!" He exclaimed angrily, kicking the display table.
Lizzie rounded on him almost immediately. "What did you do!"
Derek instinctively took a step backwards. It wasn't often that Lizzie got truly angry at him, but when she did, she could give Casey a run for her money.
"Nothing!" He responded automatically.
"Nothing!" Lizzie said, moving towards him angrily. "You're honestly telling me that you have no idea why my sister just ran out of here crying!"
Edwin grabbed Lizzie's arms, pulling her away from him. "Let's save the killing each other for when we're not in public, eh?"
"Fine," Lizzie snapped, wriggling free from Edwin's hold.
"Where are you going?" Derek asked as Lizzie began to march towards the front of the store.
Lizzie glared at him. "I'm going to find my sister."
They found her an hour later, after they had given up the search. Lizzie had searched every girls bathroom in the entire mall, Derek and Edwin had searched all the stores. It was only when Lizzie called her cell did she pick up, informing them that she was on her way home.
And so they found her walking on the side of the rode, about a mile and a half away from the mall, in the freezing cold, tears streaming down her face.
Derek slowed down, ignoring the angry honks of the cars swerving around him as he pulled off onto the embankment.
"Stay in the car," he told Lizzie, who was in the process of unbuckling her seatbelt.
Before she could open her mouth to protest, Derek was out of the car, running up to Casey, who had quickened her pace.
"Go away Derek," Casey snapped at him, hastily wiping her eyes.
"Not until you get in the car," Derek said firmly.
Casey sped up, shoving her hands in her pockets. "No."
"Casey," he said, grabbing her by the elbow. "It's freezing cold outside. It's ten miles to home, and if you don't get in the car, I'm just going to follow you the rest of the way."
"Why can't you just leave me alone!" Casey exclaimed furiously, rounding on him. "God, it isn't enough just to hurt me. No, you have to humiliate me. I don't know why I should expect anything different from you. I hate you."
"You know," Derek said angrily, his temper rising. "Despite what you may think, I didn't mean to tell you about Sam."
"Well," Casey spat at him sarcastically. "Finding ways to hurt me must be one of your few god-given talents, then."
"Casey," he said, closing his eyes and breathing in deeply, forcing himself to calm down. "You can hate me all you want. Just please, Get in the car."
Shooting him a look of utmost loathing, Casey stalked past him towards the direction of the van.
"So," Derek said as they got out of the car. "Am I to take it from your angry silence that you are no longer speaking to me?"
"Nope," Casey said shortly, slamming the door shut.
"And how long do you plan on keeping this up?"
"How does indefinitely sound, Derek?" Casey said, shoving numerous shopping bags into his hands.
"We're, uh… going to see if Nora needs help with anything," Edwin said quickly, pulling Lizzie by the arm and quickly exiting the garage.
"Believe me," Derek said as Casey slammed the door behind them. "This whole silent treatment thing sounds extremely appealing. But it's Christmas Eve, 'Case."
Casey pulled open the door to the kitchen so hard that Derek staggered backwards, dropping half the shopping bags in the middle of the doorway.
"Well you should have thought about that before you decided to humiliate me," she retorted, bending down to pick up her bags.
They stepped through the doorway, freezing instantly at Marti's high-pitched giggle. Groaning simultaneously, they looked up at the mistletoe, hanging directly above them.
"You're caught under the mistletoe!" Marti exclaimed gleefully, looking as though Santa Clause had come early.
Derek abruptly stepped forward. "Smarti…" he begged. "If you let Casey and I through, I'll give you your Christmas present early."
"It's the rules!" Marti said, shaking her head and crossing her arms stubbornly. "If you don't kiss Casey, I'll tell Nora!"
"Smarti…" Derek tried again, but he knew it was no use.
"Kiss Casey right now!" Marti demanded, screaming loud enough to bring the entire family back into the kitchen.
"Mart, what on earth…" George asked, trailing off when he looked up at Derek and Casey, stranded in the doorway.
"Mom," Casey said, stepping past Derek. "There is no way I'm kissing Derek."
"Aww… come on," Nora said encouragingly. "Maybe a peck on the cheek will put the two of you in the Christmas spirit."
Casey glared at her, her arms folding across her chest defensively. "I would rather kiss a cockroach."
"My sentiments exactly," Derek added, attempting to make his way across the kitchen.
"No one in this family has been exempt from the tradition, Derek," George said severely, stepping in front of him. "You and Casey are no exception."
"It's a stupid kiss!" Derek exclaimed, annoyed.
Marti stomped her feet, growing impatient. "Kiss Casey right now!"
"Fine," Derek snapped furiously, turning around.
Without another word, he marched up to Casey and kissed her full on the lips.
Casey was too shocked to do anything but let him.
A part of her, the logical part, was screaming at her to pull away. There was something alarming and definitely not right about kissing her step-brother in the middle of the kitchen, surrounded by her family. But another part of her couldn't push him away, and before she even realized it, she was kissing him back.
And when they eventually did break apart, all Casey knew was that she hadn't wanted it to end.