Truth.

"Casey! Are you alright?" asked a concerned Nora when she saw her daughter come into the kitchen. Her hair was disheveled and her eyes looked puffy.

She stifled a yawn "Yeah mom, I'm fine, didn't get much sleep last night." She was too scared to go to sleep last night after her nightmare.

"I thought you were sleeping when I came in last night?" said a confused Derek as he poured the last bit of milk onto his cereal.

"What do you mean came in last night? Casey said you were already in when I spoke to her." Said Nora as Lizzy came in.

"Oh yeah! Casey, I wanted to ask you. What was that dream you had that shook you up so bad?" said lizzy curiously.

Nora's head snapped up and looked at Casey. "Nightmare?"

Derek looked at Nora confused. Why was she so interested? Not that he was complaining. It took the heat off of him and hopefully she would be so concerned about Casey she'd forget.

When Casey didn't say anything Nora told her to go take a shower and meet her in Casey's room when she was done.

Derek quickly slipped upstairs to his room before Nora took notice of him.

…………………………………

When Casey was done, she told Derek he could have the shower and went to her room.

Once she had gotten dressed she heard a knock on the door.

"Casey?" called Nora.

Once Casey had opened the door, Nora sat on her bed and pulled Casey into her arms.

"Its happening again isn't it?" Derek heard her say to Casey, as he was about to walk to the bathroom. He paused at her door, which was slightly ajar, confused. What was happening again?

"Oh god mom. It was terrible. I don't understand why its happening again."

Derek raised his eyebrows.

"I thought they were gone Case? What could have happened to trigger it off?" Said Nora in a hoarse voice.

"I stopped taking the pills when we moved here. I didn't need them anymore." Said Casey avoiding the second question.

'Pills? What pills? Casey was on pills?' thought Derek. She sounded strange. Almost like she did in the car. But it was different this time. There was a hollow sound in her voice.

What the hell is going on with you Case?

So whatever it was that Casey was going through, Nora obviously knew about it.

He saw Casey look up at the door so he quickly made his way to the bathroom before she could come out.

"Its okay mom. Maybe I just need to go back on the pills." Said Casey. She could've sworn she saw something move at the door.

"Casey. I love you, more than anything in this world. You and Lizzy are the most important people in my life. You know that right?" said Nora as her eyes filled with tears.

"I know mom. I know. I think, that its time to go back to Dr. Ross."

Nora nodded. "Anything you want. If you think it will help you, then I'll set up an appointment."

"Thanks mom." Nora looked at her daughter sadly. She was so strong. How she was able to go through that and still put up a fight was a wonder. But then, how a man could do something so vile was a wonder in itself. A fucked up sick wonder.

"Mom, I love you too." Said Casey softly as she reached up and caressed her moms face.

"I know baby. I know." Said Nora gently.

………………………………………………………………

"I asked for an angel of mercy

To come down and save me

To take me away

From my personal hell- argh no! Why cant I get this right?" said a frustrated Casey. She looked at her guitar in contempt thinking of the many ways she could destroy it.

She had been trying to find the right chords that would match the song she wrote but it just didn't seem to be happening for her.

She looked up as she saw Edwin come tumbling down the stairs.

"Whoa Ed, relax. You're going to break your neck going so fast." She said, her motherly instinct coming into play.

Edwin rolled his eyes and started to walk away when he saw her guitar.

"You play guitar?" he looked shocked.

"A bit. I haven't taken it out in a while though."

"How come?" he asked as Derek came through the door.

"I never really had time. I was either fighting with Derek, out with Emily or at school."

"So what's different now?" he asked curiously. Maybe she would teach him. When he asked Derek to teach him, he always said that he was busy. Which was usually true. He either had a date, was with Sam or had band practice. When he wasn't busy, then he was making fun of Casey.

"I decided that I really didn't need to be on the dance committee. Kendra is way too happy all the time." Said a disgusted Casey.

"And here I thought you simply adored her." Mocked Derek, in a high-pitched voice.

" Sorry Dare-Bear, just because she's your girlfriend doesn't mean I need to see her 24/7." Replied Casey.

"Um hello? I don't do girlfriends?" he scoffed.

"Coulda fooled me." Said Casey before acting out Kendra. "Oh Derek! That's the spot. Oh right there" she moaned.

Edwin snickered and Derek looked shocked.

"I didn't mean it that way! I meant relationships!" Casey burst into laughter at his appalled face.

"ANYWAY! Casey, do you think you could teach me?" interrupted Edwin before a full-fledged fight broke out.

"Teach you what?" said Derek.

"Guitar. Sure ed, but you have to be willing to learn. And you have to practice it." Said Casey seriously.

Edwin nodded vigorously.

Derek snorted. " and you know how to play?"

"Obviously." She said pointing to the guitar beside her.

Ding-dong

Edwin opened the door to a man he had never seen before.

"Hey kid is Casey Macdonald here?" Edwin glared. He wasn't a kid!

"Yeah. She's in the living room." He said as he stepped aside to let the man come in.

why was he here to see Casey anyway? He looked to old to go to her school.

"Just because I show off about it, doesn't mean I don't know how!" yelled Casey. Derek rolled his eyes and was about to retort when he heard chuckling.

"Well well, looks like you're just as loud as ever."

Derek watched the Casey whip around.

"What the hell are you doing here?" yelled Casey. Derek winced. Damn she was loud.

"Is that anyway to greet your boyfriend?" said the man. Derek raised his eyebrow and felt his stomach tighten. Boyfriend?!

Edwin looked confused, the same thought running through his head. He's too old to be her boyfriend!

"Ex-boyfriend." Corrected Casey as Derek sighed in relief. Why he was relieved, he didn't know. But he would worry about it later.

"Aren't you going to introduce me?"

"Because you deserve to be introduced?" retorted Casey folding her arms across her chest.

"Can we help you….?" said Derek finally cutting in. he sent a confused glance at Casey.

"Chase. My names chase. And no not really. Just wanted to see Cassidy, its been a while."

Derek saw Casey stiffen at the name. The same way she did with that Merlin chick.

"Wait what? Casey's name is Cassandra, not Cassidy." Said a confused Edwin.

"Exactly, so please refrain from calling me that." Said Casey stiffly.

Derek looked between Chase and Casey. They seemed to be having a silent war between them. Derek took this time to look chase up and down. He was tall, with broad shoulders. He had spiky black hair with deep blue eyes.

"You got it Cassandra." Said Chase emphasizing on Cassandra.

"So babe, how you been?" he asked as he lazily sat down on the couch.

"Why are you here?" said Casey ignoring his question.

"As I told Derek here, I hadn't seen you in a while. Thought I'd say hi."

"And you said it, now leave." Said Casey coldly. Derek looked at Edwin. Edwin looked as confused as he was.

"Look Cas, I know I did some pretty shitty things, but cant we get past it? For gods sakes, you were my best friend before we were involved. If you wont let me love you again, then why cant you just let me be your friend?" He sounded so pleading that even Derek started to feel sorry for him.

"If you don't get out of my house, so help me god, I'll make sure your in pain in every time you go to the bathroom" Casey threatened.

"Casey! Relax! Cut the guy some slack." Said Edwin. Casey was being way to hard on him. Whatever he did, it couldn't be that bad could it?

"Cut him some slack? CUT HIM SOME SLACK?!" Derek took Casey by the shoulders and turned her so she was standing in front of him. "Breathe Case just breathe."

She jerked away from Derek so quickly that even Edwin was stunned.

Riiiiing. Edwin left the room to go answer the phone.

She turned towards Chase. "Do you know how much I needed you?" She screamed, her voice breaking.

"While I was being beaten, you were out fucking the bastards girlfriend! And you want me to cut you some fucking slack?"

Derek felt a pain go through him. Beaten?

Chase looked shocked. "What do you mean Beaten? What the fuck did Ace do?"

'Isn't that, that Merlin chicks boyfriend? Ace?' Derek's head was reeling. He couldn't imagine Casey being hurt. He didn't want to imagine Casey being hurt.

Casey slid onto the floors, holding her knees to her chest.

"I hate you. I hate you for making me relive this." She rocked back and forth.

Chase started to go to Casey but Derek beat him to it. He sat behind her and pulled her into his arms so that he rocked back and forth with her.

"Casey? What did Ace do?" Chase demanded again but more gently this time.

"Not now Chase. Please. Just not now." Whispered Casey.

The same words she said to me in the car. After we saw Ace.

Chase was quiet.

"I'm sorry for what I did with Merlin. I had too much to drink after we had that fight. And when you didn't show up that night I figured it was over. I was hurt and she was right there. I'm so sorry." Said Chase as he held his head in his hands.

"I don't need your excuses. I don't need you." Casey said, getting louder with each word she said.

Chase winced. "I know you don't. But I need you. Let me help you." He begged.

"I came to you. I wanted you to help me. Make me forget. But you didn't care. You had Merlin so why would you care right?" Derek tightened his grip on Casey.

"I cared. But I thought you didn't want me. My ego couldn't take it." Said chase.

"Screw your ego. I was raped you asshole, and all you could see was yourself."

Derek's face turned white. Oh god. He shut his eyes tightly and started to rock back and forth with Casey harder. He never thought anything could cause him the pain he was going through now. Sure he and Casey fought a lot, but he needed her. She could make him smile when no one else could.

Chase bent down in front of Casey and took her face in his hands.

"I was a bastard. Nothing I say can change that. I loved you then and I love you now. And I promise you, Ace will regret the day he saw your face."

With that said, he turned around, quickly left his number on top of the coffee stand and walked out the door.

Casey let out a sob and leaned back into Derek.

Derek moved her around so that her head was on his chest.

Casey moved to rush off but Derek tightened his arms around her.

"Its okey Case. I'm here now. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry."

She had tears streaming down her face, and Derek didn't think that she could look anymore broken. She was sobbing full out by the time Derek picked her up and started to take her up the stairs to her room. She started to struggle and hit his chest but Derek just held on tighter. "Let me go! Let me go!" She screamed.

Derek stopped. She thought he was going to do the same thing Ace had.

"Its okay Case. It's just me. I'm just going to take you upstairs." He said soothingly.

She seemed to calm down as he walked slowly up the stairs. Once he got to her room, he laid her down on the bed. He sat on the bed beside her and told himself he was only going to stay until she calmed down. He moved a piece of hair that was sticking to her face because of the tears and moved it behind her ear,

"Derek? Will you lie with me?" whispered Casey so softly that Derek wasn't sure if he heard her correctly. When he saw her looking at him expectantly so he laid beside her and put an arm over her. 'I'm only going to lie here until she falls asleep.' He thought as he yawned.