They never make it clear whether Bernard Blue's show is a Broadway show, or a dance recital of sorts. I'm assuming it's just dance, because why cast a lead based on dancing talent alone when he hasn't heard her sing or act? (Just one of the things that doesn't make sense about that ending!) But anyway, for the purposes of simplification, it's a Broadway show.

Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Derek

Earlier that evening…

After a few more songs, Casey and Derek finally stopped dancing to catch their breath. "Want to take a walk?" Casey asked him.

She planned to tell him about her job offer. Only her mother, George, and Gran knew so far, and she wanted Derek to be the next to know, since it affected him, too.

They headed outside, but before she could say anything, Derek grabbed her arm and pointed towards the dock. "Look!" Casey followed his gaze and saw Lizzie and Oscar kissing, their legs dangling over the water.

"Aw!" she gushed a little too loudly, and Derek clamped a hand over her mouth.

"Let's not interrupt them. Lizzie worked hard. She deserves this." Derek removed his hand when Casey nodded her agreement.

They walked around behind the lodge and sat side-by-side on a wooden bench. Strains of music wafted outside, and Casey smiled, remembering some of Derek's more creative dance moves. "I have something to tell you," she said, looking at him seriously.

Derek's eyes widened and he turned towards her. "What?" Strangely, his voice came out as more of croak. She wondered what he could possibly be nervous about…what did he think she was going to say?

"Looks like you'll be getting rid of your keener stepsis after all. We won't have to go to university together!" She clasped her hands together and beamed at him, expecting a dumb retort about her intelligence. But none came. Instead, he refused to meet her eyes and ignored her perfect banter-ready opening line.

"What are you talking about?" he squeaked.

"Jeez, Der, don't fall to pieces. I thought you'd be happy!" His expression darkened, and she realized he was in no mood for a playful argument tonight.

"If you're not going to Queen's, where are you going? Eloping with Jesse?" He spat out the name, sneering.

"Der-ek!" Casey huffed. "I got offered a part in a Broadway show. Mrs. Blue's son is a famous choreographer, remember? He offered me a job – dancing!" The excitement of the opportunity bubbled up inside her and she couldn't help smiling again. She looked for any sign that he was happy for her, but what he did next rendered her speechless.

"Don't go." Derek's eyes bugged as he said it, obviously wishing he could take the words back. He hadn't meant to say them, that much was clear. But he was awfully uncomfortable for someone who professed not to care what Casey did.

"Why?" she hissed. "Because you want to keep making my life miserable? Well guess what. I'm done with you. This is the opportunity of a lifetime and I'd be crazy not to take it! You can go live your frat boy university life in Kingston, and never have to see me again." She wasn't sure why she was getting so angry.

"Don't go." This time, the words were firm, tinged with sadness, and came with an achingly honest Derek staring into her eyes, willing her to listen. "Don't go." They were the words she couldn't get out of her head.

"Why?" she asked again, this time quietly, almost in a whisper. Her eyes locked on his and the intensity was making her mind fuzzy.

He leaned in close and said solemnly, "You can't leave me alone, Case. I'll drown without you there, telling me to do my homework and keeping me on track. I need you, Casey. I need you. Don't go."

Casey backed away, holding up a hand. He had made her all flustered. She composed herself as he continued to watch her intently. "I'll text you every night and tell you to do your homework. You put in the work to get into Queen's, Derek. You'll be fine."

Derek had a panicked look in his eyes, but it faded as he grabbed her forearm. "You deserve Queen's. That's a once in a lifetime opportunity."

She let him keep his hand on her arm, but leaned away from him. She had never seen him like this, and it was scaring her. "I'll defer for a year."

Derek slid his hand down until he was clasping her wrist. "It wouldn't be a year. You'd get another job offer, and you'd keep putting it off until it's too late to go back."

She stared at his hand, gripping her arm so tightly that she knew he was dead serious. He meant what he said. He didn't want her to go. "Maybe not. It's not like I'm this amazing dancer. This one job may be it, and no one else will want m—"

"Everyone wants you. You're a fantastic dancer. You'd have agents breaking down your door after the first show."

Casey was angry again. "Oh, so that's it. You think I'm going to succeed, so you want to ruin my chances! Thanks a lot for the support, Der!" She ripped his hand away and stood up to leave.

He caught her around the waist and she shrieked, banging on his arm to let her go. He gripped on tighter and pulled her against him, chest to chest. Casey's breath caught in her throat as she watched him dip his head to lean on her shoulder. He whispered, "Don't go. I need you, Casey. That's the best way I can describe it. I need you." He buried his face in her hair and she realized he was actually hugging her. But this was far from a feel-good family moment. This was a Derek she had never seen before, an urgent, scared, whimpering Derek. She wasn't sure she liked it.

So she surprised herself when her arms locked around his neck and she pressed her face into his shoulder, breathing him in. "I'm going to miss you, too, Derek." His despair suddenly made sense. They were moving in a little over a week. Derek had been counting on having a piece of home with him at Queen's. But if she left, he'd be truly alone in Kingston. She squeezed her eyes shut, hoping to stop the tears. He was home to her, too. Crazy and antagonistic as their relationship was, she did care about him. She would miss him.

Derek's hand moved to the small of her back, pulling her closer. She lifted her head and moved her arms up to stroke the back of his head. He made a noise she couldn't identify and pushed back out of her hair to look into her eyes. "It's a bad idea, Casey. You won't be happy dancing professionally. You love it, but learning is your passion. Dancing is your outlet, your escape. I mean it, Case. Do drama club at Queen's, see if you still like it four years from now. You're good enough that you'd get offers pouring in at graduation."

She fought the urge to get angry again…because as much as it frustrated her that he presumed to know what she wanted, he was right. He always got inside her head in ways she didn't expect.

"You really do know me better than anyone, don't you." She smiled, and he grinned back. "I'm so happy to have a brother like you." She said it hoping he would play along, and he took the bait.

"Step brother."

She arched her eyebrows, though she was still smiling. "Same difference."

They had said it many times that summer, and Casey knew that they both knew it wasn't the 'same difference' at all. She couldn't imagine being Derek's actual sister. Like it had so many times before when they exchanged those words, her heart sped up, and she didn't want to think about why. But she knew this time. When he said, "I need you," he didn't mean for help with homework. He meant they were Derek and Casey, somehow unable to escape each other, try as they might. But they had been trying to less and less over the past few years.

Suddenly Derek's nose was touching hers, and his eyes darted back and forth, trying to look in both of her eyes at once. "Derek…" she managed to get out. Her heart felt like it was exploding in her chest.

"Case…" he breathed, and ever so lightly brought his lips to hers. By the time Casey's brain caught up with her body they were already kissing, and she let go for a moment.

But just a moment. "Der-ek!" She pushed him off of her, effectively ruining any good feelings she had had in the last few minutes. She cringed at his dazed expression, knowing she'd hurt him but not really knowing how. She didn't like him, he was Derek, for crying out loud. But she had definitely wanted to kiss him. At least, she had ten seconds ago. But now, it seemed just as gross and unnerving as it would have to a stranger. They were stepsiblings.

Oh. It finally clicked. That's why they emphasized the 'step.' Not the same difference at all. He had wanted to kiss her as much as she had wanted to kiss him!

But Derek would kiss anything with a pulse. That had nothing to do with Casey specifically. She was just another one of his "hot brunette" girls. She decided that she needed to end this, once and for all. They had kissed, it was over with, and yet they would never be siblings. It was time to move on. "That never happened," she told him firmly. "I'm taking the job. Good luck with everything." She extended a hand to Derek, hating herself for being so cold to him. But it was necessary so that he would get the message. He stared at her for a few seconds, trying to figure out how to respond. She nodded, urging him to shake her hand. When he did, he used the split second of distraction to bring her against him again, crashing their bodies together and going in for another kiss.

When they came up for air, Casey couldn't think, couldn't feel, couldn't look at him. She couldn't do anything but run. So she did, back to her cabin. She threw herself on the bed and caught her breath, trying to process the thoughts swirling through her mind. Her world was spinning again, and this time she didn't like the feeling.