Author's Note My plan is officially unfolding now. I think I said this before, but before I started the fic I already knew how I wanted it to end. Well, here is where my plan reaches the point that I knew since chapter one. I think I can feel the anxiousness and anxiety of the readers. It's depressing. Yeah. It really is. But if no one loved tragedies would Shakespeare be famous and litered across the pages of millions of textbooks around the planet?

Disclaimer ...

When Casey woke the next morning the kids' had already gone, and Nora, George and Derek were probably back at the doctors office. George and Nora had both taken off of work to help Derek as quickly as possible.

She cranked her pop music and danced throughout the empty house. Everything twirled and twisted devilishly against her retina, and she couldn't care to accept any image of the blurred household. All the greens, reds and blues seemed to eat her away. All screaming for what she already desired. For everything to just come to a screeching halt just as her heart had.

The cheerleading moves she had learned were long forgotten and her ballet was free styled. It seemed to echo all of the pain she was going through, and all the pain she was about to endure. She could feel sweet release on the tip of her tongue as her feet danced her around the sofa and coffee table. Nothing stood in her path, no one was there to tell her to stop. All they could see was Derek, and all Casey could see was Derek.

Her dizziness subsided as her eyes became adjusted to the blur. She back bent her way to the kitchen and floated on the tile floor. The hum of the fridge could faintly be heard against the music, though her ears had become numb to every noise other than her thoughts.

I'll do it tomorrow. After I say my goodbye to Mom and George. I should probably say goodbye to Derek. I have only one thing to give him that he'll want. Should I give it to him? Kiss him gently and say I love you. Lie to him so he will live with my lie when I'm dead and gone. Maybe I should. Maybe it will help.

Her hips swayed around the island in the kitchen and back into the dining room.

If I'm a terrible liar, how will I accomplish it? Maybe I do love him, because I feel like I could pull it off. Then again, you can't love another when you can't even love yourself. Maybe I loved myself so much he had to love me too. If you can't love someone else if you can't love yourself, can you love someone else if you love yourself too much? Have I breached all the extremities?

She smirked as she did a random pleat.

Not that it matters now. To me, nothing matters but a sweet goodbye so that I can have a pleasant dream forever. Living and breathing nightmares is just not the life for me, and I may be a drama queen but what's the harm in dramatization? I love dramas. Shakespeare is my hero, and I couldn't count the amount of death in his tragedies on two sets of hands.

Her feet were beginning to ache.

I would never in a million years guess that at some point I would dream of my funeral. I hope that there are white roses at my funeral. I always felt that they were peaceful and how wonderful would that be? At that point I will no longer think or feel. How peaceful. White roses would only be appropriate.

Casey sighed and stopped dancing. She let herself fall backwards onto the couch. The upside down angle made the blood rush to her head, making her head feel like it was swelled.

"I feel like I have all the time in the world, and I still haven't enough time to tell Emily goodbye as well." Casey reached up and started to rub her right foot. When she finished she sat upright, then went back to her room. She turned off her stereo and looked about the room.

What should I give to Emily? She was there for me since I came here. What have I had that would symbolize how long we've been friends?

Her head felt hollow of all thought. Something for Emily felt like it should be more simple than this.

She is my age…my size…she can have my clothes. She'll love that. How often is it that she compliments my wardrobe?

Casey started to gently take her hanging clothes off of their hangers and folded them. She placed them amongst all her already folded clothes in the dresser and grabbed a pen and paper.

"Dear Emily,

I'm sorry I couldn't speak to you before. I forgive you…if you forgive me. It was rude of me to tell you he was just rebound knowing that it would hurt you despite the fact it was the truth. I can't say I've been acting myself lately. It's probably better that you take what happens and leave it at that. Don't ask why. That very question has gotten many men and women killed by many means. I don't want you to torture yourself because of me. I love you Emily, and I want you to have my clothes for as long as they fit. Remember how close we were to finding love. You'll find it. You're amazing.

Love,

Casey"

She folded it letter-sized and grabbed an envelope. After sticking the letter in, she licked it and wrote atop the envelope, 'To Emily'.

Lunch came around and Casey still didn't hunger for anything in this world. She kept dreaming of what lay ahead for her in the after life. If it was nothing, that would be just fine. Nothing was better than pain. Besides, if there was nothing she wouldn't really be aware of it would she? If God was there, and loved her, he would let her come in through his heavenly gates. He has to. How can he deny me pleasure when he's made Derek sick with desire?

The front door opened and Casey heard George's voice. She got up, stuck the angel necklace in her pocket, and went down the stairs.

"Hey Casey." Nora said, smiling, happy to see her face. Derek sat down in his chair, not looking at anyone or anything. His face was glazed over, his eyes seemed empty. George was fixing the coats.

"Hi Mom." Casey said, trying to smile. "Do you mind if I talk to you in the kitchen?" Nora nodded and the two women went past the dining room to the kitchen.

"What do you need Casey? Were you alright by yourself today? Are you lonely? Do you need to see Paul? Because I'm pretty sure he'd understand if you only went to school to see him. If you need to talk to him I can take you now, cause school's not over y-"

"Mom!" Casey said sharply to stop her Mom's rapid questioning. "It's okay. I don't need to talk to Paul. But next time you happen to be at school tell him I said thank you." Nora furrowed her eyebrows. "I mean, if you are up there before I go back to school…" Her mom looked satisfied with the comment. "I just wanted to tell you about something I lost but found recently."

"What dear?" Casey pulled out the necklace and displayed it to her mom. If anyone would speculate my intentions…it would be my mom.

"A necklace from Dad that I got when I was real little. I was, let me think…I think eight." Nora gently took the necklace in her hands.

"That's nearly ten years ago!" She exclaimed, examining the qualities of the necklace.

"Yeah. I thought it was a sign." The words Casey was saying seem to come out of nowhere. None of it was planned, and she didn't know what she meant by it. She didn't just find it. She didn't think it was a sign.

"You think? Like, the angels may have left for a while but they are still going to come back to protect you when you really need it?" Nora looked at Casey, hopeful.

"Yeah. Something like that. You know, if you want to wear it for good luck that'd be nice. I won't wear it though, so maybe you should." Casey said awkwardly.

"Why won't you?" Casey thought quickly.

"Oh, um, it doesn't really match what I wear. I like silver…not…gold." Nora eyed Casey for a moment then seemed to accept it. She took a mental breath, feeling as though she was about to break her lie. The last thing she needed was her plans to be found out before she even carried the act out.

"Well, thank you Casey. That's awfully thoughtful of you." She unclasped it and handed the necklace to Casey. "Will you hook it up for me?" Casey wrapped the chain around her mom's neck and hooked both ends together. She turned around and showed Casey.

"You wear it beautifully." Casey said happily. Nora reached out and gave Casey a deep, close and painful hug.

They parted, and Casey sent one last longing look as they both went opposite directions. Casey, upstairs, and Nora downstairs to her bedroom.

Laying silent for hours in the night, she finally heard Derek's door open and close. She had thought to give George a goodbye, but she knew that hugging him would bring no comfort to either of them. Of all the Venturi's, he was the one that she was the least closest to knowing. All the time she lived here, and she thought it was Derek that she was the furthest from knowing. The truth was ironic.

Quietly, she crept out of her room and into Derek's room. He was curled up beneath his covers. Without noise she shut the door behind her and walked to his bed.

"Derek." She said in one dead tone. It left a puncture hole in the sound waves of his bedroom. Derek turned to her and lifted the covers off of him to sit up, leaning against his backboard.

"Why are you in my room Casey?" Casey didn't change her expression, nor did she answer his question. She set down on the bed and faced him. "Yes?" He asked, sounding a little anxious and a little annoyed.

"I'm sorry. For what I've done. Bringing out all these horrible things inside of you." He started shaking his head no. "Don't. It's my fault. I accept that."

"But it's not your fault. I'd be like this with or without you." Casey choked out a small laugh.

"I wish I could say the same. Then I couldn't blame you or myself." Derek looked deeply at her. His eyes would have made her cry, but her tears were dry and her heart wasn't beating as full of emotion as it had before.

"Casey." It was all he could say. All he could dare to say.

"Derek. You say you loved me."

"Loved? No. It's not paste-tense. I still do." Casey frowned. How sweet. Like a sweet romantic dream that I'll never get to live. I'd like to die with the memory that he confessed the root of all his fixations with me.

"You would have never let someone hurt me like Damien did, would you?" Derek quickly sat completely up.

"Damien?"

"Damien…one of the 'other' versions of you." He looked around.

"They have names?" Casey nodded.

"Brooke told me some of their names." A realization dawned on Derek.

"Brooke! That's why Marti called me Brooke!" She nodded, smiling. "You talked to her? Well, me…the…I have a girl me?" Casey let out a hearty laugh and nodded. He smiled and nudged her. "Guess you have some ammo to use against me now." Her face got serious and his mimicked hers.

"No. I wouldn't do that. There's enough pain in your life and mine…teasing should be dashed aside…forever." He nodded in a secret agreement. "I came in here to make sure you were okay." Casey wasn't sure if she could pull of kissing him as a goodbye. He's not Damien. You know this. But he is your step-brother…But since it's still the same body it still feels the same…well not dangerously the same…but still. I've had sex with that body…

"Why? Worried about me?" He smirked. She cast a glare and stood, crossing her arms.

"No. Why would I be worried about you?" Quit arguing! This is supposed to be a sweet secret goodbye! Not normal fighting. You can't go back to the way things were can you! No bickering!

"Because you are a worry wart." Casey's mouth dropped and he smirked again. He's antagonizing you!

"I am not. How dare you say-"

"Say what?" Derek grinned. "The truth?" He stood directly in front of her. The were just close enough for him to have to tilt his neck down to see her face.

"Yeah. Actually. How dare you say the truth. All I've ever known you to do is tell lies." Casey said indignantly, instinctively wanting to engage in verbal combat with him.

"Psh. Like you could tell a lie. At least I can still do both. You can only tell the truth." Casey looked hard at him, and his arrogant smile. His excuse to argue was to get closer.

"Wanna bet that I can't tell a lie?" Casey stepped forward.

"Yeah. Go for it. If you can tell a convincing lie, I'll give you anything you want." She smirked.

"You seem pretty confident that I won't."

"That's cause I am." She rolled her eyes. "Now tell a convincing lie." Casey bit her lip.

"When I walked in your room, I had no intention of kissing you." His eyes shook, knowing what she meant, and before he knew what she had done her left arm hooked around his neck and pulled him into a kiss. Their kiss twisted around, and she hated it. Their tongues felt slippery and sweet, softly touching each other but with such energy that it was intoxicating, but she wanted nothing more than to gag. Derek wrapped his arms around the middle of her back and pressed her hard against her body.

Finally she pulled from the kiss, that seemed to last forever, and wiped the saliva off the corner of her mouth. Derek smiled breathlessly into her eyes.

"Casey. I love you, and I'm sorry." He said softly.

"I know." After letting him look happily in her eyes, she gave him a hug and left the room.

Derek stared at the closed door, not sure what intentions she had by doing that. The spontaneity of it all had gotten him excited, and he decided that he should take a shower than let anything dark come out of him and hurt her again.

Maybe my hopes aren't completely lost after all…