Chapter 14 „Family"

The next morning they wake up in each others arms. Casey is the first one to stir.

Casey's POV

I wake up feeling a heavy arm draped across my waist. Then I remember last night and turn to face Derek who's staring at me and I blush instantly. „Good morning." he says, his voice still sleepy. He rubs his eyes and grumbles pulling me into himself and burying his head in the crook of my neck. „Der-ek! There's no time for this..." I argue, softly giggling.

Derek's POV

I hug her closer to myself. „But Case-y! I've had to wait so long for this..." I'm pulling her closer and holding her against myself. She's so nice and warm... She struggles out of my grip. Getting up and wrapping the blanket around herself. „We need to get dressed. We should be leaving in an hour. That means we're getting breakfast somewhere on the way." She explains while I get out of bed stretching out and grabbing a pair of boxers. I groan when I feel a pang of pain going through my chest. Casey drops the blanket and I grin as I look at her smooth hairless body. She's such a beauty. I doubt she knows just how beautiful she really is...

Casey's POV

I watch Derek taking on a pair of boxers while walking out of the room to get a shower and get dressed myself. When I reach back downstairs he's already loaded up the car and getting behind the steering wheel. He's dressed in a casual jeans and a T shirt along to his leather jacket which he's wearing closed for once. I grin as I walk out in a pair of dark jeans, a pair of boots and a simple sweater and the trench coat Derek got for me. I'm wearing my hair curled as usual, too. I get in to the car and smile at Derek.

Derek's POV

„All ready to go?" I ask while strapping myself in and waiting for her seat belt to click as well.

„Yes." She answers softly. I smile at her while she stares out of the window. „We'll make a stop at the IHOP on the way is that okay with you?" I ask softly. She nods happily closing her eyes on the passengers seat and falling back asleep quickly. I smile as I turn on the radio and start listening to the song „Perfect" by Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé. We drive in silence for quiet a while until we reach an IHOP and I gently wake Casey up asking her whether if she wants breakfast. She groggily agrees and I park the car stretching out. We walk into the restaurant and get seated.

Casey's POV

I stretch out lazily as I walk behind Derek into the IHOP. I haven't been inside one of these for years. I smile as we sit down in a booth and Derek places our order. „Well, how are we actually gone go about our family...?" Now that we are getting closer and closer to our destination nervousness starts to set in. „Just we like discussed it, relax Casey everything will go fine." He says.

„We met when you came into my hospital injured. You had broken your arm?" I ask looking up at him questioningly. „Yes, that way they won't ask unpleasant questions about the how and when and why... You know the woman in our family and how prone they are for details. When I got engaged to Linda for show I had to tick off a whole test of questions for their sake." He says awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

„Okay...so you came in to my hospital with an injury. I stitched you back up and then?" I ask looking at him questioningly. „Then I came by more frequently, first just to get a rise out of you..and then it gradually turned into something more?" He asks and I nod. „That sounds plausible." I answer. „So that's settled then." He says digging into his pancakes with vigor. It doesn't take long for the food to vanish off his plate.

When we are done eating we get back on the way to our parents home. About an hour later we're in our old neighborhood. That I am nervous is an understatement... But when Derek stops the car in our old driveway I startle.

Derek's POV

„Are you okay?" I ask looking over at her. She smiles in assurance. „Yes... I'm fine let's get this show on the road." She gets out of the car and strides purposefully at the door. I have gotten out and am taking out the luggage when she rings and a loud girlish squeal can be heard. With a huge grin on my face I turn around to look at Marti, my baby sister hugging Casey fiercely to herself.

My eyes go huge when I take in how Marti looks like, tough. If I thought Casey's choice of hair color was bold, then the hair on Marti's head looks like someone emptied a tub of color on it. Its looking like a freaking unicorn's tail! I blink at her while she let's go of Casey and timidly walks up at me.

„Hi, Derek..." She says softly twirling one of her bonbon-colored streaks round her finger while I look down at her. She's grown into a beautiful young woman. I tousle her hair gently. „Did you fall into the paint pot?" I ask. „This is called style!" She squeaks while Edwin comes out to help with my luggage.

„Hi Ed. Looking good." I say patting his back. „Thanks bro, you aren't looking too bad either." He pats me on my back a bit too energetically and I flinch. Casey's beside me in an instant. „Are you okay?" She asks concern etched on her face. I nod. „No need to worry, Spacey I'm not made of glass." I laugh easily while my eyes sweep the neighborhood.

Casey's POV

We walk into the house where we're greeted by mom, George and Lizzy. „How have you guys been?" Mom asks. „We're great." I smile at her letting my hand slip into Derek's easily. I give him a quick Eskimo kiss and he walks back out to get the rest of our luggage. „Do you have got something to tell us?" Mom asks knowingly with her eyebrows raised.

„Well...uhm... I think I'll help Derek with the luggage. We can play twenty questions later okay?" I ask awkwardly before practically bolting back out the door. „How could you leave me back in there with the vultures." I ask hitting the back of Derek's head. „Hey, I thought about my abortion tactics on the whole way here." He answers while I take my bag from him. He's holding his own bag tightly to himself. „Whats in there?" I ask suspiciously.

„I bought my badge and a gun just in case." He answers. „How could you? What if Marti gets her hands on it? Or worse Simon?" I'm shrieking on the inside but I'm mindful enough to keep my volume low on the outside. „Don't worry I've kept the cartridge somewhere else, so the gun's not loaded. I just bought it for safety measures. You never know what could happen, Case. And with a lunatic on the loose who's explicitly after us, I had to bring it with me." He explains and I nod slowly.

„You're right." I mumble going back inside towards my mother. „Well, seeing as Marti and Simon took you guys old rooms and we are living upstairs now, we've only got the basement left. It won't be a problem for you guys now would it? Seeing as the penny's finally dropped for both of you two." Mom explains, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

Derek's POV

I walk back into the living room to find Casey as red as a beet while she's standing in front of her mom. I wonder what went down between these two when I walk towards Casey to give her a re-assuring squeeze. She smiles at me breathing out in relief. „We'll just go and unpack." Casey says going ahead of me. I follow behind with a grin.

The basement's been renovated. No more cow-skin hanging on the walls it's been built into a nice and classy bedroom. It's held in beige and browns and it's a nice enough room. The best thing about it is the double bed which still dominates the room. Memories flood me instantly. 'How we'd fought who'd be getting this room back when we were still teens. Us circling each other waiting to see who'd make the first move.' I grin a bit at the memory.

I finally put the bags on the bed I've carried down here with me. „So...it seems like we've earned ourselves some privacy in this house. Who would've thought that we'd one day be happy about it." I grin at Casey mischievously. „We need to unpack Der, and don't forget that at least one of our family members must have his ear crushed against the door to snoop for any information." She reminds me and I roll my eyes. „You're such a spoilsport! Why don't we give them something to think about..." I grin and just seconds later my arms are around her and I can feel her warmth. I bury my nose in her neck just inhaling her unique 'Casey' Smell and letting it waft through my nose.

Casey's POV

Derek's arms are around me and his breath is tickling my neck. I smile despite my initial reluctance. He surely can be sweet sometimes. I let him hold me for a while before gently getting out of his arms and unpacking the few things I'm going to be needing for the stay at our family home. „Let's head back upstairs before they start thinking we're mauling or killing each other." I say before turning around to get up the stairs.

I walk back into the kitchen to find it deserted but I can hear the TV running in the living room, so that's where everyone must be headed. I turn around the corner and am greeted by an almost ear-splitting scream. Lizzy hurls herself at me and I' almost crushed from the force of her hug.

„Casey! I can't believe you're back. How are you and how are things with Derek? Mom called us while we were shoe hunting." She grins and shows me the bag she is carrying. „Did you find the shoes? What about you're dress, Lizz?" I gush. „No, I haven't found it yet, even tough I feel like I've been all through town for it already..." She sighs. „But everything is set for the engagement. I've found the perfect dress for the occasion and you won't believe the Ring he's got me." Lizzys eyes are shining with happiness.

I take a step back and look her over. She's dressed in a pair of sneakers, a jeans and a simple t shirt. But her appearance finally has something more feminine to it, because she's made an effort and is wearing a tiny bit of make up and some jewelry to go with it. She's still Lizzy tough, and there's still a certain Tomboyish charm to her. For the first time I notice how much I've missed my family over the course of the last few years.

Derek's POV

I've bought our luggage down and stay downstairs for a bit. Calming down and letting the last few weeks catch up with me. Cases, my life and Casey run through my head and I think about what my life involved before Casey came back along.

A few Years Back

I'd just moved up the Ranks and become an Inspector, thus handling my first very own Cases and not just helping along others with their Investigations. Tough luck that my first Victim had been a Doctor in her early twenties. She was found dead in a dirty alleyway. Everyone had assumed it had just been a impulsive crime.

But I didn't believe it. Something just didn't seem to add up. The Victim had been a on going Heart Surgeon. And the Alleyway she'd been found in had been on the other side of town, it wasn't close to her apartment either. No one of her relatives had known why she was found dead in that alleyway. Not even her boyfriend had been able to give them a clue.

The autopsy had shown that she'd been pregnant but it had still been very early on in her pregnancy. When my Team and I had Questioned the boyfriend he'd claimed he'd been out of Town for the Incident on Business. I cross checked with the Train-Services, the Hotel that had been Booked on the Boyfriends, name. I'd even questioned the Company he'd been supposed to be at for said „Meeting" finding out he'd gone there and the Meeting had happened. But the following two days, were the Important ones. The day of the Murder and next one, he hadn't attended Meetings, claiming he'd gotten sick on the Journey.

A very thin Alibi. I had checked the Records, and nothing had been Ordered up to the room and nothing inside the room had been eaten or drank either, except for a Water bottle, which had been booked on the day he'd arrived and a Bottle of Champagne he'd requested on the last day of the trip. When Questioned he'd claimed he'd ordered it to celebrate the Deal which had gone so well because he profited from it.

None of his colleagues had seen him at the Hotel either. They had merely seen him arrive and leave. His alibi had been Void right then. When he'd been Questioned he'd quickly caved and admitted it.

True, that had been one of the easier cases, in which that what we always assume had been correct. Of course lots of more difficult cases had followed. I remember a case that had been particularly tough to solve.

The victim had been a child. That had been the worst part of it all. It had been a little girl who'd been sexually abused and then left out in the cold on a December night wearing next to nothing, after her will had been broken. She had died with her arms open, reaching out for someone...Anyone who might help her. But the body hadn't been discovered until the next morning. When an old lady who'd been walking her tiny little Yorkshire Terrier... who'd bitten my leg and peed onto my shoes... but that wasn't important, had discovered her body in the snow.

As it was usual in such cases there had been two different ways things could have been...

Either the murder was someone from the Family, or it could be about anyone. Sadly no one in the Family had any dirt on them. Everyone had an alibi, everyone had loved the little girl to pieces. No one had seemed like they had something to hide. The Family was in shock as was the school. The family wasn't one of the Picture Perfect ones, they had gone through tough times and they had had the happier times. But everyone seemed to be in agreement about loving the little girl...

The story started getting the first crack as soon as I'd started the Questioning. I'd merely wanted to know her hobbies, her extra-curricular activities and such. But her parents hadn't been able to give me that information. So I'd asked for friends I could question and they had merely remembered one friend's name because they were so busy with their own lifes, and the work and so on that they hadn't been able to keep track of their daughters whereabouts... I vowed that would never happen to me if I was to become a parent one day.

So I'd questioned her friends. There had been surprisingly quiet a amount of them. I hadn't counted on her to have such a big circle of friends, but she was a heart-warming person. Her friends were devastated that she was gone. I'd asked them a bunch of questions, because something just didn't sit right with me. These girls were like a bunch of pariahs... I just couldn't picture the shy girl her parents had described being friends with girls like this. So I dug a little deeper, questioning the girls one by one. Quickly I learned that they were an exclusive circle of friends and that the poor girl had just been accepted into their group of friends so she could do their dirty work and amuse them. The diary I'd found shortly taped to the floor of one of the drawers in the girl's room told the rest of the story. She'd been afraid of encountering the group again, because she'd failed to steal a expensive perfume from a shop nearby and had been caught red-handed by the owner. He'd let the poor girl go, once he'd seen the state she was in.

He shook his head sadly when we told him what had happened to the girl and had sent his own sixteen year old daughter away while he was questioned. Because the girl had failed to carry out the order the pariahs must have decided that a punishment was in Order and they had probably stripped her naked and left her out in the cold to find her way home. But the temperature had fallen so quickly during the night... and the girl was probably scared to get out of her hiding-place because of her state of undress, that she'd stayed in the bushes for longer than she was able to endure and on her way home she had died from cold. I couldn't believe that Teenage-girls were able to be so cruel, but the „Princess" of the Crew, a Stacy W. was sitting in Jail now. She would spend most of her youth there. I really hope her friends changed after that...

I shake my head to rid myself of the image. But theblack haired girl is still staring at me through big lifeless green eyes and begging for help. I take a deep breath and try to get back to the here and now. Trying to figure out how I'd come to think of this case in the first place. I shouldn't go reminiscing my cases.

'Ah' I remember. 'My life before Casey came along...' I think. My life had been nice enough. I had spent it chasing scum. There were people who'd probably haunt me for life... The six year old girl whose Mother I'd found dead and robbed of her things in a alleyway... She had come into state care, because her father had died in war... meaning an Orphanage. Sometimes when I can spare a moments time I still go and visit her. She calls me Uncle Derek now and I think I've found a friend for life. She calls me a Hero and is on the right path. She wants to become a cop or a lawyer and help other children who are in the same state as her. Come to think of it, I haven't paid her a visit for a while, maybe it's time I did that again...She's turned 10 by now...' I pull out my cell phone and dial her number.

After a few rings she picks up and greets my happily. „Hi, uncle Derek. It's pretty late for you to call." She says. „Hi, Lucy. I just wanted to have a lil chat." I say with a smile. „Why? Is everything alright for you?" Lucy sounds concerned. „How do you know something is up with me?" I ask curiously. „Duh, because I know you Uncle D." She says and I can almost feel her smile through the phone. She's probably wearing her red hair up in a bun and has a pencil or a paintbrush tucked behind her ear. „I'm out visiting family" I tell her. „Ohhhh, does that mean you're seeing her?" Lucy asks curiously. „Yeah...right about that... That's the reason I couldn't call you in the last few weeks, munchkin." I say. „Yesssss..." She replies curiously. „Well uhm... We're kind of living together now..." I say. „Spill Uncle D!" Lucy says eagerly. „Nah... I'll come by and visit you someday soon. Right now I've got enough to do dealing with family. I just wanted to let you know I haven't forgotten about you, munchkin." I say smiling while the door opens and Casey walks down.

„What are you doing, Der?" She asks while I say my goodbye and put the phone away. „I was talking to a friend." I say, still smiling. My spirits have been lifted. „What friend?" Casey asks as always curiosity getting the best of her. „Someone special. You might get to meet her soon, too." I add. „We just need to clean up this whole mess about the Arrow." I explain.

The way Casey's staring at me is telling me that her curiosity has just rocketed sky high. I merely smile at her. I doubt she'd let go of her new found job at the office, to take care of Lucy... Right now we're in way too much danger to be thinking about her at all. „This is a talk for us when we get home and have some privacy, the walls around here...they have ears. Edwin's probably bugged the whole place for his so called „Research"." I explain and Casey nods. She merely sighs and shrugs.

I smile, there are reasons why I fell in love with this woman. She doesn't stress me out about a phone call, whereas other's would have had a few tantrums by now...

Casey's POV

So, Derek's just had a mysterious call he's clearly not wanting to talk about right now... Probably it's nothing and I shouldn't worry. But I do, duh, I'm Casey McDonald I pry on knowing everything... It's going to bug me not knowing what that was...maybe it was a girlfriend? An Ex surely, because we're together now...

Derek is looking at me and it seems like he knows what I was thinking. „Don't worry about it, really. When we get home we'll talk or do you need to know now? We could go out say we're heading out for a coffee..." He offers and I hesitate. I badly want to take him up on the offer, but I don't want to seem too suspicious either. I know how much Derek hates girls who cling too much. „I...I want to know, but I don't want to pry either..." I say. He smiles and ruffles my hair. „Naw, it's fine. We can get out of here for a bit and have a little talk." He says and walks up the stairs. I follow behind, pulling my hair up in a bun on my head.

„We're heading out for a bit. Just going out for a coffee and walking round our old neighbourhood." He says with a smile holding my coat out for me to wear. I take it on and we walk out into the crisp air. „Let's go to Smelly Nellys. I hear it's been taken over by a new owner. One of our fellow students from SJ Thompson." He smiles. I nodd and we walk to our destination in relative silence.

„Oh yeah, do you know who took it over?" I ask curiosuly. „I do, Ralph Popodopulus." he answers with a smirk. „Wait, are we talking about the Ralph, one of you're former best friends? The goofball Ralph? He owns the place?" I ask wide eyed as we walk closer to the former Smelly Nellys. It's now called „Ralphs Cuisine" and the place looks completely different to what it used to be. It's a posh place now, where you apparently need to have booked a table in advance to grab a bite to eat as the waiter kindly informs us. „Oh, we're sorry we didn't know." I say and we're about to turn around when we hear Ralphs voice coming closer.

Derek's POV

Both of us look up at the same time when Ralph walks round the corner with a big smug grin on his features. „I thought I recognized that voice!" He says heartily hugging Casey and me. „Ralphie! What's up man?" I ask while the Waiter just stares at us like we've grown three heads and is probably worrying about his job. „These are good friends of mine and they get a table, I don't care whose reservation you have to Cancel." He says turning to the waiter. He blanches but nods and Casey gives him an uncomfortable smile.

„You have become more beautiful since the last time we saw each other." Ralph says and my hand instinctivly curls around Casey's waist. „Yes, my Casey is quiet a beauty." I smile giving her an affectionate kiss on her hair. „What? Seriously you guys finally got it together? And it took you how much? About nine or ten years to figure it out?" Ralph asks laughing. „I bet a lot of people are going to loose some money on this one" He adds. Upon seeing our faces he quickly explains „Seriosuly everyone had a bet running on when you'd maul each other instead of killing each other... Dude, even I noticed the sparks flying when you guys got into a fight." He says his eyes twinkling.

„Anyways here are your menus. I'll be needed back in the kitchen. Yes, I not only own the place but I'm the Chef, too." He says. „We've got 4 stars, so don't you worry." He laughs as he sees our faces. Bewildered both of us watch his retreating form.

Casey's POV

„Seriosuly did everyone we know bet on us?" I ask. „Seems like it." Derek answers. „I'm surprised that you're talking about the bet and not Ralph the smooth Chef..." He says his eyebrows raised. „I always knew he'd do something with his life..." I answer. Derek raises his eyebrows. „Okay...so technically I wasn't too sure about that... But he grew up and if I can come to terms with you beeing a cop, then I can come to terms with about anything." I answer.

„Yeah...You are right." Derek says and his eyes get that faraway look back in his eyes. „Will you please tell me what's bothering you Der?" I ask squeezing his hand while we're handed the menus. „I will. Don't worry about it yet and choose something to eat. We can talk as soon as we've ordered, kay?" He answers and I pick up the menu the waiter handed us while we were talking and look through it.

After both of us have made our orders Derek takes a deep breath and leans back in his seat. „Okay...So I have got a few things on mind right now. One of them is the up coming game next Thursday... And the other one would be a more serious topic of conversation. Before I crashed into you're life I had made plans to adopt a girl." I blink at Derek when he stops talking. 'Wait a second did he just say that he was thinking about adopting someone before I came along? Wait what?' My mind is whirring.

Derek's POV

The look on Casey's Face can only be described as „Overwhelmed". She looks deep in thought so I wait until she takes a sip of her wine before I continue talking. „Her name is Lucy she is a very smart ten year old and I met her through one of my cases a few years back. She lives in an Orphanage right now and I've wanted to get her out of it for as long as I've known her, but I couldn't do that because of the life I live. I wouldn't be able to care for her the way she deserves..." I stop to take a breath and notice the look on Caseys face.

She looks like someone pulled out the floor beneath her feet. I can't really remember the way she looked like when I was bought into the Hospital she worked at, but I believe the look currently on her face would come close. Her nostrils are shaking and I can see how she's trying to take in the information. She takes a deep calming breath before moving to answer. „You're telling me that you're thinking about adopting a girl while a crazy Crime-organization is still on the loose and Steven is probably still after us seeking revenge?" She asks.

„Yes I am. I am aware of the fact that Steven is still out there somewhere, but we're safe and we will stay safe. I would never let anything happen to either you or her. But the Orphanage is no place for her to grow up in, and she's too old for someone to really take her in. Statistically her chances are pretty thin that a family would be willing to take her in. You don't know her, or her story yet, Casey. At least give a thought." I say, knwoing it's probably way too much on her already.

Casey's POV

Has he gone completely insane? My mind is screaming at me to hurl something at his head, while the more rational side of me is just trying to take in the information. A ten year old girl, named Lucy. „What case, what happened?" I ask. He gulps. „She needs a family, Case and she's really special to me. Since the day I got to know her we've been in touch and I've been meaning to make her family for as long as I've known her as well. But with my life-style these changes aren't easy. But now that you're in the picture... I can finally picture giving her the family she deserves." He says instead of answering my question and pulls out his phone.

He shows me a picture. A red haired little girl with freckles covering her face is staring at the camera through a pair of thick rimmed black glasses with deep green eyes. There's a smile on her face but I can still tell that she's been through a lot. She's smiling but there's a lot of hurt hidden behind that smile. „She's really important to you isn't she?" I ask. He nodds. „Why didn't you mention her before?" I ask curiosuly. „First you had so many changes you needed to get accustomed to, so I didn't want to add her to the mix. Then we happened and the next thing is we're here...So I thought now was a good time to tell you about her." He says his brown eyes filled with a mixture of worry and hope.

He's waiting for my answer. I realize belatedly. „If she means this much to you, then I'm happy to be welcoming her into the family...But what will we tell the rest of our family? And what about working? Taking care of a child is something that has to be prepared and thought about... It's not going to be easy...and I don't know yet if we'll be able to...but I'm willing to try."

AN: Soooo...Derek's POV will follow in the next Chapter. Yes, I'm adding someone new to the mix with Lucy...But trust me it's going to be worth it. She'll soon be very important to the story. Please review.

-Keisha