Mel slid into her room. Jared was lying on their mattress with his eyes closed as if he was asleep. Mel walked very slowly taking care not to wake Jared up. She wished he was awake though. She felt so hollow, so helpless. Jamie's problems with Casey hung over her like a dark grey cloud. Mel sat down slowly and curled into Jared's side. She closed her eyes and breathed in his familiar scent. She felt him stir and roll over to face her.

"How's Jamie?" He whispered. Mel shook her head slowly. "What happened?"

"Casey isn't well. Wanda told me when she took me to Jamie that she's depressed or anxious or something. He's hurting Jared, Jamie's hurting," Mel whispered back. "It's my fault; I should have stopped them from… I should have stopped him from being hurt!"

"Mel it isn't your fault," Jared soothed. He wrapped his arms around Mel and kissed her forehead. "It'll all be okay…" Mel looked him in the eye and held his gaze.

"You didn't hear the worst bit." Jared gave Mel a questioning gaze. "Doc told Jamie that maybe killing it was the best option."

"What?" Jared asked in a low voice. "Bastard, Jamie's sixteen! He knew that would hurt him," Jamie got up. Mel made a grab at his hand but he shook it off and stormed out of the room. Jared stormed into the corridor. Everyone stared as he stormed through the plaza and into the hospital wing corridor. Mel raced after him; the last thing the caves needed now was a fight.

"Jared!" Mel yelled. "Jared Howe!"

"No Melanie!" Jared roared over his shoulder. Mel knew he was angry now; he never called her Melanie anymore. Never. Jared burst into the hospital wing and looked around. Doc was sitting next to Casey talking to her. "You!" Jared roared.

"Jared!" Mel yelled coming into the hospital wing, "just leave it!"

"Is something wrong Jared?" Doc asked. Jared closed the gap between them and grabbed hold of Doc's collar. "Jared?" Doc whispered.

"Jared, stop it!"

"You! You told Jamie that killing his kid was a good idea!" Jared snarled.

"I told him it might be the best decision for Casey's health! Look at her!" Doc kept his voice level and reasoning. He looked back at Casey who had sunk back into the wall and had curled into a ball.

"He's sixteen Doc! He isn't old enough to make a decision like that!" Jared hissed. Casey whimpered and tried to press herself further into the wall.

"Jared you're scaring her, she's not well!" Melanie said slowly.

"Shut up Mel!" Jared spat.

"No Jared you shut up!" Mel snapped back harshly.

"Mel Jamie is your brother, your kid brother; aren't you angry?"

"I'm not a kid." Everyone turned to see Jamie standing in the doorway with his arms crossed across his chest. "Let Doc go." Jamie whispered. The room was still and silent apart from Casey's who continued to whimper. Jared maintained his grip on Doc's collar. "Let him go!" Jamie ordered. Jared let go of Doc's collar and widened his hands so his fingers spread out like stars, he slowly bunched his hands into fists and let them rest at his sides.

"Jared let's go," Mel whispered. She pulled at Jared's hand to tug him from the room. Jared stood his ground. "Jared, come on!"

"I need to Casey," Jamie whispered, "privately." Slowly Doc, Jared and Mel shuffled out of the room. Jamie walked towards Casey's cot. She looked up and met his eyes.

"Do you think I'm crazy?" Casey whispered. Jamie sat down next to her and he offered Vasey one of his hands, which she took, and placed the other on her belly. He shook his head slowly.

"No." Casey sat up straighter and looked at Jamie curiously. Jamie decided he needed to say more. "I think, something happened, when you were little. I think you're hurting and you're worried I'll stop loving you. Am I right?" Casey gave him a funny half nod.

"I think you're perceptive," she whispered. Jamie squeezed her hand and stoked it gently with his thumb.

"What happened?" Jamie asked carefully.

"She tried to kill herself, twice."

"Your Mum?" Casey nodded.

"It's my first memory. I found her. I suppose it scared me for life; I was only four. She tried again when I was seven. And you know what I thought; I thought, Casey Queens, you're not going to be like her. You're special and one day you'll have your own kids; and you'll love 'em to bits. I was seven; and I already thought that.

"See Mum used to drink and smoke. She used to have this boyfriend and come 'round and they'd sit in front of the telly and share a bowl; then cheated on her with some slapper. Mum got worse after that. Sometimes she was so out of it; I remember her hitting me once; I remember hitting the floor and being too scared to get up. Tom was eleven months older and he copped it worse. She'd yell and scream and tell us we screwed her life. She said I was ugly and that I looked like my Dad."

A tear slid down Casey's face; Jamie leant forward and wiped it away.

"Casey Queens, you are beautiful and amazing; and your Mum was a bitch. Hey I'm your family now; and Wanda and Mel, Jared and Ian, Doc, Jeb, Tom the second. We're all your family. And we love you." Casey smiled at Jamie.

"I love you Jamie."

"I love too Casey; you're everything to me and we're keeping that baby." Casey nodded, her face still wet with tears. She let out a small yawn; but tried to disguise it as a laugh.

"You're tired," Jamie whispered. "You should sleep, I'll come see you tomorrow; promise." Jamie kissed Casey forehead and stood up to leave. Casey grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

"Stay, please." Jamie nodded. He climbed onto the cot and put his arms around her waist. She put her head on his chest and listened to his breathing and the sound of his heart beating. She closed her eyes and let herself fall into her dreams. Jamie held onto Casey and allowed himself to do the same.

Mel stood at the entrance to the cave. She'd come to check on Casey and Jamie; she'd been worrying ever since she left them alone; but now she could see they were perfectly fine. They were happy and were back on track. Jamie was happy and now she felt happy again too. It's a funny thing really; Jamie's happiness is crucial to hers.

So chapter ten down; exciting! I think there is only a few chapters left of this story; yeah in know **sob** It'll be like an end of an era! Anyways, if you're into Harry Potter take a look at my HP fic; it's a joint fic with TeddyTan about Rose and Saffron Thomas (A little too based on us…) Review, review, review. Please or I'll have to threaten to not update until I get reviews like Wandering Dawn! Nah thanks by the way to all my readers; especially Wandering Dawn and Lee Schmitt Mellark, who've read like every chapter and STILL review!

TheBlackRosette