Ch.5

It was Friday now and everything seemed to be going as Casey thought it would. Daniel had made a lot of friends and was being swarmed by girls, which was understandable since even she had to admit that he was hot. The one thing that shocked her and made her happy was that Daniel and Emily seemed to be getting really close and she suspected there was more to it. Daniel also quickly had gotten a reputation as one of the best hockey players on the team. This had become a problem though since Casey could sense Derek's jealousy growing everyday. Today though Casey had hoped things would be better since Derek and Daniel had a game today. That hope had quickly been ruined as the game began.

"I can't believe you did that! Who the hell do you think you are?" Derek was furious as he walked in the front door and looked like at any moment he was about to rip Daniel's head off.

"Well I think I'm on the team, and I think that you definitely are not as good off a player as every one thinks you are!"

" You could've cost us the game today!"

"I saved the game! You were missing the puck all day!"

"How would you know that since you were always stealing it from me!" Derek and Daniel were now glaring at each other, and at any moment a fight would break out. Mean while the rest of the family was in shock at what was going on in front of them. The younger kids were scared since they had never seen either of the boys this angry in their lives. The parents didn't know what to do without siding with one kid against the other. And Casey was being torn apart between one of her oldest friends and the guy she loved.

"You know what if we had gone against my team we would have lost by a land slide!"

"Well guess what Daniel this isn't your team! It's mine! You are not the captain! I am! And if you don't…"

"Well then maybe you shouldn't be the captain!"

" You know what Daniel. You're getting a lot of sympathy just because your dad hit you. But you're not getting any from me because my mom used to hit me too! So get over yourself!" No one knew what to say. The McDonald family had never learned as to why George and Abby had divorced but they never expected this. Before any one knew it Daniel had walked out the front door and Derek was storming of to his room. Casey quickly ran up to Derek's room forgetting everything that had just happened.

Casey came into Derek's room without knocking. What she walked in scared her. There was Derek sitting on the edge of his bed just looking down. When ever Derek was scared or angry he would scream, punch something, or have his music on to the loudest volume but right now he was just sitting there motionless. Casey quietly walked over to Derek and sat beside him while putting her arm on his back.

"Are you ok?" Derek remained still without saying anything.

"Derek say something" Casey's voice was now pleading but Derek remained the same.

"Derek please. Talk to me. Derek you're scaring me."

"Case I couldn't do anything against her. If I said anything she would hurt Edwin or Martie. I couldn't let it happen to them so I just took it." Derek was looking into Casey's eyes and she could see the fear and pain in Derek's eyes. "Case I just took it. I would hate to come home because I always knew she would be angry at me. I was never good enough for her. What ever I did, my grades, hockey, keeping the house clean it was never good enough… And when it wasn't she would get angry. She would hit me, slap me, throw me against the walls… Case I was never good enough for her." Casey was now hugging Derek and could feel his tears on her back. She didn't know what to do but she did know he needed her. " She always said I would never be good enough for anybody …sometimes I can't help but feel she's right." Casey pulled away from Derek and could see the doubt in his eyes.

" Derek of coarse you're good enough. You're the best thing that has ever to me. I love you and nothing will ever change that."

" Case I'm not smart like you. The only thing I had going for me was hockey but even that I don't have anymore. You'd probably be better off without me." Casey was starting to get really worried. She had never seen Derek like this but it scared her. Right now he wasn't acting like her Derek and she wanted him back.

"Derek you are so much more then just hockey. The way you treat Martie is unbelievable, that's how I know you'll be a great day one day. And the way you can talk your way out of anything and have such a sense of leadership in you is something that not a lot of people have. You are a great guy Derek Venturi don't doubt that for a second." Casey noticed Derek lightening up and felt her Derek coming back. " And as for hockey. You are still the best player in the school even with Daniel on the team. Daniel is one of my closest friends but he was out of line today."

"Thanks Case I don't know what I would do without you."

" Well you don't have to worry about that because I'm not going anywhere." Derek pulled Casey into a kiss and as their tongues began to mingle Casey could feel Derek back.

A half hour later Casey was walking out of the house to look for Daniel. Derek had actually been understanding of the fact that she needed to look for her friend after some 'convincing' from her. Now Casey didn't know where Daniel was. After Derek's outburst Casey was only able to think about Derek, which she was now feeling guilty about. It didn't bother her that she had gone after Derek but it did bother her that she put her friend aside so quickly. Daniel had always been there for Casey, even when her parents were getting a divorce and now she had to find him.

After about ten minute of walking Casey saw Daniel in a park nearby. She walked over to where he was sitting in a swing and sat down on the swing next to his. For a while neither said anything.

" Why'd you tell him Casey?"

"What?"

"Derek!" Realization finally hit Casey but at this point Daniel was already mad. " Derek knew about my dad and I don't think George and Nora told him."

"Daniel I'm sorry…I…"

"You know when I first came here I thought that maybe we could be together again, but I guess things have changed… I met Emily…and you have Derek now." Casey didn't know what to say. " I saw you two going into your room together on the first night and Emily told me how you were never around at lunch for almost the past six months. I know we have some history but I really thought that you would have told me Casey."

"Daniel me and Derek are step-siblings… I've been so afraid of what people would think…I just was scared you would think we were disgusting or something. I couldn't bare the thought that you would think that of me."

"Casey I would never think that and I don't think Emily, Edwin, Lizzie, or Martie would think that either."

"Really?"

"Well Emily is your best friend so I think she would understand. Martie seems to think Derek is a god so she would be ok with it. And well… I think Edwin and Lizzie have something going on themselves."

" Wait a minute. Edwin and Lizzie!...how…"

"Casey haven't you noticed how close they always are. How they always go places together… The looks they give each other when they think no one is looking." Casey looked down and was silent. She couldn't believe she had been so preoccupied with her secret relationship that she failed to notice her sister's secret relationship.

"Casey…I don't think she told you for the same reason you haven't told her about you and Derek." Casey looked up and smiled a bit. " And well, can you tell Derek that I'm sorry." Now Casey was smiling but was puzzled. " Look today was my mom's court hearing and well I was kinda agitated. Well whenever I get like that I take it out in hockey. Derek was right, he's the captain and I should have backed off."

"Daniel are you ok…I mean with the court hearing and all…"

"I'm as good as I'll get. Now come on we should go back before everyone gets to worried."