A/N: This chapter is shorter than the last. I'm not bothered, because it did exactly what I never knew I wanted it to do. Sorry if it feels rushed; it's only edited for spelling and some minor details, and not really a whole lot of that. I really hope you enjoy it, though, despite it's flaws.

Thanks again for the reviews; I love hearing what everybody thinks, and I'm so incredibly glad so many people like this story.

Also note that this definitely isn't the end. I think we've got about two more chapters to go after this.

I Do... Don't I?

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Chapter Seven: Nobody's on the Same Page 'Cause We're all Reading Different Books

There was a loud 'thump', and then the shoe careened off of the wall and landed next to the door. Casey was already fuming, and the fact that her aim was so bad only added gasoline to the proverbial bonfire.

"Casey!" She looked at him, her eyes wild and bright, and he almost regretted saying her name. Almost. "Think you could stop throwing footwear at me long enough to, idunno, actually talk?" He had carefully closed some of the distance between them while he was talking, and now stood not more than a foot in front of her, holding his hands up in front of him in surrender.

She seemed to think for a moment, hands twitching at her sides. That wasn't a good sign.

Finally, unfortunately, she spoke: "This is all your fault!"

Derek was, quite frankly, too stunned to speak. But that was fine, because Casey wasn't done yet. The skies had opened and released a world-ending explosion of raw emotion; Derek just happened to be standing on ground zero. "It's all because of you, and your stupid hair, and your dumb being nice to me like some sort of freak of nature- seriously, what's wrong with you?!" At this point she was poking him in the chest rather harshly with each point made. It kind of hurt, but he was too busy getting backed into a corner by an insane woman to really care. "And you just had to kiss me back, like a complete doofus, not to mention you being so unbelievably considerate of my feelings. And even, even when you're being the biggest jerk on the face of the planet, you have to go and make me laugh and be so goddamn adorable and now my mom hates me and she'll never speak to me… again… and- and-"

He leaned back against the wall nearest him as she stood there for a moment, swaying. She was still trembling, but it was the tears this time; he could see the glint in her eyes, and the way her shoulders were starting to slump ever-so-slightly. He reached for her shoulder, and with a gentle tug she was in his arms.

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An hour later, and they were sitting on the floor next to her couch, and Casey was feeling… something. It wasn't good, whatever it was. And she couldn't believe she'd told him everything. Told him about the day after the kiss, when her mother had confronted her and the earth broke open, and might as well have swallowed her whole. It was the reason why she hadn't called, and why he'd consequently shown up at her apartment wanting to talk. She sniffed and rubbed her hands over her knees, the rough fabric of her jeans against her skin soothing her frazzled nerves. Suddenly there was a hand on hers, and she looked up.

"You always do that, you know…" There was that smile she loved to hate so much. All she could offer in return was something like a grimace. It didn't seem like enough.

"I'm sorry I threw my shoes at you." He laughed, twining their fingers together.

"Well… At least they weren't heels." Casey couldn't help but grin at that. An uneasy silence settled in for a few minutes, where they both stared at their hands and Casey tried to forget the epic fight she and her mother had had earlier that night. Her mind was working against her, however, and all she could see was the way Nora's face had seemingly caved in. The tears, and the accusations flung carelessly across the living room. Words like weapons, the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach. It was something like loss.

"It's gonna be okay. I can fix this." She quickly disentangled her hand from his. The look on his face was desperate and determined, his jaw set firm, but his eyes… Casey really was an idiot.

"Derek, you don't…" Try again, Case. You can form words; you've managed to do it before. "It's not your fault. I didn't mean what I said, I was just… I mean, if anything it's my fault, 'cause I kissed you first-" Her sentence ended abruptly, as the ability to form coherent thoughts left her for greener pastures.

"We both should… talk to her- them… I think." When she nodded at his suggestion, he breathed a barely audible sigh of relief. But she caught it, the slight puffing out of his cheeks… and, still, the nervous tremor that he would like to believe nobody ever noticed. The uncertainty of it all weighed down on them both.

"It's gonna be okay," she said as she took his hand again, and smiled. And she wasn't really sure of anything at that moment but the feel of his skin against hers.

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The silence was horrible, oppressing, and Casey was trying her best not to break down in tears.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you, mom." Her mom's face softened somewhat at the timid voice that came from her daughter's mouth. That wasn't Casey; Casey was the girl who had been yelling at the top of her lungs last night.

"I love you." Nora almost seemed surprised that she said it. She stumbled awkwardly over her next few words before she found her voice. "You're my daughter, and I-I just… this is so… I don't understand how this could happen." Another moment passed. "When I saw you two kissing, I mean… it's like if I saw Marti kissing Edwin."

At that wonderful image, Derek groaned and shut his eyes tight, holding his head like it had just been pounded by a sledge-hammer full of crazy. Casey cringed, and couldn't stop a few tears from leaking out. George, she noticed, had his hand over his mouth, but he didn't seem upset, more like… no, he couldn't be laughing. She turned back to Nora.

"But, mom… I tried to explain to you before…" Derek's hand in hers was both welcome and not, and she wasn't sure whether to relax or start hyperventilating, given the situation. "We never really had much of a choice in this. And Derek's not my brother; no amount of 'family time' or even your marriage can make that statement any less true." Nora was crying too, now, and Casey almost wanted to laugh at how silly they all were. As a family. As people.

"I love her."

And there it was.

Mouth open, she stared at Derek. He was just sitting there with his leather jacket, and his hand-holding, and the most amazing thing just crackled up her spine like electricity.

His head tilted toward her, and she saw the smile that was just for her. It was sarcastic, and simple, like their own private joke. So she nudged him none-too-gently with her elbow and looked away, trying not to laugh when he couldn't seem to help himself.

"Well…" It was George who spoke this time, breaking up the moment. He took Nora's hand, rubbing her palm softly with his thumbs, and she visibly relaxed. "I think we both know," at this he locked eyes with her, "that you can't help who you fall in love with."

It was strange and comforting, this moment they were all unwittingly sharing. Casey squeezed Derek's hand again. Nora smiled a bit through her tears, not quite looking at anyone. It was a start, Casey thought, every bit as awkward and meaningful as every time before.