When I envisioned the restaurant and the hostess and the old woman I mention, I think of the one from Freaky Friday (modern version) where they get the fortune cookies from. So if you need a better visual representation, I'd look into that :)

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Derek had been taking a sip of his coffee when he heard Casey's final words. Her voice was full of remorse, shame but mostly pain. He choked down the hot liquid, somehow not spluttering, but the burning travelled all the way down his throat. Had he really heard her right? And why was it his mind immediately jumped to such a non-sibling love?

Nora looked over and smiled when she saw her step-son. "Derek, perfect! I could really use that coffee now."

Spirit-Casey whipped around in horror, staring at him with wide eyes. He avoided hers, focusing his gaze instead on Nora and walked past her daughter to give her the drink. He knew based on her face that she knew Derek had heard her confession.

Derek stood watching motionless Casey while the other bore her eyes into his back.

His mind was racing. What kind of love did she mean? Was she feeling more for him than brother-sister? How long had this been going on? Was she just delusional because of her condition? After all he was the only male who could even speak to her right now. While she's going through such changes, is it normal to become that emotionally attached? Maybe he should ask Paul. And it's not like there is anything wrong with step-siblings being together. They were only related by paper. And they hadn't even grown up together.

Derek hardly heard Nora excusing herself to leave. "I've got to go pick up Marti and Edwin. Lizzie has soccer today until five."

He quickly nodded. She smiled at him gently.

"Don't stay here too long, Derek. I worry about you, spending hours here and worrying about her all the time..."

"She's going to be fine." he interrupted, not noticing that he didn't deny that he was in fact worried.

"Derek. I want to believe that. Casey is a fighter. But you need to be ready. I know you don't do feelings, but maybe you should think about it."

He didn't reply. Nora left and the two teenagers stood in the silence.

"Derek-"

He interrupted before she could finish. "I don't think we'll get anything done here. Maybe we should do some research first. Like I said, we're obviously missing something."

Casey sighed and nodded. This was Derek after all. He didn't 'do' feelings.

"I want to try something." he told her, motioning for her to turn around. She sighed and did as he asked.

A quick gasp from behind him made Derek grin. He had squeezed her body's hand.

She whipped around. "How did you know? I couldn't even feel my own mother."

Derek smirked. "I didn't know. But this stuff is wacky so I figured I'd give it a shot."

He stared down at her body for a long minute, turning his head to stare at the monitors.

"Either way, we still need research. Let's go home." he instructed, leaving motionless Casey behind. Spirit-Casey tried to read the emotion in his distant eyes before he turned, but the tears in them were what caused her to pause. What was so wrong with him all of a sudden?

She followed in a huff, arms crossed, her usual stubbornness showing through.

Derek ignored the surprised stares when he returned shortly after Nora and the kids came through the door. They were used to not seeing him until much later at night. He hadn't been home that early in over a month. He didn't say a word; just headed straight to his room and closed the door behind him. They swore they heard him chuckle before the door clicked shut.

Upstairs, Derek was chuckling at Casey attempting to avoid all the obstacles in the room, even though she could go right through them. She did however manage to sit on the end of his bed, looking disgusted and alarmed at all that she was touching. He rolled his eyes and booted up his computer.

"I don't see why you aren't more excited. We're doing your favourite thing in the world: research!" Derek exclaimed, fake-enthusiastically.

Casey rolled her eyes. "I don't see how Google is going to be able to tell us why I am in a coma but still walking around and only able to talk to you."

He shrugged as he started clicking and typing away, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Casey watched him, bemused. She had never seen him study much, so Derek in intense concentration was a rare indulgence. She wondered if only she had the pleasure of seeing him in such a state, as the few times he did try really hard, she had been there helping him studying or completing a project due the next day.

Derek burst out laughing a few minutes into his searching, startling Casey out of her thoughts. "HA! You might be magical Japanese fox!"

She rolled her eyes for the umpteenth time. "Derek, I am not a kitsune."

Derek huffed, irritated she knew the term, but not looking overly frustrated as he was more amused than anything at the concept.

A few minutes later, he sighed. "Looks like we'll have to see a psychic or something. There's nothing much here. I suck at search engines."

"The Great Derek Venturi, admitting defeat? Admitting weakness?" Casey asked in fake-astonishment. She saw the hint of a smirk at the corner of his mouth but he kept his face neutral.

She strolled over, instructing him what to type, trying different quotes here and there, and all the fancy tools one would use to narrow down all the crap to get what they were looking for. It was an attempt to be helpful, but as usual broke out argument.

"Derek, that might have been helpful!" Casey complained as he backed out of a page before merely glancing at it.

"Oh come on, it was filled with ads. Of course it was a phoney site. We can't deal with maybe's here, Casey. We have to get you back in your body. We have to find a psychic or something!"

"OH yeah sure because psychics are NEVER phoney." she said sarcastically, her hand on her hip, throwing her hair back from her face in frustration as she leaned over his shoulder.

"Can you move your body from inside my shoulder? You're giving me a permanent chill, and it kind of freaks me out having you inside me." he growled, frustration targeted at their lack of results.

However, his tone of voice sent a different type of chills down her spine as she tried not to think of the role reversal his words could be applied. She blushed furiously for even letting her mind dive that deep into them.

"What's up with you?" he asked strangely as she backed away quickly to acquiesce his first request.

A knock on the door distracted them both. "What?" Derek shouted irritably.

George poked his head in. "We're going out to eat tonight. Nora was supposed to get groceries but forgot-"

"No Dad, you were supposed to. It says so on the calendar." he replied, smirking now at his Dad's lie. He had learned from somewhere.

George sighed. "Okay, okay, fine, I forgot. Point is we're going out. Any suggestions?"

Derek glanced at the screen where the psychic listings were.

"I've got just the place in mind." he said with a grin, writing down the address of the Chinese restaurant. It was his favourite type of food regardless so no one would know the difference.

The family arrived, the kids eager for fortune cookies while Nora and George were nervous to see the bill. They decided that since everyone had been through so much lately they could splurge a little on dinner. Derek was scanning the Chinese restaurant for any sign of the psychic. He saw the sign saying 'Have your fortunes translated to see what wonders await you' but underneath a paper taped saying 'On break, back in an hour'.

Derek cursed under his breath until George shot a warning glare his way. He no doubt assumed Derek had been looking for a girl and realized she wasn't there.

They made their way to the booth the hostess showed them. An older woman walked by as Derek was waiting patiently to climb in beside Lizzie and Edwin.

"You have a very beautiful date." she told Derek with a warm smile. Since he was sitting next to Edwin, he looked rather perplexed, but the family looked at her like she was mental.

"Um we are only here as a family. My son doesn't have a date here." George said, looking at Derek for confirmation. But he was staring at the old woman in wonder now. Casey was sitting next to him, the rest oblivious to her presence.

"I meant your other daughter." she explained, looking towards his wife now, her smile widening before she swept away. Nora paled dramatically, her mouth forming an 'o' in shock.

"Order my usual." Derek said, throwing his napkin on the table and following the woman without another word while the family sat in silence, terribly confused.

"Excuse me! Are you the psychic?" Derek asked as Casey chased behind him.

"Derek, try to be a little more respectful!" Casey chastised.

"I said 'excuse me'." he argued, forgetting for a moment that he wasn't alone.

The old woman smiled. "For all intents and purposes, yes. I prefer to think of myself as merely gifted rather than a name. But you are here for your girlfriend?"

"Um no, she's actually my step-sister." Derek explained hurriedly.

"Ah, yes, I forgot about that little detail. Regardless, I think the intensity of the feelings radiating out of her for you, Derek, is clue enough that it won't be long."

Casey turned bright red.

The old woman laughed. "She is the most alive spirit I've ever come across. Even I can feel the heat from that blush."

"She got in a bad car accident and is in a coma. I don't understand why only I can see her. I don't know how to get her back in her body."

She exhaled slowly. "Well it's obvious that she has some unfinished business to tend to. There must be something she needs to do, or that needs to be done, before she can return to her body, something that may not have happened at all or as soon if you two hadn't had this connection."

"What do I have to do with anything?" Derek asked confusedly.

She smiled knowingly. "That is the right question, Derek."

"I still don't understand." he admitted.

"Derek, spirits roam the earth because they cannot let go. A husband may refuse to leave his wife, a victim their murderer, a rich man his possessions. They are lost souls. They are attracted to those of similar mind. Your step-sister might be unable to let YOU go."

"Why does she have to go? She's only in a coma! She's not gone yet." Derek said, starting to panic a little.

"Derek, remember what I said: attracted to those of similar mind. You are unable to let her go either. Your feelings for her are just as intense as hers for you."

"But she's not dead." Derek explained firmly. He refused to acknowledge what she said.

"Not yet. You still have time. But her body is weakening as is her soul. You must figure out what needs to be done, and fast."

"Can't you tell me?" Derek begged.

"I can't. But you both are lost souls, both in search of something that you aren't ready to admit. Maybe once you are fully honest with each other, or get through the pain of the past, she will return to her body."

Derek sighed. "Thank you." He turned to look at Casey who shrugged and when he looked back, the old woman was gone.