Day Break

By Nunda

/A.N./- Although it doesn't look like it, I've been really busy in Dasey-land. I've got a one shot on the way (maybe two depending on how one turns out.) and a continuation of one of my other one-shots that's going to turn into a two/few-shot (yay!).

So, this is the first Day Break chapter that I didn't start out at exactly 8:31 but I figured that would get very blah after awhile. Besides, this story is almost over. Yay!

Day Six

9:12 A.M.

Casey walked with determination to Sam's house. She'd woken up at her usual time, still stuck in the same wretched time loop but she couldn't help but feel relieved. Jogging across his lawn, she knocked on Sam's front door and as soon as Sam opened the door, Casey walked straight up the stairs.

Puzzled, Sam warned, "Derek's in there in the shower."

Ignoring him, she kept climbing the stairs and let herself into the bathroom.

"What the hell?" Derek yelled as he secured a towel around his waist. "Casey? What the hell are you doing here?"

Her eyes were filled with tears, and without a word, she embraced him.

"Okay?" He said, his arms hanging limply to his side. "Did my grandma die or something?"

Casey shook her head and wiped the tears away with the back of her hand.

"No." She half-laughed. "I'm just glad to see you."

Derek held a hand up to Casey's forehead. "Are you sick or are you just insane?"

Casey, unfazed by his attempts to insult her—an act she now found endearing, said simply, "Let's go somewhere today."

Derek looked sideways at her, "I knew it. You are insane. You really should get out more. All that glue from all those extra credit projects is getting to you."

Casey smiled at him. He was glancing in the mirror, peering over his skin, as if deciding whether or not to shave.

"Can you give a guy some privacy?" He asked, slightly annoyed and yet slightly curious.

"Blow off practice and come with me." She said, staring at him in the mirror.

"No." He said simply, not even looking at her. He took down a bottle of hair gel and began running it through his hair. "And if you don't leave in fifteen seconds, you're about to see why they really call me Triple D."

He was smirking at her, causing a ripple of shivers to go down her spine.

"I…" Casey opened her mouth, then turned and walked out the door.

"Everything okay?" Sam asked. He was standing in the hallway, curious as to what was going on in the bathroom.

"Yeah, fine." Casey smiled and then, like a light bulb going off, turned on the charm. "Actually…" She walked up to Sam, trailing a finger down his arm, "We have a family thing to deal with. Derek said for you to leave without him and he'll catch up with you later…at practice."

Sam looked at her questioningly. "I don't know." He said, unsurely. Casey was acting strange and something in her behavior told him she was hiding something.

"I'll make sure he locks up." She grinned. Take the bait, she thought silently.

Sam's face relaxed, "Okay, Casey."

He grabbed his hockey gear, turned one last time to face her, and walked out the door. While Casey waited on Derek, she sat on the couch, flipping through the TV channels. Sam's cable system sucked. Mr. and Mrs. Marshall were staunch conservatives, and had blocked out all channels except for Discovery Channel and the History Channel.

Derek walked out of the bathroom, with confusion clearly written all over his face.

"Where's Sam?" He asked, sitting on the couch next to Casey to put his shoes on.

"I told him we had family stuff to take care of and that he should go on without you." She said, flipping off the TV.

Derek blew out an angry sigh, "Why would you ever do that?"

"Let's just say I've had one hellish week." Casey said.

"And I care because…?" He stood up, putting on a jacket and grabbed his hockey bag.

"Last night, I saw you get shot three times." Casey said softly as she studied the carpet. "I have never been more scared in my life."

"It was just a dream, Case. Twisted, that's for damn sure."

"You died in my arms, Derek." She continued as if he hadn't said anything. "Your blood was all over my clothes and stained my hands."

Derek sat back down next to her on the couch. "You really have a sick mind, Casey. And very detailed dreams."

"We've lived together for this long." Casey said. "And we don't know much about each other."

"Casey?" Derek said. Casey finally looked up at him. "Snap out of it. You're starting to scare me."

She shook her head. "I cannot snap out of this until you agree to humor me just this once and come with me. Who knows, maybe we'll have fun."

Derek looked at her curiously, as if he was really deciding to take her up on her offer. Casey took out her credit card and dangled it in front of him.

"Anywhere you want to go." She said enticingly.

"Dave and Busters on Eleventh Avenue?" Derek asked.

"I was thinking more along the lines of Miami." Casey said as Derek's eyebrows shot up.

"Miami, Florida? As in the States?" Derek was baffled. He'd never been anywhere (to his knowledge) outside of Ontario, much less the country.

Casey nodded.

"Sold." Derek said, thinking about all the girls on the beaches in string bikinis. "I just need to stop by the house and pack a bag."

"No need." Casey said. "I took care of it for you."

"What about Nora and my dad?" Derek asked on his way out to the truck.

"Silly boy." Casey said. "Of course I made sure they're okay with it first." Casey felt a pang of guilt. "They want us to have a good time. After all, we deserve it."

2:13 P.M.

London, Ontario and Miami, Florida were worlds apart as far as Casey was concerned. The bright sun was warm on their backs as they crossed the parking lot for their hotel.

"How come I got stuck with all the stuff?" Derek asked as he followed behind Casey holding both of their bags. "And why does your bag weigh a ton when it's smaller than mine?"

"Quit complaining, Derek." Casey said, looking over her confirmation papers as she walked. "Go ahead and find room 3114. I'll be up in a minute with the keycards."

Derek rolled his eyes but obliged.

Casey strolled over to the lobby desk while Derek struggled to get into the elevator. What did Casey have in her bag, anyway? Cement? With a loud thump, he threw the bag down on the elevator floor and leaned against the wall.

"Wait!" He heard a female voice call out just as the doors were about to close. "Hold the elevator!"

Derek quickly pushed the door open button and his jaw nearly hit the floor. Dressed in short cut-offs and a bikini top was the most gorgeous girl he'd ever seen.

"Thanks." She said.

"No problem." Derek smirked. No problem at all, he thought.

"I'm Mandy." She drawled.

"Derek."

"You're not from around here, huh?" She pulled her long, just-back-from-the-beach, chocolate brown hair off her shoulders. For a moment Derek was mesmerized.

"Yeah. I mean, no. Ontario, London." Then sheepishly he recanted, "London, Ontario. In Canada."

"That's a long ways away." She said. "You here with a girlfriend?"

Derek shook his head, "I'm here with my Casey. I mean, Casey, my sister—stepsister!!"

Mandy gave him a wide smile as the doors jolted open. "See you later, Derek. Hope you have a good time in Miami."

Derek struggled back out of the elevator and started walking down the hallway, reading the numbers on the door.

"Twenty-one hundred? Twenty-one hundred and two?" Derek read aloud as he walked down the halls. "What the hell?"

It was then, he realized in embarrassment that he'd followed Mandy out the elevator without checking to see what floor they were on. Setting the bags in the floor, he drug them over to the elevator.

"I have reservations for Casey MacDonald." Casey stepped up to the lobby desk.

The pleasant looking red-headed woman typed into her computer.

"Ah, yes, Ms. MacDonald. I need some identification and then you'll be set. Everything was already paid for online."

Casey nodded and dug her passport out of her purse.

"Let me know if you need anything further." The woman said handing Casey two keycards.

"Thanks."

"Derek! Get out of the bathroom!" Casey pounded on the bathroom door. "I need to change into my bikini! And are you talking to yourself?"

"Hey, Mandy." Derek said into the mirror. "What's up? 'Sup, Mandy? Hey, Mandy, how's it going?" Derek shook his head, "This is stupid."

He flung the door open, coming face to face with an angry Casey. She pushed him out of the way and slammed the bathroom door. She immerged a few minutes later in a pale lavender bikini, white shorts, and an unbuttoned button-up shirt.

"Wow." Derek said, before he could stop himself. Casey beamed at him, so he added, "I feel sick. Button that shirt up, why don't you?"

Casey's face fell. "I will not." She said, indignantly. "Now, let's just get to the beach while we still have daylight left."

"We still have all day tomorrow." Derek said, following her to the door.

Casey shook her head. There was no use in ruining his day by telling him there wouldn't be a tomorrow.

"I can't believe my dad and Nora agreed to this." Derek exclaimed as they got into the elevator.

"You c-can't?" Casey asked nervously.

"No, it's awesome!"

Casey let out a breath she didn't realize she was holding.

"Yeah, awesome." Casey echoed, feeling guiltier than ever. Somehow, she felt like she was missing something that could save her family. It had been nagging at her all morning. She had been too worried about Derek to listen to that little nagging voice.

When they got off at the elevator, Derek greeted a pretty brunette standing by the main desk. Casey rolled her eyes. Typical Derek.

"Hey Mandy." He strolled up to her in his most come hither gait and used his deepest, sexy voice.

"Derek, hey." Mandy said. She smiled at him but continued looking around the lobby. Casey knew that look—she was waiting on someone. But not just any someone, THE someone. Deciding that Derek needed to learn his lesson, Casey kept her mouth shut, arms firmly across her chest, and watched the events unfold.

"So, I'm headed to the beach. Want to come with?" Derek said, smoothly, leaning in towards her.

"No, thanks." Mandy smiled tight-lipped. "I just got back from the beach. I'm about to go out for a bite."

"Cool. I'm starving too. How about we go somewhere together?"

"Um…" Mandy said uncomfortably.

"Ready to go, Babe?"

Derek slowly turned around to see what could've easily been a Greek god—blond hair, tall, and muscular staring down at him.

"Derek, this is Rob. My boyfriend, Rob." She said. Then told Rob, "Derek and his sister are visiting from Canada."

"Welcome to Miami." Rob said, with a clap on Derek's back that nearly sent him tumbling to the floor.

"Thanks." Derek said hoarsely, clutching his bruised shoulder.

"See you later." Mandy said to Derek then grabbed Rob's hand as he led her outside.

"Don't." Derek said as Casey walked up to him grinning. "Not a word."

"What?" Casey said, trying to appear innocent. "Me? Say anything?"

Derek grumbled as he walked with Casey to the back exit of the hotel—the direction of the beach.

"Come on, Romeo."

Derek glared at her, "I said…"

"I know, I know. That's all, I promise."

4:30 P.M.

The sand was warm but comfortably so. Casey spread out her beach towel and dug her toes down in the white-as-snow sand. Derek headed straight for the water, diving right in. He motioned for Casey to join him.

Casey shook her head and explained, "I'm working on my tan!"

"Work on it out here!" He yelled back at her.

When she continued to just sit there, he jogged over to her and promptly picked her up, carrying her to the ocean's edge.

"Put me down!" Casey yelled. She couldn't help but to giggle.

"You want down?" Derek asked as he waded out into the water.

"Yes!" Casey shrieked.

Derek grinned evilly as he threw her into the surf. Casey appeared a few seconds later, sputtering and soaking wet.

"Payback time." She said, chasing after him. They both were laughing as they sluggishly ran through the water, headed towards the beach. Derek reached Casey's beach towel first and plopped down on it.

"Derek! That's my towel!" Casey protested. Derek responded by sticking his tongue out at her.

When he refused to move, she grabbed his towel, spread it out next to him and laid down on it.

"I got something for you at the snack bar." Casey said to Derek.

She propped up on one elbow when he didn't respond to see what had his attention. Following his gaze, Casey spotted four girls in bikinis tossing around a Frisbee. Seizing the opportunity before her, Casey leaned in gently to Derek's ear.

"DEREK!"

Casey laughed as Derek jumped straight up, glaring at Casey.

"What the hell?" He asked as he rubbed his ear.

"You weren't listening to me." Casey said matter-of-factly.

Derek looked at her in disbelief.

"I'm so sorry that I'm a normal, red-blooded guy." He said as he sat back down on his towel. His eyes washed over Casey's bikini-clad body sprawled out before him. He felt his cheeks go crimson as he realized that she caught him looking at her.

"So." Casey said, clearing her throat, "Like I was saying, I got you something from the snack bar while you were in the restroom. It's in my beach bag."

Derek leaned over and rummaged through her bag and pulled out a yellow box.

"Dots?" He said as she nodded. "These are my favorites."

"I know." Casey smiled.

"You're being too nice." He said, almost cautiously.

"I also picked out all the green ones for you because I heard they taste like puke." Casey felt very proud of herself.

Derek stopped chewing on one of the red ones and looked at her.

"Okay, now I know something's wrong, so spill."

"Nothing's wrong." Casey said with a fake laugh. "Why would there be?"

"Normal Casey would've picked out all of them but the green ones." He answered.

"I don't know." Casey said, absentmindedly brushing sand off of her towel. "Maybe it's just the sun that's making me feel all giddy."

"Giddy?" Derek asked, laughing. "Casey MacDonald is giddy?"

"Okay, maybe that's not the right word." Casey paused to think. "Care free, maybe?"

"How care free?" Derek's eyebrows shot up.

Casey sunk down deeper into her towel. With her eyes closed she contemplated his question.

"I could just stay here forever." She mumbled.

Derek shook his head at her in disbelief. He watched as her eyes danced around beneath her closed eyelids. Clearly there was a lot on her mind. From behind him, the Frisbee flew overhead and landed two feet from his towel. Glancing to make sure Casey was napping; he grabbed the Frisbee and jogged over to the group of girls.

"Lose something?" He grinned.

5:28 P.M.

Casey's eyes fluttered open and it took her a minute to realize she was still on the beach in Miami, Florida. She dozed off for a few minutes and although she couldn't remember her dreams, there was one name on the tip of her tongue.

"Brenner." She said suddenly, fully awake now that she realized what had been bugging her all day. "I have to talk to Josh Brenner."

Casey jumped up, grabbing both her and Derek's beach towels and her bag. She scanned the beach for her step-brother, not believing that he just left her to bake in the sun—sure, she'd wanted to tan but not get crispy. She glanced over her skin and realized she hadn't been asleep long as her skin was only slightly pink. She found Derek in the center of the four Frisbee girls and rolled her eyes.

Marching up to him, grabbing him by the arm, and pulling him away, Casey said, "We have to go."

Derek wrenched his arm free of Casey's grasp. "Are you crazy? I was about to get their numbers!"

"I have to make phone calls of my own, thank you." She hastily responded, sand flying in every direction as she power walked across the beach.

"And I have to be there while you call some lame brain, because why?" He asked.

Casey stopped and turned to glare at him.

"You know what? You're right!" She said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "You're a big boy, now. You can find your own way back to the room. So why don't you go back to your four no brain beach bunnies?"

"Beach bunnies?" Derek snickered. "Is Casey jealous?"

"Jealous of what? That my IQ isn't the same number as my shoe size?" Her hands were firmly planted on her hips now.

Derek rolled his eyes and continued walking in the direction of the hotel.

"What?" Casey called, jogging after him. "No comeback?"

"Apparently this call means a lot to you." He said, flatly. "Just this once, I'll let you get your way."

Casey grinned. Derek was turning into a softie.

"But don't get used to it." He spat.

Casey nodded, still grinning.

5:41 P.M.

"Felicia Davenport? Hi, this is Casey MacDonald. I need a favor."

Derek listened to Casey's side of the phone conversation as flipped through TV channels from his bed.

"I need a phone number for Josh Brenner."

Slightly interested, Derek wondered who Felicia and Josh were. Maybe they went to J.S. Thompson High with him and Casey. Derek smirked as he thought of Casey's nerdy friends. He watched as she scribbled seven digits on one of the hotel's logo-emblazoned notepads.

Casey hung up the phone and stared at the number as if studying it. Curiously, Derek watched her. Maybe she was trying to talk herself into calling him.

"Why don't you just call him?" Derek finally said.

"I can't. Not today. It wouldn't do any good." Casey explained. "I'll call him in the morning. I just have to memorize the number."

Derek watched ESPN and was annoyed that there was no mention of hockey. There was a brief score that ran across the bottom of the screen on ticker tape. But on the screen was pre-game baseball stuff.

"We need to celebrate." Casey said from her bed next to him. Suddenly she jumped up and hugged Derek.

"Are you on drugs?" Derek asked her. "You haven't been drinking any strange drinks, have you?"

Casey pulled away from him and looked like she wanted to burst into laughter.

"I know how to fix things." She exclaimed. "Everything can finally go back to normal."

"Again, with the crazy talk." Derek said.

"All I have to do is call Josh and tell him not to call Paratore." Casey was talking more to herself—thinking out loud, if you will. But Derek was utterly confused.

"So what are we celebrating?" Derek asked, trying to get the conversation back onto partying.

"We're celebrating new beginnings." Casey jumped up and went to the small closet and ruffled through her clothes. She turned and looked at Derek, who was still sprawled out on his bed. "Get dressed."

7:05 P.M.

On the recommendation of Mandy, whom they'd spotted in the lobby again, Derek and Casey took a cab to a nice restaurant downstairs. Stepping inside, Casey gasped.

The soft lit restaurant was off set by romantic red lights illuminating each cozy table.

"I did tell her we were step-sibs." Derek said, almost as if he was questioning himself. "Why would she send us here?"

"Who cares?" Casey sighed. "It's gorgeous."

Derek shrugged. Casey had been in an infinitely better mood since that phone call to Felicia.

"I guess it's okay as long as they have good food—I'm starved."

The hostess smiled and showed them to a table near the back.

"Look, Derek!" Casey exclaimed, pointing to the balcony. There were a few more tables on the balcony but the main thing that caught Casey's attention was the three-piece acoustic band playing their renditions of current popular ballads.

"You want to sit outside?" The hostess smiled.

"Yes." Casey answered before Derek could strike her down.

Once settled at their new table, Casey leaned back into her chair, drinking in the atmosphere and soft music. Derek groaned at the guy on the stage who was, in his opinion, ruining the guitar by playing it.

"I could do so much better." Derek whispered to Casey.

"Please." She said, rolling her eyes. "I've heard you sing."

Derek pretended to be hurt. "I know I'm not the best singer in the world but I was talking about with the guitar."

Casey nodded.

"I'll give you that." She said, remembering the few nights ago when he played his guitar for her, lulling her to sleep. His singing voice wasn't that bad when he actually sung to her, Casey remembered. He had thought she couldn't hear him because he was singing so low. Back in his D-Rock days, Derek would scream into the mic, causing those who weren't deaf wish that they were.

"It's a good song." Casey noted. Derek nodded in agreement as he listened to the watered down version of Staind's "Everything Changes".

"If we could just make it through/the toughest part of the day." Casey repeated. "I now all about that."

"What?" Derek asked, slightly offended. "I thought we've been having a nice day so far."

"Yes." Casey said. "It was just a personal thing."

"Oh." Derek said drumming his fingers on the table. "So…where's the waiter? I'm hungry."

As "Everything Changes" faded out, the band started playing Eve 6's "Here's to the Night". Casey glanced at the couples on the dance floor, swaying together to the song.

"You want to…I mean, we might as well have a dance before the waiter gets here." Casey said, not meeting Derek's eyes. He surprised her by holding out his hand to her.

They danced to the song, which thankfully was not too slow. Every once in a while, Casey would spin underneath Derek's arm, her skirt fluttering out around her. After the song ended, they were laughing as they took their seats.

The waiter came shortly afterwards and took their order.

9:45 P.M.

After showering, Casey sat on her bed, brushing out her damp hair and staring out the window. She could hear Derek's shower running and wondered if he was feeling as confused as she was. Of course, she's been seeing a different side of Derek for the last six days. As far as he was concerned, they've only spent this one day together. Casey held her head in her hands as she realized she was beginning to like Derek.

As if on cue, Derek stepped out of the bathroom, enveloped in steam. Using a towel, he quickly dried his hair, throwing the towel in the corner.

"Today's been one long day." Derek said.

Casey suppressed a laugh, "You're telling me."

"Goodnight, Case." Derek said with his hand on the lamp between their bed.

"Derek…" Casey grabbed his arm.

"Wha—"

Casey cut him off with a kiss—a soft, innocent kiss on the lips.

"What was that?" Derek said when he pulled away from Casey.

Casey smiled mysteriously.

"I'll tell you in the morning." She said, knowing full well that she didn't have to worry about explaining herself in the morning.

Derek shook his head, "I can't wait until the morning."

He turned the light off but even in the dark, Casey could see him smiling to himself.