Nora kicked me out of the hospital room.

I had the best of intentions! I swear it!

But considering she's not too keen on the idea of me and Casey in general, I probably shouldn't have suggested being the one to give her a sponge bath.

I know that I'm hovering, and I need to back off a little bit. But I can't help myself. I need to keep busy or I'm going to end up blowing my brains out from all the stress.

I was beginning to smell like a dump truck anyway, so I decided to catch a cab to Dennis' place and take a shower before heading back. Dad thinks that I should stay away for a day or two and catch up on some much-needed sleep.

But I know he's only suggesting that because Nora can't stand to be around me right now. He's taking her side without actually saying he's taking her side. Just the sight of me is stressing her out, and I know that when Casey wakes up, everything will be okay. She'll come around eventually, but right now, everyone is walking on eggshells.

But how am I supposed to stay away from her, even for a little while? What if she wakes up while I'm gone? What if something happens to her, and I'm not there? What if she can hear me talking to her and she notices that I'm gone? She'll think I don't care, which couldn't be furthest from the truth.

I place my forearm against the tiled wall, bowing my head forward as I let the hot water pound against my tense muscles. How in the hell did we get here? We were supposed to go to the Bahamas, fighting and screaming the entire way. Fuck, I would welcome a lifetime of constant sparing matches with Casey if she would just wake the hell up. And while the kissing and lovey-dove shit is nice, I'm beginning to miss the screams.

What I wouldn't give for just one good 'Der-ek!' right about now.

"Hey, bro! You got a minute?" Edwin's squeaky voice interrupts my thoughts and I'm instantly annoyed. That kid does not believe in knocking.

"Unless there is a pizza waiting for me, get the hell out."

"So you and Casey, huh?" he says, slamming the door loudly and ignoring my demand. I hate when he does that.

"Not now, Ed," I sigh, trying to go back to enjoying my shower the best I can.

Silence follows, and I think that maybe he gets the hint. But I'm wrong when he begins to speak once more. "I heard Nora talking to Dennis about you guys last night when they thought Lizzie and me were asleep."

"What's new?" I say sarcastically, my voice muffled as I bury my head in my forearm, willing my little brother to shut up. I can only imagine what Nora is saying when I'm not around considering the shit she's been saying right to my face. I cringe at the thought.

"Listen, I think it's pretty gross that you and Casey are hooking up and all…"

"We aren't hooking up," I interrupt, and my last nerve is about to explode.

"Or dating, or whatever…but I don't think Nora cares about the whole step-sibling thing as much as you might think."

"And why do you say that?" I ask, sarcasm dripping with each word I speak.

He pauses. "Well…because I believe the words that she used last night to describe you were 'whoring womanizer.' She totally thinks you're going to use and abuse, Casey, I think. I just thought that maybe you should know why she's been so down your throat since finding out about the two of you."

Edwin's words make my blood run cold despite the steam swirling around the bathroom.

I whip my head out of the curtain, running my hand over my face to clear my vision before pinning him with an exasperated look. "Why in the fuck would she think that?!"

"I…I don't know," he stammers, shrugging his shoulder nervously while sitting on the toilet seat. He's totally lying.

"Edwwwwinnnn."

"Okay, okay. She was telling Dennis about you sneaking a different girl in every other night and how Dad just turns the other cheek instead of getting onto you about it, or whatever."

I narrow my eyes.

Now it was all starting to make sense. She's worried about me hurting Casey. I would rather die a thousand painful deaths than ever hurt my beautiful girl.

"Three girls. I've snuck three girls in. And she's telling Dennis it's every other night? Unbelievable." I'm beginning to understand Nora's disdain because I've now set my sights upon her daughter. But she is totally exaggerating. I close the curtain and start to wash, feeling the need to stay busy once more.

Granted, I probably would have snuck girls in a lot more if it weren't for the pretty brunette whose room is directly next to mine. Dad did get onto me once about it, but I just rolled my eyes and acted like it was no big deal. He's never been the best at discipline, but he has tried to straighten me up. He stuck his foot in my door when I had Kendra in my room, and he slaps me upside the head whenever I cheat…but he knows that he's powerless to stop me from doing what I really want to do.

And that includes making Casey mine.

The last time I snuck a girl in, I knew that Casey heard us because her eyes were red rimmed the next morning when she whipped past me to get into the bathroom. She didn't talk to me for three days after that…not so much as a fight. When I tried to tease her at supper, she ignored me completely. Even the family was shocked.

I know that I should have guessed that she had a thing for me back then, too, but I couldn't bring myself to entertain the idea for long. I was just setting myself up for disappointment if I was wrong.

But not only was that the last time I ever snuck a girl into my room…

It was the last time I ever screwed around. Period.

It's been eight months and sixteen days since I made Casey cry.

Sure, up until a few weeks ago, I would still date a girl and flirt with her shamelessly. But that's as far as it went. I was just passing the time until I could finally have what I really wanted…Casey. And now that I have her, I'm never going to screw it up. I'm never letting her go.

I just need her to wake up so we can put this entire nightmare behind us and move forward with our relationship.

"Do you love her?" Edwin asks, breaking into my thoughts once more. I completely forgot that he was still here.

"Yea," I answer softly, but without hesitation. I've never loved anyone the way I love Casey.

"Then why do you treat her the way you do?"

I sigh, fighting the urge to tell him to mind his own damn business, but I somehow refrain. The question makes my eyes burn with tears.

"Because I'm a fucking idiot, Ed, that's why," I say truthfully, leaning against the tiles once more. "But I'll never treat her that way again. I swear it."

I need a major haircut. Even for me.

I run a hand through my wet hair and shake it to the side as it falls in my eyes.

Usually, I like to wear my hair a bit longer, but it's starting to get out of control. While we were on the Titanic, Casey started running her fingers through it absentmindedly every time she leaned over to kiss me on my neck. I'm pretty sure she likes it when I wear it longer.

I shiver at the memory.

I sit down in front of Dennis' laptop, drumming my fingers wildly while looking at the screensaver. I've been avoiding this for far too long. I know that it was real. There isn't a doubt in my mind.

But what if we still failed to change anything? What if history really can't be altered, and we couldn't save everyone? Not really.

What if we never saved Declan and Bessie?

The thought is terrifying, but there is only one way to find out.

I go to Google, quickly typing it in before I lose my nerve, and hit enter. Instantly, it pops up. There it is. The same ship that Casey and I rode down into the freezing cold Atlantic only a short while ago. I can feel the hairs on the back of my neck stand up and I feel like I'm going to puke. I click on the page, forcing my eyes to focus so I can read the words.

I'm skimming each paragraph, and words such as 2,208 passengers, iceberg, and 2 hours and 40 minutes, jump out of me. Everything is the exact same, and I'm beginning to feel sick to my stomach all over again.

But then I see it. I'm momentarily convinced that my eyes are playing tricks on me and I'm losing my mind.

We did it.

We really fucking did it.

173 members of the crew lost their lives when the ship struck an iceberg on the starboard side, trapping many below deck in the boiler rooms as the watertight doors closed. Those that were able to escape joined others on the boat deck as they waited anxiously for the nearby Californian to arrive. This maritime disaster could have been far worse, considering there were only enough lifeboats for less than half of the passengers aboard. The Californian arrived less than an hour before the Titanic sank. Eye witnessed said that from a distance, they could see the ship break in half before the stern rose vertically within the water, disappearing below the sea at 2:20 am on April 15th. 2,035 passengers and crew survived the disaster and arrived in New York on April 18, 1912.

As I read those words over and over again, I start to laugh.

After everything that we've been through, something good actually came out of this hellish ordeal. I can see Edwin and Lizzie eyeing me strangely as they watch TV, and I'm glad that Marti is with Mom because she would be asking me a ridiculous amount of questions. Questions that I'll never be able to answer.

Just then, my cell phone goes off and I grab it before the first ring is finished.

"Hello," I say quickly, sobering as I wait anxiously.

"Derek," Dad says, and I freeze. Why is he calling me? I'm instantly beginning to freak out. What if he's calling to tell me that Casey…?

"Yea. What happened?" My voice is shaking.

"I think you should come back to the hospital."

"What's wrong? Is she okay?" I ask rapidly, the blood pumping loudly in my ears.

"No, no. It's nothing like that," he says quickly, and I relax slowly, willing my heart to stop racing. "She's able to move, Derek. She's responding by squeezing her fingers when we ask her questions. She can hear us and the Doctor's suspect that she can fully wake up at any time. I know that you'll want to be here when she does. Bring the kids with you."

"I'm on my way," I say, hanging up the phone and barking at Edwin and Lizzie to move their asses. My girl is going to wake up. The relief I feel is indescribable to know that Casey can move, even if it's only the tiniest bit. She can communicate in her own little way and I'm wondering how long she's been aware of her surroundings, unable to move? The thought is terrifying, but all that matters is that she's going to wake up. I know that she will.

I never should have left to begin with, because I'll never forgive myself if I'm not there when she opens those gorgeous blue eyes that I've missed so much.