Casey just sat there, she wasn't about to say anything, her banging headache was stopping her from thinking straight and she was already starting to feel woozy as the medication started to kick in.

"How long has he been hitting you Casey?" Jeff was looking directly at Casey so she dropped her gaze to the floor, she sighed, she might as well tell them because she wouldn't be around to listen to their thoughts on how she should get out of the relationship. She didn't dare look at Matt, she knew that his face would betray his emotions and that wasn't something she wanted to deal with.

"We started out ok, but after a couple of years he started drinking, the more he drank the more....aggressive he became. He's always sorry, truthfully remorseful and I know what you're going to say but I can't leave him, he's all I have in the world that is actually part of me." She didn't raise her eyes from the ground and waited for him to tell her to get on her way, her face shot up in surprise when he spoke again.

"Don't tell me, you let him have his life but your life revolves around him, friends have gone, not because they wanted to but because you pushed them away."

Casey's mouth dropped open, he'd hit the nail right on the head, maybe he understood? Maybe he was the one that could help her, she shook her head slightly of that thought, she didn't need anyone's help, this was her decision.

"Surprised I understand?" Jeff said as he watched Casey settle her back against the wall, he knew the meds would be kicking in, and he wanted to get as much information out of her as they could while her defences were down.

She nodded in reply, looking at him under heavy eyelids. She glanced across at Matt who was just looking at her in pity, her eyes snapped back to the floor, she could feel tears welling up and that wasn't the route she wanted to take, she didn't cry in front of anyone....except him.

"You do know that now I'm involved that I will do everything in my power to stop you seeing him." Jeff paused slightly as he saw her stiffen and look up at him.

"You took his punch that was meant for me, I've seen the bruises he's given you and I've also seen the damage you do to yourself because of the relationship."

Casey just stared at him, everything he had said was spot on and she wasn't sure how to react. He understood, he didn't just want her to get away from the hitting, he knew why she was there, he hadn't once asked her why she was with him, he knew. She looked in to his green eyes and saw sympathy...and something else, she thought was understanding, biting her lip she said nothing, she wasn't sure where this was going.

"You just sit there and relax, we just need to take care of a few things and then we'll be back, okay?" Jeff looked into her eyes to make sure that leaving her on her own wasn't going to cause her any more damage, she nodded and he was satisfied, she merely settled her head against the wall and closed her eyes, the medicine was starting to take effect and he had a few other things to sort before he could take care of Casey.

Matt and Jeff left the locker room quietly and Jeff stopped, knowing that Matt would want to put his point of view across. Matt made sure the door was closed so Casey wouldn't hear anything.

"I just want to ask you one question." Jeff nodded in reply.

"Are you trying to replace Sadie?" Matt didn't want this to blow up in his brother's face. He knew that Jeff was vulnerable after the break up which only happened a few months ago and didn't want him to get involved like that so soon.

Jeff shook his head.

"You didn't see him, he demanded to know what I was doing with Casey and then went to punch him but Casey jumped in front of me, she took the punch that was meant for me, and you know the worse thing? He just ran, high-tailed it out of that room. I've not seen him since."

Matt's fist curled in anger as he listened to his younger brother, bizarrely an odd thought hit him, the table breaking might have been a blessing in disguise for Casey, there was no way either of them were going to let her go back to him, it was now a case of figuring out how, it did appear that Jeff was ahead of him on that score because he had a grin on his face and beckoned his brother down the hall way.


Ah, with reviews like that, how can I resist in not carrying this forward just a little bit more? :D Hope you enjoy ~ (RayvnWolf, no punching ..at least not yet, are you sure you don't want me to write you into the story just so you could deck him yourself? lol) Thanks for the faith peoples ~ Dragon xx