This fandom is amazing! I'm just now breaking into it and I'm so glad there's been so much exposure to this show… cause well it's just great.

--I love a pregnant Casey, and since everyone else seems to be doing such a great job figuring out any and all circumstances in which the two (i.e. Derek and Casey) could possibly get together, I'm gonna skip that part. Although, I may go into that later.

Please enjoy and let me know what you think. This is merely a taste, and the chapters will get longer.

The small two-bedroom apartment was dark, incredibly dark. The television set had been on mute for nearly an hour, dirty dishes still soaking among its own grime in the contrastingly white porcelain sink. The only ounce of light that permeated the entirety of the apartment came from the few rays that escaped beneath the door at the end of the hall.

"I don't deserve this, no, I don't need this, especially right now," the very pregnant young woman spoke angrily as she stomped through the hallway to the door at the end. She tore through the door, holding her aching back as she did so. She quickly rifled through the tiny closet in the corner and grabbed a small frilly suitcase. Swiftly, she moved over to the purple and pink dresser to start mashing clothes into it.

"Mommy?" Her little girl looked up inquisitively as she spoke. She was seated neatly, her dolls encircling her spot on the floor. "Are we going?"

Casey stopped throwing clothes into the suitcase for a moment to look at the three-year old. "Sweetie, grab a few toys, we're going to Grandpa and Grandma's house," Casey stated firmly but lacking in harshness, not wanting to scare the young girl. Casey hastily zipped the small suitcase up and moved as quickly as she could to grab her daughter. Her knees cracked as she bent down toward the girl's open arms, two dolls in her upraised hands. "Good girl," Casey said, righting her stiff body and moving toward the door. She looked up at her destination only to stop in her tracks.

Derek stood, leaning his body against the doorframe in mock composure. "Casey, do not do this," he said in that usual tone that indicated that he was aggravated; lacking in contractions, pace slowed at the end. His manner of speech, especially when angry, truly hadn't changed since he was a teenager.

"Oh, now you want to be the rational one? That's funny, now get out of my way, we're leaving," Casey said vehemently as she pushed passed Derek and started down the still dark hallway.

Derek followed her on her way toward the front door, unsure of what he really should do at this point. Which was odd, considering that Derek rarely didn't an answer for a situation. Also, this wasn't the first time his wife was set on her rampage and leaving home. "Are you serious Casey?" Derek asked, approaching her as quickly as he could. He stopped abruptly when Casey turned on him sharply, her still long, now layered hair whipping around. She glared at him warily.

"Well, are you saying that you want me to stay? That you're sorry?"

Derek scoffed at the very idea. "Of course I'm not, you should be apologizing to-" Derek's train of thought needed more manpower -or perhaps he had too much and that was his problem- because he was at a loss for words when his wife and child continued to move rapidly toward the front door of their apartment.

Casey almost let a low growl escape her lips as she reached for the handle of the door.

"Why do you have to take An with you?" Derek reached out to touch his daughter's outreached hand. Casey looked over her shoulder to see her daughter holding her hand out to Derek. She turned quickly to break the solemn connection. She patted her near crying daughter on the back while she glared at her husband.

"Consider it punishment. Good-bye Derek," Casey said indignantly while hitching her daughter's little crying body farther up her hip. She gathered their things once again and left as swiftly as her sore and swollen legs would take her.

Derek let out a sigh as he watched Casey go, stuffing his hands in his pockets and closing his eyes hard in an attempt to comprehend what had just happened. What was it that made this fight so different from the rest? Should he go after her, suck it up and say sorry? No, that wasn't an option. Why does she have to be so stubborn? Derek's thoughts clouded his mind, only making him angrier at the fact that he couldn't think as clearly as he wished.

After a few moments, Derek finally opened his eyes to the still unclosed door before him. Reaching out, he slapped at the door making it slam with the force of his rage.

"I need a beer."

………

Across town, Casey fumbled with her keys, juggling her sniffling daughter and their bags. She huffed, not being able to find the key she was looking for. Finally, she gave up and reached for the knob finding it completely unlocked. Most people would be happy at the fact that they didn't have to continue fumbling in the cold for keys that may or may not be there, but Casey, she was different.

She angrily shoved her way through the door. Horrified at what a waste of time attempting to unlock the door had been. She threw the bags into the house, brushing snow off her daughter's jacket as they entered.

Nothing much had changed as far as the layout of the Venturi-Macdonald household. George and Nora obviously made a concerted effort to maintain that homey feeling because all of the furniture had remained in the same place over the years. Despite Derek's unsuccessful attempts at stealing his favorite chair for himself, they knew their children silently appreciated their home staying intact.

"What a night. Let's get something to eat. Are you hungry, sweetie?" Casey looked down at her daughter and smiled. The moment she walked into her old home she felt at ease. She let out a long slow breath, letting all the stress-inducing events from earlier wash away. Her night had suddenly gotten so much better.

"Casey?" Casey looked from the doorway into the living room. "Casey, what are you doing here?" Marti asked. Her tone was just slightly angry, mostly because she already knew the answer, but also because she had a date over.

Casey looked to Marti, then at her date seated next to her on the couch. She shifted her daughter to her other, less aching hip before speaking, "Sorry Marti, I don't mean to interrupt your date- oh, who's this, I've never met him," Casey said. Right away, there was something about this boy that got Casey's attention. She walked toward the couch excitedly and extended her hand to the boy. Marti batted the offered hand away and stood up.

"Casey, this is Travis. Travis, Casey," Marti said through a sigh. She made it apparently clear that she wanted Casey to move on and let them have their privacy.

The two exchanged 'nice to meet you's' quickly and a little awkwardly. Casey sat Andie down on the back of the couch to take off her winter jacket.

"So…" The boy attempted to break the silence, "Are you and Marti siblings?"

………

Please Review. And don't worry things will pick up real soon. There's a lot more in store for the whole Venturi-Macdonald family.

Let me know if this is worth continuing… Believe me, you'll never guess what they're fighting about.

And don't worry, we haven't seen the last of Derek. It's going to be a very interesting Christmas, even though I'm writing this in May.

Alright so I'm not sure if I'm going to end most of my chapter this way, this is actually a break-up of a full chapter but I don't know if I want each chapter to end with them going to sleep and the next to start with them waking up. We'll see. Please let me know what you think.

-Kelly