So this is going to be a two-shot, maybe more if the inspirations right. The premise is that Casey and Derek are at Queens. Nora, George, Dennis, and Abbey decide to be economical and make the kids share a small two bedroom a few blocks from Queens campus. Casey and Derek have been off since the hole, "Brother… Step brother… Same difference" incident. The family would like to think they are finally maturing past the bickering. Our story begins with Derek staring at the activities board outside his film class…

These are also Song-fics so I would suggest listening to "Don't You Know" by Seabird it's the inspiration for Derek in this story.

Any words spoken aloud will be in quotes. The italicized words are Derek singing. All other text is life in Dereks head.

Derek POV

Queens was amazing, and horrifying at the same time. I was not the most popular guy in school anymore, no one knows my name. Well, some people might, I was starting to get a bit of attention. Hockey season would start soon.

The best part about being invisible is just that, invisibility. I don't have to think about what I'm doing all the time. Don't get me wrong, I could have shown up to school in a dress in high school and people still would have worshipped me (Glee!). But here I'm not watched or whispered about.

And yet I missed being the man. Doing whatever I wanted, saying whatever. I always got out of trouble. Not here. I haven't done anything bad, not with Casey around anyway. I don't want to test my limits at Queens. I know college is important. I've been trying a lot harder…even if Case thinks I'm just a slacker.

Anyway, so here I am looking innocently over the activities board outside my film class, checking out this blonde, when I spot a flyer that's bright orange. AMATEUR LYRICISTS CONTEST. Kryptonite, a local club was looking for amateur singer/song writers to try and raise money for some charity, what caught his eye was the $500 reward.

With that kind of cash he could go on the school sponsored trip to Cancun, Mexico for spring break. Seven days of beautiful beaches and tiny bikini's. Really what else could a guy want.

The best part was, he already had a song. Not the one he and Casey wrote for Sally, although it did cross his mind to use it. So here's the thing, I'm kinda inlovewithcasey… yea I know. Its sad, but true. And after her dad almost bailed on her, and I called him back, I kinda wrote a song about it. About her. Always her.

The thing is that I know she knows I care. And I know she cares, that's why we spend so much time trying to not care. Then we argue, save one another and spend another week convincing ourselves that we didn't help the other person.

So I date around. I look for girls who are not Casey, and try not to think about her.

One Week Later…

"Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of the Haiti relief we want to thank you for your support and donations. Our next singer comes from London, put your hands together for Derek Venturi," the announcer, Jim, I think he said called my name and my stomach lurched. There were more people here than I thought there would be.

The curtain slid across my back as I walked out from backstage. I was met with applause and a few hoots. Trademark smirk in place, I sat on the stool on the front of the stage. The lights dimmed, and the keyboard started and:

Don't you remember

You were happy when you were younger

The words left my lips, and I knew I was being too quiet. The room dulled down to nothingness and my voice was all there was. I closed my eyes and sang louder.

Things were so simple yeah'

Til the day he walked out on your mother

I imagine Casey as a little girl, crying silently in her room as she knows her dad is leaving and not coming back. She may not know what's going on, but she knows what goodbye looks like. I wrap her small form in my arms in my mind and let her cry out the pain.

But now you blame yourself

Because you're by yourself

You feel like it's not gonna to change

You're crying on the floor cause you can take no more

Looking for a way to escape

That's what Max was, a chance to be someone else, but that failed. Truman was a walk on the wild side, a chance to be bad, fail again. You push it all away but you can't pretend forever.

And all this time saying you were fine

And everyone still to blame

Mostly me. Seriously she could find a way blame for every bad thing that has ever happened to her!

Well there you are

You and your broken heart

It's written all over your face

But then she cries and I can't deal with it. I want to hold her, help her. Mostly make her stop crying. Whatever it takes to stop the tears.

Don't you know

Don't you know that you're beautiful yeah

The first time I saw Casey, walking up the sidewalk, I thought I was screwed. I could not be related to her, to not be aloud to touch her or be near her. When I looked into those blue blue eyes, I realized she was a mess. Which is what interested me about her. So pristine on the outside. Smoldering fire underneath. She will never understand how beautiful she is.

I see you laughing

But I know inside that you're crying

Just tell me what happened when things went wrong

We'll try to make sense of it all

Her first day at my school, the first walk by stare. Yeah, I named them. I saw that she was faking. Talking to Emily, her laugh, the hair behind the ear. I almost laughed at how hard she was trying to be someone else. I actaully like her stubborness, the parts of her she tries so hard to hide. Fresh meat I thought, Edwin isn't that fun anymore anyway.

Please don't blame yourself

Cause you're not by yourself

Whenever you needed me I was always there. Hell I took you to prom!

I've been right here all along

Don't have to be alone

Because you've always know

Wherever your heart is my home

She lies to everyone around her. I see the truth, probably another reason we fight. Fear. Because she sees me. The real good and bad me. Our mutual silence about what we really see is why we can't walk away. There is something there. After our fight in the bathroom, when our parents left us alone for the first time it was set in stone then. No matter where this girl went I needed to be near her.

And all this time

Saying you were fine

And everyone still to blame

Well there you are

You and your broken heart

It's written all over you're face

I opened my eyes the music winding down. I scanned the crowd. Saw a few familiar faces. People seemed to be liking me. MONEY MONEY MONEY. Money!

Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful

Yeah

Can't you see what you mean to me

Can't you see what you mean to

Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful

Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful

Don't you know don't you know that you're beautiful….. Ohhhh ohm

The song ended and the lights immediately went out. Three two one… clap clap clap, WHOOOO, clap clap… erupted from the darkness. I'm going to Cancun, I'm going to Cancun. I turned to walk off stage and slid the curtain back. I nearly threw up right there.

Blue eyes stared at me. Not with horror, or laughter at my singing such a girly song but with such utter awareness. She knew who I was singing about. Her breathing was shallow. She was trying to figure out what to do. To say. Hell so was I.

"Next up is Casey McDonald," she looked past me a towards the stage. "Also from London," the announcer started clapping for Case.

DUN DUN DUN….

What comes next?

By the way, I do not own Life with Derek, or the characters, or the songs. Derek is singing Seabirds- Don't You Know.

Please review!!! I LOVE YOU LONG TIME

Artemis