Disclaimer: Don't own Life with Derek.

A/N: 150 hits, time for a new chapter. Not sure of the gender or name of their English teacher, so don't crucify me. Lol.

Chapter 10… With a Thud

x o x x o derek's p.o.v. o x x o x

Friday had come. Usually my favorite day of the week. No homework to do my best to ignore, and a ton of people in a good mood. But the only person that mattered anymore was sitting there in English clutching her stomach with one hand, and writing occasional notes with the other, all while looking completely exhausted and anxious.

"Hey Derek," a husky voice said from behind. It was Erika. One of my, for lack of a better word, girlfriends. I go on one date with her two months ago and she thinks she can walk up to me in the hall way and hook arms with me and call me sweetie pie. It's happened before, but it doesn't usually last this long.

I suddenly and completely felt my The Derek demeanor slip through my fingers as I turned around and said, "Don't even think about calling me honey. We only went on one date. One first and FINAL date. Back off before I make sure it's your last date with anyone."

She just sat there with her mouth in what I'm sure she thought was an attractive O. I just darkened my glare before turning back around to see Casey blinking heavy lidded eyes in attempt to stay awake. I heard Erika make a humph sound, but paid no mind. Suddenly Casey twitched to life again and sat very straight in her seat, closing her eyes tight and clutching her stomach with both hands, taking a deep shuddering breath.

"Ms. MacDonald?" Mr. Treach asked, eyebrows bent to the center of his face. "Do you want to go to the nurse?"

He'd asked her this a few times before this week. I looked at Casey, practically on the edge of my seat in anticipation of her answer. Probably another damn excuse. And he, of course, will believe every word of it. When did Casey get so good at lying? Right then her breath suddenly became erratic and I saw her eyes become eerily glassy.

"I –"

Oh my god.

She just… Just fell out of her seat. And to the ground. With a thud.

I felt my legs bring me to my feet and rushing to Casey, breaking through the crowd of students forming, standing on their toes for a better view.

"Someone call 911!" I heard a male voice yell, fallowed by murmured agreement. I heard Mr. Treach dial the numbers hurriedly.

"Get… Out… Of the fucking… Way!" I yelled, rushing through the last few students in my path, not very interested in whether or not I caused injury to someone. I felt my breath heaving in my chest once I reached the center to see Casey lying there, one hand still on her stomach.

I felt my knees hit the floor, my hand consciously reaching out to touch her hand. I felt her dry skin under my fingertips and my chin quivered. Tears spilt across the barrier. My hand left her hand and explored her hollow body unsteadily. I felt sobs rush up my throat and I closed my eyes, willing them not to escape.

"Casey," I whispered. But it wasn't my voice. It wasn't me. It was someone I didn't want to acknowledge. Someone I didn't want anyone to know about. It was the one that had talked to that chick that night, crying silently. It was the one that had hugged Casey so tightly, hoping they could just become one and he could take all the pain away. It was the one that had willingly fallen in love with the Casey from before. The Casey that used to be alive.

x o x x o x x o x x o x x o x x o x

x o x x o casey's p.o.v. o x x o x

I felt the bright light penetrate my eyelids and seep into my eyes and beyond, a sharp pain coursing through my mind. I opened my eyes to a sickeningly bright halogen light above me. I was on my back, a firm bed beneath me that bent up ever so slightly.

Oh no…

Where the hell was I?

My hands scrambled for the bars on either side of my bed and I tried hard to sit up, but I felt a tugging in my right arm. Oh no… An IV. I tried to look around for anything that might help get it out. I can't keep it in there you know.

But I paused my search when I spotted Derek, curled up in a recliner, clutching his knees to himself loosely. What is he doing here? My insensitive (well, 90 on the time) jerk of a stepbrother. And he was sitting there, eyebrows furrowed even in what looked like a pretty deep sleep.

I just let out a breath I had no knowledge of having held and resumed my search, although considerably quieter. I didn't want to draw any attention. If they knew what I was trying to do… Well, we just can't let them know.

Surprisingly I felt better than I had the past week. My stomach felt full (probably from the IV), but I can only let that last for so long. I really had to get out of there.

I located a spork on a tray of food to my left. It would just have to do. I grabbed it hesitantly and brought it too my right arm, cautiously digging it under the IV cord and to its junction with my skin. I began pulling the spork down and away from my arm, but quickly stopped at the jolt of pain it caused through my arm.

"Ah," I let out into the air around me. I paused to take a deep breath in attempt to stifle the pain, listening absent-mindedly to the beeping of the machine next to my bed. The beeping seemed to grow louder as I leaned back reluctantly into the stiff hospital mattress. Soon I was in a trance, feeling my head begin to spin painfully as the beeping continued to nip at my ear buds, ringing in my brain. It wasn't until the sound of soft rustling joined the mix that my trance was broken and I felt myself snap to attention to see Derek getting up from his resting spot, his back to me.

I continued to watch him, unintentionally gripping to spork tighter until the plastic ridges left marks in my skin. It was still under my IV, and it wasn't until Derek looked away from the chair and over at me with this strange look on his face that I remembered where I was holding it. I quickly scrambled to place it back on the tray, but by then it was too late…

A/N: Well, I know it's turned a bit dramatic, but... Ah, I have no excuse. And in other news, I am finally coming out and revealing my addiction to adverbs, such as 'slightly' and 'considerably'... Again, I have no excuse.