Disclaimer: I own nothing

"Your mouth is poison, your mouth is wine
You think your dreams are the same as mine
I don't love you but I always will"

-The Civil Wars

Your roommate seemed nice.

Until she slept her way through the football team, your eyes bleeding from walking in on her one too many times.

Your calls to Paul are becoming daily.

You missed your bed, your desk, the smell of pancakes wafting from downstairs, the sound of Marti's laughter ringing in your ears.

At least you still had your classes (studying never changes) and dancing (going for that Minor was the best decision you've ever made) and you still had Him.

(If someone told you two months ago that Derek Venturi was going to be your savior, you would have died laughing.)


You met by accident, your coffee burning your tongue as you sputtered,

"What are you doing here?"

Because really, what was he doing in, of all places, the library.

(he knew this was your Kingdom, Land of Keeners, where Derek Never Dares To Tread)

Did hell freeze over? Was the world ending and you missed it?

"Calm down Princess. I work here."

"…you what?"

You laughed… because really, how hilarious was the idea of Him working Here - then you saw the glint in his dark eyes and you stopped laughing. You stopped breathing.

He sent you that smirk-

-and god, it was like you hadn't spent the past three weeks avoiding each other, like you never left high school, and for a minute something clicked into place and damn him, damn him for feeling like home.

Still smirking, he told you how much extra time he had by working here, how his boss loved him, how the lady library keeners loved him, and you seriously contemplated stabbing him in the neck with your pen.

(You didn't. You should have).

And then it was like he was Everywhere.

The library. The coffee shop. The cafeteria. The gym.

When you found him in your dorm room, on your laptop, on your bed, idly watching your movies, it was all you could do from screaming.

But then sent you that smirk-

"Miss me Case? I brought those books you reserved."

And sure enough, your research books lay on your desk, with what looked like a double-espresso caramel coffee next to it.

And you definitely didn't smile. Or let him stay. Or end up ordering Chinese, squealing as you hit him with your pillows for stealing your dumplings.

No.

You didn't do that at all.


"Oh, that's just Derek. Ignore him."

It didn't hit you for another two weeks that you stopped introducing him as your brother.

Or as your step-brother.

He was just Derek.

It didn't hit you until That Night that he stopped introducing you as his sister, or step-sib, or anything other than Casey.

Your roommate dragged you out, claiming that you had to support her in Her Time of Need ( her newest boy-toy dropped her for that redhead in Spanish) and you found yourself at your first college party, complete with Keg of Beer, Jungle Juice, Jell-O shots, Sex on the Beach, and many, many other drinks you couldn't identify.

You hated it.

( It reminded you of black hair and fencing classes and Icky certain cousins)

Then you saw Him.

Leaning against the wall, casually sipping, dear lord, water, he watched the drunken escapades with a tired smirk.

And he was alone. No blonde hanging off of his arm. Or those yelling Neanderthal hockey friends surrounding him.

Something was terribly wrong.

Ah! My first Life with Derek fic! I recently remember my great love for this show, and the pull was too much. Reviewers receive hugs and cupcakes.