Balance of Normalcy
Life with Derek
Couple: Dasey (Derek Venturi/Casey McDonald)
Summary: 'He didn't want to think about it, he didn't want to see her, or hear her voice; but here he was, feeding into her sickness.' Casey can't remember, but Derek can.
You might not understand, but it'll be explained later.
He stared down at his little sister, who looked like she didn't want to speak to him at all, her head slightly lowered and her eyes narrowed.
"Marti?"
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." she whispers, fiddling with the stuffed elephant she had in her hands; she'd grown up so much since he last saw her, she was twelve now, and she had never been this serious when talking to him.
"I told you, though, didn't I?" she looked up at him, a hurt expression stunned on her features. He tried to look away; but she wouldn't break her graze, forcing him to stare back.
"I told you that you had to tell her, but you didn't!" her voice was cracking again; he felt horrible that he did this to her, he felt horrible that he didn't listen to her.
"You were so pissed off, you didn't even think. I know you, Smerek, and I know you wanted nothing more than to stop what happened." She took a deep breath, trying to keep herself from tearing up. "She came to me crying, and I didn't know what to do."
The night it happened, when he had turned her away, Casey had returned to her, asking for advice. Marti remembered it vaguely, how she couldn't do anything to help, how Casey left her feeling even more hurt then when she came. (Regret passed through both of them; they couldn't help but feel guilty, even though they knew it wasn't their fault.)
"Sorry." He all but mumbles, and wraps her in a gentle hug.
(As far as apologizes go; they had a lot to work on.)