Mm, I have a turkey sandwich. I've been utterly infatuated with turkey lately, for some reason. Eating it, naming stuffed squirrels from the Grand Canyon after it, even putting where I live on Myspace as "Dude, I want some, Turkey." Seriously. Even though I don't, of course, live in Turkey. Or In, Dude, I want some. So yeah, haha. I'm so very weird. I also keep listening to Taylor Swift. And I usually detest country music. But I keep repeating, Tim McGraw, Picture To Burn, Teardrops on my Guitar, Should've Said No, Mary's Song, Our Song, and I'd Lie over and over on my iTunes. Even now. I'm listening to Should've Said No. Wait, the song just ended, so now it's Mary's Song. I know that none of this was anything you needed to know, but I had nothing else to say. (:

Enjoy!

x—x

Eventually, Derek left Casey's hospital room and returned to his own so that they could both get some rest.

Casey tossed around in her hospital bed, completely uncomfortable, and unable to fall asleep.

There were way too many things running through her head for her to sleep, like the guy that could come after her and her family. She disliked being forced to stay over at the hospital. At least she knew Derek was safe. He was right down the hall. But what about everyone else? Would they be okay? Did they even know that they weren't completely safe?

And another thing was the visions. How could she go to sleep, when she had no idea what kind of horrible thing she might witness when she drifted off? She didn't want to see anything. It made it almost impossible to shut her eyes.

Casey lied in in the uncomfortable hospital bed and looked at the ceiling, thinking about how many people in the world wished that they could see things like that.

So many people. So many would love to see the tiniest bit of anything. Why me? I never wanted to. I don't want this. I want to be normal. I don't want any of this.

Casey brought her hands to her face, although she found herself unable to cry. Running her hands through her hair, she sighed.

Please don't see anything. Please don't see anything. Please don't see anything.

Casey pleaded her mind as she slowly let her eyes drift closed.

x—x

The next day Casey and Derek were both released from the hospital.

As soon as Casey woke up, George and Nora were in her room, as well as Derek, who was all set to go. Casey was able to get up and dressed, avoiding her mom's fussing over her. If she let her mom fuss, she'd never get out of there, and home. But she was glad that her mom and George were okay, so which meant everyone else was, too.

On the car ride home, Casey felt slightly comforted by having Derek seated next to her, since she was being slightly paranoid; looking at everyone on the street to see if it was the attacker.

Derek could tell what was on her mind, so he nudged her shoulder.

"It's okay." he whispered.

Casey nodded, but still worried. Which Derek could also see.

Casey felt her heart speed up when she felt Derek grab her hand and slip his fingers with her own. She looked at him, but he was staring ahead, looking fine, as if grabbing Casey's hand was a normal occurrence.

Well, if he was trying to distract her, it was definitely working.

He's just trying to be comforting. She thought. Of course. He's just being nice.

Casey didn't like the reaction Derek got out of her by simply trying to be nice.

Derek kept a firm hold on Casey's hand the whole way home, and she definitely didn't think about any murderous stalker that might come after her and her family for revenge. All she could think about was her hand. In his. Which he had put there. And that's the only thing she could think of.

When the car pulled into the driveway, Derek let go of her hand and opened the door so that he could get out. Casey followed. Once they hit the front steps they were crashed into by hugs from Lizzie, Edwin and Marti.

"Smerek!" Marti yelled out joyously.

"Smarti!" Derek grabbed the young girl and picked her up.

"I'm so glad you're alright." Marti said in her small voice, wrapping her little arms around Derek's neck.

Casey couldn't help but smile. Derek and Marti had the cutest relationship. It practically made her melt. Derek glanced at her, and it made her think of how her hand had felt in his. Also like she was going to melt.

Casey looked away from Derek and followed Lizzie and Edwin into the house.

"You and Derek have gotten so many messages!" Lizzie gushed as they got into the house. "Probably a hundred, at least!"

"Bro, so many chicks have been calling for you! They all sound hot." Edwin waggled his eyebrows at Derek.

Casey glanced at Derek, but he, still holding Marti, didn't seem to be paying attention to his brother.

"Not only girls!" Lizzie said, "You wouldn't imagine how many guys have called for Casey! Most of them asking for dates and mentioning Saturday night plans!" Lizzie shrieked.

Casey couldn't help but notice that Derek looked up at this. She looked away once again so he would not see her blush.

"What guys?" Derek asked casually.

"A lot of guys," Edwin said, "Maybe more than girls for you."

"Yeah, Casey saved all of you guys. You only got stabbed." Lizzie giggled lightly.

Casey smiled and Derek rolled his eyes humorously.

"We're going to go pick up some dinner." George said from behind them, Nora standing next to him.

"Oh, I want to go! I want to go!" Marti shrieked from Derek's arms.

"Okay, Marti, come on." Nora said.

Derek placed Marti down and she bolted to grab her coat.

"Be good." George said as they walked out the door.

After a moment of more babbling from Lizzie and Edwin, the two sat down on the couch and brought up the game menu screen on the television and began to play a game.

"I'm going to go lay down." Casey said. Everyone nodded at her.

Quietly she headed up the stairs. Once in her room with the door closed, she shed her clothes that had been clinging to her uncomfortably, in favor of donning a simple tank top and shorts. For once in nearly forty-eight hours, Casey felt herself begin to relax. She looked at her bed;it seemed to be calling to her.

She stood over it and let herself fall comfortably into the pillows and comforter. She sunk in and rested her cheek against the cool sheet, and sighed. She could have almost felt safe if there wasn't a psychopath on the loose that may or may not have her name as number one on his revenge list.

She closed her eyes, trying to push the thought out of her mind, when she her a soft knock on her bedroom door. Her eyes blinked open and looked at the door.

"Come in." She said quietly. She didn't want to get up, and there was no need to be loud. The house was in a quasi-peaceful state. Why disturb it?

She watched the doorknob turn until the door opened and Derek peeked in.

Casey sat up straight and looked at him, look at her.

"Come in." She said again.

Derek stepped into the room and gently closed the door behind him. Casey scooted over, and Derek sat down beside her. Seconds later, her leaned back, letting himself lay down. Hesitantly, Casey did the same.

As they both stared up at the ceiling, Casey though how odd it was that they were laying side by side in her bed. Odd, more-so, that she was completely comfortable.

Minutes of silence went by, and Casey comfortably traced shapes out from the ceiling, until Derek spoke.

"Did you dream?" He asked softly.

Casey turned her head to the side to look at Derek, only to him do the same seconds later. They looked at each other, their faces close. Casey could have counted Derek's eyelashes, and he could have done the same.

Casey sighed and licked her lips, "No."

"Oh." He said, nodding lightly.

"Nothing clear." Casey pressed her lips together and shrugged them to the side.

"Oh." He said again, "Then what did you see?"

Casey sighed and tilted her head back to the ceiling.

"Shadows."

Casey glanced back at Derek, before both their gazes traveled back to the ceiling.

They laid together, silently side by side, until George, Nora, and Marti returned, a half hour later.

x—x

This was mostly a filler chapter. But I did some hardcore planning with this story. So if you want drama and action, this is definitely the story for you, because I've got a lot of it planned! I hope you liked it, and I would love to hear what you thought!

Review, loves.

-Tarryn