The last, lazy remnants of the Sun's rays were slowly disappearing as darkness took over in there place. The moon, huge and full, cast an eerie orange light over the entire world.

Casey stared out the third story window of the Omega Chi house trying to imagine how she could possibly escape the prison she found herself in without anyone getting hurt in the process. As was true of the hundred other times she had found herself in the same place, nothing came to her.

With a heavy sigh and her shoulders slumped in defeat, she turned towards the rest of the room.

Everywhere she looked spoke of privilege and wealth. Heavy, dark hardwood furniture graced the room and somehow instead of seeming dignified and stately, as she was sure was the intent, it just felt oppressive and overpowering. The dark paneled walls and crimson carpet felt daunting. The huge, four-poster bed in the corner caused a shiver to run up her spine every time she looked in its direction.

She glanced at the door, wondering where Evan was and more importantly when he would return.

The thought of him walking through the door turned her stomach sour and made her hands shake uncontrollably.

In the ornate, gold-embossed mirror over the dresser, she caught a glimpse of her reflection and it caused her to pause and take a step closer to it.

Her long, red nails trailed down the column of her throat, tracing over the, now barely visible bruises, there. Her eye was much better, hardly any color left to speak of. With a trembling hand she reached to the bottom of her blue t-shirt and lifted it carefully up until it showed her ribcage.

With a sharp intake of breath, she spied the bright red, purple and yellow color blossoming over her skin. She had been afraid to look before now. She'd known they were there, felt them every time she moved, but she hadn't had the courage to actually look before.

She softly edged her fingertip around the brightest, newest bruise and hissed at the pain of even that slight touch. Tears that she was unable to hold back, welled in her eyes and fell to her cheeks before trailing in twin rivers over her chin. She felt their wetness on the shoulder of her shirt and quickly wiped at her face.

Evan would be angry if he found out she had been crying. Crying wasn't allowed in her new world.

" Oh my God ! " A voice that she recognized immediately sounded from in front of the window and she whirled towards it in shocked surprise, quickly dropping her shirt as she did.

" Are you insane ? " She demanded as she fought every urge in her body that screamed for her to go to him.

Cappie stepped completely into the room, dragging his large frame through the small porthole of the window and took a tentative step closer to her. " Oh, Casey. " He whispered, his eyes still glued to her, now covered, torso.

" You have to get out of here. " She exclaimed, jolting herself back to reality. " If he finds you here, he'll kill you. "

Cappie shook his head, as if having to resort to physically trying to clear the image of her body from his head. " Calvin has Evan taken care of. He'll be gone for a few hours. " He stepped closer and it was all she could do not to run into arms and surround herself in the warmth of his chest.

" You can't be sure of that. This is stupid. Please, Cappie, you have to leave. " She insisted, though her soul shook with every word.

Then he was directly in front of her, blocking her view of everything else. " Ashleigh told me everything. We arranged to get Evan away for a little while so I could have a chance to tell you that we are working on a plan. " He explained. Then he took the last step that still remain between them and gathered her into his arms. " I'm going to get you out of here. I promise. I'm going to save you."

As his words worked their way into her brain she felt her chest lighten and her heart soared. Her arms circled his shoulders instantly and she slammed herself into him, clinging to him, clutching desperately as if he were a lifeline. And apparently, that was exactly what he was. A lifeline, her hero riding his stead to her rescue.

" It's going to be okay. " He whispered into her hair as he pulled her even closer to her. " I promise, it's going to be okay. "

She shook her head violently. " No, nothing is going to be okay. " Her voice was muffled against his shirt and she drew back a bit so she could see into his eyes. " You have to go and let me handle this. You can't get expelled. Rusty can't get expelled. "

He cupped her face in his hands and looked intently into her eyes. " And I can't let you stay here like this. I would rather go to jail. "

She tried to look away from his gaze but he steadfastly held her. " I can handle it. " She lied. " I'm okay. "

He pushed away and grabbed her shirt, raising it to uncover the bruises once more. " Is this how you're handling it ? Being Evan's punching bag ? You know there is no way I'm going to let this go and walk away. "

" Cappie - " She started, but he cut her off before she could say anymore.

" We are working on a plan. We'll come up with a solution. You don't have to do this alone anymore. "

She felt so physically and emotionally exhausted that she nearly swayed from the weight of it all. To not have to be alone. To know that there were others with her, trying to help her. It was more than she'd dared hope for. But still, how could she let herself believe it ?
" What if Evan finds out about your plan ? What if he finds out you know everything ? Our entire lives could be ruined. Rusty's life could be ruined. I knew telling Ashleigh wasn't a good idea. " She pulled completely out of his arms and thought, at first of going to the bed to sit. But she couldn't make herself approach the cursed piece of furniture, so she choose a red leather arm chair in the corner by the window.

Slumping into it tiredly, she looked back up at her savior, wanting nothing more than to just believe everything he was telling her, but knowing that wasn't possible.

" Case, Please. " He said as he came to his knees beside her chair and took her hands into his. " You have to trust me. We'll get you out of here. " He grabbed her eyes with his, " I'll get you out of here. "

" Alright. " She answered finally. " Tell me about this plan. "

His eyes darkened for a moment and he looked away from her, a tell-tale sign that the plan wasn't as great as he wanted her to think it was. " Well, we don't exactly have one as of yet. " He said quietly. "But, Rusty is working on strategy with Wade and Ashleigh and Beaver are handling the re-con."

" Re-con ? " She asked, trying to keep from letting her spirits plummet again.

" They're watching Evan's every move. Learning his patterns. Figuring out where he goes and when. " He explained, proudly.

" And that's going to help how ? " She prodded.

" It'll let us know when he'll be here and when he won't. Rusty thinks we just need to sneak in some time and steal the video. Do you know where he keeps it ? "

She looked at him as if he had just uttered the stupidest thing she'd ever heard. " Yeah, Cap, I know exactly where it is. I'm just here because I like it rough. "

" Okay, " He managed a smile. " You're right, that was stupid. Can you tell me anything about the video ? How many copies he has ? What format there in ? "

" I know originally it was on his phone. " She answered. " But since then, he takes great pleasure in waving around a DVD jewel case whenever he wants something from me. So apparently its on a CD now. I don't know if he still has it on the phone or not. "

He sat in silence as he took the information in, a look of contemplation on his face.

" Did you say that Calvin is distracting Evan ? " She asked as it suddenly occurred to her.

" Yeah, he's helping us. "

" Are you certain ? I mean, Calvin is Evan's little brother. What if he's just pretending to help you so he can find out for Evan how much you know ? " She wanted to know.

" He came to us, all on his own. He said he was worried about you. " Cappie explained, then continued at the look on her face. " You have to trust people sometimes. Calvin might be Evan's little brother in the house. But he's also a good guy and he knows something is going on. He's not going to let Evan hurt you just because of some freaking fraternity. "

She listened to his reasoning and felt herself relax a bit. " I still think it would be better for everyone if you just let me deal with this on my own. "

" Casey, How could you even imagine that that is going to happen ? " He asked, as if now she was the stupid one. " You do understand that we got into this whole mess because I had to save a girl I barely knew from a very similar situation ? Do you think for a second I wouldn't do the same for you ? You, my Casey, the woman that I'm completely, totally, one hundred percent, in-this-forever, in love with. "

She smiled at him finally and he answered with one of his own.

" You have to know that I would gladly go to prison if I knew it would get you away from him. I'd leave this school and never look back. " He told her in all seriousness. " I'd die to keep you safe. There is nothing I wouldn't do for you. "

His words struck so hard, his tone so sincere, his eyes so intense that suddenly she was swaying. Her head was spinning out of control. She grabbed for the arm of the chair to steady herself and found his shoulder instead. Then she felt herself being pulled up and into his arms. His warm, hard, strong body was the only constant, unyielding, unfaltering thing in her suddenly dizzy world. His arms came around her and she let herself fall into them, spilling against him as if all her bones were melted.

" Shhsh, " He whispered as his big hand smoothed her hair, and she realized she was crying again, dreadful, heart-wrenching sob that wreaked her body and caused her to shake almost violently.

A few minutes later, or maybe it was hours, she couldn't be sure, when the tears had finally run their course, she gave a sniffle and managed to pull back from him enough to give her room to fully expand her lungs.

" Tell me what you need right now. " He asked her quietly. " What do you need to get you through until we can came up with something ? "

She eyed him intently for a few moments, before she spoke. " How much time do we still have ? "

He glanced at the leather banded watch on his wrist. " About an hour. " He told her.

Letting her hands fall from his shoulder, she took his hand and pulled him along with her over to the bed that she was normally so unable to face. As she sat on its edge, she drew him against her and wrapped herself around him.

" Help me forget him for a while. " She answered into his ear before sliding back on the mattress and bringing him along.

Calvin Owens wasn't normally a man who hated people. He had strong opinions about people. He disliked people and usually he could tell that fact within a few moments of meeting them even. But as he looked across the table at his big brother, he realized that he truly hated him. Hated him more than he ever thought possible.

And Calvin felt he knew why. Not only was he hurting Casey, which was enough in Calvin's book to hate anyone, but it was more the fact that he had lied to him. Misrepresented him so completely that Calvin had believed every word, every lie.

People didn't usually get the best of Calvin. He knew what people were really like and he was rarely surprised. He had seen the best and the worst in the human race in his few short years. Especially since everyone had found out he was gay. People really showed their true colors when faced with something like that.

So very little surprised him. Very little caught him off guard.

Yet as he watched Evan sitting on the other side of the table seeming so normal, so likable, so friendly, his hatred for him grew by leaps and bounds. One thing Calvin couldn't stand was someone who pretended to be something they weren't. He had gone through too much in the name of being true to himself to ever want to be around anyone that couldn't do the same.

But what really bothered Calvin was the fact that he was beginning to doubt his own ability to judge people, something he had always prided himself on. Yet, sitting there, smiling at him like he was his best friend, was a man that had utterly fooled him in every way.

Evan was supposed to be one of the good guys. Calvin had grown to trust him, something he didn't do easily. So now he couldn't trust himself. Because there was no doubt in his mind as he sat there watching the man, that he was perhaps one of the most diabolically evil men he had ever known.

And Calvin had let himself be fooled.

" This has been a great little side trip, but I think it's time I was getting back. " Evan announced as he laid his napkin to the side of his plate and leaned back in his chair. " You know how it is. I can't stand to be away from Casey for too long. "

Calvin fought the urge to hit him. He wanted to. Wanted to more than he wanted just about anything at the moment. He wanted to wipe the smug, self-indulgent look off the man's face with a carefully placed fist, but he held back, knowing he was doing more good by staying by his side.

" I thought we were catching a movie. " He answered, trying to sound as casual as possible.

Evan glanced at his watch. " It's been an hour already. I think I've left her alone long enough. "

Calvin took the opportunity to glance at his own watch. He had promised the Kappa's two hours. He couldn't take the chance of Calvin finding someone at the house that wasn't supposed to be there. He had promised them two hours and he was determined to deliver.

" I have something I need to talk to you about. " He announced quietly, hoping to catch Evan's attention.

Evan leaned forward and crossed his arms on the table in front of him. " What's up ? "

Calvin searched his thoughts, trying to figure out what he was going to say to him. " I have a date this weekend. I need your help picking out a new shirt. "

" Didn't you just get that red shirt the other day. It looks great on you, wear it. " Evan suggested as he began gathering his phone and putting it in his pocket.

" But, I'm not sure about the style. Its a little too much for my date. I need something more casual. " Calvin protested.

" Ah, don't you think you should call Ashleigh in as your shopping buddy. She's much better at this sort of thing. "

" Ash is busy. I need help right now. " Calvin nearly whined.

Pushing his chair back and standing, Evan looked at him in exasperation. " Then I'll help you tomorrow. Right now, Casey is waiting for me. I need to get back to her. "

Calvin stood as well, his shoulders slumped in defeat. " Alright, We'll go. I just need to hit the restroom. " He would just have to call the Kappa's and tell them they were on their way home.

" Yeah, " Evan nodded. " Me, too. "

Then real panic set in as Calvin watched him walk towards the restroom.

Cappie wrapped his arms around Casey and gently pulled her into his side, cradling her protectively, as he wished he could protect her from everything else in the world. Her soft, sweet-smelling hair spread over his chest and surrounded him in her.

A soft, quiet sigh escape her lips and he looked into her face to find her sleeping peacefully. Her small hand curled around his, lay in the middle of his chest, one long, beautiful leg draped over his.

The entire thing was as intoxicating as any alcohol he had ever had. Casey did that to him every time. Holding her, having her in his arms was like a drug to him, an addiction that he wanted to give into time and time again.

This was right. Having her with him, by his side, was the most perfect thing he had ever known. Nothing in the world seemed right to him when she wasn't with him.
Perfect. The world played over and over in his head as he looked up at the large, dark post of Evan Chambers' bed. Even that seemed perfect. Like poetic irony of sorts.

He had just made love to Casey in Evan's bed. It gave him a heady feeling, a sense of triumph.

A sense that in some small way, though Evan may never know it, Cappie had struck against his enemy and wounded him.

And all that was in addition to having the opportunity to help Casey get through what she was going through. A chance to give her some tiny respite in the face of her life at the moment. That meant more to him than anything else.

After all the times that Evan had touched her, beaten her...He stopped the train of thought before he got to the next step. He knew what went on in the very bed he was now laying in, but thinking the words were too much for him to process. The knowledge alone was nearly killing him.

Casey shifted and her hand left his, her arms circled his shoulder and suddenly she was holding him so desperately even while she still slept that he was certain he would have a bruise on his bicep. Her tiny hand clutched at him and a soft moan issued from between her parted lips.

He pulled her into him tighter and kissed her forehead, trying to ease away whatever was happening in her dream. But she shot up off the bed so suddenly, it startled him.

Her eyes were wild as she pulled away, scrambling to get as far from him as she could, yet remain on the bed.

He touched her shoulder, trying to bring her back to reality but she jerked as if he had burned her.

" Case, " He whispered into the darkness as he tried to find a lamp. " It's okay. It's just me. "

She made no sound, but still held herself as far from him as possible.

He tried to reason with her again, wanting to hold her, but knowing there was no way she would allow it. It reminded him of a timid dog that had been beaten by his owner over and over and his heart broke at the thought.

" Casey, It's Cappie. You're safe. No one's going to hurt you. " He told her, sliding gingerly closer to her.

And in a flash she was on him, grabbing him in such desperation that it scared him.

" Oh, God, " She cried into his shoulder. " It wasn't just a dream. You really are here. "

He smoothed her hair and nuzzled her shoulder as he tried to hold her as tightly as she was holding him.

" No, Baby, " He whispered against her collarbone. " I'm here. You're okay."

Her body seemed to melt into him as she instant relaxed at hearing his words. But just as quickly she tensed again. " You should go. Evan could come back any minute. "

He glanced at the glowing blue numbers on his watch briefly. " We still have time. If anything goes wrong, Calvin will call. We're fine. Just let me hold you a little longer. "

She sighed and pulled out of his arms. " I would let you hold me forever if I could. But this is crazy. IF he catches you, I don't know what he'll do to you or to me. You have to go. "

" Okay. " He agreed reluctantly.

Getting out of the bed was the hardest thing he had ever done. Each movement he made felt like it was taking her further and further away from him.

Then, as he bent to retrieve his clothes and started to slip them on, he realized he was wrong. In front of him was still the daunting task of having to go to the window and leave her behind. That would be the hardest thing he had ever done. He knew that without a doubt.

She watched him in silence as he redressed and began to move towards her. Then she put a hand up to stop him. " Don't. If you come over here, if you hold me or kiss me, I won't be able to do this. " Then she turned her back on him. " Just go. "

That was the moment they heard the footsteps right outside the door.