NOTE: I am so sorry for taking so long to update. It's been crazy, really. I just took my AP English exam, I still have the Biology AP exams coming up, and I have my French GCSE oral exam, all within days of each other, so I've been studying like crazy. My brain is goo. I am so tired, I got too much stuff to do. . . . . . . . . . . . . But on the upside at my school seniors finish in 18 days. YEAH! "Upbeat" But then we have to come back for our regular exams. "Depressed" But then we graduate, YAY!!

. . . . Anyway, on with the story.

Disclaimer: I Don't Own Life With Derek.

Chapter 13:

Casey POV:

We are rushing to the hospital. I'm in the back holding Desiray's hand. The emergency technicians work frantically over Desiray's still body.

The ten minute ride to the hospital was pure torture. Two minutes into the ride Desiray's arms and legs start twitching violently. Her hand is jerked from mine. Her eyes open and roll back into her head.

"Oh my God, what's happening?" I ask the technician in charge? "What is going on?"

"I think she's having a seizure." He turns to his assistant. "Get those sharp objects away from her."

"Desiray? Desiray!" I shout, getting ready to pull her into my arms.

"No, don't touch her." He says to me, to his assistant. "Take her up front she doesn't need to be watching this."

"No, I have to stay here with my baby."

"Ma'am, just come back here for a little while she'll just be behind this curtain. Alright." He pulls me to the front and closes the curtain. I can still hear Desiray thrashing around in the room.

- - - - - -

An hour later.

"Casey, calm down. Ok, its' gone be alright." Derek tells me as I pace in the hospital waiting room.

"Where is this doctor? I don't understand what could have happened. I put her to bed and then . . . ."

"Calm down Case." Derek tells me, getting up to put his arm around my neck. I throw his arm off.

"Calm down! Calm down! How can I calm down? My daughter's in there and I don't know what's wrong with her. You didn't see her in there. You didn't see her shakin-" I start to cry. Derek comes over and enfolds me in his arms and lets me cry into his shirt.

"Casey McDonald," asks a male doctor in a white jacket, he is holding a clipboard looking anxiously around the waiting room.

"Right here," I say, standing up, pulling away from Derek, wiping my face. "How's Desiray."

"Hi, my name is Dr. Simpson and I treated your daughter today. Your daughter is a trooper, I'll tell you that." The doctor says good naturedly. "She had what we call a febrile seizure, which was caused by an unusually high fever brought on by an allergic reaction to something. She's unconscious right now. We had to give her some antibiotics and some anti-seizure medicine."

"But she's going to be alright, right?" Asks Derek, interrupting, coming up behind me.

"Yes, she's going to be fine. But she's going to have to spend the night, for observation of course." The doctor tells me reassuringly. He's about to pat me on the arm, but I turned away before he could, my mind on something that's bothering me.

"An allergic reaction. She didn't eat anything that could have caused this. I don't know what could have triggered this." I say thinking out loud.

"I don't know either Casey, it's just good that she's going to be alright." He turns to the doctor. "Thank you so much." He says to the doctor.

"Yes, thank you. You don't know how much she means to us." I add, turning my attention back from my reverie.

"I think I do. I have two kids myself. And I've seen enough shares of diseases and emergencies. I wonder what I would do if one of them happened to my kids." He looks at his watch. "Look, my shift ends in a little while but I'll come check on Desiray tomorrow. So I'll see you two tomorrow." He finishes turning around to leave.

I rest my hand on his sleeve. "Thanks again." I say. He just nods and walks off down the corridor.

Derek and I just stand there in a state of shock. Feeling grateful. Our baby's going to be alright. Derek puts his arms around me and we just stand there for a few minutes. Then my mind returns to its previous train of thought.

"What could she have eaten Derek? You couldn't have given her anything right? I don't think . . . Wait Derek, you know that care bag and list I gave you? You did read it right?" I ask, turning to Derek speculatively.

"What care package?" Derek answers, confused.

"Weren't you paying attention this morning? The sunscreen, the fruit, water, juice, the list I had sewn onto the back of the bag. . . . You didn't even look at it did you?" I ask disgustedly.

Derek looks like he's thinking. Then he says. "No, I don't even remember seeing it." I'm not even really listening right now.

"I can't believe this. You have her one day, one day and this happens."

"Wait Case, aren't you jumping a little bit to conclusions. We don't know that it was something that I gave her, we don't even know that it was something that she ate." Derek answers back getting defensive.

"What else could it have been Derek? Not something that she ate? Come on!"

"Casey, you know I wouldn't do anything to put Desiray's life in danger." He says with shock in his voice, despite me knowing the truth I can't help what I say next.

"No, I don't know that. What I do know is that before I let my daughter into your care she was fine. I let her spend one day with you. And look, she ends up in the freaking hospital!" All the fear over Desiray's life comes out as anger.

"You know what. I can't do this right now, I can't do this right now Derek." Fear crosses his face.

"Wait, Casey. What exactly are you talking about? Are you talking about us? Or What? You are going to need to clarify this a little bit more for me Casey." I put my hands on my head.

"I can't have this conversation right now Derek. I need time to think."

"Casey, this just comes to one thing. You don't trust me."

"I want to Derek. I want to so much, you don't know. But every time I come close to believing in you something happens to make me lose faith in you all over again." He steps closer to me.

"Casey, please don't do this. We've had a ruff day. You're still in shock. It's not the best time to be making important decisions."

"I'm trying not to, but I need to time to think . . . . . away from you." I finish not looking him in the eye.

"Casey?" he looks at my f ace and can clearly read the determination there. "Okay, I'll go." He says defeatedly. "But I am coming back. Now that I'm here, I'm not going away. Not this time Case. You are stuck with me." With those last words he turns and walks out of the hospital waiting room.

I collapse into the chair. Why must life be a constant emotional rollercoaster ride for me. Why can't my life me normal?

- - - - - - - -

Later on in the night.

Derek POV:

I glance up at the digital clock on the white walls of the hospital corridor. 2:00. I couldn't sleep at my house so I had to come back. Now I'm standing outside the door with a sign that says.

Desiray Macdonald Venturi

I look through the glass window. Desiray is asleep in her bed and Casey is in the chair next to her, also asleep.

I open the door silently but Desiray still opens her eyes and looks at me. I put my finger to my lips and say shhhhhhhh. I point to Casey with her head laying on Desiray's bed. Desiray nods that she understands.

I walk over and pick up Casey depositing her on the cot that must have been brought by the nurse for this purpose. I pull the blanket up to her neck, tucking her in. I lightly touch her cheek. I hope this all works out. I don't think I could go back to not seeing her face anymore.

I straighten up, and go sit in the chair so recently occupied by Casey. I reach out to hold Desiray's hand.

"Hey, Des. How are you doing?"

She looks at me and says, "Daddy . ." immediately I feel better.

Please tell me what you think. wink, wink.