AN: Heres our beginning...

Disclaimer: I don't own LWD...


Friday afternoon: March 13, 2009

"Casey! Derek! Theres two letters here with your names on it!!" Nora yells excitedly.

Casey and Derek both come down hurriedly.

"Where?! Where?! Is it THE letter, Mom?!" Casey screeches. Nora nods her head up and down rapidly.

"Casey, chill. You got in." Derek says slightly less enthused.

"Derek come on! Why aren't you as excited as I am?!" Casey asks while ripping hers open. "Our futures ride in these letters! Lighten up!"

"Yeah. Yeah." he says pointedly while opening his. He doesn't know what the end result will be. Other than that he could care less. For the past year or so, he and Casey have actually grown to become fond of each other. Best friends in other words. Something they weren't when they first met each other 3 years ago. Because they spent so much time together, he has grown to love Casey more than a friend or step-sibling for that matter, far from it. He never really wanted to tell her either. Morally it'd be wrong since they are step-siblings but he couldn't stop feeling love or something like it. So for the past few months he had been trying get rid of the feelings by dating tons of girls but they weren't Casey. The more he waited, the more the feelings grew. Now in front of them would be their college acceptance letters. They didn't apply to the same schools due to the fact that they still hated each other when they applied. Derek regretted that decision more and more as they started to get along, which is why hes not really excited. She'll leave and he'll leave. They'd be apart. He'd be heartbroken.

"I GOT IN!!!!! OH MY GOSH! MOM!" Casey gave her mom and big hug. And, of course being a mom, Nora stared to cry.

"My baby got accepted to the University of Ottawa!" Nora said through sniffles.

Casey gave Derek a big hug too. "See Casey. I told you you'd get in" he said with a sincere smile.

Casey looked at him with a smile on her face too, "Soo..."

Derek looked at her. "What?"

"Did you get in?!" Casey words dripping with anticipation.

"Oh right." he opens up his letter a tad bit slower as he isn't so excited to be leaving Casey. He opens it up and reads it. Just as he suspected, "I'm in with a hockey scholarship." he says with a fake smile.

"I knew it! I knew it!!" Casey jumped to give Derek another hug. Nora began bawling even more.

"You two going off to college. My little grown-ups." She says giving them a big hug at the same time. "We are going out tonight to celebrate!"

-------------------------------------

They came back from dinner that night. Derek had to paste a fake smile all night when they celebrated. Yeah he was actually happy he was getting into college. He was going to have a future. But he just didn't like the fact he'd be leaving her. Casey. Casey the only person that drove him crazy but loved her at the same time. Where else would he find someone else like that. No where. She was one of a kind. No one ever gave him witty banter like she did. No one else challenged him like she did. This was hurting him real bad. But he did his best to cover up tonight. He did a great job at that. He is the Lord of the Lies, isn't he? He could plaster up a fake smirk on the spot.

It was 2am and he tried to sleep. Everyone else was. Why couldn't he? He knew why. Stupid college is why. He, for the first time, just couldn't stop thinking. He kept tossing and turning punching his pillow to make it more comfortable. Nothing worked. He even screamed into his pillow. Enough for him to get his frustrations out but muffled enough for him to not wake anyone up. Or so he thought.

He groaned and sat on the edge of his bed. Shirtless and a pair of flannel pajamas. He put his elbows on his knees an buried his face in his hands. He heard a knock on the door.

"Yeah?" Casey opened the door and peeked her head through.

"You okay?" she asked him concerned.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Why are you still up?" he answers quickly

She laughs a little. "Because you're still up. The walls are pretty thin, my friend" she opens the door the whole way and brings her whole self inside and shuts the door behind her. "Whats bothering you?"

"Nothing." he snaps.

"Jeez. I was just checking up on you. No need to get touchy. And I know when something is wrong. I've grown to know more about you and when you're bullshitting. So I'm not gonna leave till you tell me whats up." she snaps right back crossing her arms.

He looks at her. She was always so cute when she was worked up. He could see her features from the moonlight casting in his window. He laughed a little.

"Why are you laughing. I'm serious, Derek. I wanted to know why you're so moody." she tells him again. He pats the mattress space right next to him. She walks over and sits. She leans her head on his shoulder. Both of them staring at the wall.

"I find it funny how I can get you worked up even at 2 in the morning." She playfully smacks his leg. "Ow."

"Big baby." she mumbles. "So you gonna tell me whats the matter or am gonna have to repeat myself 80 times before the sunrises?"

"Okay. Okay. Calm down, Crazy." he takes a deep breath. She sits up and looks at him. He looks at her. "I don't know. I guess its this whole college thing." she nods for him to continue. "Since day one, I couldn't wait to get out of here. College was my ticket to freedom. And I know I'm gonna be playing hockey and that'll make everything worth while but--" he trails off and stares at the ground.

"But.." she says wanting him to continue. She took her hand lifted up his chin to make her look at him and he felt a shiver go down his spine.

"But I guess I'm just gonna miss everybody."

She smiles at him being so vulnerable. "Aww, Venturi. You going soft on me now? I thought I'd never see the day."

He plays right along and smirks up at her, "Me soft? You must be delusional. I'm gonna miss torturing everyone is what I meant."

Shes not convinced. "Didn't I tell you I can call your bullshit, Derek?"

He smirks again, "Yeah. Yeah, McDonald. Keep telling yourself that." he takes another deep breath and the smirk dissolves as he looks at her again.

She actually blushed but thanked the heavens it was dark. She didn't want Derek to see. She wasn't going to lie and say she wasn't going to miss him. Cause she was. She was going to miss him most out of everyone in the family. If that isn't hard to believe. Shes grown very, very fond of Derek. He became her best friend. Though the arguments were still there, at the end of the day they'd joke with one another and make it all better. She was really going to miss those moments. She was going to miss Derek Venturi. The person she grew to fall in love with over the past few months of the year they'd actually started to get along. She would never let him know though. Because it was a silly love. Silly love that wasn't so silly to her.

"I'm really going to miss you Casey." he tries to hide his seriousness with a chuckle.

"A few years ago, I'd never thought I'd miss you as much I will now." she says with sincerity. They get closer to one another. They hugged each other. A hug that was tight but not suffocating. It was just right.

Her arms were wrapped around his neck with her head leaning on his shoulder. He wrapped her arms around her waist, with his one hand ruffling her hair. He always loved that vanilla smell she had going on. It was like they were holding on to each other never wanting to let go. They slowly started to pull away looking at each others face. Her arms still around his neck. His hands made his way to cup her cheeks. Their gaze never breaking. Both hearts beating faster and faster. A feeling only they shared with each other while the other didn't know anything about it. Derek started to bring his face forward. He was nervous. Casey's heart was beating even faster if thats even possible. She knew he was coming forward for a kiss. Inside she was screaming but she didn't move. She wanted this. His face was an inch away from hers. She could feel him breathing erratically on her. He stopped just short in front of her lips to see if she would accept. She did as she pulled forward where both their lips met.

Both feeling a shiver and a tingle that they've been waiting for for the past few months. It felt right for both. Derek pulled away and rested his forehead against hers.

He looked her dead straight in the eyes, "This is why I couldn't sleep" he put a genuine smile on.

She smiled. "You're not BS-ing?" she questions with a slight chuckle.

He laughs and kisses her forehead. "Nope". He pulls her in for another hug where he rests his chin on her head. Her head on his chest. "Casey?"

"Hmm?"

"I think I can sleep a lot better now." he lets out a small laugh.

She lets one out too. "You're right." She moves out of his arms and gets up to leave but he grabs her elbow to turn her around. She looks at him, "Yeah?"

"I think I can sleep a lot better.. if you're here with me." She blushes at his words. She gave in and nodded. They slept in his bed. Her back against his chest, his head buried in her hair, his arms around her waist, and her hands on top of his. It was the best sleep they've both had.

-------------------------------------------

Casey woke up from a peaceful sleep. She looks around and recalled what happened a few hours ago. She smiled. She looked over to see what time it was. It was 6am. 4 hours of sleep felt like forever in Derek's arms. She sighed and realized she should probably head back to her own room seeing that someone could catch them. 'A few more minutes' she tells herself. It should be a crime to feel this good in someones arms. She snuggled closer to him and put her head on his chest. She relaxed. It wasn't until a few minutes later that she felt him move.

"Morning" he grumbled.

"Morning" she replied as he kissed her head. "You're awake pretty early. Very unlike you." she jokes

He lets out a little laugh, "Everything about this is unlike me"

She felt a bit confused whether this was a good or bad thing. She didn't say anything as she was trying to process his words.. until he answered for her. "Casey. It's a good thing". He laughed again. She found it funny how he could read her mind like that. Something she loved about him.

She lifted her head to look at his face, "Okay. Good." she smiled. She rested her head back on his chest. "Derek?"

He puts his arm behind his head and stares at the ceiling. "Yeah?"

"Wh-what happens now?" she says reluctantly while fidgeting with her fingernails.

"Casey doesn't know the answer to something. Shocking" he says sarcastically while smiling. She glares at him. "I was just kidding." she instantly relaxes. "I don't know, Case. What do you want to happen?"

"Hey that not fair! You can't make me make all the decisions." he was about to make a comment she knew all too well was going to be sarcastic. "Don't you say a word."

He grinned at her. "Casey--"

"Yes. Thats me." she interrupts

He smirks. "Cute."

"Guilty." she interrupts again

"Casey!" he yelled

"Shhh!" once more.

He groans and she laughs at him. "What are you laughing at?"

"You. You're so cute when you're frustrated." she giggles.

He pretends to be offended, "Cute? Casey are you serious. Try irresistible, manly, sexy, rugged--"

"..egotistical?"

"Good one, McDonald." he smiles.

She raises an eyebrow, "Givin' up too easy, Derek." she smiles. She takes another deep breath. "I guess I should head to my room. Don't wanna get caught here." She reluctantly gets up but he grabs her elbow again. She laughs, "Derek if you keep doing that I'll never leave. "

"Good."

"Derek.." she says sternly. He pulls her toward him and gives her another kiss. After they pull away it feels like she can't breathe. "Wow." she says sounding winded.

"You should go." he smiles.

"Yeah." with thats she headed to her room and sunk into her bed with that goofy smile. She didn't know what would happen from here but she liked it.


Reviewwww...