A/N: I'm so excited for all of your feedback on this story so far; it made me happy beyond belief!
I would've posted this chapter up earlier if i didn't have state regulated testing. So, blame the government, not me!

:This chapter picks up right where the last cliffhanger left off. Another flashback and another question answered, so tell me what you think!


"He left? Why would he do that! He's our dad! He's been Nora's husband, for the past eight years! Lizzie and Casey's step dad!"

"I know."

I felt like I was going to cry. He packed his things. He left, just like that.

"You're lying to me." I say, my eyes narrowing.

"What? Why in the world would I lie?" Derek's eyes are wide by now.

"He still loves me. He wouldn't leave us. He cares about us." I say, my voice near yelling point. I was standing by now.

"Marti, calm down. I don't want to believe it either."

"That's because it's a lie! You're lying to me!" I get up and storm off to Derek and Casey's room and lock the door.

I press my back against the door, covering my ears.

"Marti! Smarti! Come out!"

"I will if you stop lying to me!"

"Marti. Really. I don't think I've ever lied to you… and I wouldn't over something this important. I wouldn't have taken you up here if I were playing a trick on you. Please, believe me." He pleads for the second time of the day.

"What did the letter say?"

"I really can't answer that. Please. Just… I don't know. Nora's a wreck and Casey's there right now. I'll take you home tonight. After hockey practice and dinner, okay?"

I take a deep breath and open the door.

"I believe you, Smerek." I say in a whisper.

Then I collapse in his arms crying.

After a tight hug, I walk sniveling to the front part of the apartment to get ready to go to hockey practice.

I've met the coach many times before, and I know majority of the players. They think I'm adorable, and sometimes tease Derek about me being a substitute for one day having kids of his own.

Today I sit in the stands, maneuvering into several seats just to see a good view of Derek, not paying much attention to the Ottawa Senators in general.

"Alexii, take place for Mr. Venturi. It sure seems like you're aiming to pick a fight today, Derek. And with Marti watching?" He scoffed, pointing his thumb at me, "Take a break."

Derek opens his mouth, but then snaps it shut. He didn't want any more drama of the day.

They practiced several exercises that I wondered if I could get the team to perform.

Derek seemed fierce and more determined than ever. I knew he was taking all of his anger out from what would have been on George if possible. He pretty much scared the goalie from his rapid backhanded shot.

I could see coach's approval in his eyes, but his head shook in frustration. He wanted Derek to cooperate and to work as a team, not to scar them all.

By the end of the practice, the coach's voice was hoarse and the team was tired. All except for Derek, who was still making slap shots at the net.

"Come on Derek, lets go. I think this net's been punished enough for one day." I called from my seat, with a little fear.

He winds up his last shot and slams it in. If a goalie was in there, I don't think they'd be alive.

Derek turns his head towards me, and nods, slumping his shoulders and walking back to the locker room.

I, on the other hand, hang around for a little while. Derek wouldn't be ready for at least fifteen minutes, so I had time to do whatever I wanted.

I just sat back to relax and looked down at the rink.

Back a couple of years ago, the whole family went together to see the Senators play, before Derek and Casey were off to college and Derek had said yes to the coach.
Everyone knew about Casey and Derek except for Nora and Dad. Nora had been so busy that she didn't even care about her work balancing with home. She combined them, but rushing it with every step. Dad, on the other hand, is so oblivious that he wouldn't realize they were in love with each other even if they kissed right in front of him.

"Smerek! Can you give Edwin the money you owe him for me to get some cotton candy?"

Derek looks at me and softly says, "Sorry, Smarti. Ask dad or Nora. They should be able to help you out. And he whips his head back to the game.

Lizzie laughs a "Yes!" and holds her hand out for a groaning Edwin to pay up.

Their bets had been ongoing since the day Edwin stated the rules to Lizzie.

I started whining about the cotton candy, and dad pulled out money easily.

I asked Derek if he wanted to come with me to the concessions to get something, and he didn't answer. I asked Casey next, and she replied with a yes.

Smirking the Venturi trademark smirk, I say, "Yay, Casey lets go!" and Derek snaps his head in our direction.

"Hey! I never gave you an answer. I wanted to come."

Casey smiles for point two seconds, then realizes she has to put up her front in front of Dad and Nora.

"Derek! I can take care of Marti all by myself!"

"No, you can't. You'll probably bore her to death. Let me take her."

"De-rek!" She said, stomping her foot.

"Ca-sey!" He said, mocking her.

"Both of you. Stop. We're in public. You both should go." Nora sighed, shaking her head.

Casey folded her arms as Derek passed through the row mumbling…

But as soon as we reached the top stair, Derek and Casey were already holding hands.

"Sorry about that, babe. You know how much I hate fighting with you." Derek says honestly.

"Its okay. I almost slipped up there. Its so hard to keep it from them."

By then we were in a whirlwind of a long line.

"Smerek! Make this line hurry. We're missing the game."

"Shh, Smarti. It's okay. I like staying here right now. I get to be with Casey. The line might be long, but if you stay calm, I'll buy you something else to go along with the cotton candy, okay?"

I immediately quieted and became preoccupied with the vendor's board of snacks, trying to ignore the 20 or so people ahead of me.

When we moved forward, I had to stop Casey and Derek from kissing.

Despite rolling my eyes, this was normal to me.

We were two people ahead from reaching the counter when it happened.

"DEREK! CASEY!" A shocked George stood, gawking at the sight afore his eyes.

The pair pulled away from each other: Casey bright red and Derek at a loss of words.

"What in- How? When. But?" George was sputtering incoherent things, his eyes bulging out.

"Can I help you?" The annoyed cashier asked me. I looked back at the three of them and sighed, snatching the money from Derek's hand.

"Cotton candy and popcorn, please." I say, handing him the money.

I look back and George is dragging them back to their seats. I laughed, knowing how easily I was forgotten.

I gathered my things and headed back, nearly forgetting where our seat is.

Walking down the flight of steps, the sight to see was unforgettable.

Aside from the Senators finally ahead of the opposing team, the Leafs, the row of seats K1-K7 was being overly loud.

I appeared next to Dad, asking him to move so I could sit.

Nora started yelling at him for forgetting me, while he was yelling back and forth with Derek. Casey was sitting crying, and Lizzie was convincing Edwin that she didn't need to give him back the money because of a relationship bet they had going over Derek and Casey.

Needless to say, the ride home wasn't a very quiet one.

I sat back and laughed remembering all of this. The results of the day made Casey and Derek finally a couple. Finally.

They'd been keeping it a secret for months and months from Nora and Dad.

I found out about it first, then Edwin and Lizzie around the same time.

Derek came out of the locker room, and I was waiting.

"Do you want me to take your bag?" I asked him, kindly.

He looked at me like I was crazy. He's led me to believe the bag weighs more than me.

"It's okay. I got it. Where do you want dinner from?" He asked after a second or two.

"Lets get something on the road. I want to get back as soon as possible."

He nods, and looks a little hurt.

I hop in the car, eager to get on the road. I just wanted to go back home, no matter how not normal it was.

We were on the road, eating chicken nuggets and fries when I realized how numb I was feeling to the situation back at home.

"Derek, where do you think he is?"

He sighs and keeps his eyes on the road, scared to answer.

I don't say anything more, and he opens his mouth.

"Smarti, I'm mad at him more than words could tell. The next time he comes anywhere near our family, he might get more than words. He left without a goodbye and without telling us where he'll be."

There was another long pause.

"Our family has topped the charts on insane families." I say, nearly giggling.

"Haha, you've got that right. Mom and Dad divorce. Dad marries Nora practically on the spot. Mom moves to Spain. I fall for Casey, and she gets the same feelings, after those years of fighting. Lizzie and Edwin were best friends. But no one knows what happened there." He stops, scrunching his face up. I know more than he thinks, but I promised to keep it a secret. "Case and I go off to college. Move in together. Edwin and Lizzie leave, separating from each other, between Toronto and the United States. You grow up in the time between, home with Nora and Dad. Now, Dad leaves. It sure seems pretty messed up in my eyes."

I stop to think about all the crazy that had happened in these past years.

"I don't have a biological family anymore."

Derek looks at me and his eyes widen.

"Marti! Don't say that!"

"It's true! Mom's in Spain and probably doesn't even remember me except to send me 3 cards a year. You're living with Casey far away from London. Edwin is somewhere far down south in the states, a whole country away. Now dad leaves, and I'm all alone with Nora. Don't get me wrong, I love Nora as my step mom, but. She's not a double parent. She isn't mom or dad. She isn't even my legal step mom either."

I started crying and I was yelling angrily at all the inattentive relationships I was ending up having.

"Oh Smarti. Our weird family will get through this. Nora already had gone through two teenage daughters, so she's fit to play the role of a mother to you. Lizzie and Casey are your big sisters, too. They've all been family for about eight years now. They love you too, and we'll all get through this together. Holiday is coming up soon and I promise we'll all be home. After that, you can call me or Case any time to come pick you up or come there. Lizzie will more than likely be up as often too. I can't speak for Ed, but something tells me he'll realize how much family means."

The rest of the ride, we talked about other stuff, like hockey and school and life. Things were more fun when Derek cranked up the radio and we sang along to random songs.

When we actually reached home, I was half awake. I could've crashed at any second. Casey's car was parked in the drive, so I take it she was spending the night here too.

Derek carried me up to my room, as I was too sleepy for otherwise.

With a kiss on my forehead, he told me, "Smarti, things will get better. I promise. I love you."

"Love you too Smerek." I said, yawning, reminding myself of how I was when I was young.

With that, I drifted off to sleep, trying not to think of the aftermath of the whirl wind of destruction that dad had left for us to pick up.


Ick, this chapter was sad. Lots of Smerek/Smarti sibling love though.
The next chapter will show how Nora's dealing with everything, and tutoring after school.

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