A/N: I wrote this story about three months ago. Originally it wasn't a Life with Derek story, but I edited it into a Life with Derek. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Life with Derek or any thing affiliated with it.

He smacked Casey across the face and blood fell from her lip freely. Lizzie watched in horror as the man punched her sister to the ground and started screaming at her. It wasn't till a few minutes later, or an eternity to Lizzie, that the man rounded on her. Tears were pouring from her eyes as she looked up at her dad.
Lizzie shot up in her bed drenched in cold sweat and panting heavily. She looked over at Casey's bed and was relieved to see the steady rise and fall of her big sister's chest. She let out a pitiful sob as she fell back onto her bed and curled up in a ball under her sheets. She always had these dreams. Why was it only her, Casey was the one that got beat. Casey never had these dreams; Casey was always tougher than her. Tears leaked out of Lizzie's eyes and she closed them tightly. Immediately she snapped them open as pictures from the nightmare popped back into her mind. She slid out of bed and walked into the kitchen. Pouring herself a glass of milk, she hopped up on the counter and laid her head against the cupboard door.

"Zombie!"

Lizzie jumped and sent milk sloshing over the rim. Casey laughed softly as she opened up the refrigerator.

"Little jumpy there aren't ya."

Lizzie grinned weakly, and reached for the towel on the table. Her action caused the glass to fall off and shatter all over the floor. Casey jumped back and cursed softly, looking over at their mom's door. When no one emerged for a few moments they both relaxed. Lizzie grabbed the towel and started picking up the pieces of glass. She looked up when another pair of hands started cleaning up the milk.

"Thanks." Lizzie mumbled.

"Hey if you get in trouble I'm not going down with you." Casey grinned.

They quickly cleaned up and jumped back into their beds, Casey immediately fell asleep while Lizzie spent the rest of the night wide awake.

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"I hate school! School hates me! I'm gonna get dumber just wait and see!" Lizzie sang off key as they walked home from school the next day.

Casey rolled her eyes, and smiled at her little sister's goofy song. She returned her eyes to her math book and walked in front of her.

Suddenly Casey spun around to face Lizzie and ran right into a man standing by the crosswalk.

"Sorry si-" Casey stated turning around to face the man she had ran into.

Her eyes widened and she took a step back, knocking into Lizzie. "Casey watch out ya goo--" Lizzie started to say as she glanced up at the guy and Casey dropped her book.

"D-Dad?" Casey stuttered.

Their father smiled down at them.

"There are my girls."

Casey shuddered next to Lizzie.

"You-You're not allowed to be here." Lizzie whispered.

He frowned, "That's what I came to discuss with your mother." He said. "Why don't we go see her now?"

He reached to grab Casey's arm, and Lizzie pushed he towards their new house and they both began running, despite their dad's calls. They ran in through the half open door and right into Derek.

"Gosh! How many times must I tell you not to run in the house, Klutzilla!"

"Please move!" Casey yelled, and when Derek didn't she pushed past him.

Derek grabbed both their arms, Casey was further in the house, and Lizzie was right beside the door, "Why in such a hurry?" He asked in the tone that told them they were in trouble.

"He's gonna kill Casey!" Lizzie yelled, tears running down her face. Casey froze and looked over at her with a terrified look on her face. Derek looked down at Lizzie with a look of shock on her face. "Who?"

"This is a new one, Derek. You actually made one of my daughters cry," Laughed Nora, the mother of Casey and Lizzie

"MOM! He's gonna kill us!"

"Now Lizzie as much as Derek dislikes you, he isn't going to do something that horrible."

"Yeah Derek may be a meanie but he won't do that, Liz." Edwin said, passing by. He greeted a man at the door. "Hello sir, can I help you?" He said.

Lizzie looked over and started pulling at her hand, trying to get away from Derek, desperate to be free. Nora looked up and her eyes widened.

"Dean what are you doing here?"

"I've come to see my girls." He replied icily. Casey shuddered once again.

Nora glared at him, "You aren't allowed any where near them."

He grabbed Lizzie's arm and yanked her away from Derek and pulled her right next to him. Casey's eyes widened at her dad's action. He never touched Lizzie. Lizzie's small figure trembled next to her dad's, and her face was paler than usual, she looked like she was on her death bed. Lizzie pulled, and pulled trying to get away but her dad wouldn't let her free. She did however stand as far away from him as she could. Their mom stared Dean down and walked purposely toward him. When she got about 4 feet away, Dean pulled Lizzie back and reached his free hand into his left pocket.

"No! Let Me Go!" Lizzie yelled out, and pulled herself as far away as possible when her dad pulled out a gun and pointed it at her.

"No!" Casey yelled, frozen in fear.

Nora took a step away from them with a shocked look on her face.

Lizzie turned to see what her dad had, just as Dean smiled evilly and a shot was heard. Lizzie felt a sharp pain in her side, and screamed out in pain. Casey yelled out helplessly, fell to her knees, and watched her little sister fall onto her back. She crawled over to Lizzie.

"Casey, I love you." Lizzie said, with every last ounce of strength she could find, looking Casey straight in the eye.

"No, Lizzie I won't let you leave me," cried Casey. And even with people yelling, and with Lizzie lying unmoving on the floor, and even with Casey crying at Lizzie's side, Dean just stood there and laughed.

Edwin was standing behind Dean with wide eyes, when he realized what had just happened. He grabbed a vase that was on an end-table by the door, and smashed it over Deans' head.

"No!" yelled Casey, as she shot straight up!

"What is wrong with you?" Lizzie asked groggily, sitting up as well.

Casey jumped out of bed and threw the covers off of Lizzie. She pulled up her sisters shirt and looked at her side.

"Oh, thank god!" Casey cried, when she realized that it was all just a horrible dream.

"Let go of my shirt!"

"I'm sorry Lizzie."

"Just go back to sleep, I don't want you to wake anybody up!"

"I had the dream again."

"I don't think it's going to happen."

"Lizzie, he beat me for spilling a glass of milk!"

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Lizzie sighed. "But we needn't worry about that; one day you won't have the dream anymore."

They then heard someone outside their bedroom, and they dove back into a sleeping position, and pretended to be asleep.

"Don't worry Case, I won't let him hurt you ever again." Derek said, and kissed her on the forehead, and walked back out of their room and into his own.

Casey silently cheered, because she loved the thought of Derek protecting her.

A/N: Well, what did you think? R&R! I love all kinds of reviews, so do you want a second chapter? Tell me, and I will!

iluvacting