The next day, Marti was in Ontario playing with Simon. She was a little jet lagged and slightly tired from partying with her friends, but she was happy to be home. Sort of. Casey and Derek were still there and it was a little awkward. Marti knew Dennis wouldn't tell his daughters that he and Marti had sex and she wouldn't tell her father. Still, she couldn't understand how Casey and Derek could be so insensitive. Despite Dennis comparing their relationship to Derek and Casey's, she still believed their relationship was different.

"Marti," Casey said Marti finished playing a game with Simon and sent him to bed. Marti rolled her eyes as she saw Casey in they doorway. She wished Lizzie and Edwin were there to distract her from the awkward confrontation with her. "We need to talk. Of course, Derek isn't going to do it. I just want to have an honest talk with you."

"Fine. What do you want to talk about?" she asked as she sat on the couch with Casey.

"Marti, you know I would never do anything to hurt you. Why do you hate me and Derek so much? Just tell me, and I'll try to fix this."

"Casey, you know why I hate you. And the only way you can fix this is break up with Derek and stop this weird shit with you and him."

"I can't do that, Marti." Casey said as she stared down at the floor.

"Of course not…" Marti said as she rolled her eyes and sighed.

"I love him and he loves me. Yes, this relationship is unusual, but it doesn't give you the right to hate me and act out and have your unusual relationship with my father."

"Act out? I can't believe you think me being with your dad is a way of getting revenge. You know what? You're so selfish and self-centered you can't even see why I'm so upset."

"Then, tell me. Because I'm tired of you treating me like this."

"You want to know, fine. I caught you and Derek kissing way before Nora and dad found out about you two." Marti said and Casey looked shocked. "I was 12 and you guys had argued and I thought you two had separated, so I was going to cheer Derek up. That's when I saw you."

"Marti, I…" Casey said stammering as she tried to find and explanation. "So, you knew the whole time? I knew something was different between us shortly after, but I didn't think you saw us kissing. Marti…I want you to know that we didn't plan this. It just happened. The more we were at Queens, the closer we got. But, you can't be angry with me."

"The hell, I can't. Do you know why I'm so upset? After we all found out, Nora and dad had been arguing everyday. They blamed each other, themselves. I had to hear all of that and sit here pretending there wasn't tension between them while you and Derek were happy and in love. And it's embarrassing to know that my step-sis is screwing my brother."

"How do you think I feel when I think about your relationship with my dad. You're young, Marti. Do you know what people are thinking?"

"Yes, I know. I'm a gold digger and a slut. I know this. They can think whatever they want. Dennis and I know the truth. I had told him a bunch of times that I felt a little weird accepting so much from him."

"But, why are you, Marti. Don't you want your own independence? It's nice to be pampered and treated well, but even I turn down my father's gifts sometimes. I want to prove to him that I can do this myself."

"Well, maybe, I'm not like you. Maybe, I like being spoiled and pampered and have a friend that I can learn from because he's older. Did you ever think that's what our friendship is about?"

"That's great, Marti, but I know you're confusing some things. I see the way you look at him, and it goes beyond just admiration. You love him." Casey said and Marti sighed. "You may think you don't, but I can tell. My father isn't the type of man to hurt someone on purpose, but I know some things he does are hurtful. I'm just trying to prepare you for this if it happens."

"I can handle myself, Casey." Marti said as she stood up and was about to leave.

"Marti, please." Casey begged. "I know you say I might be dramatic about this, but you have to know you're putting yourself in a position you don't want to be in. You're putting pressure on him also. If you two do pursue a serious relationship, how will that look? He'll become that creepy old man that bagged a young girl, and he hates that stereotype of a rich older man."

"I know." Marti said feeling a little less angry. Dennis had said that he didn't want to be like Kent, and to her, he wasn't. It frustrated her that he would think that about himself. When she's with him, she doesn't feel like prey and he's the predator. She feels like he's a friend and a lover. It was nice to think of him that way.

"I ask him all the time why he likes spending so much time with you and he assures me that he's not replacing me or Lizzie and you're not replacing George, but…I still don't understand why it had to be you. If it was some random 19 year old girl, I would be upset, but not as much as I am knowing that it's you. Because, despite what you say, I still feel as if you are with him to hurt me and Derek. And knowing why you're angry at us, it apparent that you are."

"Casey…are we done? You've already told me that you don't like my friendship with your dad. I don't like your relationship with Derek. Let's just leave it at that and stay out of each other's hair because I know you're not going to stop seeing Derek and I'm not going to stop being Dennis' friend." Marti said as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"Marti…I don't want to shut you out. I don't want to put more strain on this family by having tension between us. Let's just agree to a compromise. I will try to understand and accept your relationship with my father if you make and effort to understand and accept my relationship with Derek. I know, now, that we aren't going to get out of those relationships because we would be so unhappy. Marti, I may not understand it or like your relationship with my dad, but I know what's it like to be in love with someone others will see as a strange choice to fall for."

"Casey…" Marti said not knowing how to respond. She hated to admit, but Casey was right about not wanting to create more tension in the family and that they were both unwilling to leave their relationships. After she slept with Dennis, she felt their relationship had formed into something more than just their friendship and she loved it.

"Just think about it, okay?" Casey begged and Marti sighed. Maybe she should at least try to be nice. She wasn't being a brat like Casey had said she was, but she knew she wasn't being nice.

"I'll think about it. Look, I have some homework to work on so I can hang out with Dimi tomorrow. But…I will think about it." she said before she walked upstairs and sat on the bed. She went through her bag and pulled out her ipad and textbook for her Canadian history class and checked and school email for her assignment. Just then, she saw she had missed a text from Dimi asking if she was still going to hang with him. She replied yes, and for him to stop bothering her because she was doing homework.

About two hours later, she was falling asleep and decided to make some coffee. The assignment was harder than she thought. She left her room and went downstairs to the kitchen and started the pot of coffee. While she waited, she began to think about Casey's compromise and played with the idea of accepting it. She really didn't know what to do. Perhaps, Dimi could help her. He has been and will always be helpful when she had to vent.