Hey, everyone and Happy Holidays! I'm so sorry it's taken me so long to get this up. I've been writing it in a notebook, but I hate copying things from notebooks to computer. It gets so annoying and I kept putting it off. But I'd promised my friend I'd get my ass moving, so you can all thank her.

NOTE: I've revised chapters 1-4, so if you've read this before please go back and reread. Some chapters aren't too different, but other's I have added to. I can't remember at the moment, but I may make references to my added scenes during later chapters.

Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Life With Derek.

Life With Derek: Enemies

Chapter 5

A Plead For Normalcy

Venturi/MacDonald House

Casey sat on her bed, staring at her hands as her mind reeled. Why hadn't she known about Derek's mom? Where was Marti going all the times she went to visit her 'mom'? Why were there no pictures of Michelle in the house? Nothing made sense. Falling back into her pillows, Casey groaned.

"You okay?" Lizzie asked. She had been watching her sister from the doorway.

Turning to her sister, Casey motioned for Lizzie to come sit next to her. "I don't get it," she said. "Why didn't they tell us?"

"Maybe it was too hard," Lizzie said, shrugging. "We don't know how she died."

"It was a car accident."

Turning Casey and Lizzie saw Edwin standing at the door.

"A car accident?" Casey echoed.

Edwin nodded. "I don't really know the details. All I really know is that Derek was in the car with her when it happened."

"Edwin!" George called. "I need your help down here!"

"Coming!" Edwin called back. Turning to his stepsisters, he cast a final, mourn filled glance at them and walked out the door.

"Case?"

Casey turned to her sister. "Yeah?"

"Is he gonna die?" Lizzie asked, her voice soft and scared.

"No way," Casey said, wrapping an arm around Lizzie's shoulders. "He left in the middle of a fight. No way would Derek Venturi let me win." Her lips twitched, forming an almost minuscule smile. "He's too stubborn." Placing a kiss on Lizzie's head, she met her sister's eyes. "Now, you go to bed. It's getting late."

Nodding, Lizzie placed a kiss on Casey's cheek, jumping off the bed. "Night, Case."

"Love you, kid."

Lizzie smiled at her sister. "Love you, too."

As Lizzie left the room, Casey fell back onto her bed, closing her eyes. It didn't matter that she was still in her clothes, nor did it matter that every other teenager her age was still out partying. For Casey, all that mattered was that she rest.

---

It started out fine. Another normal dream. Marti was meowing under the table, Lizzie and Edwin were plotting, and Nora and George were in the basement.

Now, you're probably wondering what became of our favorite pair. Casey sat on the old couch, Derek beside her in his chair. What's with him? He's never been this quiet before. Turning to Derek, she screamed.

Derek sat in his seat, head fallen back. His skin was cut and bruised and blood poured from his abdomen. His lips were blue along with most of his body.

Casey screamed again.

Derek's chest was still. He wasn't breathing.

"NO!" Casey's eyes shot open and she slipped off her bed. Lying in a heap on the floor, she held a hand over her heart. It was racing. It was just a dream. Just a dream.

But something still bit at her. Was he okay? The first night was always the most critical. He could have—

No. Casey shook her head. He's not dead. Her eyes turned towards his bedroom. But he isn't home either.

She had to make sure he was okay; if he was alive. She definitely couldn't call him. Coma patients couldn't answer phones.

She stood and grabbed her jacket. She was going to see him.

---

Dressed in a heavy winter jacket, Casey walked up to the entrance of the hospital. Walking through the doors, she slipped past security and hospital personnel, feeling like she was in some kind of spy movie. Finally, she thought, Babe Raider is good for something.

Reaching the door to Derek's room, she opened the door, slipping in. Shutting the door behind her, Casey felt tears spring to her eyes as she stared at Derek.

Moonlight drifted in from the windows, illuminating Derek's face with an unearthly glow. Had it not been for the cuts and bruises, he would have appeared too be as innocent as Marti.

Casey smiled. Or maybe more. She sat beside his bed, gently tracing his face, going around his injuries. She did her best to pretend that he was only sleeping and that the marks and coldness of his skin was nonexistent. It didn't work. Derek was in a coma and even though she knew it, she didn't want to believe it.

Her hand reached his and she intertwined her fingers with his frigid ones.

"Hey, she whispered.

Derek didn't move.

Casey shook her head. "This is crazy. You probably can't even hear me." She sighed. "I…I know about your mom. Derek, I'm so sorry. I didn't know she had…I didn't know." A sob escaped her lips. "You have to wake up. This is killing everyone. Your dad is remembering your mom, my mom has no idea what to do, and Edwin is so…I can't even describe it. Hurt, anger, fear. He's so scared he'll lose you too. Lizzie is so confused and Marti…she thinks you're Sleeping Beauty. We had no idea what to tell her."

Shuffling outside made Casey snap her mouth shut.

As the steps faded away, Casey felt something drip down her face. She hadn't even realized she was crying until the one sob from earlier returned and more tears slid down her face, some falling with a splash on Derek's unmoving face.

Her shoulders shook with her shuddering breaths and throughout the entire time, Derek didn't move. Not a flinch, not a smirk, not even a twitch.

Casey could do nothing but cry harder. For once, she wished that Derek would just insult her. It didn't happen.

Of course, Casey thought bitterly. The one time I want him to annoy me, he can't.

She sobbed. "Derek, you have to wake up. It's only day one and this family is falling apart. We need you. I need you."

TBC

Anime Girl23: So? What'd you think?

Derek: What have I said about me not doing tears?

Anime Girl23: Oh, get over it. Rolls eyes Baby.

Derek: No baby has this body.

Anime Girl23: And thank God. Otherwise I'd be a major pervert.

Derek: Oh, God. She's serious.

Anime Girl23: Oh, yeah. Anyway, please review! I'm working my ass off to get a bunch of holiday chapters up for most of my stories and I need encouragement that you all are still reading! And before I let you all go to stuff your faces with food (Because how can you not?), I would like to quote Booth from the awesome show Bones.

IT'S CHRISTMAS EVE DAY! An eve and a day. It's a Christmas miracle.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Until next time!