Nora:

Every morning started in much the same way. Lizzie and Edwin would wake far too early to get to the shower before all the hot water was gone and they got caught up in the fight between Derek and Casey. Then they'd both go back to bed to get another hour or so of sleep before waking to get ready. Casey would wake up early, confident that Derek, who could not be woken up for anything, would still be in bed asleep and she would get thirty minutes to an hour to herself in the morning. Derek, who used to sleep until the very last possible second started waking up early the second day of school just to beat Casey to bathroom. The two would struggle until someone would get the upperhand and the bathroom door would slam in the other's face.

The slamming door and the minute of yelling that usually followed was the wake-up call for the rest of the house. Nora would get ready for the day and start breakfast. George would scramble between getting himself ready for work and Marti (who was bathed in the evenings to avoid the morning chaos) ready for school. Whoever lost the bathroom battle would return to their room and about ten minutes later yell that whomever was currently in the shower was being a bathroom hog. The victor would emerge from a nice warm shower, leaving nothing but cold water for whoever followed. When that person finished their shower there would be another argument or another scuffle over something, because their day couldn't start without two morning fights.

By the time Nora was finished making breakfast, the fighting upstairs had ceased and the teens would be separated only for Casey to yell, loudly, "Der-ek!" For something he had done.

Nora didn't even flinch at the sound anymore as it was now a staple of their household, from the first day they'd moved in. It was as normal to her routine as brushing her teeth. After the first month, she'd stopped trying to interfere. Derek had a way of riling up Casey that no one else did, but Casey dished it out just as often and neither ever noticed when someone was trying to intervene. She'd discussed it with George and they decided to try staying out of it.

She heard Casey yell and sighed, giving it another minute-putting Marti's plate on the table-before yelling, "Breakfast!" and moving out of the way. There was a sudden flurry of feet as Marti, Edwin, Lizzie, and Derek all stampeded down the stairs to grab a plate of food and take a seat at the table. Casey followed behind and made her plate with less noise than the rest.

Edwin and Derek started shoveling food in their mouths before their butts had even made it into their chairs. Casey rolled her eyes when she caught sight of them and Nora couldn't help but agree with her eldest daughter's assessment. George appeared a moment later and kissed his wife on the cheek. "Can't stay for breakfast," he apologized. Nora handed him a piece of toast and returned his affections. "Thanks." He stuck the bread in his mouth and glanced around, "Have you seen my keys?"

"In your hand, dear," Nora murmured and George took off for work. She turned from her husband in time to see Derek and Casey throwing eye daggers at one another. Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. She never understood the animosity between the two; it seemed that from the second they met there had been a look of disgust on both their faces before either had seen a word. She contemplated the eldest two of the Venturi and McDonald children but no answers came to light and it was time to take Lizzie and Edwin to the bus and Marti to school. She ushered all of them out the door, leaving the dishes for later, and hurried to the car. Derek and Casey bickered as they walked to their own bus stop and Nora blew them a kiss as she drove by and… was that Derek's shirt that Casey was wearing?

Emily:

Emily was waiting for Casey at their shared locker when the latter appeared, already fuming… and wearing Derek's shirt? "Must be a new record," she mumbled, more to herself and then she sighed, "What did he do now?" She was torn between being and good friend and hearing about all of the DerekandCasey (one word thrown together, just like that) drama and being tired of hearing about all of Casey's problems dealing with the boy-next-door.

And wearing Derek's shirt? What was up with that?

"What didn't Derek do?" Casey snapped at their locker. She was angrily grabbing books and stuffing them, violently, into her backpack. Emily waited for Casey to continue, holding her own books in her arms (how else could someone offer to carry them for her, if they weren't readily available?), to vent the whole story in unnecessary detail. Nothing came. The brunette just glowered into the depths of the locker. Laughter came from the other end of the hall-laughter Emily had spent years memorizing-and the anger slipped away for just a moment showing someone vulnerable and in a great amount of pain. She realized that the anger had been a mask and Casey wasn't mad. It was the first time since meeting her that Emily hadn't immediately known what Casey was feeling.

She watched as her best friend's eyes followed the laughter and blue orbs locked onto Derek. They filled with tears and she stared, unblinking, probably willing them to go away. "Casey…" Emily started, in surprise, her tone more caring than a minute ago. She wasn't sure what was going on, but Casey had been living with the Venturi's for a few months now. She was more than used to Derek's pranks and snide comments and Emily was pretty sure that Case actually enjoyed the weird power struggle the two had. She had watched Casey's eyes water for dramatic flair, out of irritation and frustration, but Emily had never seen her legitimate cry completely honest, genuine, undramatic tears. Something Derek did was hurting her.

"I've got to go," Casey let out, her voice sounding strangled. She took off in what Emily assumed was the counselor's office. She'd never been herself, but having seen Casey head that way so frequently she felt confident in her guess.

"Derek Venturi," Emily growled. She waited for Derek to turn away from the current girl he was chatting up (ignoring the dull ache in her heart, because she'd grown accustomed to this pain. Okay, she had). He turned quickly, probably expecting Casey as she was the one who usually stormed over yelling his name. The smirk he usually reserved for irritating Casey was in place as he turned, then the surprise registered and the more commonly used smirk was in place. How did Casey get her own smirk? She was a little hurt when Derek seemed surprised to see Emily standing there-had he not recognized her voice after years of living next door? She tried to chalk it up to the fact that he was surprised that she was yelling at him and not that he had turned, expecting someone else.

"Emily," he had turned on the charm and she couldn't help but smile back. "Fancy meeting you here," He was just so… Derek. Then she caught him looking past her, figuring he was looking for Casey. She shook her head, to center herself. The smirk faltered as he saw the angry features rearrange onto her face.

"What did you do?" She demanded and watched as his face changed to confused (number three on Emily's Favorite Derek Expressions).

"What?"

"To Casey!" Understanding dawned on him and the teen snickered. Emily whacked him on the upper arm-partly because it was a chance to touch him, but mostly because he shouldn't be laughing while Casey was legitimately crying (and probably in Paul's office… poor Paul).

"What the hell, Emily." She hadn't hurt him, he was just confused again.

"Your sister," he flinched and she ignored it, "is crying and you're over here laughing." She aimed to him again and she saw him flinch. That made her feel good. "So, I repeat: What did you do?" And just because, she did hit him again.

"Nothing!" She looked at him disbelieving. "Nothing that was a big deal, anyway. Bethany… Celeste, yeah Celeste came over last night and Casey made some comment. Celeste got huffy so I made some comment about Casey's patheticness and she ran upstairs." He shrugged, but for Emily who has studied this boy for years, she was fairly certain he saw guilt in his eyes. "Then I hid all of her clothes this morning while she was in the shower. Nothing that was a big deal." She was kind of on Derek's side with this, but then she remembered what Casey's face looked like and she shook her head. It had to have been what he said, then.

"Explains why she was wearing your clothes." She muttered.

"She was wearing my clothes?"

Emily, too trying to figure it out, ignored the look on his face (maybe she didn't want to see it, okay). "It has to be something else then," she mused and she glanced up at Derek who was looking even more guilty.

"I'm going… to find her, I'll let you know." He said, suddenly, and he was off further confirming her suspicions that there was definitely more to the story.

Paul:

Paul had been working with Casey on nearly a daily basis since her start at JS Thompson High. She had a standing weekly appointment but that didn't stop her from bursting into his office the other days of the week, without knocking, throwing the door open and already in the middle of the rant. Thankfully, she'd yet to do it while he was meeting with another student but he had a feeling that the day would be coming.

Naturally, when Casey burst into his office and he was completely prepared for her storming through the door, shutting it behind her, and dropping herself into the chair across from his. Naturally… except for the fact that he was always surprised when Casey came into his office. He was always in the middle of something; drinking coffee, reading the news, etc. This day was no exception and he choked on his coffee when the door flew open. Paul eyed her carefully; there were tears (not uncommon), and she was sitting (slightly less common), but she wasn't saying anything (highly uncommon). Casey McDonald was sitting in his office and hadn't uttered a word; she just sat there crying, near sobbing.

He tried waiting it out; it was an old and easy trick, the silence would usually start to weigh on the room until the student began to speak in order to fill it with something, and then things would come out. Casey, he knew, was the type to fall for something like this but he waited, and still she said nothing. Five minutes went by until he felt he had to try a different tactic. He opened his mouth to speak, but Casey interrupted instead, "Thanks, Paul."

She started to get up and he was confused. Normally he could figure out what was bothering her (Derek) and could help her (sometimes after a few meetings) come to a rational solution. This time, though, he hadn't done anything. Casey headed for the door and he furrowed his brow further, "Casey, is there something you want to talk about?"

The brunette hesitated at the door, turning to look at the counselor. "Just… I'm tired… it's been a long day." She started out the door, beginning to close it behind her.

"Classes have barely started," he tried, gentle. The door opened some and Casey came in halfway. Paul was reminded of their first meeting where had to coax her to come in and speak with him.

Casey considered him, for a moment, and shrugged one shoulder. "It has been a long few months," She tried.

She was going to go again, but Paul was worried and he rose from his chair. "Casey, maybe you can come sit for a while… let the tears stop?" She considered him again, and the chair, and with a heavy sigh, nodded. Closing the door behind her, Casey took a seat, looking defeated. "Are you sure there's nothing you want to talk about?" He could see it in her. The bubbly, daring, bright Casey seemed deflated, like she had nothing left to offer. It was the beginning signs of depression that he recognized and he didn't want to see her go down that path.

He didn't think she was going to answer him when she sat up, a sudden burst of energy, eyes wide, "That's just the problem, Paul. I talk about everything-and I mean everything, but I can't talk about this. I can't talk about it; I can't tell you, or my mom, I can't call my dad and tell him." For some reason that idea amused her and she let out a dark chuckle. "I can't tell Lizzie. I can't tell Emily or my best friend from back home-whom I've pretty much had to stop talking to because I can't tell her anything about what's going on." Instead of being cathartic, the talking seemed to be making the problem worse as Casey was crying harder and she looked like she was going to hyperventilate.

"Breathe," he reminded.

"I'm just so, so, tired." Her body slumped in the chair. "I'm tired of it all and there's no one I can confide in."

"Casey, anything you say will remain here with me, as long as you aren't going to hurt yourself or others."

"It doesn't matter," and she suddenly looked a little wild, "Because if I tell you, you'll have me committed or… something and no one, no one can ever know. Every." She sobbed and Paul could tell this wasn't something that Casey was overdramatizing-because she'd eventually spill if it was. This was bigger and she looked like she was in physical pain as her arms wrapped around her stomach. Paul offered her the tissue box and she grabbed one out, her hand limp like that little speech had expended all of her energy. "Thanks."

"Maybe you can tell me parts?" He offered, trying to give her an out. "Talk around the subject, give me the bare details. It isn't healthy to bottle things and this is obviously weighing heavily on you." Maybe she wanted to come out or worse, she was being harmed in someway.

Casey shook her head vigorously, "I c-c-can't." At least her tears had stopped.

"Casey, if someone is… touching you, or hurting you in some-"

Thankfully she didn't let him finish, "God, no, Paul." She looked horrified. "If that were it… no… it's nothing like that." She gave him a watery smile. "I have to go to class, now." She said after a beat, looking at him expectantly.

"Of course," he said feeling relieved, but still worried." She waited as he grabbed his pad for excuses. "You know I'm here if you need anything?" She nodded. Still, he hesitated before handing over the pass.

Casey:

She did feel a little better, but it wasn't much. The teen felt empty, drained. Normally she thrived on whatever game her and Derek were playing; a sibling rivalry, if that's what her parents wanted to believe, a power struggle, if that's what Emily wanted to believe. Every time she saw Derek with some girl, it killed her a little. She wondered if he'd been like this when she thought they were in love and had not come to a conclusion. It seemed like, according to all accounts, he had but if that were true, what had been the point if he was just going to pretend, no say, that she had been nothing.

He'd been in the living room with another girl and Casey had made a snarky comment, because it felt like a stabbing every time he held someone else close. "Don't be ugly just because no one could love you," he'd sniped back and turned his attention away from her. It had taken her a second to remember to go up the stairs. She didn't even feel anything about giving Derek the last word, because this time he had really hurt her. Then the next morning he hid all of her clothes; it was another silly prank, like everything was fine, but it was not fine. She was in pain and now she was stuck wearing his clothes, that smelled like him.

If he was doing it on purpose, he was an ass. If he wasn't doing it on purpose, he was still an ass for being so damn oblivious.

The worst part was she knew she'd feel just a little better if she could just talk about it, but how was she supposed to tell Paul she was in love with her step-brother? Sure, they'd met before their parents had gotten married but since being forced into the same household their parents had insisted on family bonding and family this, and "Derek, leave your sister alone." They were family now. Logically, she knew he'd understand. She just felt ridiculous for believing him to be in love with her; she couldn't bring herself to say the words out loud. She'd tried adjusting to living with Derek as family, and then school was starting and she was adjusting to that and Derek was pretending he had no clue who she was. It was all beginning to drive her crazy.

Casey was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she wasn't paying any attention to where she was going and smacked right into a warm, strong body. Casey mumbled a vague apology as she backed up. His warm hands had steadied her, keeping her from falling backward and she was staring into a pair of gorgeous grey eyes. "Careful." She watched his brow furrow in concern, and her own were still red and puffy. "Are you alright?"

Managing a weak smile, "Just late for class." Her eyes dropped, completely missing the flirty smile that the boy was giving her.

"Alright," he said, uncertainly. "See you around?" She didn't notice the hopeful tone of his voice, either. She nodded and then took off for her first period.

Sam:

He had spent all morning trying to get that girl out of his head. The pretty brunette with blue eyes was hard to miss and he'd been seeing her around school since the start, but hadn't had an opportunity to speak with her sooner. Yesterday had been his first chance and he'd totally let her go, but she'd seemed upset which wasn't exactly the best time to get a girl's number. Also, he could have sworn she was wearing Derek's shirt.

It wasn't until later the next day that he saw her again, heading up the stairs he was about to head down, walking with Emily. He nudged Derek, "Who's that?"

"Don't know." Derek answered quickly, without looking. Sam figured, maybe he did know though, because he barely gave her a glance.

"She's cute." He observed and Derek snorted.

"You're blind." Sam wondered if maybe this girl had rejected him… or maybe the lack of blonde hair meant she didn't fall on his radar. He shrugged. Either way, he thought she was cute. They met about halfway on the staircase, but she hadn't even noticed him. Derek mumbled something under his breath that sounded a lot like, "Nice outfit, who died?" Which was a bizarre thing for Derek to say to someone he didn't even know.

He thought maybe he'd imagined it until the brunette answered, slightly louder, "Umm, nobody." As Sam turned to look, she had begun to trip. It was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. She went backward and tumbled over two other people. Her pens and papers scattered down the hall. Sam was both shocked and concerned. Derek looked dumbly at the mess, a big 'O' for a mouth. Then, like most others who had seen the fall, Derek began to laugh.

He was never this mean to someone, except maybe for Edwin, and definitely not a girl even if it was one he didn't know. Sam's shocked face transferred from staring at the girl to staring at Derek. She could be hurt; it was pretty cruel of him to just stand there and laugh. And yet, there it was… quite a few people standing around, laughing. "Nice one, Klutzilla." Derek snickered, and Sam continued to stare at him, almost horrified.

When he turned to look at the girl and Emily, the latter was staring daggers up at Derek and he wondered if maybe he was missing something after all. He peered over at the blue-eyed girl who looked absolutely mortified, cheeks turning a brilliant shade of pink. Derek continued to chuckle and turned away from the mess. Sam, torn between his best friend and the pretty girl, turned as well.

"Yo, that was pretty harsh for some girl you don't even know," he said when he'd caught up with Derek.

"What, it was funny."

"You called her names, laughed at was potentially a painful and embarrassing fall." Sam eyed Derek carefully but his best friend said nothing, just offering the sandy-haired boy a shrug.