Hey, guys. Just a little oneshot for ya.

Disclaimer: I do not own Life with Derek

Relieved

"Don't," she says, immediately piercing a hole through the thick tension surrounding the two. He had her backed up against the wall. They were breathing hard, their chests moving up and down, and his face, yeah, it was dangerously close to hers.

"Don't what?" He whispers. And all she's thinking is when did they start whispering?

She shakes her head (and it's scary how that small movement forces her nose to brush his). "Just don't, Derek. It always ends like this."

And, suddenly in a move so fast that she jumped, he bangs his fists against the wall on either side of her head.

"Derek, what the hell! That was really close to my face!"

He ignores her (naturally). "I'm just so sick of this."

"Well, it's not my usual cup of tea either, Derek, but you know," She cups her hands in front of her eyes. "Welcome to my life."

He backs away, pacing in front of her. He wiggles his arm as if trying to rid himself of this disgusting feeling. "Well, how do you usually deal with this?"

"Um," She pulls her hair behind her ears (because she is honestly taking this situation as serious as possible). "Well, as of lately..."

He looks at her, eyes hopeful. Eyes that she cannot disappoint.

She looks down when she says. "Not at all."

He huffs out this big sigh and pulls at his hair. She has to do something.

"B-but, at the beginning, when we had first moved here, I-I tried... avoidance for a bit."

"Avoidance?" He raised his eyebrow at me and smirked. "You were avoiding me?"

She rolls her eyes.

He continues, "I think you've confused the word avoidance with the word confrontation."

"Oh, look at Triple D using the big words." She puffs out his shirt and he rolls his eyes. And she does not notice how he doesn't remove her hands.

"Casey, please, this is serious." He pinches the bridge of his nose (you know, that thing he does - in which no way will she ever admit to knowing he does only when he's super frustrated).

"Okay, sorry," She backs her head against the wall and thinks. After a few moments she added, "Well, I also tried dating."

His eyes widened and stares at her in fear.

She quickly continues, "Other people, Derek."

"Oh," And she can see the relief oozing from his poors. And, that doesn't hurt. "That could work. Yeah, let's-let's do that."

And then, he's gone so fast she wasn't sure he was ever there.

xxXXxx

"How in the hell did you end up at the same place as me?"

Derek's face is bright red and screams everything but, 'Geeze, Case, I'm so glad you're here!'

Casey's eyes widen in disbelief. "Well, sor-ry, I didn't pick the place. Sam did!"

"Which brings me to the next point," He hasn't stopped yelling yet. "You picked Sam!"

She shrinks. She definitely knew that was going to be a problem, but she had planned on him never finding out. That plan kind of fell through.

"Okay, yes, I am fully aware of the Male Code whatever," He balls up his fist and sucks in his cheeks as she continues, "And, yes, I know I've already dated him. But, I figured the distraction worked so well the first time, so the chances of it working again…"

Derek walks a few feet away and at first she was scared he wasn't coming back, but then he hastily spins around and says. "Okay. Enjoy your… date."

And, sometimes she wonders if her heart is on crack.

xxXXxx

"OH, Hello! I didn't know you guys were here!" Derek and his (plastic Barbie imitator) date had somehow shimmied there way over to Sam and Casey's booth. He stands there with this huge fake-surprised grin.

Casey shoots him a look of death and says point blankly, "Yes, you did."

"Oh, Casey," He lightly punches her chin. "You're such a jokester."

Sam looks back and forth from Casey and Derek and then voices slyly, "Well, hey, since you're here why don't we double?"

Casey kicks him. "Sam!"

Sam mouths 'What' and rubs her arm with his hand in that (stupid) reassuring way.

"That sounds like an excellent idea Sammy boy." He ushers in his date and slides in next to her.

They all stare at each other until Derek goes, "Oh, my bad! Janice, this is Sam. Sam this is Janice."

Casey clears her throat and points her head to the sky.

Derek smiles. "Oh, sorry. Janice, this is the devil spawn. Don't get to close."

She opens her mouth to argue, but stops herself. That's how this whole thing started in the first place. She would not give him the satisfaction. This is the complete opposite of what's supposed to be happening right now.

And she does not miss the look he gets when she doesn't respond.

Janice hesitantly smiles and says shyly, "Uh, my name's – my name's Claire."

"So, Sammy," Derek steals a fry off Casey's plate and she slaps it away. "What were you guys talking about?"

Sam stares at Derek for one intense minute and then replies, "We were actually talking about getting back together."

This, however, was news to Casey. She whips her head up at him and he lightly kicks her foot. Now, she gets it. She smiles.

Derek, however, does not. "You guys are what?"

"Getting back together." Sam repeats seriously.

Casey says, "It was my fault anyway that it ended in the first place. And, over such a dumb reason. I mean, I think I just forgot how much I truly lov-"

"Oh, yeah! Well, me and uh, Janice here, were thinking of the same thing." He wraps his arm around Janice and pulls her nice and close.

Janice's face turns a pinkish color and yells, "My name's Claire."

Casey squints her eyes and shakes her head. She can't believe this is happening. Derek was ruining her distraction time. She feels Sam place his arm around her as well and turns to look at him. Sam gives her this look and she nods. He leans down and kisses her. And, it wasn't any little petty kiss.

"Okay, enough, Sam, dammit! Casey, we're leaving!" Derek hops up, pulls Casey's arm, and forces her out of the store leaving Janice with Sam.

After a few seconds, Sam hesitantly waves at her and goes, "Hi, Janice,"

"My name is Claire."

"Yeah, whatever," He slides out, grabs Casey's purse and leaves.

xxXXxx

"Say something."

He hates the silent treatment, which is exactly why she's giving it to him.

"I have nothing to say to you."

"Casey, I'm sorry. I just," He blows out a huge breath as he steps on the brake to stop at the red light. "I don't know. I was just-"

"Jealous?" Casey's body is turned completely away from Derek and she is looking out the window, arms folded.

He laughs. "Yeah, okay, Casey. Derek Venturi doesn't do jealous."

"Well, Derek Venturi also doesn't do Casey McDonald either, now does he?" She watches his face out of the reflection of the window and watches his face turn bright red.

They don't talk for the duration of the trip home.

"Ugh! And, I don't have my freaking purse!"

Derek looks back at her sheepishly.

xxXXxx

When they get inside everyone is asleep. Casey turns on him as soon as he hangs up his coat. "Okay, Derek, look," She places her hands on her hips. "I've thought about it and I've thought about it. And, the only solution - the only way we can solve this… tension is if you take me out on a date."

Derek stiffens. "A what now?"

"A date, Derek. A real date. Just you and me. No doubles. No parties. A date."

"A date… with me?"

"Derek, pay attention! Could you at least pretend to be serious for a minute?" She snaps.

"That's um," He laughs nervously. "That's a… big step you're taking right there. Big big. Huge."

"Well, someone needs to take it!" She exclaims, pushing him against a wall (which really, is the source of all their problems). "And since you're too much of a coward to do it, clearly I have to step in and intervene."

"Coward!" He places his face right in her personal space. Daring her. "Now I know you're not talking 'bout me!"

"Then be there. Tomorrow. Seven o'clock. Don't even think about being late. And, if you so much as think of standing me up, you're dead."

Derek smirks. "Can't really stand you up if we live in the same house now, can I?"

She continues to stare him down until he announces, "Okay, okay. No standing up-ige. I got it."

She heads up the stairs and says without turning around, "And, wear something… not ugly. Could you please?"

"You kidding me?" He follows her up the stairs. "I dress like a prince."

"Yeah, the Prince of Ugly Clothes World." She squeals. "And, stop! You're so gross. Perv."

Honestly, he couldn't help grabbing her butt as he walked behind her up the stairs. 'Cause he has a date with Casey McDonald. And she asked him.

xxXXxx

"Seriously! Ice Princess get down stairs or I'm leaving you!" Derek yells out to Casey. He quickly places his hands in his pocket because they won't stop shaking.

"I'm coming! Just chill!"

"If you're not down here in –"

And she catches his eye. He glances over her outfit. Her tight jean dress, that barely covers her butt, clings to her in the best and also worst way possible. He looks back up and she has way too many buttons unbuttoned.

"Casey," She looks up at him smirking. "Get the hell back upstairs and change."

She rolls her eyes and continues her descend down the stairs. "Shut up, Derek!"

"I am so completely serious."

"I know you are, Derek. And, you're just lucky I'm not kicking your ass for thinking you can control me." She grabs her coat and begins putting it on.

Nora and George both look up from the couch. Nora's legs are across George's lap and she's flipping through the channels. Nora says while looking back at the TV. "Casey, button up your dress."

"Mom! It's fine!" Casey says, in utter disbelief. Was the world against her? Is it a crime to be beautiful?

"Listen to your mother, Casey." George replies.

Derek laughs.

She glares at him muttering, "Asshole."

"Where are you guys off too? A party?" Nora asks flipping through the channels.

Casey begins buttoning her dress. "Nah, Derek's taking me out on a date?"

Nora says. "Oh, that's nice."

"Casey, you only buttoned one button."

"Derek, would you just shut up!"

"Wait," Nora's head jerks to the front door and says, "He's taking you on a what!"

"A date." Casey looks at them as if they were really slow.

Derek chimes in with a, "You know, that place a guy takes a girl and they go eat food. And they may or may not have sex after."

Casey places her hands on her hips and says, "Don't even."

George and Nora shake their heads in confusion. "I'm sorry. You guys are dating?"

"NO!" Derek screams. When Casey gives him a hurt look he replies with, "We're going on a date. One. Uno. Singular."

"Which if turns out well could turn into two." Casey says.

Derek rolls his eyes. "Doubt it."

"I'm sorry did I miss something here? You guys are stepsiblings!" Nora shouts.

"Yes, mom. But, Derek and I have tried everything to relieve this tension around us and this is the only thing left. It never hurts to try. Just to see where it goes. And, trust us mom, if it ends badly we won't let this effect the family… much."

Nora thinks about it and then realizes she really has nothing to say. George gets up and says, "Now, Derek, need I remind you-"

"Oh, dad, please don't," Derek covers his face with his hands. "We've already did the sex talk thing. I got it. I could end up poor and alone playing child support on 5 kids. I understand."

"Yeah, but this is different."

Derek huffs, "How?"

"This girl lives right across the hall from you."

Casey nods. "That's true."

"Ugh, Casey, let's just go." He pushes her out the door as fast as he can.

xxXXxx

"This quite possibly may have been the worst date I've ever been on in my entire life!"

Derek rolls his eyes. "Not hard. Considering you've been on like 2."

They walk up the porch and stop as she continues to yell at him." I mean, first, you don't even open the frickin' car door for me."

"I've told you three times already! Nobody does that anymore!"

"And, then you didn't even let me chose what I wanted to eat!" She continues listing on her finger, very hotly. Honestly, she loved that he ordered for her. It was insanely hot. And, extremely delicious. She could've melted when he took control like that.

"Because, Casey," And suddenly he's very tired. "I knew you were gonna order that really expensive crap you always order when we go there and sor-ry, but, I wanted to eat too!"

"Selfish!" She points a finger in her face. "You only think about yourself!"

Derek looks at her in shock and grabs her finger. "I'm selfish! You invented selfish!"

"If by invented you mean ARE NOT, then yeah! I guess I did!" She huffs. "And, let go of me."

"No, it's always Casey this and Casey that. 'Oh, I have a dance competition!' 'Oh, I just broke up with my boyfriend for the gazillionth time' 'Oh, I-"

"Oh, yeah. Well, that's no better than you, buddy. You're worst than me."

"Not possible." Derek says.

"Very possible. Insanely possible. I don't think you've said one nice thing to me all da-"

Derek grabs her face and kisses her. He places his other hand on her waist and pulls her closer. If she hadn't melted earlier she was definitely gone now. She places her hands on his cheek and deepens the kiss. He pulls away and says, "Despite your… Casey-ness, I had a really great time."

Casey smiles. "I did, too."

Derek wants so bad to roll his eyes at her, because only a minute before had she been complaining like a banshee, but he holds it in and lets her go. He walks into the house.

"Der-ek! You did not just slam the door in my face!"

He smiles. Tension relieved.

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Laura :)