A/N: Here I go again, shoving my favorite American music into Canadian teenagers' mouths. But one day, I was listening to this song and I was like "Aww...I feel a Dasey moment." and wrote this little one-shot. And it's mostly a mile long because I put the song lyrics in for "Fall for you". It's the first time I've ever done that for any story. It doesn't make it a song fic, but where I put the song is where I feel the Dasey moment the strongest with aforementioned song. The other song is more of an afterthought that helped me write the beginning and ending of the story. And for those reading The Color Spectrum, I'm working out the kinks of the next chapter and plan to have it up in the next couple of days.

Music suggestions: 'Fall for you' by Secondhand Serenade, 'Protecting me' by Aly and A.J.

Disclaimer: Yeah...um, no I don't own Life With Derek.

Like Wine

It was the night of their senior prom that Derek realized his feelings for Casey were morphing into something different. Sure, he'd wouldn't deny she was hot, but first impressions were hard to ignore. His dad and Nora hadn't even had to inform him that she was going to be his stepsister before the dislike had set in. Casey had opinions and a mouth that had no inhibitions when it came to expressing them. And unfortunately, most of those morals and opinions were the polar opposite of his.

Sure, he came to love that about her, but in the beginning, he might have become tolerant a lot faster if they weren't at each others' throats and rooms right next door to each other. When it came to girls, he was willing to overlook a few of their less desirable traits if he really wanted them. But then again, he might have just been pushing it down because she was kind of cute and dateable. It would ultimately have ended when he couldn't tolerate her anymore. Perhaps being forced to live together was the better outcome in the long run, to let their relationship sweeten and mature with time into something they could both tolerate.

And then the evidence just had to go and pile up in his mind at unbidden times. Like the time she helped him when he had the chicken pox and he got her the cell phone she always wanted while taking the heat off of her when she got caught. He hadn't had to soften the blow when he fired her, but she had done a good enough job. Or the time he called her dad and made him come back after that disastrous dinner. He still blamed the tears. Or the time she sang his song for the band – both times. Although the first one meant more to him than the second. Sure, she'd helped him write a song for Sally when he hadn't even thought it was possible, but when she'd ripped off that hippie shirt to reveal that cute little black vest with those tight black pants like some sort of rocker goddess...and she started singing his song even though he knew how shallow and terrible she thought it was...he was sure the shock was evident on his face for all to see. And when she informed him matter-of-factly after the show that only Johnny Depp and Jared Leto were the only two men on the planet that could get away with rocking the black eyeliner...he was sure a little bit of his heart opened up to her right then.

It just wouldn't stop. For two people who couldn't care less for the other, they sure did go out of their way to help if something did go wrong. Like when he failed his driver's test...five times before she stepped in and forced him and his dad into an impromptu driver's ed course with her as the instructor. He still couldn't believe that doing it her way had finally gotten him the license. Then there was the time he instructed her on how to lie and how he'd thrown himself to the wolves to try and bail her out when the lie came back to bite them both. It was something he'd never done before. Kind of like when he helped her out of the swirling eddy she'd made of Marti's summer camp. It wasn't like she didn't have it in her to be fun–he knew she was capable of it on occasion–but all the things she thought she was supposed to do held her back. He realized with a jolt that most times, he was the one swooping in to rescue her from the "boring and practical" monster. Yeah, he'd been reading too many comics lately.

And how was it that she was the one that had set things right and fixed him up with his only two serious girlfriends? Okay, maybe inadvertently, all three. She was the one that was scrambling to patch over the latest blunder he'd caused, both with Kendra and Sally. And then he was always doing what Emily told him to when they were together regarding Casey to keep her happy, which in turn, actually kept Emily happy. Who knew that actually worked?

He didn't understand why she did it, either. Most likely that whole conscience deal he knew some people had to deal with. It wasn't as if he ever tried to help her out in that department. Most times, he was trying to sabotage said relationships. Hell, he'd ended up in a wrestling match with Sam when he'd taken an interest in Casey, and Sam was his best friend. The only time he could recall him helping her in any way was with the speed-dating soccer coach. Even then, he was helping them break up.

And then Max came along. Derek could admit, after a while, Max wasn't too bad. Even if he was a cardboard-for-brains football player. But in the beginning, he couldn't stop himself from pranking Max. If it'd really been on the pretense that it was because he was the captain of the football team, then why didn't he go after the entire football team after the first couple of pranks? And the way he broke up with Casey...was it really too difficult to give her a little breathing room like she asked? So she was a little confused. It was Casey, after all. It wouldn't have lasted long. He took it upon himself to resume the pranking until he figured Max had learned his lesson.

Now Truman had him confused from the beginning. What does one do when the opponent is on the same level and is well acquainted with all the tricks of the trade? And the way he'd gone about to get Casey...it was something Derek wished he'd thought of. In getting other girls, of course. Six and a half? He was surprised Casey bought that line at all, much less for as long as she did. Most guys agreed she was at the very least an eight and a half, a nine on most days. He neglected to consider, much less contribute, his opinion. If Truman had been good at anything, it had been at manipulating Casey. For the most part, that wasn't exactly a chore, but it had always grated on his nerves. That was his job and he wasn't planning on retiring anytime soon. Oh, and then Truman had the nerve to go and kiss another girl, Casey's own cousin no less, right in front of her. He still wasn't sure why he'd decided the guy deserved another chance after that.

He knew the feelings were of the bad sort when he practically growled at Sam when he tried to dance with her at the prom. Truman had disappeared into the crowd right as Casey's requested slow song began to play. He and Emily had just sat down for a break from dancing only to look over at Casey and he saw that look on her face. It was a lesser version of the cousin kissing incident. And really, what else was he to do but step up to the plate? Nora had made him promise to dance at least one song with the stepsister anyway, and he also knew that Nora had pulled Emily aside to make sure he followed through. And Emily was giving him that "You'd better help her" look. Turns out, though, he couldn't stand the pre-tears, forlorn look on Casey anymore than the actual tears.

The best thing about tonight is that we're not fighting.
Could it be that we have been this way before?
I know you don't think that I am trying.
I know you're wearing thin down to the core.

He wouldn't admit it to anyone, but he liked seeing that happy Casey look directed at him just as much as he liked teasing and irritating her. She barely even looked at him suspiciously and his extended hand before her eyes sparkled happily and she took the proffered hand and followed him onto the dance floor as the chorus to the song thrummed through the school speakers.

But hold your breath,
Because tonight will be the night
That I will fall for you, over again.
Don't make me change my mind.
Or I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true.
Because a girl like you is impossible to find,
You're impossible to find.

And when he swung her around dramatically before pulling her into the safe distance of about a foot between them and settled his hands on the curves of her hips, it was like deja vu. The fam didn't even have to guilt trip him this time. He wasn't about to go all girl-like and say that it felt right having her in his arms, but it was familiar...and comfortable. He actually kind of liked dancing with Casey. Both this time and the dance competition. He was kind of glad that Nadia dumped him as a partner. He thought Casey was a control freak about dancing. Yikes. That girl and Casey were, like, the only two girls in the entire school that didn't swoon at first sight. Casey seemed pretty relaxed at the present, however, with her eyes closed and a soft smile on her lips as her laced fingers played with the hair at the nape of his neck. Yeah, that totally wasn't making his neck tingle for no apparent reason.

This is not what I intended.
I always swore to you I'd never fall apart.
You always thought that I was stronger.
I may have failed, but I have loved you from the start.

But hold your breath,
because tonight will be the night
that I will fall for you, over again.
Don't make me change my mind.
Or I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true.
Because a girl like you is impossible to find,
It's impossible

So breathe in so deep, breathe me in
I'm yours to keep,
And hold on to your words, cause talk is cheap,
And remember me tonight when you're asleep.

He was staring down at the floor just over her left shoulder, trying really hard to not look like he was enjoying himself when he happened to glance up and saw Sam weaving his way toward them. Sam probably thought he'd be doing Derek a favor by stepping in and taking over for him. However, he'd been lost when Casey leaned in and laid her head on his shoulder with a silent sigh, closing the space he hadn't even realized had been receding to begin with. At this point, she had to have forgotten that it was him and not Truman she was dancing with, because the "girl head to boy shoulder" move was not in the Casey and Derek dictionary. And the nervous, fluttery feeling that began in his stomach at the intimate gesture was something kind of similar to the one he'd had around Sally. This was uncharted Casey and Derek territory and he was determined to see it through to the end. There was definitely no way he was letting go of her now until she wanted him to. His gaze locked with Sam's, glared, and shook his head "no" imperceptibly. Sam held up his hands in surrender and turned back in the opposite direction.

Because tonight will be the night
that I will fall for you, over again.
Don't make me change my mind.
Or I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true.
Because a girl like you is impossible to find.

Tonight will be the night
that I will fall for you, over again.
Don't make me change my mind.
Or I won't live to see another day, I swear it's true.
Because a girl like you is impossible to find,
You're impossible to find.

He hadn't realized he'd locked his hands securely behind Casey's back until he found her eyes staring at him curiously, her hands pushing at his chest lightly, and a gentle amused smile on her face.

"Trying to think got you all confused?" Casey teased, her eyes still sparkling. "Did you lose the connection between you arms and your brain again?"

"How did you know?" Derek countered, mock-surprise crossing his features. "Guess you're not going anywhere until it reboots."

Both sets of eyes widened at what he'd just said and his arms popped open like a lock.

"Yeah...I'm just gonna go...this way." Derek said in a stumbling tone, pointing over one shoulder. And with a half-hearted salute he turned and quickly walked away from Casey and the awkward situation he had just created for himself, bumping into Truman's shoulder in his haste.

"What did I miss?" Truman asked no one in particular when Derek didn't even look up as he passed and blended into the block of bodies on the dance floor.

A key ingredient had just been added to Derek's "relationship" with Casey. Feelings.

oooooooeooo*oooooouooo*oooooovooo

I'd originally intended for this story to follow them through college and included some of Casey's thoughts, but my mouth ran away with me and insisted on going into detail about senior prom. So if the ending feels abrupt, that's why. What can I say? Both of my proms were severely lacking in the romance department and I'm still in the "obsessive" stage when it comes to Dasey. I'm starting to see it everywhere and YouTube is not helping. Think I should continue with this and post the rest of my ideas or just leave as is? WBL.