Casey lay in bed looking at the ceiling. She felt drained, washed out, laid bare. She had cried in front of millions of people, although Trevor and Harriet had reassured her that they were dignified tears which lent gravitas to her performance.

She still felt raw as though the whole world had seen inside her heart.

The judges had, again, been complimentary about her efforts, praising her pitch and diction as well as the "understated" costuming and "restrained" choreography. The crowd had liked the song too, recognising that what Casey lacked in dramatics she more than made up for in ability and quality.

The two people evicted were a minor soap star and a girl famous for being famous, but, Chloe won again which meant she was declared the winner of the first round.

Casey had come a very close second.

She supposed she should be relieved she was still in the competition, but she wasn't sure she wanted to live through another four weeks of Chloe. The model had not taken the news of Casey's second place very well, moaning to her support team even as she left the stage at the end of the results – and still within Casey's hearing.

"What did she expect?" Trevor had asked. "That you were going to be a talentless walk over? Let's face it. The only reason she won was because she showed more flesh and wobbled her tits." Harriet smacked him on his arm and glared at him, and Casey noticed that he had made the comment deliberately loudly as they were passing a press area.

They had wanted to celebrate her second place – and discuss the next step, but in the end Harriet had taken pity on Casey, and seeing her drained look sent her to bed.

…Which brought Casey here, in her room, lying in a world of her own, and although she had little idea where her mind actually was, she was thinking about Derek, which was nothing new. She was wondering if he had seen the performance, wondering if he recognised the significance of the words. And yet again, she acknowledged she missed him.

The ceiling was a faded white colour, the walls a sage-green stripe. Her furniture was dark wood, and the bed-linen a weird emerald green. From her reclined state she could see the full length windows which opened onto the tiny half balcony overrun with ivy which trailed to the ground below, an ancient trellis hidden from view failing completely to keep the variegated climber in check. It was all very…literary at a time when she wanted realism.

Her new Blackberry vibrated on the nightstand and Casey reached for it. It was an email from someone called and even though she had never heard of this person before she snickered.

Are you okay? The stranger asked.

Yes. Who are you? Casey replied immediately. There was a beep as the person also replied quickly.

That was a quick response! Are you logged on?

Casey was frustrated that "DeSpawn" did not enlighten her as to their identity. She typed another reply.

My email is diverted to my Blackberry. Who are you?

Another beep. I thought your phone was broken. The irritatingly illusive person typed.

She sat up in bed quickly and glanced at her screen frowning. How did this person know that?

It got replaced. WHO IS THIS? She typed in frustration.

Her phone rang immediately.

"Me." Said a familiar voice when she answered, and Casey felt the tears well up again.

"Derek?" She asked tentatively her hands beginning to shake.

"You mean you didn't recognise me from the email handle?" He joked, and his voice didn't sound particularly calm either. "I chose it so that you would know it was me."

"Idiot." She whispered softly, but he didn't miss the warmth of her tone.

"Are you okay, princess?" Derek asked again, closing his eyes to listen to her speak. "You were crying."

"You watched the programme?" She sounded surprised.

"Hey come on! Cruella DeVille meets Snow White – the whole country is talking about it. Of course I watched. Besides, I have a vested interest…" He added quietly.

"So what does that make me? Cruella or Snow White?" Casey arched an eyebrow at the phone.

"Well I don't see you running round in puppy skins." Derek said, leaning back against his own headboard but keeping his voice to a low whisper.

"You think of me as Snow White?" His ex-lover asked.

"Nah, more like off-white Suzy." He smirked back, relaxing. Teasing Casey was as easy as breathing.

"Remind me again why I'm talking to you?" Casey tried to sound pissed, but she was too happy that he was on the other end of the phone.

"Coz I'm your best friend and you miss me." He had a point.

"Huh! Like you don't miss me!" And so did Casey.

"Fine! I miss you." Derek admitted.

"Good! I miss you too." Casey retorted back. Derek smiled.

"Does this mean we're talking to each other again?" He suggested.

"No. But we're at least fighting again." Casey grinned too.

"No-one gives good argument like you." He flattered her.

"Thank you. The feeling is mutual." She returned the favour.

"Casey?"

"Hmm."

"I really do miss you. It's not the same here."

"I know. For me either."

"Why were you crying?"

There was a long pause. "My heels were crippling me." She lied.

He laughed loudly and then swore.

"What?" Casey asked.

"Marti's in the spare room. I don't want to wake her. It will be like Spanish Inquisition if I did."

"Which room is she in?"

"Dad and Nora's room."

"And where are you?"
"Our bedroom."

"That's the other end of the house." Casey said, misinterpreting the "Our".
"Our room, Casey. The master bedroom. Not the second bedroom."

"I thought you said Chloe made you move." Casey stated, trying hard to ignore the way he called his old bedroom Our room.
"Yeah and I moved back." Derek ignored his own comment too.

"Oh." What else could she say? "How's the view? The flowers will start to come out in a few weeks. Spring's around the corner."

"I know. You'll have your work cut out weeding." He said firmly.

"You have a gardener, Derek."

"You do it better."

"Does that mean you want me to visit you?" She asked tentatively.

Hell honey, I want you to move in, but let's take one step at a time, huh? Thought Derek.

"It means my borders need weeding." Was what he actually said.

"Yes. I've often thought that." She quipped. He chuckled and changed the subject back to the competition.

"I was impressed…with your singing, and the dancing. You did good upholding the family honour."

"Thank you. I've got a good team behind me."

"And a bitch of an ex-sister-in-law in front of you."
"I can handle Chloe." Casey said determinedly, surprised at how true the statement was.

"I know you can, princess." He sighed. "I'm sorry you have to."

Casey shrugged even though he couldn't see. "I'll live."

"I'll make it up to you. When do you get out of that joint?" He asked.

"Four weeks, why?"

"We need to talk. I'll treat you to dinner."

"We're talking now."

"No we're not. We're bantering with each other. We need to talk…properly."

"About what?"

"Casey…" he groaned in frustration.

She sighed. "Sorry."

"No. I am. I didn't mean it, you know. The "freak" comment. That wasn't what I meant. It wasn't even a slip of the tongue. I just didn't think. And then you ran and…"

"Let's just drop it, okay? You're right. We shouldn't be talking about this over the phone."

"Okay. We'll drop it for now. But we're going to put this right, Casey. We've spent too much time apart lately. Or at least, I think so."

"So do I." She agreed.

"Come on." He said changing the subject. "Tell me all the insider gossip from Camp Horror." He shuffled in bed as though making himself comfortable and Casey laughed.

"Okay. So, remember the racing star? Well, apparently he has been spotted bed-hopping."

"Cool…whose?"

"Well this is the really juicy thing…it wasn't one of the women…"

"You're kidding?"

"No. Straight up. My dance instructor saw him and…"

Casey's voice carried on, telling Derek all about the things the cameras couldn't relay to the general public. Derek listened and commented, but mostly he was just enjoying the sound of her voice and the fact that the laughter was back.

Casey should have been bleary-eyed the next morning. She hadn't had much sleep. Derek had kept her talking for the best part of two hours which meant it was nearly two in the morning before she yawned so much he relented and let her hang up.

Not that she was complaining. Despite the level of nervous energy she had expended the day before she was riding a massive Derek high and caught herself giggling several times as she showered and prepared for breakfast.

They had talked only as friends, but for now, for Casey that was enough. They both knew they couldn't have anything more, so now was all about recovering what they had lost – and last night went a long way to doing exactly that.

She surfaced at eight thirty which was early for the Sunday morning. Casey was hoping it would enable her to avoid Chloe and maybe slip outside for a "wrapped up" walk in the grounds. Despite their discussion of how the weather was improving, it was still cold.

Her shoes clicked on the tiled floor as she crossed the reception area and moved towards the dining room. It was quiet, almost empty and Casey wondered how many of her fellow residents had stayed up celebrating/commiserating after the previous night's show.

Luan, at least, had made it up early. Casey's friend was just making her way around the breakfast buffet. She didn't always stay in the hotel, but she had told Casey that she was thinking of moving in properly so that she could catch up on her sleep. She said running around after all the competitors was taking its toll.

"Morning!" She greeted Casey cheerfully. Casey smiled back. "You look chirpy!"

Casey laughed. "Do I? I've no idea why."

"I don't think I've seen you smile that broadly before. I guess the fact you came second has finely hit."

"Maybe." Casey said cagily.

"Or maybe you're holding out on me…what happened?"

"Nothing. I'm just in a good mood."

"You're lying. I can tell." Luan stated. "But don't worry. I won't push."

"Thank you." Casey was grateful. She wanted last night to remain private. As she made her own way to the buffet to get her usual breakfast she caught a glimpse of herself reflected on a mirrored panel in the wall. There was a colour in her cheeks she hadn't seen for a while, and as she noticed it, it deepened.

Casey chatted happily to Luan over breakfast and then they decided to go for the walk Casey had planned. It was cold and damp but not entirely unpleasant, and Luan filled her in on the schedule for the rest of the week.

"Have you any idea what Trevor and Harriet have planned for you for round two?" Luan asked. Casey shook her head.

"No. Although Trevor made some comment about "having some real fun". I dread to think what that will entail."

"It will be interesting no doubt." Luan gazed off into the distance. "If I were you, I'd avoid Chloe. She wasn't too happy last night."

"She won!"

"I know. But only just. She set you up for a fall, and you didn't oblige. She's pissed."
"Great! I guess it will be more of the same this week."

"Hmmm. I wonder what Derek Venturi makes of all this." Luan spectulated. "I mean that Dirrty act…"

"He called her Cruella Deville last night." Casey said without thinking. She froze.

"How do you know that?" Luan asked.

Casey coughed, saw Luan's intense gaze and then relented. "He phoned me after the show."

Luan frowned. "I thought you weren't talking."

"We weren't."

"But you are now?"
Casey nodded.
"No wonder you're smiling so much. I'm really pleased Casey. You look so much happier. Like the weight of the world is off your shoulders."
"It is. I can cope with anything except Derek's silence."

"Well you'll have to with Chloe. She'll be bad enough over your performance. Can you imagine how pissed she'll be if she finds out he called you and not her? He didn't call her, did he?"

"No. We were on the phone most of the night."

Luan's eyes widened, but she said nothing. Uncle Paul had laughed when she had told him she would be looking after Casey. The first thing he had said was "Watch out for Derek."

Luan might be young, but she could tell jealousy when she saw it, and Chloe was definitely jealous of Casey. She had wondered what the model had to be jealous about: Chloe was gorgeous and rich with men falling for her left, right and centre.

She might have thought it was about Casey's talent except Chloe had been a bitch before she found out about that. Eventually, Luan had worked out that Chloe was jealous of Casey's relationship with Derek.

At first, that seemed silly because Casey was Derek's step-sister as well as his friend. Chloe wanted a romantic relationship with him, not a familial one.

But now as Luan looked at Casey, pink-faced over a call from her "step-brother" she realised Chloe was right to be jealous. Step-siblings or not, Derek's phone call had provoked a very interesting reaction in Casey.

Casey was going to meet Harriet and Trevor after lunch for some warm-up exercises and to find out what the new routines would be. As she sat waiting for them in their allocated rehearsal room her Blackberry vibrated.

Morning! Or should I say Afternoon? I've just woken up. You can talk the hind leg off a donkey.

Casey grinned. Did you just call yourself an ass?

Ha ha! Can I call you tonight? Derek asked.

Her grin got wider. She shouldn't be this pleased about a phone call from her best friend…should she?

Ten?

Sure. What are you doing now? Derek yawned.

Casey's fingers flew over the keypad. Waiting for first rehearsal. You?

I'm lying in bed.

Casey's eyes widened as her mind descended into the gutter.

It's nearly 1pm! She said mentally reprimanding herself even as she reprimanded Derek.

Yeah well, some chick kept me up all night. Apparently the Derek smirk was audible now.

You wouldn't let me sleep! Casey protested.

You could have hung up. He pointed out.

No I couldn't. Casey was honest.

Me either. And so was Derek.