It has been three months since Sheldon had moved, plenty of time to be positive, but Casey still found it hard to believe.

"Yes, I'm sure. What am I going to do!" Emily wailed, sliding down the wall.

"Um, Casey, two minutes to tardy bell," Derek said, poking his head into the bathroom.

"Derek, out!" Casey squeeled, half scandalized half angry trowing the wad of paper towel she had dampened for Emily.

Derek ducked, giving Casey a searching look. "You do realize that even if you leave now we'll be late?"

"Derek, I'm kind of busy." Ruffling through her bag she pulled out a blue folder. "Here all my notes. Each minute go to the next tab. It should take 4 minutes and 56 seconds if you don't botch it."

"What about you?" He asked ignoring the glare the he got as someone pushed passed him.

"I don't know, making something up! Tell her I went home with a broken back for all I care!"

"Case, go. You know how much this effects your grade."

"I think this is more important than my grade," she replied sitting next to her friend.

"What-" Derek cut of as the bell rang. "I'll talk to you later," he promised slipping into the hall.

"Are you sure? If you run you won't be too late An you're never late so they should be forgivng."

"I'm sure Em. This is way more important. So, what are you going to do?" Casey replied rasing her eyebrows.

"FInally! Your home!" Derek shouted bounding down the stairs. Lunging over the bolstrade he landed in front of her, startling ber back a step.

"You're oddly excited," Nora said from the couch.

"I just figured I'd save my rom from a Casey invasion by letting her know now that I got our grade for our presentation."

"Oh? How did it go?"

"You know," he replied, grinning. "Actualy it while I went to talk to her after school like she asked during the presentation that she told me. You should be happy to know your grade point average is just fine, as is everything else."

"Wha-"

"So, Emily called," Derek cut in, causing Casey to tense. "I told her you'd call her back."

"Mom, where-"

"My room," Derek intreupted again.

"Thanks," she replied suspiciously following him up the stairs. Once they reaced the room she burst out. "What was that about? I was just with Em, so I know she didn't call."

"That was about the fact that you owe me, big time. Not only did I get us a B on the report I smoothed over your skipping class AND kept it from Dad and Nora. So, spill." He leaned back in his chair, hands behind his head, grinning.

"That is none of your business," she replied curtly, lifting her head slightly.

"Then I shall be forced to let everyone know the truth of why you weren't in class."

"You wouldn't!" Rather than reply he just lifted his eyebrows. "Please Derek? For Emelie's sake?"

"Only if you tell."

"I can't. I promised I wouldn't."

"Fine," Derek said leaning forward and sighing. "At least tell me this: Does it have something to do with Schep's stupid stunt at prom?"

"Kind of," she replied cringing. "Now, I've got homework."

"Hey Case, Nora said to come and grab - Holy cow." Shutting the door, he looked at Casey with shock. "Why are you on that website? Are you in trouble?"

"No," she replied, holding her head proudly. "I need a name for a character for my english asignment."

"Then look me in the eyes."

She did, gushing, "Oh Derek, don't tell anyone!"

"You're-" he sputtered, looking down at her with shock and two other emotions that cut Casey to the bone - disappointment and could that be jeliousy? "How could you? Who? No, wait, don't bother. I don't think I really want to know." Throwing the door open he stormed out of the room.

When Casey came down the stair and sat down with the rest of the family, he glared for a second. "May I be excused. I'm not feeling well." He spat the last at Casey who glared back.

"Sure. Would you like me to bring you up some soup later?" Nora asked looking between the teens.

"Sure," He said heading up the stairs. No one noticed the hurt look on Casey's face, which she quickly traded for an excited one as she started to talk about the big debate compition she had coming up.

"What's this?" Casey asked looking at the box Derek had thown on her bed.

"They help with sickness. I hear the first few weeks are a nightmare." He shrugged, then turned into his own room.

Unburying herself from her homework she followed, box in hand. "Derek, I-"

"Busy," He said, not looking up from his computer screen. Grabbing his head phones, he jammed them on his head. Sighing in defeat she went back to her homework.

"So Emelie is going to go visit Sheldon," Casey announced over dinner. "She's way excited to see him."

"She might want to go on a diet before then. She's been gaining a bit of weight around the middle." Derek suggested smugly.

"Derek," his dad said, giving him a disapproving look.

"I'm sure when she comes back she'll have a couple of surprises for us."

"Sweet, presents," Derek said grinning. Casey just smiled sweetly in reply.

"Hey, Case," Derek said quietly. "How are you holding up?"

"Well enough I guess," she replied sitting up. "It's three in the morning. Can't this wait?"

"I can't sleep. I just wanted to make sure you know I'm here if you need anything. If you want I'll help you tell everyone."

"Derek, there's nothing to tell. You don't understand."

"It's okay to be in denial. I understand, and will be here when you're ready." He said, creeping back to his own room.

"Hey Casey, guess what!" Emelie squeeled excited

"What?"

"We're going to get married!"

"Congradulations! I take it things went well?"

"Yeah, it went great. We told his parents and they're really excited for us. Case, you have to come be my maid of honor! And Sheldon said to tell Derek he's invited too."

"When?" Casey replied excited.

"We were thinking around the end of June. We'll be out of school by then, so everyone won't have to worry."

"Give me a second so I can go make sure there won't be any problems." When the other girl agreed she set the phone on her bed. Running down the stairs she smiled at her mom. "Hey, do we have anything planned for the end of June?"

"Not that I'm aware of," Nora replied. "Why?"

"Emelie is getting married," she replied over her shoulders going back to her room. Grabing the phone she said, "It looks like that will be no problem."

"Whoa, Em, you and Schlep are tieing the knot," a voice said surprised.

"Yeah Derek. He wants me to let you know you're invited." �Emelie replied, unphased by his sudden additon to the conversation.

"Sweet. Don't forget to write everything down so you don't forget space Case." Casey heard his chuckling through the wall and rolled her eyes, huffing in offense.

"Right, I don't know what happened this time, but I don't want to get in the middle of you two's lovers spat. I'll talk to you later."

"Lover's spat?" Casey sputtered, as she heard the phone line go dead.

"Wow, Emelie you're..."

"Pregant?" She finished for Derek. "You didn't know?"

"No. I though - something else."

"Where's Casey?" She asked, looking around.

"Oh, I sent her to get our bags."

"Yeah, thanks a ton Derek," Casey said standing next to him, her luggage stacked neatly on a trundle.

"Where's my stuff?" He asked confused.

"I don't know. It wasn't on the turn table." She laughed as she watched him sprint off cursing.

"You have got to be KIDDING me," Derek growled at the man behind the counter.

"I'm sorry sir. Without your confirmation or proper id we can't help you."

"Remind me again why I thought it was a good idea to let you have everything?"

"Shut up," he shot at her. To the man he said, "Listen. My dad made the reservation under his account. If you'd like I can call and have you talk to him."

"I'm sorry sir," the other man replied, shaking his head.

"Fine, let's just get a new set of rooms. Can we do that?"

"You're in luck, we have two rooms ajacent to each other available. How long will you require?"

"Two weeks."

"Wonderful. How will you be paying for that?"

Reaching into his pocket he groaned and turned to Casey. "My wallet was in my luggage."

Sighing, Casey reached into her purse and pulled out her debit card, handing it over.

"I'm sorry ma'am, your card declined." He said after a moment, handing it back.

"I should have at least $5,000, in there," she gasped.

"For the two seprate rooms the total was $6,734.96. I have a single room available for the time you need if you would like, which is in your price range."

"Fine," they both sighed and Casey gave her card back.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Derek demanded, shoving clothes into the dresser.

"About what?" Casey's muffled voice replied from the closet.

"About Emelie."

"I thought you knew. You've been being really helpful since the beginning," she replied coming into the main room. "Anyways, I'm going to take a shower, then a nap." Derek nodded his understanding, and grabbed the remote to watch tv.

When she got out of the shower he grinned, wishing that this was their house, and not just a hotel room. Although, hotels were always had their uses.

"What?" Casey asked, patting her hair with the towel.

"You look good without make up," he replied, turning his attetion back to the tv with a disappointed sigh.

"So, when's the honey moon?" Derek asked, patting a very happy Sheldon on the back.

"We decided to wait until after the baby is born." He replied. "You know, Casey looks so alone. Derek, why don't you ask ther to dance?"

Derek followed the other man's gaze and his breath caught. "It's really not fair."

"I thought the same about Emelie. Does she know?" Dereked looked surprised at him.

"How?"

"Derek, I think everyone knows. At least Em and your brother and sister. They're the ones who told me."

"Ed and Lizzie! You're kidding!"

"Nope. Go ask her to dance. And Derek, don't wait too long to act."

Nodding glumly, he walked to the other side of the room where she stood in a pale blue gown that reminded him of the one she had worn to prom. She had her chocolate hair pulled up, but a few of the ringlets had excaped. "Hey," he breathed into her neck, inhailing her smell.

"Der-rek!" She squeeled jumping. He grinned at the sudden flush in her face, ignoring her glare. Grabbing her hand he pulled her out onto the dance floor as the song ended. As the first strands of the next started she tried to walk away. He caught her hand and pulled her back.

"Come on. Do you really want to go back home and have to say you didn't dance once?"

"But it's a slow song."

"So?" Derek asked, wrapping his arms around her waist.

"So, what will people think?" She replied, putting her own hands on his shoulders.

"Who cares? We're not related, and very few people here even know that our parents are married." Casey sighed, but didn't try to pull away. If anything she relaxed further. Derek just enjoyed the feeling of her in his arms, trying to memorize the feeling.

When the song ended and she didn't instantly pull away he had to fight to hide his surprise. Looking up at him she was about to say something when he felt a tap on his shoulder. "May I cut in?"

He stepped aside, walking away quickly, glad he wouldn't have to hear her excuse for why they shouldn't dance again. "No one else might know, but you won't forget."

"I'm sorry, I really should see if Emelie needs me," Casey said excusing herself a song later. Her partner sighed but let her go. Walking though the crowd she kept her eyes out for someone else. Seeing him she went across the room. "So, how late are we staying?"

"Aren't you supposed to stay for the entire thing?" Derek replied.

"Em said only until the end of the wedding train. I think I saw them leaving during that last song."

"I take it you want to head out?"

"If we can. My feet are killing me."

"Sure thing princess," he replied an evil glint in his eyes. When they got to the door he scooped her into his arms.

"Derek! Put me down," she squeeled surprised. He ignored her until they got to the rental car where he dropped he into her seat. Glaring she watched him cross to the drivers seat. "Why'd you do that?" she demanded when he got in.

"You said your feet were hurting. I figured I'd help."

"Derek?"

"What is it babe," Derek murmured, mind still thinking about the dream he had been woken from. "I don't care what anyone says, we're not related."

"DER-REK!" Casey shreaked, startling him fully awake. Cursing he glared up at her.

"Do you know what time it is?" He growled, looking at his watch.

"Yes. You left the tv on and I haven't been able to sleep because of it." She said, sitting down next to him on the small chase lounge. �Grabbing the remote from next to him she turned the tv off, then looked down at him.� He was suddenly very glad for the lack of light in the room. �"What were you dreaming about?"

"Nothing," he replied looking away.

"But you said something about-"

"It's nothing," he repeated firmer.

"But-"

He acted as he did only because he was tired, and he was still thinking about his dream. At least, that's what he told himself when he realized that the reason Casey didn't finish her question was because his lips were covering her own. What he couldn't explain was why rather than resisting she seemed to be kissing back.

Pulling away he looked at her, expecting to have to apologise; instead he found her glowing. "So, where'd you learn to kiss?" He finally asked.

"Max and I exchanged a few," She replied, slightly indignant.

"Ah, but Sam has told me about that little thing he does." He lifted his eyebrows and she blushed. Laughing he pulled her to him, kissing the top of her head.

They sat there watching tv in comfortable silence.

"What are we going to do when we get home?" Casey asked, twisting to look at him.

"I don't know," He said, twisting intertwining their fingers. "We'll figure it out when the time comes."