Life As Derek
What if the reason Derek helped Casey was not because of Lizzy but because of George?
This story takes place in season 1 episode 2 of "Life with Derek". This is my take on what should have happened after that dinner scene where Derek bugs Casey about her falling and causes her to dump her food.
I do not own Life with Derek!
! #$%^&*()
After supper, once all the dishes were cleaned up, George took 15-year-old Derek off to the side.
"Go to your room and get ready for bed. No don't argue with me," he added when he saw his son open his mouth, "I'll be up at eight to talk to you. And you better be in bed. Understand?"
At first he thought Derek was going to argue, but then he must have thought better of it and just nodded and went upstairs.
George sighed and looked over at Nora who was staring at him with a thoughtful expression on her face. Casey, Lizzie and Martina or Marti were upstairs and Edwin was watching TV, so it was just the two of them left in the kitchen.
"Don't get me wrong I love him, but he drives me crazy! I swear he does it just to annoy me," George said to Nora as he walked over to her.
Nora laughed and said, "Isn't it a teenager's job to drive their parent crazy?"
"Yeah I guess, but he does it exceptionally well," George replied. Nora laughed again and they lapsed into silence.
"What are you going to do with him?" She asked a couple of minutes later.
"I don't know," he paused for a bit then looked a Nora and said, "I never thought I would say this, but I think I'm going to have to spank him."
Nora's eyes got huge when he said this and opened her mouth to say something, but then didn't quite know what, so she closed it again.
"I haven't spanked him since he was 8," George said, "After that I thought he was too old to be punished like that, but now I don't know. Nothing else ever seems to have any effect on his behaviour, maybe this finally will."
Nora looked at him thoughtfully for a couple minutes, then said, "Do what you have too, just remember that you love him, and make sure he knows that, and punish out of love."
He smiled and pulled her into a kiss.
! #$%*()
Meanwhile...
When his Dad told him to get ready for bed Derek was going to argue, but Dad seemed pretty pissed, so he decided to just do what he asked.
As he slowly made his way to his room, he tried to think about what he did to make his Dad so angry. He hadn't done anything worse then what he normally did, so why was his Dad mad?
Where he got upstairs he had every intention of having a shower then getting ready for bed, but with seven people and one bathroom, it didn't always work out the best.
"Derek, where's Dad?" Asked six-year-old Marti as she went into the bathroom as soon 11-year-old Lizzy exited it.
"Downstairs, why?" Derek answered his sister.
"Cause he told me to get ready for bed at 7:45 and that's what time it is now and he's not here," she said as she got her toothbrush out.
Derek didn't know what to say so he didn't say anything, and went to just walk by to get to his room, but his baby sister called out to him.
"Will you help me get ready for bed? Please?" She asked giving him her puppy dog eyes.
He sighed, then thought about it. Dad had told him to get ready for bed, but he couldn't shower with Marti in the bathroom, and he couldn't really get in trouble for helping her. With that in mind, he said, "Sure why not?"
So instead of getting ready for bed himself, he got his little sister all ready.
! #$%*()
When 8 o'clock came around, George left Nora to comfort Casey, who had come down just a little bit ago to eat, while he went to talk to his eldest son.
When he got upstairs, he immediately went to Derek's room, and found it empty. He was a little surprised and a lot annoyed to find that his son hadn't listened to him. He next went to the bathroom, which was also empty at the moment. He was wondering where he could be when he heard Derek's voice coming from Marti's room. He went to the doorway and watched as Derek finished reading her a story.
"Derek get ready for bed," said George when the story was over.
Derek was a little surprised to find that it was already after 8, and, not that he would ever admit it, but was a little alarmed of the look on his Dads face. He got off the bed and said in a fake cheerful voice, "Sure thing Dad."
When he got to the doorway, George stepped out of the way to let his son past, never taking his eyes off him. This unnerved Derek a little, but he didn't let it show as he said from the doorway as he left, "Goodnight Smarti."
"Goodnight Smerek," she called after her oldest brother.
George went in to say goodnight to his daughter, as Derek went to have a quick shower.
Derek showered, got into his pyjamas and brushed his teeth in the bathroom within 20 minutes. Then when he was leaving he ran into his brother, 11-year-old Edwin.
"What are you doing getting ready for bed now? It's just after 8:30," said Edwin when he saw Derek.
"That is none of your business," Derek started, then before he could say more, he was cut off by their father.
"Derek, get in here," George called from Derek's room, sounding slightly annoyed.
Edwin smirked at Derek, so Derek narrowed his eyes and took a threatening step towards his younger brother, who of course ran up to his attic room, afraid of being punched by his brother.
Derek gave a smirk of his own then made his way to his room, where he came face to face with an irate father. George pulled his son into the room and closed the door, then gave him a sharp swat on the bum.
"Ow, hey!" Derek started to complain, but was interrupted by his father.
"No, you don't talk, you listen," said George as be led his son over to his bed and pulled back the covers, "Get into bed, like you were supposed to be half hour ago!"
Derek, who was slightly shocked that his Dad would swat him, got into bed. His butt still stung a little from the swat he received, and he did not wanting anymore.
"Good boy," George said as he pulled the covers up over his eldest child. It had been so long since he tucked the now 15 year old in, it kinda felt nice. "Now here is how this is going to work. You will go to bed now," George started.
"But Dad, I'm not tired," Derek interrupted.
"Firstly, I said you're not allowed to talk, and secondly, I don't really care if you're not tired, you're going to bed now, and you're going to stay in bed until I come get you tomorrow morning, got it?" George asked in a stern voice.
When Derek turned away from his Dad and refused to answer, George pulled down the blankets, flipped his son over and swatted him five times, hard.
"Ow, Dad! Yes I understand!" Derek frantically exclaimed trying to get his Dad to stop swatting him like some little child, but man did his bum sting! He buried his head in his pillows, and tried to stop the couple of tears that had gathered in his eyes from the impromptu smacks his Dad delivered.
George pulled the blankets back up to his son's shoulders. "I'm done with your defiance, and this attitude of yours has to stop, okay?" he asked running a surprisingly gently hand through his sons hair, said son still had his face smashed into the pillows.
Derek just nodded.
"Alright son, goodnight, I love you," George said as he kissed his sons head, "Stay in bed," he gently reminded his silent son as he left the room, closing the door behind him.
Derek just laid there, stunned at what had just happened. He couldn't believe that his Dad had smacked him like some little kid. He hadn't been spanked since he was like 8! He fell asleep slightly worried about what tomorrow would bring.
! #$%* ()
The next morning George and Nora got up and made sure that the Casey, Lizzy, Edwin and Marti were ready for school. George had taken the morning off in order to deal with his eldest son, he left him sleeping... for now. Once the four had left for school, and Nora left for work with the final words of, "goodbye, I love you! Good luck and remember that you love him," as she kissed him then left, he sat in the kitchen drinking his coffee. He sat there for a bit thinking through all the different scenarios of how the morning could go. When he decided on the best course of action, he went to wake up his little troublemaker.
When he got to Derek's room, he saw that his son was sleeping in the same position that he left him in last night except this time his face was to the side and not in the pillow. He made his way over to the bedside and gently brushed a lock if his sons hair out of his face. It always amazed George how peaceful and innocent his son always looked when he was sleeping. It was amazing that this was the same kid who caused so much trouble. After a couple minutes, George shook his sons shoulder to wake him up.
Derek groaned and rolled onto his side facing his Dad before slowly opening his eyes. He then groaned again and closed them.
"Come on son, get up. Breakfast is ready," George said.
"What time is it?" Derek asked as he looked at his clock. Upon catching sight of the time, he exclaimed, "I'm late!" and jumped out of bed.
"No it's fine, you're not going to school today," George said
"Why not?" asked Derek cautiously. He was all for skipping school, but it wasn't like his Dad to let him.
"Because you and I have lots to discuss, and I thought it would be easier if we didn't have an audience," George answered, "Now come eat breakfast."
Derek slowly followed his father downstairs, all the while trying to figure out what his Dad had planned.
Derek sat down at the island in the kitchen as his Dad handed him a bowl of cereal and the milk. Derek took them both, and ate his breakfast in silence. He was getting more nervous as the time went on. He didn't know what his Dad had planned for him, but judging from the look on his face, it couldn't be anything good. As soon as he was done, he took his dishes and put them in the dishwasher. When that was all finished, George spoke. "Alright, now go to your room, I'll be up soon."
Derek, who was still trying to figure out what was going on, left and silently made his way to his room. When he got there, he went and sat on his bed to wait for his Dad.
He thought about what happened last night before he went to bed, and hoped that what he thought might happen, wouldn't. The fact that only the two of them were home wasn't helping any. He was startled out of his thoughts by a knock at the door.
! #$%*()
Once going over all the options and assuring himself that this was the only way to get Derek to learn, George went up to talk to his son.
He knocked in the door before entering. He found his son sitting on his bed looking down at his folded hands in his lap. He looked up when George entered the room.
George took a seat beside his son and started his lecture, "Derek, you have to stop picking on Casey, she's your sister now, you got to put aside your differences and stop making fun of her."
"That's what this is all about?" Derek asked astonished. He got up off the bed, and paced a bit as he talked. "You're mad because I made fun of Casey? Dad, I always make fun of her. We don't get along, it's nothing new."
"Derek," George warned, but his son ignored him and continued on his rant.
"And besides it's not like it's my fault she's so clumsy."
"Derek that's enough," George tried unsuccessfully again to get his son to stop.
"She's just so high-strung, and easy to insult. It's not my fault that the name Klutzilla stuck and she doesn't even do anything to live it down I mean," Derek continued but was cut off by his Dad grabbing his arm and pulling him over his lap, facedown. This successfully stopped Derek's rant.
"Dad? What are you doing?" Derek asked, slightly alarmed.
"What I should have done a long time ago," George replied as he pulled Derek's pajama bottoms down, leaving his boxer up... for now.
"Whoa hey! Dad! What are you doing? Stop!" Derek frantically exclaimed as he tried to pull his pants back up and get off his Dad lap simultaneously.
George's response was to start delivering sharp swats to his sons backside. Derek kept struggling to get away.
"Stop struggling or you'll lose the underwear," George warned, and when Derek still struggled, George pulled his underwear down to his knees and kept swatting the bottom before him, hard.
"No Dad, you can't! I'm too old!" Derek exclaimed as he felt the cold air on his now exposed bum.
"Oh I can't, can't I?" George said as he continued raining swats down all over Derek's exposed rear end. "You are too old when you act to old. Recently you have been behaving like a spoiled, self centered, little brat, and that stops now!" He didn't lecture anymore as he spanked, he figured the rest could be saved until after, when hopefully his son would be more attentive to what he had to say.
Eventually Derek stopped trying to get away and concentrated instead on not crying. He felt the tears prickle in his eyes and knew that if his Dad didn't stop soon he would be full out crying.
"Oww Daddy, I'm sorry, I'll be nicer to her! I promise, please," Derek pleaded as the first tears leaked out of his eyes.
As much as George wanted to stop and just hold his precious baby, he knew that in order for this punishment to be successful, and hopefully not to have to repeat it any time soon, he would have to see it through. So he tipped Derek forward and concentrated the swats to his sit spots, where bottom met thighs.
Not long after Derek started crying harder, who knew that such a childish punishment could hurt so bad? Finally, he went limp over his Dads lap, just sobbing like a sorry little boy, incoherently apologising and promising to be good.
When this happened George finally stopped spanking him and pulled up his boxers before sitting him on his lap. Derek just sobbed into his Dads shoulder as George rubbed his back with one hand and ran his fingers through his hair with the other, while slowly rocking him to try and calm him down.
Eventually Derek's sobs turned into just the occasional sniffle. George decided that now was as good as time as any to start the conversation that he was planning on having before he disciplined his son, but worked just as good this way.
"Alright kid, now we gotta talk," George said releasing his hand from Derek's head, so he could move it, but Derek stayed like he was. "Aren't you going to look at me?"
Derek shook his head in his Dads shoulder. He was so embarrassed first for being smacked like a little kid, then for crying like one.
George chuckled and rubbed his sons back again. "Alright, you don't have to look at me, just listen," started George, "Your whole attitude has to change, lately you have been acting like a rude, spoiled little brat. And whatever this is with Casey has to stop. It's one thing to fight with her, but to start calling her names is unacceptable. I know you are the one who started the whole Klutzilla name and you never did anything to help when others started calling her it too. You are family now, and I know you won't always get along, but you got to try, kid. That's all I ask. And even though I hate spanking you, I will do it again if this behaviour continues. Understand?"
"Yes Dad, and I am sorry," Derek said still from George's shoulder.
"Not me you need to be apologizing to kiddo. You are going to have to do something to fix this," George said.
"Why me?" Derek complained.
"Because you made it worse," George said.
"Fine," Derek relented.
George held Derek a little more before he gently manoeuvred Derek so he was lying on his stomach under the covers on his bed. "I think you need a short nap," George said as he pulled he covered over his son.
Derek, who was pretty tired from all the crying and emotions this morning, just nodded and closed his eyes. He was lulled to sleep by the hand that rubbed circles on his back long after he fell asleep.
George stopped rubbing Derek's back once he was sure that he was asleep, then slowly got up off the bed, he bent over and kissed his forehead, "I love you, my precious baby boy."
As he closed the door he heard a faint, "I love you too Daddy," from his sleepy child.
! #$%^&*()
Sometime later Derek awoke because he was hungry. He looked over at the time and saw that it was just after 1pm. At first he was confused as to why he was sleeping in the afternoon of a school day, but then he rolled over and it all came back to him when is butt hit the bed. He quickly rolled back over and groaned. He couldn't believe what had happened before, he would have wallowed in self pity longer had his stomach not reminded him why he was awake. He got out of bed and saw a note on his bedside table. It was from his Dad telling him that he went to work for the afternoon and would be back at the normal time, and a warning to be good. He rolled his eyes at the last comment and started down the hall in just his boxers and t-shirt, no one was home anyway.
When he got to the top of the stairs he heard a sound of someone In the kitchen. He grabbed his hockey stick, and slowly made way down the stairs. When he got to the bottom, he heard that the sound was coming from the kitchen. He crept towards the kitchen, keeping out of sight of the intruder. When he was close, he jumped out with his hockey stick ready to defend himself. Then he heard his stepmother scream. He jumped, shocked from the sudden sound.
"Derek, you scared me!" Nora said with her hand on her heart.
"I scared you?" Derek asked unbelievingly, "At least you knew I was in the house."
"Well your Dad said you were sleeping, and I wasn't expecting you to do that," Nora said.
Derek laughed then asked, "Aren't you supposed to be at work?"
"Yeah, but there wasn't much to do today, so I took off early, why?" She asked as she continued to put away the groceries that she had bought before coming home. Really she just wanted to make sure that Derek was okay, he may be her stepson, but she was beginning to love him like her own.
"Ah," he replied then ignoring her question, asked, "So you talked to Dad?" trying to sound nonchalant.
"Yeah," She said, then handed him a sandwich. "I could hear your stomach rumbling from here," she replied to his unasked question.
"Thanks. Did he say anything... interesting," Derek asked, he really didn't want Nora to know what had transpired that morning.
"No, not really. Why?" Nora asked curiously.
"No reason," Derek lied.
Nora stopped what she was doing and looked over at Derek. He was looking at his sandwich sitting on the counter that he was standing beside. "You know, sweetheart, you may be able to fool a lot of people with your striking ability to lie, but that doesn't mean I don't know when you're lying to me." Nora gently told her stepson.
"How do you know?" Derek asked looking at her.
Nora met his eyes and said, "A mother always knows."
"But you're not really my mom," Derek said looking back down, he was starting to love Nora as another mom, but he was sure she didn't feel the same way. How could she, when he tormented her daughter on a daily basis?
She walked over and lifted his chin so he was looking at her. "I may not have given birth to you, but you and Edwin and Marti; you're all my kids now. I have grown to love you, even though you can be a little brat sometimes."
Since Derek was being forced to look at her, he saw the honesty in her eyes, and couldn't help but smile at the proclamation.
Nora pulled him into a hug and held him tight as he wrapped his arms around her. It felt nice to be in a motherly embrace again. His mother wasn't really around much, she tried to come at least one weekend a month, but even then he didn't really go and see her. He was kind of mad at her for leaving, even though it had been a couple of years now.
While still holding on to him Nora spoke to him, "I know why you stayed home today," she started.
Derek groaned and tried to pull away, but Nora wouldn't allow it. She tightened her arms around him before saying, "No, it's okay, nothing to be embarrassed about. Just try and get along with her that's all we ask, okay sweetie?"
Derek nodded. She held him a little longer then released her hold on him a she said, "Now finish your sandwich. Oh and you might want to put some pants on before the kids come home."
Derek blushed, he forgot that he was just in his boxers. Before his Dad got married he used to wear his boxers around the house lots, but now with three more girls in the house, he didn't. He grabbed his sandwich and bolted to his room. 'There is no way this day can be any more embarrassing', he thought as he got to his room. First, he put his pyjama pants back on, then he laid down on his bed, on his stomach of course, and finished his sandwich, before resting listening to music.
! #$%^&*()
He must have drifted off again because he was woken up by the movement of someone sitting on his bed. He first paused his music, and pulled out his headphones. "Edwin, get off my bed," Derek said. He swung his arm back and was surprised when it connected with a much bigger form then that of his younger brother. The deep 'ow' that followed confirmed his suspicions, but just in case, he turned his head and cracked an eye open, and sure enough there sat his Dad. Derek groaned and turned his head back into his pillow, he really didn't want to talk to his Dad now... or ever really.
"Oh don't be like that," George said, "Come on, there is nothing to be embarrassed about," George tried again. When Derek still didn't move George started to worry that Derek was really mad at him, not just embarrassed about what had happened. George placed a hand on Derek's back and rubbed it a bit before asking, "Derek, are you mad at me?"
Derek was quiet for a while and George feared the answer. Then Derek nodded his head. George's heart sank, "Oh," he said sounding slightly hurt, "Do you want me to leave you alone?" Derek nodded again, so George stopped rubbing his back and got up, "Okay, if that's what you want, supper should be ready shortly," he added as he started to leave the room, trying to hide the hurt he was feeling.
When Derek saw that his Dad was leaving he called out, "Wait!" He really wasn't that mad at his Dad, and he missed the comforting hand on his back already. Right now what he needed was to know that he was forgiven, and still loved, even if he didn't know that yet.
George stopped and turned around upon hearing his son speak.
"I changed my mind," Derek said, then continued when he saw his Dads questioning look, "I'm not mad, and I don't really want you to go," when he was done he buried his head back in his pillows to hid his blushing face.
George smiled and walked back over to his son's bed and sat back down. "You want to talk?" George asked even though he was pretty sure that the answer was no. This was confirmed by the shake of his sons head. "Okay, fine by me," he said as he leaded against the headboard beside his son. He sat there for a few minutes before Derek slowly moved over and curled against his Dad's side with his head resting on George's chest. George smiled again, as he put his arms around his son and held him close. It reminded George of all the other times he had spanked Derek as a young boy, he always sought out comfort from his Dad after the punishment was over, and he had slept a bit. He used to be pretty clingy for a day or so, then would go back to being his normal self. George wondered how it would be now, seen as how Derek is older. He didn't think on it too much, he just enjoyed holding his precious boy while it lasted, he started rubbing circles on Derek's back to comfort him more.
Derek laid curled up beside his Dad for some time. He secretly liked being held, and as long as his Dad was no longer mad at him, it would mean he was forgiven. Even though he didn't want to, he had to ask, "Daddy, are you still mad at me?" in a voice that was much more little kiddish then it was meant to be.
George sighed, Derek was always quick to forgive those he loved, but never believed that he could be forgiven so quickly. "No, I haven't been mad at you all day, and you are forgiven, at least by me," he said hugging Derek tighter. They stayed like that until Nora called that supper was ready.
George placed a kiss on Derek's head, "Okay, let's go," he said releasing Derek and getting up off the bed. "Oh and I forgot to mention earlier, you are grounded with an early bedtime of 9:00 for the next week."
"What, why?" Derek asked/complained.
"To think about your actions and how you will behave better in the future," George replied.
"Dad, I'm not a baby," Derek said getting up.
George walked the couple of steps back to his son and gently grabbed his chin, noting that they were close to the same size already. He then looked at Derek in the eyes and said, "You may be getting older, but you'll always be my baby boy," then kissed him on the forehead and left. Leaving a stunned Derek behind.
! #$%^&*()
Later that night Derek was laying on his stomach on his bed reading a comic book, trying to figure out how to help Casey without her knowing he was helping her. He only wanted to help because his Dad told him to, there was no other reason, no matter what his Dad said. Then there was a knock on his door. It was Lizzy, they talked for a little while and Derek pretended that he had no intentions of helping Casey, but really their conversation had given him an idea.
! #$%^&*()
The next day at school, he used his popularity to talk certain people into being nicer to her. Then once word got around that she was Derek's stepsister, they eventually stopped bugging her so much.
! #$%^&*()
That night, Derek was trying to fall asleep at the insanely early hour of 9:00, when his Dad came in and sat on his bed. Derek rolled onto his side to look at his Dad expectantly.
George smiled at his son and said, "Thank you for doing as you were told."
Derek blushed for what felt like the millionth time in the past two days, and muttered, "It's too early to go to sleep."
George chuckled and replied, "Yes, well you're supposed to be using this time to think about your actions and how they will improve in the future."
Derek just groaned in response.
"I heard about what you did for your sister today," George said after a couple minutes of comfortable silence.
"I didn't do anything for Marti," Derek said faking ignorance.
"You know what I'm talking about, and I'm very proud of you," George said.
Derek tucked his head down so his dad wouldn't see the smile that he couldn't help from forming on his face from his father's words. What his Dad thought if him mean more to him then he would ever admit.
George smiled at his sons response, he needed to voice his praises of his eldest more often. He wasn't very good at expressing his feelings especially to his eldest. Derek never seemed to need the assurance like his brother and sister did, so he never really gave it, but now he could see that even though his kid acted tough and uncaring, he still needed to hear words of praise every now and then too.
He bent down and brushed some hair off of Derek's forehead before dropping a kiss on it. With a final ruffle of his hair, George got up off the bed while saying, "Goodnight baby boy, I love you."
Derek looked over at his dad and said, "I love you to Dad."
George left with smile on his face.
! #$%^&*()