Disclaimer: Hmm? Let me think about that one for a minute or two… Nope, I still don't own anything.

Rating: K. There's really nothing in this story that would be inappropriate for some audiences.

Setting: This can take place really anytime in the third season as the episodes have been aired in U.S (since that's where I live), or anytime in the future. I guess I'm thinking of it being a year or two in the future, but like I said, it doesn't really matter much.

Summary: A little trip to the bathroom at night reveals much more than Derek would have ever thought, especially when it involves eavesdropping on Casey and Marti's conversation about him!

Author's Notes: I'm planning on continuing some of the other stories I started writing earlier. I'm finally done with my exams for this quarter, so I'll have some free time. Those of you who read them, stay tuned!

Night's Revelation

By: True Love Lives Forever

Chapter 1: Do You Really Hate Him?

Sleepily rubbing his eyes, Derek looked at his alarm clock, only to find out that it is way too early for him to be awake on a Saturday morning, or rather a Saturday night since it was only 3:17 am. After slowly getting out of bed, he barely made it through his room towards the door without tripping on everything that's been occupying his floor for the past few years, which still hasn't been moved an inch, unless someone tripped on it in their futile attempts to reach the other side of the room for reasons unknown. Only Derek can make a mess for which most would think a tornado had to be involved in and not humanly possible to achieve. But that's just Derek for you. He lived by the moment-to-moment philosophy, so what's the point in cleaning up the room if on the next day it'll look just about the same, if not worse?

Turning the doorknob, Derek walked through the hallway towards the bathroom, but before he even got halfway there, something caught his attention.

Marti's door was slightly open and her lights were on. She probably had a nightmare and was awake because of it. But then again, usually if that's the case, she just runs up to her big brother's room for comfort and to get him to scare the monsters away.

Naturally, curiosity got the best of him and he decided to check up on her.

Slowly and quietly he started walking up to Marti's room, as to not wake anyone up. Marti was that one person in the whole wide world who meant the world to him, or rather she was the only person towards whom he'd actually show emotions and it. This was just a brotherly thing to do – something he'd done hundreds of times before. She's certainly his little soft spot and he'd never try to change that for the world, despite what his macho personality was telling him.

Just when he was in front of Marti's door, he heard the sound of the familiar sobs and in an instant, he was wide awake. His little Marti was crying and he sure was about to find out what's wrong and why she didn't turn to him like so many times before.

Just when he was about to step into the room, however, he heard an all-too-familiar voice. The voice of a certain girl he just loved to torture for the sole reason of getting a rise out of her. It was just too irresistible not to. After all, she's Casey, his oldest step-sister who somehow managed to turn from a grade-grubbing Klutzilla to a Prom Queen. Who would have thought? Certainly not him, although he definitely saw some potential there. But Prom Queen? That was something. Not that he would actually admit it to her personally, or anyone else for that matter.

Casey was in Marti's room. Something about this situation just threw him off, making him hesitate on whether or not he should step into the room and show his presence. But before he got the change to dwell on his possible choices, he heard something that puzzled him greatly, pulling him out of his thinking trance – something that didn't occur too often as it did with Casey.

"Come on, Marti," said that voice which he couldn't mistaken anywhere, "you know that's not true. He would never do that to you."

"But why does he do that to you then?" Silence filled the room for a few seconds during which Derek tried to figure out what was going on. 'Who's doing what?' was the obvious question, and almost as if in response, Marti answered him through a shaky voice that was laced with continuing sobs.

"Casey, what if… what if Smerek starts teasing me, too, when I grow up? Just like he teases you?" There was something in her voice, the honesty laced with fear, which made Derek's heard drop to the bottom of his stomach. Was his little sister really afraid of… of him? His ears perked up as he tried his best not to miss a word from a conversation he knew that neither girl realized he was listening to. So much for confidential talks.

"Honey, Derek just does it to me and nobody else. You of all people shouldn't be worried about something silly like that. He loves you. Besides, he doesn't pick on Lizzie either, and he sure isn't going to pick on you when you grow up. If there's one thing in his whole life that he loves – it's you."

Based on the temporary silence that followed and knowing his little sister, Marti was obviously thinking about what Casey said and Derek tried to quietly shift his feet so he could see inside the room through the little gap between the partially open door and the wall, without being noticed that is. And being the sneaky guy he is, he succeeded.

As far as he could see, both girls were sitting on Marti's bed, with Marti safely stored in Casey's arms. Upon seeing that, Derek almost felt jealousy ripple through him that it was Casey who was comforting Marti and not him. Was their relationship hanging on a piece of hair and he didn't even know it? Or was there more to this than he admitted to himself? Just as such thoughts entered his mind, he quickly pushed them aside, focusing on the conversation before him.

"But before you and Lizzie and Nora got here, Smerek was picking on Edwin 'cause he was the oldest and now he picks on you most of the time. If I grow up, he'll probably just start picking on me and then…" Her voice broke off for a second, as if what she was going to say next hurt her inside out. Taking a deep breath, she continued her thought, "and then he'll hate me."

Derek couldn't believe it. Is that what she really thought? His little baby sister. His little Smarti. Did she really believe he could ever hate her? Obviously, Casey felt the same way because she couldn't suppress a little laugh, the kind of laugh that she had when she thought something was absolutely ridiculous. Generally that kind of laughter was saved for Derek and his little pranks that he had up his sleeve, but apparently, she made an exception.

"Marti, Derek could never hate you. Derek and I have some… some issues, but that's not because I'm the oldest. I guess I'm just the most stubborn one…" Derek couldn't suppress a little smile that was creeping up on his face as he heard that. "And he's not used to not getting what he wants and when he wants it. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. I promise that…" Casey didn't get the chance to finish as she was interrupted by a still worried, little girl.

"Why did he say that he hates you then, when you two started fighting today after that latest prank he pulled? And why did you say that to him first? Nora and Dad have disagreements all the time, but they never say they hate each other."

After a heavy sigh, Casey tried her best to explain, but by the sound of her voice, Derek could tell she was trying to figure out the answer herself. Who knew Smarti could ask such questions that would puzzle teenagers and probably adults too. Come to think of it, the question wasn't really that complicated, yet if she had asked him that, he wouldn't even know where to begin himself. He knew he didn't hate Casey, that's for sure. He just pulled pranks on her because it was fun. To see her all worked up for a fight with him somehow gave him a weird sense of pleasure, the kind of pleasure he never got before and still doesn't no matter who else his other "victim" is. He just liked it. That was probably just it. But he did have to admit, when those hateful words left his mouth, he regretted them, but quickly put that thought aside with the excuse that she said it to him first. Granted he did steal her backpack with all the homework that he knew she was going to start right after dinner. It's Casey. She's a workaholic, after all, and that's why he knew he would certainly get quite a strong reaction from her. She didn't disappoint him either in that respect though he didn't quite expect an "I hate you" to fly through the air his way.

In a way, Derek was surprised that Casey seemed to stand up for him. But then again, he never hid his feelings when it came to Marti and it's not like Casey would ever say bad things to a little kid, especially when that kid was a part of her family, too. But was that how she really felt, or was she just trying to calm down Marti? And how did he himself feel about her? He didn't hate her. He never saw her as a sister. He never let her near him for them to become friends... So who were they to one another?

Casey's voice finally pulled him out of his reverie, "I guess we were both just mad at each other and you know how I am with school. He shouldn't have messed with my books and all the school work I have in my backpack. Besides, Marti, since when are you worried about this anyway? You always seem upset when it's peaceful in the house, not when we're yelling at each other?"

"I don't know. This idea just popped into my head that it's going to be me in your place in a few years. And then I just wondered…" She trailed off for a few seconds and wiggled out of Casey's embrace and looked around the room, as if that would help her find the right words that she was looking for. After about ten seconds she looked Casey in the eyes and continued, "Casey, do you…"

Still not sure how to phrase it, she started over again. "Casey, just tell me the truth. Don't lie to me. Ok?"

Straightening up her back, obviously wondering what was on Marti's mind, Casey nodded and took a deep breath getting herself ready for whatever was going to come up.

"I know you don't like how badly Derek's been treating you since you two have even met. And he makes you cry sometimes. But, do you really… actually hate Derek?"

What did you guys think? What will she say? What will he think? What's going to be revealed?

I'm just going to make this a little two-shot, nothing really big.

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