A/N: Hi everyone! I know it's been a while since I've posted anything. You could say I've developed quite a writer's block. This oneshot is in honour of Vacation with Derek and Canada Day!
Spoilers: If you haven't watched the movie yet, I suggest you watch it first before reading this story.
As always, please read and review. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Life with Derek franchise or Apple Inc.
Breathing in the crisp forest air, Casey smiled up at the full moon. Her dream of becoming a professional dancer was finally coming true. Being asked to play a lead in a New York City broadway production was beyond anything of her wildest dreams and yet here she was.
"So you've decided then?" A young male's voice interrupted her thoughts. She turned to look at the speaker.
"Derek. What are you doing out here?" He gestured towards the door of her grandmother's lodge. "The feel-good family moment was too much. I volunteered to go look for you." He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked over to where she was on the veranda. "Nora told the family the news. NYC, that's good stuff, right?" Both looked out to the lake.
Casey chuckled. "It's one of the best, Derek."
"And you're going?" His tone indifferent.
She looked at him again. "I haven't officially decided yet but yes, I would love to go. Why do you care? I would think that university would be much more appealing to you without me around."
His smirk was visible in the moonlight. "You do realize that I wanted to go to Queen's because you were going." Casey's eyes widened slightly and Derek realized what his words could have been interpreted as. "I meant, I wanted to go so I could continue making your life a nightmare."
She giggled. "I wouldn't miss your pranks in New York."
"Wouldn't you?" He teased lightly.
"No. Maybe. Yes."
They both laughed.
"I will miss you, Derek. The whole family, I've never been away from mom or Lizzie for this long. It's going to be different being alone."
"But you're not alone. Jesse's going with you." Derek's voice indifferent once more.
Casey blushed, thinking of the brilliant dancer.
"Be careful, Case. Sometimes, fame changes people." Derek warned.
"What are you trying to say, Derek? That Jesse's going to dump me the second he rises to fame? We're not even dating." Casey fumed.
"I saw that kiss the other night." Derek retorted, just as angry.
Casey made a noise, "You're one to talk. Who's been tonguing the rich girl across the lake for the past week?"
"Her name is Roxy."
"Oh, excuse me for not remembering the would-be-lake-destroyer's daughter's name." Casey spitted out.
Derek gave Casey a confused look. "What?"
Casey blushed again and turned away. "You know what I mean." She headed inside. "I'm glad I'm leaving, that way I don't have to deal with you anymore."
"Casey!" Derek called out.
"What, Derek?" She hissed still staring at the door.
She heard him sigh and walk towards to her. He forcefully turned her around.
"Don't man-handle me, Derek."
He purposely ignored her and continued grasping her shoulders. "You can't just gallivant off to New York with a total stranger, blowing off your education and expect me to be cool about it."
"I'm deferring only for a year, Derek. I'll come back."
"You say that now. I've seen you dance, Case. You're amazing, people are going to love you. They'll want you to stay in New York forever."
Casey furrowed her eyebrows. "What do you want me to do? Forget about my dreams and continue living as is?"
"Yes." Derek replied but quickly backtracked when he heard Casey's gasp. "I mean, no."
He let go of her shoulders to run one hand through his hair.
Casey sighed, frustrated at Derek's inability to speak his mind. "What do you want, Derek?"
He looked in her eyes, looking vulnerable. "I...I don't know."
"Der-"
"I'm happy for you, Casey and as much as I try to bring you down, I want you to be happy too. And I know that going to New York will make you so so happy, I just...I can't let you go."
Casey felt her heart beat a little bit faster, "Why, Derek?"
Derek turned away and began pacing, not answering her. A moment of silence elapsed as she stood there watching her step-brother go back and forth. He stopped suddenly and laughed.
"You know what? Forget I even said anything. I don't have a clue as to why I would want you to stay. I think I'm delirious from the anticipation of losing all of the potential pranking moments. You should go to New York. It's your hockey. Who am I to stop you, right?" Derek laughed out, a little insanely.
Casey's heart dropped a bit and smiled gently. "Right. Who are you to stop me?" She said softly.
She turned away and took the first steps out of his life.
Two weeks later
Casey was standing at the airport, saying her final good-byes to her family.
"Promise me you'll call as soon as you land in New York." Nora gushed as she hugged her daughter.
"Of course, mom. I'll call at the airport and when I arrive at the apartment."
"Oh, I wish you were staying with your father. I know, his place is too far away from the theatre." Nora said as soon as she saw the look on Casey's face. "What about Jesse? Where is he?"
"He left a few days ago, he wanted to get settled in early."
"You're not living with him, are you?"
"George!" Nora scolded but looked at Casey all the same. Casey laughed and shook her head.
"No, dad found me a place of my own. He's going to help me out if I need it."
Casey looked at her watch and back at her family. "I should go. My flight leaves soon."
"Casey." "Don't go." "We'll miss you." Rang the voices of her younger siblings as they hugged her for one last time.
Casey's eyes started to water. "You guys take care of each other. I'll be back before you know it."
She reached over to include her mom and her step-dad. "I love you guys. I'll call as much as I can."
"Take care of yourself, Casey." George stated firmly but gently. Casey nodded and pulled back from the hug. "I still can't believe Derek left for Queen's without saying good-bye to you."
"It's alright. I'm used to Derek being inconsiderate."
"Yes, but you're his sister."
She shrugged lightly as she picked up her carry-on, a sad smile across her face. "Not really."
When she comfortably settled in her seat on the plane, she busied herself by untangling her earbuds and dropped her iPod in the process, not noticing the person seating down next to her. When she leaned down to pick up her possession, a familiar musky scent caught her attention. She abruptly sat back up and glared at her companion.
"Der-ek!"
He smirked at her and raised his two hands. "Surprise!" He quickly sensed that Casey was about to go into hyperventilation-mode, "Casey, don't freak out."
She stared daggers at him while her breathing steadily got harsher. "Don't freak out? What are you doing here? You're supposed to be on your way to Queen's."
"Change of plans. I decided to defer a year."
"What? Why? Do mom and George know?" Casey questioned hastily, starting to control her breathing.
"George and Nora don't know, I was going to get you to tell them once we land in the Big Apple."
"Der-ek! I'm not going to get you out of this one. I want you off this plan-whoa." Casey stopped mid-word as the plane began to back-up.
Derek smiled at her. "Too late."
"You can't just leave. What are you going to do for a year? You need to go back."
"I happen to have a job as an intern at your father's office."
"You've been speaking to my dad?" Casey quietly shrieked at him.
"Hey, the guy gave me his card, so I used it and he hooked me up with a job. He's pretty decent...I'm starting to think you were adopted."
Casey shoved her face into her hands and groaned.
"Why, Derek, why?"
He sighed as he struggled to find the words, "Casey, that night at your grandma's, I had no right to ask you to stay. Dancing is your dream and you should take any chance you get. Heck, I would go anywhere right now if some team from the NHL decided to draft me." He smiled slightly.
"But I couldn't just let you leave. I still can't. You've become an extra limb and the thought of you leaving me behind, it bothers me and I don't know why but it does."
Casey's eyes lit up slightly at Derek's words.
"And so, instead of telling you to give up your dreams, I've decided I might as well fulfill one of mine, to live in New York City. I don't think I was ready for university anyway."
Casey unexpectedly leaned over and gave Derek a hug.
"Whoa-what are you doing?" Derek squeaked.
"Thanks, Derek."
"For what?" He asked, puzzled.
"Not leaving me." She smiled into his shoulder before settling back into her seat as the plane began its ascent.
A/N: I hope you liked it. The ending is supposed to be open-ended. I wanted to give the sense of a new beginning for these two. The lines of their relationship are left undefined.