A/N: Thank you for all the reviews! I know I haven't updated for a while but I've just been really busy with revision and stuff. This is just like the inbetweenie (that's not a word lol) chapter, the good stuff is coming so don't worry!

Casey's POV

"What?! Why didn't you tell me?"

"I-I-" Derek stammered

"Spit it out Derek!" I shouted

"I-I-err… Edwin told me so I figured I was the last to know" Derek desperately explained

"Look's like that was me doesn't it?" I said upset

"Are you sure someone didn't already tell you and you just forgot?"

I could tell Derek was trying to make this easier for me, it was a desperately poor attempt, though he was showing more concern towards me than he ever had before over the course of three years. The look on his face was apologetic and sad but that didn't stop me from getting angry at him.

"Forgot? How the hell could I forget something like this? And by the way… that's the dumbest thing you've ever said!" I shouted standing up; to make him feel inferior by looking down on him…it was a nice change actually. Derek stood up also readjusting the balance forcing me to look up at him.

"No it's not, remember that time when I told Marti that cows could quack!?" Derek trailed off.

"Okay…Maybe it's not the dumbest thing you've said but it's still pretty close" I said cruelly.

After a few moments of silence I headed towards the door. I stopped when I felt Derek's firm but gentle-if that makes sense-grip on my arm. I turned back to him tears starting to fill my eyes

"Where are you going?" he asked uneasily. Looking down into my eyes with actual concern

I didn't respond. I didn't know exactly where I was going. I was just planning on unveiling my anger on the first person I saw, if that happened to be my mother that would just be a bonus.

"Look! You're upset…" Derek started. He hand slid from my arm to my hand. He held it tight "…Just stay here for a bit and calm down, okay?" he looked down with his deep brown eyes into my shallow blue ones swimming in tears, pleading with me to stay, desperately wanting me to.

"I can't…" I said my voice breaking as a lump formed in my throat.

"You going down there and getting angry isn't solving anything." He said intelligently totally confusing. Normally I was the calm and collected one.

"Yeah but-" I protested.

"But nothing, just stay here and blow off a little steam until everyone gets back…" I smiled faintly through my tears, he was being so nice, so understanding and I couldn't quite believe that this was Derek talking. The same Derek that went to such lengths to stop me going out with his best friend. I actually liked this Derek! I liked the feeling of someone protecting me like he was, looking out for me in his own way. "..and when they all get back you can sit down and ask Nora and Lizzie-"

"Lizzie?" I screamed snapping out of my previous relaxed mode. Derek bit his lip wondering what was so significant about Lizzie at this precise moment in time.

"Yeah?" he said confused and slightly nervous

"Lizzie knows?" I continued. He rolled his eyes and sighed deeply realising what he'd done

"Did I just make this worse?" He asked cautiously

"Yeah, a hell of a lot worse!" I pulled my hand out of his and motioned towards the door for a second time but before I did he reached out a grabbed me again this time catching me further up my arm. He span around to face me and readjusted his hands to my shoulders. I was practically shaking. Tears trailing down my face.

"Let me help. Just…tell me what can I do?"

I was severly shaken up due to finding out my own sister didn't bother to tell me our dad was dead but I figured as Derek was being so considerate I should take advantage of the situation. I know that's kind of mean. But I didn't know if Derek would ever be in such a generous mode again!

"Drive me to Vicky's"

"Vicky's, never heard of that before. What is it, a fast food joint?" Derek now looked really happy at the thought of food "Do they charge you extra for ketchup?"

"Vicky's house! My cousin Vicky! Remember?" I shouted enraged by Derek's blatant idiocy

"Oh that Vicky…" Derek reminisced biting his lip "…What do you need to go there for?"

"That's where the funeral is. Well it's not at her house, but it's near there"

"And where is Vicky's house?" Derek asked in an almost parental tone

"About a dozen hundred miles form ours" I smiled nervously at Derek's stern expressions "I-I can get directions" I stammered as my smile faded.

"Casey, you're my step-…You're my sister…"

He thinks of me as a sister. I wish I could think of him as just a brother.

"I'll be here for you and I'll always protect you…"

Where is this coming from? If he carries on like this I might say something inappropriate, which I'll regret.

"I'd even stretch to say I care about you."

Derek? Care about me? Oh my God! Care as in brotherly-love or love-love? Or could he have possibly meant he genuinely cared about me? No…That's stupid!...Derek could never care for me that way...the way I just happened I cared for him.

"But there is no way on this earth that I am driving you to wherever Vicky lives."

What? Didn't see that coming! What way could I possibly trick Derek into taking me there? What does Derek want the most?…well whatever it is, it's not me. I felt like crying again. I looked back up at him. I knew it was gonna kill me to say this.

"Well okay, It's your choice, but I'm sure after the funeral, Vicky's gonna need a shoulder to cry on… and maybe a bit more!" I teased

A/N: Hope you liked it, review pretty please!