SHOUT OUTS/ANSWERS

LuckyandSamTrueLove: Thanks, here's more. I will.

CraneAndFalconForeven: Well, wait no more. Glad you think so.

Possessenggirl12: Thanks.

Princetongirl: Thanks, hope this is soon enough.

Indifference Romance: Thanks. Hope this is soon enough.

Windyfontaine (Chs 1-4): Yes, I did. Okay, good. I'm not alone. That bites. Enjoy. Yes, it is. Glad you're enjoyin'. Yep. Glad you think so. Yep. Glad you think so. Here's the next chap, and I will, thanks.

DISCLAIMER

Concepts belong to New Line Cinema, Wes Craven, and Canadian Television. I only own the plot. I don't know whether or not Casey and Derek took the bus or got picked up by their parents like Lizzie and Edwin, but I figured this would be more realistic. Quick question: does anyone think this is good enough to be turned into a series?

"Hey, Casey," Max managed to get out.

"So, what? You're spying on me now?" Casey demanded.

"Dude, do you not even grasp the concept of a private conversation?" Joey added. Before Max could reply, the bus that took them home came into view.

"Let's go," Joey said, adjusting his backpack. Casey went to pick up her pack, but Joey beat her to it.

"Always the gentleman," Casey said.

"Yeah, well, someone's gotta help you keep your scrawny figure," Joey responded.

"Scrawny? I'll show you scrawny!" Casey exclaimed good-naturedly, as she began to playfully punch him. Joey laughed as they got into the bus. Max adjusted his backpack and followed them. Then, he waited as other kids came trickling out the door and onto their buses. As Derek and Sam got onto the bus, they noticed that Max was sitting alone.

"Hey, man, where's Casey?" Sam wondered, as they came up to sit with him.

"The keener probably decided to do extra credit at the library," Derek answered with a sneer.

"Actually, she's over there," Max said. They followed his gaze to see her with Joey, who she seemed to be talking seriously with.

"What's up with that?" Sam questioned.

"Apparently they're old friends," Max answered.

"He's friends with that?" Derek wondered, gesturing to his stepsister.

"Dude, harsh," Sam told him. Meanwhile, Joey and Casey were unaware of their audience.

"So, we definitely know that he's back…how do you want to prepare?" Joey asked softly.

"Well, we can't do this by ourselves. We're going to need Nancy and Rod," Casey stated.

"And we can't let Krueger take somebody," Joey mused.

"Yeah," Casey agreed. Then, "Have you kept training---you know, in our world?"

"Oh, yeah," Joey confirmed. "You?" he queried.

"Contrary to my family's beliefs, I do not study twenty-four/seven," Casey responded.

"This from a super-keener? Say it isn't so," Joey said in mock surprise. Casey laughed and threw her head back.

"Joey, you can always make me laugh," she told him. Max, Sam, and Derek watched as the two continued to talk. Suddenly, Casey threw her head back in laughter.

"She never laughs like that with me," Max noted.

"I've never seen her laugh like that either," Sam agreed.

"Guys, why are you staring at my stepsister?" Derek wondered. "Okay, you I can understand. You're her boyfriend," he said to Max. "But dude, you broke up with her, quit staring," he told Sam.

"Dude, you're not in the least bit curious as to what's going on?" Sam questioned.

"Nope," Derek replied. Minutes later, the bus reached the MacDonald household. With that, Sam, Derek, Casey, Joey, and Max all grabbed their stuff, stood up, and headed for the bus' door.

"Max, this isn't your stop," Casey said in surprise.

"I thought you'd want to hang out," Max told her.

"Well Max, normally I'd love to, but I can't today," Casey answered.

"Why not?" Max wondered.

"It' a whole big, long story that I don't have time to get into," Casey answered.

"Casey, come on. We got stuff to discuss," Joey urged.

"You're right," Casey agreed, and then followed him off of the bus, the others close behind.

"Mom, you here?" Casey questioned, after opening the door.

"Kitchen!" came the answer. Everyone traipsed in.

"Mom, look who's here," Casey said.

"Casey, it's been a long day and I'm not up for---" Nora started to say, turning around. Joey grinned.

"Joey!" she exclaimed.

"Hey, Mrs. MacDonald," Joey greeted.

"Actually, it's Venturi now," Nora corrected.

"So, wait. He's---" Joey gestured to Derek.

"Yeah," Casey confirmed with a grimace.

"Oooh. My condolences," Joey said.

"Thanks," Casey responded.

"Are you and your parents in town visiting for long?" Nora questioned before a fight could break out.

"We're here on a more permanent basis," Joey told her.

"You moved here?" Nora asked.

"Yeah," Joey confirmed. Then, "I'm sorry to be so abrupt Mrs. Venturi, but Casey and I have stuff to discuss."

"Of course," Nora answered.

"Come on," Casey said. The two went up to her room. She closed the door and locked it.

"Do you want me to call Nancy and Rod, or---" Casey's voice trailed off.

"I'll do it," Joey said. He pulled out his cell phone, turned it on, and let it boot up. After a few minutes, he dialed a number.

"Hello?" a girl asked.

"Nancy, it's Joey," Joey said.

"Oh, hey. How'd the move go?" Nancy asked.

"Good, good," Joey answered. Then, "Listen, I ran into Casey, and before you ask, she's doing fine. But, uh---have you slept?" he wondered.

"He's back, isn't he?" Nancy asked.

"Yeah, we think so," Joey replied.

"I'll told Rod," Nancy assured him, and hung up before he could say anything more.

"She's gotta learn how to say good-bye," Joey complained. Casey laughed. Then, she reached under her bed and slid out a secret compartment.

"I can't believe you still have that," Joey commented.

"Well, I had to hide our stuff somewhere," Casey replied. They knelt down and opened the box. In the box were various old newspaper clippings.

"Here it is---everything we know about Fred Krueger," Casey said.

"The child-murdering freak who gets off on haunting people's dreams," Joey added.

"And of course---" Casey began, holding up another sheet of paper.

"Our dream powers," Joey finished.

"Yeah," Casey said. She turned her attention to the papers, appearing to be unaffected. However, Joey caught the slight tremble in her hands.

"Hey, don't worry. We beat him before. We can do it again," he assured, taking her hand.

"I was hoping it was over," she admitted.

"I know. Me too. But you remember what Kristen said," he responded.

"'There's always an Elm Street somewhere'," she quoted. She blew out a breath. "So let's get to work," she continued. They slapped palms, back handed the other's hand, and then slapped palms again. Then, Casey put one of her c.d.'s in, pressed play, and the two began sparring. Meanwhile, one of Derek's friends, Greg Spiers, was at his own house, studying for an exam. He rubbed his face with a hand, and yawned. He was so tired. True, he had only been studying for ten minutes, but he had stayed up late the previous night, running hockey drills. He tried to focus on his homework to no avail. With another yawn, he closed his eyes. Greg looked around. Where was he? This place wasn't familiar. SCREE! He jumped at the sound.

"Who's there?" he wondered. SCREE! This time the noise sounded closer. "Okay, not funny," he declared.

"Whoever said I was joking, Greg?" a voice asked. The teen turned around---and found himself face-to-face with a burned man in a weird hat wearing a red-and-green sweater. But the thing that really stood about him was the glove with four knives on his right hand. The man grabbed him.

"How sweet. A gift for the Dream Masters," he sneered. Then, he stuck the four gleaming blades into the teen's neck and cut downward.