Casey stood there, rooted to the spot. Her face still held the look of shocked horror.
"You're the guy I just had the perfect evening with?"
Even Emily looked stunned. She and Sam looked between them in a rather worried way.
"I had no idea it was you." Derek said. "Look, this stays between the four of us, deal? We speak of this to no one. In fact we forget this ever happened. Especially the kiss."
"Oh god! Oh god! Oh god! I made out with my stepbrother! Ew!"
"Is he really that bad?" Sam couldn't resist a chuckle.
"No, it was good considering that I didn't know who he was, but the repercussions are nasty. I'm going to be in therapy for life."
"Not to Paul. You don't tell anyone about this. Sworn sibling secret." Derek held out his hand to her and she shook it reluctantly. "Good, and you two better not say anything, either."
"Don't worry, dude, we won't."
"Okay. We should head inside, before anyone notices and starts asking questions." Derek steered Casey inside, where they found the rest of the family, barring Marti, waiting for them.
"You're back late. What happened?" Nora said.
"Nothing!" Casey said at the same time as Derek.
As one everyone else raised one eyebrow sceptically.
"What?"
Edwin cleared his throat pointedly and subtly pointed at their hands. They were holding hands. Together they realised this and quickly rectified the problem.
"Case? What's going on?" her mother asked gently.
"Uh, um, nothing." Casey glanced at Derek quickly who took the hint and stepped forward.
"Shouldn't you kids be in bed by now?"
"Don't change the subject."
"Sorry dad."
Casey fake yawned. "Oh, I think it's time I hit the sack. Dancing really takes it out of you." Derek suppressed a snort and then rushed Casey up the stairs.
As Derek shrugged off the fancy brown velvet jacket someone knocked on his door. Casey stuck her head in. "Can you help me please? The others have gone to bed, and even if I did go to them, they'd ask me about tonight."
"What do you need?"
"Eyes in the back of my head. Somehow I got my laces muddled, and I can't see them."
"Course. What laces?"
She turned and showed him the back of her corset. "These laces. Emily tied them and she's really good at knots. I think she was in the girl scouts." Casey went to stand before him as he sat on the edge of his bed.
"Thanks." She said quietly.
"For what? I haven't done them yet."
"For tonight. The mystery made it more romantic."
"Until I realised who it was I was kissing."
"But you didn't kiss me outside the house."
"I know. I knew it was you all along."
Casey turned around and faced him. "What?"
"I planned everything. Emily was in on it. She told me what your costume was and made sure you arrived after me."
"But I would have seen you leaving the house in costume."
"I didn't leave in costume. The costume was in my locker. I changed in the bathroom. Also, to make doubly sure, you were over at Emily's."
"Wow. It's so well planned. I didn't think you were capable of that."
"I learnt from you." he reached out to take her hand but she turned her back on him again and held out the lace strings. He took them obediently.
"Why would you do that? Why would you go to all that trouble, just to dance with me?" she asked over her shoulder and met his earnest eyes looking back.
"To get closer to you. I thought that if you didn't know it was me, you might actually like me."
"There's a thinker." She turned her head to face the wall again.
He struggled on with the laces for a moment longer.
"Do you want to know why Max took Amy to the party?" she asked suddenly. "We broke up yesterday."
"I'm sorry Casey."
"Don't be." She said softly. Then her tone changed. "Or maybe you should be."
"What are you talking about?"
She pulled away and turned back to face him. "We broke up because of you. Max knew all along that I wasn't really into him. Yesterday he confronted me about it. And we both know how bad I am at lying. I told him the truth."
"And what is the truth?" Derek stood up and moved towards her.
Casey bit her lip gently. "The only reason I fight with you all the time, is so you would notice me. It's like, when you're in kindergarten. Boys throw stones at the girl they like, or they pull her hair."
By now he was very close to her, even though she had been backing up. "You talk to much." He whispered.
She realised she had run out of floor and was therefore up against the wall. She pouted at him however, hiding her smile. "Know how to cure me?"
"I've got a few ideas about that." He kissed that very tempting pout, and felt her gasp on his lips, making them tingle.
Through the window a telescope blinked.
"Hah! It worked!"
"What worked?"
Emily looked over at Sam as he sat on her bed and undid his cape.
"The Masquerade Misunderstanding of course." She smiled coolly.
"About time too!"
Somewhere in the distance Derek heard their laughter, but he didn't care…because Romeo had his angel.