Derek, sitting in a booth at a pizza place, was lost in thought as Sally sat across from him talking a one-sided conversation. He noticed Sally was looking at him, expecting an answer to a question he didn't hear.

"Sorry, what'd you say?"

She just shook her head, a understanding smile on her lips. "What're you so deep in thought about?"

"Nothing, just thinking." he answered, but she wasn't going to let the subject drop.

"About?"

"Forget it."

"A girl, huh?"

Wow, she knew him well.

"No. well, maybe. yeah." he finally admitted.

"Oh really, do tell."

"No."

"Derek, is it Casey?"

"Yeah." he answered after a full minute.

Sally just nodded, smiling.

"Hey, wait, how'd you know?"

"Because you have this look you always have when your around her, or talking about her."

"What?" he said, "I do not."

"Actually, you do, you look at her and you smile, you mention her and you get this look on your face, you always find away to touch her shoulder or put your arm around her, you look out for her. Let's face it you like her, and it's kinda ticked people off because you two won't get together."

He just sat there taking in what she said. Finally he asked, "What do you mean, 'people'? Who's the people?"

She glanced down at the table then back at him. "Uhm, well, Emily, Sheldon, Sam, Ralph, and a few other people."

"Oh great." he groaned,"They all think Casey and I have...feelings for each other?"

"Well, Don't you have feelings for her?"

He was silent. Did he? He didn't know. Was that the answer to all the times he felt his stomach jump when he looked at her, or thought about her?

"I don't know. How do you know that?"

She thought about this, taking a sip of her drink, and stirring the ice in the glass. Finally, she answered. "I don't know, really. People have different views on how you know."

He looked at the table, running a finger along the side. Sally looked on at the confusion on his face, she felt bad for him and wanted to say something else, but just as she opened her mouth to, her eye caught sight of the clock.

"Oh hey I gotta go, but just think about it, the answer will come."

"Oh me too." he said, "Gonna watch a movie with Marti. With that, they got up to go pay and went separate ways.

Derek had to sort a few things out. He thought of the times they fought, at times he saw something in her eyes, other than that she could kill him, was it...? No it couldn't be..Could it? The times he put his arm around her, he felt a pull in his stomach at the contact. When he looked at her, and he saw her smile, it made him smile, actually anything she did brought a smile to his face. He stopped. He was in love with her. His dorky, klutzy, beautiful, smart, grade-grubber of a stepsister. He smiled, making his way up the steps, slamming the door.

"I'm home! Edwin. Jacket."

"Coming, Derek."

He jogged up the steps to the landing, stepping into Casey's room to find his little sister with makeup on her face, grinning widely. Casey put down a tube of lipgloss on her vanity.

"Hey, what are you doing?" he asked, leaning against the door frame.

Before Casey could answer, Marti broke in. "Smerek, don't I look pretty?"

He smiled at his sister. "Beautiful, Smarti."

Marti smiled, slyly. "Like Casey?" she asked, innocently.

He paused, glancing sideways at the mentioned girl. "Yeah, just like Casey." he said, softly.

Casey looked at the ground, face flushing a slight pink. Marti glanced at the two of them, seeing a chance to leave. "I'm gonna go put on my princess dress for the movie." she said, running out the door, Derek swore he saw a smirk on her face.

"Do-Do you mean that, Derek?" she asked, timidly, biting her lip.

She looked beautiful to him. He took a deep breath and replied. "Yes, I do."

They stood there, smiling at each other until they heard the door bell ring. He groaned inwardly.

"Casey, Max's here!" Nora yelled up the stairs.

"I guess your not staying for the movie with us, then?

"Well, do you want me to stay?"

He stepped up to her, looked in her eyes, cupped her chin in his hand, and kissed her softly. She returned the kiss before they broke apart.

"Does that answer your question?" he asked, smirking his famous smirk.

"Casey?!" was heard again as Nora came up the stairs, coming across the two of them in each others arms. "Finally." she smiled, crossing her arms, breaking them out of their moment.

"You-you mean your not mad?" Casey asked her.

"No, I knew this would happen, it was obvious to everyone."

The new couple blushed. 'Not to us I guess' he thought.

Nora smiled, "I'll leave you two alone.

"But what about Max?" Casey asked, and Derek remembered the boyfriend-now ex-waiting downstairs for her.

"I'll tell him your sick and you'll call tommorrow."

Derek smiled at his stepmom, she understood.

"Thanks Mom."

"Yeah, thanks Nora."

Nora walked out, smiling, going down the stairs to tell the waiting family and now ex-boyfriend.

A/N: I didn't think I would put a 2nd chapter in, but I decided to put Derek's part in the story in there and what he was doing up to the scene in the room. And he wasn't on a date with Sally, they were just hanging out. As friends.

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