Thanks for the Awesome reviews! I'm glad you like it so far. And to be honest... I don't even know exactly where I'm going with this... I just got the idea and decided to roll with it.
Here is the second chapter. I hope you like this one as well. And I know Casey is really creepy... she actually scares me a little too. Haha. But things will get better...
Chapter 2
Nightmare Casey
"There is no way I can go to these classes." Derek spoke aloud as he stared at his class schedule with a frown. After the failed conversation with Casey, he'd decided to go back to his locker to see if anything in there could be of some aid to his confusion but all he'd found were some textbooks and a class schedule. He almost fainted when he realized he was in all the smart classes.
"Derek, what are you doing in the halls? Aren't you supposed to be in Science right now?"
Derek turned around to see Paul Greeby, the school guidance counsellor standing there with a puzzled expression on his face.
"Paul?" Derek answered with an equally puzzled face. "How do you know my schedule?"
"Well I am your guidance counsellor; I have been for three years now." Paul smiled as he took a step forward.
Derek shook his head, "I've only talked to you a couple of times in those three years. Casey is that one that has to visit you every week."
Paul raised an eyebrow, "Casey? You mean your stepsister that enjoys making your life miserable everyday?"
Derek groaned as he ran his hands through his hair, "Let me guess... in this messed up reality thing that I have somehow been pulled into, I am the one that needs psychotherapy everyday?"
"It's not psychotherapy..." Paul said as he took another step towards Derek. His face filled with concern. "Are you feeling all right, Derek?"
"Yes!" Derek snapped irritably. "I am feeling fine! It's the rest of you that have gone crazy!"
Paul closed the distance between them as he placed a hand on Derek's shoulder and looked into his eyes, "Would you like to talk?"
Derek pulled away from him with a scowl, "I am not crazy. All I know is that when I woke up this morning my life was turned upside down."
Paul folded his arms across his chest, "How so?"
Derek shook his head, "Never mind. You wouldn't understand. I barely understand."
"I'd like to try." Paul smiled sympathetically.
Derek turned away from him and slammed his locker door shut, "I have to go."
"To class?"
"Yeah right," Derek laughed. "There is no way I could go to those classes. That's Casey's thing. Not mine."
"Then where are you going?"
"Anywhere but here. I need to figure out what is going on." Derek said as he began to walk away.
"Derek, you're not aloud to leave the school premises."
"Watch me." Derek snapped and continued down the hall towards the exit.
"Derek, you could be suspended and I know you don't want that on your record."
Derek laughed, "A suspension is the least of my worries right now, and besides, it wouldn't be the first one on my record."
"Derek!" Paul called after him but Derek ignored him as he hurried out the door with a wave of his hand.
# # #
Derek sighed as he made his way up the steps to his house and opened the door. He'd been gone the whole day trying to figure out what was going on with him but came up with no answers. After making a stop at the mall to pick out a new wardrobe, Derek decided that he'd better head home before his Dad and Nora got worried. That is if they even cared... He had no idea what to expect from them in this new reality.
"Smerek, you're home!" An excited Marti cried as she jumped into her brother's arms when Derek opened the door.
"Hey, Smarti, at least you still seem to be the same." Derek smiled as he held his little sister.
"Derek!" Nora exclaimed as she ran from the kitchen with a potato peeler in her hand. "George! George, he's back!" She shouted up the stairs.
Derek's father emerged at the top of the stairs and stared down at his son with fret in his eyes.
"Derek, where have you been? Are you alright? Did something happen?" George asked as he sprinted down the steps and stopped in front of his son. His eyes widened when he noticed his son's appearance had changed. "Derek, what are you wearing?"
"I... uh... went shopping. I needed new clothes." Derek answered, avoiding looking into his father's eyes.
George frowned, "You went shopping?"
Derek nodded, "That's what I just said."
George looked taken aback and his frown was replaced by a look of concern, "Are you feeling alright, Son?"
Derek snorted, "I have no idea... And since when do you call me Son?"
"Your school called today and said you hadn't attended any of your classes..."
Derek nodded, "That's because they weren't my classes."
"What are you talking about?"
"And this isn't my house." Derek said with wide eyes as he noticed for the first time that his house had been completely re-decorated. It reminded him of the time that the McDonald's had tried to make their home a little more feminine and had gotten rid of their couch and put the TV in the basement.
"Of course this is your house, Derek. It has been since we moved in here three years ago."
Derek let out a groan as he made his way towards the stairs, "Just never mind!"
"Where are you going? We are still talking to you."
"I'm going to bed. Maybe if I fall back asleep this nightmare will be over." Derek snapped as he made his way up the stairs, ignoring the protests from his father and Nora.
Derek was about to walk into his room when he remembered that it wasn't his room. In this reality, Casey had his room. Just like she pretty much had his life.
How did this happen? Derek wondered as he stared at the purple door in front of him. Loud music was blaring from behind the door and he had to admit that the music wasn't that bad. Casey listens to cool music?
"Derek, what are you doing?"
Derek spun around at the familiar voice of his younger stepsister and his jaw dropped at the sight before him. She was wearing a very low cut red tank top, a black leather mini skirt, fish net stockings, high heels, and her face was covered in makeup. She was definitely not the fourteen-year-old girl he used to know. She looked like a... He didn't even want to say the word.
"Lizzie?" He sputtered out in disbelief.
"Uh... yeah..." She replied with her hands on her hips. "What is your problem?"
Derek shook his head as he closed his eyes and reopened them again, "W...what are you wearing?"
"Uh... clothes..." She rolled her eyes at him.
"You call those clothes, they're barely covering you!"
"Yeah, that's kind of the whole point. How else am I supposed to get Jamie to notice me?"
"Uh... I thought he already liked you...?"
"Are you kidding me?" Lizzie scoffed. "He hardly even notices I exist."
"Well showing off your body isn't the right way to get any guy's attention." Derek said as he slowly approached her. "So, please, go put on some clothes that actually cover you up."
"You can't tell me what to do!" Lizzie yelled at him.
"Do Casey and your mother know that you are dressed this way?"
"Casey is the one that told me to dress like this and my mom could really care less. She's too focussed on trying to please your father."
Derek was shocked, "What do you mean Casey told you to dress like this? Casey would kill you if she ever saw you like this."
"What is with all the shouting outside my door? I am trying to listen to music." Casey suddenly appeared from behind Derek with a very irritated look on her face.
"Derek is trying to get me to change my clothes." Lizzie glared at him as she spoke to her older sister.
Casey noticed Derek standing there and raised a brow, "Derek... I'm surprised with you. Skipping a whole day of school, telling the guidance councillor off, and then returning home just before dinner... And what gives you the right to tell my sister what to do? I thought we had an agreement?"
"What agreement?"
"You Venturis stay out of our lives and we stay out of yours." Lizzie answered.
Derek rolled his eyes, "Are you serious? You're actually going to let your fourteen-year-old sister go out of the house dressed like a skank?"
"That's her problem, not mine." Casey shrugged.
Derek couldn't believe it. Could this Casey get any worse? Not caring about him was one thing... But not caring about her little sister was something else... The Casey he knew loved her younger sister and always wanted the best for her. She would never let Lizzie dress inappropriately or act the way this Lizzie was behaving. She really was evil.
"Yeah, well it should be your problem." Derek glared at Casey. "She's your little sister."
Casey took a threatening step towards him with menacing eyes glowering at him, "I don't know what has gotten into you today but you better snap out of it or you will regret it."
Derek turned away from her and addressed Lizzie with a serious expression, "Your sister may not care about you but I do, so go change now."
Lizzie stood there for a moment and stared at Derek with a puzzled expression. Just when he thought she was going to argue with him some more she suddenly let out a huff of breath and walked back into her room, slamming the door behind her.
Derek let out a sigh of relief and was about to walk into his own bedroom when he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and turn him around.
"You know, you've got some nerve trying to tell my sister how to dress, considering you're in a complete new wardrobe as well." Casey scoffed as she looked him over with narrowed eyes. "A leather jacket? Are you serious?"
"This is how I always dress... at least where I used to live..." He added as an after thought. "So you better just get used to it." And with that, Derek turned around and walked into his bedroom closing the door in Casey's stunned face.
# # #
"Dinner is ready!" Derek heard Nora's voice call from downstairs while he was pacing the bedroom that wasn't his. He stopped and let out a frustrated sigh as he opened the door and caught sight of his brother coming down from the attic.
"Hey, Ed, tell Dad I'm not coming down for dinner."
Edwin eyed his older brother with a look of concern, "You feeling alright, bro? I heard you skipped a whole day of school today... and... what are you wearing?"
Derek groaned with irritation, "Look, just do as I say, ok?"
Edwin seemed taken aback by his brother's tone of voice, "Derek, seriously... What is wrong with you today? You haven't been yourself... And since when do you think you can order me around like a dog?"
"I always order you around. It's how our relationship works."
Before Edwin could open his mouth to say something, George's voice hollered up the stairs this time.
"Kids, dinner, now!"
"Could you just tell him for me?" Derek looked at his brother with desperation.
Edwin sighed, "Fine. But I am only doing this once."
"Atta boy!" Derek smirked as he ruffled his brother's hair.
"I doubt Dad will be very pleased with this though. You've already angered him enough with the school thing today." Edwin replied as he swatted Derek's hand away and headed towards the stairs.
Derek made his way back into the bedroom and closed the door. He sat down on the edge of the bed and let his head fall into his hands as he leaned forward with his elbows resting on his knees.
"What am I supposed to do?" He questioned out loud. "I have to admit, I want my life back to the way it was. I actually miss it."
There was a sudden knock on the bedroom door that startled Derek from his thoughts and made him jump up from the bed in surprise.
"Derek, I need to speak with you." His father's voice spoke from out in the hallway.
"Ok... Come in then." Derek replied as he sat back down on the bed and leaned against the head rest like he usually did when his father needed to speak with him. "What's up?" He tried to act natural as George entered the room and stood over him with a frown.
"Why aren't you coming down for dinner?" His father asked.
"I'm not that hungry." Derek shrugged casually. "I already ate at the mall."
"You know... I expect this kind of behaviour from your stepsister, but not from you. So what gives?" George asked as he sat down on the edge of the bed and stared at his son in confusion.
"Well that sentence for one."
George rolled his eyes, "Why? Did I use improper grammar or something?"
"Uh... How would I know?"
"Because you enjoy correcting everybody's poor grammar, Derek. Now seriously what is wrong with you today?"
"Well... that sentence was definitely what is wrong with me as well, and trust me it wasn't the grammar mistakes that I was talking about."
George looked lost, "Huh?"
Derek sighed, "This isn't my life. Some how when I woke up this morning, I ended up in some alternate reality or something weird like that..."
"Is that a quote from a book or a TV show that I don't know about?"
"What?" Derek groaned as he pulled at his hair. "Never mind. Just forget it. I tried to explain it to Casey but she didn't even believe me."
George's eyes narrowed, "Derek, did Casey do something to you today? Is that why you've been acting so strange? What did she do this time?"
"Well besides not being Casey..."
George shook his head as he stood up and called out Derek's door, "Nora! Casey! Can you come up here for a sec?"
"Dad, what are you doing?" Derek widened his eyes. "Why are you calling them up here?"
"George, what is going on? The kids are waiting to eat." Nora said as she walked into Derek's room with Casey right behind her.
"Is Derek being a drama queen again?" Casey asked with a smirk as she glared his way.
George ignored his stepdaughter's comment as he looked at his wife with a frown, "It seems that Casey did something to Derek today and that is why he is acting so strangely."
"Casey, is this true?" Nora glared at her daughter.
Casey narrowed her eyes viciously at Derek, "You're blaming me for your freakish ways? Are you serious?"
Derek held up his hands in surrender, "No... You've got it all wrong."
"All I did was play a stupid little prank on him this morning. He was already acting weirder than normal before I even spoke to him." Casey explained as she folded her arms across her chest.
"Derek, son, is this true?" George turned concerned eyes towards him again.
"Ok... seriously... I just want to wake up from this nightmare already. Please?" Derek begged as he looked up at the ceiling.
"See! You can't blame this on me! Just admit it, George; your son is messed up." Casey spoke to her stepfather as they all stared at Derek in bewilderment. "He thinks he's from some alternate reality or something where he's actually considered popular and I like school." She scoffed.
"But it's the truth! It's either that or I really am just dreaming this all..."
"Derek, I suggest you go right to bed after dinner. It seems you're not getting enough rest." Nora smiled sympathetically.
"But I..."
"Nora is right," George agreed with a nod of his head. "We don't care if you have homework or some other extra credit assignment to do tonight. I am sure your teachers would agree that you work yourself too hard. You look worn out, Son."
"Excuse me?" Casey cried incredulous. "He skipped a whole day of school to go to the mall and you're telling him he doesn't have to do his homework and can go straight to bed after supper! That is so not fair!"
"Casey, be a little more sympathetic towards your brother." Nora scolded.
"He is not my brother!" Casey shouted as she glared at Derek one last time before storming out of his room.
"Just ignore her, Derek. She really does care deep down." Nora said as she followed her daughter into the hall and down the stairs.
"I'm sure she does..." Derek mumbled sarcastically.
George placed a hand on Derek's shoulder as he spoke, "Come down and at least try to eat, and then you can go to sleep. Ok?"
Derek nodded with a sigh and then walked with his father down to the dinner table.
# # #
During dinner, Derek could feel Casey's eyes on him the whole time. She wanted to kill him. He was sure of it. He had to admit that this new Casey scared the crap out of him. She was way worse than he had ever been. This Casey was a nightmare.
"Oh, by the way, I'm going out with Max tonight." Casey's voice broke through his thoughts as Derek looked up to see her finally looking at her mother and not at him.
"Casey, you know the rules. No dates on a school night." Nora shook her head.
"But, Mom, it's with Max. You know he's a good guy and I'll be back before curfew." Casey reasoned with pleading eyes.
"Since when are you and Max dating again?" Derek spoke up. "I thought you were dating Truman?"
Casey's eyes widened in horror as she looked at Derek.
"Truman?" Nora frowned. "I told you never to speak to him again."
"And I haven't!" Casey raised her voice with slight panic. "I have no idea what delusions Derek is talking about." She shot Derek an evil look that he interpreted as: shut your mouth or I will stab you in your sleep.
"Derek, do you know something we don't?" George asked.
"Uhh..." Derek knew he should've kept his mouth shut. He glanced at Casey whose eyes suddenly turned from murderous to desperately pleading. He had no idea what she was hiding but he knew that if he wanted to get on this Casey's good side and not have her chop him up into pieces and bury him in the backyard, he needed to say something fast. "I... uh... was kidding." Derek chuckled nervously. "I don't know anything."
Nora let out a breath that she was holding and looked at her eldest daughter, "You know I don't trust Truman, Casey, so you better not be lying to me and seeing that boy behind my back."
Casey was staring at Derek in shock as she slowly turned her attention to her mother and nodded, "Of course not, Mom. I would never do that. I told you, I'm dating Max."
"Then I guess you can go out tonight. But promise me you will be back by ten."
"I promise." Casey smiled as she pushed her half empty plate aside and stood up from the table. "Thanks, Mom. I'm going to go get ready now." She said and then headed up the stairs.
Derek pushed his plate of food away from him as well and stood up from the table, "Sorry, I just don't feel that hungry. I'm going to go upstairs now too." He said to his father and made his way up the stairs as well.
As Derek was walking past Casey's bedroom, two hands suddenly shot out and grabbed him by the shirt collar, forcing him into the room.
"How do you know about Truman, you Freak?" Casey snarled in his face as she closed the door and shoved him against the wall.
"Whoa, Xena, calm down." Derek said with a grin as he looked into her fiery blue eyes.
Is it wrong that I've always found forceful Casey to be such a turn on? Derek asked himself. Yes! Don't even think such things! He chided himself.
"What did you just call me?" Casey glared at him.
"You know... Xena, the warrior princess...?"
Casey rolled her eyes as she shoved him even harder, "Tell me how you know about Truman!"
"Let me guess..." Derek's grin widened. "You're pretending to date Max, so that your mother won't know you're really dating bad boy Frenchie?"
"How do you know that?"
"It is true then?"
Casey's eyes narrowed, "If you knew about Truman then how come you didn't rat me out to my mother downstairs just now?"
Derek shrugged, "Because I wasn't sure it was true until now."
Casey shoved him harder and was mere inches from his face, "Listen, you weasel, if you think you can use this to blackmail me, you're wrong."
"The thought had never crossed my mind." Derek replied. He could smell a vanilla scent coming from her and he almost smiled, relieved that she at least smelt the same as the other Casey. Not that I enjoy the way my stepsister smells on a daily basis... Derek corrected himself.
"Then what do you want?"
"Honestly... I just want my life back."
Casey rolled her eyes as she loosened her grip on him, "Are you seriously going on about that again?"
"Let me prove that I'm telling the truth."
"Excuse me?"
"I can prove to you that I am not the Derek from this life."
Casey let go of him and took a step back with a mock grin on her face, "And how exactly do you expect to prove the impossible?"
Derek straightened his collar as he moved away from the wall, "You know nothing about the Derek you live with, right?"
"I wouldn't say nothing."
"But you two hardly ever talk unless it's about a prank you just pulled on him, right?"
"Why do you insist on referring to yourself in third person? It's really annoying."
"Just answer the question, Casey."
Casey sighed with irritation, "Yes, that is correct."
"So then I'm guessing he doesn't know much about you...?"
Casey glared at him, "Obviously you know more than I thought."
Derek shook his head, "The only reason I found out about Truman was because I knew you were dating him in the reality I came from and that you had broken up with Max a year ago. I was just asking a question because I keep forgetting some things are different here than there."
"And does my mother know that I am dating Truman in the other "reality" as you put it." She air quoted the word reality.
Derek nodded.
"And she's okay with that?" She looked at him like he was nuts.
"Yeah... At first she was hesitant... but she knew she could trust you."
"My mother trusts me?" Casey frowned as she dropped her gaze to the floor.
"Well... in that reality she does. Casey and her mother are actually really close."
Casey suddenly looked up at him with a burning gaze, "Do you think this is funny?"
"W... what?" Derek was caught off guard by her sudden mood change.
"I want you out of my room now! You and your stupid stories!" Casey shouted as she pointed to her door.
"But, Case..."
"Get out!"
Derek was beyond confused. He thought he was finally getting through to her.
"I have a date to get ready for, now leave!"
Derek opened the door to her room and stepped out before she threw him out.
"And if you even think about telling my mom that I am dating Truman, I will castrate you in your sleep." Casey whispered to him before slamming the door in his face.
# # #
Knock Knock.
Derek looked up at the sound of knocking on his door. He'd been standing by his shelf reading all the awards and trophies on display that the other Derek had won.
"Who is it?" He called out with a frown.
He felt lost in this world. Nothing made any sense to him. How did he get here? Why was he here? Was he ever going to get back to where he originally came from? Where exactly was the other Derek? And why was this Casey so evil?
"Hey, D, it's me. Can I come in?" Edwin's voice asked from behind the door.
Derek sighed, "Yeah, what is it, Ed?"
His brother opened the door and walked inside with a look of concern on his face, "Um... So... How are you doing?" He asked as he scratched the back of his neck.
"Did I seriously win all of these?" Derek asked, motioning towards the awards.
"Yeah..." Edwin answered as he took a seat on Derek's bed. "Uh... Dad told me you weren't feeling so great today... Anything you want to talk about?"
Derek turned to look at his brother in amusement, "With you?"
"Yeah... It's kind of our thing... We always talk about our problems with each other."
"Seriously?"
Edwin looked up at him with apprehension, "Derek... What is going on with you? Do you have amnesia or something? Ever since this morning you have been acting very strange..."
Derek shook his head, "I don't have amnesia."
"Then what is it because you're starting to freak me out?"
Derek sat down on the edge of the bed next to his brother and turned to look at him, "I'm sorry, Ed... but if I told you... it would only freak you out more..."
Edwin frowned, "So then you're not going to tell me?"
"This is something I need to figure out on my own."
Edwin nodded, "I understand... sort of... but if you need to talk, you know I'm always here for you, bro." He smiled.
Derek chuckled, "I cannot believe how lame we are here."
"What?"
"Never mind." Derek shook his head.
"Max is here, Mom! Don't wait up for me!" Casey's voice shouted from out in the hall. Derek could hear her running down the stairs and leaving the house.
"I'm surprised she's still dating that Max guy." Edwin spoke.
"How come?"
"Well... he just doesn't seem Casey's type..."
"Max?" Derek laughed. "What girl wouldn't want to date the Captain of the football team?"
Edwin gave Derek a quizzical look, "Don't you mean Captain of the Chess team?"
"Huh?"
"Are we talking about the same Max here?"
"Max Miller?"
Edwin nodded, "Yeah, Max Miller... He's the Captain of the chess team... I think Casey's only dating him as a cover up... She doesn't want Nora to know what kind of guys she's really into."
Derek ruffled his brother's hair, "You're still pretty observant. Please tell me you are into snooping as well?"
"Only if I don't get caught."
Derek grinned, "Music to my ears, dear brother."
Edwin looked even more confused now as he stared at his older brother, "Wait a minute... Now I am really concerned... Are you actually ok with me snooping?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Derek shrugged.
"Because you're completely against it... You told me yourself just a few weeks ago that snooping was not nice and that I shouldn't be prying into other people's business."
Derek's jaw dropped, "I'm even more of a geek than I thought!"
"Ok..."Edwin shook his head in bewilderment. "So... What exactly do you want me to snoop about?"
"Casey of course." Derek grinned.
"Are you kidding me?" Edwin shouted as he stood up with a terrified expression on his face. "You better get writing my eulogy now if that's what you want me to do!"
"I just need to know where she's going on her date tonight..."
"Why?"
"Because I'm going to follow her."
"Why?"
"That's none of your business. Will you help me out or not?"
"I don't know... I've never done anything so risky... What if I get caught?"
"Casey's not even here."
"But Lizzie is and she'll kill me if she finds out what I'm doing."
"You and Liz are chums. She wouldn't hurt you."
"Now you've really lost your mind!" Edwin shouted with wide eyes. "Lizzie and I have never been chums or friends or anything! I've tried to be nice to her but because of Casey's rule, Lizzie won't even say a simple good morning if the 'rents aren't around. Last week she kicked a soccer ball at my head and laughed about it."
"I'm sure she can't be as bad as her sister... Lizzie's always been the cooler one."
"She may not be out to ruin my life like Casey is for you, but she still doesn't want anything to do with me."
"Maybe I can talk to her... I got her to change out of revealing clothes earlier..."
"I don't know, D... To be honest, the McDonald girls scare me... They have for three years now..."
"Well it's about time you started acting like a man and sticking up for yourself, Ed." Derek announced as he slapped his brother on the back.
"But..."
"No buts. It seems that these McDonald girls need a little lesson taught to them."
"What are you planning on doing?"
"I've got some ideas..." Derek grinned wickedly as he stroked his chin.
"You know... I kind of like the new, strange you." Edwin smiled.
"Thanks, now go get snooping. I need to know where she went ASAP."
"You got it!" Edwin said as he jumped up from the bed and hurried out of Derek's bedroom.
I really hope this works... or else I am stuck in this hell hole with the devil herself...
I will try my hardest to update the next one as soon as I can but I will be helping at a Day Camp at my church next week, so I'll be really busy during the day... I also just started writing another LWD fanfiction recently and I'm really liking it so far. I was inspired by a certain show I recently got into. Hopefully I can start posting that story on here as well once I figure out where I'm going with it... It's going to be a little more different than my other Derek/Casey stories... But right now I will try to focus on finishing this story.
Thanks for reading and I hope to get more Awesome reviews from you.
