2 –

"DER-EK!"

All at once, George and Nora, Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti all sigh, roll their eyes, and throw back their bedcovers, knowing there will be no more quiet in the McDonald-Venturi household this morning.

The exception is Derek Venturi. The exception is always Derek Venturi. As Casey's shriek reverberates down the hallway, he yawns, stretches, and laces his hands behind his head, trademark smirk settling on his lips. A split second later, his bedroom door flies open and Casey seethes over him, dressed in pajamas with her hair still tied up in last night's ponytail, and…an unnatural shade of blonde.

"Huh." He looks her up and down. "Blonde's not bad on you, Space Case." He reaches out to tug on her bleached ponytail and she smacks his hand away. His smirk stretches into a wide grin. "Or should I call you Head Case?"

"Urgh!" She yanks the pillow out from behind his head and smushes it into his face as hard as she can until he kicks her away. "What the hell is wrong with you!? I can't go to school like this!"

"What, I thought I was doing you a favor!" His brown eyes gleam mischievously. "I heard Max likes blondes."

"Der-ek, you read my diary!? I'm going to kill you!" She lunges for him but he's ready for her, catching her by the upper arms and using her momentum to flip them so that she lands on the bed underneath him, and he easily pins her down even as she struggles, blue eyes glaring determined daggers.

At the foot of the staircase that ascends to the attic, Edwin covertly videotapes the teenagers while Lizzie scribbles into a black binder. More material for their secret files.

"What is going on up here?" Nora climbs the stairs, tightening the belt on her bathrobe, George stifling a yawn right behind her. At the first sign of parents Edwin flees up his stairs and Lizzie slams her bedroom door; the adults barely notice as they shuffle reluctantly closer to the red door with the KEEP OUT sign.

"Derek put bleach in my leave-in conditioner!" Casey yells, still trying to gain the upper hand. She finally brings her knee up and shoves against Derek's chest. He winces, and she kicks him off the bed, but as he hasn't released her arms she goes with him, and scrambles up off him as soon as they realize what position they ended up in.

"Derek!" Both parents glare at him disapprovingly.

"I can't go to school looking like this!" Casey complains. "I can't leave the house looking like this!"

"Casey, I'll call and make you an appointment after school to dye it back," Nora assures her daughter. "But maybe you could wear a hat today!"

Casey scrunches up her pert nose, but stomps out of the room with one last glare at her stepbrother. Nora shoots George a pleading look and follows, and in the doorway, George folds his arms.

"Dad, come on, it was just…" Derek tries to laugh it off but trails off when he sees his dad isn't having it. He ducks his head between his knees and rubs a hand over the back of his neck. Eh, well, still worth it.

"Get to school, Derek." George sighs. "On time, and as soon as it's over you're going to come home and stay in this room until you show some remorse for your actions." He pauses. "Genuine remorse."

Remorse, Derek scoffs as he ends up alone on the floor in his room. Right.