Hey guys! Long time no talk. I'm really sorry it took me so long but I'm back now. I've had bad writer's block but I'm trying to get over it and get back into the swing of things. I hope you guys like it. Please read and review. I means more to me then I can say.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. Really I'm surprised too.


6. Chapter 5

In a dungeon of an old castle a young women, about sixteen, was hanging by her wrists in waist deep water.

She was wearing tattered clothing and looked as if she been through hell. Two black eyes and spilt lip seems to have said it all.

As Casey hung there she tried to figure a way out.

'It's been three days and I'm still stuck down here. I've been waiting for him to come and find me; I can't wait any longer. I have to save myself, somehow?'

She wanted nothing more than for Derek to save her and to run into his arms. He hugs her back says he loves her over and over again, but she had to be real.

'Derek's not coming for me. I have to do this myself. I can't wait around for someone who'll never come.'

She blinked back tears as these thoughts ran through her head.

Casey took a deep breath and tried as hard as she could to push all of those thoughts and feelings aside. She knew she had to get out of here and sitting there thinking about Derek wasn't going to help in the slightest.

Casey was never the 'damsel in distress' type and she wasn't going start now.

As Casey hung there, trying to figure her way out of this mess she saw a girl or women, Casey couldn't really tell, walked in.

Casey tried to talk to her.

"You're very pretty." Casey said in the most endearing tone; trying to get this girl to open up.

The women stop and dipped her head down but said, "Thank you."

Casey could tell this was in fact someone much older then she looked, now that this person had come closer.

This women was shorter then Casey herself, but then more Casey looked she knew was in fact older. She was most likely in her mid thirties but young for her age and quite beautiful. She was wearing rags and her hair was a mess; most likely because Truman wouldn't allow her anything else.

"What's your name?" Casey said again using that same tone in hopes she'll be able this women to open up.

"It doesn't matter." Casey said as she came closer with the tray of food.

Casey watched her as she walked across a ledge and placed the tray down. She reached into her robe of rags and pulled out a set of keys.

She unlocked the shackle that was around Casey right wrist.

"It matters to me." Casey said as she feed herself with her free hand.

"You still haven't told me your name." Casey was trying hard not to seem pushy but really had no other chose. She saw this unknown woman as her only means of escape.

"It's Lizzie. I liked to be called Lizzie." She said trying not to look Casey in the eyes.

"That's a pretty name." Casey said sweetly; then pausing to figure her next move.

"So… How did you end up here?" Casey asked and immediately seeing it was the total wrong thing to say.

"I'm sorry I shouldn't have…"

"No, it's ok." Lizzie said putting the plate of food down.

"Truman is my brother." Casey was completely shocked, but stayed quite as she waited for Lizzie to continue.

"We use to be so close; Truman and I." Lizzie said with a far off tone. "When we were young I was like a second mother to him. Then when our parents died about ten years ago he became a completely different person. Someone I don't know anymore."

It sounded to Casey as though they would still be that close if it wasn't for such a horrible tragedy. Though Casey knew she couldn't think about that; she needed to focus on the fact that they were close no longer.

"Oh, I lost my mom too." She thought this way she could have an in with Lizzie.

Lizzie sighed, realizing she had said too much. She knew Truman wouldn't have liked it and she didn't want to see what happen if he found out.

Lizzie looked at the tray of food seeing it was empty. She took Casey's had and shackled it back to the cold dungeon wall.

Casey watched once again as Lizzie stood up, pick up the tray and walked out of the dungeon.

In a castle a ways off; a prince about nineteen was lying in his bed staring at the sealing.

Derek hasn't slept since Casey went missing.

'I know you're alive Case. I can feel it. Don't give up Casey; please don't give up. I'll find you; I promise.'

Derek turned on his side trying to sleep as best he could. When he finally found sleep all he could do was dream of Casey.

He could hear her; she was calling his name. 'Derek! Derek help! Please?'

He could hear her cries like she was right next to him but no matter how hard he tried he couldn't save her.

Derek shot out of bed. His hair was stuck to his forehead and he was breathing quite shallow. He ran his fingers through his hair then put his head in his hands. Trying to get that horrible nightmare out of his head but was unsuccessful.

"Casey, I will find you. I promise." Derek said with true determination; though he spoke these words loud enough for only himself to hear.

Derek wasn't sure if he said this as a promise to Casey or himself. He still hasn't forgiven himself for what happened. He couldn't help but think this was all his fault; if he had only told her how he truly felt maybe things would be different.

Though he knew he couldn't think about that at the moment. All that mattered was finding Casey, no matter what.

Casey found it hard to sleep. Not only for the fact she was hanging on a wall by her wrists, but every time she would even close her eyes she saw Derek.

It was like a knife in her heart. She knew he didn't mean what he said but in the back of her head there was this voice say the opposite.

The more she hung there alone the more she stared to listen to that voice saying, 'Derek never really loved you. All he loved was your beauty nothing more. So why are you crying about someone who never even loved you?'

Again she knew it was untrue but the more quite it became the more she couldn't drown the voice out.

As the voice grew louder and louder Casey couldn't hold her tears in anymore. They were tears mix with both sadness and anger. The emotion of everything that has happened to her up till that moment in time over took her. She couldn't hold back nor would she have wanted to.

She felt a right to cry; she needed to get all the emotion out. If she was going to get herself out of the mess she needed to release everything she was holding on to.

After about an hour of crying she finally ran out of tears.

She took a deep breath; breathing out all of her emotions out. And with that she started to devise a plan of escape.


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