Title: The Soundtrack of My Summer

Spoilers from: Starting now, basically nothing, except for a short reference to the episodes "Two Kisses, One Party" and "Casey & Ralph!?" This last chapter is set in the future, and seeing none of us know what the future is going to hold for Dasey, all I can say is I pray to God I'm right!!

Summary: It's the summer before Derek and Casey are about to go off to college, so the family decides to spend it in Mexico City. While there, Casey and Derek end up sharing a room, Casey gets a stalker, and Derek figures out just who Casey sees in her dreams.

A/N: All I can say is..... wow! I truly cannot believe the amazing feedback I have been getting from this story! You guys are all incredible, and I thank you SO very much for taking the time to read and review my fanfic! Hopefully I'll be doing a lot more Dasey fics in the future, but for this one? I'm sorry to say, this is the end of the road.

By the way.... I've been wanting so badly lately to make some Dasey videos, but I don't have any clips. If any of you know how I could get some, or are interested in making a vid for this fanfic for me, I would really appreciate it. Dasey rocks!

Disclaimer: For the last time, I do not own Boys Like Girls or Life With Derek.

Chapter 10- Holiday

(The Family's POVs)

~Nora's POV~

Today was the day. The day that I would finally get to see my daughter for winter break after almost four months of missing her dearly. The day that I would get to hold her in my arms again, cook dinner for her and listen to her sing in that beautiful tone of hers.

But most importantly?

Today was the day that I would finally get to find out how serious my daughter's relationship was with Derek.

Casey hadn't wanted to say much over the phone, but it seemed like things were going well between them. She had only called crying once, and for Casey?

Well, one could say that was a very good sign.

Although I'm still not sure exactly how I feel about my daughter dating her stepbrother, I would never want her to be unhappy.

And if Derek is what makes her happy, then I'll just have to step aside and let cupid do his work.

As Casey stepped through the threshold of her old home, grinning from ear to ear, I shrieked with excitement.

Unless you've ever been a mother, you have no idea how nice it was to see my baby again.

Casey had always been independent, and with her off at college, let's just say I wasn't needed very much anymore. She still called once a day to tell me about college life, and to complain when the workload was too heavy or her classmates were giving her a hard time, but it wasn't the same.

Having her here at home again, hugging me with tears of joy flowing out of her eyes, was like turning back the clock to those few months ago. It seemed as if things had never really changed, and she was the same girl she had been before college took her away.

That is, until Derek followed her through the door carrying four bags, only one of which was his.

~George's POV~

As my son entered the house, I couldn't help but smile. I had missed him so, so much.

Despite all of Derek's old antics - the childish pranks, the lazy attitude, the downright impossible cruelty he had sometimes shown - I had really gotten around to missing him.

Something about a house without Derek seemed almost too quiet to bear.

Of course, I was shocked beyond belief when I saw him carrying three of Casey's stuffed duffel bags. Since when had Derek ever been chivalrous?

He was a changed man, that was for sure. Although I had tried to raise him as a son that would open doors for his girlfriend and buy her roses, I had never gotten through to him.

Well, apparently Casey had.

"Derek!" I sighed, reaching out to hug him.

I was shocked when he smiled and hugged me back, without the slightest hint of discomfort.

He really had changed, hadn't he?

"How's college life?" I asked him proudly, nearly falling over as the words came out of my mouth.

A few years ago, I was certain that Derek didn't care at all about his future, his education, or really anything but girls, hockey, and food.

"It's great! I'm managing straight B's in all of my classes," he replied, smiling.

This time, I actually did fall over.

~Edwin's POV~

As I trampled down the stairs, ready to give my big bro a high-five, I was shocked to find him happily hugging our dad. Hugging.

What had happened to him?

It was then that I heard Derek mention his grades.

Straight B's?

Note to self. Never underestimate the incredible power of Casey McDonald.

Apparently, our dad had. He tripped over one of Casey's bags and fell flat on the ground, stunned but unhurt.

My dad tends to do that a lot.

"Derek made captain of the hockey team," Casey announced proudly, smiling at him with endearment.

Derek actually returned the smile, and it was truly genuine. Not the typical Derek Venturi smirk, but a real smile.

Had Hell frozen over, or had Derek Venturi actually changed for someone else?

"I just kinda found out that I can do a lot when I put my mind to it," Derek grinned, and I raised my eyebrows in alarm.

Then, when he called me over and pulled me in for a hug, I nearly fell over like my Dad.

Either this wasn't the real Derek, or I had a lot of thanking Casey to do.

~Lizzie's POV~

Watching Edwin and Derek hug was like something straight out of a movie. So touching.

Here's how the story would go: Girl meets boy, boy falls in love, girl falls for boy, girl changes boy for the better, and they all live happily ever after.

Throw in a couple of infuriated parents, a step-sibling relationship, a creepy stalker, and a trip to Mexico City and you've got Casey and Derek.

Sure, Derek had tried to change for Sally, and he had a little. However, I think the microwaved ice cream speaks for itself when I say that Derek had not changed much because of that girl.

After dating her, he had still been the same annoying, taunting step-brother that he had been before.

Casey McDonald, my sister, had done the impossible.

She had changed Derek Venturi in a way that no one else could. Into a guy that cares about his family, cares about his future, and isn't afraid to show his sensitive side.

Of course, Casey hadn't asked him to at all. Derek had done it purely out of love for her, even though she would have loved him no matter whether he changed or not.

I wonder if that kind of powerful love works on all of the Venturis?

~Casey's POV~

As Derek and I made our way into our old house, I have to admit I felt a little awkward. The two of us had been madly in love with each other for about six months now, and our parents in no way approved.

But as Derek took my bags up to my room for me, I couldn't help but smile at the shocked expressions on everyone's faces.

Mom seemed completely stupefied, yet also very impressed. It was almost as if she was finally realizing that what Derek and I have is truly meant to be.

George, although he had been tough, was a real softie at heart. I could tell by the shocked look in his eyes that he was proud of his son, and no longer ashamed of what Derek and I had done.

We had found love, and there is nothing anyone can say that will make me feel ashamed about that.

Edwin and Liz seemed admiring, like they always had before, which I had to admit was kind of a shock. I knew they had both expected the relationship, but the fact that they seemed to still look up to Derek and I was incredible, to say the least.

Perhaps these two were aware of a bit more than they were both letting on.

And Marti? I was sad to see that I couldn't find her anywhere!

Was she hiding from us?

But as the youngest of our blended family finally appeared in the arms of my boyfriend (God I love saying that!), I was relieved.

"She was waiting for you in your room," Derek grinned, passing Marti off to me.

I couldn't believe how much she had grown in just a few months. No longer the tiny little girl she had once been, Marti was sprouting like a weed.

"I wanted to ask you something," Marti whispered in my ear, and I smiled.

"Yes, Smarti?"

"Am I still allowed to call you Smasey, or have you and Smerek made a big mistake?"

Giggling, I couldn't help but glance at the rest of the family.

Mom, beaming, had a tear in her eye. And I could guess why.

The picture of Derek and I, standing side by side with a little girl in our arms, must have been a little emotional for her.

Yet, as hard as I tried to find anger or sadness in her eyes, I found nothing but happiness.

For me.

~Derek's POV~

Glancing at my dad, I reached down to lace my fingers through Casey's.

His face remained unchanged. Not one dark shadow crossed his face as I held Casey's hand, and my dad and I shared a smile.

I really, really hope he knows how much that meant to me.

"Smarti, Casey and I haven't made any mistakes. I still love her with all of my heart, and I'm never going to let anything or anyone change that."

"Good! Smasey it is then!"

As my little sister wrapped her arms around Casey's neck, I felt the newly developed compassionate side in me come out.

No, Casey hadn't asked me to change, and even while I was changing she continued to tell me how much she already loved the old me. Yet I still knew that it was the right thing to do.

A little love and hard work had never killed anyone, and I knew it wouldn't kill me.

I did it to prove to Casey how much she meant to me, and I think she got that. Although we've had our ups and our downs, our fights and our incredibly heated kisses, I never once stopped believing that she was the one for me.

And to this day, I still know with every fiber in my being that I, Derek Venturi, was meant to change one day.

It simply took the right person.

~Marti's POV~

Smasey and Smerek are home for Christmas, and I couldn't be more excited! Oh, how I've missed them!

Even though Nora and Daddy argued for hours while they were away about whether it was acceptable, I always knew that Smerek and Smasey were meant for each other.

No one had ever made Derek feel bad about anything until Casey, and no one had ever filled Casey with as much passion as Derek.

As much as the rest of the family used to hate it when they fought, I always knew there was something hidden beneath their screaming at each other.

Still, I hadn't been sure. It had took a lot of prying in order to convince Lizzie and Edwin to show me their research.

They had dedicated an entire binder to the interactions between Casey and Derek.

Of course, they were thrilled when I told them about the hula hoop that Smerek had thrown over her during summer camp a couple of years ago.

That immediately went into the binder as well.

I guess it was that moment that convinced me that Smerek was in love with Smasey, but I wasn't entirely sure that Smasey felt the same way until last summer.

Some people may look at Smerek and Smasey like they're weird, but I think differently.

Smasey and Smerek are the perfect match, no matter what anyone else thinks. And I couldn't be happier for them!

~Nora's POV~

Derek's declaration of love surely wasn't a surprise, especially not after this summer. And the fact that they were still dating was no surprise either.

I was only surprised that I hadn't noticed the attraction between them before.

What kind of mother would I be if I kept my daughter from her true love? If I locked her away in her room and threw away the key?

Casey and I had always had a close relationship, and a move like that would shatter everything.

Things had gotten serious between them, and I wasn't all that surprised about that either. Although marriage was a stretch, I knew that I would agree to whatever it was Casey wanted to do with her life now that she was so incredibly happy.

Some may say that makes me a bad mother, and I can handle that.

I can't help but think, however, that choosing to tear those two apart would be even worse.

~George's POV~

My son, the hockey player. My son, the chick magnet.

My son..... the chivalrous scholar?

It was still a shock to me how much Derek had changed because of Casey. He had gone from a son that I wasn't entirely proud of but still loved to a son that I couldn't admire more.

He had found everything - how to care, how to work hard, how to be a gentleman, and how to truly love someone, - all because he had found Casey.

Maybe Nora and I are cupid, and this odd little twist of fate is just a way of rewarding us for our hard work. We brought the kids together, we tried to rip them apart, and we failed miserably.

Well, one thing was for sure. As much as I had been worried about Derek's treatment of Casey, I had no reason to worry anymore.

There would be no more attempts to break up Casey and Derek ever again.

~Edwin's POV~

After a few hours of family bonding, I still hadn't fully grasped what was going on around me.

Derek was being nice. Casey wasn't freaking out or hiding behind a book. Marti was rattling off words she had learned in school that even I had never heard of. Lizzie was smiling at me, even though she and I had been fighting constantly lately.

And Dad and Nora?

They were grinning from ear to ear, perfectly content with the world.

Maybe love has a funny way of working out, even for normally inconsiderate guys like my brother.

Maybe someday, in some sort of weird chain of events, I would find love too.

~Lizzie's POV~

It took Casey quite a while to figure out that I still respected her, but once she did, I had never seen her so relieved.

I guess my opinion means just as much to her as her opinion means to me.

Still, I don't think Casey had any idea why I understood her so well. How could she, after being away for so many months while the situation unfurled?

In case you're still confused, let me spell it out for you.

Just like Casey, I too had fallen in love over the summer. And, just like Casey, I had fallen for someone that should not have meant more to me than a brother means to a sister.

No, Edwin doesn't know, and I don't plan on telling him just yet. But maybe, on our next family vacation, cupid might have something planned for us.

Poor Mom and George. They're going to flip their lids.

~Derek's POV~

Tonight, I think my prayers were finally answered.

The entire family was happy, Nora and Dad included. No one seemed the least bit uncomfortable with Casey and I, and I was almost too shocked to believe it could be true.

Everything was coming together in my life.

I was a hockey star at college, I was doing extremely well in my classes, and I had the most incredible girlfriend in the world.

Surely, I didn't deserve a life this great.

But I'll take it.

~Casey's POV~

My life could not be more amazing. Honestly, I've seen plenty of Romcoms and fairy tales, but none of them turned out like this.

My happily ever after kicks all of the other happily ever afters' butts.

Sure, for a while I had been uncertain about Derek and I being together. I was worried about what my roommates would think, what my friends would think, basically what the entire world would think!

But when the unavoidable finally happened and Niki and Savannah, my two roommates, walked in on Derek and I kissing, they were totally cool with it.

Actually, they were more than cool. They were supportive, begging for the details on how this whole thing came about.

That was when I realized one very important fact about my life. And to this day, I still believe in this with all of my heart.

The way I see it, Derek and I are two people who fell in love.... just a little too late.

But we sure as hell won't let that stop us.

~Marti's POV~

Tonight, as I finally went to bed after a long and exciting day, I couldn't help but sing.

Casey says I have an amazing voice, but that's what they all say when you're little.

Still, I couldn't help myself. I burst into songs of love as I crawled into bed next to Sir Monksalot.

I had known it all along, but no one ever listens to me.

Maybe now they will.

Unfortunately, this whole thing took a little too long for my taste. Had Smasey and Smerek admitted their love for each other years ago, we wouldn't have had to deal with so much fighting!

Which reminds me, Edwin and Liz have been fighting a lot lately. Perhaps it runs in the family?

This time, I won't let years of unrequited love go by. Not when Marti Venturi's on the case!

I would start planning tomorrow. For now, it was time to sleep.

But not before wishing every person interested in hearing my story......

MERRY DASEYMAS!

A/N: Well, that's it folks! The last hoorah! I hope you've enjoyed reading this as much as I've enjoyed writing it! Although it's too bad I didn't plan this fic to end on Christmas.... how perfect would that have been!?