Author's Note: Sorry! This took longer than expected! Thank you all so much for your support and reviews! I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's a bit of a filler, but... it's still informative. LOL

Also, yes.. this is a lot shorter, but I have more written, it just made sense to cut it off here.

Who Knew

Chapter Two

That uh... that rhymes. :P

"I'm telling you dad, it wasn't a dream!"

"Derek, do you know how ridiculous you sound?" George scoffed, "You miss a call from…"

"Casey, Dad. You know, your step-daughter?"

George ignored his son, "…and there's a voicemail where all you here is grunting, clinking, and someone saying what you think is 'goodnight'?" His skepticism was palpable.

"Yes! That is exactly happened! I have the voicemail to prove it!" George sighed, "Look, I know it sounds crazy, but what if something… what if she's hurt?"

"Derek, I'm sure she is fine. What she does now is none of our business." George waved a dismissive hand at his son.

Derek gave him a once over, shaking his head as he went in search for Nora. The conversation with her was just as unsuccessful. Shocked at his family's insensitivity and blatant disregard for the hard evidence he had, Derek was about to leave his old house to return to his apartment when he was stopped by a voice from behind him.

"Derek?"

"Lizzie?" He turned around to look at his younger step-sister.

"I heard you talking to mom…" She stepped closer. Derek sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I'm worried." She continued; he could see the mist forming in her eyes.

"Me too, Liz." He paused, "I don't know what to do. I'm scared out of my mind that something happened to her but no one believes me or even cares. I mean I know they're still… bitter, but really? I can't believe they're being this cold when she could possibly be in trouble." He ranted.

Lizzie's eyes were puffy and she wiped at them silently, "Casey will always be my sister and I will always love her; I don't know how the rest of them could just ostracize her like they did. It's as if she never meant anything to them."

There was a silence between them as Derek remembered that Lizzie wasn't aware of the one thing that had set the 'rents off. The only ones who knew were Derek, George, and Nora. The rest of the family was told that Casey was no longer allowed in their house or their lives, period.

Obviously there wasn't much holding Lizzie, Edwin or even Marti from talking to Casey via email or any sort of social networking websites, but the 'rents had made it clear that any contact with her would result in major consequences.

Derek knew that they had gone overboard; the kids were confused, and afraid. Never had their parents scared them the way they had the night before. He was the only one left that, knowing what he knew, still cared about Casey. What a turn of events, eh?

"I'm gonna get to the bottom of this, Liz; don't worry. I just hope I'm not too late."

"Any I.D. on our Jane Doe?"

"Her injuries are too severe on her face to make any kind of identity claims. She also didn't have any possessions when she was found. We got a DNA sample but we haven't found any matches. Sorry Bruno, we're doing our best."

Bruno nodded, "Just keep checking the missing persons reports, something will come up."

"Yes, sir."

A third voice joined in, "Wait! Boss! Check this out." A younger gentleman handed his boss what looked to be a tabloid magazine.

"'Author Casey McDonald: Missing?' What is this?"

"Well if you read the article, an inside source says that they got a call from Casey two nights ago and that the only thing they head was screaming, clinking like that of some sort of chain, and what sounded like Casey screaming the source's name. Oh! At the end, they also heard a man's voice saying 'goodnight'. Then the next day they went to her apartment and she was nowhere to be found. The wounds on her ankles and wrists do show evidence that she had been chained." The young man explained nervously.

"You think this could be her?" Bruno asked.

"Same height, same weight, hair color, eye color. Plus this guy got a call from her the night before our guys found her… I think it's highly likely."

"Good thinking, Aaron. Was there a name to this 'inside source'. I have a feeling we're going to need him."

"Yes, um…" Aaron leafed through the pages to find it, "Derek Venturi." He answered proudly.

"Find his address for me, and do a background check. I'm going back to the hospital to check some things. Then I'll pay this Venturi guy a visit."

"How's she doing?"

"Better. She hasn't woken up yet, but her brain activity is escalating. Any leads on her identity?" The female physician asked, looking hopeful.

"Yes, actually. We think she may be a Young Adult Fiction author by the name Casey McDonald. We just received word that Casey has been missing for about two days now, and she has the same build, hair and eye color. We've also got the name of someone who was the last person in contact with her."

"Oh!" The doctors eyes lit up and she smiled, "Well then there is hope!" She winked at him.

Bruno laughed, "Yes, Allison… there is."

AN: Like I said, I know it's short but... gettt readddyy for some daseeyyy! haha