I Can't Help Falling in Love with You

Fandom: Life with Derek

Author: BellaDarling

Summary: A fight breaks out in the McDonald-Venturi household the night before the teenagers go their separate ways. Years later, they're thrust together again, and things that should have stayed hidden come into the light.

Derek ran both of his hands through his hair, resting his elbows on his knees and rubbing his temples with his calloused fingertips. He actually felt… bad.

He'd really fucked it up this time. Seizing the notebook filled with incomplete school work from his nightstand, he threw it with all his strength across the room. She'd be gone in the morning, off to her new college. He'd decided not to go, and to take a hockey scholarship that had been offered to him. Big leagues, could get him somewhere.

He was scared and hurt and said things he hadn't meant, and it had come back to bite him yet again.

I fucking hate you, Casey McDonald.

The ceiling in her room had been her focal point for a number of years. Anytime something in her life went wrong, she found herself staring into it, like it held all the answers. Tonight, just like every other in the past three years, it told her nothing.

Her chest from the crushing weight of being let down, her nose bright red and running, both perfect companions to her pink rimmed and bloodshot eyes.

Her right arm bent at the elbow, hand draped across her forehead and her fingers rubbing the left side of her head to try and alleviate some of the tension there. Nothing seemed to work.

She was starting Queens tomorrow. Alone. No irritating stepbrother to make it any easier (or harder, for that matter.)

The words from the past hour ran through her mind and tears slipped out of her clenched eyes again.

I hate you, Derek Venturi.

The next morning, they said nothing to one another.

They skirted around and did well in avoiding each other, taking turns instead of their usual winner takes all morning routine.

They hugged their younger step- and full siblings and their opposite 'parents', George taking his son, Nora her daughter, to start their new lives.

Not so much as a glance between them.

Derek spent the car ride looking out the window, glaring. Regretful.

Casey stared at the ceiling of her mother's car, still looking for answers that didn't reveal themselves.

I hate you.