This is a re-posted fic… this chapter hasn't been posted though. Unnoticeable changes in the following two chapters. The rest is too come :)

Closer

(now)

Casey sat anxiously in the passenger seat, looking frightfully at the growing crowd outside the window. After a few moments, she finally spotted Derek dragging a struggling Sam to the car with Simon, another player on their team. Funny how just a few hours ago, Derek and Sam were the ones engaged in a fist fight. Yet here is, Derek Venturi, best friend extraordinaire, pulling Sam away from harm, not to mention from probable public humiliation.

The things you do for the people you care about.

Thinking of the implications and weight of that sentence, Casey closed her eyes in apprehension. She had wanted to escape the isolation of her former school, now she was starting to rethink her spontaneous decision to put aside her precious self-oriented life. Yes, the things you do for the people you care about.

The back door opened and the taunting became louder. She had droned them out for the past five minutes but couldn't help the last few words as they rang loud and clear in the frosty air.

"You fucking wimp. Can't fight your own battles," she heard a male voice yell from the vicinity of the crowd. It was probably from the guy Sam had randomly decided to punch. Derek and Simon practically threw their friend into the back seat. Their anger was almost palpable, especially Derek's. But honestly, they had every reason to be angry. Or so she thought. It's not like her and Derek had officially confirmed they were a couple, but that's where it seemed to be heading. Sam couldn't have been that oblivious.

She sighed. Her and Derek was a whole other story and definitely not of concern at that particular moment. She waved a small goodbye to Simon, who for his part made a quick dash for his car before anyone stopped him. Derek heatedly started the engine, visibly ignoring Sam's incoherent mumbling. Casey looked behind her and shook her head in disappointment at the pungent smell of alcohol.

Sam must have really loved Tiffany.

Casey stayed quiet, not quite knowing how to deal with this angry Derek. It would probably be best if she just waited until he calmed down a bit. She was shaken out her silence when Derek suddenly pulled the car to stop on the side. He hit his head on the steering wheel deliberately. He repeated the motion several times.

Casey reached her arm out and rubbed his shoulder in a comforting gesture.

"Can you drive?" he asked, his face still firmly settled on the wheel. She nodded but croaked out a yes when she realized he couldn't see her. He opened his door without another glance. Casey stopped him when they met halfway in front of the door. His head was bent low.

"Derek," she said quietly, lifting his chin up despite her cold hand. His eyes finally met hers and her insides tightened at the tortured expression on his face.

"What's wrong?" she continued when she saw that it wasn't only anger that was brewing on his otherwise handsome features.

His forehead fell to hers and he closed his eyes.

"I was so mad I almost didn't go after him," he whispered.

"But you did," Casey corrected, trying to understand where he was going with this.

He pulled away from her and rubbed his palms roughly over his face. "Yeah, 'cause you told me to."

"I don't understand," Casey mumbled quietly.

"He could have gotten hurt. Beaten to a pulp considering the size of the other guy."

She simply nodded, urging him to continue.

"I really didn't want to go after him. If you hadn't forced me, he could have–" his voice caught a bit at the end. With a pang of sympathy, she finally realized that the other emotion playing so openly on his face was guilt. Guilt for almost not rescuing his friend, after said friend had hurt him.

Casey wrapped her arms around him; he responded in kind, burying his head deep into the crease between her shoulder and neck. She was surprised at the intensity of the embrace. It was a rare thing to be the end of such obvious affection with Derek, especially if you weren't Marty. Casey hadn't even been privy to this rather emotional side in the past few weeks, despite their growing closeness.

When they finally pulled apart, she was happy to see a small smile creep up on his lips.

"Sorry," he apologized, almost bashfully so. Her smile grew at the sight.

"For what?" she said, feigning ignorance as she continued her trek to the driver's door. His grin widened. His boyish expression only warmed her heart.

They drove in silence for the rest of the ride. She helped him carry Sam up to their hotel room. The task wasn't easy, but they surprisingly managed.

"Thank God for elevators," Derek muttered under his breath as he positioned his friend to lean on the corner walls. Casey made a vague sound of agreement. She couldn't shake the strange onslaught of butterflies that had officially settled in her stomach after their little heartfelt moment.

"You okay?" Derek asked. The butterflies did a somersault when he took her hand and pulled her to him. "Not too traumatized for the day?" His tone was teasing but she could detect a slight hint of seriousness.

She couldn't help but remembering Sam's curious words earlier that day. "Derek is insanely crazy about you. It's fucking amazing," he had said, his words slurring spectacularly. "Even back in school… shock of my life. The great D in love, with you, no less." He had lifted his drink in some form of salute but ended up losing half its content. She was pretty sure Derek would have been even angrier if he had walked in a bit earlier to catch those particular words.

"No, I'm fine," she said truthfully, brushing off her last thoughts. In fact, she was more than fine. But she wasn't very well going to say that. The situation was far from appropriate. She stood on her tip toes and kissed him chastely on the lips. Derek looked at her for a second before his gaze turned to Sam.

"I'm still sorry," he said genuinely, turning his head back to her, and wrapped his arms around her shoulders. "I honestly thought Tiffany and him were going to last forever. He's crazy about her."

"I know," Casey said, but was cut-off when the elevator opened to their floor. Derek disentangled himself from her and wrapped Sam's arm around his neck instead. Casey did the same with his other arm.

When Sam was safely snoring in the bed, Casey spoke up. "You can stay with me tonight."

Sharing the same bed wasn't necessarily normal for them considering the novelty of their relationship, but the situation was a bit complicated.

"Are you sure?" he said hesitantly. "'Cause I'm sure he'll be passed out 'til noon tomorrow and he's a quiet sleeper."

Casey laughed despite herself. "It's cute that you know these things." She grabbed his PJ's, lying haphazardly on the small couch in the corner of their room. "Go get your toothbrush. I'll wait for you in my room." She left after giving him a slight kiss on the forehead. She smiled as she exited, having noticed the stupid look on his face.

She opened her room, pulled her own night clothes from her bag and entered the bathroom to brush her teeth. She left the door ajar in case Derek knocked.

As she looked at herself in the mirror, she vaguely wondered how she suddenly found herself in this moment right now. From a year and a half of living alone in Montreal to a hotel room in Ottawa, waiting for Derek… the step-brother whom she was now sure to be in love with.