A/N: So, now, you have no reason to kill me. Ahaha. But, I'm not too proud with this one, I'm looking forward to writing the next few chapters. :D

R&R, please!

-Jacki :)

Chapter Nine: Second Chances

There was a loud noise coming from all around. It wasn't screaming, or crying, which is what had been the lullaby of Casey McDonald the night before; it was just an indescribable noise. She wasn't ready to wake up. To wake up would mean that she would have to go back into the world where Derek's life was on the line. She still wasn't ready to handle that. But that persistent noise was ringing in Casey's ears, and she woke up just enough to decipher the noise.

"Miss! Miss! Wake up! Wake up!" it sounded like John, the worker who had been so nice to her the night before.

Casey shook her head and her eyes fluttered open; just as she suspected, there was John, his shaggy blonde hair hanging on his forehead, his green eyes looking anxiously at her. She sat up straight, ignoring the crick in her neck from sleeping in a hard plastic chair. Any physical pain she was going through was nothing compared to how much she was worried about Derek.

"What's going on, John?" she asked rubbing her eyes quickly and stifling a yawn.

John hesitated, but then looked into her eyes, "The operation went smoothly last night…"

"So he's awake?!" Casey asked sitting up straighter, eyes widening.

John shook his head, "No. You have to understand, his body was put under a lot stress last night. He's mentally and physically stable to be awake. But his body just can't operate yet. It may take him a few hours; it may take him a few days or weeks. We can't tell for certain just yet."

"But he will for sure wake up?" She had to know, she wouldn't be able to go into the hospital room again and watch him without knowing.

John sighed, "Yes, miss, he will for sure wake up, sometime."

Casey jumped and hugged John, smiling brightly, "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" she cried happily, "Oh, and you can stop calling me 'miss', my name's Casey!" She danced around with him in her arms and then she backed away and grew serious, "Can I go see him?"

John laughed, nervously, "Yes, Casey, you can go and see him. By the way, what is his name? So we can put it on file records."

"Derek Venturi." She smiled, "Is he in the same room as last night?"

"No, he's been moved to a regular room, so that the operating room would be available for any other emergencies. Follow me; I'll bring you to him." John was smiling at the joy clearly written on Casey's face.

She gladly followed him, feeling truly happy for the first time in a month. John led her to a hallway that was filled with occupied rooms, but there was no screaming, just a peaceful silence. Casey silently followed John into the second to last room and she took a deep breath.

There wad Derek, lying on the bed, looking as peaceful as if he was just normally sleeping. Casey left John at the door and slowly walked over to the bed. She pulled a chair over with her and collapsed in it when she was right by his side. She took his hand gently and held it in her both of hers. John muttered an excuse and left the doorway. Casey silently thanked him; she needed some time with Derek alone. She looked at his face, so quiet and serene; the complete opposite of what it had been like the night before.

She would never forget the image of Derek twitching and thrashing about in pain on the hospital bed. It had haunted her dreams last night and had made it next to impossible to fall asleep. Not that she would have fallen asleep quickly if he hadn't begun to thrash about. She was so worried about him that she most likely would have stayed awake as long as she did anyway. She had only fallen asleep because she had been so jetlagged from two flights right after the other, and then all the stress she had from Derek being shot, she ended up falling asleep, listening to all the screaming and crying in the emergency room waiting room.

She heard a loud beep and looked around at the table across the room, where Derek's phone sat. She hurried over to it and saw that he had ten missed calls. She picked it up and looked through the missed calls. She saw that they had all been Abby. She smiled and brought the phone over to chair and sat down. She dialed the number of Derek's mother and waited impatiently as it rang.

"Derek?! Oh thank God!" Abby sounded relieved.

Casey cleared her throat, "No actually, Abby, it's me, Casey."

"Oh. Where is Derek?"

Casey swallowed hard, "He's laying right here. We're in the hospital in Syracuse."

"WHAT!? Why?! What's wrong?!" she cried.

"Well, Derek was shot last night at a gas station on his way to come get me at the airport… I found him over an hour later. I called the ambulance and he was brought to the emergency room. They did an operation last night and now he's in a sort of coma. He's mentally and physically stable; his body just can't function right now. The doctors say he might wake up in a few hours, days, or weeks. They say it's impossible to tell right now."

"Oh my gosh! You must be going out of your mind down there! Do you need me and your father to come back?"

Casey thought hard, "No, actually Abby, I'm doing ok. A lot better than last night. And you don't have to come down, only if you want to."

She heard Abby take a long sigh, "Well, sweetie, I can't really afford a ticket down there, and I know your father will offer it, but I just don't feel right about borrowing money from him."

"Oh, ok. Well, I'll keep calling and keep you updated. I promise."

"Ok, Casey. Please be careful down there. You didn't take your things with you. What will you do about clothes?"

"I have a key to Dad's house in my purse. I'll run to his house and grab anything I need when I can leave here. Thanks, Abby. I'll call you later."

"Alright, sweetie. Give him a kiss for me." She giggled and Casey laughed with her.

"Bye."

"Bye." Casey hung up the phone and sat in on the nightstand by the bed.

She looked back over at Derek and smiled.

"You know, things just might work out for us Derek. I'm sure Dad and Abby will find a way to convince Mom and George to let us stay together. Maybe we can finish school down here. And then we can graduate here. And then we can move back to Canada together, and then nobody will be able to stop us."

She grinned; she knew he probably couldn't hear her. But just saying all the ideas she had out loud made her feel helpful. Like it might actually happen. You can't blame a girl for wishing, could you? Casey laughed and stood up. She leaned over to Derek's face and kissed both his cheeks.

"One from me and one from your mom." She smiled.

She then left the room quietly and wandered around the hospital, looking for a café area. She needed something to eat and she would use some of her own money to buy it so she didn't use up the money for Derek's ticket. She was lucky that the round-trip ticket she bought could be used at anytime. She had no idea when Derek would wake up. Or when they would even want to leave.

She knew that once Derek woke up he would not be strong enough to go on an airplane to Canada. She suddenly remembered that she had told her mother that she would call her this morning. She knew that Abby had probably already called the Venturi/McDonald house and that they all knew what was going on with Derek. Casey had left the phone in the hospital room, but she knew that it would be ringing shortly.

She finally found the café and bought some breakfast from McDonald's. She carried the bag and walked quickly back to the room where Derek was in bed. She hurried over to the chair and checked the phone. One missed call. She switched the bag for the phone and called the number that had called while she was gone.

"Casey?!" came the anxious voice of her mother.

"Mom!"

"Casey, are you alright? Is Derek alright? Abby called and told us everything."

"Yes, Mom, we're both fine. Thanks for calling."

"I can't believe that this happened. This is just horrible!"

"It's fine, Mom. He's going to wake up soon. Everything's going to be alright. Now what was it you wanted to talk to me about last night?"

"Oh, Casey. I'm so sorry. So, so sorry. I overreacted. I never should have sent you and Derek away. I was just worried and I didn't think it was right. But I should have seen how happy you are together. I'm just sorry it took so long for me to come to my senses. I really am. I'm sorry you two have to go through this now, on top of everything. George feels the same way."

"Thank you, Mom. That means a lot to me. I need to go right now, but I'll call you later today. Alright?"

"Alright, Case. I love you."

"I love you, too, Mom. Bye."

"Bye."

Casey hung up the phone once more and set it down. She opened her bag and pulled out a breakfast sandwich. She bit into it and looked over at Derek and smiled. Now that all their parents approved, they could be together.

At last.

Now all she had to do was wait until he woke up.