Casey followed Derek into the elevator at Harbor View Towers. She had told George that she would take Derek straight back to the penthouse after his follow up doctor's appointment. She couldn't believe that it had been a week since she had almost lost him. When was he going to stop putting himself in danger?
There was an awkward silence between them as the elevator started to move. Derek glance over at the women he loved from the opposite wall feeling unmanly yet again. She had witnessed Max's team almost kill him and it seemed like things had changed between them since she had. He felt like she really looked at him as a wimp now, not that he didn't fight back, he did, but if he had been more like the old Derek, he could've taken all four of them out and got the girl in the end. Instead, he ended up in the hospital suffering from a collapsed lung, three broken ribs, and some internal bleeding. He still had the girl beside him, but she looked at him with worry, not the look of worry of a woman in love, but the look of worry of a mother over her child. And now, George had her babysitting him, he could've gotten home by himself, but she insisted on taking him and George agreed.
Casey was lost in her own thoughts when the elevator came to a sudden stop and the lights dimmed. "Der," she whispered into the small space.
"Great," he said as he walked over to her side of the elevator. He opened the small door to call for help, and then slammed it shut.
Casey jumped slightly when he slammed the door. "What's wrong?"
"It's out."
"You mean we're stuck?" she asked with panic in her voice.
"It appears so. I Think that we had another blackout. Damn this heat wave." Derek ran his hand through his hair as he started to pace.
"We have to get out of here, I don't want you suffering from another heatstroke," Casey said as she tried the phone again. If the phone didn't work, then how can they call for help?
"I'm fine, there's no need to worry Case," he snapped at her.
"Listen you don't have to snap at me. You know, come to think of it, you've been acting this way for the past three weeks. What the hell is going on with you?"
"Nothing," he screamed. Derek felt guilty when he saw Casey jump in the dimly lit space. "Case, I ap-"
"No I don't want to hear it. You know I've been by your side through all of this and you have the nerve to treat me like shit." Casey pulled her cell phone out to call for help, but of course she didn't have a signal. "Damn it, Cingular shouldn't have sold out to AT&T."
"I never have a signal here." Derek realized that apparently she wanted to be as far away from him a possible, so he started thinking of a way to get them out of there. He looked up at the opening leading to the elevator shaft.
Casey watched as he took off the shirt he was wearing. Her breath hitched slightly when she saw his back muscles move under the skin. Casey suddenly felt warmer than she had before. "What are you doing?"
"I'm going to climb up into the elevator shaft and see if he can get us out of here," he replied not looking at here.
"No you're not," she said firmly.
"You're not stopping me Casey."
"Yes I am Derek."
"What did you call me?" he asked as he turned to face her.
"Well if you're going to call me by my given name then I'm going to call you by yours. You're not going up there." Casey wasn't that shocked when he ignored her order, not that she got a thrill out of ordering him around, but he usually on rare occasions like this would listen to what she said, especially when she was worried.
Derek climbed on the railing of the elevator and started to move the cover separating him from the shaft, when he felt her tug on his leg, thus making him fall. This caused the elevator to jerk again and the lights to go out completely. "What the hell is wrong with you Casey?"
"When are you going to stop trying to prove to Max that you're a man? I'm tired of you putting yourself in dangerous situations because of this stupid rivalry."
"I'm not proving myself to Max. I'm tired of you emasculating me every chance you get," he screamed as he backed her into the corner of the elevator.
"What are you talking about? I've never done that. It's still bothering you about us getting caught in my bed together; I've apologized for that about a million times. I told you I can't help it that that's the first thing I think of when we get caught somewhere together, they know we'll never sleep together." Casey was finding it hard to breath much less carry on a conversation with him half naked and standing this close to her.
"You're the one who doesn't think I'm man enough, but I guess there's only one way to prove to you I am."
Casey's back hit the wall hard as Derek's lips crashed down on hers. She felt his hand move to her hair and tug slightly causing her to open her mouth in shock, giving him free reign. This wasn't Derek and Casey wanted to fight him, but she couldn't, the passion was too intense.