SHOUTOUTS\ANSWERS

Ms. Amazing: New reviewer. Yay. Love the handle. Yep. Well, wouldn't you be? Glad you think so. Glad you approve. Hope this is soon enough.

An-Jelly-Ca (ch 1-3): New reviewer. Yay. Cute handle. Thanks. Glad you think so. Read on and see. Yep. Yeah, it is. Hope this is soon enough. You'll have to read and see.

Hermione519: New reviewer. Cool. Harry Potter fan? Hope this is soon enough. Thanks. I will. Glad you think so.

Jaime9: New reviewer. Awesome. I will.

Xolilkelox: New reviewer. Awesome. Love the handle. I will. Me too. Glad you think so.

Smartblonde123: New reviewer. Awesome. Well, glad you think so. I will. Thanks.

AngelOfMusic123: Been awhile. Welcome back. Ha ha. Not exactly. She's been through a lot.

SpazzyTink: New reviewer. Yay. Love the handle. Well, as long as you review, I don't care how you do it. Thanks. That gives me a boost.

Tommy21: New reviewer. Love it. Oh, yeah. We know from the series that he's got a soft side. Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Windyfontaine: Thanks. Maybe, we'll have to see. Here's more.

Houdinicat3: New reviewer. Awesome. Great handle. Sorry. Hope this is soon enough.

Spuffyshipper: Thanks. Good. Hmm. Good song. Gotta get it. Hope you had fun. Yeah, I noticed that as soon as I uploaded. Oh, well. Not a recurring mistake with me. That's okay. Hope this is soon enough.

SPOTTY: Yep. A few episodes, and I saw pieces of "Shout". That's fine. Thanks.

Maibe Josie: Okie-doke. Thanks. Uh, actually, that was the other way around, but I'm glad you liked it.

DISCLAIMER

Life With Derek and its characters belong to Canadian Television and Disney. I only own the plot and characters you don't recognize. One reference to "The Party".

"She was what?" Sam gasped.

"Yeah. The jerk really messed her up," Emily nodded.

"Who was it?" Sam asked.

"She said that she didn't know. Only that she recognized him as a member of the senior hockey team," Emily replied.

"Oh, man," Sam groaned.

"Casey, I'm not doubting that you were raped. You say it, I believe it, but are you sure it was a hockey player?" Derek questioned. Casey glared.

"Yes, I'm sure it was a precious hockey player. I recognized him from that other party---you know, the one where we were trying to fix the bathroom doorknob?" she bitingly reminded him.

"Dude, how can you even ask her that?" Sam chided.

"Casey, we have to tell your parents. They have to know," Emily insisted. Casey made a small noise and shook her head.

"Casey, Emily's right. You need to talk to them," Sam agreed. She shook her head again, but allowed Emily to pull her to her feet. Sam reached out a comforting hand, but his girlfriend pulled away.

"Sam, please don't touch me," Casey implored. Derek stood watching the scene. Aw, man. Casey was raped? Who would do such a thing? he wondered. It couldn't have been a member of the senior hockey team. Those guys were so cool. They could have any girl they wanted. They didn't need to rape 'em. But then, who had? Who had made a strong, independent girl like his stepsister a sobbing mess? Derek was confused. He didn't know what to think. He blew out a breath.

"Casey, why don't---why don't I take you home?" he suggested. Casey sniffed.

"What?" she asked.

"Well, you're in no shape to be here. And if your attacker's in the school, you're not going to be safe," he told her.

"'If'? 'If'?" she repeated. "I thought you said---" she started to say.

"That didn't come out right," he interrupted. "My point is, until we figure out who it is that hurt you, we can't let you walk around like a sitting duck," he continued.

"But how are going to get home? I don't want Mom or George knowing. Please, Derek. I---I don't want this getting out," Casey sobbed. Emily sympathetically rubbed one of Casey's shoulders and Sam clenched a fist. Emily didn't know what to say. She wasn't sure how to comfort her friend. Sam wanted to just punch something. How could anyone do this to Casey...or anyone for that matter? She was a lady and she should've been treated with dignity and respect. Derek's eyes flashed angrily. Yeah, he was a womanizer and he flitted from girl to girl, but he had never pressed the issue. His dad had taught him that 'no' was 'no'. And someone hadn't listened to Casey when she had told them 'no'. He sincerely hoped that his stepsister's attacker wasn't who she said it was, but if was, he'd still take care of it. Boy, would he take care of it. Derek made a mental vow that no matter who Casey's attacker was---even a member of the senior hockey team---he'd make them pay.

AUTHOR'S NOTE

Despite Derek's strong feelings, there's no romance behind it. It's merely a sense of family loyalty and a general respect for the opposite gender. I'm watchin' the 6th season of the Dukes of Hazzard and Boss and Roscoe are decoyin' as Daisy and Lulu and they're in dresses and everything.