Author's note: I love Family Guy. Just a sidenote. haha.

They Try to Pull Me Away

Chapter Four: DAMMIT.

Disclaimer: Yeah; I don't own it.

Needless to say: she stopped avoiding me.

And Goddammit; you know I love her, but she's so damn stubborn. All the time.

It's like trying to reason with a four year-old. Not that I have any room to talk.

DAMMIT. Look at that! She's brainwashed me into thinking so lowly of myself.

Oh she'll get hers. In time.

...

Anyways; I say she's stubborn for two reasons. One, she refuses to talk about the (full frontal, twenty minute long, heartfelt, amazing-uh... yeah) embrace that we shared that night.

And two, every time I try to bring up the whole, 'I love you' thing, she acts like I never said anything. And usually I'd pry on about that sort of thing. Make her tell me what's really on her mind. But this time, it kind of just... hurts. It's like she doesn't even care about it.

And although I know Casey McDonald inside and out, I still get puzzled when it comes to her dealings with me.

It's like she's playing some sort of perpetual game. The kind where I have no chance in hell of winning; and Derek Venturi never loses.

So instead of prying, I avoid.

And I can tell it's driving her nuts, because why else would she feel the need to call me three times a day?

-Also, I checked into how the hell she'd gotten my cell number that night. Ed told me that she'd called him about five minutes prior to her calling me. My thoughts consisted of... what happened in that five minutes? Was she battling over whether she should actually call me or not? Was she wondering if I'd even care? It was killing me. -

Anyways; she calls three times a day! At exactly 10:30AM, 5:45PM, and 9:57PM.

And because I know her so well... I know she planned these calls to be 'random' so it seemed like she was being nonchalant; but she obviously didn't plan on me keeping track of the calls.

Casey McDonald may know more about me than anyone else I know... but as you can obviously tell, she's so damn oblivious to so many things. It's honestly enough to drive a man to shoot an unsuspecting passerby; honestly.

So the one time I decided to answer the phone... I realize it was probably the biggest mistake of my life.

Because I answer...

and I hear her gasp; and sniff.

She isn't... is she?

"D- Derek?" Another sniff. Dammit. She is crying. What the hell did I do to deserve this?

"Casey? Ar- are you doing what I think you're doing? If so... please stop. You know your whimpering will only result in the phone being hung up on you."

"Or a hug..." She mumbles under her breath. I rolled my eyes, but pretended not to hear anything. Because it figures. The first time she brings it up is when she sounds bitter. Towards me.

"Yes, Derek. I'm crying; and you want to know why?"

"Not particularly." I replied curtly. It wasn't completely false. I knew why she was crying... I just didn't want her to say it.

"Well tough shit, Venturi."

"Whoa! Language, Case! Never heard that come out of your mouth before." As much as I tried to keep the situation light, I knew she was just going to bury me.

"Shut it! We're having a serious conversation!"

"Really?! 'Cause I thought you were just taking an opportunity to bitch me out."

"Ugh! You're so frustrating! First you ignore me- and trust me, I know you've been going it because I get your voicemail after one ring- and now you're fighting with me before I even tell you what's bugging me. Which, by the way, I just did."

"What? I'm sorry; all I heard was this high-pitched squealing noise. I don't actually speak 'insane woman'."

"Oh my God! What the hell is your problem?! And why have you been avoiding me?!" She was yelling now. Good. Anything was better than crying because of something I did.

"My problem is you, Casey. I was avoiding you because you were pissing me off! I kept trying to talk to you about what I told you back in London and you just fucking brush it off. You do realize that I said something huge don't you? And you ignoring it doesn't make me feel all dandy, alright?"

She stayed silent for a few seconds, which seemed like eternity. I even checked if she'd hung up on me.

"I- I- ..." She stuttered, "I just don't know what to say, Derek." She replied.

Progress, I'd say.

"Say how you feel, Casey. Dammit, all the time I've known you, you wouldn't shut up about your stupid feelings and now that I finally want to hear about them, you won't talk?"

Another thirty or so seconds of silence.

A sigh.

"Derek, I can't do this."

"Can't do what? Can't just admit that you like me? Because I've got news for you, Case: I already know how you feel. I was just waiting for you to realize it yourself."

"How could you possibly know how I feel when I don't?"

"Casey, I may not be the brightest at times..." I shouldn't have paused because it left her time for-

"Haha! At times?! How about... ever?!"

"...anyways... as U was saying, Venturi's are very intuitive. I can just tell, okay?"

"Sounds to me more like arrogance than intuition, smarty-pants."

"Casey, you wouldn't call me three times a day at precisely the same times if you didn't care."

"I never said I didn't care."

"There's a fine line, hon, and you know it's our job to cross it."

"Well now you just sound like a bad fortune cookie."

"Shut it, Casey. We're having a serious conversation!" I mocked.

"Really?! 'Cause I thought I was trying to talk to you earlier and now you're acting like a two year-old."

"Interesting. I didn't know two year-olds professed their love for their step-sisters, only to be ignored by them."

Silence.

"Dammit, Casey... just say something." I yelled. What can I say? I'm fed up with this game.

"I can't!" She yelled back.

"Whatever, Case. You know, You're the most frusterating women to ever walk the face of the Earth."

Silence.

"Fine. I won't bother you anymore." I said. Then I hung up without warning.