a/n: A bit longer, like I promised! Oh and since I forgot last time: I do not own Life with Derek... yet. I'm still trying to get the producer on the phone. ;-)

Can I Help?

Stories and Lies

Case looked so scared, so panicked. He didn't know what else to do. "Nora…" he yelled over his shoulder, somewhat distracted and never looking away from Casey, away from those eyes. "Nora!" he cried again, more insistent, this time leaning out the doorway.

Nora came running up the stairs. "Derek, what is it?" her voice echoed the worry shown on her face. Derek couldn't find words. He just pointed, somewhat shaken, into Casey's room. "Casey…" was all he could murmur.

Nora pushed past him hurriedly. "Oh my God, Casey," the girl's mom gasped and ran over to her, kneeling and gently taking Casey's bloodied hand into her own to inspect it. "What happened, honey?"

Casey looked up at Derek, her eyes pleading but her lips' only motion a slight quiver. Without knowing what he was doing he quickly said, "We uh… we were fighting and we … ripped the blanket… and uh… she was going to hit me but I moved out of the way and she… hit the mirror."

He didn't know why he did it. It was something in Casey's eyes… He had no time to contemplate it before Nora's look turned murderous and she, as calmly as she could, told Derek to go to his room.

The bathroom light was too bright. She wanted to close her eyes, she just wanted to curl up and sleep. At a distance she could hear her mom muttering and sighing, the words 'Oh, Casey…' said often. Casey watched, without really seeing, her mom trying to pick all of the pieces of mirror out of her hand. She didn't move, she didn't speak; she only watched. The feeling hadn't completely left her yet. The primal insanity had gone, but the lost, numbness was still there… Was it really necessary to keep that blinding light on?

Then her mom stuck her cut up hand under the running tap. The cold stinging forced a gasp from Casey's mouth and she was shocked back to herself. The numbness began ebbing away. Nora looked up from Casey's hand.

"You must have one heck of a right hook," she said dryly, "You did quite a number to your hand." Casey laughed nervously and looked away.

"Now don't think that I'm not angry at you for fighting- again- with Derek. I am, and I'm thoroughly disappointed in you," Nora's gaze was stern while she looked Casey in the eye. She went back to cleaning her daughter's hand. "But, I think that your hand is enough punishment." Casey tried to give a small smile. "Besides… I know how Derek does tend to intentionally start things. I can't blame you for breaking this one time."

Casey couldn't bring herself to agree. Not this time, not when she knew that, for once, this wasn't Derek's fault. She wouldn't look at her mom; she never was able to look at her mom when she lied. She always felt too ashamed.

"I trust that this won't happen again, Casey," Nora stated after she finished wrapping the bandage. Casey smiled a Casey smile, said 'Of course not' in the right Casey way, and went off to her room to sleep. There was school tomorrow.

a/n...part two: Review and feedback are always appreciated. Constructive criticism welcome; flames will be used to roast babies. Ta!

:-)