A/N: Aww, here it is--the last chapter! I really enjoyed writing this, and I may add onto it at a later date (probably in sequel form). I'd like to thank all of you for being such fantastic reviewers and readers; your input really helped me shape the story and make it more readable. Look for future fics ... sometime. And ENJOY THE DASEY!

Disclaimer: I don't own LwD or O.A.R.'s "Crazy Game of Poker." Unfortunately.

Casey sat down at the table next to John and across from Derek. She caught him giving her a soft, sad little look, and he looked so lost that she felt her resolve disappearing. We really did take it too far, she thought. I just wanted to make him hurt a little, but that looks like a lot of pain. Did I blow it? Oh, my gosh, what did I do? Ugh! Well, too late now … at least I won't have to worry about being in love with him anymore, 'cause it's obviously not going anywhere. With a sigh, Casey turned her attention to the game. "So, what are we playing?"

John answered, "Five-card draw. Do you know the rules?"

"Uh, not really," Casey answered, a little embarrassed. Did I really think I could play? Just one more way to embarrass myself in front of Derek …

"Don't worry, I'll walk you through it," John said comfortingly, patting her hand.

The game started. Everyone anted up and picked up their cards. Round after round, bet after bet, play continued, until John's bottle was half emptied and the clock read half past 3am. Finally, Sam threw down his cards.

"D, I have to go home. I'm exhausted. And I'm tapped." Sam had lost nearly $200 in the game, mostly to John, who was swaying slightly and grinning like an idiot. It had been a good night for him.

"Yeah, me too, Derek," Ralph said. "I'm supposed to go to brunch with my grandma tomorrow, and she'll be really mad if I can't stay awake."

"Oh, but guys, this is just starting to get good!" Derek's hair was ruffled frantically, and he spoke with sleep-deprived delirium. "You can't quit now!"

"Sorry, D, I have to go," Sam said, grabbing his jacket from the back of his chair. "Later, man."

"Yeah, sorry, Derek. If you want to keep playing, you can keep the chips," Ralph said, rubbing his eyes with the back of his hands.

"Yeah, fine," Derek muttered, staring at his hand.

"I'm OK with it," Casey said brightly. She was, amazingly, up by almost $50 and had thoroughly enjoyed herself during the evening. Derek glowered at her.

"I'm in too," he growled.

"Me too, kids," John said with a slight slur. "I'm having a GREAT time!"

"Fine. My deal." Derek snatched the deck from Casey and began shuffling. He dealt the cards with a sense of purpose, as if snapping them on the table would give him an edge. He's so angry, Casey thought. Look at him. Oh, well,, if you can't take the heat, get out of the fire. Casey grinned.

"John, you open. What's the bet?" Derek asked.

"Mmmmm … I think I'll bet $5, handsome." John giggled and tossed in a chip.

"Uh … OK. Casey?"

"I'll call," she said, throwing in her chips.

"Me too," Derek said, throwing in his chips. "John, how many?"

"One, good-lookin'," John answered, still giggling.

Casey started giggling as Derek dealt John a card. Oh, wow, I should be mad at him for blowing my cover, but this hitting on Derek thing? Classic. TOO funny. I'm so busted …

"Uh, Casey?" Derek asked.

"Three, please," she said, laughing harder as John started hiccupping.

"What is wrong with you two?" Derek asked angrily, dealing Casey three cards.

"Nothing!" they shrieked at the same time, and dissolved into further laughter.

Derek muttered something incomprehensible and dealt himself two cards. "John. Bet."

"Oh, honey, I'm going to bet $10 that you can't beat me!" John said, tossing in a handful of chips. "Off. Casey, you go!"

Still laughing, Casey said, "I'll see your $10 and raise you $5! Beat that, Derek!"

"OK, fine. I'm all in," Derek said with menace.

"Oh, don't get your panties in a bunch, Derek," John said, throwing his cards down. "I fold! Mmm, you're handsome when you're angry!"

"I'm … what? John, what is WRONG with you?" Derek exclaimed, slapping his hands on the table. "It's like you're … GAY or something!"

That did it. Casey and John were laughing so hard that tears were running down their cheeks and they were gasping for air. They were holding onto each other and shaking. After several minutes of this display with Derek shouting obscenities at them, Casey finally calmed down enough to say, "But Derek, he IS gay!" before collapsing into laughter all over again.

Derek's obscenities, having subsided, started up all over again. He ranted for a minute or two before he shouted, "You mean to tell me that you've been parading around this place with this beefed-up American just to piss me off?!" Flecks of spittle were forming at the corners of Derek's mouth, and he reached up wipe them away with the back of his hand.

"Yep! Oh, you should have seen your face! Oh, it was priceless!" Casey laughed.

"You think this is funny, Casey? Do you? You have no idea how miserable I was this summer without you! How I spent every single day wishing that you were with me! That I clung to the memory of that ridiculous airplane ride during my entire two frakkin' months in Europe because I knew, I KNEW, that I would get to see you again! I thought you felt the same way, but obviously, I was wrong. I was SO wrong. Damn it, I was going to wait until university to give this to you—well, I was going to give it to you in the airport—no, whatever. You can have it now. It doesn't mean anything anymore anyway." Derek stormed over to the hiding spot in the seat under the window and threw it open in anger. When he retrieved his item, he shoved it roughly at Casey. "Here."

Casey looked down at the object in her hands. In them she held a box containing a beautiful piece of workmanship: the McDonald coat of arms, hand-carved into a slab of alder wood and stained a rich mahogany. The coat of arms was nestled into a swathe of fabric. The McDonald tartan. He did this for me. I'm an idiot. Tears filled her eyes and she gently traced the crest with a forefinger. She gently placed the box on the table and lifted the carving out of the fabric; a hand-written note, folded into tiny squares, fell out and landed on the floor.

"I found an little shop in Edinburgh that made these," Derek said gruffly. "I thought you might like it." He turned away. "I guess I was wrong."

"No, Derek, I love it!" Casey said, spinning him around and tears spilling down her cheeks. "And I missed you too! I was miserable without you! You can ask John." John nodded, sipping his bourbon. "The only reason we became friends was because he and his partner, Courtney, were patient enough to listen to me blather on about you all summer. I swear, if I hadn't met them, I might have gone off in the deep end." Casey took a deep breath and looked up at Derek, eyes shining.

"So …" Derek scratched the back of his head. "You really missed me?"

"Yes, I did," Casey said, breath hitching in her chest. Oh, please, oh, please, oh, PLEASE let this be the moment!

"How much?"

"This much." Casey lifted her face to Derek's and gently brushed her lips against his. A shiver ran through her body, and she pulled away, asking, "Believe me now?"

"Not quite. Tell me again," Derek said, smirking.

"Fine." Casey once again lifted her face to Derek's. As she moved in, she kept her eyes focused on his face. His shaggy hair, still disheveled, hung into his eyes, bright with excitement and emotion. Derek met her halfway and cupped her face in his hands, the calluses on his fingers roughly guiding her to him. He urgently, possessively pressed his moistened lips to hers, moving his hands from her face to behind her neck. Her hands were all over his face, his neck, his back; she was running her fingernails under his shirt. He slid his hands from her neck through her hair, down her back, and to her hips; he pulled her close to him, matching their pelvic bones and running his hands over her backside. He dragged one strong hand along her hips and hooked a finger into the waistband of her jeans. Ohhhh … yes … Casey groaned internally.

Gasping for air, Derek broke free and grabbed Casey's hand. Remembering where they were, Casey glanced over at John, red-faced and panting. Casey and Derek both had slightly crazed looks in their eyes, and Casey was tacitly asking John's permission to leave him alone in her room for the night. I have other plans now … finally, I have other plans with Derek!

John, sitting back swirled his bourbon and grinned knowingly. "Well, THAT," he said jovially, "was the craziest game of poker that I ever saw."