My second one-shot is up. :) thanks for all those who read my first. I agree with you guys...My story was confusing with the he and she thing. :)) sorry about that. so here's my second one-shot based on the song entiled: After Tonight by: Justin Nozuka.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.. :( 'Cause if i did..I don't know what i'd do with it.


On one dark and starry evening, which is said to be the most perfect night for our heroine Casey MacDonald because on this kind of times, She would sit under the stars and gaze upon them 'til dawn. Casey just loves how the stars twinkle and ease her pain a little. Like the time when Max broke-up with her. The only thing she did was gaze upon them and it did the trick. It didn't completely erase the pain but, it took a little of pain away. Thus, this has been one of the most important things in her life even though it's not entirely a thing.

For her, this is one of the things that can't be taken away from her. No one as in no one. Not even her mom nor her step-dad could. Not even Lizzie. Not even Emily. And not even the guy of her dreams which is also the guy that she constantly think of since she got-over Max. and lastly, not the guy who would always constantly bicker and tease with her. Well maybe he can take it away from her sometimes. Who can resist THE Derek Venturi anyway? Yes. It's Derek. The Derek Venturi himself. He finally managed to sweep her off of her feet.

She started to have those kind of feelings because of the odd sweetness he had been showing after her. She sometimes thinks that maybe he could return the feelings she have for him. But Casey would think negatively. She was Afraid of rejection though.

"I think i'd kill myself if he'd ever reject me." Casey said with a light chuckle. But abruptly stopped because of thoughts of rejection flooding her mind. She may had thought about confessing her feelings but she just fears rejection so much. Especially from this guy who is known as a hertbreaker.

So once again she gazed back up at the stars.

"Do you think...Do you think he loves me back?" Casey asked the stars hoping they would give her an answer.

"like they would even answer. I must be loosing my mind." She chuckled softly and stared at the stars again. This time she got so into staring that she didn't notice someone come up behind her with a smirk on his face.

"Ah! The princess has finally lost her mind...tsk.tsk. The effect of being too much of a keener." Derek said as he chuckled to himself.

Derek stopped after noticing that Casey wasn't paying attention to her nor notice his presence. He then decided to bring her back to reality with a knock on her head.

"Earth to space Case! The guy of your dreams have landed and is here with you!" Derek said with his oh-so glamorous smirk.

With that, Casey finally acknowledge his presencewith a glare.

"What do you know anyway?!" She snapped.

"Whoa.Whoa.Whoa.princess. just trying to make you notice me here! jeez." Derek said bringing his arms up defensively.

All he recieved was a 'tss' from her before she started to look up at the stars again. This made Derek a little annoyed at her actions.

"Case, look. I just wanted to talk to you and this is what i recieved from atleast trying to be nice?! I know i should've just poured a bucket of water on you just to get your attention from staring at those frickin stars but then I was nice enough to not do it because you might get sick!" He said with annoyance in his voice.

"Oh why would you care anyway?! Stop showing like you care god damn it!" CAsey snapped.

Derek was taken aback by her sudden outburst. This time he got really pissed at her at snapped back.

"You know what Casey?! You're right! I Don't care anyway?! Why would i even care?! It's not like I care about a keenerklutz like you!!" Derek snapped.

Casey's eyes started to brim with tears but she decided not to let them fall so that Derek won't notice what he have done. But then he caught a glimpse of it and had a wierd churning feeling inside. 'what the heck is this?! i'm not feeling guilty! am i?'

Casey couldn't control the tears any longer so she let one tear roll down her cheek. This made Derek's feeling of guilt take over him until he couldn't take it no longer.

"Casey, you do know I don't do tears right?" He tried to break the thick tension. Because of the thickness. He failed but then proceeded with the "Apologizing".

"Look, I didn't mean to snap like that a while ago. It's just that I was shocked on your actions just as how shocked I am that i've managed to ap..ap..app..apo-" Derek said trying to make out the words

"Apologize" Casey continued for him

"right. and that i've managed to tell the trr...uth. Okay? So I'm sss..sooo..soor-"

"Sorry." Casey continued for him again.

"Right. that. so are we okay?" Derek asked with a light shade of pink on his face.

'what the hell! i don't blush!!...do i?' He thought.

"I guess. I'm sorry too. It's just that I don't like you talking about the guy of my dreams like it's you-which is not by the way." Casey said

"If it's not me-which really isn't me. Then who is it?" Derek asked with disappointment in his voice. Casey wasn't able to notice it because he was too good on hiding it.

'uh..think casey! think!' she thought to herself panicking a bit.

"Uh..it's..it's.."

"who casey?" Derek asked eagerly.

'i got it!' Casey thought.

"...It's a SECRET!" Casey said.

Derek got suspicous about it but then shrugged it off. He was really disappointed though that it wasn't him. He always had these feelings for Casey and now, when he was about to admit it to her, he found out she likes someone else.

They sat there for a moment with uncomfortable silence enveloping them both.

Well that's when until Derek broke it.

"Uhm. Casey. I have something to tell you." Derek said hesitatingly. He wasn't sure if he was going to admit it or what but then he had the idea that Casey may like someone else but that doesn't mean he still can't tell her.

"Okay. What is it?" She asked

"uh. How do i say this. uhm. Okay look. This is really hard for me than it is with you so you have to pay attention okay?" Derek said still hesitating

She gave a slight nod and gave him a look that says continue. So he did as what he was told.

"Well, It's just that..how do i say this?..uhm. I like you Casey. I really do. And I can't control it any longer. I've always wanted to tell you but I never had the chance to admit it until now. But then when I was about to tell you...you told me you like someone else..So there...I, I really like-like you Case. I really do...It's okay if you don't have the same feelings towards me. I'll get over it." He said with a sad smile on his face.

Casey was shocked at the sudden confession and sat there like a rock. when he saw her not giving any sign to him, he just gave her a light kiss on the cheek before starting to standand walk away. When he was just about to start walking she heard Casey say something but wasn't quite able to hear it clearly.

"What?" Derek asked.

Casey repeated what she said but then Derek still wasn't able to hear it clearly.

"what did you say?" He asked again.

This time Casey said it out loud.

"I said Why? Why do you love me Derek?!" She asked. She wanted to know badly why he loves her.

Derek wasn't quite sure what to answer though. So he just said the first thing that popped in his mind.

"I don't know" Derek said head low.

"What?! You don't know?! You don't know?!" Casey asked with disbelief on her face.

"No. I..I Don't. It's just that, I feel like i'm free when i'm with you...and that I..I have this churning and bubbly feeling inside that I can't tell...I..I really don't know Case. I...I'm sorry." He was about to walk away again when Casey started to say something.

"You know what, I shouldn't have agreed with my mom on this thing. I shouldn't have just agreed to live with her in the first place..." She said with full of emotion

He was about to walk away again when he heard her speak.

"But then I wouldn't have met Emily and my other friends. I wouldn't have been able to have new siblings with me. I wouldn't have been able to see Lizzie this happy. I wouldn't have a Marti who's always there to make me laugh at her funny imagination and an Edwin who made my one and only little sister happy..." Casey said.

He was sad that she didn't include his name in it...This time instead of walking away, he just stood there on the same spot. He knew walking away won't do him anything.

Casey stood up and walked behind him.

"and most of all...I...I wouldn't have a... I wouldn't have a Derek who is so self-absorbed and obnoxious and such a skirt-chasing cad--" Casey was cut off when a pair of lips collided with her own. It was a short kiss that meant a lot to the both of them.

They broke apart after a few moments and stared at each others eyes. Blue meeting Hazel. and Hazel meeting Blue.

"you didn't made me finish" Casey said with a smirk on his face.

"uh. sorry. continue" He said with sadness in his voice,

"where was I? oh yeah. and I wouldn't have a Derek who was there with me through it all and a Derek who managed to make me fall in-love again..." Casey said with full of affection

Derek's spirits lifted at this. He grinned from ear to ear because of the happiness he is feeling.

"Really?" Derek beamed.

"Yes really..." She paused and chuckled but then continued."I really love you Derek Venturi. With all my heart." Casey said with a big smile matching Derek's. Derek couldn't contain himself from smirking and hugged her tightly..His smirk was then replaced by a genuine smile...

"I love you too Casey McDonald. With all my heart." Derek said with so much affection.

and they both shared a passionate kiss.


THE END