"Okay so let me get this straight your going to let my cry on your shoulder, Derek Venturi afraid of tears Venturi is going to allow me to cry on his shoulder, and play his video games? You must be sick." Derek exhaled a little happy with the change of topic but he knew Casey was just dancing around the subject.
"Come on let's go home."
"God Girls take a lot of time, it's one Dance how long does it take to get ready?" Derek pulled the lever on his chair springing his legs up.
"Derek, Casey has been dreaming about this day forever; this and her wedding. And the birth of her first born child." Lizzie said plopping down on the couch. Derek eyed her strangely.
"How do you plan for your first born child?"
"She has her way's."
Casey finally stood back looking at herself through her mirror. Her brown hair was elegantly curled down her back and her medieval style dress was pink and the bodice was tight like a corset loosely flowing straight down her legs. She smiled at her reflection. She looked like a princess, better then she felt in a while.
"Casey please stop staring and get down here it's time to go!" She inhaled deeply before descending the stairs Derek was standing at the bottom of the stairs looking up at her mouth slightly open. Derek was wearing a tan sports coat with a black shirt and black pants, the black looked amazing on him for once in her life she actually saw what the girls at school must have saw. He was amazing looking. And he had every right to be cocky about it. Though she still didn't like it how he was so stuck up thinking he was a big shot, she realized now he didn't just think he was amazing, he actually was. At the bottom of the stairs he was looking up at her through his eyelashes giving his eyes a devilish dreamy look.
Derek was finding it hard to breath. Casey looked amazing. Since she came too school, he heard many guys say his stepsister was a babe, cute, hot, sexy. And for all of them he rejected it all; even when Sam said it he freaked, telling him he better not finish his sentence. Even so knowing he finished his thoughts disturbed Derek a little.
Derek told him self then that t was just cause Casey was his new step sister, and that he was acting as an overprotective brother would, but now looking at her he wasn't so sure.
He never thought Casey was bad looking even though he made jokes about her appearance constantly; but seeing her like this, glowing in all her radiance, he couldn't fight this feeling in the pit of his stomach; a feeling that maybe, he was wrong.
"C-Casey… you look…" he started trying to find his voice again,
"You too." She smiled before Derek could finish and he let out the breath he had been holding.
"Nora, Dad we're leaving!" Derek screamed opening the door.
"NO, NO, NO, NO! PICTURES FIRST!!!" Derek groaned as he heard shutter sounds behind him. Nora was snapping a hundred pictures a minute before she stopped.
"Casey, Derek, get close together. Come on closer guys. Derek she's not going to bite. Put your arm around her. Get close." Casey stepped close to Derek hesitantly at first until he put his arm out. She quickly stepped into his harm and he pulled her closer suddenly aware that his hand was right on top of hers, but he didn't dare move it. Her hand was radiating warmth into his, and it felt kind of nice. He shook at this thought and let go of her quickly.
"Nora I think that's enough." Gorge said as he draped his harm over Nora's shoulders.
"No guarantees when we'll be home!" Derek shouted pulling Casey out the door before their parents could protest. When the door closed behind them they froze there was a large black limo sitting out front of the house. The door opened and Max came out wearing a blue tux Casey chuckled and moved away from Derek heading forward and jumping at Max.
"This is wonderful. But come on blue? Baby blue?" she laughed as slipped a corsage onto her wrist.
"Want a ride Derek?" Max's eyes were warning Derek as he put a possessive arm around Casey's waist. Casey looked between them with a confused look on her face as they stared wordlessly at each other. A silent message seemed to be passed; Derek knew it. Max was warning him or something, but why? It was like Max was scared he was going to steal Casey? In his mind he was laughing, Max was jealous of Derek. He couldn't believe it. He was Casey's stepbrother. Step being the operative word. He shook his head at the voice somewhere that said that and then spoke himself.
"No thanks. I rather drive." With that Max turned Casey and pushed her into the limo and they sped off. Derek got into his car and drove off to the school.
"D!" a bunch of guys from the hockey team shouted when he came through the doors. He pounded fists and gave high fives before he was swarmed with girls.
"Care to dance?" Derek turned to see a peppy little red head with big green eyes, and freckles.
"Sure." He said putting his hand out for her to grab. Her hand was tiny, fit in the center. She was very slim and her red hair was just under her chin. It was slightly longer at the front and styled in slight waves. She had a copper shiny strapless dress and ballerina shoes the same shade. Her face was very pale and there was copper eye shadow around her eyes. Her eyes were the size of baby's worlds, and she had full lips, and a tiny nose. Derek actually thought she was very good looking but he didn't recognise her.
"I'm Derek." He offered as he spun her before pulling her in.
"Teegan."
"Teegan… I don't think I recognise you." She smirked at him then.
"I thought you wouldn't." Derek paused then slightly confused.
"Should I recognize you?" he asked letting his hands rest on her hips as a slow song started.
"Yes, and no." she stated placing her arms around his neck. "It's been a long time I suppose. A lot of games of cops and robbers too." He stopped dancing then looking into her face trying hard to remember. Cops and robbers was the game that…
"Teegan! Derek!" they turned their heads to look in the direction of the voice Sam ran up in a tux and toque. "Just like old times hey?" Derek's eyebrows furrowed for a second before realization hit.
"T! Oh my god how did I not know?" Derek pulled her in for a hug then smiling happily. Sam's, mom's, best friend had a daughter and when they were little the three of them would play cops and robbers, hide and seek; But usually cops and robbers. They would run around reeking havoc upon the house. Teegan and Sam's parents used to call us S.T.D cause they were a pain in the ass and hard to get rid of once together. Of course when we were young we had no idea what this meant.
"But you were gone you moved to the states when we were seven!"
"We moved back. I'll be starting here Monday so Sam brought me as his date."
"I can't believe it. It's just like old times…"
"Yea I even have handcuffs in my purse." Teegan winked at Derek causing him to blush.
"Lighten up D. you lost your touch." Sam laughed before speaking up.
"Yea, you never blushed the last night she was aloud to sleep over with us." Teegan laughed hard leaning into Sam as Derek continued blushing.
"I can't help it I was curious!" he shouted to defend himself.
"Still curious?" she asked with a sly smirk just like Derek's "Kidding!" she cried out when Derek eyed her with a smirk of his own before bursting into laughter
The night went on full of laughter and remembering. They were barely dancing now. Once or twice Teegan would dance with one or the other and turn down guys that would ask her to dance. And finally the night was over and they were walking outside when Derek heard a shout.
"Wait!" he turned to see Emily with Sheldon in toe.
"Emily, what's wrong?"
"I have been trying to find you all night!"
"Emily, chill what's going on?"
"Casey… Casey called my phone." Derek was confused so he shook his head.
"Yea okay? Go on." Emily took in a shaky breath.
"She was crying. More like sobbing whimpering, she said please and then the phone went dead. I called her back but it goes straight to voice mail and everyone I talked to says she didn't even show up tonight. This is Prom! She had been planning it forever there's no way she wouldn't have came just because." Emily was starting to cry as Derek took off too his car.
"D we're coming with you."
"Then hurry your Asses up." Teegan and Sam hurried after him and got in the car. They drove around the park anywhere Casey might be before they headed to Derek's.
The three ran into the house. They parents and kids weren't home apparently they went to a late movie so said the note on the banister. Derek darted up the stairs.
"Casey? Casey?" he called running into all the rooms they had.
"Where the hell could she be?" he said mostly to himself as he dropped down to his bed Sam sat next to him and Teegan at his desk. Not even a moment later they heard voices downstairs. Derek ran to the top of the steps to see Casey sitting on the stairs with Max beside her. He went to kiss her on the cheek but she pulled away.
"Remember." Was all he said before leaving.
"Case Jesus Christ what happened to you?" Derek screamed heading down the stairs her hair was a mess and her makeup had run from crying. She ignored him running right past him up the stairs. He could only stare after her as he heard the bathroom door shut and water run.
"You uh guys can go now. Take my car… come back tomorrow okay?" he said in a semi-detached voice as he tossed his keys to Sam… Sam nodded slowly before toeing Teegan from the room.
Casey was crying in the shower scrubbing the soap as hard as she could over her body. She winced at the pressure she put on her ankle but scrubbed even harder until she noticed stinging and red water. She sunk down so she was sitting in the shower with the water washing away her tears even long after the hot water ran ice cold.
Derek was getting worried now. It had been almost two hours since she went into the bathroom and the water was still running. His parents were even home now but everyone went to bed once he told them Casey was just trying to wash the gunk off her face. He grabbed a pen from his desk and took out the ink part.
Walking over to the bathroom he stuck the pen in the hole pressing down the trigger to unlock the door. Turning the knob Derek stepped inside and could feel the cool air. There wasn't a towel in the bathroom so he ran to grab the largest one from the closet.
"Case. It's Derek. I'm coming in." he was half expecting her to scream out at him. Telling him not to be a perv. and just leave. But she didn't. Derek hesitantly pulled back the shower curtain and looked down. Casey was sitting with her knees hugged to her chest and head resting on top. Derek turned off the water and then draped the large towel over her body before scooping her up and sitting her on the toilet.
"Jesus Case." He whispered as he saw the marks and blood on her wrists and ankles. Finally she raised her head and looked at Derek. Her eyes were far away and it made Derek shudder. She smiled at him and he grew frightened. She was hurt and she was smiling. It was chilling to see. She pushed him back softly before getting up and walking to her bedroom closing the door.
"Case let me in." he said running after her as she slammed her door shut locking it. Derek was angry that she had a key lock for her room he couldn't get into it now.
After a few hours of begging her to open up he gave up going back to his room. It was almost 7 in the morning before he finally could get himself to sleep. Though it wasn't peaceful.
He woke with a start. Looking around the room he glanced at the clock saying that it was 3:50 pm. He jumped up and went into the hallway. Everything was so quiet. He went downstairs only to find that his parents and family had left yet again to so visit his grandparents. They said that they hoped he didn't have too bad of a hangover and asked Casey to take care of him.
Casey is here? Please say she is still here!
"Casey?" he cried heading back to the stairs.
"In the kitchen!" he heard. He ran to the kitchen and saw Casey with sweat pants and a t-shirt. She had big bracelets on her wrist that didn't move as she stirred they just stayed in place.
"Hungry?" she asked smiling brightly at him. He was freaked. He couldn't help thinking that they were in the twilight zone. Just last night he could remember how broken she looked and now, she was normal one hundred percent normal.
"Casey what's going on?"
"I'm making dinner. Gorge just called to say that there is a wicked storm in Toronto so they are staying over there tonight."
"That's not what I was talking about." He said sitting at the island. She scooped Kraft onto a plate for her and gave Derek the pot. Ketchup and drinks were on the table. Quickly she started shovelling the food in her mouth as quickly as she could.
"Easy Casey, you are going to pop if you eat that fast." She looked up at me for a moment before shovelling what was left into the garbage.
"I'll do the dishes later. I'm going to go read." She took off upstairs. Derek took a couple spoonfuls and realized his stomach was uneasy. Something was wrong Derek just knew it.
He opened the door to her room to see her looking at herself in the mirror with a disgusted look on her face. She was holding her shirt up so it exposed her stomach.
"What, look Case, I didn't mean to imply that your-" She gasped and turned before she let go of her shirt. But Derek saw it and he started forward.
"Fat…Case what was that?"
"What was what? I don't know what your talking about." She said trying to get around Derek but he stepped in front of her.
"Casey!" he shouted. She jumped and shrank back. Derek realized once again the empty fear in her eyes so he reached out to her grabbing her hand gently.
"Let me see." She started to whimper and move away but Derek moved with her,. "Please." He pleaded and she froze looking defeated. She didn't move to lift her shirt though. Derek reached forward with his eyes on hers and grabbed the hem of her shirt lifting it up. she was wearing a sports bra. He had seen her in one before when she was working out so he just lifted the whole shirt of…
There were giant bruises on her ribs and back. Over her chest she had bit marks. He unconsciously let his hand gently glide over her stomach. Soothing over each mark. Casey relaxed. After last night gentle felt nice, and safe.
"Jesus. He did this too you didn't he?" Casey turned her head "Didn't he?" Derek screamed voice cracking with anger. She hung her head and shook it once.
"What else did he do? Casey did… did he rape you?" Derek asked placing his hands on her shoulders she bit her lip and looked up at him before breaking down into tears.
He pulled her into him hugging her tightly while he felt the warm wetness of her tears seep into his shirt. He pulled her to sit before grabbing her shirt and placing it over her head. She was still crying but she lifted her arms to get them through the sleeves. Once she was dressed Derek sat on her bed leaning back on the headboard as he pulled Casey with him. Derek had her body cradled against his, arms wrapped around her tight as she covered her face to cry. He wished she wouldn't hide her face. He wished that she felt comfortable enough. He wished he could take away all her fears and all her pain.
He mentally kicked himself now for the past taunting and pain he put her through. If she ever cried like this for something he did to her, he wasn't so sure he could live with himself.
"Casey everything will be okay…" Derek shushed her and rocked her while he pulled the bracelets off her wrists. She didn't fight him. She knew he knew. He saw it last night. She was trying so hard not to let him know. To keep this from him like Max had wanted. But now, lying in his arms she felt safe.
"No it wont," she muttered shaking her head against him. "It wont he wont let it be."
"Casey, tell me what happened. Please so I can help you." He waited patiently for her to calm down enough to talk.
"We w-were in the limo. Then it stopped. I had a blindfold. Max said he had a surprise. He picked me up and was carrying me somewhere. It wasn't until I heard a door shut until I could smell it. He was drunk Derek. Very drunk. He put me down and took of my blindfold. We- we were in a motel room." She paused to calm herself again. Before continuing. She was shaken and Derek shifted so she was more on his lap; Head lying on his shoulder.
"I asked him what he thought he was doing when he pushed me onto the bed and started kissing me. I pushed him off telling him I wanted to go to the prom. And he started screaming. I told him I had enough and he got angry. He hit me and kicked me in the stomach till I thought every bone in my chest was going to shatter. He stopped then and I tried to crawl for the door. That's when he got my ankles. I couldn't do anything. I hurt so much. I tried… when he pulled me by my ankles back onto the bed I tried to hit him away but he got my wrists. And I couldn't fight anymore."
"How did you call Emily?" she looked up at him. Her eyes were red and puffy.
"I-I didn't I…" she was thinking hard. "I could have pressed her number on speed dial… but no... It was in the purse. I dropped it when he." She shook her head mechanically.
"I don't understand." She started to cry again. "I DON'T UNDERSTAND ANY OF THIS!" she screamed shaking and crying more then ever now.
"I'm going to kill him. I swear to God I am going to kill him." Derek whispered to himself. Casey heard him though and started to panic again.
"No Derek you can't he will hurt you! You can't! Promise you wont!"
"I can't promise that Casey. Look what he's done to you! Casey. I care about you lots now more then ever. And I can't just sit back and do nothing. I have to do something Case!" She sat up and hugged him now. Her face buried in his neck her breath against his skin made he tense. He loved the feeling. Something about it felt perfect even in all the chaos this moment felt perfect.
"This is enough. Here with me, that's all you have to do." Derek couldn't help it. He pressed his lips to the top of Casey's head.
"Don't worry Casey. I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
A/N: okay so question. do you all want a chapter of what happened to Casey yes or no (no maybe's or whatever you want please) lol hope you liked it!!!
do the poll in my profile please