AN: Back at this fandom, as promised. This story is less fluffy and more angsty than my previos LwD stories.

Just read it, the style and outcome would be the same as in my other LwDs.

"No! Absolutely not!"

"But Nora-"

"No 'buts', Derek, we all knew what happened last time you threw a party and we're not going there again."

"Besides, we're not going to forbid you to go to a party, just being the host of one."

"Dad! The row was on me, I was supposed to throw the party of the season. Come on, you can stay in the basement and listen if my friends trash the house. Which they won't, by the way, I'm locking all the fragile pieces away."

"And the bedrooms along with it?"

"It's a teenage-party, of course I won't do that."

The moment Derek said it, was the moment he knew he just drowned the last piece of hope.

"No party and that's it, Derek." George turned around and left the kitchen.

"Why don't you go with Casey and Marti for trick-or-treat? So you can get out of the house?" Nora suggested.

He just rolled his eyes and stomped up the stairs.

He'd rather sit at home and play computer-games than risk being seen with his klutzy step-sister and his little sister collecting sweets from strangers at housedoors.

Halfway to his room, Marti stopped him.

"Smerek, how do I look?"

As always the voice of his little sister had a calming effect on him. He crouched down to her and motioned for her to spin.

"Sweet as the candy you're going to get, looking like that," he said smiling.

"But I shouldn't look sweet! I should look scary!"

"Oh, that's my fault," Casey chimed in. "I completely forgot about your hat, little witch." She bowed down and placed said piece on Marti's head. Then she looked at Derek, urging him to say what his little one wanted him to.

"Oh my!" He clutched his hand to his chest. "Stay away from me! I-I can't...that's just creepin' me out!" Theatralically he fell backwards, letting his tongue hang out of his mouth and his limbs go putty to make it look as if he'd just died.

Marti giggled.

One win on this evening for him at least.

He sat up and scooped Marti onto his lap.

"And don't you come home without your bags being heavier than you in winter-clothes, you hear me, Smarti?"

She giggled again and put her arms around his neck to hug him.

"Do I have to share?"

"Only with me."

He let her go and looked after her as she hopped down the stairs.

"You can come with us, y'know," Casey smiled at him. Derek had almost forgotten that she was still standing there.

Startled, he looked up at her. And down her figure.

She wore dark-red fishnet-stockings, a black dress with silver glittering lace over the skirt and heavy but tasteful make-up.

Her eyes were framed in style of green smokey-eyes going from light to dark green, ending in deep black eyeliner and mascara that made her eyes the most prominent part on her face. Her lips, on the other hand, just had a touch of violet lipgloss to them.

She looked absolutely stunning.

"What do you think?" She put a lock of her heavy curled hair behind her ear and looked him in the eyes.

'That I want to pull you down to me to kiss you senseless and-' He jerked back the hand he had unconsciously reached out to her.

She misinterpreted the gesture and wanted to help him up.

Derek stood up hazingly, carefully avoiding to look at her, and ran to his room, slamming the door behind him.

Casey remained there puzzled. She didn't know how to read the expression she had seen on his face as he seemingly noted her looks. But she knew, it started recently that this was a look he gave her more often than any other.

Appreciative.

Lustful.

Dangerous.

Fearful and insecure.

Just like she felt.

w-_-w

"Have fun!"

"And call, if you need something."

"Don't go too far away!"

Nora and George stood in the doorframe and waved after the two girls.

Due to the freezing temperatures Marti was packed in pullovers, scarfs and her winter jacket. She looked like a colourful marshmallow. Casey had her wine-red autumncoat wrapped tightly around her and a black barrett on her locks to round her outfit up. In her big purse she carried warm tea and some crackers. All time prepared in case one of them was still hungry after dinner.

Casey took Marti's gloved hand in her own. She looked over the neighbourhood, where groups of dressed up children walked in groups our with adults waiting on the front porches for them. Doors were opened, every few seconds kids' choirs with "trick or treat" were waving through the crisp night-air.

"Where would you like to-"

"Trick or tree~eat," Marti was already in front of a door and almost sang her phrase.

Casey shut her stunned mouth and smiled instead. She should have known that the things were different with the Venturis. Lizzie had been more of the shy type back then. Marti was a forward as her big brother. Not so much Edwin, but Derek's influence was clear to everyone who knew both sides of it.

Casey'd notied the smile that was reserved for Marti and for Marti only. Derek never had an expression that calm and happy when being with anyone else. He himself seemed to absorb some of her sweet innocence. Become a child when he was playing with her and her toys.

And she'd have never ever admitted it, but he didn't seem anything else than cute to her on those days.

Their tour moved on. Either Marti became instantly part of a group of kids in her hunt for sweets or she went alone. Her big step-sister was always not more than a few steps behind her, not running from one house to the next, but picking a slow pace. Hands in her pockets she enjoyed the clear, star- stained sky above and the exiting hurry of the little ones around her.

"Casey, hurry up!" Marti was already standing on the doormat of the next house.

Casey frowned. A beautiful porch, and clean and neatly painted house, a red door, opened by a middle-aged man smiling brightly at the kids. Nothing to worry about.

Seemingly.

Suddenly it struck her: this was no beautiful, clean and neat house Casey knew. The man giving sweets didn't live in the neighbourhood. She turned over her shoulder. She didn't know any of the houses in this street. They didn't get lost, they only went straight ahead from home. But they were far away from their house.

"Marti, wait a bit." Casey stopped her before she could ring the next bell. "Maybe we should try the other side of the street as well. I bet they have some very good sweets." She offered Marti her hand, which the girl hesitantly took. The young woman brought the little one to take the direction back home.

While Marti was back on her route, Casey called her mum. But she didn't answer her phone. So she tried it with George's number. Could be, her mother forgot to recharge her cellphone. Which she never did, especially when not all her children were around her.

No answer again.

Casey sighed and called the house phone.

"Edwin Venturi?"

"Ed?" Why did he pick up? He usually was at his room doing something or playing games with Lizzie. But he didn't sound as if he had played anything lately.

"Why do you sound so stressed? Is anything wrong?" Casey's stomach seemed to tighten. When she wasn't guessing wrong, something was off.

"Uhm..."

"Ed? Gimme the phone," Derek's voice was being heard from afar. Some rustling and then:

"Derek Venturi, son of George Venturi and Nora MacDonald?"

"Derek? Why would you give your relationship with Mum and George when picking up the phone?"

"Casey?" He sighed. As if she'd dissapointed him, as if she wasn't the one he was expecting a call from.

"Derek, what is wrong, why do you answer the phone like that? Where are our parents?" This was not the moment to point out the difference of the families. To her they were one for now.

"Casey..." at his soft, assuring tone her chest tightened too. "I called dad and Nora half an hour ago." He took a deep breath. "There was a woman on the phone...Casey...there had been an accident."

u-_-u