A Lie worth Telling

Case tried to get her thoughts in order as she wrote a letter for her unborn child:

Dear Son or Daughter,

This is for when you're old enough to understand that there are a few things different about your family. Yes, Mommy and Daddy are STEP-siblings, and there is nothing wrong with that or, more importantly, you. This is a complete 180 from where she started from, but she wasn't going to tell their child that. Her first thoughts of Derek had been not bad looking, but he knows it. Smart, but too lazy to work for it. Skilled with his tongue, both sense of the phrase, but I can't go there. So she had done nothing. Nothing but have some R-rated dreams about him and challenged him to be better.

Yes, it took some time for us to admit that we cared about each other. Twenty years plus, at that. The first seven of that spend with paper-thin excuses of self-interest with images to maintain and that their family would have the head of the one that hadn't helped the other. The next thirteen spent wondering what moment had she missed that would have lead them to the happiest they was supposed to be. Then it was six months of 'You're my friend and you're doing this because I need you to, but we both know there's more to this' with Derek slowly getting Casey to understand there could be more, if she wanted it.

Yes, we didn't married until after you were born. This was where Casey felt guilty. Not that their child was going to be born out of wedlock, but that they had been conceived out of a deception. Casey hadn't wanted a baby, she had wanted Derek's baby. All because of something Marti had said. Three months before Casey had asked Derek to help her, the youngest Venturi, Robbie was a Venturi-McDonald, BIG difference, had been waxing philosophically about how she thought that being the oldest child of divorce affected how Derek saw commitment. He could have fun, but he wouldn't get serious with someone if a child was involved unless it was forever. He wouldn't repeat their father's mistake with their mother. Marti thought that when kids came into it, Derek would think through every step and do almost anything to keep their family together.

Her words had stuck with her over the next few days so when she went to watch Derek coach a junior game, Casey had kept a close eye on how he interacted with the women there. She had to be careful as officially she hated going to his games and had laughed when he had invited the family to come if they wanted to. Her excuse of just passing through wouldn't work as the hospital and her apartment were miles in the wrong direction. The real reason was simple, she went to see him. They had gone from tripping over each other every day to only being in the same house for a few hours once a week; it wasn't even close to enough for her.

So as she sat there studying her high school rival, she realized that Marti was telling the truth. Derek would flirt with them, but if they made a sign they were interested he would calmly let them down. She also tried not to laugh as she noticed that the opposing team's colors had been changed to pink and purple and she doubted that their logo was a pony. She had to quiet her heart when she heard him counter an argument that he made them look weak, by saying that he had spent seven years fighting a princess and she had been his toughest opponent.

That night she had a dream about being in pain and there was someone just out of sight telling her it was almost over. Then things started to focus and she realized that she was in a hospital and the doctor was showing her new born. All Casey noticed was the brown eyes and a smirk, 'he looks like Derek'. Just as the thought hit her, the nurse came in to take the baby.

Panicking, not wanting this impossible child to disappear, she had reached out to him. Then there was Derek, trying to calm her down, 'Easy Case, you think with your third kid you would have relaxed a little.' Finally connecting him with the voice she begged him to stay. Cupping her face in his hand, he had just asked, 'why would I leave, you're the mother of my children?' That's when she had woken up, to find tears pouring down her cheeks.

That Sunday she had called her mom and said that she had to work and wouldn't be there for dinner. This was true, kind of. First she had to do some thinking. She had spent more than the last decade kicking herself for not telling him how she felt. She had had a dream about being the mother of Derek's multiple children. She had had this dream after seeing him with kids and hearing that he would never let go of the woman who gave him any of his own. She knew what she had to do, become that woman.

Casey understood the seriousness of this. She would love the child, how could she not? They would be the proof of Casey's love for Derek and be the one that finally got them together. Every moment spent with diapers, PTA meetings, sickness, cuts, lost nights of sleep, would be worth it to raise a child with his smirk and her klutziness or his cunning and her eye for detail or any other combination of them.

Money wasn't an issue, her career of being a heart surgeon provided her with more than plenty money to cover her living expenses, give a good chuck to charity, and still have some left over for emergencies and to save for when she was old and gray. Her apartment was large enough for a family of three; she had only bought it because it was close to work. It had felt more like a tomb to her, but maybe that could change.

As for the family, well, Casey had spent thirty-five years being good and doing what was expected and it had cost her time she would never get back with the love of her life; if that wasn't good enough, than she would just have to focus on being with her new family.

And on a vainer note, she could give up her body, not that she thought she had to. Like her family, if being good cost her Derek, then bring on the junk food and wasted time being lazy around the house. There was also the idea that being the mother of his kid just might put a heavenly glow on her that Derek would found more attractive than just her appearance.

So after deciding what to do, Casey had to work out how to do it. So research. First she looked up all the ways that a woman her age could get pregnant and came up with logical, 'keener', reasons why they didn't work. Then she invited Marti over as a way to make up missing dinner and had carefully asked her about Derek's love life to see if there was any competition in the way and how she could get rid of them. The youngest Venturi made it clear that there wasn't anyone with her passing comment of 'his all yours', which made Casey think the late twenties woman might be more conscience of her plan than she let on. Finally she had come to the conclusion that she would have to present it as a favor. Something that Derek could hold over her head. Fine, as long as he would hold her hand as well.

The next part was the hardest. Calling up Derek, she claimed she needed help with something and asked if she could come over after work to discuss it, oh, and she needed to know where to go. She had known from his own comments that he would be off work no later than five. So she had told work there had been a family emergency and she had to leave early.

Casey had wanted to change, but if she tried to look good, Derek might get suspicious. So instead she had bought his favorite beer, driven over there close to four and ran the way she would do it through her head. She would get him drunk, and then kiss him with the intention of getting straight to the sex. If he resisted, then she would give the wanting a child and him being an ideal candidate excuse, 'reluctantly' adding she would owe him big for this.

That's when the doubt had hit with a vengeance. If it hadn't happened in twenty years, it wasn't going to. He just tolerate her because their parents were married, when school was over he had let her go without a word. She had nothing in common with the women he dated. They were step-siblings.

But then Derek had pulled up and got out, worry apparent on his face. He had quickly covered by asking if she had to use the little girl's room. When she countered by asking if he asked that of his dates, one of the doubts was smashed. His dates never challenged him, she did. The smirk that appeared on his face as they spoke told her that's something that made her special to him. That there was hope.

Grabbing one of his boxes, she had followed Derek upstairs, hoping to get a look at his apartment. Marti usually had the best Intel, but there was chance she had missed something and Casey wanted to make sure she didn't have something else stopping Derek from saying yes. Once she got up there, he shot that idea to hell by mention there was just one more trip. Dammit, she couldn't snoop. Why had he decided to do homework now when he had avoided it when they were younger?

When the last box was dropped, she had yanked out two beers, shoved one into his hand, and offered a mock toast to scholastic learning. When he said nothing, Casey realized that he was waiting for her to talk; more importantly he was trying to get her to relax. So she commented on his place and said they should talk more, finishing by asking about the family. Her research had forced her to miss four more family dinners and she wanted to know if there was someone in his life without asking that directly.

Frustratingly, for the first time since they have known each other, Derek had just talked about the family and kept himself out of it. Casey had to keep moving and drank two more beers to not scream at him. She also kept checking the door to see if the possible girlfriend was coming, because if she acted as if there wasn't one and she came in while Casey was kissing Derek, this was going to get a lot harder.

Then Derek had the nerve to ask how she was doing. She just ignored his question, but her heart started beating faster. He was showing genuine concern for her. So Casey asked him point blank if he was seeing anyone. When he said no and gave the reason of being too busy, she agreed saying she could relate and that was why she was here.

Finishing the beer in her hand, Casey decided it was now or never. Pinning Derek to that stupid recliner of his, she started kissing him. When he didn't stop her, she started working on to getting his shirt off.

That's when he reacted by shoving her off him and shouting, "What the hell, Casey?!" Casey took it the only way she could, he was rejecting her. Getting to her feet as fast as possible, she grabbed her purse and made a dash for the door, fighting back tears as she looked at Derek for what she thought was the finally time, there was no way they could ever be in the same room again without this hanging over their heads. She had said somethings along the way, but the beers were starting to make her head fuzzy and she wasn't sure what words were spoken.

Derek had moved to block her path, his years on the ice evident in his motion. But more to the point was the look in his eyes. He knew that if she left, he was never going to see her again. His eyes seemed to be screaming 'no, not again', as he demanded answers. If he hadn't just rejected her then why had he reacted with such force?

Seeing this glimmer of hope, Casey grabbed it with both hands. Placing her purse on the table with more force than she had meant to, she searched for the cue cards that held her cover story on them. She needed them more than ever as she didn't know what she would say without something to guide her drunken mind. Maybe something along the lines of: 'I love you; knock me up so you'll never leave me.' Instead she said, "I want a baby."

Derek gave a confused, "Excuse me?"

Almost losing what was left of her nerve, Casey started over, reading the first card again, "I want a baby. As a woman in her mid-thirties, my options are limited. Most men in my age group are either already married or have decided to become livelong bachelors. While sperm donors are a viable choice, I want the father involved with the raising of our child. Of the men in my life, you are the most suited to my needs. You are well educated, physically healthy, not looking for a commitment, great with kids, and know how to deal with my quirks."

Casey studied Derek as she read off her reasoning. He had flinched when she had mentioned the lack of desire for a serious relationship as if she had slapped him. Then he was quiet for a minute before saying, "You really are crazy, you know that?"

Casey was confused. It was like high school all over again, 'I don't do tears' 'Whoever made you cry is going to suffer'. Was he rejecting her or not, "So that's a no?"

Derek slowly nodded in the negative, showing her that he was be serious, "No, that's a you're being a keener. That's an okay let's do this."

Again, her heart beaten faster. Derek had used the word keener, a word he only used for her. She had to act before he changed his mind again. "Good, where is the bedroom?" She asked as she began to unbutton her blouse.

Which he quickly put a stop to. Dammit make up your mind. But even as Casey thought this, she felt there was more going on, which only grow as Derek spoke, "Not yet. First we are going to have dinner and talk about this. Leave your keys; you're not driving anywhere tonight."

But still it was getting annoying, "Der-ek! You're not the boss of me." she screamed in a way that gave her flashes of their high school years.

He just responded with, "No, but I am the more sober one. There's a diner a couple of blocks from here. The walk will clear our heads and we can discuss this arrangement over coffee."

"Fine, but when we get back we're having sex." Casey wasn't going to let sobriety prevent her plan from working.

"Maybe." Derek countered as they left his apartment.

It was at the diner, after she had finished her second cup, that it finally hit what was going on. Derek making sure this was something that she wanted. That's when the second part hit her, and it was even harder. This wasn't the Derek she was expecting when she had come up with this plan. Yes, he was the same fun loving, torment her until she said his name Venturi; but this was balanced with a more thoughtful man, using his prankster cunning to help those close to him. This Derek wasn't going to sleep with her unless they both were sure that was what they wanted. This Derek would have listened to her if she had just come over and told him that she was in love with him and had been for the most of the last twenty years; that she had never given up on them. He hadn't rejected her back at the apartment, he had been surprised by someone he cared about going from 'I admit nothing' moments of possibly something more to 'I need you now' sex.

And now that was the problem, as she hadn't been honest with him. Everything she had done in the last few hours had been based off deception. Derek would never leave the mother of his children so she had thought that the only way to be with him was to trick him into getting her pregnant. She couldn't tell him the truth now. So as they worked out which day of the week they should do this on, she tried to ignore the pit in her stomach of being with the man she loves by way of a lie.

That night, nothing happened. The four beers, the short walk, plus the meal and the realization of what she had done exhausted Casey so much that she fell asleep as they headed back to his place. When she awoke the next day, Derek had left a spare key, a meal from the diner, and a note for her:

Case,

Had to run a few errands, let yourself out if I'm not back in time.

Derek

P.S.

I'll be at your place around 6 on Friday.

What's that saying? You make your own hell. Yeah, Casey had thought this qualified. What made it even worse was how Derek treated her. The first three weeks he had opted out because there was something missing, but he still kissed her goodnight and had held her hand for most of dates, which was what he called it.

On the fourth night, it almost looked like it would be another encore of the previous four when Casey let slip that she had seen his prank and regularly went to his games. After a moment his eyes seemed to register what she hadn't said and asked if it was after this that she had decided to become a mother. She gave a sheepish yes and was expecting Derek to make a comment, but he didn't. Instead he had just leaned forward and kissed her gently before lifting her out of her chair and carrying her to her bedroom.

But this too was a cruel torment, while Casey kissed with force and passion, Derek took his time caressing and exploring the parts he could see without removing a layer of clothing. After five minutes of trying to get her to slow down, he had stopped her and explained that they were going to get there tonight but there wasn't any reason why he couldn't make it pleasant for both of them and take their time. She tried fighting with him, but eventually agreed he had a point.

Excusing herself, Casey went to get something out of the kitchen. She needed a moment and had an idea how to speed things up. Once out of ear shot of Derek, she started crying. Why did he have to be considerate? He was making it worse. Cleaning herself up, she grabbed what she came in there and returned with a deal. If they could finish before the ice cream melted, he could eat it off any part of her.

Derek had made a counter offer. They would do it quickly, but they had to do in a position of his choosing and they would spend the next three times in bed exploring the art of foreplay without penetration. Intrigued, Casey had agreed, only to hear the orientation and wonder if she could do it.

That quickly revealed not to be an issue as they found that gyrating of her hips and the tight grip Derek held onto her with as he talked her through the motions proved too much for either of them and they climaxed barely minutes in. Collapsing onto Derek, she held on to him like she was afraid he would disappear. The only tease coming from him was that he now had a new reason to refer to her as royalty. Later this would become their favorite way of making love.

After the second night of learning foreplay, Casey elbowed Derek awake, not caring that she could have just slapped his wrist as he had been holding her as they slept. The cuddling had been his idea, stating that he had never 'just rolled over and played dead' and wasn't going to anytime soon. Groaning, he whispered, "What Case?" directly into her ear.

Casey ignored the shiver that had just gone down her spine, "We need to do this more often."

"Sleep? I agree, I'll talk to you in the morning." Derek squeezed her twice before trying to find out where she been lying so he could slide back to where her elbowing had moved him from.

Elbowing him again, she corrected him, "No, this," gesturing to their intertwined bodies. "The foreplay is nice, but the idea is to conceive a child and we can't do it this way.

Shifting his body, Derek gave out a sigh and said, "Fine, I'll check with my girlfriend and see what days would work."

Casey's body stiffened at the mention of a girlfriend, so there was somebody. Or had Derek found someone when he wasn't coming over here. She hadn't seen evidence of a woman staying at his place, well except for her.

Derek let out a slight chuckle, "Given how she's reacting to the news of being my girlfriend, I might need a place to hide out until she calms down."

Her body relaxed, but her mind sped up. She needed to test how far this went, "I can't be your girlfriend D, I'm your sister."

Sighing at the loss of sleep, Derek turned Casey's face to his, "STA-EE-PAH sister. I have done things with you that would get me arrested for doing with Marti. This was your idea; you're stuck with me for the next three plus years."

"And after that?"

"I'll be nearby if you need a babysitter or tutor."

"Der-ek!"

"I think we've established that I will do anything for our friendship. Now when would be a good day to add? I'm thinking Thursday as I'm already halfway packed for coming over by then and the school isn't that far from here."

"Okay, that should work."

"Good, now can we go back to sleep?"

"Yes." Casey was grinning. He had called her his girlfriend and had implied that he might never leave.

Neither of them thought to mention that for the last two weekends, Derek had stayed over and slept on the couch, citing the nearness to his gym and the charities he volunteered for. Or that he was halfway packed because he never got unpacked, having to come over for whatever reason during the week and would crash there because of the lateness of the hour.

By the six month mark, Derek's apartment had become a gloried storage unit. So when Casey had walked in and said, "Get your junk, you're moving."

Derek had countered with, "Finally gotten over the Venturi charm? Where I am going?"

Slapping the doctor's report against his chest, Casey growled, "I don't know, but you can't use the guest room anymore. I have nine months to get it ready for my roommate."

Derek gave the paper a cursory look. Most of it hadn't make sense to him, but he got the jest, healthy and about a month along. Then he had done nothing but looked at her for a minute before grabbing her in his arms and spun them both around, almost shouting, "You're going to be a mom. You're finally getting everything you wanted."

Casey grabbed his arm as he pulled away, "That depends, you're going to be a dad, would you mind becoming a husband too?" She didn't have a ring, being not sure of what he would say or what he would like. But she had to ask as the joy coming off him was infectious.

Derek just stared at her, seeming to try and tell if she was joking. Finally he just asked, "I thought you picked me because I didn't do serious relationships?"

Casey tightened her grip as she dropped the truth, "I more choose motherhood because that was how I knew I could get you."

A parade of emotions flashed past Derek's face as he proceed her confession, finally settling on hurt and anger, "Why?"

"I couldn't go another twenty years not knowing if you cared about me."

"The words, McDonald. Say the reason why you did this to us," gesturing between the pair of them before pointing to her stomach and the life growing inside, the anger finding a way to vent, "and them."

Casey stumbled. In the last six months, the words like friendship, caring, essential, passionate, giving, intelligent, and desirable had been used when discussing what was going on between them. Even words like family, girlfriend, boyfriend, and forever had made appearances now and then. But one word, one phrase had never been spoken: I love you.

Casey knew why Derek had never said it. He had thought he was helping the most important person in the world to him to be happy. That if he had said the words, he might lose her because she didn't feel the same for him. Casey had no such defense; she had known from the first night that if she said it he would have been her's forever. But like in college, the not knowing if it would last had gagged her with fear.

Her silence was enough for him, yanking his arm free, Derek spat the words at her, making sure she heard the tense in the most important one, "I loved you." Grabbing his coat, he stormed out of the apartment.

Casey just slumped onto the couch. She had tried to get a guarantee, a real life happily ever after, by lying to the love of her life. By using one of his best qualities against him; an affection for those closest to him that had shined through even when he had had the selfishness the size of Thompson High and the ego to match. The tears came readily, the sleep didn't.

Later that night Casey awoke to the sensation of being moved. Looking up, she saw the distant expression on Derek's face. Reaching up to touch him, she had to know if it had been a nightmare. If the worst thing she had ever done was still a secret. Derek catching her wrist before her hand could touch him told her that it hadn't been.

Derek laid her carefully onto the bed. Gently placing a hand on her stomach, he glared at her, "I'm here for them, McDonald. I will never tell them about your trickery and prefer you don't either. Every checkup, every teacher meeting, every day that I can, I will be in this kid's life. As far I'm concerned with you, you're a walking incubator. Then a babysitter and a tutor." Casey lowered a hand down to his, causing him to yell, "Don't touch me unless it's necessary and since you got what you wanted from me, I doubt it will be necessary ever again."

Walking over to the wall, Derek leaned against it, never lifting the glare off Casey, "You know what the truly sad thing here is, McDonald? I thought we paid our dues, when you kissed me that night. Twenty years of denial worth it, seventeen years of watching a child with your eyes and my smirk growing up and calling other people Mom and Dad worth it, thirteen years of wondering what moment had I missed where I was supposed to say I love you worth it, eleven years of Lizzie hating me for some damn reason worth it, ten years of being jealous of Edwin for marrying his college sweetheart worth it, but I was wrong. Somewhere between being the woman I loved leaving for med-school and being the woman who I can barely look at now, you had decided you had to change for me. That was the one thing I had had over all the others, you had never compromised who you were when you were with me. Unless it has to do with the baby or the maintenance of this dwelling, don't talk to me." With that Derek turned and started to walk out the door.

What hurt Casey the most wasn't what he had said, but the look in his eyes as he spoke, the hurt and anger was still there and had been joined by disappointment. Disappointment that she had thought she couldn't be herself when she was with him. Calling out, she begged, "Der-ek! Don't do this. How I can I make it up to you?"

Derek spun and jabbed a finger at her, "Only Case gets to call me that, McDonald. I don't know where she is, but she's not here."

"Fuck you, Venturi."

"Yeah, Fuck Me, just not anymore since you got me in your life and you know I'm not going anywhere."

"Only you're not going to be in my life, Venturi. Remember, I'm just the walking incubator." It was clear that having his own words tossed in his face stung him. Well they had stung her too and she had some words of her own to throw around. "You gave up on us when I left for med-school, I never have, or did you not notice that I made it to every family get together. Spent every spare moment with you that I could. I only moved to Toronto when I couldn't stand seeing you and not telling you how I felt anymore. So your thirteen years is nothing to the hell I'm still living through. Now get out, I need my sleep to bake this bun of yours." What she didn't say was that while the last had been some of her happiest, there wasn't a day that passed where she would cry and try to figure a way out of the lie; to find some way to tell Derek the truth and not lose him.

As Derek walked out the door, Casey saw another emotion join the expression on his face, self-loathing. That one she could really relate to, as it had been a feeling she was well used to experiencing in the last decade or less and it had only intensified in the last six months.

The next few days, Casey watched Derek struggle with himself. He was mad at being deceived, he was angry that a child had been used to try and secure his love, but he was also mad that his own inaction had helped caused this to happen. There was a few times where Casey believed Derek would forgive her and apology for their stupidity, but it never came.

But something finally did happen and it came after talking with Marti. She knew it had to be Marti as he said he was going to see his sister and still believed Lizzie hated him. Casey knew that Lizzie had shared that feeling for her as well for the last decade, but something had changed in the last year and Casey suspected that her younger sister had now more of a feeling of pity and sadness for the pair than whatever hate she had held.

Whatever the youngest Venturi had said, the effect had been clear. The anger, hurt, and self-loathing was gone from his eyes, replaced with a look of annoyance and hints of joy. Grabbing something from the kitchen to munch on, he spoke in a much brighter mood, "Elopements, why do people do it?"

"Thanking of running off with one of your students?" Casey teased. She was glad that he was speaking to her instead of just pantomiming what he wanted when they had to interact.

"Just wondering what kind of person would buck the expected wedding and go for quick nuptials with some guy who thinks he's Elvis." Was he proposing?

"Well some people just know and can't wait to be with one they love." Casey almost added, 'you know, people smarter than us', but decided to see where his train of thought was going.

"Yeah, but there's still expenses, like the wedding bands and the engagement ring. Which makes no sense as why would you get something that says 'we're getting married', if you're tying the knot the same day and getting something that says 'we're married'?

"Some women like the gesture, Derek. Even if you give the ring to them the same day, it shows how long you have been thinking about marrying them."

"Okay, McDonald, I'll have to take your word for it." Casey nearly dropped the book she had been reading when he said her name. It wasn't her first name, but he said it more relaxed than he had been. It was more of a 'you're not getting the best of me' tone instead of the stand in for the word he wanted to use.

She quickly recovered and said, "The real question is how do they tell families what they did or planning to do?"

Biting into an apple, Derek spoke around it, "That's easy. Either tell the ones who would be happy and let them break it quickly to the rest of the family, or tell the one who would love to have some dirt and make them the bad guy when the try to put it in a bad light. That's the way to do it with all news that might cause a fuss."

"Chew your food, Venturi. I'm not going to save you if you choke on something."

"Even if I have something to live for?" Seeing the confused look on her face, he added, "I might." Shifting into a more serious tone, he said, "I'm going to be out late on Friday, there are a few things I need to take care of."

"Seeing that shrink at last?"

"No. And if I promise to tell you what it was when I get back, will you not bug me about it?" As long as he was still talking to her, yes.

So Friday night, Casey waited up for him. She sat in the living room, not sure what was going to happen. As soon as he entered she stood up and asked, "Where were you?" needing to know if they were going back to fighting or if they had braved the storm.

Derek just smirked at her and hung his coat up. After a moment to build suspense, he answered, "Catching up with Dad and Edwin. They know about the baby. You might want to call your mom and sister before they beat you to it."

"Which sister?" Casey eyed him cautiously, not knowing if he wanted her to reduce the blow out or spread their joy.

Walking over to her, Derek wrapped his arms around her, "Marti already gave her blessing a couple of days ago. I meant the one sleeping with Edwin. " Casey didn't move as this was the first time he had touched her since their fight.

The news of Edwin and Lizzie took her by surprise and she cussed out, "Fuck me."

"Been there. Did that. Going again next time I can." Derek sang as he placed one hand over Casey's stomach.

"Wait, what?" Again Derek's words and actions took her by surprise. He was holding her like he might a woman he cared for and was talking about being with her again despite the fact that was no longer necessary, his words still ringing in her ears from the fight almost a week ago.

Derek shifted his hold on he and raised a little black box into her sight, "See McDonald, I have a problem and need a favor. I got this annoying keener of woman who I'm in love with and need someone to convince her to say yes. Can you do it?"

Taking and opening the box, Casey saw the platinum ring set in the middle. On one side was the receipt proving it was from about halfway through their college career that it had been bought. On the other was the IOU that Casey had written the night they had spent in the diner going over how this would work. Her mind blown, she thought the sneaky bastard had been planning this all along. This also explained the reason why he had been so mad and had struggled with himself over the last week. She hadn't been the only one being deceptive.

Slipping the ring on and turning to face her child's father, Casey kissed him. After a minute, she pulled away, "I'll see what I can do. It would be easier if there were plans for a wedding in the near future." Remembering the conversation they had had a few days ago. Clearly he had been toying with the idea for some time.

Derek just chuckled, "Not the near future, but Edwin agreed to a double wedding once his divorce goes through. So we'll already have a ring bear or flower girl by then."

Casey just looked at him stunned. Apparently things had changed in the last few days, and even more had been going on under their noses for some time. She reluctantly pulled away from him, grabbed her phone, and group dialed her sister and mother as she needed to hear this from other people. Holding the phone to her ear, Casey mouthed the words, "I love you, you jerk," as Lizzie and Nora answered on the other end. It had taken a lifetime, but they were on the same page.

Casey looked at the letter she was trying to write and just scrapped it. Derek's version was more romantic and was less painful to remember. It might be a lie, but it was a lie worth telling.