Summary: Life in the McDonald/Vinturi house is always an adventure, Marti is still curious, Edwin and Lizzie are still quirky, Derek is still the Jerk and Casey is still neurotic, but Casey has a secret that will change the course of her relationship with the one person she'd never expect to get help from. Can he save her before it's too late?
Warning: Mild Cursing, some graphic sexual content in later chapters. Several Inside Jokes.
Dedicated to: Michael (Tato)
Disclaimer: I don't own anything except the story plot.
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Casey had to brace herself as the already nauseating taste of her stomach contents came flying out of her mouth and into the toilet of one of the stalls of her school toilet. She had been feeling horrible, the dizzy spells were driving her nuts and now, well it was lucky she even made it to the bathroom on time. Burping she felt a second round coming shortly.
"Casey, are you okay?" Emily's voice echoed loudly in Casey's ear. God she felt weak not that she wasn't already; but feeling it and knowing it are two very different things. Her hand gripped the side of the toilet tighter as her leaned over once more, the loud revolting sounds of her retching made Emily look away already imagining what was happening in there.
"No" Casey called out after a while, she gasped heavily as she lingered over the top of the toilet, wanting desperately to lay her head against it but too grossed out to do it. She stayed kneeled for a while longer before sitting down; she scooted back far enough so that her upper back and head rested on the closed faded blue doors of the stall.
She started coughing the moment she found a comfortable position. Her body quivered furiously as the coughs came out violently, her hand covered her mouth and she felt something warm and moist splash onto her hand. She waited until the coughs ceased before she looked at her hand, the metallic taste already invading her mouth, looking at her hands she held back a gasp.
They were covered in blood, dripping from her fingers its crimson color taunting her, the tears that rolled down her face was her way of screaming out. Casey knew Emily was waiting for her, but as she looked down, her white shirt covered in blood; she didn't dare open the door, what would she say to Emily? How would her best friend take the news of her disease?
"Casey, are you pregnant?" Emily's voice sounded so comical or perhaps it was the question itself that made Casey laugh out, her tears falling faster, she coughed again, the blood didn't come out this time and for that she was grateful.
"No Em." She said softly, her voice hoarse. Emily turned towards the closed door, her expression changed, she seemed relieved. This was good news.
"So you're just sick. I'll call your mom-"
"NO" Casey's voice echoed throughout the bathroom. Emily watched her feet stand up, she assumed Casey was facing the door because the shoes were facing her. "No don't call my mom" Casey said quietly, her head pressed against the door, her face down.
"Casey you're clearly sick, you need a doctor" Emily reasoned, beginning to get worried.
"No Emily" she said again only this time it was followed by a fit of coughs, Casey hand wasn't quick enough to catch the first bit of blood that came flying out of her mouth, she watched as it head for the ground and splashed onto Emily's white shoes. She could already see Emily's horror stricken face from the gasp that escaped her mouth, but all Casey could do was cough, and with each cough more blood came out.
"CASEY! What's going on? open the door!" Emily voice sounded terrified. Her cough subsided, but the blood now dripped from her face and hands, and Casey did nothing to stop it from hitting the ground.
"Emily don't call my mom" The first words that escaped Casey sent shivers down her best friend's spine. Emily had tears in her eyes, she didn't know why but this whole situation was scaring her.
"But Cas-"
"Em, listen to me." Casey's voice was strained; she pressed her spinning head on the door once again. "What I'm going to tell, you can't tell anyone. Not my mom, not your mom, not the counselor or teacher, No one Emily" Emily stood silent, she figured there was no way she would get out of this one, she might as well spill and besides she needed someone's help.
Casey gasped, she felt like she was floating, her hand reached out and grabbed the top of the door; Emily looked out and nearly screamed, Casey's finger's were covered in blood. Casey rested her head on her arm; she was shivering cold and sweating.
"I'm sick" she stated simply.
"I can see that Casey, that's why I need to-"
"No Emily you aren't listening to me!" Casey interrupted, hear tears felt heavy as they fell, her voice cracked "I'm sick Emily" Casey didn't know how but she saw one of Emily's tears hit the ground and she knew that her friend figured out what kind of sick she meant.
"Wha-wha" Emily couldn't speak, her tears were falling down too quickly, but Casey knew what her question was.
"Acute lymphoblastic leukemia, I found out three months ago." She whispered "I haven't told anyone, you're the first" she said, her hand unlocked the door, she kept it close, still afraid to face her friend.
"Casey how long?" Emily whispered
"A year tops." Her answer was quick and hit hard. "Don't tell my mom." She repeated.
"Why?"
"I don't want her to suffer" Casey opened the door then and Emily nearly cried out in pain when she saw the blood on Casey's face, it scared her. It covered her lips, her cheeks and chin, it was on her clothes and hands. Emily pulled her body towards her, she held her friend tightly crying silently as she let the news settle in.
"I won't tell anyone." Casey smiled and held her friend; the blood coming onto Emily's clothes but neither really cared. They stayed like that a moment longer, when Casey pulled away from Emily she smiled, looking at herself in the mirror, sighed, walking to the sink she turned the faucet and began to wash her face, she some soap on her hands and scrubbed her face.
What now she wondered, how would telling Emily really help? She was trying to avoid her friends and family the pain but now the thrust it onto her best friend. 'Everything is going to be okay', she thought, 'everything had to be okay'.
"Casey! Are you okay!" Emily's voice rang from behind the bathroom stall. It took Casey a second to realize the scene that had just played had passed like a quick movie in her mind which almost made it real. In reality she had never told Emily anything. Sighing she leaned again the door.
"Yeah Emily I'm fine." She said softly, her hands still covered in blood, closing her eyes she attempted to hold in the tears. She felt a horrible compression at her heart and it had nothing to do with the cancer and more to do with the desperate need to reach out and not being able too. Casey looked down at her white shirt, red drops and trails everywhere, exhaling sharply she spoke her voice hoarse from all the coughing.
"Emily, I-uh-Can, you go get the pink shirt out of my locker please?" They stayed silent a moment longer. "I hurt my self when I ran into the bathroom; I have blood all over my shirt"
"Hurt?! Is it bad?" Emily asked worried, her hand on the door as if by doing this the door will open for her and grant her access to Casey.
"No its just a scratch bit it bleed a lot"
"You sure?"
"Yeah Em, just please go get my shirt." Emily smiled from behind the door; she muttered a quick agreement and was out the door in seconds. Casey stood inside the stall a moment longer, not sure if her friend was really gone or if she was ready to face that solitude again.
She walked to the sink, her eyes studying her face. Pale; it was so pale that the dark circle under her eyes from lack of sleep seemed like bruises from a fight, actually they were bruises, but not from a fight. Her lips were the only thing that had color, stained in a dark crimson red.
Had she been a vampire, she mused, the color and texture of her lips would have been all too inviting and tempting. She had to get used to the look, the aspect of the living dead because that's what she was the dead among the living.
Turning on the faucet she gathered soap from the wall in her hand, rubbing the liquid until its soapy suds filled her small petite hands. Closing her eyes she rubbed the soap on her face. Scratching and rubbing off every bit of blood from her self. The water was cold, freezing even, but she figured it was another factor awakening her from La La Land. She splashed the water against her skin.
She never realized just how amazing water felt. It was like a disturbing bouquet made of snow flowers. Beautiful and pure, constructed of snow and so easily within reach but when touched it faded away falling from your grasp and running into the paradise so far yet close to your reach. Water was such a factor. You could see it, even taste it, but when you touched it, it was only a matter of time before it escaped from your hands and flowed away. Just like time.
She splashed her face once more, but this time she didn't move, enjoying the feel of the water as it ran smoothly down her face, moistening her lips and bringing a life like glow to her face. If this was a porno, she joke silently, then some really hot guy would have pounced her by now and she would be covered in more than just water. She stifled her laughter after that thought, which caused her to cough again, only this time the blood from her lips fell into the sink.
Exhaling she reached for a paper towel, her eyes still closed, refusing to see the new blood on her face. Taking the paper towel, she wiped her face, the opened her eyes as it reached her mouth and she wished she hadn't. Her hand gripping the sheet to her lips, but the blood seep through, but the blood wasn't what frightened her. It was the pair of dark brown eyes that stared at her from the mirror.
Casey couldn't budge, her body had froze, why was he here, was all her mind could scream, terrified of his reflection. She closed her eyes. Shut them tightly and repeated over and over in her mind that he wasn't there but when she opened her eyes once more he was closer. Turning around she came face to face with him, his eyes starring right into her frightening blue orbs.
"Wha-What are you doing here?" He didn't speak, he just stared at her. He wore an expression Casey never in her life thought she'd see on his face, Anger, Concern and even Pain. Her breathing hitched suddenly, and like an asthma patient out of breath she began to drown.
"Casey calm down" his voice was frantic in a calm way, his hands reached out, gripping her shoulders tightly in a gentle way. He held her, breathing with her as if teaching her to breath. "Listen to me. I called Doctor Sterwick; he said to take you to his office."
She was flabbergasted, what did he know, and what did Derek Venturi know about Doctor Sterwick? And why did it sound like he knew more than she would have liked anyone to know.
"What are you talking about Derek?" she tried playing dumb but the fury that suddenly occupied his eyes frightened her.
"This isn't the time to play stupid Casey" he growled, his grip tightening on her arms. "I told Emily to give me the shirt and to tell your teacher I'm taking you home." He said harshly.
"Why?"
"Because we don't want Emily to know I'm taking you to the hospital because your symptoms are getting worse." Casey's heart stopped at his words.
"Derek I don-"
"Save it Casey. I know everything." He said letting her go and tossing the pink blouse to her. Casey caught it, she however didn't move. Derek turned away from her. "I found out three weeks ago."
"H-how" her voice cracked and the tears fell. As to why she cried, even she didn't know.
"It was the day Nora went for a check-up. I went back to leave you some food so you can have dinner during your community hour break" he scoffed "Some community service. I went looking for you only to have some receptionist tell me you were a cancer patient" he whispered. Casey's tears fell and she was suddenly filled with Fear.
"Do you know what I felt when I walked into the room you were in to find you hooked to a tube receiving Chemotherapy? I almost didn't believe it. But I had too" Casey looked down. Her hands trembled slightly. His back stayed to her, and the silence that engulfed them was a mixture of anger and terror.
"Derek…"
"I know Casey…" he said, turning to her. The bloody shirt in her hands, the pink one on her body. "Don't tell Nora." Sighing he turned away from her. "Lets go" Casey nodded and with that the start of a new war between them.
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Sorry for the delay you guys I had writers block but I'm back now, expect the next chapter soon. Oh I hope you like the twist in this chapter :P
JME
