AN: Sorry I have good news why I haven't had time to finish this. I met this guy ;) And he is all mine. all smiles.

Derek sped home from practice. He couldn't wait to get home to her. An enormous wave of relief brought serenity that his bruised nerves had not experienced for so long. He couldn't help but sincerely smile. He had not felt such happiness since--since the night Casey said those dazzling five words "I love you too Derek".

Casey didn't have sex with Sam.

She hadn't because she had somehow heard Derek. Maybe that indicated something. And maybe Casey realized it too. That's why she had been in his room. She wanted to tell him that they weren't suppose to be apart. It all made sense now to him.

But he hadn't let her. He had been mean. He could've kicked himself for the things he had said to her. All this time he had blamed Casey and Sam when the truth was he was his worst enemy.

First though he had to take a shower. Then he would talk to Casey. He felt sorry for anyone or anything that tried to stop him.

He noticed as he quickly walked upstairs to the shower, her door was closed.

After the shower he carried his now dirty hockey bags to the laundry to dump there and race to Casey. Her ran into the family minus Casey putting on their jackets by the front door.

"Derek we're leaving for Wal-Mart." Nora let him know.

Lizzie almost forgot "Oh and this girl called for you."

"What did she want? Besides me." Derek asked overconfidently.

"I don't know she was talking with Casey. Whatever the girl said it really upset her, but Casey wouldn't tell me anything about it." Lizzie explained.

He had completely forgotten about Lauren. Panic took hold of him. He never had much use for praying, but in that moment he did. He prayed Lauren hadn't been the girl on the phone.

"What is it?" George asked noticing his son's disarray.

Nora looked concerned. She called out. "Casey!"

They waited for her to come down. Nora called her again.

"Yeah mom," Casey's weak voice spoke with as much cheer as she could from the top of the stairs. Her eyes were puffy, her face was pale. Derek waited for her to look at him, but she didn't.

"She looks sick." Marti declared.

"I'm fine just a splitting headache," she lied trying to sound strong.

"Did you take some medicine?" Nora asked.

"Yeah I just want to sleep it off." she quietly answered.

"Sweet dreams," Edwin said genuinely to her.

Casey hurried back to her room.

"It must be a migraine from the girl drama." Lizzie observed.

"Let's go," George said. "And Derek don't disturb Casey today, all right?"

"I think I can manage that." he tried to say with his usual charisma, but failed.

When the family left the house, Derek stood still listening for the car to drive off. When it did, he ran to Casey's door and knocked urgently.

"Casey, is there anything I can do about your headache?" he asked--so unlike himself--thoughtfully.

She didn't answer and he almost repeated his question when he heard an austere, "No."

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"No, but before you go…You had a phone call…from Lauren Adler." she said trying not to sound like she was crying.

"She didn't--she didn't say anything to you, did she?" Derek asked in distraught fearing what Casey knew.

"Would there be a problem if she did?" she asked now standing close to the door, tears streaming down her face.

He tried to open her locked door.

"Case could you let me in, please?" he asked, not liking that she was on the other side.

"I said no Derek. Can you just go please…Don't keep your cheap whore waiting." Casey said sorely and weeped.

She knew. His throat clogged. His forehead pressed on the door.

"Let me explain--" he pleaded.

She sobbed. "Spare me, okay? Go hit the whole cheerleading squad, if you haven't yet. I don't care. "

"Don't tell me you don't." he sorrowfully implored.

"This doesn't hurt," she said weakly. "Why would it? I never cared before."

"You know why. Quit pretending." He banged on the door. "We have to talk!" his voice congested.

"What could you say? It wouldn't change anything Derek." she said shakily against her will.

"Don't let it be like this…I'm not going anywhere till you open this door!" he promised.

Casey sat on her bed. She cried in her hands, rocking back and forth.

The regrets suffocated him as he pounded on the door desperately lamenting "Let me in Case. I cant breathe. I can't breathe, okay." Derek's forehead slid down to the floor.

P.S. Cliché I know, but I'm okay with it. You can flame if you want.