Disclaimer: I own nothing, I'm simply borrowing for my own amusement. And yours, I hope.

"So it's all set. George and Lizzie will drive over to meet you and Dennis in Buffalo on Wednesday and then George'll take you to Queen's first thing Thursday morning and you can get settled in right away! Isn't that great news?"

Her mother sounded so happy Casey almost hated to point out the obvious but…

"I don't know if I'd call it great news…"

"Casey." Her mother's disappointed, warning tone was just what she had expected in response.

"It's not that I'm not appreciative of all this," Casey hastened to explain, "I am. Really. I just ..." she struggled for the best way to convey her reluctance to celebrate, "You remember what it was like with me and Derek under one roof, don't you?"

Her mother gave a tinkling laugh. Not an entirely humorous one.

"Oh yeah," she confirmed.

"So then," pressed Casey, "you might understand why I'm not exactly jumping for joy about this…"

"I know you have reservations, Case," her mother said, turning sympathetic, "and I know this wasn't your first choice-"

"By any means," Casey couldn't help but interject matter of factly.

"But it really is your only option right now," her mother went on, ignoring the remark, "So you may as well make the best of it."

Casey sighed. It was true. Due to a series of unfortunate events, she had no other choice. Except, sleeping on a park bench on campus or commuting to and from her Mom and George's house in London to Queens every day. Both, unviable options.

Casey's eyes strayed to the neat stack of boxes in the corner of her bedroom, all clearly labeled in black marker, just waiting to be unpacked in their new home.

With Derek.

"And you're sure Derek was ok with this?" she asked her mother again. She had asked and heard the answer twice before, but it hardly seemed believable.

"Yes, Casey." Her mother reassured firmly, if a little exasperatedly this time. "George said it didn't even take that much convincing," she added, probably thinking this would further prove a point, but it did little to soothe. In fact, it had the opposite effect.

"Derek probably thinks it'll be the perfect opportunity to get two years worth of missed pranks in," Casey snarked, rolling her eyes.

"Or maybe he just missed you."

Casey laughed, loudly, at this suggestion.

"Yeah," she snickered, giggling still, "I'm sure. Good one, Mom."

"Actually," said her mother slowly, "I was serious."

Casey stilled.

A bemused "What?" fell out of her mouth.

"I recall," her mother started, far too slyly for Casey's liking, "you saying on occasion that you missed Derek. Isn't it possible he may have felt the same? And that maybe he's actually looking forward to getting the chance to reconnect with -"

"I said that once!" Casey exclaimed, regaining her wits, "Once! Like, a year ago!" She couldn't believe her mother was bringing it up. "After a very long, very bad day! You can't hold the things I said in a moment of delirious weakness against me! And, you might also recall me saying that worried you so much you actually, voluntarily, called Dad and told him to check on me," she was quick to remind her mother.

But her mother did not so easily surrender to these valid defenses.

"C'mon Case," she argued gently, "there were some good times between you and Derek. They may have been few and far between," she added over Casey's scoffing, "but they were there. You guys actually make a pretty good team when you put aside your differences...You know, I think this could really be a great thing for you guys. It's a second chance. One where you get to know each other as adults, instead. Derek's actually growing into a very responsible young man, Casey. He's really matured a lot."

This was not the first time Casey's mother had told her this. She'd heard it several times over the past year at least. But what was touted as miraculous self-growth for Derek would be considered natural progression for anyone else. Like Derek doing his own laundry for example. Instead of trekking back home every weekend and noogieing Edwin into submission to do it for him.

What was being left out of that anecdote, however, was the fact that Edwin had had a series of growth spurts and now stood just as tall as Derek, and also had a huskier build, so it had gotten a bit harder for Derek to bully his younger brother to bend to his wills.

So all in all, Casey wasn't much impressed by her mother's words. For once though, she chose not to argue on the subject of Derek.

"You're right," Casey said instead, placating, "We did have some ok times, me and Derek. And this living arrangement won't be more for than a month or two at most. I survived three years living with Derek. I can make a couple of months work."

She managed a delivery far more optimistic than she actually felt.

"That's the spirit!" Her mother cheered, encouraging.

It made Casey smile in spite of herself.

"Thanks, Mom," she said, genuinely. "And thank George again for me. I really do appreciate you guys helping to sort it all out."

"Of course, honey. We love you."

Casey could hear her mother's smile in her tone.

"Love you too."

Disconnecting the call after exchanging goodbyes, Casey fell back onto her bed and stared up at the ceiling, thinking.

She supposed, she acknowledged to herself, the one bright spot in all this was that it was at least proving a good distraction from the sadness of her New York adventure coming to a close.

When Casey had agreed to take Bernard Blue up on his surprise offer to be a part of his newest production, she had never dreamed it would span opportunities beyond the one, but it had.

And then before she knew it two years had flown by and she could longer keep deferring her studies.

The time had come to make a choice.

It had not been an easy one.

If Casey had never imagined herself putting off University, she certainly had never imagined entertaining the idea of giving it up entirely - but she had, for a short while.

Dancing though had never been her dream. It had been a passion, a love, for sure - but not her dreams for a profession. And with acknowledgment, the choice had been obvious. She had to return to school and her studies.

Perhaps, Casey thought wryly, if she had known that would lead her back to living with Derek, again, she may have chosen differently.

Thoughts? Please share.

Thanks for reading!

- GoddessoftheMaan