LA Kings
Disclaimer: I don't own LwD
AN: Enjoy

LA Kings:
Chapter 1

California wasn't all it was talked up to be. And he didn't mean the plastic industry and people. He meant the weather. The sunshine got old very quick. It was November and all he needed was a long sleeve T-shirt. What kind of winter was that?

Every once in a while it would rain though, courtesy of global warming of course. The natives freaked out any time it did, which was pretty funny to watch. They had no idea how to drive in the rain, it was ridiculous! He'd pay good money to see them drive on black ice back home in Ontario.

Speaking of home, the temperature was dropping fast there. There was even an inch of snow that week! Granted it had melted away quickly, but still! He never thought he'd say it (maybe it took him going away for him to notice it), but wow, he missed the winter. He missed the crunch of fresh snow underneath his heavy snow boots. He missed having snowball fights in the backyard with Casey and the kids. He missed snow days when there was too much snow for anyone to make it to school or work. He missed coming in and changing into dry warm sweats and drinking hot chocolate with mini marshmallows in his recliner, watching a movie with the family. Yeah...California made him all sentimental like that.

He was exactly 2676.8 miles away from home (yes he goggled it) and it felt a world away. At least he'd be seeing his family soon enough. But for now, he had a lot to prove to the skeptics and to his coach. He trained hard every day, never taking a day off to relax. He had nothing to do in California anyway...

When Derek graduated Queens University with Casey, he was quickly drafted into the LA Kings. It was in the NHL, his dream had become reality, but part of him wasn't happy. The LA Kings were based in California. Granted working in sports meant traveling a lot, but every home game was in the Staples Center, which was beautiful and breathtaking and HUGE, but it didn't feel right.

He was hoping to get drafted into the Maple Leafs, of course. They were his team. He had wanted to play for them since the first time he held a hockey stick and learned how to skate. He felt betrayed by his entire country that they didn't want him. But he swore that he would change their minds. That he would go in as a rookie, with everyone doubting his ability to make it big, and change their minds. They were going to beg for him! And when they did, he could be home.

"You're going to find a hot blonde named Ashley with killer legs and a nice tan. She'll probably be an aspiring actress or something," Casey teased him after he was drafted.

"Oh yeah?" he asked, a smile playing at his lips. She was cute when she tried her best to not seem jealous.

She nodded vigorously. "Mhmm, and then-"

He tackled her back into the bed, digging his fingers into her side. She erupted in a fit of giggles. There wouldn't be an Ashley or Samantha. There was only Casey, and that he was sure, even if she wasn't.

The season began in October but he had to leave in late September to start his pre-season training.

Saying goodbye to his family was ten times harder than what he had anticipated.

At the airport, Nora and George hugged him first, and told him they were so proud of him. Ed gave him a short hug and told him to not spend all his money. Liz got a bit teary and told him she'd miss him. Marti had climbed into his arms, channeling her younger self and had refused to let go of her big brother as she quietly cried into his neck. He held her with one arm easily, even after all those years she was still slim and a lightweight to him. With the other arm, he pulled Casey into his side. They hadn't really told their family anything, since they didn't have much to tell, but they all knew. She was trying not to cry but he knew better. He pressed his mouth against her forehead and rubbed her shoulder. They looked like a family, whilst Nora, George, Liz, and Ed looked on from the sidelines.

Eventually with one last squeeze they pulled apart, and he put Marti down. He couldn't kiss Casey goodbye no matter how much he wanted to. He couldn't, not in front of the family, even though technically he probably could have. It just didn't feel right. Not yet.

With one last smile, he turned around and walked into security and headed to California.

Being away from his family was hard. Being away from Casey was the hardest. He wasn't use to that at all. And the time difference was an annoying thing. Face time and texting quickly became a part of their relationship. It was weird though, because that was never something they did before, because well they didn't really have to, but they grew use to it within the first few days.

But that wasn't enough. He missed home. He missed Casey.

Within his first week there, he sent her a LA Kings care package. Of course he had to include his brand new freshly printed Venturi jersey! And a couple of other pointless LA kings knick-knacks that he knew she'd love. Like the bumper sticker for her car, or a mug for her morning coffee. He wanted to send a bit of LA to her since that's all he really had.

After receiving her LA Kings inspired care package, Casey sent a box of her own. She didn't tell him about it, hoping to surprise him the way he had surprised her. She included some homemade cookies and brownies and all the sweets and treats his trainer would never allow. Along with that she sent a few Canadian goods that he would be missing; pure maple syrup for his morning (healthy) pancakes, a little moose wearing a Mountie uniform, a bag of Tim Horton's coffee and of course a Canadian flag to put in his locker.

And that's how the game of one upping each other began. Derek had an edge though. He had a brand new salary that was well above Casey's pay rate. She couldn't afford all the things that he could. Like the brand new rose gold watch he had gotten her cause she mentioned it that one time. Or the fancy new purse everyone in California had that he sent her "because... fashion!?" And being that he was trying to get a few more brownie points, he would also send flowers to her brand new office job, just because.

But her gifts usually meant more. Like the time she sent him a bunch of new t-shirts and underwear because Derek doesn't do laundry. It was honestly a life saver for about two weeks.

But then again there was that time that Casey was sick so Derek had lunch (chicken noodle soup, of course) delivered to her house, alongside an entire grocery delivery, and medicine! How he did that she wasn't sure, but hey you could get almost anything delivered on the internet nowadays.

Derek's next move wasn't exactly a tangible gift, but it meant a lot to her. You see Casey was obsessed with organization. It was the only way she could function. She even had a color coded calendar on her phone to keep herself up-to-date and on top of things so she never missed something. She added everything in it…including Derek's schedules.

"When do you land in Philly?" she asked over face-time one night, trying to update her calendar with Derek's information which had become a weekly thing.

Derek sighed heavily. Organization was boring to him, even if she was being really cute and including him in her daily schedule.

"Why don't you just add me on your calendar?" he asked, because honestly he didn't really know the answer. It just magically appeared on his phone curtsey of his manager Brett.

Her eyes lit up wide. "Really?" as if he was given her everything she ever wanted.

He rolled his eyes. Only Casey. "Really."

And that's how he knew when Casey had a big project at work due (which of course meant he'd have to send lunch to her office because she'd forget to eat). Or that she had a doctor's appointment for that pain in her shoulder, he'd ask her how it went afterwards.

Or when she was on her period, and he'd send an entire chocolate cake delivered to her house because her cravings were a thing that he had learned a lot about. Mostly via text while he was at the gym training;

I want a brownie...
Or maybe chocolate chip cookies fresh out the oven that are still gooey.
Or maybe some cake!
With funfettie
Ugh!

And that's how Casey could plan there Face Time dates (and yes, they did call it that) or what movie they would watch together that night or whatever they really could do with all the miles between them.

Eventually Derek got Casey to play Call of Duty online with him. And she was amazing. It was Babe Rider all over again, but this time he didn't mind.

Nights like that made the distance bearable, although he still would much rather be in the same time zone as her.

He (with the help of his personal shopper: Lizzie) also sent her some jewelry; because "every girl needs Tiffany!" Casey didn't tell him when she received it or anything. But she did post a picture on Instagram of the beautiful necklace inside the robin blue box with the caption "Spoiled!" Derek couldn't stop smiling the rest of the day. Quickly he learned that spoiling Casey was almost as fun as driving her crazy. Her reactions were always priceless.

Canada was notorious for its snow. And when your snow boots break, it's kind of a problem. So while Casey was moaning and groaning about it via Face Time with Derek after another 6 inches of snow had fallen on top of last week's storm, Derek had ordered her a new pair, plus rush delivery, because the princess needed it. She had no idea till they arrived the next day.

But the gift that topped the list was Rambo. Derek knew Casey was lonely. Not only because she missed him (although she did, but they refused to admitted it to each other) but because she lived closer to the city, farther away from their family. She had been thinking about getting a dog for a couple of months. Naturally Derek took it into his own hands. He looked up a couple of places and had Lizzie visit them to pick out the perfect dog. She sent Derek pictures of one pup in particular. He was a tiny Yorkie, just like Casey wanted. With Lizzie's stamp of approval he bought it, and had Lizzie surprise Casey with her brand new bundle of joy.

"I love him," Casey gushed on Face Time that night, her eyes were all watery. She was clearly overjoyed. She hadn't let the pup out of her lap the entire time they talked. "HE'S SO CUTE!" she yelled into the camera. Derek couldn't stop laughing.

AN: So, this was originally going to be a snap shot, but I realized it would be better as a short 4/5 chapter story. Hope you guys enjoy some Long Distance Dasey loving!

Inspiration: 3000 miles by Embl3m.