A/N; Well here you have a new Casey centered chapter because some of you seem to have forgotten, for lack of a better word that I can think of right now, what happened to her in the hospital because of Derek's stupidity. I know the guy lacks some brain cells but… well in my mind there isn't much I'm working with when it comes to Derek, and logical thinking, and spontaneous decisions and their effect on people is just something the Derek in my mind doesn't bother doing. So he's bound to do a few stupid things along the line.

Thanks for the reviews guys!

Disclaimer ; I don't own it, so don't look at me like that.

She woke up in a hospital bed, to both her daughter and Elliot on each side of her bed. Her poor daughter looked scared to death, and Casey could see as she forced her lids to remain open, that Haylee had been crying. Her injured arm had a white cast wrapped around it and hung in a sling wrapped around her neck.

"You okay sweetie?" Casey couldn't help but ask, her voice a little raspy. Elliot who had his head in his hands shot up immediately and Haylee had a small smile on her lips as the worry and concern left her.

"I could ask you the same thing mom. You're the one in the hospital bed." Haylee retorted sheepishly as she gripped her mother's hand firmly proving that her words didn't convey an ounce of what she was feeling. But then again like most things with her daughter, what else was new.

"Now, don't you get smart with me young lady." Casey answered this time her voice sounded more like her normal self though her warning held no actual anger.

"You're awake." Elliot joined in. Both Casey and Haylee turned to him with stares that held the same value as any sarcastic retort such as 'Sjee thanks for the news flash' or the ever popular, 'Really? You noticed that too?'. It was eerie how the mother and daughter actually looked like each other at moments like this, Elliot noted.

"How long have I been out?" Casey wondered as she noted how dark it was outside from her hospital room window. It hadn't been evening when they came in with Haylee, more like late afternoon. Now though it seemed very late.

"Longer than someone who simply faints Case." Elliot answered unable to keep his concern out of his voice. Casey frowned at that confused. "You're blood pressure shot to the roof Case, and then you wouldn't wake up." He recalled. Haylee's grip got even tighter at fresh memory of her unconscious mother and Casey rubbed the back of her daughters hand soothingly with her thumb.

"Well, I'm fine now, so maybe we could just go now." Casey said quickly already sitting up and moving her sheets.

"No way, you've been admitted for tonight. They should have you're blood work done by tomorrow morning to make sure you're okay."

"Well, then I can wait for my blood work in the comfort of my own bed. Besides they can't just keep me here for high blood pressure." Casey said stubbornly.

"They can when a fellow doctor insists on it." Elliot pressed. Casey's eyes widened. Then as she processed this anger began to boil within her.

"You had no right!" she exclaimed shooting Elliot a murderous glare.

"Case," Elliot began calmly, in the 'Doctor assurance' tone of voice he must've mastered in Med-school but only managed to annoy Casey even more. "Haylee, was really scared, and I'm on call starting around midnight so I couldn't very well allow you to return to your apartment in the state that you're in with a nine year old in tow." He reasoned.

Casey looked back towards her daughter and saw the fear and the unshed tears in her eyes. Unable to live with the fact that Haylee looked like that because of her, she agreed reluctantly.

"Fine." She practically forced out. Both Haylee and Elliot seemed to let out sigh of relieve and Casey felt slightly guilty.

"Mom, uncle Edwin and grandma are on their way." Haylee exclaimed excitedly.

"What!"

"Haylee, maybe you should've been more subtle." Elliot said quickly throwing Haylee a wary glance.

"What do you mean, mom's coming?" Casey asked concerned.

"Well Elliot called uncle Edwin, and when I spoke to him he said he was bringing grandma. Something about a long due visit." Her daughter explained. Casey couldn't help but feel a little agitated at the news. She loved her mother, but the last thing she needed was a whole lecture on how life would be much easier if Casey had moved back home or at least closer by, after Haylee was born. Casey had her own life now though. She liked it in New York, every success and triumph was all owed to hard and earnest work. Casey had done everything she could at providing the best possible life for her daughter and it was all right in New York. She didn't want to start all over again, besides it would unstable to move Haylee away from her friends, school, and everything she's known. And then there was explaining things to Edwin. She knew he wouldn't let this whole incident go until he got at the bottom of it, and truthfully she really didn't want to talk about it. And just like that memories of the afternoon shot back to her and she felt like she was back to square one with worrying. This time though it was quite obvious to everyone in the room that she was distressed because of the stupid beeping machine that kept track of her heart rate and other things, began speeding up echoing her beating heart for the whole world to hear.

"Come on Case, calm down." Elliot said soothingly as he grabbed a hold of her free hand, while Haylee clasped the other tightly her eyes widening in concern once more.

"Please mom." She whispered her voice wavering slightly. Casey took a deep breath and tried to calm herself, thinking about the two hands that were holding tight to her.

After twenty minutes Casey was considerably calm as she only allowed thoughts of her daughter to occupy her mind. Elliot had gone to take a shower and change into scrubs to begin his shift after making Casey promise she was going to take it calm and rest. Haylee was to keep an eye on her, but she was barely keeping herself from falling asleep, let alone capable of taking care of her mother. Besides Casey would never allow her own daughter to take care of her. Haylee's only job was to be a child and nothing else. With that thought in mind she shifted in her bed scooting over to make more room. Haylee who was alerted by the movement reopened her eyes to see her mother gesture at a spot beside her. Not needing anymore invitation she carefully climbed onto the bed and lay into her mother's arms trying her hardest not to hurt her mother or herself with her cast. Casey draped an arm around her daughter and began running soft circles on Haylee's bed to sooth her to sleep.

"I should've watched where I was going." Haylee suddenly whispered after a while as she fidgeted with a lost thread on her mother's hospital gown. It was so soft that Casey almost didn't hear it.

"What do you mean." Casey asked carefully.

Haylee sighed. "When I came out of the bathroom I was thinking about…"

"Go on sweetie." Casey encouraged. Haylee sighed again but continued.

"I was thinking about you, Elliot and… and about dad." Casey tensed slightly but she continued her soothing movement and listened to her daughter. "You looked kind of happy with Elliot, and I guess…"

Casey waited patiently as Haylee trailed off. "I guess I was afraid that you'd forget about dad for real and move on."

"Honey, I thought that was what you wanted. You practically pushed me into calling Elliot." Casey began slightly confused, but then again not so much the more she thought about it.

"I just want you to be happy mom. And it looked like you were… are on your way to that, and it…" again Haylee stopped, but Casey continued to wait and listen just as well.

"Is it wrong for me to still want to get to know dad, even though Elliot is awesome?" Haylee questioned. Casey's heart rate picked up again, "I don't mean I want to meet him right now, but maybe know something more about him?" she continued quickly yet unsure. Casey just couldn't find it within herself to tell her daughter, that she might've already met her father today. He'd been right there, and she had accidently bumped into him. Things like faith and destiny didn't get any more accurate than that, yet even so, though she would never deny her daughter the opportunity to get to know her father, Casey couldn't exactly push the reason of her existence right into Derek Venturi's lap.

"Haylee, I do have something I want to share with you about your dad." Casey began. "I'm just not sure you'll like it." She finished not wanting to get the little girl's hopes up.

"Please mom anything." Haylee pleaded as she raised herself leaning onto her elbow so she could face her mom.

Casey took a deep breath. "You're dad—" she unwillingly choked up slightly. "You're dad is not a b-bad person."

Haylee's eyes immediately shimmered with the new information and some doubt she must've had seemed to sate satisfactory.

"I," Casey continued. "it was never my intention to keep you from him." She knew it wasn't exactly a lie either. She wanted to keep Derek away from them not the other way around and things hadn't gone exactly the way she'd hoped because keeping Derek in the dark was keeping Haylee in the darkness. The two were and would always be linked to one another. That was something Casey just had to come to face with.

"But you have to understand that… that I wouldn't want anything to do with your father even if you chose to want to meet him." Casey knew it was harsh, and maybe she shouldn't have told her nine year old daughter that, the clear disappointment in Haylee's screamed to agree with that assessment, but she felt like she had to.

"W-what are you saying mom." It was barely above a whisper.

"What I'm saying is something I was planning on telling you when you were a little older, but you're much too smart for your own good."Casey tried to lighten the mood. Haylee however wasn't having it.

"Mom," she insisted.

"Fine. What I'm saying is that despite the fact that I don't know much about the exact whereabouts of your father and that I have felt no interest to know what he's been up for the last nine years, if you did want to inquire, or meet him than by all means you can. But I'm with Elliot now, and you were right about me starting to move on. Your father coming into your life… Haylee, you're so young and there are just some things you wouldn't understand." Casey finished.

"But mom—"

"—No Haylee." Casey inhaled deeply,

" I think we have spoken enough of him. Besides, it's way past your bed time." Her mother said sternly. Haylee knew she wouldn't convince her mother to continue on this particular conversation and she didn't want to distress Casey, so she dropped it. She snuggled back into her mother's arms reluctantly and closed her eyes. She felt her mother kiss the top of her head and murmur that she loved her. She whispered the same sentiment before closing her eyes to sleep.

Little did Haylee know she was just about the enter one of the most weirdest and strangest dream she'd ever had.

oOoOoOoOo

When Edwin entered the hospital he wasn't sure what to expect. Luckily he'd been in Boston on some business when he'd gotten the call that both his niece and Casey were in the hospital. He was already opening a internet browser to search for the soonest flight to New York. It hadn't been until he had spoken to Haylee that his heart rate slowed down and his head stopped spinning. Casey had apparently blacked out due to high blood pressure, and they weren't sure if there were any other causes for the episode expect stress. Edwin knew, Haylee in a cast wasn't the reason Casey was so stressed she'd blacked out. No there was more to it and he had an inkling feeling what, well more who was the cause of all this. It had to be his brother. So he booked a flight which turned out to fly at dawn and backed his bags.

On his way to the airport he was forced to call his step mother to let her know that Casey was in the hospital. He knew he didn't have a choice even if it would've upset Casey, and he slightly preferred Casey's wrath then Nora's, if she hadn't notified that her daughter was in the hospital no matter what the circumstances. Lizzie had made the mistake of waiting too long a few years back when Casey had gotten sick and Haylee was just a few months old, and it had almost made things worse, and Nora, well she'd been furious at both Lizzie and Casey, even worse when she found out about Haylee.

Nora promised to be there as well as soon as she could, since Edwin had to return back to Boston and then Canada as soon as he could verify that both Casey and Haylee were doing okay. So there he was around six in the morning watching mother and daughter both fast asleep in the hospital bed. Casey was lying almost on the edge giving Haylee as much space as she could and they both looked peaceful. He didn't want to wake them, and with the exhaustion he suddenly felt he dropped himself into the nearest chair. He wasn't technically allowed to be here this early since visiting hours weren't until eight but the fact that Casey's boyfriend, God that sounded weird, was a doctor gave him some pull.

He'd only meant to close his eyes for a second but when he opened them again, almost two hours had past which meant he had fallen asleep. Casey was awake but Haylee was still fast asleep rolled up against her mother in a small ball. Edwin sat up straighter and stretched slightly when he felt the slight muscle ache he now had from sleeping in a uncomfortable chair.

"Morning." He whispered as he stood up and walked over towards Casey. He first kissed his niece lightly on the cheek before reaching out and dropping a quick peck on Casey's forehead.

"Morning." Casey answered looking quite guiltily. "You shouldn't have come Edwin we're—"

Edwin shushed her before shaking his head. "Don't Casey, cause you don't have to. You can ward me off when it's something minor, like a scratch, but when both of you have to stay the night in to hospital then there isn't anything in the world that could stop me from making my way to you guys." Edwin said earnestly. Casey nodded reluctantly. "So, you feeling any better?" He asked still concerned. He'd gotten the okay from Elliot several times but he was still reluctant to believe it until it came from Casey herself, and he could look her in the eyes and fish out if she were lying. She hesitated but then nodded assuring. He wasn't all too happy about the hesitation but it would do for now. Before he could inquire any further someone walked in and Haylee stirred. Both Edwin and Casey turned to the door to see Nora standing nervously and worried above anything.

"Mom." Casey said both terrified and happy, her eyes immediately glazing over with tears. Nora dropped the luggage she was holding and made her way to her daughter, on the other side of the bed. Nora's arms were immediately around Casey, and they were both shedding silent tears in less than a fraction of a second. Casey was clutching to her mother like her dear life depended on it and Edwin felt a sudden lift of his heart at the sight of Casey letting herself her guard and everything else go for a moment and turn years younger in need of her mother for strength. Though Edwin slightly envied the way Nora's mere presence loosened Casey up he was to happy for his best friend, cause that was what Casey was to him, to say or do anything else.

"Oh honey, I've missed you so much." Nora finally said as she leaned back a little to take a good look at her daughter. Edwin knew that Nora too noted how worn out her daughter looked. So tired and in need of real relaxation.

"Mom we talk every few days." Casey reasoned.

"It's not the same and you know it." Nora retorted. "How are you guys doing?" she asked her eyes falling on the little girl who was very slowly in the process of waking up. It reminded them all of someone who also took an elaborate amount of time at the task of simply opening his eyes in the morning, as if the mere action could make him die of exertion.

"She's fine. We're fine." Casey assured her mother.

"Derek."

"What?" Casey looked around her frantically then down to where the voice came from still thick with sleep.

"My dream. Derek." The voice said more firmly, her eyes fluttering open. This time it was Edwin who looked taken aback and Nora just stared at the scene wide eyed.

Casey was sure she hadn't mentioned Derek's name during their talk last night. How did Haylee know about Derek? How did Haylee know her dad?

-xX-

A/N; So I have been thinking about it and even though Ruwilling2catchme had a nice suggestion, I like the way you think, I think my mind is slowly formulating what happened that 'night' to make Casey so angry and revengeful towards Derek. I don't think everyone's gonna like it, heck I don't think anyone is gonna like it cause I don't even like it, but I don't know I guess the scene just calls to me. And its rude to avoid a call of nature, or in this case the fountain of idea's. We will all know in time so don't worry and don't forget to review.