"Are you sure you want to go today?" Derek asked leaning in the bathroom doorway. Casey was brushing her hair. She was wearing a turtle neck with very long sleeves that almost surpassed her fingers. Her hair was lying straight past her shoulders with the bangs pulled back from her face. Derek grinned remembering the last time she had her hair like this. It was just after she moved in. Sam and Derek were fighting after Derek wouldn't let him go talk to Casey.
"Well, I'm going to take Marti's advice and ask Casey to marry me."
"Oh really? Can I be your best man?" Derek had asked bitterly. They had been wrestling when Casey came down. When Sam told her what was going on she tried to get to him; and not in a good way. Her face was red and her eyebrows were angled down in a death glare before she turned and threw Sam onto the stairs.
"I can't hid forever Derek… Derek?"
"Hmm what?" Derek's grin wiped off his face as he snapped back into reality. Casey giggled lightly putting her brush down on the counter.
"You would think you're the one throwing yourself back into the sharks." Her giggle turned into nervous laughter as she passed him out into the hallway. Derek sighed before grabbing onto Casey's wrist.
"You don't have to do this, you can fake sick, and I can bring your work home…" Casey smiled to herself before turning back to Derek with an amused smile on her face.
"Wow Der, I didn't know you could be so… sensitive." Derek's face fell as he released her wrist stuffing his own hands deep into his pockets. He shrugged.
"Well you know… were like family… and I'm the only one who's allowed to make you cry." Casey laughed before nudging Derek in the arm and heading downstairs. Derek's tongue pressed against the inside of his cheek as he exhaled sharply.
"Family… that's it."
Derek waited for Casey as she walked to the front of the car. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself as she stared at the student parking lot. Max's car was in the parking lot with a bunch of his football buddies and him standing by it joking.
"Come on." Derek said wrapping his arm around her shoulder ushering her inside.
Casey glanced sideways towards Derek. His eyes were scanning the halls as he hovered around her. Casey found it very sweet that Derek was so concerned but despite how much she liked the nice Derek, she missed the old one, and she still couldn't believe Derek was acting like this with her.
"You know I can skip first… I can come to your drama class and make sure th-" Casey stepped forward putting her hand over Derek's mouth. It felt like his lips were on fire as he stared at Casey wide-eyed. His throat tightened and his head started to swim.
"Derek. I will be okay. I really appreciate the concerned big brother persona but come on. You've walking on eggshells… I never thought I would admit it but I kind of miss the conceited, arrogant, superficial skirt chasing clad. I mean come on since this whole thing you haven't so much as looked at another girl." Derek reached up and pulled Casey's hand away from his mouth slowly.
"Casey…" she chuckled lightly
"Derek, it's okay. Let's make a deal. You go back to your old self, and I promise if I need you, I'll let you know."
Derek smirked. "If you need me, huh?" Derek raised an eyebrow suggestively as he watched Casey's face turn 5 shades of pink. She whacked him on the arm before laughing and heading off to drama class.
Derek turned to head off to his hockey performance class before he did a double take.
Did I just flirt with Casey MacDonald? Yes… Casey 'MACDONALD'"Shit…"
"Shit what?" I turned to see Teegan and Sam staring at me with waiting faces. They dropped the car off the next day but I was 'sleeping.' What they didn't know, and what my family didn't know was I was in Casey's room. She slept, but kept whimpering in her sleep and woke up with tears streaming down her face.
"Oh hey guys." I laughed nervously. They were both looking at me with narrowed eyes.
"How's Casey." Sam asked
"She's okay she just got into a fight with Max she was pretty upset with the whole break up. God is she ever a drama queen."
"They broke up?" Teegan asked. Derek caught sight of Sam crossing his arms over his chest. Take it from the best friend to know when he was lying through his teeth.
"Yea it was brutal… Well off to class." I said walking off all the while feeling Sam's eyes burning holes into my back.
"Case can you grab the curtain for scene 8?"
"Sure where is it?"
"The storage closet." Casey nodded before running off to the closet. The turned the light on in the room while she stepped in, letting the doors close behind her. She searched through the boxes it should have been in.
"What the…" she muttered. They weren't there so she started to search the costume closet and shelves. She heard the door open and close and she sighed with relief.
"Sara, I'm glad you're here. I can't find the curtain. Shouldn't it bee in the stage prop box."
"I would be the wrong person to ask…" Casey gasped and turned at the voice.
"M-max." she got out. He smirked at her.
"You've been avoiding me Case."
"I-I've been sick… I-"
"Case look I'm sorry for what happened… can't we just forget it, and just keep going?"
"Keep going? Forget what happened? You RAPED ME! How can you think that I could forget what a scumbag like you did to m-" Casey was cut off abruptly when max pushed her back into the costume closet. She gasped in pain before looking up wide eyed at Max who had a livid smile across his face.
"Now, what happened between us?" he asked with a creepy casual tone while he gradually squeezed on Casey's upper arms.
"N-nothing happened."
"Good. I'll see you at lunch." Max pressed a hard kiss to Casey's mouth before reaching behind the door and tossing Casey the curtain. Casey waited until the door shut before he collapsed on her shaky legs and tried her hardest not to throw up.
Derek hurried into the cafeteria. Casey was supposed to meet him at her locker but she wasn't there.
His eyes scanned the tables until he saw something that made him fume with anger.
"Casey was sitting at a table with her body folded onto itself. Her eyes were dark and far away as Max kept his arm firmly around her shoulders. The table was chattering happily amongst themselves oblivious to the broken Casey sitting in front of them.
As soon as Derek made his way over, Casey's eyes met his in a desperate gesture. Glazing with tears she couldn't keep them away. She only ducked her hair and let the hair fall into her face.
Derek walked quickly around them so he was behind Max. Grabbing armfuls of his football jacket and hoisting him up and away from Casey.
"What the hell-" Max started but before he could get a word out Derek drew back his fist. It propelled forward with more strength than anyone should have been able to muster, and the whole cafeteria grew silent as the sickening crack of Max's nose echoed through the room.
"If I ever see you so much as looking at her, your nose won't be the only thing broken." Derek said his voice calm and monotone. Casey shuddered slightly as Derek hoisted her to her feet and pulled her out of the school with Sam and Teegan following behind.
"D what the hell was that?" Sam screamed as Derek wrapped his arm around a shaking Casey pushing her into the back seat of the car. Teegan slid in with her and immediately threw her arms around Casey.
"Shut up and get in the car Sam." Derek snarled. Sam's eyes grew wide with fear as he slipped obediently into the front seat. The tires squealed at Derek sped out of the parking lot still fuming.
"Derek slow down, your going to get us all killed." Sam said quietly. Derek didn't even register the sound as visions of Max's slow and painful death flooded his thoughts.
"Derek." A quiet voice came from behind him. Casey laid a soft hand on his shoulder. He glanced at her quickly before slowing the car and turning on his street.
Derek threw the Car in park and got out walking to Casey's door. She got out just fine but he still wrapped an arm around her and led her inside. He put her on the couch as Sam and Teegan stood still and slightly scarred by the door. Derek exhaled slowly trying to regain his composure.
"Can they know?" he asked softly. Casey didn't reply at first but she slowly nodded hiding her face.
"Know what? D what's going on." Derek held his hand out to his friends telling them to be quiet.
"Why were you with him Casey?" Casey bit her lip un sure of what to tell him.
"The truth Case. I want to know the truth." Casey knew he could probably tell that she was hiding something but she tried anyway.
"He said he wanted to talk. He apologized…" her voice was small and broken as Derek slammed his hand on the coffee table.
"Damn it Casey!" he shouted as Casey jumped. Derek froze.
"Case, did you just flinch?" Casey was shrunk back into her self adverting her eyes.
"Casey why would you flinch?I- oh God Casey..."Casey didn't say anything she just broke down into knew tears as Derek hurried to sit besides her pulling her into a hug.
"I'm sorry Case, I'm just upset. I would never ever hurt you." He whispered in her ear as she cried.
Teegan and Sam exchanged glances of awe and surprise. Derek. Derek and Casey. Derek and Casey hugging. Derek and Casey hugging because she was crying. Derek and Casey hugging because she was crying and Derek was 'doing tears'.Needless to say they were totally in shock.They waited patiently though till Casey stopped crying. Derek finally noticed their presence and smiled sadly at them before talking to Casey.
"Do you want me to tell them or do you?"
"I'm going to kill him." Sam whispered disbelievingly. Derek laughed with no humour but lots of anger and malice.
"No way. I got dibs." Derek growled as he kept replaying what Casey told him happen today over and over. He was still on the couch leaning against the armrest with Casey laying on him. His shirt was soaked with tears and makeup but he could care less.
"I can't believe it… that… that fucking prick!" Teegan screamed her face was growing red and flames were in her eyes.
Casey's eye's shifted to the clock by the TV before she went to push off Derek. His hands tightened around her as he looked down at her with concern.
"Where are you going?"
"Mom and Gorge will be home soon for one thing… we also have work." Derek shook his head.
"Forget it were skipping." Casey gave him a look but Derek gave her a look back that said he clearly wasn't changing his mind.
"Fine, but Gorge and mom will still be home soon." Derek reluctantly let Casey get up and watched her as she headed upstairs. Teegan got up announcing she was going to keep Casey company.
"I can't believe this…" Sam sighed taking hi toque off and running a hand through his hair. "What are we going to do?" Derek laughed darkly.
"We are doing nothing, I on the other hand, I'm perfecting a plan that would give ultimate satisfaction andI'm willing to trade for life in prison." Sam glared at Derek.
"Be serious."
"Oh I have never been more serious Sammy boy." Sam sighed.
"How long Derek?" he asked. Derek looked at his friend with furrowed eyebrows.
"I told you; it happened prom night." Sam shook his head.
"No. How long have you liked her?" Derek's eyes widened to the size of saucers and Sam left.
"Okay I take that as 'a while but I never pieced it together.' God Derek you are oblivious. It's obvious that you like her." Derek laughed nervously and his palms grew sweaty.
"Dude she's my step sister."
"STEP sister. Not related." Derek really wanted to fight back, tell Sam that he was being retarded, but Derek couldn't, Sam made sense and for some reason, the lord of the lies didn't find it in him to lie about this.
"I'm not saying I do, but even if there was the slightest possibility that I did like her, she's hurting Sam. Max fucked her up. She only thinks of me as her older brother who's protecting her from that scum bag."
"Or she could think of you as a guy who cares about her so much he was willing to risk his rep by decking the quarterback. Dude after today she probably sees you as her prince charming that rescued her from the evil dragon thingy." Derek rolled his eyes trying desperately to ignore the thoughts that were bouncing through his head now.
"Whatever. I'm going to get Teegan. You guys can go. Dad and Nora will be pissed once the school calls to say we missed the afternoon. I'd prefer you weren't here." Sam wanted to protest but he didn't.
"Case?" Derek whispered opening Casey's door. He could see her shadow lying on her bed.
"Yea?" her voice squeaked. Derek sighed knowing she was crying. He closed the door and walked over to her bed kneeling down beside it. Casey sniffed.
"You must think I'm so stupid huh?" Derek chuckled reaching out into the darkness. His hand wrapped around Casey's stroking gently with his thumb.
"No, Case. You're not stupid. I should have been there." Casey rolled her eyes shifting over so she was propped up on her elbows.
"Why? So you could have punched him sooner?" Derek sighed while he pushed her over so he could sit more comfortably.
"Derek I was so scared… I was scared of being trapped again… terrified that he was going to get me again Derek… I hate this, the pain the fear. He wont let me go I need him to, but he wont let me. I cant break up with him, I cant avoid him, I just don't know was to do." Her voice was high with tears again as Derek reached to pull Casey to him. Just before he touched her he froze, drawing his hand back slowly he spoke.
"You will Case, I'll help you." Casey sat up shaking her head frantically from side to side.
"He wont let me go that easily Derek. He can hurt you!" her voice wavered at the last word. The thought of Derek and Max in an actual fight sent shudders through her body.
"Like he did at lunch Casey? I don't think so…" Derek laughed but Casey leaned towards Derek one hand on his while it lay on his knee, and the other hand on the base of his neck.
"He wasn't expecting it! When he is I don't want you to get hurt!"
"I wont!"
"you don't know that! Stop playing the role of concerned older brother Derek! It's not you!" before Derek could think, his brain blurted out words he hadn't meant to say.
"Then what role should I play Casey? There's only two I know how to play, and if you don't like the concerned older brother I highly doubt you would enjoy the other role that's dying to be used!" his voice was harsh but his heart was fluttering. It was true. He didn't want to be the concerned older brother, he wanted to be something else to her, just as equally concerned, but he couldn't even face it himself. Not yet, not now. Not over this.
"What are you talking about?" Casey stuttered, her voice showing hints of nervousness. "W-what other role is there?" Derek sighed before pushing Casey to lie back to bed.
"I don't know Casey. All I do know is I want and will protect you. Now go to sleep kay?"
"Derek wait!" Casey shouted as Derek got up.
"What?"
"I'm scared." She whispered not sure if she wanted Derek to hear or not. Derek smiled in the dark as he turned back to Casey and lay down beside her.
"Fall asleep quick okay?" Derek mumbled trying not to sound over excited about laying here next to Casey. She nodded vigorously. Before relaxing and falling into a slumber, she felt a warm hand smooth hair way from her face and a thumb run down her cheek to trace her jaw. Casey ended up falling asleep with butterflies creating tornadoes in her stomach.