Delicate

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A/N: Sorry it took me a little longer than usual to update, but I was babysitting my cousin at her family's house for a few days and I had no internet access! Updated as soon as possible though. I really hope you guys like the chapter… I don't know if any of it is extremely necessary or if it really furthers the plot of the story, but I just wanted a nice fluffy chapter with some Derek-Casey interaction. The song used in the chapter, which is also the chapter title is 'Always for you' and it is by the Album Leaf. The reason why I used these lyrics instead of making some up of my own, is because I completely suck at writing lyrics. So I stole them. But I'm still giving the band credit! Lol. Reviews are my favourite things on the planet, so please show me you're enjoying what I do by reviewing. I'll update soon! Thanks so much for reading!

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Chapter Nine: Always for You

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While I'm not going to be gender-specific and say that all women are romantic at heart, I'd definitely say that this stereotype applies to me. I'm not ashamed of it. I appreciate a gentleman who will hold open a door for me, or make an effort to show me a good time. I love roses, and teddy bears and heart-shaped balloons. I also love poetry—though that art can get massacred pretty fast. The point is; if you make an effort to show the one you care about that, well, you care then it just brings the two of you closer together. And all people want in this world is to find someone else to care for. Even love.

Now, it's probably pretty obvious who that someone was for me. Life's circumstances had also made it possible that we were both single and interested in each other on this most romantic of days. However, cruel irony had also made celebration of my favourite holiday impossible. I was sick with a flu.

Granted, it was my own fault. I was the one who'd determined that it was a fantastic idea to get totally wasted, for the first time in my life (Derek was right; I am a rookie) two days before my favourite day of the year. I guess my immune system wasn't strong enough to take it, because instead of suffering from a simple hangover the next day, I was instead inflicted with some kind of bug that would just not go away. My resident hangover expert (and hopeful Valentine) examined me and determined that my ailment was not a simple head-ache/stomach-ache/pride-ache combination, but instead an actual illness. Great.

So here I was, the first time in my life I had an actual Valentine worth celebrating with, and I was sick as a dog. Karma's cruel and unforgiving.

"So," Derek said as he burst into my room Saturday night. "Everyone's asleep. I think we should talk… about stuff."

I raised an eyebrow. "You… want to talk?" I croaked, my throat raspy and sore.

Derek glanced around the room unsurely. "Uh… yeah?" he swung the door closed behind him.

"It's just, I'm surprised." I said honestly. "Who's the girl in this relationship again?"

He paused, scratching his head in uncomfortable silence.

"Uh…" I continued awkwardly. "I didn't mean… not that this is a relationship. I meant friendship… companionship… or… something…?"

"I know," he replied with an easy grin, instantly calming my nerves. "And I resent the girl comment. Do you want me to just leave so you can over-think things on your own? Cause I can you know," he turned towards the door in slow-motion.

"No, no, no!" I stopped him with a slight laugh that turned into a cough. "I'm just bugging you. I think it's great that you want to talk; it's very mature of you. You're always surprising me, Derek."

"I am a puzzle, aren't I?" he smirked happily, as he sat down on the edge of my bed. "So," he paused and raised a hand to feel my forehead. "How you feeling rookie?"

"Would you stop calling me that?!" I snapped, swatting his hand away. "It only makes me grumpy," I said in a sing-song voice.

"You're always grumpy," he sang in response.

I hmph-ed, shifting around in bed. "I can't get comfy," I groused.

"You're only proving my point," he sang again.

I glared wordlessly in response; my eyes practically searing holes through his skin with pure anger. Oh yeah, take that Venturi.

With a shake of his head, he came around to the left side of the bed and sat down on top of the comforter, leaning his head against the wall. "C'mere," he sighed, drawing me closer. I laid my head down on his knee as he gently pulled his fingers through my hair, massaging my head.

I whimpered. "Too sick," I said pathetically.

"I want to say that I told you so, but I won't," Derek teased.

"Don't go there, Venturi," I snapped.

"I'm sorry you're sick, Case," he said kindly.

"Finally, some sympathy."

"I'm also sorry that I made you sick; since, you know, I'm to blame for everything."

"Absolutely everything," I said softly, hugging his knee tighter.

His hands drifted down to my back, painting soft shapes with the very tips of his fingers, relaxing me instantly. "So," he said lightly, after about a moment of comfortable silence. "I did it."

"Did what?" I asked dazedly, fixated on the feeling of his fingers pressing so lightly against me.

"I broke up with Sally," he whispered, almost as if it was a secret, or something he wasn't quite sure he should tell me.

"Oh," I said softly, not knowing really what else to say. I repeated myself, stalling for time. "Oh…" I paused and again spoke in monosyllables. "Why?"

"Because," he said simply, and hesitated, seemingly not knowing the answer himself. "I don't know…" he sighed quietly. "It just felt right, I guess."

"But why last night?" I felt a familiar knot tie up in my stomach. I thought I knew the answer, but I wanted him to say it. I wanted to hear it coming from his voice.

"Because…" he said again, but this time he continued quickly. "Because she's a nice girl and stuff, but I… I guess I just need to know what could happen with us, you know?" He said 'us' so softly that I could barely hear him, but instantly I felt a warmth of happiness run through my body. He'd acknowledged that there was an 'us'.

Silence fell over us again, and although it wasn't necessarily uncomfortable, it was certainly heavy, as expectations and questions of what I would say in response travelled wordlessly between us. "Well… I'm glad you did," I said slowly. I meant it. But I was more than glad, more than happy… I couldn't think of a word to describe just what I was. We'd finally been given a chance to explore our fragile yet heated connection, and I was dying to see where it would go.

"I'm glad I did too," he whispered, smiling down at me as his hands drifted to my face, smoothing the skin of my cheeks down with the rough texture of his thumbs. I wanted nothing more than to kiss him at that very moment. Stupid flu. Stupid me. "I can't believe you have the flu," he groaned, his voice slightly deeper and rougher than usual. It was obvious that he wanted to kiss me too. I bit my chapped lip at the thought.

"So, let me guess," I said suddenly, reaching up to grab one of his hands, lacing his fingers with mine. "You're one of those guys that hates Valentine's Day and thinks it's a holiday created by Hallmark or other greeting card companies to convince sucker couples to spend a gross amount of money on each other for no viable reason, other than being suckers?"

He shrugged. "I guess…"

"So I guess it's probably good that I'll have the flu on Valentine's Day then, right? Since it's my favourite holiday, and I'd want to celebrate it somehow otherwise, but because making out is out of the question, along with going on an actual date… well then, there's no real point, is there?!" I admit, I was getting a little… overheated at the concept of skipping my favourite holiday. But I was hopped up on cold meds; I had an excuse.

"It's your favourite holiday?" he raised his eyebrows as a coy grin spread across his face. "That's so cu—"

I interrupted. "If you tell me I'm cute, so help me Venturi I'll—"

"Okay, okay. Not cute. Not cute at all. Scary actually." He winced as I smacked him in the chest.

"Ow, Casey. Watch the pecs."

I snorted. "Uh, huh. Sure." I sat up suddenly, not quite ready to let the holiday discussion die. "So," I said quickly. "Have you ever had a girlfriend on Valentine's Day before?"

Derek shrugged. "I don't remember."

I sighed, flopping back onto the mattress, as I pulled a pillow over my head. "Hopeless," I said, my voice muffled.

I heard Derek laugh, pulling the pillow up slightly to allow himself to burrow his head underneath it as well. "Aw, Case. Don't call yourself that. Get some confidence." I jabbed him in the stomach with my elbow. "Ow!" he shot up, and I followed, giggling apologetically. He held his side, grimacing. "You're so violent! Are you always so violent to the people you love?"

I paused, wide-eyed, and I'm sure my mouth hung open in shock as well. Derek winced, as if he'd just made a major mistake. Oh my God. Throwing myself under the pillow again, I held it tightly around my head.

"Casey, come on!" he insisted. "I'm sorry, that just came out… I was just teasing!"

"I was hoping we were going to pretend like that never happened!" I exclaimed as loudly as I could in my current state, my voice muffled by the pillow.

"I was," Derek sighed. "It just… slipped. I was kidding! I didn't mean it."

I was silent, the pillow still clasped tightly.

"Casey," Derek called. "Come on, don't be embarrassed. I know you didn't mean it like that… you meant it… as a person, or friend, right?"

I nodded underneath as the pillow bobbed. That wasn't the truth, but let him think it for now. It would make my life easier, and my embarrassment less.

"Well there you go!" he exclaimed. "So nothing to be embarrassed about. I… l…lo…." He sighed. "Lo…. Loveyouasafriendtoookay?" It all came out as one mashed-together word, and he was gasping for breath by the end of it. "Whew, that was hard to say."

Silence.

"Casey," he called my name in his sing-song voice. "Do you want me to tickle you?"

"No!"

"Too late!" he grabbed my sides, tickling along the side of my waist as I burst out laughing, trying to fight him off. This caused me to let go of my pillow shield, allowing for easy access to removal.

He pulled the pillow off my face and held it up over his head, leaning over to give me a kiss on the cheek. I gave him a dirty look, and sat up, my frown instantly dissolving into an angelic smile. "Derek?" I asked sweetly.

He raised a suspicious eyebrow, still holding my pillow over his head. "What?"

"You're so cute when you act all abrasive and completely disregard my feelings."

He paused, trying to hold back a smirk. "Really?" he asked, in false-seriousness.

"Uh huh," I nodded, sliding a bit closer. "Why do you think I like you? All that annoyance makes me hot."

"Hm," he nodded thoughtfully, playing along. "Makes sense. And 'De-rek!'" he imitated my voice, and I tried not to laugh. "Must be a mating call right?"

"Sure is," I said a slight laugh escaping. I batted my eyelashes, reaching upwards for the pillow. "Now, if you'll just hand me that pillow…" I snatched it away from him, smacking it lightly against his face. "Take that!"

"Ow, Casey! Again with the violence!" I continued hitting him with the pillow, dissolving into laughter, as he laid against the bed, simply taking it. "You're the dominating type, aren't you? OW!" I smacked him harder. "Stop it!"

"Tell me something I want to hear."

"What?!"

"Tell me something I want to hear and I'll stop."

"Caseyyy… shit, not so hard! You're the prettiest girl I know and your violence turns me on," he said quickly, shielding himself with his hands.

I stopped the hitting, smiling happily as I placed the pillow on my bed, laying on top of it again. "Oh, Derek. Finally, you admitted it."

"I let you do that, you know," he said with a smirk as he laid down beside me, resting his head against my shoulder.

"I know." I admitted. "And thanks."

"Anything for a pretty lady." He quoted me with a smirk. "Well…" he paused, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Almost anything…"

"I bet you say that to all the girls."

"Nah," he shrugged truthfully, lifting his arm up to wrap around my shoulders. "Only you."

……………………

The next morning, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. Or rather, fell, knocking my head against the dresser. Ouch. This was a bad sign of the day to come; I was sure of it.

Whimpering pathetically, I shakily raised myself up and plopped back onto my bed. I burrowed under the covers and prayed for a second wind of that Nyquil to catch on and render me unconscious.

Suddenly the door swung open and someone peeled back the covers from my face. It was Derek.

"Casey?" his brow was furrowed in confusion and concern. "I heard a bang. You okay?"

"Yeah, nothing like a good bruise to start off your favourite holiday. Oh, wait. You don't like Valentine's Day. Sorry, I forgot." Daggers. I was shooting daggers at him through my eyes.

He shook his head with a smirk and reached out to pat my hair. "I think the fall must have damaged your head, Case. No worries, I'm here to take care of you."

I raised a doubtful eyebrow. "I was just about to come to that. Why aren't you in school?"

Derek shrugged. "Went this morning, thought better of it and decided to skip the afternoon. What?! Don't give me that look. I've skipped plenty of days, what's one more, right?"

"Derek, I'm not going to be responsible for you failing; now go back to school!"

"Make me," he smirked. "Oh wait! That's right. You can't. Now what kind of soup do you prefer? Chicken Noodle maybe? Mushroom? Tomato? You seem kinda like a tomato girl to me." He turned around and left, pausing only to shoot a grin in my direction.

"Alright Derek!" I called after him. "But don't come crawling to me if your future is ruined! And I like chicken noodle! Did you hear that Nurse Derek?"

"That's Doctor Derek, to you!"

…………………

Several hours, two bowls of soup, and three magazines later and I was beginning to go stir-crazy. This little act of ignoring or sniping at Derek was getting sort of old.

"Derek!" I called. "Can you come in here please?"

"Just a minute!" he yelled back. "I'm in the middle of a show. Wait till a commercial."

Sigh. Several minutes later and he was bounding up the stairs. "Okay, Case. You have three minutes before it starts again. What do you want?"

I scrunched my face up in confusion. "What are you watching?"

"Uh… nothing. Sports." He scratched his neck, glancing around the room.

"Liar. You're watching Dawson's Creek aren't you?" I smirked.

"No!"

"Admit it Derek!"

He sighed. "Oh fine. Reruns are on every day at 2:00. Laugh, see if I care."

I shrugged. "I'm not going to laugh."

"You know, you kind of remind me of Joey…"

"That's nice," I interrupted. "Isn't your show going to start any second?"

"Oh yeah!" he exclaimed, and jogged impatiently on the spot. "Now what do you want, Case? Soup? Ice cream? Magazine? Puke bucket? What?!"

I wrinkled my nose. "Ew."

"What do you want?!"

"You."

He stopped running. "What?"

I grinned my most charming smile. "You. Your presence. I'm bored," I whined. "Entertain me."

"But Dawson, Joey, Pacey and Jen are all filming this documentary on Witch Island and it's actually haunted and they're trapped and… and…" It was his turn to whine.

I extended my bottom lip. "Please? For me?"

He narrowed his eyes. "What'll you give me?"

"Uh… a hug?" I smiled angelically.

He snorted. "I get those all the time. What else you got?"

I paused, thinking quickly. "A kiss?" I asked, a slow smile dawning across my face.

His eyebrows shot up suddenly. "Interesting, but yet an empty promise. You're sick and there's no way I'm catching whatever you have, Case."

"An I.O.U. then? Come on, Derek. It's Valentine's Day. And I'm lonely." I sighed sadly and lowered my eyes, hoping the guilt trip was working.

"Oh, fine," he grunted, shutting the door behind him. He jumped on the bed, laying down on his back as he drew me into his arms. I happily rested my head against his chest, wrapping my arms around his wirey yet firm torso.

"So," I said suddenly. "Why'd you decide to skip the afternoon?"

His chest shifted as he shrugged. "I skip a lot. Just so happens that you were home today."

I rolled my eyes. "Are you sure that's the real reason?"

"Okay…" he admitted. "Maybe you being sick had something to do with it. I… I wanted to take care of you." He paused. "And just be around you. I kind of want to be around you whenever I can, you know?" he sighed. "Is that weird?"

"No," I said truthfully. "That's nice. And I feel the same way." I looked up at his face then, unable to keep from smiling at his expression. "What?" I asked. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing," he said quietly. "It's just weird to think about, you know? When we didn't get along. I never thought that we'd be here. If someone would have told me a year ago that I'd be lying with Casey McDonald in her bed next Valentine's Day, I would have laughed at them."

I laughed lightly. "Yeah. I think I've always kind of had a crush on you, though."

He raised his eyebrows with a smirk. "Yeah? Interesting."

"Well, why did we fight so much?" I asked. "Only people you care about are able to get under your skin like that, you know?"

He nodded thoughtfully. "Makes sense."

"Mm," I sighed. "You're comfy. Mind if I use you as a human pillow and sleep?"

"Be my guest," he sighed a laugh and reached over, tucking my hair behind my ears so that it was out of my face.

"Whether you celebrate it or not," I mumbled, my face squished against his chest as I drifted to sleep. "You're still my Valentine."

…………………

"Casey… Casey…" a voice was calling my name. I opened my eyes, blinking twice. My vision was still blurry.

"Derek?"

"Huh? No. It's mom."

"Oh…" I blinked several more times, and sat up in bed. "Hi mom," I croaked.

"Aw, still sick huh?" she raised a hand to my forehead. "You're really warm."

Through squinty eyes, I searched around the room. No Derek to be found. He must have left at some point before everyone else came home. "Where's Derek?" I asked groggily.

"You must be out of it from the medicine," she said confusedly, rubbing my arm. "He's downstairs watching sports or something, I think. Did he do something to annoy you again?"

"No," I said, exaggerating a yawn as I laid back in bed. "No, didn't do anything. I'm just kind of…" I trailed off.

"I understand," she said, standing up. "I'll let you get some rest. There's a sandwich and some juice on your desk if you feel up to eating." She kissed my forehead, and left, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

"Sandwich and juice?" I whined, sitting up, eyeing the offending tray of food. "What is this? I miss my soup and ginger ale."

Whimpering, I slowly lowered myself onto the bed again. So. Bored. I begun to make a pro-con list in my head. Pros to being sick; resting, attention from Derek, extra sleep. Cons; boring, no school, horrible feeling, no kissing Derek. Well, that one was easy.

Just as I was about to force myself to sit up and go surf the internet for the hundredth time that day, I heard something at the door. A square case with a note slid under the door, and as I struggled to get up to investigate, I heard footsteps.

"What's this?" I croaked out loud, picking up the case. It was clear, and there was a CD inside that had 'Casey's song' written on it in felt marker.

Curiously, I carried the case over to my computer, and sitting down on the chair, examined the note, attached with tape to the front.

'Casey,' the lazy scrawl read. 'I thought you might be bored, so here's something to occupy that crazy mind of yours. I wrote this for you. But don't tell D-Rock. They think it's for Sally, but it's always been for you. Happy Valentine's Day, Derek.'

With a small happy sigh, I unhooked the earphones from my ipod and instead connected them to the computer speakers. I slid the disc in, and the music played automatically. It was a melodic tune with a slight beat to it. I imagined Ralph playing the drums in the song, and smiled. He and Sam thought it was for Sally, but it was for me. She'd always been after him to write a love song for her, but he claimed that they were lame. I guess he'd made an exception this time. I let his deep but soft voice drift over me as I concentrated on the lyrics;

'All the things I've tried to say

Were never easy to explain

They were always meant for you.

And all the memories that were made

For years and years

I've chased this day.

They were always for you,

Always for you.

All the things I've tried to change

Were never easy to contain

They were always meant for you.

And all the memories will never fade

For years and years

In my heart you'll stay.

It was always for you,

Always for you.

All the pieces that remain

They will build a place for us to stay.

They were always meant for you.

And all the chances that we take

For years and years

We'll have this place.

They were always for you,

Always for you.'

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Later that night, I laid in my bed listening to 'Casey's song' on repeat on my ipod. I wondered, for probably the fourteenth time that night if everything he sang he actually meant, and if that song was really for me. But inside I knew, that he couldn't have written it for anyone else. I jiggled my feet to the beat of the song, unable to sit still. No one had ever done something so romantic for me; I didn't know how to take it. I was also sure that Derek had never even dreamt of doing something so romantic for someone else; so I wondered how he was taking it all. For a guy who had problems even saying the word 'feelings' he sure knew how to express them.

But did he love me? Did he believe in love now? I wasn't sure. He never used the word 'love' in the song, but he did use 'heart'. That had to count for something, right? Just as I considered how I could casually bring up such a question the door creaked open, sending a stream of light across the room.

"Mom?" I whispered, not wanting to take any chances.

"No. Better," Derek whispered back, as he gently shut the door. "It's me."

"Oh." I wasn't really sure what to say to him, as he walked around my bed, getting under the covers. What do you say to someone who writes a love song for you?

"Thank you," I found myself saying softly, as I turned on my side to face him.

He followed my lead, doing the same. "For what? Oh." I heard him swallow loudly. "The song. Yeah, no big deal. Hope you liked it."

"I loved it," I whispered, reaching out to take his hand. I simply hooked one of his fingers with mine.

"Are you listening to it right now?" he asked.

I nodded, feeling like I could be honest. "On repeat."

His face broke into a small smile. "Cool," he said simply.

"So the 'too cool for Valentine's Day' thing?" I asked curiously.

"Hey, you just assumed," he replied. "I never said I was too cool. I've been working on this thing for weeks."

I smiled, shaking my head. "Always full of surprises," I said quietly. "So I'm your Valentine then?" I asked directly.

"Only if I'm yours."

I nodded. "Deal."

We went silent as we gazed into each other's eyes, our index fingers connected.

Derek and I remained that way the rest of the night, silent and staring and completely comfortable. I listened to his song on repeat, searching his eyes for truth in what he sang, and I found it. Our eye contact was only broken when we drifted to sleep, our fingers still locked tight. I dreamt of his eyes, my song, and fifty more Valentine's Days just like this one.

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Next chapter: The whole Venturi-McDonald clan goes on a trip to the Rocky Mountains in Jasper. Derek and Casey think that this could finally be their chance to explore their relationship away from the pressure of their every day lives. However, things don't exactly end up the way they expect…

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A/N: Hope you guys enjoyed the chapter! Sorry it was a little cheesy, especially the ending (okay, a lot cheesy) but a little fluff can't hurt anyone right? I like to mix my fluff with my angst. Flangst, if you will. I normally don't use songs in fics, or write song-fics because it's not really my style, but the idea behind the chapter called for it, so hopefully you enjoyed reading the lyrics. Reviews are so very loved and appreciated; and your feedback is most beloved as well.