A/N: I know, I'm supposed to finish my other story, and I will... But this just wouldn't get out of my head. So I had to write it. It's based off of the song "The Secret's in the Telling" by Dashboard Confessional. It's a great song if you haven't heard it.

Disclaimer: I don't own the title, since it's a song by Dashboard Confessional. And I don't own LWD.

Anyway, here is my one shot.

The Secret's in the Telling

Ever since she was a little girl, Casey had a plan. Of course her plan had changed slightly from the original biting into a poisonous apple and being awoken by her true love's kiss, but the end result of happily ever after was still the same. She dreamed of meeting the perfect guy, falling in love, and getting married. They were going to live in the perfect house with blue shutters and a white picket fence. She was going to give birth to two kids, a boy and a girl, and they were going to have the perfect pet; maybe a dog or a cat, she wasn't sure, but it'd be perfect. She never planned on the secrecy, the sneaking around, or all of the lies. She never planned on Derek.

Her thoughts took her away as she stares down at the large diamond on her finger. She watched blankly as the early morning sunlight that streamed through the bedroom window bounced off the ring in glinting colors of the rainbow. Her brain was on overdrive as it went over the last two years, when her perfect relationship with her perfect boyfriend became tainted as her secretive, inappropriate, immoral liaison with her very imperfect stepbrother began. Her mind was so lost in memories, both perfect and sweet and passionate and wild. She didn't realize when her bedmate's eyes fluttered open and began to watch her.

"Having second thoughts?" The sleep induced gruffness startled her back into the present.

She turned her head to peer into the depths of the bright green eyes. She absorbed the pure love and adoration that was shining through the crystal-like orbs and found a soft smile come to her lips. Casey felt a blanket of security cover her as he gazed into her. He was perfect; the man of her dreams. He was everything she wanted; everything she planned on. He could give her everything she ever desired out of life, and he loved her. "Never," she replied, but even as the words left her lips, they felt like a lie.

Nevertheless, she sunk into his embrace as he wrapped his arms around her waist, "Good," He said, angling his head down so that their lips were almost touching. "Because I love you."

When their lips met, Casey sighed into the kiss. It was safe, comfortable, sweet, loving, and it warmed her body. It was gentle and overall perfect. She knew that this man could make her happy, but she felt guilty as a longing rose into her. She broke the kiss, pulling back slightly to look into his eyes, "I love you, too." That wasn't a lie. She loved him, she really did, and that's why she knew that she was making the right decision. The next day, she would make her way down the aisle decked out in white and equipped with the essential somethings old, new, borrowed, and blue. The next day she would become Mrs. Sam Walters.

She smiled at him, pecked his lips once more, and rolled off of the bed, "Where are you going?" Sam asked, as his fiancée made her way out of the bedroom towards the bathroom.

Casey's head poked out from behind the door, "I'm getting ready to go to my mother's house." She told him as if it were obvious.

"Why?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Because we're getting married tomorrow," He continued to stare at her in confusion and she rolled her eyes, "It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding."

"I thought that was just in the dress." His naiveté was adorable, Casey thought.

"It is."

"So, why do you have to go to your mom's?" He asked, "It's not like you're going to be wearing your gown until the wedding."

Casey laughed, "No, but it's also bad luck to be with each other the day before the wedding." Okay, so she didn't know if that was true, but there was something she had to do - something she needed to do- and she couldn't do it with Sam around.

"Really?" Casey nodded, and he sighed, "Okay, fine." He resigned, with a sigh, getting out of the bed and making his way to Casey, "But can I get a little loving before you go?"

Another laugh came from Casey and she reached up and gave him a sweet kiss, "I love you," She said, "Now, I have to take a shower."

Sam scoffed playfully, "That's all? I was thinking more along the lines of some bed loving... Or maybe some shower loving?" He said, peering over her shoulder at the shower suggestively.

She shook her head, "Not today, Babe." She said and his lip poked out in a pout. "Don't pout; we have our wedding night to make up for the lack of shower loving..."

"But that's a whole day and night away!" He whined.

A giggle came from her as she leaned into his ear, "Yeah, and you can spend that time thinking of ways to spend tomorrow night... I heard there's a Jacuzzi." She pulled back to look at the flustered look that graced his features, "Now go... Or I may not be up for any adventures tomorrow."

The threat worked and he planted a chaste kiss on her lips and left the room, yelling back, "You better take it easy tonight, because, come tomorrow, there will be no rest."

Casey watched his retreating form with a smile on her lips, but as she closed the bathroom door, it dropped and was replaced by an apprehensive frown.

--

The McDonald-Venturi family all sat around the dinner table that night, sharing a light meal before the bachelorette and bachelor parties commenced. The rooms occupants laughed and joked with each other, all but one. Derek Venturi had been quiet since he came home to find Casey in the kitchen, chatting happily with her mother about the wedding that was going to take place. Her excited babbling cut through him, tearing him open from the inside out. He had never planned on what had happened two years ago and he definitely didn't plan on it continuing, but it had. And now... Now he was sitting around, preparing to go to a bachelor party to celebrate his best friend's pending marriage to the one woman who was able to pierce through the impenetrable wall of ice he had around his heart.

"So are you ready for tomorrow?" Lizzie asked her older sister.

"Ummm..." Her hesitancy at the question drew Derek's attention to the dinner conversation, "Well, for the most part I am, but," Derek's eyes lifted from his food for the first time to peer into her eyes, "there's something I have to finish."

Her eyes bore into his as the words were spoken and he knew. They were the thing that she needed to finish. Whatever 'they' were, it was going to be no more. Derek felt his fist clench and he quickly backed his chair away from the table and stood up, "I have to get ready to meet the guys." He announced to the room before he left to his room.

They all acknowledged his departure then turned back to Casey, "What else do you have to do?" Nora asked her daughter.

Casey shrugged, her eyes still trained to where Derek had just disappeared, "It's nothing." She said vacantly, before rising from her seat herself. "I have to go get ready, as well." And without waiting for a reply, she followed the same path her imperfect lover had taken.

She paused at his door, readying herself for what she had to do. She let out a deep breath, raising her hand to knock when the door opened, revealing Derek. His sudden presence before her made her lose her train of thought, and they just stood there, gazing into each other's eyes, which both held conflict. "D-Derek..." She stuttered.

"I know. We're over." His voice held no emotion and his face was just as empty as he spoke the words. Casey just blinked in response while he just stepped around her and into the bathroom. She stared after him, slightly confused as her heart began to throb with a pain she couldn't understand.

--

Derek stared at himself in the bathroom mirror and glared at the pathetic man before him. His eyes were red from the constant rubbing to prevent the tears that wanted so desperately to fall. He wanted to argue with her, tell her that they don't have to be over. He didn't. He wanted to take her into his arms and ask her to run away with him. He didn't. He wanted to get down on his knees, take her hand in his, and tell her the three words that he had been keeping to himself since they were younger, and ask her to be his. Again, he didn't. What did he do? He let the walls come back up, and shut down. He wasn't sure, but he was pretty sure that he hurt her with his distant words and cold exterior. He thought that it would make him feel better. It didn't.

He hated that it was over so suddenly. He didn't know that the last time he touched her was the actual last time he'd touch her. He never got to prepare himself. He never got to savor the taste of her lips, the smell of her hair. He never got to relish in the feel of her skin against his, or the way her muscles tightened around him. It was just done.

He just stared at himself, feeling miserable in the fact that she was gone when a realization shone upon him like a light bulb. She wasn't gone yet; she wasn't married yet. They still had one night. One night to make memories. One night to bask in the passionate delight. They had one night to make it last. At that thought, he took off out of the room and down the stairs.

As he reached the bottom, he saw the family getting their stuff together to head out to their parties. "You ready, Derek?" Edwin asked, as he stood up from getting his shoes on.

Derek shook his head, not looking at Edwin but at Casey as he said, "No."

Casey's eyes met his from across the room and her breath caught in her throat. She didn't say anything, just nodded. She understood his meaning.

"Then go get ready," George said, coming into the room dressed up in his 'nice dinner clothes.' "The bachelor party starts in twenty and even if you're the best man, I'm sure Ralph could convince Sam to get the festivities started without you."

"No way, Man." Edwin said, "We are not missing anything." And the girls rolled their eyes, knowing that Edwin's eagerness had something to do with half naked girls and dancing.

Derek smiled slightly at Casey, knowing that she just accepted his proposition. "Okay, we're out Ed." He said, turning back to his brother and looking for his keys.

"We should get going, too, Casey." Lizzie told Casey, gesturing to the door.

Casey nodded and reached to grab her keys and went to the door. Casey and Derek left the house side by side, letting their arms graze the other's gently, sending burning shivers down their spines, only sparing a brief glance at each other before they parted their separate ways to their separate cars, to go to their separate parties.

--

Casey and Lizzie went to the bachelorette party at Emily's. It was a simple party without strippers, mainly because they knew Casey hated male strippers, something about gagging when a man makes his butt jiggle while wearing a nut hugging thong. Plus, Sheldon and Ralph didn't quite take well to the suggestion when it was brought up by their respective party planning girlfriends. So, the crazy bachelorette party turned into a fun pajama party. They watched a sappy movie, ate junk food, drank a little wine, and played stupid games. They were in the middle of another movie, 27 Dresses, when Casey's phone began to vibrate, indicating that she had a message.

"Midnight" was all that it read, but Casey smirked in understanding.

"Who was that?" Emily asked, with interest.

Kendra rolled her eyes, "Please tell me that Mr. Wallace didn't just text you. Gosh you two are going to see each other tomorrow, you can go a night a part." She joked.

Casey felt her cheeks redden, partly because she was caught, and partly because they are teasing her about the last time they had a girls' night where she had to leave early because "Sam" didn't want to go to bed without her.

Just then her cell vibrated again, but before she was able to open the message, Kendra grabbed the phone from her hands, "'Thinking of you,'" She read aloud to the group, eliciting a bunch of romantic sighs. "You two are so sappy." She said with a wink.

"And you and Ralph aren't?" Casey joked back, grabbing her phone and texting, 'same,' before turning back to Kendra with a smirk, "Oh, Ralphy-poo, I'm going to miss you while you're at work."

"The Ralph man will miss you, too, Kendra-kins." Emily added, doing her impression of Ralph.

It was Kendra's turn to turn red, "We don't sound like that!" She said, throwing a pillow at Casey and Emily.

Lizzie, Emily, Casey, and the other four girls all looked at each other before saying, "Yeah, you do."

A roar of laughter filled the room as Casey's phone vibrated once more: I love you. She didn't know why, but she didn't reply. Instead, she closed her phone and read the time, 11:08.

"Guys," She said, turning to the group, "I'm going to have to leave soon. I have something I have to finish."

Some of the girls groaned, while Emily and Kendra smirked at her, "Something? Or someone?" Casey's eyes got huge and they all laughed, "Is Sam leaving early, too?"

Casey shook her head, "It's not like that, I just have to finish something tonight before the wedding tomorrow and I want to get it done before it gets too late."

"Okay," Emily said, knowing that Casey would fight with them until the cows came home. "You're coming by tomorrow morning so we can get our hair done, right?"

Casey nodded, "Liz, are you coming?" She asked, praying that her little sister would say no.

"No, I think I'm going to stay here for the night, since we're going to have to wake up early just to get here tomorrow, anyway." Lizzie said, popping a jelly bean in her mouth.

Casey let out the breath that she was holding in a relieved sigh. "Okay, thanks so much for the party guys. It was a lot of fun." She said, getting up to gather her things, "I'll see you all tomorrow!" They girls waved at Casey and she left.

--

Derek paced the upstairs hallway, waiting for Casey to arrive. He had managed to get one of the strippers to leave with him and paid her to go on her way, so it gave him an excuse to leave early. No one thought anything of player, Derek Venturi, leaving with an exotic dancer, so he was home free. Now, he just had to wait.

It seemed like hours before the clicking of the front door sounded in his ears, but it was really only minutes. He quickly made his way over to the staircase and his eyes instantly connected with Casey's. She let the door fall closed behind her, slipping off her shoes as her eyes never parted from his. His gaze was like a magnet, and it captured hers, north and south poles pulling each other with a force that could not be seen. Her legs took her up the stairs slowly, and neither one of them said a word. When she reached the top, neither of them moved, and neither of their gazes faltered. They just stood silently, speaking with their eyes, as their chests almost touched with each breath that they took.

Minutes past before he finally moved, holding out his hand, which she took without even moving her eyes from his. He walked backwards, leading her to his room. They walked down the hall, not a sound being heard, or their bodies touching anymore than the contact of the light hold he had on her hand. He opened his door and let it go, so it would fall on it's own accord after they entered the room.

In the room, they once again just stood and stared. However, at the sound of Derek's door closing, the two came alive, reaching for each other simultaneously and pulling each other to crash their lips together. The kiss was hungry and satisfying, gentle and rough, passionate and wild, soft and persistent. It was everything, but it couldn't be anything. Casey moaned into his mouth as his tongue dueled with hers. She was not attacked with a sense of longing; her body didn't ache for anything different. Her mind didn't conjure up anyone else. She didn't even think. It was all him, everywhere around her. He invaded her senses and she took him in.

His body burned beneath her fingers as their clothes fell to the floor. He closed his eyes, lavishing in the feel of her, trailing his hands along her soft skin. They fell onto the bed, their lips connected, and their bodies immediately tangled together. The fiery depths of Hell couldn't rival the passionate blaze that encompassed the two as he pumped inside her. Their bodies were on fire, searing with each touch, kiss, fondle, graze, stroke, and caress. Sweat covered them as they trembled in ecstasy before falling together in a satisfied heap.

Their pants were the only noises that filled the room. The calm after the sweltering storm. Exhaustion consumed their very core, but they each fought it. She didn't want to sleep, and he wouldn't if she didn't. They both knew that this was it. Their last time. Their final casting call. Their last goodbye. It was over, and neither one of them wanted to sleep away their final moments.

--

The morning light filtered through the room, painting the walls in orange and arousing the lone member from his slumber. He groaned from the brightness, and reached over to pull his secret lover to him. His hand fell to the cold sheets instead of her warm form. He immediately sat up, and looked around. She was gone. He sighed, running a hand over his face before turning his saddened gaze to the window.

He watched the rising sun with disgust and anger, because he knew, as it rose, it brought with it the day. Her wedding day. It was over. She would stand up with his best friend at the alter and promises to love, honor, and cherish him forever. And after that, she'll be his. He'll no longer be able to have her. He'll never be able to smell the melon and honey of her hair. He'll never be able to hold her or touch her. She'll never know how he feels about her because he'll never get to tell her.

She was Sam's. Maybe she always was. He felt sick at the thought. She was his last night, he knew it. The way she moaned his name and writhed beneath him, she definitely wasn't Sam's last night. But tonight... His eyes closed and his fists clenched... Tonight, she'd be Sam's. He'd touch her, and she'd respond. She'd make his body burn with the gentlest caresses. She moan his name and he'd take her over. Their bodies swelter from the passionate inferno. And suddenly, his body felt cold.

He dropped back against the pillows and heard something ruffle from under him. He turned and found a note, "goodbye."