AN: Gah, I am so sorry. I know, I know. No excuses. But seriously, I never ever meant to stray away from this story for so long. Thankfully, I'm just getting into the feeling of it a lot more than before. Like, 500 times more than before. This story needs to be told from my mind or I won't be able to sleep at night anymore.

So, once again, I'm sorry. I hope this doesn't affect any of my readers opinions of the story. It's still here, and is refusing to go away any time soon.

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"Mr. Venturi? You have a call on line one from your sister Lizzie." At the sound of the loud intercom filling his office, Derek jumped.

"Thanks, Cheryl. Go ahead and patch it through to me."

Moments later, he heard the sound of Lizzie's voice. He could tell something was wrong just by the way she greeted him.

"What's wrong Liz? Don't try lying either, you know I'll just see right through it." Derek chuckled into the phone. He frowned at the pause over the other line.

"..She's gone? How is she just gone, Lizzie?"

"You thought I was just leaving late for work when you heard the door close? Liz, when was the last time I ever left late for work? No, I'm sorry. I'll go out looking for her. Don't worry. Stay there in case she comes home. Yeah, I'll see you later Liz. Don't worry about it."

Derek threw the phone down and grabbed his jacket off the back of his chair. He quickly dialed the number to his boss's, and friend's, extension.

"Venturi. What's up?"

"Hey, I have to go out for a bit. There's been a big problem at home."

"Oh, man. Alright. I hope everything gets sorted out. And Derek? Honestly, was it a bit too soon for you to return back to work?"

"Chris, I really.. don't know. I just have to go find Casey, she got out of the apartment this morning."

"Let me know later on." With that, the phone went dead.

Derek left the office, waving bye to Lisa as he walked past. Taking the stairs by two in the parking garage, he threw his car into life.

Derek thought back to that dream he'd had only nights before. He couldn't but feel it was a sign that something would happen. He had to talk to Casey about the accident. But first he had to find Case.

As he began driving, he searched the sidewalks hoping to see the brown-haired beauty. When he was just 5 minutes from his apartment, he passed the park they had gone to about a week ago. Quickly finding a parking spot, he figured it wouldn't hurt to look in here. It was the only place Casey had gone since arriving at his home. He hoped she was looking for familiar ground.

As he walked along the same path, he began to feel hopeless. All around him, businessmen and women were cutting through the park, talking on their cell phones, eating a quick snack, just trying to get back to the office where their suits were the only thing that fit in that environment to them. He realized he must have looked like all of them. Taking a break from all the fast-paced deals and conversations that always ensued in the office.

Just as he was crossing the bridge, he saw her. She lay in the small patch where they'd been before. As he slowly approached her, he stopped dead in his tracks. The morning sun hit her face, adding a glow to her skin. A small smile graced her face. And in her hands, she twirled a daisy.

"I was thinking about Mom." She whispered to Derek, without even opening her eyes. He had to strain his ears to her hear over the water rushing behind them, of the birds chirping all around them, and the leaves rustling over them.

Derek sat down beside her and stared out across the park. He watched as a pair of college students sat on the grass, one with an open book in front of them and the other sitting beside them, laughing and repeatedly turning the pages of the book. Derek couldn't help but smile. Glancing away from the pair, he looked down at Casey. He realized she would never get a chance to have that. To have that carefree feeling that college, and a real first love relationship, can give you.

"You scared us, Case. We didn't know where you went." He mumbled to her. Casey opened her eyes and looked up at him.

"Sorry," she spoke hesitantly, "Derek, what happened?" Casey sat up slightly, leaning on her elbows and looking expectantly at Derek.

"Case..I don't know if we should ta--" Derek was cut off by Casey shaking her head vigorously.

"I need to know, please?" Casey's eyes pleaded to Derek.

"Come here." Derek opened his arms out in front of himself, motioning for her to join them.

As she shifted into his open arms, she leaned her head against his right knee that was bent at her shoulder. His arms wrapped around her frame and he sighed quietly.

"You had just come home to visit Nora and Lizzie. It was the first time y'all had seen eachother in a while so y'all decided to go out of town for a few days, relax and catch up." Derek began recounting the memories he'd hoped to conceal a little longer, before having to push them back into Casey's already fragile mind.

"And we decided to come home later than we'd expected.." Casey finished for him. Willing her eyes to clear the images running behind her closed lids, willing the pain to smother against the feel of Derek sitting behind her. Casey tensed her body up, almost like a cat ready to pounce, not sure of what to do.

Derek felt Casey, felt her remembering. He sighed and squeezed his arms a little tighter around her shoulders, making sure she knew where she was, that she was here and not in the past. She didn't need to remember yet.

"Case, come on. We should go back to the apartment. Lizzie is worried sick right now. She needs to know you're safe, alright?" Derek slowly untangled his arms from her body and began to climb to his feet.

Casey nodded and set the daisy on the ground. She looked up at Derek with a somber look. Derek met her eyes, matching the pain shining through them like the sun's first rays on a cold morning. Casey looked away quickly and silently got up. She walked to his car in silence and stared out the window, watching the busy people run through their lives, not knowing that her heart was breaking.