disclaimer: I own nothing.

Chapter 8: To Put it Bluntly

If I pretend that nothing
Ever went wrong,
I can get to my sleep,
I can think that we just carried on.

Derek walked as quietly as he could down the creaky staircase, holding his suitcase in one hand and his duffle bag over his shoulder. He hated doing this, leaving everyone, he truly did but he couldn't stay. He couldn't handle it with Nora's and George's state having no change, Lizzie was so weak and tired all the time with the chemo. Edwin never talked to anyone and Marti was having nightmares about the truck hitting them almost every night.

And Casey, Casey spend all her time and energy trying to fix everything that she and Derek barely talked to each other anymore. The only times they did talk was when they were fighting. Derek couldn't remember the last time he kissed her or even touch her. They were two strangers living in the same house and he couldn't take it anymore. Life wasn't suppose to turn out like this. He and Casey were suppose to go to the same university, get married and live happily ever after. Where was their happy ending? He walked towards the door, only pausing to put on his ratty old running shoes when he heard a familiar voice.

"So this is it huh? Were you even going to at least leave a note?" Casey asked. It was dark; the only light was the moon shining through the living room window but Derek could still make out her shape, sitting on the couch, with her arms folded.

"I left a note," Derek said, staying where he was.

Casey slowly go up and walked over to him, only leaving about a foot of space between them. "What's it say?" she questioned. "Sorry but I'm being selfish and going to chase after my dreams?" Derek tried to say something but Casey continued. "I saw the letter from University of Alberta, how they are so pleased that you decided to accept their offer to go to their university in such short notice. You know, when I said we have to change schools, I meant we have to try to change to an university close to London or in London so we could stay and take care of the family. I didn't mean to change to an university halfway across the country. Sorry I wasn't clear enough."

Derek looked down at the ground, afraid to meet her gaze. "I need to go Casey, I can't be here," he replied in a whisper.

"And you don't think that they need you here? Who calms down Marti after her nightmares and who gets Edwin to utter a word, even if it is just ouch, and who always makes Lizzie laugh, no matter how sick she's feeling? Who always stays positive with mom's and George's condition? They need you Derek, you keep this family going," Casey said, hoping that Derek would just forget about this ridiculous idea about leaving.

"No, I don't keep this family going, you do. You're always paying the bills, working, doing research on Marti's, Lizzie's, dad's, and Nora's conditions? Who's comforting our siblings, telling them that everything is going to be alright?" Derek asked.

"And who keeps me going Derek? You keep me alive instead of being a robot, just going through the motions!" Casey said, tears starting to stream down her cheeks. Never in her life had she ever asked for help, always too proud, knowing that if she really needed it, she would get it, but not now. Now she was ready to beg, all her pride out of her mind. She needed him. "I need you Derek," she said, leaning in and kissing him softly on the lips.

Derek touched her shoulders and gently pushed her away. "I'm sorry," he said. He picked up his suitcase and duffle bag and walked out the front door.

Casey slid to the floor, putting her head in her hands and started crying quietly, afraid that if she was too loud, she would wake up her siblings. She looked up when she heard the faint sound of a car engine starting and fade away. She got up when she couldn't hear the sound anymore and slowly walked up the stairs. She walked to Derek's room and opened the door. She went to his bed, seeing the note that he left them. She ripped it open and read it about a thousand times that night. She read it repeatedly, hoping that something would change but it didn't, the words stayed the same. 'I'm sorry, I can't be here, I wish you all the best, I love you all –Derek' was all it said.

She kept the note but there was no reason to, she had it memorized front and backwards. She never showed it to her siblings or to George when he woke up, she couldn't. She stuffed it in her desk drawer, beside her ring box where she later placed her ring. She believed that he made a mistake and would realize it and come back home. She was proven wrong when, months later, she was notified from her bank that someone sent her a wire transfer of a hundred dollars, and Casey knew that Derek wouldn't be coming back. That was the day that she vowed to never forgive herself for not insisting her mother to come home and not stay a day later at the family reunion.

Lizzie knew something was wrong when she woke up that morning and went to the kitchen for breakfast. She had to go to work and she expected Casey to be in the kitchen, as she was every Saturday morning, making breakfast. Only when she walked into the kitchen, Casey wasn't in there. She left the room and went to the living room where Zachie was watching his cartoons.

"Zachie do you know where Casey is?" she asked.

Zachie, who usually would give Lizzie a one-word answer, not even turning his head in case there was a chance that he would miss something, looked directly in Lizzie's eyes.

"She's in her room, crying. She told me to make my own breakfast and watch cartoons," he said. He looked worried, Casey had always woken up with Zachie to make sure he didn't turn on the stove and burn himself. She always put her family first.

Lizzie nodded, reassuring him that she would fix whatever was wrong with Casey and went back upstairs. She ran to Casey's room and knocked softly on the door. "Casey," she called, "it's Lizzie."

"Lizzie could you make your own breakfast today, please," Casey called through the door.

"Okay, I will, but can I come in first?" Lizzie questioned knowing through Casey's voice that she must have been crying.

"No, please Lizzie, just leave me alone, give me one day by myself," Casey begged.

"Alright," Lizzie agreed, stepping away from the door.

She didn't know what to do. Lizzie knew why Casey wanted to be left alone today, since Derek was leaving. He did promise that he would visit more often for now on but she knew it wouldn't be enough for Casey. She wanted to be with Derek but it wasn't going to happen and she wanted this day to cry and be sad. Lizzie wished she could make Casey feel better but she had to get to work, Casey would never forgive her if she called in sick for her. She decided to do the only thing she could do, call Casey's two best friends, Rachel and Mark.

A half an hour later, Marti opened the front door for Rachel and Mark. Lizzie had already left for work and so did Edwin so it was only her and Zachie in the house, besides crying Casey.

"Where is she?" Rachel asked, quickly taking off her jacket and shoes as Mark did also, both of them equally concerned for Casey as her family was.

"In her room," Marti said, leading them upstairs.

Rachel knocked on the door first. "Casey, honey, open the door," she said softly. They each strained to hear her answer until they heard a muffled no.

"Move aside," Mark said pushing Rachel as he gasped. "Rachel you spill coffee on the rug, oh someone should get that now or else it could stain, forever," Mark said, to the door. Then they heard footsteps moving quickly towards the door and it was thrown open with one very tear stained cheeks Casey, looking at the ground for the coffee stain. Mark quickly pushed inside and Rachel followed.

"There's no coffee stain," Casey stated.

"Really, huh, my mistake," Mark said sarcastically. "Now what's the matter?"

Casey sighed, closed her door, walked over to her bed, and flopped down between her two friends. "Derek is leaving today," she said.

"Yes, we knew that since Monday when I believe your exact count down was six more days till the bastard is gone," Rachel said.

"I know, it's just well…" Casey started to say as she lied down on her bed. Rachel and Mark sat at the end of the bed, waiting for her to continue.

"Well what?" Rachel pressed, softly.

"We kind of kissed yesterday."

"Where?" Mark asked, suddenly so interested in the story.

"In the kitchen," Casey said, missing the meaning to the question.

"No I mean, did you kiss on the cheek or lips?" Mark clarified while resisting the urge to not to roll his eyes.

"It was on the lips, and then he asked me to tell him to stay," Casey replied, deciding to just get everything out in the open all at once.

"And you said stay right. Please tell me you told him to stay?" Mark said.

Casey looked at her two friends. "Why? Is that what you bet on this time?" she asked as she heard the faint sound of the phone ringing.

"No of course not," Rachel said, with her hand crossed behind her back as was Mark's.

"Well I didn't tell him to stay," she replied.

"Why?" Rachel asked.

"Are you insane?" Mark then asked.

"You wouldn't understand," Casey said.

"Try us," Rachel replied but Casey didn't get a chance to answer because Marti knocked on the door and then opened it.

"Casey, the phone's for you and they say it's urgent," Marti said. Casey looked away, she had been crying all morning and she was sure her voice would show it, whoever was on the phone was going to have to call back. Before she could say that though, Mark reached for the phone.

"This is Casey Macdonald's secretary, how may I help you?" Mark sung into the phone. "What do you mean elementary school teachers don't have personal secretaries? Of course they do, with all the work they have," Mark lied into the phone. "Now whatever you were going to tell Ms. Macdonald, you can tell me and I promise I'll pass it to her right away, she is just in the washroom right now."

He then began to nod but stopped as his eyes bulged out and he looked at Marti then at Casey. Everyone in that room was staring at Mark. "How?" he asked and then he nodded again. "Okay, she will get there as fast as she can, and trust me, she'll move fast, thank you very, very much," he said then he placed the phone down and looked at Casey, trying to find the right way to tell her.

"That was the hospital," he said, making Casey sit up quickly stressed with anticipation. She was worried that Faith had seen her and Derek kiss and decide to act on her threat. If she found out that her mother was dead, she wouldn't know what to do. "It's your mother," Mark continued since Casey didn't say anything. "She woke up, they don't know how but she has and she is asking for her family," Mark said.

"Oh my god?" Marti said slowly, not fully believing it.

Now usually Casey would tell Marti not to swear but she was speechless. Her mother, after six years was awake. Casey jumped up quickly and ran to her closet, this time picking carefully but quickly what she was going to wear. She didn't want her mother to see her for the first time in six years in a track suit. She picked simple jeans and a nice green sweater and pulled them out of her closet. She then turned to everyone in her room.

"Why are you still here, Marti go get Zachie ready to go," she said and Marti smiled and ran out of the room. She then turned to Mark and Rachel. "Can you guys go get Edwin and Lizzie, I'm sure they want to see my mom too," Casey said. They nodded, giving her a quick hug before running out of her room. Casey changed quickly, brushing her teeth and hair as fast as she could. She didn't bother with make-up she just wanted to see her mother awake.

---

Marti, Zachie, and Casey ran through the hospital but stopped right outside the room. Marti and Casey straiten their clothes before going in, wanting to look their best. The walked in slowly, Casey first with Marti behind her, holding Zachie's hand. Mark and Rachel were able to get Edwin and Lizzie to the hospital before them.

"Mom," Casey said, running to the bed and hugging her. She started to cry as she felt Nora's arms wrap around her.

"Oh Casey you're not a teenager anymore," Nora said, sounding so excited. Casey then moved away to let Marti hug her.

"And Marti, look how much you've grown, I take it you've outgrown your stuff animal faze." Marti nodded as she stepped aside. "And who is this?" Nora asked, referring to Zachie who was hiding behind Edwin. Edwin reached and pulled Zachie into his arms.

"This is my son, Zachie, the one who I was telling you about," Edwin said. Nora nodded, immediately approving of Zachie's existence never passing judgment on any of her children, especially since she missed the moment for Edwin to tell her that he got a girl pregnant.

"How do you do Zachie," Nora replied and Zachie smiled.

"Hello grandma Nora," he said, causing everyone to smile.

"Where's Derek and George?" Nora asked, she had been wanting to know since she saw her children. Everyone looked to the ground, including Mark and Rachel.

"George is in rehab, for drinking, I'm sure he'll want to get better as fast as he can when he hears that you're awake," Casey said.

Nora was shocked. "So have you been taking care of everyone?" she asked Casey and she nodded. "Oh my, what responsibility you and Derek must have had." Nora said, assuming that Derek had stayed. "Where is he anyways?" she asked again. This time Casey didn't have the strength to tell her the truth.

"He didn't stay with us, he went to Alberta and has been gone for about six years but he came back for a week and we've forgiven him," Lizzie said for Casey.

"What do you mean he didn't stay, he broke up with you?" Nora asked, causing Casey to look at her. She never told Nora that she and Derek were dating for fear that she and George would disapprove, she only told her younger siblings.

"How did you-"

"Please Casey, it didn't take a genius to realize that you two were dating and in love. The fighting stopped between you two and playful bickering came in with secret smiles and silent jokes. It wasn't that hard to figure it out, well it was for George, I had to spell it out for him but well, he was always oblivious. I assumed that you two would tell George and me when you were ready, but I guess you never got the chance. Now did you two make up when you saw Derek now?" she asked. Casey shook her head and Nora was about to say something but Mark butted in.

"They kissed yesterday and Derek asked Casey to tell him to stay and she said no," he blurted out.

"Mark!" Rachel said smaking him on the head.

"Ya thanks Mark," Casey said sarcastically.

"Are you insane?" Nora cried, looking at Casey.

"What?" Casey asked, completely shocked that her mother would say that.

"That's what I asked!" Mark shouted triumphantly.

"Casey, you only live once and true love is very rare so when you find it, you're suppose to grab hold of it and never let go, not send it away." Nora said.

"How do I know that he has feelings for me too or just that he lost his mind yesterday?" Casey asked.

"Well according to our research," Edwin said, pulling out a binder out of his bag, "Derek still has feelings for you."

"You two were doing research, some things never change," Nora said. "Where is Derek now?" Nora asked.

"On a plane with his girlfriend," Casey said, feeling that all hope was lost, she saw Nora having the same look.

"No he's not," Marti replied. Everyone looked at her.

"What do you mean?" Lizzie asked, knowing that Derek had a morning flight.

"His plane takes off at 11, it's 10:30 right now," Marti said.

Casey looked at Nora, already knowing what she was going to say. "Go," she said. Casey nodded and ran out of the room. Marti ran after her, she had a friend that worked at the airport and could probably get Casey to Derek faster.

---

Casey and Marti ran into the airport as fast as they could. Never in all her life had Marti witness to so many driving rules being broken all at the same time. Apparently to Casey, speed limits, stop signs, and no parking zones were only mere suggestions and didn't have too be followed.

"Casey wait up!" Marti called, cursing herself that she had been faking sick during gym class when they had to do laps around the track. She also cursed herself for not getting Derek's cell phone number this would have been so much easier if she got his number. She finally caught up to her when Casey stopped, trying to figure out which way to go.

"This way," Marti said, knowing where Derek would be. Casey followed Marti, and as they got closer, they heard that it was the last call for flight 518, Derek's flight. When they arrived, they were stopped right in front of the gate.

"Excuse me, you can't board without letting me see your ticket first," the man said.

"We don't have tickets," Casey said, feeling all hope lost. She sat down on the chair in the waiting area.

Marti didn't want to give up, she couldn't. Casey did so much for her and she wanted to do this for her. "DEREK!!!!!!!!!" she screamed, causing everyone to look in her direction, thinking that she was a freak. Then there was silence. Casey looked at the door, praying that Derek would walk through it. When a moment passed, and nothing happened, Marti took another huge breath in but was stop by the man.

"Please, if you don't have a ticket, leave," he said.

"Come on Marti, there's nothing else we can do. We did our best," Casey said, pulling Marti's arm, afraid that the man would call security and they would end up in airport prison.

"I really thought it would work, I mean it worked on 'Friends,'" Marti said.

"I know sweetie, I know," Casey replied wrapping her arm around Marti's shoulder as Marti rested her head on Casey's shoulder.

"So what are you going to do now?" Marti questioned.

"I don't want to call his home number, I don't think I have enough strength to speak to him, hearing his voice anymore, there still is a possibility that he might reject me. I'll send him a letter to his office since I know where he works; Faith said it so many times on Tuesday that it will be engraved in my head forever." Marti nodded, it was all up to snail mail now.

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