Hey everyone: I'm back after a long break.

Disclaimer: I don't own Life with Derek or the song "Lighters"

This one's for you and me,
living out our dreams
We're all right where we should be
Lift my arms out wide I open my eyes
And now all I wanna see
Is a sky full of lighters
A sky full of lighters

Carefully planned. That's the story of Casey McDonald's life for you. Probably as soon as she learned how to write, she was meticulously filling out day planners. Casey was a girl who loved to be in control of everything in her life, to know everything that happened, and for everything to fall exactly as planned.

Then came Derek Venturi: the bane of her existence. The Anti-Casey in almost every way. Derek Venturi never planned. Hell, saying the word planning was too much effort for him sometimes, never-mind actually doing it. Derek liked to live fast and spontaneously. He never planned; he just made it up as he went along.

When these two polar opposites came together, living in one house, they clashed. Big time. Everything between the two became a fight. If it wasn't the room, it was the bathroom. If it wasn't the bathroom, it was the TV. If it wasn't the TV, it was Casey's cell phone, which somehow (not so mysteriously) ended up in a jar of mayonnaise. You get the picture right?

While the fighting did wane over time living together, things really changed when they reached University. Some say it wasn't a real change, just the dropping a façade. Others say, it was them finally waking up and noticing the obvious. There are others who claim that God got bored and decided to play a practical joke (cause this can only occur from to an act of God).

Which is it? I'll let you be the judge.

It all started the first night at Queens. Legend has it that Derek went snuck into Casey's dorm (for a prank of course). The room was empty because the roommate was out doing whatever and Casey was in the shower. While he was setting up the prank, Casey returns in only a towel. After an initial scream of terror from Casey, there was soon a towel and other clothing items (male clothing items to be exact) sitting on the floor. You do the math.

Now anyone who tells this story doesn't know Derek and Casey very well (or at the very least Casey).

The ACTUAL story did take place that night though. Derek was walking back to his dorm after a night hanging with his new hockey teammates and saw a familiar brunette lying down on the grass looking at the stars.

"Looking for your home planet Space Case", teased Derek.

After an eye roll…

"No, just thinking. Thinking about how this is the first time I've been away from home. Thinking about Mom, Lizzie, George, Edwin, and Marti. Thinking about what University is like. However, I've spent the most time thinking about how everything is so new and how I can be anyone I want to be here", she says.

This answer shocked Derek a bit. While Casey occasionally would confine in Derek, it was usually when she had her back against the wall and had nowhere else to turn. But here she was, letting Derek in on her thoughts in an honest fashion.

"What do you mean anyone you want to be?" he asked a bit confused. After all, with the exception of the whole Max debacle, Casey was one of the strongest and most self-confident people Derek knew.

"In high school, I was Casey the goody-two-shoes, polly-preppy pants. Right? You can't deny it, you called me it constantly", she reminded him though not in an annoyed fashion considering there was a trace of a smirk on her face.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm going to still work hard and do well here, but at the same time, I don't want to be defined by only academics. I want to live as well", she said.

By this point, Derek was also lying on his back next to her. He wasn't really looking at her, but rather the night sky that Casey seemed to be so infatuated with when he first saw her.

"Most importantly, however, I don't have to been known as your step-sister. I don't have to keep you from getting beat up by oversized football players, or keep you from failing just because I have a duty to family…" she said.

Those last few statements didn't really sit to well with Derek. She was still talking, but he was lost in his own thoughts. It sounded to him like she really didn't want to be bothered with him at all. I thought that's what he wanted, but the churning of his stomach told him otherwise. Even though he was Derek Venturi, the biggest smart-ass in Canada, he could not formulate a mean or sarcastic comment to say in reply.

"Oh", he said, more to himself than her, not realizing she was still talking.

His downtrodden tone was not lost on Casey who turned towards him, concern written on her face.

"Derek?" she asked concerned.

"I get it Case", he said getting up.

"What's wrong? Is it something I said?" she asked, mentally replaying the conversation.

"I get it. Don't worry about me Case. I won't bother you like I did at home", he said, starting to walk away.

"Derek come back", said Casey.

No response.

"DER-EK" she yelled.

"What Casey?" asked Derek who was beginning to get mad.

"What was the last thing you heard me say before you got lost in your own Derek world?" she asked.

"Something about duty to the family", he answered in an annoyed tone.

"You never were much of a listener were you?' she teased.

Derek just gave her a look of confusion.

"I also said that I can just be Casey and you can just be Derek. We don't have to fight all the time just because everyone expects us too. If I were to save you from the Queens' version of the Fridge, or if I help you study, it's because you're my best friend here, not because I'm your stepsister", she said.

Derek took a moment to take it all in before smirking and then saying…

"Casey we're still going to fight"

Casey rolled her eyes, laughed, and nodded.

"Of course, we wouldn't be ourselves if we didn't", she responded.

"Well I have to get back to my dorm. Coach scheduled an early morning practice. Wanna do lunch tomorrow?" he asked.

"Sure", she answered smiling.

There wasn't a hug or even a handshake as they parted. Just a couple of smiles exchanged. A mutual understanding. Finally some common ground found. Well at least as far as Derek knew.

Casey returned to her previous position looking at the night sky after Derek was out of sight.

"One day Derek Venturi. One Day. One day, you will be my Prince Charming. My Knight in Shining Armor. But for right now, you're just Derek. And for the first time ever, I'm just going to go with it and let it happen when it happens. I'm still going to dream towards the future, but I'm perfectly content living in the present"

This is definitely a one-shot, but I am open to a sequel if anyone is interested.

The lyrics in the beginning is from a song called, "Lighters", by Bad Meets Evil. Check it out because I really like it.