"What do you mean, nothing?" Derek had to pull the phone from his ear as Marti's voice started to rise.

"I'm not sure how to answer that question without you yelling at me again," he admits, leaning on the kitchen counter.

He can practically see Marti pinching the bridge of her nose as she exhales, impatient. "By telling me that nothing was a lie, and there is something." The line is silent for a full minute before Marti huffs. "Seriously, you've done nothing since moving in?"

"Well–"

"I mean, you have a lovely date – you're welcome, by the way – and then you move in together, and you've done nothing? I don't understand; I thought you love her."

"I do."

"So tell her."

Patient, Derek sighs. "It's not that simple." There's a pause, "and I'm not sure it really qualifies as a date seeing as she didn't know it was a date, and definitely didn't agree to it being a date."

"It was date-like."

"That doesn't mean–"

"If it walks like a date, and sounds like a date, and smells like a date..."

It's Derek's turn to let out a frustrated noise. "I don't want to mess this up."

"So, you're brilliant plan in not messing everything up is to not do anything at all? Stick to the status quo with things never changing?" When she put it that way.

"You've been talking to Casey too much." Derek shakes his head even if she can't see it. "Stop being so dramatic. I intend to do something, okay? I just. It has to be right because it will either spook her or we'll flop again, and I don't think we can recover a second time." Derek doesn't know if he can recover a second time. He's been down this road before. There wasn't as much at stake the first time around, but Derek is acutely aware of what could happen if he doesn't get it right this time.

Skeptical, Marti is quiet for a moment. "So, you do plan to do something, then?"

"Yes."

"Good, because then all of our hard work would have been wasted. So, what's the plan?"

Tapping idle fingers on the countertop, Derek winces. "Ah. I don't know yet."

Marti practically growls into the phone. "Honestly, I don't know what I'm going to do with both of you. Fine. But figure it out soon, or you'll miss your window of opportunity."

"Yes, ma'am." He's just glad that Marti can't see the mock salute he gives, although he's confident that she catches the sarcasm.

Later, when he's off the phone with Marti, he thinks about the situation. They've been back from Thanksgiving for a few weeks now, and nothing has really changed. Sometimes he catches Casey looking at him, a thoughtful expression on her face. Still, just as he's about to ask her about it, the expression shifts, and Derek wonders if maybe he imagined it.

The other problem that he forgets to mention to Marti is Casey's work schedule. As the only employee at her new solo firm, she was spending a lot of time at work. It was starting to take a toll on her. She needs an assistant, or a paralegal, or a college student looking to fill some volunteer hours.

Derek isn't entirely sure that offering himself up as a romantic option right now is the best thing. It certainly doesn't feel like the best timing. He was lying, sort of, when he told Marti that he hasn't done anything since their dinner and a movie night (not a date). He might have mentioned it, but Marti likely wouldn't find it of any consequence.

Casey, however, has appreciated the nights when he's prepared dinner, the way he's helped clean up in the house, and the way that he's helped out with picking up and dropping off Serenity. Granted, these are things a roommate and father should be doing, but Derek likes to think that Casey has seen the way he's grown up and matured. When it comes time for her to really consider the prospect of Them, he knows she'll take into account the fact that he can really be a partner with her.

Or so he hopes.

He checks the time on his phone, heading for the door. Its time to pick up Serenity from school.

Dinner tonight is pizza. It's not the healthiest of meals, but it was convenient. Between Serenity's ballet lessons, school, and helping her with homework, it doesn't leave Derek a lot of time to cook. He has limited skills in the kitchen, anyway, and they were starting to rotate through his limited menu rather quickly. It seems like a good night for pizza.

While they sit working on Serenity's English homework, Derek can't help but admire Casey. Even though it had been her choice, she had raised Serenity as a single parent. Casey had been the one to pick Serenity up from school and drop her off, get her to do her homework, help out with said homework, and cook her meals. Derek was sure that their parents helped out, some, but for the most part... it was just Casey. He could appreciate the work she'd had to put in as a parent. Serenity was smart. She was quick, too.

If Derek had been in her position, he wasn't sure he'd done as great of a job. He's not even a single parent now, and most nights, he's exhausted by being a parent.

(He wouldn't give it up for all the energy in the world, though).

She's tired when she gets home. Casey spots the pizza box, pulling down a paper plate to grab herself a slice. Part of Derek expects her to argue that pizza is not an appropriate dinner choice, but she doesn't. He's not sure if it's because she's too tired or because it was the first time he's ordered pizza since moving in.

Derek is sitting at the kitchen table, checking over Serenity's homework when Casey joins him, plate in hand. She sets it down, putting a hand to his shoulder as she leans to glance over the work as well. If it had been years ago, Derek might have thought she didn't trust him to look over it. As it is, he knows Casey better than that. It's the perfectionist in her. "Thanks for dinner," she says, rubbing at her eyes.

"Of course."

"I'm sorry I haven't been..." She shrugs, pausing for longer than usual. He wonders where her brain is at. "I'm sorry that I haven't been around much."

"No need to apologize, Case."

Her hand squeezes his shoulder. The action causes his heart to leap somewhere to the vicinity of his throat. "Maybe not," she sighs, "but I wanted to anyway. You've been doing... a lot lately, and I feel like maybe I'm taking advantage of having you around."

"I'm her dad. These are the things I'm supposed to be doing." He can't help the small note of bitterness that creeps into his voice without his permission. Her shoulders tense, and he does feel a little guilty about it, though. His tone softens as he continues, "I don't mind doing a little extra right now. For one, I know it won't always be like this, but you're starting a business, Casey. From scratch, with little help. It's going to be hard on you. I'm happy to help out around here." It's going to be a bit harder once the season starts, but they'll figure it out.

"I know you are. It doesn't mean it feels fair to me to leave you to do all of this, and I miss seeing Serenity."

"I know." His arm wraps around her waist, and Derek pulls her to him in a hug. "She understands."

Casey laughs, but it doesn't sound happy. "She's such a good kid, I think maybe I take advantage of that understanding, too."

"Why don't you go through a temp agency?" Derek suggests. "Hire someone who can come in and at least answer calls so you can give your attention to something other than answering the phone." She hums. Encouraged, he goes on. "Maybe even just part-time, if you're worried about spending money. And then, leave a little earlier in the day, come home to see Serenity for dinner and homework, and then go back to the office for a bit. It's your building, you can come and go as you please."

Casey straightens, and for a second, he worries that maybe he said something wrong, but when she peers down at him, she's smiling. "I forget how simple things can be in your world."

"Hey-"

She shakes her head. "I mean that as a good thing. It never occurred to me to leave and go back."

"I mean, you own the place. You're your own boss."

"I am, aren't I." The tension in her shoulder disappears. "I guess I just figured if I didn't finish what I wanted to do for the day, then I needed to stay until it was done."

"You're wearing yourself out."

"I know."

He squeezes her to him a little tighter for a moment. "You can still finish your list, and you're still going to get home a bit late, but at least this way, you can see Serenity for more than tucking her in goodnight." And as much as he doesn't mind helping out with everything, Casey is much better at helping out with the homework. Derek and Serenity will be better off in the long run if she's the one around to do homework.

Seeming to notice that they are semi-embracing, Casey clears her throat and steps away to return to her pizza.

His shoulder feels cold where her hand was.

Casey starts coming home in the evenings and leaving after Serenity has gone to bed. She's still tired, but Derek can tell some of the stress is gone. It was enough to be more present for Serenity, it seemed.

"I'm playing the long game," Derek defends himself to Marti when he finally tells her of the progress he's made.

Marti snorts. "Marrying Casey is not a game, Derek."

"Who said anything about marriage?" There's silence on the other line that Derek takes to mean 'you're not fooling me.' "Okay, fine, that is the end goal, yes."

"So do something about it."

"She's so busy and tired all the time, Marti."

She hums unapologetic. "I used to know this guy who was really good at making her relax when she needed to."

Frustrated, Derek runs his fingers through his hair and moves forward in the pick-up line. Serenity needs to hurry up and get in the car so he can be done with this conversation. "This is not Casey over preparing for an exam that she's going to do fine on. This is her livelihood."

"And she's going to crash and burn if she doesn't learn to take a break. I get that she's trying to start a business and that there's a lot at stake, Derek. I'm not a child anymore." He wants to tell her that she always will be in his eyes, but he knows that's not entirely true. "She still needs to take a breather. Nora is worried about her, you know."

He sighs, and it's partly relief because he can see Serenity approaching. "I'll think about it, but I have to go because Serenity is getting in the car." Derek really tries to keep this kind of conversation away from her. He doesn't want her to get her hopes up about something, just in case.

"Oh, let me say hi to her, really quick."

He considers just hanging up, but it's Smarti, so he relents. Serenity climbs into the car, beaming at him. It tugs at his heart, really, how much she looks like Casey right then. "Hey, dad."

"Hey, kid. Marti's on the Bluetooth."

"Hi, Aunt Marti."

"Hey! Talk some sense into your dad, okay?"

"You got it," Serenity calls over Derek's flustered noises. They end the call, and Derek glances at Serenity in the review. She smiles back at him, buckling her seatbelt. "Mom loves you," she says, casually.

Derek tries to think of something to say, but a horn sounds behind them. Right. The car line. He edges out of the line and heads out of the parking lot.

"She's just scared, you know, about getting hurt."

"Maybe you shouldn't spend so much time on the phone with Aunt Marti," Derek says, finally.

Serenity shrugs. "Okay, but mom is the one who said it."

a/n: Many thanks to Debosmita for giving me the tiny nudge I needed to finish this chapter. :