Chapter 13

I'll always be here

Thanks for all the reviews on my last chapters, I had a hard time trying to put my ideas all together to form my next chapter and this is what I came up with! Hope you all like it and keep reviewing and I'd be happy to oblige with more chapters. Enjoy!

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When Anna and Derek came back to the house, everyone could see they had been crying and they all wanted to know. Derek held Anna's hand as she explained to everyone her condition and answered all their questions as best as she could.

"Anna, all I knew was that you had an incident, but I never would have guessed this had happened to you, I'm so sorry!" Nora teared up as she approached to hug Anna.

She willingly accepted all the hugs and the tears that cam from the rest of the family. Though Marti didn't exactly know what it was, she cried along with the family too as she hugged Anna and refused to let go to go to bed.

Derek felt somewhat detached watching all of this occur. He was in the room but his soul felt somewhere in his own world. He didn't say a word to anyone, nor look anyone in the eye. Throughout this confrontation he gripped Anna's hand tighter and tighter as she filled in the details. As if letting go of her hand meant letting go of her. The last thing that Derek would ever want to do.

Later on, once everyone had calmed down and everyone was properly filled in, Nora and George insisted that everyone go to bed after such a long day. Anna was hugged by every member of the family, but she showed no tears or wavered as she kept up such a brave front. Derek couldn't help but wonder at her strength. She and Casey also went upstairs following Edwin and Lizzie. Derek headed straight for his room without speaking; he and Anna hadn't said a word to each other since the ride home

He tossed and turned in his sheets all night to no avail of going to sleep anytime soon. He lazily rolled over and got up to get downstairs for a snack to calm his nerves. When he got downstairs, he noticed the kitchen lights on and Casey sitting at the kitchen table swirling around her cereal and milk.

"Couldn't fall asleep either right?" Said Derek as he took the seat next to her after grabbing a bowl of cereal and milk.

Casey nodded her head and looked back down to her cereal. "No, I still can't believe all of this is happening. I mean, she seems so healthy; she hasn't changed one bit since we were kids, and now this? Life's a bitch."

"Yeah, I've never really lost anyone close to me before, I'm completely new to this." Derek said.

Casey glanced up at Derek as he spooned a mouthful of cereal into his mouth.

"This is really hurting you isn't it?" asked Casey.

"So?" implied Derek.

"So… normally things like this would cause you to completely hide your feelings and distance yourself from everyone. I noticed, I'm your step sister remember?" Casey had a slight smile of which Derek didn't return.

"Maybe, so what?"

"Derek, everyone is hurting about this and sometimes sharing it with people can ease your emotions." Explained Casey

"Thanks Dr. Casey, but my hurt is different from everyone else's okay? So can we leave it alone please?" Derek was growing more irritable but Casey didn't get the message.

"But maybe if you just told me how you really feel, maybe you'd feel better, and maybe…"

Derek cut her off, "Geez, Case! Why do you have to be so stubborn? I don't want to talk about it! Besides, what's the point?"

"Because you may be able to hide this stuff from everyone else, but you can't hide this from Anna!" Casey was shaking from Derek's sudden outburst but held her ground nonetheless.

Derek couldn't take it anymore as he dropped his spoon into the bowl and lowered his head before looking up again and running his hand through his hair.

"Okay Casey, I'm scared alright? I'm scared. But I can't tell her that because I know she is more scared than anyone and she has a good reason to be. I'm trying to be the rock that she needs right now but I'm scared I'll have no idea what to say, how to comfort her, or being stupid and messing up somehow. I love her and she knows that, but somehow, I feel like it's not enough."

Casey patted his shoulder and spoke more softly to him.

"I know how you feel about her, and might I mention that unlike you, I didn't stand in the way. Mostly because I know she feels the same way about you. And, yeah you will mess up, but that's inevitable. And if I know Anna, she knows that people are just people. But she knows how much you love her and that is all she needs right now. She needs all of our support. Mostly, she needs you. Just being there for her, heart, mind and soul. Because you know what Derek, never mention this again, but deep down you have a good heart, and she sees that because you allowed her to see that side of you. Just be good to her and stick with her, and you'll be everything she needs."

Derek marveled at the sincerity Casey had shown him. He realized that Every word she had said was right and he felt strength in him as if he had been reborn. He nodded to himself as to assure himself everything would be alright, hard, but alright.

"Thanks Casey you really helped me."

She smiled to him and patted his arm, "Glad to help really, Anna's my friend and if she loves you, well, I can't talk her out of it can I?"

Derek chuckled as she continued, "You know? This has been a real big sibling step for us kind of comforting huh?"

Derek nodded as he got up to put his dishes away before turning back to her, "Just don't mention this again okay?" He smirked and headed upstairs ready to sleep.

In his room, he found Anna sitting on his bed legs crossed and wearing a lavender cami and pajama pants. He shut the door and turned around but before he could say anything, Anna spoke up.

"Derek, I know this came up as such a shock, and I'll understand if this is just too hard for you, but I don't want you to feel as if you are obligated to do anything but it would just really help. And the reason I've tried to distance myself from you is because I care about you and your feelings and I didn't want you to suffer if I was suffering too and I'm really sorry….."

Before she could continue, Derek locked her lips into a kiss as both of his hands drifted to her waist and then to her face to wipe away the stray tears as he broke away.

"You don't have to worry. I'll be fine, we will be fine. You don't have to worry I will always be here for you. Nothing can change that because I really love you."

"Thank you Derek, that was exactly what I hoped to hear." She smiled into his brown eyes and he kissed her once more, deepening the kiss.

Anna pulled away slightly to look up at him once more.

"I'm so tired. Can I sleep here with you again?"

He smiled as well and nodded as she pulled back the covers and shifted into them. She then patted the area next to her and Derek layed himself down as well. He wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her to himself protectively and she snuggled closer to him. He smiled to himself as he began to drift into a deep sleep.

But before he could sleep Anna nudged him softly with her elbow.

"Derek?" she whispered.

"Yes?" Derek tried his best to stay awake.

She turned over to face him as he widened his eyes to properly look at her.

"I love you too." She placed a light yet warm kiss on his lips before turning over again.

He could feel her rhythmic breathing and knew she had fallen asleep.

Just then, everything in the world seemed right to him as he wished he could hold her like this forever.

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What do you think? Keep reviewing please and I can get the rest of the chapters up. They are going to be a bit more heart wrenching just to warn you. But, like this chapter, leave you feeling enlightened and good.

So please, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!