Disclaimers, authors notes, ratings, ect in chapter one.

Chapter Ten: Forever, Insomnia, Teammate, Temptation, Completion

Forever

Casey is standing in front of the full length mirror that hangs over the door in the bathroom of the apartment - she keeps pulling at her dress until it looks the way she wants it to. It's purple and kind of short and more low-cut than she thinks it should be. She pulls a sweater on over it before taking it back off…she doesn't want him to think her a prude.

She jumps in surprise when Derek bangs on the door, "Case, come on you've been in there forever"

She rolls her eyes, even though she knows it true, "One sec" she promises (she hears him sigh through the door) before pulling her hair straightener through her hair a few more times (ensuring it's perfect straightness) before turning it off and checking her blue eye shadow and other make up in the mirror and closing her make up case. She leaves her sweater hanging on a hook in the bathroom and walks out, "all yours"

Derek is momentarily shocked silent, "Going for the hooker look, Case? I think you've nailed it"

"Der-ek" she scolds and punches his arm.

He pushes past her, "So, when is douchebag getting here?" he asks through the closed bathroom door.

"Don't call him that" she says looking for her black stiletto shoes. She bought them just yesterday, just for this date – she can hardly walk in them, but she figures it's worth it (she's been at school for about six weeks and she's hasn't seen Truman at all since leaving and she wants so much for this to go well…to prove to them both that a long distance relation can work…can do more than work, could be great). "You're the one that told me to give him another chance after what happened with Vicky" she reminds him as she pulls on her shoes.

"Whatever" Derek yells back (Casey can't see him rolling his eyes). He walks out of the bathroom in jeans and a nice top and she knows he's going on date (he and Emily broke up right as the summer ended – neither being interested in long distance 'The whole point of being with someone is to be with them' he told her when she asked why they wouldn't want to try long distance).

She stands from the couch, "He should be here any minute" (neither of them say anything when she starts to walk to her room and falters in her four and a half inch shoes and he reaches out and steadies her). She grabs her purse from her room and sits back down on the couch, staring at the door.

After fifteen minutes she covertly pulls out her phone (she doesn't want Derek to know she's doubting Truman…not that she is) and sends him a text Hey. All most here? (Derek looks over her shoulder and can read the text she writes just before she sends it. He stands and walks the short hallway back to his room. He calls his date for the evening and tells her he has food poisoning and they re-schedule for the following week. He changes from his nice button down to t-shirt before walking back to the living room dropping to the couch, next to Casey, and turning on the television.

"He's stuck in traffic" she says, looking at him from the corner of her eye. He nods even though he can see her phone, can see that the last text in the Truman thread was Casey's.

Twenty minutes later Casey goes into the bathroom and calls Truman, she gets his voicemail and she sighs heavily before leaving a message, Hey, are you on your way? When we talked yesterday you said you were looking forward to this. Everything okay? Okay, call me – or I guess I'll see you soon… or…okay"

Half an hour after that Casey takes off her expensive, painful new shoes and throws them across the room before going to her room and changing from her fancy dress into black leggings and a long t- shirt. She goes to the bathroom and washes her face and scrubs until she's sure Derek will confuse tear tracks with redness from the abrasive face wash.

When she walks back into the living room and sits on the couch she mumbles to Derek that he could be on his way, or something might have happened, or… something. Derek silently hands her the television remote and while she flips from the hockey game and starts to scan the channels she asks Derek what happened with his date. "Food poisoning" he says and she nods a little.

About two hours later an old Audrey Hepburn in playing on the television and Casey's head is in Derek's lap (she's been asleep for about thirty minutes – he can't reach the television remote without waking her) an abandoned pizza box lays on the coffee table about a foot away (about an hour ago Derek ordered a large half veggie pizza 'for himself' and Casey laughed and looked grateful as she took a piece). Derek's pulling his hand absently through her hair watching Audrey when he hears the chime of her cell phone receiving a text. He knows he shouldn't but he picks up the phone and when he sees that the text is from Truman he can't help but read it, Not coming. Long distance sucks. Found a girl here. Did you really think we'd stay together? Derek deletes the text before tossing it back to the couch (he knows that would hurt Casey – she was convinced they could last forever. He's disgusted with himself for sending her back to him) and watching the rest of the movie.

Insomnia

Sometimes, Derek can't sleep at night. He pictures his baby sisters, Lilly and Marty, and how his relationship with Casey might impact their lives ('this is my (step) sister…and my brother's girlfriend').

He doesn't tell Casey that he worries about these things; he knows how much she worries about what their relationship will do to their families whenever they decide to tell them and he figures that one of them needs to believe things will be okay…and that's him even when he's not really so sure.

He likes to think (and always tells Casey) that they might be freaked out at first but the fact that they're happy will win them over in the end. He's not sure if that will be true…but the thought helps him sleep at night.

Teammates

They've been at college a couple of months and Derek is just starting to settle into a really good rhythm; he's doing well in class and he's comfortable enough at hockey now to really show what he can do, coach even seems impressed. He and Casey have even settled into a…friendship. Ever since he'd taken her to that party about a month back things have been really good with them – neither of them has tried to kill each other anyway.

So, when practice ends and he's changing from his hockey gear into his street clothes and one of his teammates walks behind him and asks if he's dating 'the girl with the good boobs' he brought to the party he's not sure if he wants to throw up or throw a punch. He does neither, instead he shakes his head – "She's a friend" he mumbles pulling his shirt over his head.

"So, she's up for grabs, then?" he asks and Derek clenches and unclenches his fist a few times before grabbing his back pack from his locker.

It's not that Derek cares who asks Casey out, or who she dates (why would he, they're just step-siblings, just friends…and barley that) but he knows that this guy has a different girl every week (dumping them when he gets bored…or after he gets what he wants) and knows that Casey can't handle that…especially not this soon after Truman. So Derek takes a deep breath before turning to face his teammate, "No, she's not" he has to try to keep his voice level.

"You want her? Dibs don't last forever, bang her and move on so I can move in-" Derek's fist connecting with his jaw cuts off whatever else he was about to say.

Temptation

Casey watches Derek as he gets ready to go out for the evening, he'd invited her to the party but she'd declined. The invitation was one of discomfort – their (non)relationship ended several weeks ago (her decision – too much, too soon, too much all most related) and they still hadn't really figured out how to act around one another with so much having changed.

He walks out of his room buttoning the bottom few buttons of his shirt. He grabs his wallet and phone of the coffee table next to where Casey is sitting on the couch (not)studying (and defiantly not watching him from the corner of her eye or from under her eyelashes).

He scratches at the back of his neck idly, "Are you sure you don't want to go?" he asks her.

She shakes her head, brown hair flying around her face. "I'm just going to study" she mumbles tucking her hair behind her ears.

"Case…" he starts but cuts himself off, shakes his head once and stands up a little straighter, "I'll see you later."

He walks out, she kind of wants to cry.

Completion

Derek's standing across from her, holding her hands lightly in his and when he hears "You may kiss the bride" it sounds like it must be coming from a million miles away. But he looks up and sees Casey's broad smile and he threads his fingers in her hair (feels the lace of her veil on his knuckles) and pulls her to him. When they break apart it's to the distant sound of applause.

Casey's forehead hits his shoulder and he kisses the top of her head. She leans up and whispers in his ear, "We're married" he smiles and kisses her lightly before they walk toward their friends and family, already being pulled into hugs.

Authors Note:

Thank you to MerxDerX4ever, Ghostwriter, Zuzzeroo, SSJJ92, gothicluver13, and Mint Panda for reviewing chapter 9.

Thank you to everyone who alerted and favorited this story (but please also review in the future).

So, this marks the end of this journey. Thank you so much to all who read, followed, alerted and (especially) those who reviewed along the way. I hope that you enjoyed your time with this fic, I definitely did :-)

So, (for the last time)…please review!

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