Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Edwin’s POV -

It begins with a ridiculous amount of emails… received, not sent.

In mid-June, Edwin Venturi was sorting the stack of invoices for the previous quarter. His dad was hopeless with taxes . Looking through his accounting book, flipping back to the previous two quarters, he saw the inventory that had been sold and decided he’d better check the email he’d set up to handle getting rid of some of his mom’s artifacts. Maybe he’d empty it, sending replies if necessary and explain that nothing else was for sale before shutting the account down permanently.

He’d expected a few emails in the inbox, but it was purposefully difficult to find their information.

Edwin did not expect the inbox to be full of emails from one sole account.

He frowned and scrolled to the bottom, finding close to one hundred emails.

“What the-?” he muttered to himself.

Edwin began reading.

It only took him a few hours since the messages were all fairly short, but he was still perplexed when he got to the most recent one. Whoever Lizzie McDonald was, she was extremely persistent. His older brother, Derek, would be home tomorrow from a job. This situation probably required a family meeting.

Four days later, after much debate between his father, brother, younger sister and himself Edwin sent a reply back.

00

Lizzie’s POV -

“Oh my gosh!” Lizzie exclaimed loudly. Her tawny brown owl Archimedes puffed up his feathers in displeasure about her noise interrupting his nap on his perch in the afternoon sun. Lizzie read the email over again just to be sure before yelling again. “Holy shit! Casey?!?”

She fled her room and went downstairs. Her older sister would likely either be reading in the library or getting started on dinner by now.

“Casey?”

Her sister met her at the bottom of the stairs, smudges of flour on her hands, arms and face. Ah. Right. Wednesday was bread day. “Liz? What’s the matter?”

“They answered! ” Lizzie gasped in disbelief.

“Who answered what?” Casey frowned.

“V & L!”

“Okay, you lost me”, Casey grimaced. “Come with me back to the kitchen. I’m supposed to be keeping an eye on Mom’s sauce.”

Nora was currently tending to their herb garden. She had to gather a few more things to gather to complete Mrs. Sullivan’s potion.

Lizzie followed her sister, excitement building in her chest. This was the first real lead they’d had in over four years. In the kitchen, she could smell two loaves of rosemary bread baking in the oven. The smell of the bubbling sauce made her stomach growl.

“Start the salad, will you”, Casey nodded to the large bowl on the counter next to the refrigerator. Once Lizzie had started chopping lettuce, Casey spoke again. “Tell me”, she said with a slight smile. “What’s got you so excited?”

“V & L Artifacts!” Lizzie insisted. “I told you I found their website last year, but it had been inactive. I’ve been sending an email once a week, and they finally messaged me back!”

“Why are you harassing the poor artifact people?”

“They have books, Casey. Old books . Books that are no longer in publication.”

“You’re still looking for grimoires and curse breaking books from the 17th century?! After all this time? Lizzie, I’ve scoured every museum, library and even some dark markets. I turned up nothing . And I’ve never heard of these people!”

Lizzie’s eyes went wide. She’d always known her sister had put her degree to good use, but she hadn’t understood the depth of the searching she’d done. Lizzie should have known better. Her sister was known for her thoroughness. But still . “Casey, these people aren’t scammers. I think they can help us! I have a feeling-”

“Liz”, Casey sighed. “I highly doubt your intuition works via the internet.”

“No. Casey, please don’t try to burst my bubble just yet. I need to look into this.”

“Why are they responding all of the sudden? What’s changed?”

“Someone named Edwin messaged me back. He said a few years back he only set up the website to auction off some pieces that museums didn’t want. They still have a personal collection though, and it seems extensive.”

“He didn’t say why”, Casey said flatly.

“I didn’t ask!” Lizzie let the handle of her knife slap the cutting board. “Maybe it’s personal. I’m not going to ask strangers to spill their life story over email!” she huffed.

“But you do want to tell strangers our personal story?!” Casey asked incredulously. “Don’t you get it? You can’t tell people. They either think you’re crazy, or they believe you and end up hurt. Or worse.” She pinched the bridge of her nose. “Wasn’t my loss enough?” she asked softly.

“Casey”, Lizzie whispered. “Nobody can change what happened. It wasn’t your fault.”

Irritably, Casey swiped away a stray, angry tear. “Yes. Yes it was. I didn’t listen to Gran. I thought I could just be normal. But I was wrong. We’re not normal… and we never will be. I can’t be responsible for hurting anyone else.”

Lizzie sighed. “You were only seventeen. No one should expect a teenager not to fall in love.”

Casey took a deep breath and exhaled, putting aside all her troubled emotions, and looked her younger sister in the eye. “Maybe you’re right about that. But all these years later… I won’t let it happen again.”

“Casey-”

“Finish the salad”, Casey said pointedly.

“We’re not done talking about this”, Lizzie said.

“Mom will be done in the greenhouse soon. Can we please just have a peaceful dinner?”

Lizzie rolled her eyes. “I’m twenty-four. You don’t need to parent me.”

“Debatable”, Casey teased. “You know I just want you to be safe, right?” she frowned.

“I know you and Mom and Gran have all given up hope. I can’t yet, Casey. Please try to understand.”

“I’ll always be here, no matter what happens”, Casey promised softly. She rolled a lemon across the island to her sister. “For the vinaigrette”, she said when Lizzie caught it.

Fifteen minutes later, Casey was switching the loaf of bread for scones when Nora came in through the side door.

“Oh, it smells amazing in here, girls”, Nora said appreciatively as she took off her gardening hat, gloves, and muddy boots. “I’m going to clean up, then we can sit down, alright?”

“I’m just setting the table now”, Lizzie said moving toward the cabinet.

Nora nodded. “I won't be long.”

“I’ll pour the wine”, Casey smiled. “Yay. Girls night.”

Lizzie huffed. “It’s always ‘girls night’”, she sighed.

“Boys are overrated”, Casey said flatly.

“You would know with your vast experience.” Lizzie’s eyes went wide and she inhaled sharply. “Casey, I didn’t mean it like that-”

Casey, however, gave Lizzie an icy stare. “My boyfriend’s body disappeared in the Atlantic. What would you like to happen to yours?”

“Casey-” Lizzie cursed under her breath. “I’m really sorry-”

“Finish setting the table. I didn’t make half of dinner for nothing.”

Minutes later, Nora returned and found nothing amiss. Casey was a master at stifling her emotions after all these years. They sat down at the dining table to eat dinner like they did every night.

Just the three of them.

After the divorce was finalized fifteen years ago, the McDonald girls moved to Nova Scotia. Nora kept her married name as an extra layer of protection for her and her daughters. Occasionally the name Webster earned them some raised eyebrows. She’d always assumed it was just a story told by her own mother, Felicia, who was far more conservative in her beliefs, but when Nora’s marriage dissolved, much like her mother’s, Nora decided to look into the notion of the family curse herself.

Against all odds, it seemed the curse was true, and not just a tall tale passed down through the years. The pattern was evident in the family tree, plain as day. Loss in some form, whether by abandonment or death.

Casey had once had big ideas about love too. These fanciful ideals were soundly smashed when a boating accident killed the boy she’d wholeheartedly thought she loved. The pain was near unbearable. She’d barely graduated, and she’d taken an extra year before applying to college.

Even worse than the painful loss upending her plans for her future Casey let her heart go cold. There was no hope for happiness for Webster women. They were destined to be alone.

At fourteen, there was little Lizzie could do to help her sister with her sadness over such a tragedy. Over the years, she watched her sister become a shell of herself. While Lizzie had always considered herself the practical one, Casey who was once so hopeful and optimistic for the future became cynical. Casey had taken care of Lizzie in the early years, when their parents divorce sent their mother adrift. Nora had thrown herself into her work, making sure there was always food on the table, and they had whatever they needed, but emotionally, she’d been detached for a while. It had forged an unbreakable bond between the sisters who had very different spirits, and Lizzie’s heart ached for her sister.

Lizzie began to look for other ways to break the curse. Over the years, she, Casey and Nora had exhausted their own magical library and Felicia’s. Now, her new search would lead her away from the family as she heard tales from a source, of a man that guarded artifacts that were believed to be tied to magic.

She was nervous and excited. Her mother hadn’t left their small town since they’d moved here except for a few trips to the nearest college to be a guest speaker. Casey had gone to college and come back even though she occasionally was gone for periods of time, putting her history degree to good use and working as a consultant. After college, Lizzie had also found her way back home.

Their cliff side home was on the outskirts of town, isolated the way they needed to be. It was a white, three-story home with dark green shutters and a dirt farce of a driveway that spent three seasons as mud. The house had a large wrap-around porch - several hanging baskets of flowers filled the air with familiar scents and attracted the local bees. They also had a small vegetable garden out front.

Mom grew the herbs they used for cooking and potions in the greenhouse alongside the flowers. Lizzie had been born with her mother’s gift for plant rearing, and her matching botany degree proved it. They spent long summer days tending to precious plants.

The house was grander than three people and an owl might typically need, but it suited their tastes, and they made use of all the space. In the winter, Casey stoked the fireplace and grumbled about her feet being frozen from walking on the oak floors despite the various rugs.

Their mother used to be well traveled. Nora had gone directly to cooking a school in France after high school. She spent two years there before going back home to Canada and going to college where she met Dennis. He’d been a senior when she started her freshman year two years too late. While Casey and Lizzie’s father was a well-known lawyer, Nora put her own botanist degree to good use.

Nora had always steered the girls away from the spell books, choosing to have them focus on what she believed was the most important part of their magic: their connection to the earth and all its elements.

It was just one more way Nora differed from her sisters.

Nora’s younger sister Fiona had an unhealthy obsession with love magic that she’d passed on to her daughter. Belinda, the eldest of the three, was the most pragmatic and used magic as little as possible, only teaching the most basic necessities to her three children.

00

Several hours later, when the three of them sat down to have tea and Casey’s lemon blueberry scones for dessert, Lizzie broached the topic of her received email with their mother.

“Mom… I can’t explain it. But this just… feels right somehow”, Lizzie said softly.

Nora took a deep breath and sighed. “I’ve always let you girls take your own journey regarding this curse. Every woman who falls in love tries to outrun it and ultimately fails. And then they have a choice to make: love while you have it or no love at all. If this is something you need to do, I’ll support your decision. You must promise me that you’ll be careful.”

“I will, Mom. I promise.”

Nora nodded, obviously resigned. “How are you going to get there?”

“There are flights that should get me about an hour from where they live. I’ll rent a car and drive the rest of the way.”

“You’ll keep in touch? Let us know if you need anything?” Nora asked quietly.

“Of course I will. I’m not leaving for a few days. I haven’t even scheduled a flight yet.”

0

Later that night, after their mom retired to her bedroom, Lizzie made the trek to the third floor that Casey had turned into a large bedroom suite when she’d come back after graduating from college.

“Are you angry with me?” Lizzie asked as she leaned against her sister’s door frame.

Casey looked up and pushed her small reading glasses up on top of her head. She sighed. “I’m not angry”, she said softly.

“I don’t believe you.” Lizzie gave her sister a half smile.

“Lizzie… I’m not angry. I just… I’m worried. I’m always worried. I don’t want you to be hurt like I was. I- Liz, I almost didn’t come back from that.”

Lizzie gnawed on her bottom lip. She ached for the pain that her sister had been through, but she couldn’t let it stop her. Not yet anyway. “Casey… what you went through… what their family went through-”

Casey flinched.

Lizzie sighed. “It was a tragedy, Casey. I need to at least try to make sure no one else goes through that.”

“I understand… I do. I just don’t want your heart to be broken in the process. Whatever happens… I’m only a phone call away.”

Lizzie nodded, frowning thoughtfully as she stared at the dream catcher that hung over her sister’s bed. Nora had made it years ago in an effort to combat her daughter’s nightmares after the horrible accident. “Does it help?” she asked quietly.

Casey shrugged. “Sometimes.”

“Will you help me pack then?” Lizzie asked, knowing it was best to change the subject.

Casey forced a tight grin in response and pushed herself up from the bed. “Yeah, okay. Let’s make sure you have everything you need.”

Between the two of them, it didn’t take as long as it could have to make a decent amount of progress. Lizzie had one giant suitcase and a smaller one plus her small backpack, so she didn’t have to skimp out in her packing.

Casey was making a pile of laundry that needed washing before packing when her sister spoke again.

“Casey”, Lizzie hedged.

“Hmm?” Casey hummed absently as she lost herself in a trance of folding sweaters.

“Casey… I can’t take Archimedes on a plane.”

Casey’s head shot up and she pouted immediately. “No. Lizzie, I know you love that thing, but he hates me!”

“Maybe you should stop calling Archimedes ‘that thing’”, Lizzie muttered. “Casey, please. Take care of him so I know he’s safe.”

“Lizzie.”

“Pleeeaasssseeee?!”

Casey grumbled some unladylike obscenities but gave in fairly quickly. “Ugh. He’d better not wake me up in the middle of the night tugging my hair to make it into a nest again!”

“You really should take it as a compliment. He’s picky with his nesting materials.”

Casey made an unimpressed face.

“I rescued him three years ago, Casey. Can’t you please make friends already?”

“He wasn’t as scary when he was tiny!” Casey protested. “And the little shit still bit me!”

Lizzie stifled a laugh. “He was scared and hungry. I can’t believe you’re still holding a grudge over it!”

“My finger was bleeding!”

“Three drops of healing tincture and you were fine. You’re such a baby”, Lizzie teased.

“He will hunt for his own food, yes?” Casey raised an eyebrow. “I draw the line at catching his mice.”

“Take him out to the garden before dark. He’ll get his own dinner.”

Casey frowned. “What if he tries to leave and find you?”

Lizzie sighed. “I’ll make sure he knows to stay with you.”

“You owe me”, Casey said petulantly.

Lizzie grinned. “Thanks.”

00

Four days later, Lizzie’s last afternoon at home, she and Casey made a picnic lunch and took it and a large outdoor blanket, making their home under the large oak tree in the backyard. It was to the left side of the yard, still in sight of the round table they used to eat dinner during the good weather. There was just a slight breeze, and they could hear the melodic noise from the wind chimes hanging on the back porch.

Casey had packed their basket with sandwiches, fruit, vegetables from the small garden, and a few massive chocolate chip cookies. They drank lemonade and chatted and laughed together just enjoying their time together as sisters before Lizzie went on her own journey. Casey had made up her mind a long time ago that she would always support her sister despite their differences of opinion, so they shelved all the sadness and their disagreements and just enjoyed their time together.

Less than twenty-four hours later, after tearful, early morning goodbyes with her mother and sister who took her to the airport, a way too long flight, and a long trek into the woods with her rental car - crossing her fingers that her GPS wouldn’t fail her - Lizzie found herself pulling up a long, narrow driveway that had so many curves she wasn’t sure which direction the house would sit.

Finally, finally, she found herself hitting the brakes as she stared up at the large house.

She turned off the engine and took a moment to gather her thoughts when the front door opened, and a man a bit older than her exited the house. Lizzie grabbed her tote bag with her laptop and necessary odds and ends, keys and water bottle and got out of the car. She stepped onto the walkway that led to the porch hesitantly. The air was fresh and light here, not quite similar to their oceanside home. The rather large house was surrounded by an enclave of trees secluded from any passersby. Lizzie would guess their nearest neighbors were over a mile away.

She walked up the stone steps curious about the style of the house in such a secluded area, but finally, with one foot on the landing she realized the man in question was probably near Casey’s age… and he was openly assessing her as a stranger who had practically invited herself onto their property.

She returned his steady stare and held out her hand. “Lizzie McDonald”, she offered with a decent helping of bravado.

He nodded once and shook her hand briefly. “Derek Venturi. Come on in.”

00

To Casey:

I’m here and safe! It was a really long trip and I’m exhausted, but this place is amazing! They live in the woods and the house is huge, but somehow still cozy. I’m fairly certain nobody is a cannibal. I’ll keep you posted. Love you and Mom. Tell Archie that I said hello. You’re being nice to him, right?

Love Liz

0

To Lizzie:

Your ‘baby’ brought me a LIVE CRICKET today and dropped it in my teacup! He clearly misses you and wants me to choke on a bug. Hunting tonight… we’ll see how it goes. If I end up with a mouse on my head I WILL find a taxidermist!”

Glad you’re safe. Miss you. Love you. Mom said make sure you eat enough… Tell me about the Venturis? If not cannibals, maybe vampires?

Love Casey

P.S. Have you seen any seagulls?

0

To Casey:

Look up George Venturi. He spent years as an environmental lawyer. He has three kids. They’re all a little less than normal in their own way. But they’ve been fairly welcoming. Edwin gave me a quick tour yesterday. He seems nice. Quiet maybe… and a bit odd. But nice. He has an older brother (Derek is your age, I think. He hasn’t been around much. He does construction work in the surrounding towns.) They have a younger sister. Marti is… very unique. She lives in her own reality and likes it there. I sense she could have latent magic. She definitely has a vibe.

George is very nice, but a bit scattered. He’s been a widower for many years.

No, Casey! They’re not vampires either. I knew you read Twilight! They aren’t the Volturi! Quit pretending to believe in supernatural creatures! *rolling my eyes*

**I laughed so hard I almost needed a trip to the ER. Archimedes is trying to feed you like you’re his baby owlet!… or maybe he’s courting you as his girlfriend? I’m a little confused about the difference. Don’t be mad that he’s bringing you gifts though. He wants to make you happy. I’ve got a few books upstairs still about owl care. See what you can figure out. How did hunting go? I’m assuming he came back or you would have called… right?!**

P.S. I appreciate your concern for Archimedes’ distant relatives, but I’m way too far inland.

My phone service is spotty, so we’ll keep in contact mostly through email. Maybe I can find a decent spot with service soon.

Talk soon.

Love Lizzie

P.P.S. My stay has become indefinite rather quickly. Derek met me at the car rental after he finished work and drove me back. Edwin said I could drive his truck, which forced me to explain I can’t drive a stick shift. I think Derek almost keeled over. He has very big feelings about this and is going to teach me to ‘drive properly’. His words, not mine. I’m a bit worried, but Marti said he taught her to drive and it was fine. (She drives like a demon, so cross your fingers for me.)

00

The house was even quieter now with Lizzie gone, and while Casey tried to respect her sister’s choice, she missed her.

She missed her, and she worried . She wished her little sister happiness just as much as she wished Lizzie would give into the inevitable.

Casey wasn’t patient enough to tend to the plants full time, despite her mother’s efforts, but she did her best. Their greenhouse was beautiful and relaxing, something she appreciated even though she wasn’t the green thumb Nora and Lizzie were. The stone floors felt sturdy under her tennis shoes, and the glass walls let the light in as well as allowed them to see into the expansive backyard. The watering can on the bench near the herbs reminded her of her childhood, long before her parents became unhappy, and she couldn’t help but glance at it wistfully every time she entered. Casey didn’t want to leave her mom to care for all the plants and herbs alone, so she crossed her fingers and hoped she wouldn’t kill anything.

Over the years, Nora and Lizzie had built quite an expansive setup that meant they almost always had whatever plants they might need on hand for spell work as well as food. They also had plants for medicinal purposes, as making healing tinctures was a skill that Felicia had ensured Nora had learned as a teenager and then passed down to her own daughters.

Over the years, Nora and Lizzie had organized their plants into categories for efficiency. Near the entrance, there was a potted aloe plant in the corner near the workbench with their herbs and medicinal plants. In the back, there was a small peppercorn plant that they used for cooking as well as heightened spell potency.

Before she left, Lizzie had pulled some lavender to dry to be ground into powder to restock their sleeping tonics, and that was something Casey could do, so she got to work.

The humidity meant that the fragrance of the herbs permeated in the air. Hints of thyme, lemongrass, and rosemary clung to her skin as she removed the lavender stems and slowly began crushing the dried flowers with the pestle and mortar.

Once she had the finely ground powder stored away properly, Casey went to the back wall to check on their poisonous plants. They weren’t her mother’s favorite to deal with, and Lizzie usually managed them, choosing to ignore their more nefarious uses. Over the years, Casey had become more appreciative of the beautiful plants that were inherently lethal.

Beauty was misleading even without a curse hanging over your head.

She checked the hemlock and foxglove before moving to the nightshade plant and plucking enough berries to fill a tray to dehydrate in the oven the following day. Nora wasn’t a fan of the belladonna powder, but it was necessary to keep small quantities on hand just in case.

Once she finished checking on all the plants, Casey went upstairs to find Archimedes who had been pouting in Lizzie’s bedroom since she’d left.

00

To Liz:

How’s it going? Mom took a freelance job teaching a summer course at the college, so she’s back and forth a lot. I’m nearly done - finally - translating this text. It was a nightmare, honestly. The ink was barely legible. My eyes are strained, and my neck hurts, but the feeling of accomplishment is always so satisfying. I’ve put out some feelers so maybe I’ll get another bite soon.

You’ve been gone three weeks, and the house is awfully quiet. The blackberry bushes are almost ready for picking. I’m looking forward to making a pie.

Shiesters then? Are we sure they’re clean? Did you smudge your room? Do you have enough supplies? I can send you a care package. *evil grin* Let me know.

Love Casey.

P.S. Archimedes brought me a pink aster yesterday. He misses you. He’s been napping on my shoulder while I do my evening reading on the back porch. I’m reasonably certain he’s not going to peck my eyeballs out… I hope.

Mom sends her love. We’ll miss you for solstice.

0

To Casey:

Putting Archimedes through the mail does not constitute ‘a care package’! Don’t even try it. I’m glad you’re getting along. He’s very sensitive. Try not to hurt his feelings. My supplies are fine for now. Their house is isolated in the woods - no this isn’t the beginning of a B-rated horror film. I’ve gotten to walk the property. There are so many necessities in the woods. It almost feels like a second home somehow. I can’t explain it. But it’s comforting being here.

I miss you. And mom. Tell her I love her.

No, Casey! They’re not effing shiesters! For Pete’s sake. Sometimes I wonder what would happen if you got your head examined.

This place has such good vibes. I can’t explain it. I wish you were here.

Love Liz

0

To Liz:

I got hired by the Nova Scotia Museum! It’s an easy drive, but I’m studying some of their new texts from the Greek-Roman Empire, and it’s fascinating. It might take me about a month to get through it all.

I’m excited for the challenge.

Mom has been busy prepping for the end of summer. She’s got some plants drying for seeds and powder. Also, one of the ladies from town came to see her about a potion. We’ve done our best to stay inconspicuous, but word of mouth travels fast. So far there’s been no issues.

Archie missed you. I’m fairly certain he’s building a nest somewhere in my bedroom.

Hopefully we’ll all be together for Thanksgiving? You should take a holiday break from research anyway.

Miss you.

Love Casey

0

To Casey:

Congratulations on the job! I’m glad you’ve got some work to keep you busy for a bit!

Look, I know you’re going to be angry, but… I told Edwin... about everything. He’s a very curious person, and he jumped right into my research notes - with my permission - and he found me another pile of books in their library to read.

Have I mentioned how massive they’re library is? I’m never going to make a dent.

I’ve been teaching Marti how to make food besides cookies… Oh my gosh. I had no idea that guys ate so much! Honestly!

I helped Marti bleach the ends of her hair the other night and we dyed them purple. I’ve been moderately successful in not stalling the truck during driving lessons. Derek is… not an awful teacher. It’s been nice having Edwin spend time with me in the library. The way his brain works takes me in directions I’ve never considered. George’s sense of humor is basically a lot of dad jokes, but he’s a very kind, optimistic person, and this almost feels like a second home.

Except- did I tell you that they all love pranks? *sighs*

I have cat whiskers on my face right now and I’m not sure whether it was Marti or Derek. Edwin is a terrible liar, so I’d know if he’d done it. George thinks it’s hilarious.

I miss you. You’d love all their books. Move into the library with me?

Love Liz

00

Lizzie’s POV:

Lizzie was standing on top of her bed in her guest room when a throat cleared. Her eyes flicked to the open door, and she found her observer to be Derek. “Can I help you?”

He snorted. “Just got back from a job. What are you doing?”

She could tell. His boots were filthy.

“I’m finding my second bar so I can call my sister. The best service is about…” she scrunched her nose and held her other hand near her neck. “About yay-high.”

“Yay?” Derek said dryly.

“Yay”, she deadpanned. She and Derek had managed to slightly bond over their gifts of intuition. That had translated into having similar humor, both a bit dry and sarcastic. (Marti had seen Derek’s humor and snarky attitude and exceeded them by a mile.)

He smirked. “Have fun with that.”

The line was ringing and she shooed him away as the line began to ring.

“Lizzie!” Casey answered the phone happily.

“Hey, Casey! How are you?”

“You can always use the house phone”, Derek said with a laugh as he walked down the hallway.

“Who was that?” Casey asked.

Lizzie flicked two fingers so the door closed itself. “Oh, that was Derek. He just got back. Tell me what’s new!”

00

Several weeks later, Lizzie woke up in the middle of the night with her heart pounding. The dream was fuzzy in her mind, but she had the feeling of increasing urgency that she needed eyes in her sister… or maybe that she needed Casey… here?

She frowned, silently following that thread of thought, giving the idea a silent tug.

Casey here? With her? Or-

Here with the Venturis?

Lizzie got up and set herself in her meditation circle and began to focus on the feeling of urgency, trying to follow the path.

A feeling of confirmation settled over her and she stood, needing to follow through with her decision immediately. Lizzie left her room silently, making her way to the kitchen to use the house phone to call her sister.

0

Lizzie had been gone for months, the only communication between them were emails and the occasional phone call. It was the middle of the night when she rang the phone at the McDonald house.

“Lizzie!”

“Casey! Listen to me- I can’t explain. I just, you need to come here.”

Casey felt panic rising. Lizzie was as fiercely independent as she was, and neither of them liked asking for help. “Whatever you need”, she promised. “Where are you?”

“I’m safe”, Lizzie insisted. “Come to the Venturis?”

“What’s a Venturi?” Casey asked through a jaw-cracking yawn. Her brain was still muddled with sleep.

“Casey. Keep up. We’ve been emailing and talking about them for months.”

“Sorry, sorry. It’s the middle of the night. Wait. You want me to come there? Why?”

Lizzie began chattering about how the Venturi family actually owned four generations worth of ancient books.

Casey blinked herself awake. “So you haven’t really found anything?” she asked with a sigh.

“I- Casey… no, I haven’t quite found what we need, but there’s so much potential here. I need you with me.”

Casey groaned. “Liz, I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Please? I need my sister.”

“You just miss your owl.” Casey rolled her eyes. Her head tipped back and her shoulders fell in despair. There was only one option. “Am I bringing him with me?”

Lizzie shrieked happily. “Thank you, Casey! I promise you won’t regret it.”

“I’m sure I will”, Casey mumbled under her breath. “Will they mind? The Venturis?”

“Archie? No. Marti has a dog the size of a small horse. I suppose we’ll just have to teach Samson not to eat him.”

“ Great .” Casey had actually been asking whether they’d mind a second guest, but she wasn’t in the mood to clarify.

“I know how you feel about dogs, but he’s a sweet mutt… just huge. If Marti isn’t around he follows Derek and hangs out in the workshop. I mean, he likes to steal Derek’s favorite hammer, but he’s harmless. Marti said they found him on the side of the road coming back from town. She made Derek pull over and they ended up bringing the puppy home. No one else really lives out this far, so they figured he was abandoned.”

Casey sighed. “I need a week. Is that okay? I need to finish up with the museum.”

“That would be perfect”, Lizzie said happily, a feeling of relief washing over her.

Chapter Text

Casey’s POV -

It took her eight days to finish her work at the new display at the museum, do some shopping and pack her car with the necessary things. A plane would be much faster, but Archimedes or not, she only flew if there was no other choice. 

Nora had been busy through the summer not only with her freelance work, but taking care of their garden, herbs, and plants that Lizzie usually helped tend. Casey did what she could, despite not having a green thumb whatsoever. She could handle the basics, and could follow a watering and pruning schedule. But intuitively knowing what the plants needed? She didn’t have that gift.

While Casey knew Nora was happy that she would be checking on Lizzie, Casey worried about her mom being alone while they were both gone.

It was a long journey by car. Casey spent several nights in a hotel, smuggling Archimedes inside under her jacket. It would have been a long trip even without an owl as her passenger, but he’d been remarkably well-behaved. Casey was positive that he’d understood her when she told him they were going to see Lizzie.

When she finally pulled up the ridiculously long driveway, she encountered a two-story red brick house with white trim and large pillars attaching the overhang to the front porch. She wouldn’t exactly call it a mansion, but it was larger than any house she’d seen in the area. To the right of the driveway, there was a carriage house with ivy climbing up one side. The front door opened and Lizzie practically flew down the sidewalk, and Casey barely managed to be completely upright before her younger sister was squeezing the life out of her.

She laughed under her breath, returning the tight hug with one of her own. “It’s so good to see you”, she whispered. A dog barked and Casey could feel it brushing her legs as it ran in circles around them.

“I missed you so much”, Lizzie said back.

Casey barely released Lizzie when she was tackled by a young woman with dark hair. “I can’t believe you’re here!”

“Casey, this is Marti.” Lizzie grinned. Then she rolled her eyes and lunged for an overgrown brown and black puppy, catching him by the collar. “Samson! Sit.”

Casey returned the squeeze from Marti partially out of politeness, and partially because it had been a long while since someone had hugged her for no reason. She was introduced to Edwin who shook her hand and gave her a polite nod. George had a wide smile on his face when Lizzie introduced them. He held both of her hands between his and made her feel like she really was welcome, giving her an extra squeeze when she thanked him for keeping an eye on Lizzie. She heard her sister sigh about it, but let it go.

“Derek won’t be back until dinner”, Lizzie explained. “Where’s Archie?”

Casey rolled her eyes. “Are you happier to see me or your owl?” she teased.

Lizzie blinked at her with wide-eyed innocence. “You’re my sister.”

Casey rolled her eyes and nodded to her SUV. “Go get your baby before he burrows a home into my front seat”, she said.

Lizzie grinned. “Marti, Edwin, come meet Archimedes.”

Casey grabbed her suitcase from the trunk and got a quick tour of the place. Lizzie then showed Casey to her room and the bathroom they would share, where she grabbed a shower and then a quick nap before dinner.

Feeling much better after cleaning up, brushing her teeth, and getting a quick power nap, Casey came down for dinner. She glanced around and found Archimedes perched on the back of an empty chair which she assumed was her sister’s seat. Edwin was watching skeptically as Marti carefully used a finger to scratch the owl’s wing. Lizzie was pulling a roast chicken and veggies from the oven when the back door opened.

“Derek’s here!” Edwin announced unnecessarily.

“Of course he’s here”, George rolled his eyes good-naturedly as his oldest entered the kitchen with all the subtlety of a rhino stampede. “There’s food.”

“I’m a growing boy”, Derek retorted.

Edwin scoffed. “You’re thirty- ow! ”

“Don’t finish that sentence”, Derek muttered grumpily after giving his brother a whack to the back of his head.

Edwin smirked. “I know entering your Golden Years has made you morose- ”

“I’m not morose!”

“Thirties aren’t the Golden Years !” Casey gasped, sounding offended.

Edwin held up both hands. “Damn, okay.”

Casey barely controlled her wince when brown eyes narrowed at her. “You’re the sister?”

Lizzie sighed and deliberately bumped Derek with her hip as she passed. “Hot chicken. Act like a normal person and be nice or none for you.”

“Hey! I’m nice”, he complained, acting offended.

“When you want to be”, Lizzie acknowledged with an eye roll. “Casey, Derek. Derek, my sister , Casey.”

Casey bit her lip and hid a smile. Sometimes Lizzie sounded more like Nora than Casey. “Hi”, she offered wryly.

He smirked. “Hi. Can I have my chicken now?” he asked Lizzie.

Lizzie groaned. “Ugh, no. Go wash your hands.”

Derek turned back to Casey. “Are you as bossy as your sister?” he asked with a sigh.

“Girls don’t like being called bossy!” Lizzie insisted.

“Who do you think she learned it from?” Casey answered dryly. There was enough grudging fondness in his voice that she didn’t feel the need to defend her sister. Apparently Lizzie had made an impression on the whole family.

Ten minutes later, everyone was around the table, and they all started digging into the food while Lizzie asked her sister more about her trip.

“I can't believe you drove that far”, Derek muttered in between shoveling bites of chicken and potato in his mouth. “Don’t you ever get on a plane?”

Casey scoffed. “Not if I can help it,”

“Planes are one of the safest ways to travel, statistically speaking”, Edwin frowned.

“If we were meant to fly, we would have wings”, Casey said, wrinkling her nose in distaste.

“Leave Casey alone. Everyone is scared of something”, George said.

Casey sighed, biting her lip in an effort not to say that she wasn’t afraid of flying. She was afraid of trusting a gravity-defying hunk of metal not to kill her… but she appreciated the sentiment.

Marti grinned. “Don’t worry, Casey. Derek is afraid of mice.”

“And snakes”, Edwin said cheerily.

Casey grinned as the younger siblings threw their brother under the proverbial bus. She gave Derek a look of faux sympathy. “That must be terrible for you, living out in the woods and all.”

Derek made a face at her and opened his mouth which had food in it.

Casey grimaced. Ew.

Marti threw a cooked carrot across the table at her oldest brother. “ Derek! Gross.”

‘Well’, Casey thought, ‘ this was going to be an adventure. ’

00

“You and Liz have matching necklaces?” Derek asked when he found Casey in the front room curled up in the corner of the couch under a small flannel blanket on her second night with them. She was reading a book about the Aztecs that she’d never been able to get her hands on before now.

She looked up curiously. “Hmm?” Casey glanced down and realized she was absently playing with the silver half moon. “Oh. Our grandmother gave them to us for Christmas ages ago.

“Lizzie fiddles with hers too.”

Casey laughed under her breath. “I guess it’s just one of those things we do without thinking.” She sighed. “I didn’t want to mention it yesterday while Lizzie was so excited… but now that I’m here we can find a place closer to town to stay. I’ve got my SUV, so we can make the drive without inconveniencing anyone. I don’t expect to-”

Derek shook his head. “The closest B&B is over an hour away. Marti loves actually having a girl in the house, and I’m a little bit concerned that Lizzie and Edwin might actually succeed in planning to take over the world, but I wouldn’t try to separate them if I were you. Lizzie’s been making dinner for a while, so Dad might try to tackle you if you try to leave with her. The house has been really quiet the last few years. It’s kinda nice that it’s not”, he said in a low voice. “As for you… you’re her sister. Having you here isn’t any kind of inconvenience. This place has a ridiculous amount of rooms. You’re more than welcome to stay. In fact, it might be considered rude if you leave at this point.”

“Is your family in the habit of taking in random strangers one of you met on the internet?” Casey teased.

“No. This is definitely a first. And I know it probably sounds silly, but… you don’t really feel like strangers”, Derek said quietly.

Casey bit her lip. “That’s what Lizzie said.”

Before Derek could respond, Archimedes swooped into the room and landed on the back of her chair at her left shoulder.

Casey sighed and reached back to scratch the side of his neck. “You’re supposed to be with Lizzie”, she scolded gently. The owl dipped his head and tapped it against her jaw. She sighed and scratched his head. “Alright, alright.” She shifted in her seat, earning an indignant huff as she fished for the treats she kept in her pocket and let him eat out of her hand.

Derek watched the scene curiously. “She really named him Archimedes?”

Casey snorted. “She was being cheeky. He was basically a ball of feathers when she found him. We waited a few days, but neither of the parent owls came back. Lizzie’s got a bleeding heart, and he’s a feisty baby”, she grumbled.

“Liz thinks you don’t like him.”

“We’ve recently come to an understanding”, she said wryly. Then Casey sighed. “I’m not a huge animal fan… but he’s growing on me, I suppose. Don’t tell her.”

Derek huffed a laugh. “Sure.” Then he frowned. “Did you bring your own blanket?” He raised an eyebrow.

Casey bit her lip and shrugged, ignoring his frown. If that was concern from someone who she’d only known for a day and a half, but probably knew way too much of her life story… she couldn’t deal with that right now. “I know it’s summer, but I’m always cold”, she said quietly.

She’d definitely need to corner her sister and find out what exactly she’d told the Venturis. Casey had a feeling her sister had… over shared.

00

On Sunday, Casey learned this was the day of the week all about food. Weather permitting, Derek took over the grill and forced George to stay at least three feet away at all times.

Apparently there had been ‘an incident’ several years back.

Casey did not want to know. But she did join Lizzie and Marti in the kitchen and they got to work on other snacks, sides and desserts.

It was a beautiful day. They spent plenty of time outside in between all the cooking in the kitchen. Marti and Lizzie had taken Samson outside to play with a frisbee, and Casey could hear the laughing and barking through the large, open window above the sink.

Their life had been so quiet for years, Casey couldn’t help but watch her sister engage in lively conversation and laugh with this family who had been so welcoming. The girls had come inside to help her a bit ago and she set a bowl of green beans in front of Lizzie and Marti to snap the ends off and clean while she made bread. This was so much more entertaining than the years she and Lizzie had spent making dinner together with a familiar calm comfort that came from repetition throughout the years. 

Much later when the leftover food was put away and they’d still managed to eat a variety of desserts, they all found a spot to lounge around the small fire pit. Marti had run inside to pull the chilled wine from the fridge when there was a small crash on the side of the house.

“What was that?” Casey asked, turning around in her chair.

“Don’t worry”, Edwin said. “It’s probably just Max.”

“Who?”

Lizzie turned toward the house. “Marti! Grab the cookies! I think he’s back!”

Marti’s head appeared in the open kitchen window. “Really! It’s been a few days. Hold on. I’m coming.”

Less than a minute later, Marti came back outside with a container of wafer cookies. She shushed everyone as she crept to the corner of the house. She crouched in the space between the side of the house and the privacy fence. “Hey, buddy”, she cooed. “There you are. Come here. Want a cookie?” she bribed as she opened the container.

Casey’s eyes went wide when around the corner, walking on its back legs, came a raccoon. “You’re kidding ”, she muttered, shaking her head incredulously.

Across from her, Derek was muffling his laughter.

Edwin grinned. “Don’t worry. This is the extent of the weirdness… at least with animals.”

Casey snorted. “Good to know.”

“Derek has long surpassed the weirdness scale”, George teased.

“Hah-fricking-hah”, Derek rolled his eyes.

Casey sent a wary look toward Samson lying on Derek’s feet like he’d also feasted as much as the rest of them, wondering if they might have to prevent a murder, but the dog was only watching Marti and the raccoon with mild interest, his tail giving intermittent lazy wags.

00

Three days later, Casey woke up early and found that she still wasn’t the first one awake. She walked out front, barefoot on the cement walkway.

“You know, it’s not polite to go poking around under a lady’s hood without permission”, she said, sounding amused.

Derek cursed and turned around. “Sorry”, he said, looking a bit chagrined. “I wanted to make sure you were good after such a long drive. I need to replace your spark plugs… and she needs a top up on oil.”

“Oh”, she muttered, a bit stunned. “It’s not that old.”

“You’ve got a lot of miles on her.”

“I travel for work.”

“Yeah. When’s the last time someone checked under the hood?” his raised eyebrows were judging her.

She crossed her arms. “She- it ”, she paused to glare at Derek, silently blaming him for personifying her vehicle. “I had an oil change last year.”

He rolled his eyes. “I’d better take it down to the shop then. You know as much about cars as Lizzie… how to put gas in the tank.”

She sighed, knowing an argument was useless and impractical since he was unfortunately right. “You break it, you buy it, Venturi.”

Derek smirked and released the lever to drop her hood. “No worries. I won’t hurt her”, he said, wiping his hands with a rag while they walked back toward the house ignoring her skepticism. He followed her through to the kitchen where he washed his hands and she started digging in the fridge.

“Make me coffee?” she asked. “I’ll make breakfast”, she offered.

He watched her, silently pleased, realizing that he was getting the upside of the bargain even if it was only because she hadn’t quite mastered the temperamental coffee machine yet. “Sure thing.”

She was loath to admit it, but Derek was not an awful sous chef. By the time everyone else came downstairs half an hour later, breakfast was ready.

0

Several hours later, Casey found herself on the front porch letting Edwin and Marti give her all the pertinent family gossip.

“-and Marti sort of was dating this guy last year named Jeremy-”

“Germy”, Marti interrupted lazily, flicking the ashy end of her cigarette into a nearby bush. She was making her fourth attempt to really quit this time. Derek had quit three years ago, right before Marti had picked up the terrible habit. Derek had only smoked one in the evenings, and as much as George wanted to blame Marti’s habit on Derek, he really couldn’t.

Marti had asked if there was anything magical that staved off nicotine cravings, and Casey had agreed to look into it.

“Jeremy”, Edwin started again.

“ Germy ”, Marti stressed. “I’m the one who dated him. I get to decide what we call him.”

Edwin sighed. “Fine.”

Marti grinned at Casey and changed the subject. “I hope you know… you and Lizzie being here has made my whole life infinitely better.”

Casey pressed her lips together to contain a grin. Marti’s excitement was contagious. “How so?”

“Witches are real ”, she hissed, leaning forward like she was telling a massive secret.

“We don’t like being called witches”, Casey said easily, stretching her legs out in front of her.

Edwin frowned. “Is it a derogatory term?”

She huffed a laugh. “No.”

“But you have a grimoire and can do spells?” Marti raised a skeptical eyebrow. “If you can do magic… you’re a witch.”

Casey chuckled and flicked her fingers to the candle on the glass table in front of them. The wick sparked and lit a small yellow flame. Edwin zeroed in on it incredulously. “ Yes… but I can’t go around saying so . It freaks people out.”

“People are stupid. I think it’s awesome”, Marti said seriously.

The next day when Casey’s car was missing and Lizzie questioned her about it, she only said, “Derek took it”. Lizzie had several follow up questions that never got asked, because Casey shrugged and walked away first.

Casey couldn’t answer whatever her sister was going to ask her. She had no idea why she’d trusted the man so easily.

Two days later, he returned her vehicle in working order, and she had smiled hesitantly as she took her keys back. “Thanks.”

00

Casey found herself quickly getting into a routine. She’d made the trip into town once with Lizzie and another time by herself. She had been able to buy a few odds and ends that she’d neglected to pack or forgotten, but they were no stranger to isolation either and the living situation was quite comfortable even though she’d found a frog in the shower twice since her arrival. 

Lizzie swore that wasn’t normal.

She had resumed her weekly bread baking, something that was far more enjoyable with extra Guinea pigs that would try anything. She wasn’t often by herself, and even though baking was often part of her stress relief rituals, she found that she didn’t mind the company. Whether it was Marti, who often pretended to help while asking ninety-five questions while she over-worked a lump of dough, or Edwin who usually sat at the table and read a book and offered to be the first taste tester when it was done, or Derek who’d taken to coming home slightly early on days she took over the kitchen to give Lizzie a break and would more often than not just watch her or hand her whatever she asked for… it had all become a part of a soothing routine Casey had never known that she’d needed. George always appeared in the kitchen when she made something with chocolate or some other form of treat, and would sneak a bite while she pretended not to be watching.

More than anything, Casey enjoyed resuming her evening tea time chats with her sister, something that often included Marti who’d occasionally show up with a small bottle of whiskey and her own mug and a plate of cookies from earlier in the evening. The evenings were usually full of quiet giggles and laughter.

Derek wasn’t always there; he had an apartment in the next town over that he stayed at when he didn’t want to make the drive after work. Casey could feel the difference his presence made in the home. Sometimes he only made it to dinner, but other times he came home early in the morning while she was making breakfast or fighting with the coffee machine, and he’d give her a gentle bump out of the way. She’d start on the sausage or bacon and several minutes later, he’d hand her the perfect cup of coffee and she’d curl her icy fingers around the hot mug with a happy sigh.

He always watched her take the first sip, a hint of a smile on his face, before taking over whatever task she’d given him, usually chopping something.

In the back of her mind, the flare of danger prodded in the back of her mind… because she couldn’t help but think about how this was quickly becoming her favorite way to start her mornings.

00

Twenty-six days passed before George found Casey scowling at her laptop in one of the side rooms, and he convinced her to take a break and follow him to his private office.

“Your sister has been scouring what’s left of our library, as you well know, but I have a few books I’ve kept set aside. It’s probably time to dust off the cobwebs”, he said.

Casey took a look around the small office and found books that were obviously aged, but had been well cared for, and had not accumulated any dust to speak of. She felt the gentle hum of old, protective magic in the air. It was faint, but it was definitely present.

She was about to ask when shock washed over her as she recognized the author’s name on the spine of a row of books that were in better shape than they should have been due to their age.

“How?” Casey asked in a hushed whisper. “These are out of print. I tracked down one and the price was astronomical. How do you have all these?” She perused the shelves in awe, finding not only books that were no longer in circulation, but it seemed there were unpublished works as well.

George sighed. “Abigail Lee… she was my late wife.”

Casey’s feet stopped as if suddenly glued to the floor. “ Oh . George… I’m so sorry.” V & L… Venturi and Lee. Of course.

Abigail Lee was widely known for her study of magical history and artifacts. She was one of top researchers in her field. She’d also been extremely private about her personal life. The Lee family though, weren't a secret, especially to those who also practiced magic.

“It’s been years now… Marti was only three. Your sister brought her flower garden back to life. Abby loved orchids.”

“Lizzie has always been talented at making things grow”, Casey said softly as she slowly walked to the section dedicated to his late wife’s books that had been passed down through the generations. “George… have you ever considered releasing restored versions of these?” she asked tentatively.

“I don’t know that I would trust anyone to hand them over”, George answered.

“Would you consider letting me do it?” She frowned. “I can feel their preservation magic. I can’t say how long they’ll stay in good condition. The books wouldn’t need to leave this room. Historical artifacts… restoration and preservation are sort of my specialty. And magic… I suppose you know a bit more about that than I thought…?” Casey tilted her head curiously.

“Very very little”, George stressed. “Abby didn’t often practice at home. She wanted the kids to have normal lives. Plus I suspect she was terrified of what kind of trouble Derek would have gotten himself into”, he chuckled.

Casey quirked a grin. Children and magic didn’t mix well in general. And it explained why Lizzie had immediately sensed magic in Marti. Casey felt it herself. The girl had a legacy she didn’t even know about . “If you want to move forward with either re-publication or if you just want your own personal copies, I would go through the text and type it up. I might need Lizzie if you want to reinforce their protection magic.”

“That would be quite the undertaking”, George murmured. “There are eight published works, plus sixteen field journals.”

Casey hummed softly to herself. “I used to do onsite work after college. It might take a while, but I could come back and finish one every few months… if you choose to move forward.”

George looked thoughtful. “What’s your fee?”

Casey blinked. “I hadn’t planned on asking for money to do this.”

George looked at her incredulously. “Casey, I have looked into it. It wasn’t the price that put me off. I can’t ask you to do something this extensive without compensation.”

Casey gnawed on her bottom lip. “I price per book or a flat fee for such a large collection.”

“So you are business savvy”, George teased. “Come on. Let’s go talk to Ed. He’s the money guy around here.”

Casey smiled gently. “I came for my sister, not to take your money”, she said softly. “She’s been safe here, and that’s worth more than anything else I could ask for.”

“I haven’t met your mother, but she raised two incredible young women.” George gave her a pat in the shoulder. “Come on. Edwin should be in his office.”

Casey followed him silently down several hallways until they got to the south section of the house that had been remodeled for business purposes. She attempted to analyze the feelings of fondness that were brewing for this family in such a short amount of time. It could only spell trouble for the future… hers and theirs.

They did find Edwin in the office answering emails and when George began explaining what she’d offered to do, Edwin eyes her shrewdly. Casey met the scrutiny without flinching. It wasn’t terribly often the books she restored were so personal to the owners, and she understood the trust she was asking for.

“If you’d like, I can complete one, and you can decide how to proceed”, she offered.

Edwin nodded and kicked out the chair next to him. “Let’s work out a contract.”

0

Casey chose her first assignment and got to work almost immediately, immersing herself in the original texts of Abigail Lee, deciding to save the older works for later. Lizzie just sighed and kept her sister’s mug full of coffee, well-versed in Casey’s obsessive behavior and the superhuman lack of sleep she could live with when she was absorbed by her work. Lizzie could only blame herself. She had tempted her sister with a library of old books.

“She’ll come up for air in a few days, George”, Lizzie said, patting him on the shoulder when he expressed concern that Casey might actually only be taking cat naps since she’d taken over his office.

Nearly two full days later, Casey finally left the office to shower. Marti caught her before she could fall in bed, insisting she sit at the dinner table and actually eat a full meal. Casey let herself be dragged downstairs and was forcefully plopped in a chair just as Lizzie was taking a baked ziti, zucchini, and garlic bread from the oven and Edwin carried a huge bowl of salad to the table.

Lizzie brightened visibly as she finally landed eyes on her sister. “Oh, good. I thought she was going to be stubborn”, Lizzie said to Marti.

“I’m too tired to be stubborn”, Casey said with a yawn.

Marti gave a mischievous grin. “She can’t argue if you don’t tell her what’s happening.”

“I offered to toss you over my shoulder if the intervention didn’t work”, Derek called as he came in from the back porch and went to the sink before Lizzie could glare about dirty hands at the table.

Casey gave him a suspicious, sleepy glare. “No thank you”, she stated primly.

He grinned at her, uncaring of the way it made her heart do a surprising little flip-flop.

She cleared her throat and took a sip of water from her glass. “If I fall asleep in the mashed potatoes, your services may be required”, Casey conceded softly. He snuck behind her on his way to his seat, giving her shoulder a slight squeeze as he passed, and she released a soft sigh.

Admittedly, Casey felt worlds better after a full meal, and her soul seemed to be rebalanced after spending time sitting at a dinner table that was filled with so much love… and sarcasm and jokes.

Lizzie insisted on handling the cleanup after dinner, saying Casey was so sleep deprived she’d likely break something, and strong-armed her sister upstairs to finally go to bed. Casey fell asleep almost immediately and slept for the next seven hours.

It was after four when Casey woke up. She changed into a warmer shirt and some running pants, slipped quietly downstairs to the kitchen, and after a few curses, finally got the coffee machine to cooperate. Twenty minutes later she was rummaging in the pantry and started on cinnamon rolls.

The soft sound of footsteps made her turn around.

Derek.

“Sorry. Did I wake you?” Casey asked softly.

Derek shrugged. “I don’t think so. Feel better?”

She nodded. “I just needed some sleep. Back to normal now.”

“Back to running yourself into the ground until Liz bullies you to bed?” He cocked an eyebrow.

“I can’t sleep if my brain won’t shut off.” Casey shrugged and went back to mixing her nuts, sugar, and butter.

“Got a lot going on up there, huh?” he teased.

She huffed a laugh. “You could say that.”

“You have flour on your face”, Derek said quietly, the corner of his mouth tilting in amusement.

Casey sighed. “Of course I do.” She used her wrist to try to get rid of it. Derek laughed under his breath. “I made it worse, didn’t I?”

“C’mere.”

She opened her mouth to protest, body frozen in hesitation, but he just waited. After several long seconds, she took a few steps forward, leaning her hip against the counter. His thumb was gentle on her cheek, and her eyes fluttered closed. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, she ducked her head a bit and his hand pulled away slowly.

“You’re good”, he said quietly.

“Thanks”, she managed. The heat from his palm had practically imprinted on her cheek. 

Warm, warm, warm… Her skin prickled.

She was a grown woman, and she’d spent years keeping her emotions under control. The way she reacted to him was frankly embarrassing. Maybe this would be a good time to get back into yoga? Anything to get rid of the tension growing in her muscles…

Derek didn’t comment on her hesitation, just stepped away to start his own coffee before telling her to put him to work like he always did, smirking in obvious amusement as she tossed a pinch of salt over her shoulder for luck. These moments of companionable silence had begun burrowing into her heart without her permission.

Later that afternoon, Casey was ripping some chicken off the roast from the night before to throw in her salad for lunch when she heard Derek yelling from the workshop. She snickered and walked out to the front porch. This seemed to be an almost daily occurrence when Marti wasn’t keeping watch over her dog. George and Edwin had gone into town to handle some business and Lizzie and Marti had gone with them, so Samson had done what he usually did in the absence of Marti… glued himself to Derek.

The exasperated yelling meant that Samson had once again found Derek’s favorite hammer and ran off with it. Samson thought it was a merry game of chase. Derek was running, but Samson got to the porch first and Casey traded him the hammer for a chunk of chicken and a scratch on the head.

Derek stopped on the stairs and frowned. “I don’t know what you know about animals, but giving him treats when he’s stealing things isn’t good training.”

Casey smirked. “I may not know much about animals, but I know that I have the hammer… and you don’t.”

“Okay, point. What do I have to give you to get it back?” he asked wryly.

She smiled despite herself and handed Derek back his hammer.

He jerked his chin toward the house behind her. “What are you doing in there?”

“Making lunch”, she shrugged. “Hungry?”

He grinned. “Always.”

00

After breakfast, Casey spent mornings wrapped up in George’s late wife’s published works until someone came to drag her out for lunch. Sometimes she took another few hours, but very often she was forced out into nature.

She went walking, usually with a companion and sometimes Archimedes flying overhead. He was less nocturnal than a normal owl, and Casey wondered about it, but her sister’s familiar had become a steady presence instead of a nuisance. She and Edwin bonded over their analytical minds. Marti was alarmingly fascinated with magic, and peppered her and Lizzie with questions ranging from serious to completely insane. Lizzie had found a kindred spirit in Edwin despite their differences, and while Casey refused to get in the truck during her sister’s driving lessons, Derek assured her that Lizzie was more than competent now at handling a stick shift these days.

Casey hadn’t laughed so much in her life.

Sundays quickly became her favorite.

Long days of cooking, eating, and talking about everything besides work gave her the time she needed to decompress in a way she hadn’t allowed herself to do in years.

She didn’t notice how much she’d let her guard down until - full of barbecued chicken, various side dishes, cheesecake and wine - she fell asleep on the bench on the back porch. She had a green plaid blanket tucked around her and her cheek found comfort on Derek’s shoulder.

He was warm.

Casey was full of good food, a moderate amount of alcohol, and though she would keep it to herself, she really liked the mild spiciness of Derek’s cologne. She was sleepy, relaxed, and felt a brief reprieve from all the responsibilities she’d taken on over the years.

She fell asleep.

She and Lizzie had been keeping in touch with Nora via one or two emails a week back and forth. Mostly, they traded stories and kept each other up to date with their lives. Nora had been busy teaching a class at the college and taking on a few jobs doing field work, but Casey could tell that her mother was growing increasingly concerned about the fact that neither of her daughters seemed ready to come home yet. Casey couldn’t explain it herself. It had been years since she’d craved the company of anyone outside her family. But the steady, unobtrusive presence of the Venturis had cracked her heart open just enough. Even though all the alarms should be going off, warning her to retreat… they were suspiciously silent.

As summer came to a rapidly approaching end, Marti bullied her older brothers into spending long weekends with them down by the river. The five of them had picnics and laid lazily in the sun.

Derek had declared the rope swing safe, and Marti swung from it with a gleeful Tarzan yell before dropping into the river. Marti called them all chickens until Edwin followed suit.

He hadn’t appreciated the chilly water and came out cursing a blue streak.

It was ridiculously peaceful.

The last few weeks of August passed far too quickly and the days became shorter. Casey was standing on the porch with Marti watching the sunset when she saw the first, orange maple leaf fall for the season.

Marti looped an arm through hers and they stood together with a familiarity that made Casey’s chest hurt.

00

Casey was spending a lazy Saturday afternoon near the end of September drinking her tea while reading a book on the back porch, wrapped up in a blanket enjoying the slight chill in the air. It wasn’t quite the same as her normal reading spot outside at home near the trellis covered in ivy and jasmine, but the air was fresh in a different way, essentially surrounded by the woods the way they were.

She, Lizzie, Marti, and a slightly reluctant Edwin had gone for a walk this morning after breakfast, shoes crunching in the newly fallen leaves. Edwin wasn’t what Casey would call outdoorsy , but Lizzie had prodded him until he’d agreed to ‘ go breathe some fresh air for once! ’ Marti had looked for acorns to toss at her brother while they walked. Casey and Lizzie looped arms and laughed as they walked behind bickering brother and sister.

Crack!

Casey looked up to track the noise and her eyes almost bugged out of her head.

Crack!

She bit back a groan.

Derek Venturi had an axe .

For God’s sake. His arms were practically indecent.

She watched his shoulders and arm muscles flex as he brought the axe down on another chunk of wood.

Holy hell.

She didn’t think the whole flannel shirt and work boots look would be what did her in, but apparently she was wrong. Casey averted her wide eyes back to her book. Her libido that had been dead for months was suddenly making an appearance. It’s not that she hadn’t known Derek was attractive, but this was just… categorically unfair.

She was in danger… of drooling… and other things.

Casey took a deep breath and forced herself to read her book. It was interesting. Really. Not as interesting as the hint of abs in her peripheral view, but-

Crack!

She bit her lip, eyes closing tightly.

Shit.

This was so bad.

00

Lizzie eventually decided to speak to George about their mom coming to visit over the Thanksgiving weekend. He’d been an easy sell, and once Nora agreed - less reluctantly than Casey had expected - Casey began making a list for meal prep for the holiday weekend.

Halfway through the first week of October, Casey was suckered into helping the girls give Samson a bath.

By the time it was over, her blue t-shirt and jeans were soaked and there were remnants of soap suds in her hair. She carried the pile of dog towels through the back entrance to get them in the washing machine.

Derek clearly appreciated the view. He gave her a once over, from her damp hair all the way down to her bare feet and the blue sparkly nail polish on her toes.

Casey rolled her eyes at his ill-concealed amusement. “Marti told me he liked his baths”, she complained.

Derek chuckled. “Half truth. Samson likes causing chaos during his baths.”

“No shit.” She gestured to herself pointedly. “My sneakers are outside… somewhere. I don’t even- I don’t know how that happened”, Casey said, shaking her head.

He was clearly amused at her predicament. “I’ve got to go into town and your sister gave me a shopping list. She’s excited your mom is coming to visit. Wanna come?”

“Like this?!”

“No, you can clean up first”, Derek laughed.

“Twenty minutes?” Casey asked.

He nodded. “You got it.”

0

They rode quietly for a while before Derek spoke. “Lizzie’s been extra happy since you came.”

“She doesn’t need me here. Not really”, Casey whispered. “I came because she asked, but soon she’ll realize that this is the last stop on the train for us. I’ll hold onto her through that pain… and then we’ll be alone again”, she said distantly. “But we’ll be alone together.”

“You’re wrong”, he said after a few minutes. “Lizzie does need you.”

“She needs me because I’m her sister, not because she needs me ”, Casey said distinctively.

“Casey, she glowed like a freaking lighthouse when she told us you were coming.”

“Thanks for that.” Casey smiled sadly. “Lizzie hasn’t yet felt the consequences of this curse. I pray she never does… but it makes her too certain there’s a way. I know there isn’t. The only thing to do now is make sure the curse ends with us”, she said softly. “She’ll resent me sooner or later. I’ll remember the little moments like that when they fade away.”

“That’s pretty bleak, Case.” He gnawed at his bottom lip. “Look, I can’t imagine what you guys have been through, but- How do you enjoy living when you can’t have a future?”

Her argument with Lizzie hadn’t been pretty. Only a strong silencing charm in her bedroom had kept anyone from interfering. Lizzie had told all the Venturis far more than Casey was comfortable with, and she’d gone beyond that to give Edwin all the tiny details. Casey knew Lizzie thought it was necessary, now more than ever, not to hold back any information if they were actually going to find the answer she was hoping for. Liz was as stubborn as Casey, and she refused to listen to reason when it came to her intuition. Casey tried not to resent it a little bit. She wasn’t sure yet if that certainty would save them both or break her sister .

The only benefit of knowing that Lizzie had offered so much personal to this family was the small amount of comfort she found in not having to explain. They hadn’t been intrusive or asked personal questions about her trauma. Marti had bombarded them both with questions about their magic, but she’d never come close to stumbling on the pain that Casey felt from being so alone, or the burden she carried.

She smiled grimly. “I hold onto the few people I’m allowed to love as tight as possible and hope they want to stay.”

“You deserve more than that”, he said quietly.

“That’s sweet.” She shook her head. “I resigned myself a long time ago to all the things my life couldn’t be. I don’t need misplaced pity. I just have to play the cards I was dealt like anyone else.”

“Basic common decency isn’t pity. No one can guarantee how long they’ll live.”

“No”, she conceded. “But if you knew that choosing a certain person would guarantee your life was shorter than it could be, would that really be the path you chose?”

He silently mulled that over for a few minutes. “If I thought the person was worth it, maybe I would”, he said finally.

“Awfully optimistic of you, Venturi”, she murmured.

His hand left the gear shift for a moment to squeeze her arm in a gesture of comfort that she couldn’t help feeling soothed by. “No one has ever called me optimistic before”, Derek said quietly.

Once in town, Derek went to the hardware store and Casey popped into the small bookstore, deciding to meet in twenty minutes to deal with the grocery list.

Casey exited the library with eight books to find Derek leaning against the side of his truck with two cups of coffee from the cafe next door. He raised an eyebrow at her pile and opened the door for her, and she mimicked his look.

“Two are for Liz”, she said as she climbed inside. “Did you actually need to stop at Dave's?” Casey nodded at the Dave’s Hardware sign across the street. “Or were you fibbing about that so I could poke around in piles of old books?”

He grinned and shook his head, handing her the second paper cup. “Not telling. Let’s go buy some food.”

She bit her lip to hide a smile as he closed her door.

00

The Friday before Thanksgiving, Lizzie and Edwin drove to the airport to pick up Nora. Casey stayed behind to make sure dinner stayed on schedule. Derek had made grumbly noises when she’d suggested pork chops which had turned into a ten minute argument that had ended only when she’d told him to make them himself.

He’d happily disappeared outside with the meat. She’d obviously been bamboozled. He only wanted to play with his grill.

“You could have just said you wanted to do it”, she said when her irritation finally simmered and she stuck her head out the back door.

He had the audacity to smirk at her. “Could have. That was more fun though, wasn’t it?”

She groaned and stomped back inside. The man was ridiculous, and she was far too amused by his antics.

Leaving Derek to his meat, Casey asked Marti and George to be her sous chefs.

There was a lot of giggling between the kitchen and backyard. The radio in the kitchen had been turned on and Marti was instigating havoc singing wrong - and slightly inappropriate - lyrics. The girls were on their second vodka lemonade when Lizzie and Edwin returned. George was far too entertained by their nonsense, so Casey attempted to keep it together while she giggled over the gravy she was babysitting on the stove.

She’d timed it just right. The salad was finished and the meat was resting. Everything else was prepped to throw together at the last second.

They’d been munching through a veggie tray and a loaf of cheesy bread while cooking -  Casey had wondered more than once if a hollow leg was a hereditary ailment - when the front door opened and Edwin and Lizzie came back with Nora in tow. 

The two of them were doing that weird ‘finish each other’s sentences’ thing they’d been doing, and Casey grabbed the white wine from the fridge and poured half a glass. Her mom had a look of distant shell-shock, and Casey could imagine her thoughts were running a mile a minute.

Nora’s coat was hung in the front closet and Edwin had taken her suitcase despite her protest and was carrying it upstairs to another guest room that Casey had prepared the day before. Lizzie grabbed Nora by the arm and chattered with an excitement that could rival Marti.

Casey smirked. “Let her breathe, Liz”, she teased as she left the kitchen and found them in the entryway. “She just got here.” She grinned at her mother. “Hi, Mom.”

Nora glanced up and took in her eldest daughter who’d managed to hug her quickly and hand her a wine glass.

“Trust me. Just drink it”, Casey murmured as Edwin passed behind her after coming back downstairs.

“Did Derek eat all the snacks?” he asked.

“No, but dinner will be ready in a minute.”

“Casey, darling, it’s so good to see both my girls.” Nora cupped her chin, studying her curiously.

“Plying your mother with wine already?” George teased.

Casey tilted her head sideways gently out of her mother’s grasp and shrugged. “When in Rome.”

“We’re in Canada, bonehead”, Marti called from the kitchen, clearly eavesdropping.

“Marti!” George scolded, sounding appalled despite the fact that this was her normal behavior. Casey’s eyes scrunched closed briefly and her shoulders shook with silent laughter. He reached over and shook Nora’s hand

“Derek’s fault”, Marti chirped.

“Why don’t you ever blame anything on Edwin?” Derek grumbled.

“Hey!” Edwin complained. And then yelled, “Casey, Derek’s trying to sneak a brownie!”

“Get your paws off the dessert!” Casey cried out in alarm as she turned and half ran toward the kitchen and proceeded to yell at Derek about his eating habits.

Nora blinked. “What-?”

“Things have been a bit… boisterous… lately”, George said with a wry grin. “I can’t say that I don’t enjoy it.”

Nora offered a weak smile, obviously a bit skeptical, but she followed him and Lizzie as they headed toward the noise of the kitchen. Lizzie stifled a sigh. She knew that her mother had seen it immediately. Casey sparkled like she hadn’t in years. Her eyes were no longer lifeless, and she looked healthy. She knew Nora would be concerned about the why , and what might happen after. But this was the most lively she’d seen her sister ever. Even before the accident, Casey had been more reserved. Now though-

“Der ek! Give me that spoon!” Casey complained.

“Make me!”

“I’ll make you, you sneaky little-”

“I can’t believe I’m the youngest in this house”, Marti sighed dramatically while she popped cheese cubes in her mouth like it was popcorn and they were the show.

Casey looked ready to pounce at Derek across the island when George put two fingers in his mouth and let out a quick whistle. Derek grinned and Casey had a small amount of guilt on her face.

“I’d like to eat before Derek gets a face full of gravy”, George said mildly.

“Hey! It could be me trying to drown Casey in gravy”, Derek protested.

“Yeah, right”, Edwin muttered.

Casey smirked at Derek tauntingly. He laughed. “Quit thinking murdery thoughts, Case”, he teased.

She made a face and seemed to give up their banter for the time being. “Marti, did you meet our mom?”

Nora received close to the same tackling hug Casey had gotten before they all gathered around the table. Her demeanor continued to soften slightly as they ate dinner and chatted and laughed, catching up on all the small details they had left out of their emails.

The Venturi family was too charming and quirky for their own good.

Nora and George began talking about their work: Nora about her plant studies as well as sometimes being called as a guest lecturer at the nearby college, and George about how he’d become the guardian of his late wife’s family legacy despite knowing very little about magic himself. He talked about meeting Lizzie and Casey, and added a few embarrassing stories about his own children that made them groan. Chatting continued through dinner and coffee with their dessert where Derek and Casey argued playfully over equal brownie distribution until everyone was full.

Nora was exhausted after her long trip, and Casey suggested she shower and turn in early while the rest of them handled the cleanup, so she agreed. She kissed her daughters’ cheeks and bid her good nights before Marti took her upstairs to show her where her room was.

They’d planned to have their Thanksgiving meal on Sunday, so the day after Nora’s arrival was spent mostly in the kitchen, either eating or cooking and prepping, or Casey and Lizzie scolding the men away from the food. Edwin called Marti a traitor for tattling on them to the girls, and she just grinned. Finally, there was enough trash talk that the kitchen table was taken over by Derek and Casey making bets over hands of Gin Rummy.

Casey made a few batches of her apple cider with clove, cinnamon, star of anise to get them through a few days of celebratory eating.

Tomorrow would be a day for eating and sports. The turkey was going to slow cook in a foil pan on the grill, Casey’s ham was going in the oven, and several sides had been taken care of already.

They were in good shape on Monday until Samson got himself banned from the kitchen for trying to steal a turkey leg.

Lizzie and Marti set the table. Casey had no qualms about putting her mom to work, and the two of them spent the morning peeling and cooking a large pot of potatoes. By three o’clock, the counter was covered in serving dishes full of food and several pies and a cherry cobbler were on cooling racks. Nora had only questioned the amount of food once, and she’d been startled when Marti threw her head back and laughed. “You’ve never seen my dad and brothers eat.”

Lizzie had nodded her head in agreement. “Yeah. They’re animals.”

Dinner was normally a raucous event. And the holiday made it more so. Lizzie and Edwin fought over the wishbone once the turkey had been picked apart, and Casey let Marti spray whipped cream in her mouth while they were serving pie. Her cheeks were puffed out when she accidentally caught Derek’s eye and found him watching her with an amused grin, and she nearly choked to death only to receive several unhelpful backslaps from Edwin. When Casey went past Derek to pass out dessert, he was still laughing and she gave him a slight shove and got a pinch in return while no one was looking.

Much later, after the kitchen was clean and they found the will to move, George suggested they all go relax outside around the fire pit. Casey hummed happily to herself as she made herself comfortable in her chair, curling up and feeling cozy in her sweatshirt and stretchy pants. She found herself between Derek and Marti, and the three of them took turns gently kicking each other as they settled down to let their stomachs rest.

Casey watched in ominous fascination as the night continued and her mother grew friendlier with George. He was disarming with his cheesy humor and good-natured spirit. Nora threw her head back and laughed at something that probably wasn’t nearly that funny.

Lizzie came out the back door and stopped next to her as Casey headed inside to grab a few more drinks from the kitchen. “Mom looks happy”, she said carefully. “Happier than I ever remember.”

“It’s been a long time.” Casey murmured. Lizzie had been too young to remember any good times their parents had together. “What is it with these Venturi boys?” she muttered through clenched teeth. “It’s like they’ve been doused in catnip!”

“Are you admitting something?” Lizzie teased, eyes widening.

“ No ”, Casey retorted immediately. “Are you? ”

“Nope”, Lizzie said easily.

Casey squinted at her sister. She knew Lizzie and Edwin had bonded rather quickly, both having slightly quirky personalities, but she honestly couldn’t say if there was anything romantic about it. “Just… be careful”, she sighed softly.

“I’m worried about you more than me”, Lizzie said softly.

Casey pressed her lips together, holding back the denials that she wanted to give. After a moment she sighed. “I love you”, she said quietly.

Lizzie blinked. She bumped their shoulders together gently. “Love you too.”

0

Later that evening, after everyone had gotten their second wind and decided to have a light dinner, Casey fell asleep in her favorite reading chair in front of the living room fireplace with Samson laying against the ottoman under her feet while a movie played on the television in the background. Lizzie watched silently as Derek got up and draped a blanket over her sleeping sister and Casey let out a contented sigh.

If she’d picked for Casey herself, Lizzie couldn’t have chosen better than Derek. If she chased their threads, Lizzie was sure the two of them were on a path to intersecting whether her sister wanted to acknowledge it or not.

She desperately hoped neither of them got hurt.

Edwin’s office had been taken over by books about ancient and genealogical curses and several notebooks full of notes. He’d been working on a few theories he hadn’t yet shared with her, but she didn’t think they had time left for patience.

They were missing something. The answer had to be in front of them, she just knew it. Magic wasn’t just one way. There was always a loophole, even for curses. She couldn’t fathom how they’d come up with nothing after so many years. Casey had even brought all her notebooks from all the research she’d done in college with her at Lizzie’s request. Lizzie and Edwin had read every single scrap of paper.

Facts said this was an exercise in futility, but-

She could feel it. The answer was right under their noses.

Lizzie knew she was running out of time. Casey wasn’t one to let her emotions cloud her judgment for long.

Lizzie needed answers before her sister began sabotaging everything. She wouldn’t be able to help herself. Her heart had been cracked wide open and cleaning up would be nothing but a mess. Casey’s imminent emotional explosion worried her even more than the possibility that Nora would put her foot down and demand her daughters both come home.

00

Several nights later, Casey found herself unable to sleep, and took a book downstairs to sit by the dying fire in the living room.

It wasn’t long before she had company.

Derek .

Instead of her usual chair, Casey had curled herself into the corner of the well-worn couch, hoping maybe she’d fall asleep while reading. When Derek took a seat next to her, she leaned into him without thinking. She was drawn to his warmth for obvious reasons, but also because, despite everything he knew, he didn’t look at her like she was broken.

She’d mistaken his compassion for pity once, and she wouldn’t do it again.

He took her book gently, and without asking, he began to read aloud. She rested her head on his chest and let her eyes close as she listened. His voice was an echoey rumble in her ear. In between turning pages, his hand stroked over her hair. Her body wanted to melt into his. After he finished two chapters, she tilted her head up to look at him only to find him already watching her.

She pushed herself up just a bit to get closer. He met her halfway as she finally let herself do what she’d been thinking about for weeks.

Their lips met.

It was like touching a live wire.

Casey gasped as he pressed her back against the couch cushions. He kissed her fiercely, like he’d never considered another. A shiver crept up her spine. She’d grown to care for him against her better judgment. Her legs wrapped around his and her fingers found his hair stupidly soft as she kissed him back with needy noises building in her throat. His hands felt good on her body: warm, strong, possessive. She wanted this. The tidal wave that had been building between them since they met was about to break.

If there was a way for her to live with his mouth attached to hers, that would be a worthwhile science experiment-

All at once, Casey remembered exactly why she couldn’t have this. Dread washed over her, making her cold where his touch had given her heat.

If she really let herself love him, she wouldn’t be the only one who lost him… and she cared about this family far too much. She had been incredibly careless. It hadn’t even occurred to her to keep him at a distance.

They couldn’t do this.

She pulled her mouth away from his, taking several gasping breaths, and pushed him away reluctantly. “We can’t. Derek… we can’t .”

He pressed his forehead against hers, both of them panting to catch their breath, one hand cradling her face gently, the other in her hair. “Okay, Casey. Okay.”

Her emotions betrayed her and her eyes filled with tears. “I thought I loved him, Derek. And losing him, knowing I was even slightly responsible… it broke me. And as much as I felt for him, it was only a fraction of what I could feel for you if I let myself. I can’t let anything like that happen again... Not to you or your family. Some people just aren’t meant to be happy. Please forgive me”, she whispered. “I never thought-”

He tucked her head under his chin, her whole body cocooned underneath his, fingers gripping his t-shirt. “I know. Casey, I know. This isn’t your fault.”

“I’m so sorry-”

“Stop apologizing. I don’t need that from you. I understand.”

“We can’t stay here”, she managed through tears threatening to overwhelm her. “It’s not safe.”

“Case… you don’t have to leave-”

“I don’t think I’m strong enough to stay away from you”, she whispered. “And I’m terrified to find out what could happen if I don’t.”

“Okay, sweetheart. You do what you need to do”, he said quietly, his palms cupping her jaw as he brushed away her rapidly falling tears and finally pulled her against his chest.

“I’m so-”

He shushed her and buried his nose in her hair.

They stayed there for a long while before Casey finally nudged him slowly off of her, her eyes red from distress. Her head was pounding. They both stood up. She leaned up on her toes and pressed a kiss to his cheek.

He squeezed her hand briefly and let her go. Then she turned and disappeared up the stairs and locked herself in her bedroom.

Sleep wouldn’t come easy to either of them that night.

Casey spent sixteen hours in the bedroom that had become her second home before an intervention came in the form of her mother and sister.

She had no idea if Derek was even still in the house or if he’d gone back to his apartment to give her - both of them - space.

Without prompting, Lizzie cast a privacy charm and Nora took a spot on the bed next to her oldest daughter. Casey tucked herself against her mother’s side like she hadn’t done in years and finally let loose uncontrollable sobbing.

“Gran was right, Mom”, Casey cried out. “It’s better to keep to ourselves. We’ll destroy everyone we love.”

“Oh, Casey-” Nora started.

Lizzie interrupted. “Casey, we might finally have a chance to be happy. Don’t you see that? We’re so close to something-”

“It’s a fool's chance”, Casey shook her head. “We’ve exhausted every option. No one can say we didn’t try our best, Liz. It’s time to let it be. I can’t- I need to go… before someone gets hurt.”

“I just need a little bit more time. Casey, please stay-”

“ Lizzie ”, Casey interrupted hoarsely. “Let me go.”

Lizzie deflated.

Time was up.

00

Years ago:

Casey used to have a memory box hidden in the wall. It had all her trinkets in it that symbolized something meaningful for the future, magazine cutouts, and wishes she’d written for herself.

She was full of agony and rage when she finally forced herself to leave the house after spending a two week secluded in her room after the tragedy that had stolen the boy she’d loved.

All her hopes and dreams, her denial that her love was strong enough to break this curse that had plagued their family line for generations… she was going to burn it all.

Fate was laughing at her pain, and she was done. She would never allow herself to go through this again, nor would she allow another family to be a victim of the curse that clung to their lineage like talons.

Lizzie finds her in their backyard building a fire. “Casey, what are you doing?!”

“It’s over, Liz”, she said woodenly. She lifted the box from one of their Adirondack chairs and opened it, moving to dump its contents into the rising flames.

“No, Casey, stop! It’s not over!”

Her sister was too young now to understand. But one day, she would probably fall in love and she would have to make her own choice. Casey would be there to pick up the pieces either way. “It has to be.” She let everything fall into the fire. The box she would keep, but it would remain empty as a reminder. She watched resolutely as everything burned.

“Oh, Casey… I don’t know how to fix this.” Lizzie sat in the chair and reached for her sister’s hand, fingers squeezing tightly. She didn’t know what else to do.

“I’ll be okay”, Casey said, because she was supposed to, not because she believed it. “One day… I’ll be okay.”

Chapter Text

She made her goodbyes short and sweet. George had been incredibly welcoming, and she promised to make arrangements to finish copying Abby’s books no matter what he decided to do with them. Casey didn’t break her promises. She was grateful to know her sister was in good hands, even though she thought prolonging the inevitable was foolish. Marti gave her the tightest hug she’d had in years. She tried not to make direct eye contact with Derek. His silent acceptance was something she needed, but it also made her inexplicably furious.

Edwin… had skipped breakfast. Whether it had been on purpose, she had no idea.

She took the long way to the back stairs, saying a silent goodbye to the house that had somehow become a second home. Casey made it to the top of the stairs despite her now blurry vision.

“Casey, wait!”

Casey turned when Edwin called her name.

Halfway up the stairs, he stopped dead at the pure look of devastation on her face that would have been evident even without the streaming tears.

“You do love him, don’t you?” he asked softly.

“That’s why I have to go”, Casey choked out.

“Casey… What if there’s another way?”

“I don’t think I have any more faith for a miracle”, she said hollowly.

“I was up all night. What if I told you that Halloween lands on a new moon this year? You practice magic based on intentions, right?” he asked urgently.

“Right…” Casey blinked, realizing what he was proposing immediately. “Even if we had enough salt-”

Edwin shook his head. “I can get anything. We’d need some moonstones, blessed water, a crow’s feather-”

“A blood-soaked ruby”, Casey added. “Edwin… we’re by no means the first generation to try to break this curse. What makes you think it will work this time?”

Edwin nodded. “And a few other odds and ends, but, Casey, this might be your only shot. The most important thing you need is something I can’t get.”

“What do you mean?”

“Casey… I’ve suspected for a while now that this curse in particular was reinforced with hopelessness. It’s easy. Disaster strikes every generation and the curse gets stronger.”

“What?” she croaked. It couldn’t be that simple… not when so many lives had been lost and relationships ruined.

“Have you never really suspected?” he looked rightfully surprised. 

“ No. ” She shook her head furiously. “I was too worried about hurting someone else.”

“That plus your willingness to sacrifice- Casey… we’ve barely got a week to get this right. And you have to get your head on straight.”

“Are you willing to risk your brother’s life to try this? Because I don’t know if I am”, she whispered. Even if they could manage to find the correct way to mash extremely strong purifying and renewal spells together, it was still extremely risky. Minor curses weren’t incredibly difficult to break with proper ingredients and use of the moon’s power, but a generational curse like this one wasn’t nearly as simple.

“Why don’t you let me be the judge of that?”

Casey bit her bottom lip in an attempt to hold back the agonizing noises wanting to claw their way up her throat.

Derek.

Of course he’d followed her when she’d all but fled from the breakfast table to grab her things and leave.

“Don’t put your fate in my hands, Derek”, she said tightly.

“Casey, I trust you.”

“ I don’t trust me! And if something horrible happened, I’d never forgive myself.” She refused to believe that a curse with this much power could be ended simply by letting herself be truly happy. It made no sense. Being the anchor to strengthening their own family’s curse was something she was having a hard time grappling with.

“I’ve tried leaving this place at least five times. I always come back. I think I’ve been waiting for you to show up forever.”

“ Derek ”, she sighed.

“Casey… I trust you”, he repeated. “You need to trust yourself.”

She’d given up on true happiness so long ago… to have the potential dangled in front of her by the first people that she truly cared about other than Lizzie and their Mom in so so long…. She wanted to grab at it. Badly.

His hands wrapped around her upper arms. “You told me that you want the people you love to want to stay. Casey, I want to stay… no matter what that looks like for us. You deserve so much more than always feeling alone.”

She choked back a sob. “ Derek- ”

His hands slide up until he’s cupping her cheeks gently. “Case- you can do this.”

“ I’m scared. ”

“I’m right here”, he promised. “And good luck getting rid of me now. I’m as stubborn as you.”

She almost laughed, pulling back a bit to try to breathe normally as she swiped the edges off her sleeves against the wet streaks on her face. He let her go, only to drop a hand to her waist, and she let herself absorb the comfort of his touch. Finally, she looked up.

“I’m going to need to look at all of your research”, she said to Edwin.

He gave her a ghost of a smile. “I hoped you would say that.”

Derek nodded. “I'll grab Lizzie and Nora.”

Casey tipped her head slightly to look up at him, reaching to squeeze his hand. “Thank you”, she whispered.

Derek turned and left, and Casey went with Edwin to his office. Casey blinked incredulously, taking in the magnitude of the papers that were now spread out across every flat surface. “We’ve been busy”, Edwin said wryly.

“Maybe we should relocate the important papers somewhere with more space”, Casey suggested absently as she glanced at the whiteboard in the corner.

Magical Elements?

Moonstones

Blood moon

Charms

Gems

Blood

Milk thistle

Moonlight harvesting

New Moon

Emotions

Intention

Achor

Apparently they really had been busy.

Edwin began gathering up the necessary papers, handed Casey a Manila folder, and then shooed her into the hallway. She followed Edwin back to the dining table, and he spread the papers out again as both families gathered around. Casey began skimming the information he’d accumulated as Edwin began explaining his theories. He clarified a few things with Nora, and made notes accordingly. The McDonalds took a few days to go over all the information more thoroughly, and Casey was surprised when Nora came to the same conclusion she had.

It was doable.

It might even- it had large potential to work.

Magic was largely about intention.

Curses usually had a loophole because intent could be broken when the origin was removed. Generational curses were manifested with an anchor to reinforce it. And while the Webster ancestors had looked into various anchors, none had considered that it was tied to their own emotional states of loss and hopelessness.

Edwin shared his proposed list of spell ingredients, and Nora added crushed petals of the blue iris, and mentioned that they’d need a cast iron pan and an open flame. He started marking things off on his checklist, and added a few things. Lizzie agreed to help make sure they had everything they needed, and they planned a trip to town the following day.

They had four more days to prepare. Luckily, most things they had on hand, but the amount of salt they needed would be alarming for whoever checked them out at the store.

Casey’s nerves made it nearly impossible for her to sit down, and she only ate when Derek bullied her into the kitchen and refused to let her have any more coffee. On the last night, Lizzie, Marti, and Edwin made a special trip into town just to get pizza, and the three of them ended up eating the extra box of garlic knots on the way home.

They’d planned for every possible contingency, and Nora had approved the spell work Lizzie and Casey had written together to unwind several hundred years of despair. It had been much more difficult than anticipated, and Casey had broken a pencil at one point.

Derek had been in the kitchen with George and Marti when they heard her cursing from halfway across the house.

Marti smirked. “I can’t wait until she’s my sister-in-law.”

“Slow your roll, Smarti”, Derek said with a huff of laughter.

His baby sister had the audacity to only scoff. “Puh-lease. You’re stupidly in love with her.”

“You shush”, he muttered, pointing at her.

“That wasn’t a denial”, George said, trying not to laugh while his children bickered.

Derek sighed. “Of course it wasn’t. I’m not an idiot.”

“Debatable”, Marti chirped playfully.

Derek swiped the bowl from her hand and put it back in the fridge. “Be nice, or I’ll tell Casey you ate all her cookie dough”, he called as he left the room.

“Party pooper!”

0

That night, the last one before fate would be determined, they gathered in the family room and agreed to put aside tomorrow’s problems and stuff themselves with pizza. When Casey made her second trip back from the kitchen, she found that Derek had taken up residence in her seat. He grinned up at her innocently when she cocked an eyebrow. Derek reached for her, hand curling around her hip, and she let herself be tugged into his lap without protest. Casey shuffled a bit and made herself comfortable with her head resting on his shoulder.

Warm, warm, warm-

Her head buzzed with heat that took over her body, chasing away the chill she normally carried.

With her head resting comfortably on his shoulder, she let herself drift into a light sleep and would stay there until he carried her to her own bed later. She blinked up at him sleepily, fingers grabbing his shirt tightly when he tried to stand up. “Stay.”

He sighed. “Casey-”

She shook her head and scooted over to make room. “ Stay .”

“Okay.”

00

They were tangled together the next morning, her leg across his hip and her hair trying to smother him. She gave him a shy smile as they got out of bed several hours later than they normally woke up. George was helping Lizzie in the kitchen as they put brunch together when Derek and Casey finally came downstairs.

Casey had been the one who hadn’t wanted him to leave her last night, but this morning, he wasn’t letting her get more than a few steps away before he followed.

She liked it.

The day passed incrementally slowly. Marti sighed a lot, and Edwin stared at their plans while gnawing on his pen cap until Nora patted him on the shoulder and told him there was nothing else to be done. Lizzie had gone outside with Archimedes two different times to expend some of her own nervous energy.

Casey took over the kitchen. The flour-covered counters were a noble sacrifice for her stress baking. Everyone except Derek left her alone while she did what she needed to do to settle her mind properly for the spell they needed to cast. He stayed within reach, but didn’t hover. Later, maybe, she’d be able to express how grateful she was, but right now, there was a rock of nervousness in her throat.

At dinner time, they pulled food from the fridge and ate leftovers before George went outside and lit the fire. Edwin had a cardboard box with all the things they’d need, and he’d checked to make sure they hadn’t forgotten anything no less than four times.

They waited for the moon to rise to its apex. The timing for this spell was imperative, and Lizzie kept obsessively checking her watch. Finally, she nodded and the chairs were moved away. Nora, Lizzie, and Casey stood in a triangle around the fire, and Edwin closed them inside a salt circle. The three of them took turns adding ingredients to the cast iron pan and began reciting the spell they’d memorized. Casey could feel the oppressiveness in the air, their magic becoming a somewhat tangible presence, as she added the last ingredient before she set the pan carefully in the flames.

Nora pulled out their ritual knife and pricked her finger, adding several drops of her blood. Casey followed suit, and then Lizzie. They joined hands then and chanted the last part of the spell. The flames lit the items in the pan, and the whole fire began to emit a pink smoke as their offering was eaten by magical flames.

Lizzie gasped.

The pink flames grew stronger and the smoke thicker.

Finally, after what seemed like an hour, the pink hue began to fade. The fire returned to normal without fanfare.

Edwin frowned. “Did it work?”

Lizzie seemed at a loss because it was more anticlimactic than she’d been expecting. “I- Mom?”

“If it didn’t work, we’d know”, Nora said curiously.

“It worked”, Casey answered softly.

“Do you feel any different?” Lizzie asked.

Casey shook her head, but she smiled. From what she had gleaned from the subtext of the information Edwin had put together, it wasn’t the spell itself that was most important.

She stepped away from the fire and stopped in front of Derek. “Are you sure?” she asked quietly.

He nodded. Her hands found his shoulders and she leaned up on her tiptoes to kiss him. His hands found her hips and their mouths sought each other’s without any restraint. They were headed into dangerous territory when George cleared his throat in a mild warning.

They hadn’t even separated a full inch, but she could see Derek’s grin.

“You’re warm”, he said softly.

She drew in a breath, allowing herself to feel the heat in her own chest that had become accessible to her once again. “Because of you”, she answered.

Casey would probably owe her mother an update about her love life that had been nonexistent for over a decade, explaining how they’d all ended up here, but that could come much later.

“Best. Halloween. Ever ”, Marti declared happily before falling dramatically into her chair again.

Derek dipped his head down and let his forehead rest against hers. If teleportation was real, Casey would have done it. “Derek…” she murmured against his mouth. “We’d better go inside before I start begging you to do inappropriate things to me.”

She wanted him. Badly. And now that she could have him, there would be no more hiding or waiting.

He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

She nodded. “Now would be good.” Casey let out a playful shriek when he scooped her up.

“Thank you and good night!” Derek called as he headed toward the house.

“A bit of subtlety would be-” Casey let out a noise of protest. “Der ek ! You can’t just kiss me to shut me up!”

“Wanna bet?”

He carried her inside and through to the back of the house where his bedroom was - something that would give them a bit of extra privacy until they were ready to come up for air. Casey made him put her down once the door was closed and locked, and she pulled out a small satchel from her pocket and used its contents to strengthen her privacy spell. Once finished, she met his steady gaze, tilting her head in fascination.

He wanted her.

Derek stepped closer and her eyes widened slightly. Once their hands found each other again, clothing became unnecessary. Casey found it easier than it ever had been before to let her mind shut off as a haze of lust descended upon the room, and all she could remember in that immediate moment was his name.

His touch made her feel wanted, needed, protected… she never wanted it to stop. This dizzying feeling of being safe and happy made her feel like she was floating. The only thing she had to worry about was giving him everything he was giving her- maybe there was a spell to let him feel what she was feeling…?

Later.

She would find a way to show him what he’d given her, and how much she wanted to give him in return.

Much later.

Casey was half on top of him, her heart still pounding with exertion, elbow propped on a pillow as she used her free hand to trace lazy lines over his face with her fingertips. “Thank you for waiting for me”, she said softly.

He caught her hand and pressed a kiss to the inside of her wrist. “Worth it”, he promised.

“I don’t… I don’t really know how to do this… be with a person like this ”, she gestured between them. “I don’t think I’m a easy person-”

“Casey-”

“If you can be patient with me, I’ll give you everything I can-”

His hand tangled in her hair and he pulled her closer. “I just want you . Okay?” And then he proved for the second time that he could, in fact, kiss her to shut her up… and make a few other noises if he wanted.

0

It took them a few days before they were willing to come up for air for more than just a quick bite of food, even though Derek doted on her and brought her all the coffee she required to function. Normally, Casey would have been embarrassed for the way she wanted them to stay cocooned together in their own reality, but she felt like they’d earned this time to themselves.

Finally, on the third morning, they emerged from Derek’s bedroom in time for breakfast. Casey had been incredibly grateful he had an attached bathroom. It was the slow clap from Marti that made the blush creep up Casey’s neck.

“Okay, okay”, Derek flapped a hand at them when Lizzie and Edwin joined Marti’s bad behavior.

Lizzie snorted. “Should we mention how long Casey’s privacy spell lasted before Mom cast a new one?”

Edwin smirked.

“You promised not to harass them”, Nora said as she calmly flipped pancakes while George checked the scrambled eggs.

Casey buried her face in Derek’s neck. “ Oh my god ”, she whined. That was mortifying.

“That’s what I heard”, Marti said cheekily, holding her mug of coffee up in a ‘cheers’ gesture.

Derek glared at his sister over the top of Casey’s head. “Are you done?” he asked exasperatedly.

Marti grinned. “Yeah, fine. I’m happy for you both.”

Casey ignored Marti for the time being. The girl would be ruthless if Casey threw her a bone now. She eyed her mom and George suspiciously. She glanced at Lizzie and raised an eyebrow in question, nodding to the stove.

Lizzie hid a grin and gave a subtle nod.

Huh.

Okay then.

Derek disentangled them to go make coffee and came back with two mugs which Casey made grabby hands for before she found herself tucked into Derek’s lap at the kitchen table as they waited for breakfast to be done. Things settled back to normal only after Edwin pointed out the fact that both of them had hickey’s on their necks and Derek threatened his brother with dismemberment. The morning was peaceful and relaxed, and Casey took the teasing with a good-natured eyeroll. She wouldn’t still be here if it weren’t for what they’d all done.

Derek’s hand made nonsensical, soothing patterns in her back that made her skin prickle with awareness. It didn’t matter that they’d spent three days in bed. When she shifted her shoulders to dislodge his hand, he only huffed a quiet laugh, knowing she wasn’t rejecting his touch outright, just keeping them from going at it on the breakfast table with spectators. He kissed her shoulder and she closed her eyes, trying to hold back the tidal wave of need she felt.

When George announced breakfast was ready, Casey sprang out of his lap, offering to get Derek’s plate.

He was definitely laughing at her.

00

Two days later:

All it took was a small suggestion from Casey, wondering if Nora and George maybe wanted some privacy, and the rest of them quickly decided to take advantage of the second house they had at their disposal. Lizzie began chattering about all the places in town to take the Venturis in their town. 

Both George and Nora protested, saying the kids were more than welcome to stay as long as they wanted, but were shrugged off.

Cars were quickly packed.

Marti pretended to dither for half a minute: “Derek and Casey being disgustingly in love, or Dad and Nora making kissy faces…? Ugh.”

Lizzie grinned at the younger girl. “Come with us. Our house is infused with magic, and Casey has the whole third floor to herself. We’ve got tons of space.”

Marti disappeared to her room to pack, and Derek wrapped his arms around Casey from behind. “The whole third floor, huh?”

She grinned and reached back to run a hand through his unruly hair. “I can learn to share.”

“Good.”

Edwin was quickly shot down over his request to fly. Between Archimedes, Samson, and Casey’s extreme hatred of planes, they were definitely driving. Derek left his truck here for now and took over the driver’s seat in Casey’s SUV and Marti made herself comfortable in the back with a blanket on the seat for Samson. Edwin and Lizzie piled the rest of their stuff in his truck.

Hugs were traded, and Nora embraced both of her daughters as she promised that she and George would come to them for Christmas, something that had Edwin moaning, “I supposed you’ll both fly, won’t you?”

Lizzie whacked him gently as she passed.

“Hey!”

Edwin followed Derek as they took the long drive that Casey had made by herself several months ago, only in reverse, to end up at the McDonald house. Derek grumbled often throughout their trip that this wasn’t a trip anyone would be making alone ever again. Casey rolled her eyes, but had more than a few warm fuzzies growing in her stomach because it was ridiculously nice to be taken care of for once. Their home mostly managed itself, with the magic that had been embedded in it for so many years, and Casey wasn’t surprised to find that nothing was amiss when they arrived.

The sisters gave the Venturis a tour and they unpacked their things. Casey left the room assignments to Lizzie and dragged Derek upstairs to the third floor with a sense of urgency.

She urgently wanted to rip his clothes off, anyway…

Casey couldn’t find it in herself to be embarrassed about how much she wanted him.

Returning to town was odd, but comforting after being away for so long. Casey took them to her favorite cafe and bookstore; Lizzie showed them her favorite restaurant, and they made a necessary stop at the grocery store. They received some silent attention being infrequent visitors who were now bringing strangers with them, but the townspeople were polite.

Snow was coming. Casey could almost taste it in the air.

Six days later, they woke up with the ground covered in several inches of snow. Marti’s screech of excitement woke up the whole house. The girl was dressed and outside throwing snowballs for Samson to chase while Casey and Lizzie started breakfast while still in their pajamas.

Since they’d come back home, Archimedes often took residence in his nest on top of the bookcase in the study to keep an eye on the chaos if he wasn’t stretching his wings outside, and Casey occasionally woke up in the mornings with the owl tugging at her hair - something that freaked Derek out because they’d definitely shut the door.

00

Four days before Christmas Eve:

Casey gave Marti a playfully suspicious glare when she finally came downstairs. Edwin and Lizzie had gone to pick up Nora and George at the airport while everyone else got ready. The house had been decorated in superfluous holiday decor. Casey had put the organized boxes in the right rooms and let Lizzie and Marti handle bossing the boys around while she dealt with the food preparation. “That’s my sweater.”

Marti looked down at the pilfered burgundy cable knit sweater she’d paired with some black skinny jeans and blinked at Casey innocently. “Can I borrow it?”

Casey rolled her eyes. “I love you, but sometimes you make me contemplate murder.”

Marti grinned. “Sharing clothes is a mandatory sister activity”, she pointed out.

“Don’t get food on it.”

“Isn’t there some magical witchery to deal with stains?” Marti frowned.

“Magic doesn’t fix everything. But- uh… maybe ask Mom. I never paid attention to the cleaning part of magic”, Casey admitted wryly. “I always preferred to do it by hand.”

“Weirdo”, Marti said affectionately. “Need help?”

“Gods, yes”, Casey grinned.

An hour later, Lizzie and Edwin stomped back through the front door with their respective parents behind them carrying luggage. Nora and George were in high spirits, and it was clear to Casey that her mother was happier than she’d ever been. It was less shocking than it could have been when Nora showed them her wedding ring and announced they had actually eloped.

Having both - now one family, she supposed - together for the holidays made the McDonald house feel warm and cozy, and happier than it had ever been. Nora had always made the holiday a happy affair when the girls were younger, but it had never been this loud and fun. And when the snowstorm hit on Christmas Day, they all found comfort in front of the fireplace and enjoyed each other’s company as they traded stories about what they’d been doing in their time apart.

00

The family hunkered down in the large, three-story house through most of winter, and Nora began teaching Marti the basics of the magic that she had never had the chance to learn from her own mother, and no one was surprised when it came quickly to her.

Casey still wasn’t sure what was going on with Lizzie and Edwin, but they were clearly joined at the hip, and no one was surprised when the two of them announced in the first week of March that they were going to spend some time traveling. They kept in touch, calling or emailing at least twice a week, and they didn’t come home until Casey told them to be back at the end of June for a wedding.

Casey was waiting on the front porch with her mom and Derek when Edwin’s truck pulled up the driveway. Lizzie barely waited for the vehicle to stop before jumping out and running to meet her sister. She pulled away abruptly and stared at the small bump. “You didn’t tell me!” she said in shock.

Casey grinned. “I wanted to tell you in person”, she shrugged, biting her lip.

“We can be aunts together”, Marti said, rocking back on her heels excitedly. “I can’t wait!”

The rest of the family had come outside hearing the commotion and Edwin made his rounds greeting the rest of the family before stopping in front of them. He grinned. “‘Come back for a wedding’, huh?” He teased Casey.

“Surprise?” she said with a laugh as Derek wrapped an arm around her. He’d been hovering more than usual since they found out.

Samson was barking as Archimedes flew overhead with a twig in his mouth. Nora and George were happy, and Lizzie had a partner in crime to discover the world with. Marti was happier than ever learning basic magic, and had also enrolled to take classes at the nearby college. Casey had found her other half, someone who had enough patience for her doubts and steady enough to make her take a chance when all had seemed hopeless.

Over the months, her love for him had only grown. She loved making him laugh, and her attraction for him went far beyond his stupidly handsome face. He never let her get too far from him, and she was drawn into his orbit the same way. She loved seeing what a good brother he was, and that he’d included Lizzie in his protective circle. Casey loved how if she was reading before bed that he’d fall asleep on her shoulder, or he’d steal her book and read to her until they were both sleepy. They way he grinned when she cuddled up next to him let her know that he craved their closeness as much as she did.

He was her missing puzzle piece, and she was certain she was his too.

It wasn’t just that she’d found the love of her life, or that her mother had a sparkle in her eye that she’d been missing for over a decade… it was that her family had grown exponentially and loneliness was no longer even an option. 

They would be married in front of their family in three days.

Casey would spend the rest of their lives together returning the faith he had in her ten-fold. Being the oldest children of single parents was a responsibility they’d both understood. And while they were all adults now, and neither of them would call their younger siblings a burden, it was nice to have a partner that understood. They both knew isolation and loneliness in different ways. She knew better than most how fleeting time could be, and she would never take it for granted.

Lizzie and Marti were playfully bickering about who would be the baby’s favorite aunt as they all went inside and Casey followed. Her hand was in Derek’s and her heart was at peace. She could only be grateful.

Casey still didn’t believe in fate, but she knew they were meant to be together.

She also knew that Lizzie would take half the credit for it in her maid of honor speech.

And Casey would let her.