She was completely helpless and she hated that feeling more than anything in the World. He caused her to feel like this. He made it impossible for her to do what she knew she should do. He made it impossible for her to stay away from him. Impossible to turn around and walk the other direction.

She glanced over her shoulder briefly, looking for anyone that was paying her too much attention. She had to be cautious. If her friends found out what she was doing she would be ruined. Everything she worked so hard for would be gone. Her life a shambles, but turning around was beyond her ability. Impossible.

The word seemed to describe everything about her attraction to the man. She shouldn't want to be in his arms. She shouldn't want to feel him pressed against her. He didn't fit with what she wanted out of life. He didn't fit with her at all... and yet when they were together, everything felt exactly right, perfect.

How could something so totally impossible, feel so wonderful ? When they were together she could be who she wanted to be. He didn't expect anything from her. He loved her for who she was, not who everyone thought she should be. He was freedom and acceptance and she carved both of those things like water and air.

Her beige heels sounded on the pavement leading to his door and she tried her best to walk softer, attempting to halt the noise. Finally, she reached down and plucked both shoes off, carrying them in her arms as she continued up the walk.

Once she reached the huge, columned front porch, she ducked to the left and went quickly around the side of the house. She grabbed her cell phone from her pocket and pushed the top name on her contact list. It only rang once before a quiet voice answered.

" Rusty, I'm at the side door, the one off the den. " she whispered into the phone. " Come let me in."

" What ? " her younger brother asked, confusion clouding his voice. " Use the front door. "

" I can't do that. Just come let me in. " she insisted.

" Casey, No one cares if you come to see me. " he replied.

" I'm not here to see you, Rusty. Now let me inside. "

" Then, " he paused clearly trying to figure out what was going on. " Who are you here to see ? Why are you being so secretive ? "

" Rus, please, don't do this right now. It's really none of your business who I'm here to see. All you need to know is that I don't want anyone to know I'm here and I'm asking for your help with that. Please. I don't ask you for anything. Just do this for me. " she answered, trying to keep the pleading tone out of her voice.

He paused for a moment before answering. " I'll be right there. Everyone is asleep so no one will know you're here. "

" Thank you, Rusty. I really appreciate this. " She clicked the phone shut and waited anxiously, attempting to hide in the shadows of the side of the massive Frat house. If she just kept still, no one would notice her, she hoped.

Where the hell was he ? She got her answer as the door opened softly and her brother stuck his light brown head of messy curls out.

He wordlessly ushered her inside and shut and locked the door behind her. " Now, tell me what you're doing here. " he demanded.

She slumped her shoulders and sighed. " I don't want to tell you. There is just someone I need to talk to. I can't really explain it. "

Rusty failed to hide the smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, making his face even more youthful. " He's alone, last I saw anyway. I assume you know the way. "

Casey blinked rapidly trying to feign innocence. " Who's alone ? "

" Cappie. Last time I saw him he was studying in his room. " he smirked even wider at her unbelieving look. " I know I thought the same thing. But that's what I saw. "

" Thank you, Rus. I promise someday, I'll return the favor. " she whispered.

" And what favor is that exactly ? " he asked, stopping her from her retreat.

" What do you mean ? "

" What are you doing here, dressed like that, in the middle of the night ? " he gestured to her outfit with a quirked eyebrow.

She glanced down at her light pink linen sun dress that hit her mid thigh and showed off more than a little cleavage. Her beige heels were still perched in her hands. She had chosen to wear her hair down, because she remembered it was how Cappie liked it. Actually to be honest she had chosen the entire outfit with him in mind. The dress was one he had commented on before, the hair was his preference. She was even wearing to small gold locket he had given her on Christmas, the year they were together.

She had dressed for Cappie and it had taken her hours to put everything together. But she wasn't about to admit that, especially not to her little brother. " I've been wearing this all day. What's wrong with it ? "

" Casey, you know I'm not stupid. I want to know what all this is about. " he sighed at her effort to sound casual.

" Why do you care ? What's it matter to you ? " she snapped, tired of talking to him.

" I care about you and I care about him. If this is some kind of midnight booty call, Please don't go up there. It isn't fair. "

" I am not here for a booty call. " she insisted. " I have Evan. Why would I be here for that ? "

" That is exactly my point. You have Evan. You don't want Cappie. Don't play with him. He isn't always rational, especially when it comes to you. " he explained.

" What makes you say that ? Why especially when it comes to me ? "

" Come on, are you blind ? That torch he's lugging around is big enough to light up campus, maybe even the entire city. You can't tell me you can't see that. "

" Please, " she waved him off. " He has a list of women longer than my arm. "

" Yeah, but you're the only one he really cares about. "

His words stung and she blinked to clear away the feeling. " This really isn't any of you business. Thank you for letting me in. Now go back to doing whatever you were doing and pretend you never saw me. "

With that, she turned and stalked away as quietly as she could.

His door was closed. She was taking a huge risk, standing at the end of the hall, no where to hide if someone approached, but she couldn't keep herself from pressing her ear against the cool wood, listening for any sound from inside.

A radio was playing softly, too softly for her to make out what song was playing but loud enough to know it was music of some kind. She smiled, remembering how he always slept with it playing, tuned to the local college station. She recalled vividly all the nights she spent laying in his arms, listening to the soft droning of whatever song was on and wishing the night would never end.

Deciding she had pushed her luck as far as she could, she eased the door opened soundlessly and peered inside. She was met with nothing but blackness and if she hadn't known the room so well she wouldn't have attempted to go inside. But she did know the room. She knew unerringly where every piece of furniture was placed, where every pile of clutter lay. And she knew exactly where the room's occupant was, laying in the middle of the queen sized bed, wearing only a pair of plaid boxers, curled on his side, most likely clutching a pillow.

She eased inside and shut the door without a noise, making sure she locked it behind her. Then she silently placed her shoes right inside the door and tip toed to the bed.

Once she felt the side of the mattress against her thigh, after stumbling over a random pile of clothes and almost falling, ruining the entire adventure before it even began, she sat down slowly.

The weight on the bed caused a slight movement from Cappie, who was just as she pictured, curled on his side, pillow pressed against his bare chest, brown hair falling into his eyes, lighted only by the sliver of moonlight that escaped through the heavy navy curtains covering the window.

He sighed contentedly and a slow, sleepy grin spread across his handsome face. She fought against the urge to brush away the strands of hair that fell into his eyes. " I must be dreaming. " he mumbled almost too quietly for her to hear and she realized his eyes were slightly opened.

" I need to talk to you. " she whispered.

He glanced to the alarm clock on a small round table beside the head of the bed and smiled even wider. " At three in the morning ? "

" It couldn't wait. " she muttered.

She watched him sit up and move closer to her. Her eyes screamed in protest as he flipped on the lamp sitting beside the clock and he rubbed at his own eyes as they adjusted to the light. " Is everything alright ? Did something happen ? " He was wide awake now and obviously had taken her somber mood as a cause of alarm. All sleepiness was gone from his face as he rested a hand on her bare shoulder. " What is it ? "

She brushed off his concern with a shrug and for some reason, felt the beginnings of tears forming in her eyes. " I just needed to see you. " she managed. " to talk to you. "

" About what ? " he asked, still with a worried look furrowing his brow.

" I don't know. But I couldn't stay away. " she answered truthfully.

He smiled finally. " You don't know what you just had to talk to me about at three in the morning but you couldn't stay away ? "

She nodded in agreement. " I know it sound ridiculous. "

" Actually it sounds just right. " he answered smugly. " Did you have a bad day ? Maybe a fight with Evan ? There's obviously something wrong. " he continued to push.

She gave him a defeated look. " I did have a bad day, but that isn't why I came. "

He brushed a wayward strand of honey blond hair from her shoulder, wrapping his fingers in it, letting it side through them distractedly. She didn't think he even realized he was doing it, his eyes were still glued to her face. " If you didn't have a fight with Evan, shouldn't you be with him ? " he asked, after a moment of silence.

She pulled back and turned to face him more fully. " I should be, but I didn't want to be. "

His eyes held hers for what seemed like an eternity. Finally he looked away and his shoulders slumped visibly. " So why me instead ? "

Her eyes strayed down his muscular chest and rested at the place where a trail of light brown hair started just above his navel and continued until it disappeared into his boxers. " I don't know. I just know there wasn't any place I wanted to be more. " she admitted, refusing to raise her eyes to his, eyes that still stung with unshed tears.

He moved closer and raised her face to his with a single finger under her chin. " Shouldn't that tell you something, Casey ? "

She still refused to meet his eyes, trying to look everywhere but at him. " You're right. It does tell me something, but I'm too exhausted to analyze what right now. Could you please just let me lay here with you for a while ? I promise to be gone before anyone wakes up in the morning. No one will find me here. "

He chuckled and brushed her cheek with the same finger. " You know I don't care if any one finds you here. That's your issue, not mine. I'm glad you're here. "

" So you don't mind if I stay ? " she asked, uncertainly.

He laughed. " Of course not. How could I mind ? You know you're always welcome in my bed. "

She gave him a wilting look, but couldn't keep it in place long enough for it to be too threatening.

" Do you maybe have a shirt I could borrow for a while ? "

He let his eyes fall down, staring so hard it felt like a physical touch. He took in every detail, lingering on her breasts and particularly on the locket hanging between them. His hand reached out and he held it between his fingers, examining it closely. " Does he know where this came from ? "

She felt a smile forming for a moment before his words hit her and it disappeared before it made it to her lips. " I don't want to talk about Evan. "

He dropped the necklace and shrugged. " Well, at least you know what you don't want to talk about. "

" Please, don't make this difficult. I'm here, isn't that enough ? " she pleaded. Her voice sounding far away and small.

" I thought it would be for a while. But now I don't know. " he muttered and she watched him struggling for what he was trying to say. " I thought I wanted you however I could have you. Thought it wouldn't matter to me, if Evan was still around. But I don't know now. I mean, it's like he's always in the room whenever we're together. Like he's some kind of shadow that's always with you. "

She looked at him, completely puzzled. " I'm trying to figure everything out right now. I'm just so stressed out right now. I don't know what I'm doing. "

" What you're doing is making us both crazy. " he reached for her and brought her against him, so quickly that she lost her breath for a moment. " You know this is where you belong, where you really want to be. Why are you fighting against it so hard ? "

She let herself relax against his chest, lost in the feeling of his arms around her again. " This is about more than what I want, you know that. This is about my future. I could be president of the Sorority. Do you know how many opportunities could come from that ? "

His chest jumped as he chuckled deep in his throat. " Yeah, I know. But if they only want you because Evan comes with the package, do you really want them ? "

His words sunk into her brain and she rested her small hand against his broad chest and sighed. He was completely right, of course. " Cappie, " her voice was muffled around his chest, " Could you just hold me for tonight and let me figure out what it means in the morning ? "

" Absolutely. " he answered. " You know where everything is, make yourself comfortable. " He let her go, somewhat reluctantly, she noted. " I'll even close my eyes while you change. "

She gave him a skeptical look as she stood and crossed to the wide dresser in the corner.

" Oh, I'm going to peak, of course, but I'll let you think I'm not if it makes you feel better. " he stated honestly at her look.

She laughed and retrieved a yellow t-shirt that she had worn before from his drawer. She undressed and redressed as quickly as possible, trying to keep herself as hidden as she could manage. His sharp intake of breath as her dressed dropped to the floor, told her he was being true to his word and peaking shamelessly.

Once dressed in nothing but the shirt, she flipped off the lamp and returned to the bed, sliding silently under the pale blue comforter that still covered one half of the bed. " How can you be under the blankets in this heat ? " he asked, scooting closer to her and wrapping his arms around her waist once she settled.

" I'm cold, " she answered. " I'm always cold for some reason. "

They were silent for a moment and she thought he might have fallen back asleep except for the shallowness of his warm breath against the nape of her neck. It was something that drove her crazy and she was very aware that he knew it.

She nudged him, deciding she wasn't in the best position and he responded immediately, turning to his back and pulling her to him once again. She nestled her head against his chest and started making small circles on his skin with the tip of her finger. His hand reached up and began moving effortlessly through her long hair.

" I've missed you. " he mumbled into the darkness.

She raised her head to look into his face, once again lit only by the ray of blue light sneaking in from the curtain. And realized just how comforting and familiar everything was. " I've missed you, too. "

" This is college, Casey. You do realize that, right ? " he asked, out of no where, catching her off guard.

" Of course I know we're in college. What does that have to do with anything ? " She was truly perplexed by his outburst.

He pulled away from her and scooted down in the bed until he was even with her face, staring into her eyes, blue eyes meeting hazel and she feared he was about to kiss her. Then she almost choked on air when she realized it wasn't fear she was feeling, but anticipation. She suddenly found herself wanting nothing more than to feel his lips against hers.

But he didn't kiss her. He just looked at her. She did her best to keep the disappointment out of her eyes. " What I'm trying to say is that it shouldn't be this hard yet. "

" What shouldn't be this hard ? What are you talking about ? "

His voice raised in level as he struggled to define what he wanted to tell her. " Life, life shouldn't be this hard yet. We have our whole life for things to be complicated and to do things we don't want to do. Right now, this is just college. Our last chance to be and do exactly what we want. "

She looked at him with an entirely new understanding, seeing something in him for the first time, something she had overlook before. The spark in his eyes beamed as he finally put voice to all the things he had been trying to say, like a light switch being flipped. " I don't know what I want to do with the rest of my life and I don't want to waste my time here at school. I want to learn all the things I'll need to know for the real world. " he continued. " But more than that, I want to take this last opportunity to be whoever I want and to be with whoever I want. "

When she said nothing he sighed, his mood deflating faster than a tire with a hole in it and she felt a twinge of regret that she was the one to cause the light to dim. " I understand what your saying, but my real life has already begun. Evan could very well be a part of that. What if I'm making a terrible mistake by walking away from him ? " she explained. " I need that security, knowing he's there. "

" Are you saying you're thinking about marrying him ? " he demanded, disbelief written clearly on his face even in the bare light.

" I don't know." she hesitated at his reaction. " That was the plan, yeah. "

" Oh, Casey. You can't marry him. He's an asshole. He treats you like dirt. He cheated on you. He doesn't love you. " Cappy broke into a tyrant and she finally put her hand out to stop him.

" He does love me. He may not show it all the time, but he does. And I didn't say I was marrying him tomorrow, but maybe someday down the line. " She paused. " Where do you see yourself in ten years ? "

He blinked and instantly looked shocked at her question. " I don't know. But I know where ever it is, you're there with me. So I guess, in ten years I see myself with you.. "

She stared at him in amazement.

" I don't want to be without you, Casey. " he continued, moving closer to her. She could feel his breath against her lips and the smell of cologne assaulted her senses. " I love you. I always have. "

She caught something in his eyes that stopped her cold. He wasn't just saying what he knew she wanted to hear to get her to have sex with him.

That was how she always thought of Cappie. A player. Using girls and throwing them away when he was done with them. She had never seen him seriously involved with any of the barrage of women he brought into this very room. She had actually never seen him serious about anything and that gave her more pause than anything else. He seemed so determined not to grow up. But after hearing him talk about the future, she understood that wasn't what he was doing at all. He was simply seizing all life was offering him right now, before real life, adult life, crushed him under its weight. He was making the most of whatever time he had left to be young and impulsive, to have fun and enjoy everyday. How could she find fault in that when that was all she wanted to do as well ? He was living the life she wanted to live. She couldn't possibly blame him for that.

But still saying he loved her... It seemed unfathomable that he could have such deep feelings about anything. He thought her work with the Zeta Beta Zeta house was silly and she took it too seriously. He thought Evan was ridiculous for being the same way with the Omega Chi's.

Yet here he was president of Kappa Tau, doing exactly what they were doing, just having much more fun at it. She couldn't just let that fact go and she couldn't let him claim to love her when she was reasonably certain he wasn't capable of such grown up notions.

" How can you say that ? " she finally asked. "After all the girls you've paraded in and out of this room. A new one every weekend. How can you claim to love me ? "

He laughed and it shocked her. She wasn't expecting that reaction. " Those girls are only here because I have a reputation to uphold. "

" Exactly. " she stated confidently, knowing he had just made her point for her. " You say this all means nothing, the Sororities and Fraternities, but you are just as guilty of all of it as Evan and I are. You just don't act like it. "

He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if considering her words carefully. Then he smiled again. " What you're not understanding in all this, is that this Fraternity is what I do because you left me. Besides, you know the Kappa Tau's, all we do is party. That's are reputation, our legacy. "

His words were like a physical thing, set down between them, almost making her jump at the abruptness of its appearance. " What are you talking about ? You were involved in this before we ever broke up. "

" Not this involved. " he answered, gesturing at the cushy private room, which she knew was the biggest in the house and a perk of being the President of the Fraternity. " I only joined the fraternity because I knew this is where the drinking and partying happened. That's why I came to college. I wasn't here to start my future. I was here to enjoy my childhood a little longer. Then you came along. " His voice lowered. " Everything changed after that. "

She reached up to brush a stray hair from his brow and something registered in his eyes once again, making her wonder if she should have made the move.

" I threw myself into this Fraternity because you left me. I needed something to fill the hole where you had been and this fit it reasonably well. And the girls I bring through here, they are nothing but a substitute for you. Not one of them compares to you. None of them even comes close. "

She thought about that for a long time. Her psych class would call that classic transference. He was keeping himself from feeling bad by making sure he didn't have time to feel anything. He kept busy with school and endless partying. Never slowing down, never taking a minute to feel as miserable as he really was. This was something she never thought about before. But it was there. He was telling her the truth and that shocked her more than anything. His honesty was frightening. Never had they been that open with each other, even when they were together. They concentrated on having fun, never allowing themselves to think about what they really meant to each other too hard.

" Cappie, I know you think you love me, but we are so different. How could you possibly love me ? I'm completely wrong for you. "

He didn't answer her. Instead he leaned closer and brought her body as close to his as he could with a firm arm around her waist. His lips descended on hers, catching her by surprise and making her gasp into his mouth. This only caused him to tighten his grip, his fingers digging into the flesh of her hip just on the verge of pain and deepen the kiss, pressing harder. His tongue parted her lips and she let him without hesitating, inviting him into her mouth willingly. He brushed across the roof of her mouth, grazed over her teeth and she tasted him, like water to someone dying of thirst, like chocolate, like the most magnificent thing she had ever tasted.

The familiarity of him resounded in her head. This is what a kiss should feel like, her brain screamed at her. This is what it should taste like.

When he pulled back for a much needed breath, she stared at him, surprised by his sudden absence. It was like being suddenly drenched in freezing water.

" How can you possibly say we aren't right for each other ? " His breathing was ragged as his eyes raked across her face. " Can you tell me Evan has ever made you feel like I do ? "

She could barely register his words as his voice alone, low and gravelly, blew across her skin like satin. " No, " she managed after a moment when she realized he was waiting for an answer.

" Then, " he lowered his head to her neck and let his breath breeze across the tender flesh. " How could this not be right ? "

She took a deep breath as she finally realized what he was saying and brought her hands to his shoulders, pushing him back far enough that she could think again. " There is so much more to consider. There's more to it than just wanting you. "

He took her hand and turned it so that he could lay a warm, wet kiss to her palm before locking her eyes with his again. " That is such bullshit and you know it. Nothing is more important than this. Love is everything. It's what it's all about. " he insisted, his voice still low. " Can you honestly say that you love Evan and not me ? "

She closed her eyes as his tongue trailed from her palm to her wrist and he began to suckle at the pulse point there. Once again it was something he knew drove her wild and she was finding it hard to think rationally. Her body told her to just say yes, she loved him and wanted him and beg him not to stop. But her head still hesitated. She didn't want to use him again. She couldn't let herself hurt him, especially now that she knew how he felt. It would be cruel. She was so confused. The only thing she knew in that moment was that Evan never inspired the kind of feelings in her that Cappie did and she was fairly certain he never would.

" Please, " she whispered, as his tongue snaked out to rest against the pumping pulse in her wrist.

He let go of her hand and pulled back to look at her face. " Please, what, Casey ? Do you really want me to stop ? "

His gaze penetrated her brain, dark and seductive, watching her so intently it made her self-consciously look away.

God, she so did not want him to stop. She needed this. She needed to feel this wanted, this needed. She wanted nothing more than to draw him to her again and feel his lips again, kissing her the way she wanted to be kissed, needed to be kissed.

" I just don't know. " she said, honestly. " I don't know what I want. "

His hand grazed a trail up her arm, stopping at her shoulder to draw the hair back from her skin. Then his mouth was there, leaving wet, luscious kisses against her flesh. " Yes, you do. " he whispered, his lips brushing her skin as they moved. " Just tell me to stop and I will. "

She let herself indulge in the feeling he was creating in her, letting her mind go fuzzy and unfocused, until he started to pull at the collar of her shirt, his shirt, trying to get at the skin hidden underneath.

" Wait, " she panted, pushing at him again.

He stopped and pulled back from her, taking his body completely away from her this time, leaving her feeling cold and abandoned. Her stomach flopped as she thought he might be leaving her for real this time. She didn't want that. She just had to make him understand. " Don't go. "

He sighed, making his shoulders shake. " You don't want me to stop ? " he asked.

" No, " she said truthfully. " God, no. I don't want you to stop. But I still don't know what this means. "

" It doesn't have to mean anything. " he answered. " It means just that for once, you're letting yourself have what you want. "

" But that isn't fair to you. You say you love me. How can you be okay with having me tonight, knowing that tomorrow I might go back to Evan and pretend this never happened ? "

He smiled. " I was wrong. I'll take you however I can get you. And you will never be able to pretend this never happened, anymore than you could forget all the other times. I know you better than that. Whenever you're with him, I'm always there, too. A little part in the back of your mind, screaming that he isn't enough for you. " His voice was smug and confident and she realized he was right. She understood what he was doing. He wanted to show her exactly what she was missing out on with Evan. Make her see how he could make her feel. Forcing her to decide if she was really strong enough to walk away from him.

He leaned towards her and she stopped him again. " I can't do this. " her resolve clear on her face. " This is wrong to you and to Evan. "

" Casey, I know very well what I'm getting into here. I know you're confused and don't know how you feel and I promise if Evan was in this situation with someone else, he wouldn't hesitate. Do I really need to remind you of Becca ? " he asked, with a touch of pain in his voice and that really surprised her. He was hurt because she had been hurt.

" I don't need to be reminded of Becca, thank you." she chided. " But I already got even with him for that. "

" Got even with him ? Are you listening to yourself ? This isn't a battle, a competition to see who can hurt the other one more. And let me remind you that it was me you ran too when he hurt you that time. " His voice was rising again. " Me who you ran to when you were in pain and needed someone. "

Understand suddenly hit her like an anvil dropped from the sky. " You knew. That night I found you in the bar. You knew he cheated on me and you let me seduce you. "

His eyes clouded and he looked away. " I wanted to be there for you and I knew that was the only way you'd let me. "

She touched his cheek tenderly, amazed at how deeply he apparently did care about her.

It was her that leaned in this time, kissing him tenderly, gently. It was also her that pulled him close, plastering her body against his, letting her curves mold into the contours of his chest.

But it was him that pulled away. " Please, Casey, For God's Sake, if you are going to stop me again, tell me now. I'm only human after all and you're killing me. " he pleaded with her.

" I don't want to stop. " she assured him with a soft kiss to his collarbone. " I want you to hold me, Cappie. " She pecked at his Adam's apple when it bob as he swallowed loudly. " Show me exactly what I'm missing. "

His lips were on hers, taking her breath with the sudden shock of movement. His hands pulled through her hair, tangling his fingers in her blond tresses. He crushed into her, intent that this time there would be no stopping him. He knew she wanted him and he wasn't going to let her back away again.

Her name tumbled from his lips as he peppered her throat with quick kisses. His lips regained hers once again and she felt herself falling into the abyss of not thinking about anything but him and the sensation he was causing in her.

She pushed him away from him and saw the confusion written on his face. He almost protested but stopped as she reached down and pulled the t-shirt over her head, tossing it away from her, leaving her naked before him. His eyes trailed down her body, shrugging away the comforter that had covered her so he could see her fully. They lingered on her amble breasts, then resumed their journey taking in every detail of every curve of her body. His hand followed close behind, with the most feathered touch possible, making her wonder if he was actually making contact at all.

She was helpless to stop the groan that escaped her lips as his fingers flitted across her hip. A soft smile played on his lips.

" I've missed you so much, Cas. " His arms wrapped around her, drawing her petite body even further against his and he shifted, pulling her under him.

She clutched at his broad, muscled shoulders as his head dipped to her breast, sliding over every inch of skin he could get to.

His mouth was poised to take a nipple into his mouth when an insistent knocking started at the door.

He choose to ignore it and continued to descend, pulling her erect nipple into his mouth and letting his tongue slid over it.

The knocking persisted even as she arched her back, driving her breast further into his mouth.

" Cappie. I need to talk to you. "

Casey froze as she recognized her younger brothers voice on the other side of the door.

" Spitter ! " Cappie exclaimed, dropping her breast from his mouth.

" What the hell do you want, Rusty !? " Casey spat, grabbing the shirt from the floor and tossing it on quickly.

Cappie shook his head in resignation, and threw on a pair of shorts from the floor on his way to the door. " Something better be on fire and it better be something important ! " he snapped as he opened the door a crack.

" I need to talk to you. " Casey heard her brother say quietly.

" I'm kind of in the middle of something right now. Can this wait until tomorrow ? " Cappie answered with a dangerous tone to his voice.

" I know what you're in the middle of and I think you're making a huge mistake. " he continued undaunted.

Cappie opened the door and took a step out. She watched him put his hand on Rusty's shoulder and turn him back down the hall.

" This is so none of your business. " He told him.

Rusty turned back and glanced at her over Cappie's shoulder. " This is my business. That's my sister. You're my friend. That makes this my business. "

" Look, Pledge. I get that Casey is your sister. And your concern for me is touching, really it is but you have no idea what is really happening here. Leave now and I won't ban you from the house permanently. " The older man threatened.

" Did you just pull the Pledge rank on me ? " Rusty asked, suddenly realizing how serious his friend was.

" Yeah, I did. " He lowered his voice, Casey guessed to keep her from overhearing them. " You have no idea what you are interrupting here. Leave it, now. "

Rusty's voice was lower as well, she had to strain to hear. " I don't want either of you to get hurt. "

" I love her, Man. Don't you get that. Would you rather her be with me or Evan ? "

" Well, you of course, but you don't know that she isn't going to go right back to him tomorrow. "

" Spitter, I know what I'm doing here and so does Casey. Just leave it. "

" Just don't hurt her, Cappie. "

" She isn't really the one in danger of that at this point, Spitter. But don't worry. I won't hurt her. "

Casey settled back, pretending that she wasn't listening so intently as Cappie returned to the room and shut the door behind him.

He was back at the bed in one long leap, drawing her to him, pressing her against his chest. " Where were we before we were so rudely interrupted ? "

Casey smiled sweetly and pulled away from him. " Somewhere I don't think we had any business being actually. "

Disappointment clouded his eyes and his smile fell instantly. " What ? No, Casey, Please don't do this. "

She touched his cheek sweetly. " I don't want to hurt you. " she whispered.

" Leaving now is going to hurt me. " he answered.

" Coming here at all was selfish. I was using you and I'm sorry. "

She made to stand, but stopped as he grabbed her arm. " Please, Casey. " His tone stunned her, making her turn back to him quickly. " Don't leave me now. "

" Until I know for sure what I want, I shouldn't be here. " she insisted.

" At least stay the night. I won't try anything again, I promise. " He sounded so small and weak and she realized suddenly that he needed her as much as she needed him.

She eased back into the bed and watched as he slid off his shorts and tossed them to floor, before nestling himself against her back. " I love you. " he whispered. There was a shakiness to his voice that took her aback.

" I know. " she answered. " I really know now. I just need some time to think. "

He turned her to face him and kissed her cheek lightly. " Take all the time you need. I'll be here when your ready. "

She returned his kiss, pressing her lips to his gently, tenderly. " I see that now. "

She thought that after everything, she would never be able to sleep. Her mind would never stop moving over everything she had figured out. But as his breathing steadied, his chest falling rhythmically against hers, lulling her into relaxation. She concentrated on making her breath match his and before she knew it she was nodding off into the sweet release of slumber, nestled protected and safe in his arms.