Family dinner was a luxury. They did their best to do it once a week. Derek, Sam, Casey and whoever wasn't on shift, would show up and have dinner together in the massive formal dining room that otherwise wouldn't be used. Even Ed left his tech cave to spend some time together.

It had started off as a joke, a reason to use the ridiculous room, but it quickly turned into a tradition and one that Csey seemed to love.

It was hard to do, schedule changes and emergencies came up, but Thursday nights were for the family, so they all made the effort.

Sam had planned this week's dinner theme, they rotated to keep it fair. It was a fun surprise for every Thursday.

Derek caught himself feeling happy for the first time in a long time. Casey by his side, his left hand wrapped around her thigh under the table. His brother surrounds them, talking about who knows what. It felt good. Too good.

But then, almost as if Derek called for it by daring to be happy, the alarm rang out, everyone's phone lighting up with a security alert.

Derek was up and his feet instantly, his chair clattering to the floor behind him adding to the chaos around them.

"Sam," Derek started, saying his best friend's name like an order.

His hand instantly went to his gun tucked in the waistband of his tailored pants as a reflex. Smoothly he pulled it out, keeping the barrel pointing towards the floor. He inspected the barrel, checking his rounds. He knew he was locked and loaded; he checked every morning as he got ready for the day, but he was on autopilot and they were under attack.

When Derek looked back up, he saw Sam on his feet, his actions mirroring Derek's, except Sam carried a few more weapons on him than Derek. Even though they were armed at all times, they weren't used to actively firing, not anymore. But they, along with every other guard in the room, were up and ready for whatever was about to happen.

"Sam," Derek repeated, his voice clipped, almost desperate for his best friend's response.

But Derek didn't need to say it. Sam already knew his orders, making his way around the table towards Derek and Casey. He was to stay back and protect Casey at all costs. This was too close. Too real. And Derek needed to take care of it personally.

"With my life," Sam swore, eyes burning into Derek's. A promise, a blood oath. The same one inked on his skin when he took the Venturi seal. But this time, he wasn't swearing to protect the Venturis at the estate. No. His life belonged to a McDonald and he knew it.

"Guys! What's going on? What does that alarm mean? Why did everyone pull their guns out?" Casey asked, her voice panicking, clearing hoping she was wrong.

He hated the fear in her voice. He wanted nothing more than to comfort her. But the alarm was calling him. He had to leave Casey behind, where she'd be safe.

Derek turned to face her, his gun still in his hand, but held as far away from her as possible. He never wanted her to see that side of him. He wanted her to be as blissfully unaware as possible, but he didn't have time to deal with the repercussions.

Gently he cupped the back of her head with his free hand, pressing her body flush against him, breathing her in as best he could with the alarms and chaos blaring in the background.

Casey's eyes looked directly into his, and Derek just prayed it wasn't the last time he got to see those blues. She reached out for him, her hands gripped to the lapels of his gray suit jacket like it would keep her grounded.

He vaguely registered the room filling with even more guards. He knew he had to be quick.

"You stay with Sam. You listen to every word he says. You do not fight him. You can fight me all you want when this is all over, but for now, you listen. Understood?" he asked, his words a bit harsher than he would normally use on her, but he didn't have time to be sweet and tender. He needed her to understand. And at that moment he was the boss, he was calling the shots and she would have to fall in line like the rest of them.

Casey just nodded in response, her pale skin still in obvious shock of it all.

Derek placed his gun, his personal, everyday gun, in Casey's trembling hand. "If anything happens to Sam, you shoot anything that moves," he instructed, his, hand still wrapped around hers, desperately asking her to listen to him.

Casey shook her head, denying him. "Der-"

He cut her off. They did not have time for this. He should have prepared her better. Taken her to the gun range, and told her about the secret tunnels.

"Casey!" he snapped. He had to go. She had to go.

She shut her mouth, taking the gun, keeping it aimed at the ground like she was scared of it, which wasn't surprising. Derek sighed, leaning in to press a bruising kiss to her mouth. He wanted to be gentle but he didn't have it in him. He was wasting precious seconds. He heard the commotion of men assembling behind him. Sam barking orders, while keeping eyes on Casey.

"With my life," Derek swore against her lips before letting her go. It had been years since he had been the one swearing that oath. Most of the time, it was sworn to him, to the king, to the Venturi at the head of it all. He hoped he would continue to be that man after it was all over.

When he turned his back on her out of necessity. Ralph was there among the guards in the room, handing Derek a gun. A bigger one. One that would do a lot more damage. But fuck it, let it burn for all he cared.

"Let's go," Derek called out to his boys, leaving Casey alone with Sam. And this time he didn't look back.