AN: You guys are simply AMAZING. So the majority of my memorial day was trying to fight the writer's block and get something done...

Disclaimer: I own not a dang thing.

One would ask why Derek Venturi was still in Casey McDonald's life. Could it be the fact that they attended the same college? University of Toronto was where they both went. She was studying Psychology and he came to play hockey in hopes where he'd get into the big leagues. They hardly ever saw one another at school, unless plans were made, so it couldn't be that. Or could it be the fact that Casey's ex-roommate and Derek's best friend were in a relationship? Sam met Casey's roommate Gina and sparks flew which forced Derek to go over to Casey's all the time. Gina lived there no longer, since she moved in with Sam and Derek, so there was no real reason for Derek to swing by as much as he does. So maybe that wasn't it. Or maybe it's that lingering fact that they were still step-siblings with family they see pretty often.

They didn't know. No one knew. Not even the psychology major herself could figure it out.

No matter how hard they tried to get out of one another's lives, it never worked. Now here they were. Married and binding to one another as husband and wife.

"Who's home?" Derek asked as they went into Casey's apartment.

"No one. Lindsay's at some play rehearsal or something," she told him as she put her keys down on the coffee table and sorted through her mail. "Nothing important," she muttered to herself as she slapped the mail back down on the table. She looked around for Derek and there he was, raiding her fridge. Casey stood up with massive annoyance, "What you doing?!" she huffed over to the kitchen, "Don't you have a place of you own? A fridge of your own to raid?"

Derek rolled his eyes and grabbed a soda and made his way over to her couch, "Yes and yes." He sat down and propped up his feet on her table. Casey brought her arms and with massive force, threw his feet off her table, "Ow, wife! Moody, much?" He turned the TV on and started to intently watch as if it were a daily habit of his to do this in her apartment. Maybe it was and Casey just didn't realize it till now. She made her way in front of him to block his vision of the TV, "Are you looking for attention, Casey, because I really wanted to see this show."He started to laugh as he pointed to the TV, with the remote in his hand, "It's so funny, Case, there's a bear that juggles a bat over and over--"

"DEREK!" she groaned as loud and she could and Derek stopped talking and looked at her. "This damned TV show isn't important right now. We need to talk about us."

Derek leaned in front of him and put his soda, which Casey made sure to put under a coaster, and put the remote down. He leaned back and looked at her, "What about us? We're married and we have to go through a year of separation before we can get di--"

"I know that!" she snapped at him.

Derek wrinkled his nose at her, "Then what the hell do you want to talk about then? You make no sense. I swear that you're going to be a shitty psychiatrist one day and--"

Casey put her hand over Derek's mouth to shut him up, "For the hundredth time, it's psychologist," she told him as took a seat on the coffee table. "And Derek," she took a deep breath and tried her hardest to be calm toward him, "You are seriously mentally abusing me right now, so please shut up." He did and she took her hand back and had a reflex to wipe it on her jeans. She looked back up at his confused face, while subconsciously she reached into her bag and took out her hand sanitizer, "We need to figure out how the hell this even happened." Casey told him as she sanitized Derek's mouth germs off her hand.

"How? We tried for the past few days and no one el--" he saw Casey's face blush and he groaned, "Who else knows about this Casey?"

"Emily."

"You told Emily?!" he freaked out. "I thought you said we were going to keep this a secret?!"

"I didn't tell her!" she screamed right back at him, "She knew about it before we did apparently. She kept making subtle jokes about marriage and the other day I finally asked her what her game was and she said she knew we were married! But I didn't get to ask her for the whole story because we had to get to our classes and she was busy at work."

"Well what the hell are you waiting for?! Call her and tell her to come over here!"

"I am about to! Stop yelling at me!" she yelled at him, doing exactly what she told him not to do to her, as she rummaged through her bag for her cell phone. Casey pulled it out and dialed the number; she held it up to her ear and could see a grin on Derek's face, "What?"

"Nothing." He reached up and pinched Casey's cheek like a child, "It's just my wife is so adorable when she's flushed with worry."

Casey smacked his hand away as she glared at him, "I swear to—Hey Em!" Derek continued to laugh and she continued to glare, "Me and Derek need to talk to you like right now. Are you free?" Derek saw Casey blush and he knew Emily had to have said something worth knowing, "Shut up. Ugh, yes Em. We'll tell you about it when you get here. An hour? Fine. That's fine. Just get here okay? Alright, bye." She hung up and looked at Derek, "Look's like you're stuck here for another hour."

Derek smirked and patted the space next to him on the couch, "Come on. Spend some quality time with your husband."

She stood up, "How about no." Casey muttered sarcastically as she made her way over to the kitchen to raid her own fridge, searching for something to eat.

He frowned and turned his body to watch her where she stood behind the couch, "Well could we eat something then, Casey? I'm starving and you seriously have nothing to eat in your fridge. I'm worried about you. I can't let my wife starve to death. Then we can't get our divorce." Derek watched her as she slowly paced toward him and once more he became terrified, "Hey, Case, I'm jus--"

Casey inched closer to him and the glare was back in an instant, "Stop. Calling. Me. Your. Wife."

"I was just kid--" He was shut up once more as she smacked the annoyance off of him.

--

"Shit Casey," he rubbed his jaw while he looked into his rearview mirror, "You keep saying I mentally abuse you? You're the one that is physically abusing me!" He turned his head to the right and saw a bright smiling Casey. "I want a divorce!" They both busted out into laughter. At that moment both Casey and Derek realized that they were doing a pretty good job at making the best out of this situation.

"Me too. Now quit your bitchin' and let's go eat something. I can't starve remember?" He rolled his eyes and they went to eat at the diner down the street.

--

After a blast at the diner, they headed back to Casey's to wait for Emily. There they sat on the couch where Derek forced her to watch the bat-juggling Bear that he recorded on her TiVo. Sitting there laughing helped her realize that today was the first time she was actually having fun during this predicament they were in.

Shortly thereafter, the both of them had slipped into a food coma.

--

Casey abruptly awoke to the sound of knocking on the door. She rubbed her eyes and looked around her and her eyes grew wide. There was an arm around her and her comfy pillow was her husband's chest. Casey immediately smacked Derek's stomach, "Wake up!"

Derek groaned, "Leave me alone…" he let out groggily as he pulled her onto him once more; using his arm, which was still wrapped around her, "Come on, Case. Let's go back to sleep." Casey told herself not to panic as the door kept being knocked on. She told herself to calm down but right now she couldn't. Derek was trying to be a husband to her and she wasn't going to have it. They were "separated" after all. So once more she smacked him and this time he awoke, "What the hell, Case! Ow!!"

"I was trying to wake you up!"

He glared at her, "Well why didn't you just say 'wake up?!'"

"I did!!" she snapped at him. "But you keep trying to cuddle with me!!" Casey immediately took his arm off from around her, "Now Emily's here so stop." She stood up and straightened herself up while she looked down at a grinning Derek, "Ugh, what now?" He was about to speak but she interrupted him for her own sanity, "I swear to the greater being that if you have some stupid sarcastic remark about how flushed your wife looks I will kill you." He let out a silent laugh and gestured himself to zip his lips, "Good. Emily will help us solve this mess." He nodded.

Casey made her way over to her front door and opened it to see an annoyed Emily, "Well it took you long enough!"

Casey smiled innocently, "Sorry. I was having a cat-nap. You know how it is…" Emily made her way in and saw Derek sitting on the couch, still slouching as if he were napping too. Casey came back over to the couch and sat down while Emily had a slight smile curving on her lips; she looked between the two of them, "Wh-what Emily?"

"You two napped together didn't you? Husband and Wife napped together!" Emily let out excitedly, "See I knew you two wo--"

"Hold it right there, Emily." Emily stopped, "We just fell asleep on the couch. That's all." Derek assured her, "No funny business. We ate too much and we were tired that's all. More importantly you need to tell us what you know."

Emily's face fell. Her teasing wasn't going to hold up with them, "First of all let's go over what you two remember."

Derek and Casey looked at one another then back at Emily, "From the beginning?" Emily nodded.

- - - -

There Casey parked in front of Derek's building. Anger building up inside of her at the news Emily just told her; she clenched the steering wheel of her car, her knuckles turning white and never had she been this angry; so far, with Derek. Casey got out of her car and made her way to his door and knocked angrily. "Damn you, Venturi." She cursed under her breath.

Gina answered the door, "Hey Case. Did we have plans today?"

Casey shook her head and made her way into the apartment, "Is Derek here?"

"Right here, Case." He called from behind her, where he sat on his recliner watching TV. "What's up?"

Casey marched over to him, "What's up? What's up, Derek?!" she snorted, "Maybe the fact that you're coming to Las Vegas for my girls weekend?!"

Derek immediately raised his arms in defense while he tried to defend his actions, "Hey, Sam was going--"

Casey then turned her head to look at Gina, who smiled innocently at her, "Sam's going?" Casey was angry now. It was supposed to be a small little weekend for her girlfriends and now it was being invaded by two guys. "What happened to all girls?!"

"Casey, I'm sorry but Sam doesn't trust me in Vegas after I kept joking about how we're going to see strippers and stuff. I know we're not, but he got all jealous and whatever. Then the next thing I knew, he already had a flight booked." Casey groaned out a frustration scream, "Casey, I'm sorry."

Casey shook her head and calmed down, "It's fine, Gina."

"Hey!" Derek let out with a scoff, "How come it's fine if Sam goes but you're about to unleash fury on me?!" she went over to him once more and he could see the crazy in her eyes yet again, "I mean, I'm just asking Case."

"Because you, Derek, don't have any reason to come, and now you're coming. So what the hell?" Casey let out as calm as she could instead of strangling him at that exact moment.

"Dad and Nora made me go." It was the only thing he could think of on the spot, "They wanted me to watch over you." He admitted. It was the truth after all but they didn't force him to go, they merely just suggested it. It was all Derek who decided he wanted to go to Vegas and have some fun. A party is never happenin' without him involved and Casey's 21st birthday getaway in Vegas was no exception. "Yeah, that's what it is," he lied, "Dad and Nora forced me to come along. Gotta watch over my favorite step-sister and make sure no scary American men try to pull anything. Plus Sammy boy needs another guy around that way you girls can go on your merry way. We won't bother you guys, we promise."

Derek put up a very convincing argument and Casey could do nothing but just accept it. Derek was going to come and she only hoped things would go as planned. "Fine, Derek." She sighed and Derek smiled brightly, "You can com--"

Derek snorted, "Oh, Case. I was going to come regardless if you said 'yes or no' because I already have my ticket too and guess where I'm sitting?" He stood up in front of her and put an arm around her as he led her to his front door.

Casey took a deep breath and pinched her temples in hopes that the migraine, named Derek, wouldn't grow anymore than it already has. She wasn't even sure how Derek pulled the certain things he did but somehow he did it... again, "Next to me." She stated.

"You got it." He shoved her out his door, "It's going to be a blast, Case! Happy birthday! Now have a great day, Sis." Derek closed the door and Casey walked a slow walk her car, leaving his home as if she lost another battle with her migraine.

"Damn you, Venturi."

- - - -

"Good times." Derek let out as he sat back against the couch. Deep down he thought that was some of his best work. He always knew how to breakdown Casey and he never failed to do so. It was his purpose in life to drive her crazy. Both of the girls stared at him blankly, "What?"

Emily and Casey shook their heads. "Okay where were we?" Casey asked.

"Derek is coming with us to Vegas…"

"Yeah, I am." Derek grinned.

Just then the door was being knocked on and Casey got up to answer it. It was Sam and Gina coming for a visit leaving Casey and Derek a bit nervous. "Uh…hey guys." She fetched Derek a look, "What brings you by?"

"We just wanted to stop by," Sam said as they came in. Casey and Derek both knew they didn't want to talk about what they were talking about. It was supposed to be a secret between the three of them and now they had to wait a little while longer as their friends came for a visit. Casey made her way back to sit next to Derek, while Sam and Gina took the single seat to the left of them.

"So where's my replacement at?" Gina joked.

"First off, she has a name--" Gina waved a useless hand. "She's at a pl--" Casey would be interrupted.

"At a play rehearsal or something," Derek finished for her.

Casey glared at Derek and she looked at the other three faces that grinned at her. Immediately Casey blushed and she felt like she was being ambushed. "Aw…he finishes sentences for you." Gina let out and the three of them all started to laugh while Casey and Derek stared at each other in with massive confusion. "That is adorable," the three idiots grinned some more.

Casey looked at Derek with wide eyes to which he returned. They both looked at their friends, "Wait--"

Sam and Gina nodded, "Yeah, we know you're married." Casey's face turned red with embarrassment while Derek stared daggers at Sam, who raised his hands in defense. This was supposed to be a secret and now? Now two other people knew. Casey threw a stare at Emily, who too raised her arms in defense. "Casey, don't worry. Sam and I found out on our own." Gina and Sam both snorted, "I mean all three of us saw you guys."

Casey furrowed her eyebrows at the happy couple, who were sitting there laughing at her and Derek's situation. "Saw us wh-what?" Emily, Sam, and Gina all stared at one another once more and Casey groaned in frustration of not knowing what the hell is going on. "I swear to God th--"

Emily let out a laugh, "Casey, calm down. Let's just finish figuring this out. We'll get there."

Casey sat back and relaxed while she turned her head to look at a blank Derek. There he sat calm again. It started to freak her out. He chose to be calm at the most random times and most of those times being when she is freaking out. "Der--"

"Casey, let's just finish getting through this. Maybe Sam and Gina can be more help too." Derek said calmly toward her and he didn't even wait for a reply, "Alright so we finished where I told Case I was coming with to Vegas. So the flight…"

- - - -

There they sat on the flight to Las Vegas. Derek sitting to the right of her as she stared out the window; he kept leaning his head on her shoulder and all she could do was nudge it with force to get it off of her. She was peeved but there was nothing she could do about it. He was there and she was going to be stuck with him till they got off that flight. All Casey could do was thank God that he was asleep for most of it.

Casey slowly unbuckled her seatbelt and got up. She really had to use the bathroom but she didn't want to wake up Derek because she knew if she woke him up, he'd be awake for the remainder of the flight and their goes her happiness; her peace and quiet. Once her foot accidently hit his, she groaned aloud and struggled to get out. "Where ya goin', Case?"

"The bathroom, now can you give me space?" He moved his legs and gave her room to get out and hurry to the bathroom. She finished up and was startled by a knock on the door. "Hold on. Almost done," she announced as she washed her hands.

"Hurry up, Casey! I gotta go!" He whined from behind the door and all Casey could think was how much she wanted to make him suffer. He always did this to her whining to get her to hurry out of places.

"I'm still washing my hands, Derek. Go to the one behind you."

"No! There was a huge guy who looked like he ate something horrible. I'm not using that bathroom when he's finished with it!" He screamed in a whisper toward her. Derek really did have to go. Usually he'd make up lies to hurry her out of places but now he really had to go and all he could do was regret messing with her so many times before.

Casey didn't respond, instead she continued to wash her hands. Even fix up the make-up that wore off from the duration of this flight. Then she realized she forgot to flush because stupid Derek distracted her. She was reaching for the knob until she heard a ferocious knock on the door. She turned her head and looked toward his direction, "Derek, ho--" another loud knock startled her to where her hand didn't go toward the knob, instead it ended up in that filthy blue toilet water. "De-REK!" she screamed! "AAH!"

Derek let out a laugh and stopped his knocking as the flight attendant approached him, "Sir, is everything okay here?"

"Just Dandy, Ma'am. My sister in there is having a hard time working a tampon." The flight attendant gave Derek a sympathetic nod and made her way to her spot. Derek had to give himself a pat on the back because even he thought that was the funniest thing he'd heard all day. He knocked lightly onto the bathroom door once more, "Case?" Finally she opened up the door and there stood in front of him was Casey with a lightly blue stained hand. Derek had to take that back because this was the funniest thing he'd seen all day, "Had an accident there, Case?"

Casey glared at him as her breathing became more and more erratic at the sight of him, "You just couldn't wait till I was done…" she muttered, "You just couldn't stop your damned knocking for one second so I could flush the toilet the right way."

Derek tried to hold it in because he knew Casey was angry. Extremely angry at that, "Well, if you're done now Casey, I'm just going go head in there now." He squeezed his way into plane's bathroom and made sure he locked it to read 'occupied' while Casey walked back to her seat as people stared at the blue on her hand. She sat down and let out a heavy sigh and just focused her attention out on the window. There was peace outside that window as they flew through the sky. All she could think about was how badly she wished Emily sat next to her but no. She was stuck with Derek, who annoying made his way back to his seat next to her. "So…"

"I don't want to talk to you right now." Casey simply said as she stared out the window and Derek sat back in his seat and stared at the TV in front of him.

- - - -

Sam and Derek were in hysterics as they recalled that part of story. Casey and Gina both glowered at their "men" and they both immediately stopped. "See." Emily simply said as the four looked at her, "Like real couples."

Casey and Derek rolled their eyes at Emily. Derek let out one last laugh, "At least it's off now?" He lifted up her arm to observe.

Casey looked at him blankly, "I don't even know why you're laughing. I got you back." Just then the joking nature Derek was in quickly dissolved as it was his turn to glower at his wife.

- - - -

The flight attendant came back with the cokes that Casey and Derek ordered. Derek was taking a sip and immediately Casey poured her soda on Derek's crotch, leading Derek to spit his own soda out on the seat in front of him. "What the hell Casey!--"

"Excuse me sir? Could you please lower your voice because there are people who are trying to sleep?"

Derek turned his head and looked at Casey, who tried to hold in her laughter, "Yeah, Derek, shh you're disturbing the peace." She looked at the flight attendant, "My brother here had a sort of accident. Could we have some napkins please?"

"Sure thing." Derek blankly stared at Casey, who finally was having fun on this flight.

- - - -

This time Gina, Emily, and Casey were all laughing while Sam tried his hardest to hold it in on Derek's behalf. Casey scoffed at a blushing Derek, "Oh come on, Derek! You started it! It was only fair I get you back!"

"Fine," he sighed, "So now that we have those important details down, what's next? Vegas?" They all nodded.

Emily wiggled her fingertips together Mr. Burns style as she grinned, "The fun part."

Derek and Casey both wrinkled their noses, "Fun for the three of you. Not for us."

There really was this video of a bear who just like played with a bat all day. I don't know why it makes me laugh. 0.o

Don't stop being amazing. Review while I try to fight off stupid writer's block more hah.