Hey guys! I'm back! I don't know if that is good or bad news for you. Anyways, this fic is a one-shot. It actually came about from a freind asking me if I was able to write anything without drama or a cliff hanger. I accepted the challenge...even though I don't know how good this one is. So be sure to let me know what you think!!
I want to thank everyone who reviewed Eleven Minutes; you all are amazing. I am so glad you liked it.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own LWD or the beautiful song "Realize" by Colbie Caillat. :(
REALIZE
Derek walked into the house, casually throwing his jacket on the coat hook. No one was home, thanks to the fact that the high school had a half day today. Casey was probably in the library researching ways to abolish half days from the schedule…which gave Derek the perfect opportunity to sneak into her room and set up a prank, or gather some blackmail dirt. He had been waiting for the perfect time to search through Casey's things, for some reason for the last few weeks he hadn't been able to shake her from his head. Everything somehow related back to her.
Whistling to himself, Derek walked up the stairs and walked into Casey's impeccable room. Derek shuddered looking around at everything in its place and neat and organized. He walked to the desk and pulled open the desk drawers, rifling through the objects trying to find anything interesting. Closing the drawer, he walked to the closet. Derek looked up on the shelf, nothing there interesting. He was about to close the closet when he saw something tucked away in the corner. Reaching in and pulling it out, Derek saw it was an old guitar case. Walking over to the bed, he set it down gently. Unclipping the latch, Derek opened the case and gasped. Inside there was an Epiphone EJ-160E John Lennon acoustic guitar. Derek had no idea that Casey had a guitar. Noticing the stickers on the case, Derek realized it was her dad's old guitar. The last time Dennis McDonald had come to dinner he had described the guitar and the case to Derek.
Derek was surprised that Casey had the guitar. He began to realize there were some things about his step-sister that he did not know…and was interested in finding out. Derek closed the case and went to put the case away. He placed the case in the closet and noticed a black book near the guitar. Derek pulled it out and saw that Casey had written music and lyrics; it was a song book. Sitting on her bed, Derek began reading through the book. Some of the songs were totally Casey, lame. Others, however, were decent…some were down right amazing. Shaking his head, Derek put the book back and went to his room. He had some thinking to do.
TWO HOURS LATER
Casey breezed through the doors. She made sure to hang up her jacket in the proper place. Looking around she noticed Derek was not downstairs. Casey walked up the stairs and into Derek's room. He was sitting at his desk, with a pad of paper and a pen.
"Are you doing homework?"
Derek jumped and looked up at Casey. "Thanks for knocking, Case. How am I supposed to learn if you don't set an example?"
Casey rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Der. Anyways, Mom called. She and George picked Marti, Lizzie, and Edwin up and took them to dinner. She wants us to meet her at the diner if we want to have dinner there. I don't think I'm going to go though; I have almost reached a breakthrough. I was at the library doing some research on why we need half days and I think I've figured out a way to get rid of them!" Casey smiled.
Derek shook his head in disgust. "Casey, there are no words to explain you. I don't think I'm going to go either. Actually, I was wondering if you wanted to play a little game."
Casey's eyebrows shot up, a look of confusion and mistrust settled on her face.
"You were wondering what?!"
Derek stood up and grabbed her arm. He led her to the bed and gently pushed her so she was sitting. Sitting next to her he explained.
"I've come to realize that we're stuck together and I don't really know anything about you; you don't know anything about me… so I was thinking we could play a get to know you type of thing."
Casey swallowed audibly. "I don't know about this, Derek. I mean, you've never shown an interest in getting to know me before. Why now? Are you sure you're not just doing this to use as blackmail or to hurt or humiliate me?"
Derek smirked. "Well, Casey…maybe you will find that out by the end of our little activity. But no, I'm not planning to hurt or humiliate you, nor am I planning to spread it around school; I wouldn't do that to you. So it will be like twenty questions, except no limit on the amount of questions. Also, you must tell the truth. No passing, no avoiding. Deal?"
"I know I am going to regret this, but ok. You ask first."
Derek leaned against the headboard and looked thoughtful.
"Ok, what is the biggest difference in your life now compared to your life before? Both a positive and a negative."
Casey was impressed. "Wow, that's a good question. Hmmm. Well a positive and a negative difference between my two lives…actually, I can think of one thing that is both a positive and a negative. You."
Derek raised an eyebrow. "I'm sorry. The judges are going to have to hear more. Care to elaborate? I mean, how could I be both a positive and a negative? I can see how I can be a positive, just look at me," Derek gestured to himself. "However, I cannot see how all this sexiness could be considered a negative!"
Casey giggled. "Well, you do qualify as both. You are a negative because you have gone out of your way to make me miserable. You are too self-involved and seem to not give a damn about anyone but yourself…and Marti. You also count as a positive because you've kept me on my toes. I have never met anyone who challenges me like you do. I admit, it drives me crazy, but I like it. You keep me guessing. I also know that if I really really needed you, you would be there. So there you go, you are both a positive and a negative. Here's a question for you…why do you treat girls the way you do? I mean, cheating on them, leading them on, treating them horribly, speed dating? Don't you want to have a relationship?"
Derek's jaw dropped. "Hold on, Casey. I admit I date a lot, and yes, I do speed date. But I have neither cheated on a girl nor treated her as an object. Cheating is a horrible thing, so is forcing yourself upon another person and treating women as objects. I play around with you about how I supposedly treat women, but that's because you came here all ready to believe I was a chauvinist pig. I'm not. I do want a relationship, when I find the right girl. But I have never cheated or treated them horribly."
Casey nodded. "Ok. I'm sorry. I guess I just assumed, since you have a new girlfriend like every day…"
Derek shrugged. "Yea, well…don't assume. I'm not as horrible a guy as you seem to think I am. A big part of that has to deal with my reputation…and I just like to push your buttons."
Casey rolled her eyes and threw a pillow at the smirking Derek. "Just ask you're question."
Derek tapped his finger on his chin thoughtfully. "Hmm. What is your favorite quote? I know you like them; you have that huge book of them."
Casey was surprised that Derek knew that about her. "Well, it honestly depends on the day and the mood I'm in. Sometimes I relate to inspirational ones, other times funny ones, other times sad ones…but I think at this moment it is a quote by Lady Bird Johnson: 'It's odd that you can get so anesthetized by your own pain or your own problem that you don't quite fully share the hell of someone close to you.'I really relate to that. I mean sometimes everyone just gets so wrapped up in their own life that they forget that there are others in pain. Same question to you."
Derek nodded. "That quote is fitting for you. I would have to say my all time favorite quote is from the book The Zahir by Paulo Coelho."
At Casey's wide eyes, he shot her a dirty look. "Yes, Case, I read. I've actually read quite a few books. It would just ruin my tough guy rep. Anyways, my favorite quote would have to be from there, about freedom… 'Freedom continues to be the thing I prize most in the world. Of course, this has led me to drink wines I did not like, to do things I should not have done and which I will not do again; it has left scars on my body and on my soul, it has meant hurting certain people, although I have since asked their forgiveness, when I realized that I could do absolutely anything except force another person to follow me in my madness, in my lust for life. I don't regret the painful times; I bear my scars like medals. I know that freedom has a high price, as high as that of slavery; the only difference is that you pay with pleasure and a smile, even when that smile is dimmed by tears.' I've become so used to people telling me to do this and to do that. I want to live my life for me, the way I want to…I will do whatever I have to, to not be just some pawn to some one else."
Casey looked at Derek in a way she had never looked at him before, proudly. "Derek, I honestly do not know what to say besides I am impressed."
Derek shrugged, almost looking embarrassed. "What can I say? I'm amazing. Ok, here's a question for you. What is one thing about you that either nobody or almost nobody knows?"
Casey rested her chin in her hand, looking thoughtful and relaxed. "Nobody or almost nobody…oh! I got it! I play the guitar and write my own songs…" Casey said, trailing off at the end, as if she was unsure she should have told Derek that.
Derek widened his eyes, acting as if he had no idea. "Really? Play something you wrote for me Casey."
Casey immediately shook her head. "No, I don't think so."
Derek did his best puppy face and it was suddenly very clear to Casey who Marti had learned that technique from. Still, Casey shook her head.
Derek's bottom lip went out even farther; his eyes grew rounder. "Please, Casey." At Casey's continued resistance, Derek shrugged and launched himself at her and began to tickle her. The two fell off the bed, with Derek on top of Casey, tickling her mercilessly. Casey screamed and laughed, all the while squirming to get out from under Derek. She thrust her hips upward, causing Derek to still and then fall off of her, unbalanced.
Casey jumped up and began to run towards the door. Derek caught her arm and spun her around. The momentum of the spin caught both off guard, and Casey slammed into the wall, with Derek falling right on top of her. They both stilled, noticing their proximity and the pure sexuality of their position. Casey was pressed into the wall with Derek's body pressed against every inch of her own; a piece of paper would not even be able to fit in between them.
Derek looked into Casey's face, searching for any hint on what was happening or what to do. Casey looked up into his face, hunting for the same thing.
"Casey-" Derek croaked, his voice low and deep, almost a growl.
"Um, I'll play you a song." Casey said quickly. She gently pushed him away and walked into her room, gesturing to him to follow her. Derek shook his head, attempting to clear out all the confusion that was fogging up his mind. He walked out of his room and into hers, just as she was getting her guitar out of the closet. Casey grabbed the little book and pulled out the guitar. Settling herself into her desk chair, she looked at Derek.
"So what do you want to hear?"
Derek thought. "I don't know. How about your most recent?"
Casey nodded and flipped open the book. She gave the guitar a few experimental strums and tuned it quickly. Looking up at Derek, she took a deep breath and began to play and sing.
Take time to realize If you just realize Take time to realize If you just realize It's not the same If you just realize Just realize
That your warmth is
Crashing down on me
Take time to realize
That I am on your side
Well didn't I, didn't I tell you
But I can't spell it out for you
No it's never gonna be that simple
No I can't spell it out for you
What I just realized
That we'd be perfect for each other
And we'll never find another
Just realize
What I just realized
We'd never have to wonder
If we missed out on each other, now
Oh oh, I'm on your side
Didn't I, didn't I tell you
Take time to realize
Oh oh, I'm on your side
Oh ooo oh ooo oh
But I can't spell it out for you
No it's never gonna be that simple
No I can't spell it out for you
What I just realized
That we'd be perfect for each other
And we'll never find another
Just realize
What I just realized
We'd never have to wonder
If we missed out on each other, but
No it's never the same
If you don?t feel it too
If you meet me half way
If you would meet me half way
It could be the same for you
What I just realized
That we'd be perfect for each other
And we'll never find another
Just realize
What I just realized
We'd never have to wonder
If we missed out on each other
What I just realized
That we'd be perfect for each other
And we'll never find another
Just realize
What I just realized
We'd never have to wonder
If we missed out on each other, now
Missed out on each other now
Missed out on each other now.
At the end of the song, Casey looked up shyly at Derek, who said nothing. Casey waited for him to say something, to say anything; he didn't. Casey nodded to herself, feeling foolish. She quickly put her guitar away, wiping a tear away while her back was turned to Derek. Straightening herself out, she turned around and almost fell down. Derek was standing right in front of her.
He reached out and gently brushed a tear from the corner of her eye with his thumb. Casey's eyes fluttered closed at the touch. Derek stepped even closer and titled her chin up with his index finger. Casey opened her eyes, but before she could say anything, Derek brought his lips down on top of hers. Casey stood frozen in shock for a moment, before Derek's lips coaxed a response from her. Casey wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him back, hard. She pushed against his body, causing Derek to now be the one against the wall. Derek yanked her to him, his hands firmly wrapped around her waist. The two kissed until oxygen became a serious issue. Derek pulled away and looked at Casey, with her swollen lips, messy hair, and hazy eyes.
"You know what Case…I think I just realized."
Casey only smirked in response.
A.N.: I was so tempted to make it a dream, but I resisted :)