It had been a full 24 hours before Casey actually fully recovered; lucky for her too: another day and Nora and George would've made her go to the Hospital. Surprisingly, Derek stayed with her that whole 24 hours. He stayed by her side and held her while she slept, while she spoke, and while she got sick. By Sunday morning, she was back to normal, and even whistling cheerfully as she set the MacDonaldVenturi breakfast table.
"You're cheerful," said Nora, who was scrambling some eggs on the stovetop, "I would've thought having that bug would've made you grumpy."
Casey smiled as she laid the forks down next to their proper plates, "Everything happens for a reason, Mom." she said.
Nora scoffed, "I bet it wasn't easy with Derek in the room the whole time," she laughed easily.
Casey stopped setting the table, "What do you mean?"
Nora continued to smile and work on the eggs, "Oh, you know how he picks on you, Casey. He told us he camped out with you all night to get some extra cracks in on you." she laughed and shook her head, "Those Venturi boys."
Casey smiled inwardly, Derek was lying to Nora to spend extra time with her? The thought was flattering, because Derek hadn't picked on her at all while she was sick. He held her while she slept, and while she got sick, and even cancelled Hockey Practice to stay and sit with her. It was the best sick day she'd ever had. And, she had another Cloud 9 dream. She dreamed Derek was holding her, and that Cloud 9 feeling was bubbling in her stomach, and he kissed her again. These dreams were strangely stimulating to Casey, they made her happy and giggly. Perhaps the beer hadn't worn off all the way afterall.
Nora inturrupted Casey's thoughts as she brought the eggs to the table and called down all the children. Casey took her usual spot at the table and watched as her family filed into the room.
Breakfast went smoothly. Edwin and Derek scarfed down everything in sight, Lizzie complained because Marti poured syrup in Lizzie's soccer uniform, and George and Nora had a creative discussion about the decorations in their bedroom. It was only Casey that was quiet today, picking happily at her eggs in silence as she basked in her wonderful thoughts. Surprisingly, accepting her feelings for Derek was a lot easier than she would've imagined.
LATER
After breakfast, Casey finished an Algebra worksheet she forgot to do while she was sick, and then headed over to Derek's room. His door was open so she leaned in and tapped on the doorframe, "Knock, Knock." she said softly.
Derek was at his computer at the back of the room, he looked up when he heard Casey's voice. "Oh, hey." he said, minimizing the windows on the screen and turning to face her. "Need something?"
Casey cracked a smile and walked into the room, still mildly shocked she could say this with ease, "You wanna go catch a movie or something?" she said easily.
Derek didn't respond immediately although his heart was jumping out of his chest. Being alone with Casey in the dark would be hard. She hardly had concsious memories of any of the times they'd kissed, and Derek had two. He knew that if they were alone, he would be too tempted, it would be too hard.
"Why haven't you asked Max?" he said, trying not sound too interested.
Casey released the air from her lungs and flopped down on Derek's bed, kicking the door closed behind her and looking at him. "I dunno," she said, "I figure I kinda owe it to you. You camped out in my room for twenty four hours and watched me vomit my brains out." she scoffed, "And you didn't even pick on me once."
Derek smiled from one of the corners of his mouth, "Okay," he said, he got up and grabbed his keys off his desk, "But lets take Marti too, she's been dying to see that stupid My Little Pony flick."
Casey laughed and agreed, then the two of them set out to go find Marti.
LATER
Being seated next to Derek in the warm, comfort of the movie theater actually wasn't as bad as Casey thought. Although Derek was close to her - his right elbow kept brushing her left one, and her hair was leaned over his chair for most of the flick - Marti was on Casey's other side, and it was easy enough to concentrate on her most of the time. About halfway through the movie, Marti spotted a classmate of hers and - after getting Casey's permission - ran to sit and join them. This left Casey and Derek alone, in the middle of a My Little Pony flick neither of them cared to watch.
"Well," said Derek stretching his arms and locking his fingers behind his head, "This has been... Eventful. I've seen episodes of Tellitubbies with more productivity than this."
Casey laughed, "The storyline was designed for six year olds, Derek." He shrugged, but she nudged him lightly in the rib-cage and said jokingly, "This is perfect for your reading comprehension level, I'm sure."
Derek paused and looked over at Casey. She never poked fun at him, this wasn't like, insulting him either. Sh was actually joking at him.. She never joked at him. Where had this Casey come from? Surely it wasn't his nagging step-sister, it couldn't have been. The regular Casey didn't do jokes.
The thought of the girl in front of him being someone other than the daughter of his father's wife made it easier for Derek to concentrate. It couldn't have been wrong to have kissed her twice already, no, it couldn't have been. Because this wasn't Casey MacDonald.. This was, a whole 'nother person.
He watched the way her lips moved when she laughed and he had to grip the left side of his chair to stop himself from kissing her again. They'd already kissed twice, but the first time, she was more than drunk, and the second, she was sleeping.. He wanted to give her one she'd remember, but what would she do now that she was completely conscious and in her right mind? Would she even let him? Would she push him away?
Derek had heard her ask him to kiss her in her sleep, but now that she was fully awake.. Was that even what she wanted?
He didn't want to think about it anymore. He couldn't. She stopped laughing and looked at him puzzled, "Derek? Are you o-"
He didn't let her finish, he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers softly. He could almost feel the surprise running through her veins, but in the next second, she was kissing him back. In the lone darkness of the Movie theater, they were kissing. And Casey knew immediately this wasn't the kind of kissing she gave Edwin after he ran his bike into a pole. No, this was real kissing. Kissing she should only be doing with Max, who - afterall - was her boyfriend still.
Derek had started the kiss, but only seconds after it started, Casey took the lead. Again, he was slightly awed at how much Casey even knew about kissing, but still, he didn't complain. She parted his lips gently and before Derek could even want to refuse her, her tounge was in his mouth. The kiss was eager and wanting from both sides, Derek shut his mind off - able to only concentrate on how good her mouth felt on his - and before he knew it, he was shoving up the armrest between them and Casey climbed into his lap. She straddled him and her hands found their way to his head and she knotted her fingers in his hair.
She was nearly squirming with excitement and Derek had to keep his hands on her waist to keep her still. Their mouths were moving and their body's screaming. By looking, no one would know that they were step-siblings, and in the comforting darkness of the Theater and the strangers around them, their wants were freed.
It was only when Marti popped her head back over the seat that Derek and Casey brought themselves back to reality.
"Smerek," she said, her childish tone making both Casey and Derek nearly jump out of their skin.
They separated and Casey slid back into her own chair, her faced flushed.
"Yeah, Smarti?" said Derek slowly, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, "What is it?"
"Smerek, when are we going home? I want to bake a cake!" she shrieked, clapping. She seemed completely oblivious that two members of her family were just locking lips in front of her.
"Uh, in a little bit, Smarti. Go watch the movie with your friend." said Derek, trying to act calm.
"Okay, Smerek," the smaller girl replied, "Oh, but, what were you and Casey just doing?"
Both Casey and Derek stared at their feet, trying to think of any kind of answer that would sound reasonable, when they didn't answer immediately, Marti continued, "Were you guys just kissing?"
Derek's head shot up, "Smarti, remember how some things are secrets? Remember how there are some things we can't tell Daddy and Nora?" Marti nodded, "Or Edwin and Lizzie?" Marti nodded again, "This is one of those things."
Marti grinned, pleased to be let in on a secret, "Are you going to marry Casey, Derek? Like Daddy married Nora?"
Both Casey and Derek cleared their throats. "Marti, honey." Casey said, staring the girl in the face, "How about you go and watch your movie with your friend, okay? We can talk about this... later."
Marti clapped and ran back towards her friend. Casey and Derek both sighed uneasily. They were quiet for a long moment before Derek finally said,
"Where the hell did you learn to kiss like that?" Derek said, off-topic.
Casey turned to him, "Does that matter right now?" she said in awe he would even ask, "Do you think Marti will keep the secret?"
Derek nodded, "I don't doubt, Casey. Marti's small, but not stupid. And although she probably didn't understand what she just saw, she isn't going to blab it everywhere if I ask her not to."
Casey sighed, leaning back into her chair, "Okay, if you're sure.."
"I am," said Derek, "But really, where did you learn to kiss like that?" Derek could picture Max sitting in the back of a car with Casey, pulling the classic two-cent 'Put your lips like this' move.
Casey gawked at him, Did it matter, really, where she learned to kiss like that? "With Sam, if you must know." she said finally. Derek's arm tensened slightly as he recalled his previous bestfriend's face to mind, Casey's ex-boyfriend. "Why does it matter, though?" she continued, "I'm sure you've kissed tons of girls."
Casey was right. Derek had kissed tons of girls, but Casey was just.. Different somehow. Everything seemed to matter about Casey. The thought of anyone else in the world having their hands on her.. Derek shuddered inwardly. It was strangely disturbing.
Silence washed over them both and Derek secretly replayed the way her lips felt against his in his mind. He wondered what she was thinking about.
"What are we going to do, Derek?" said Casey quietly, after a long moment of silence.
Derek shook his head, "I dunno.. What can we do?"
Casey turned to look at him, "Derek, we're step-siblings! Our parents are married, that practically makes us brother and sister!"
Derek looked at her evenly, the torn expression returned to his eyes, "Casey, don't you think I've thought this through a million times over already? I know our parents are married. I know we could possibly be classified as Related, but I can't stop how I feel. It just doesn't work that way. You can't turn my attractions on and off, no matter to who or what. I dunno, maybe it is wrong, maybe they will talk, but who cares? I..." he swallowed, "I like being with you. Is there anything wrong with that?"
Casey was blown away by Derek's brute, vulnerable honesty. She hadn't any clue his feelings ran that deep. "Derek, I.." she was at a loss for words, "I don't know what to say.."
Derek shook his head and took her hand in his, "Then don't say anything," he whispered, "Lets just sit here and be together. Fuck the rest of them,"
Casey usually would've protested to his profanity, but today she did not.
"What about Kendra?" she said quietly, "And Max? Would it be fair to them..?"
Derek quieted himself, Kendra hadn't even crossed his mind. Still, his answer was true and honest, "Kendra and I were going down the tubes with or without you.. As for Max," he looked pointedly in the other direction, "That's completely your decision. I'm not going to force you to choose, and if you think you want him over me, I can't say I'll be okay with it, but I won't hold you back. Case, to some extent, I'll probably be in your life for a while, whether I'm your step-brother or your... boyfriend. I'm gonna be here."
Casey was again, at a loss for words, but suddenly, she was comfortable with the Silence. She honestly didn't know what she was going to do, whether she was planning on keeping Max, or seeing where things would go with Derek.. But right now, it didn't matter, Derek wouldn't make her choose, not now anyways. And honestly, that was all she could ask from him.
LATER
Casey waited until the hallway light had been off for a full hour, and the house was completely silent before she slipped out of bed, threw her robe on, and crept quietly into the hallway. She moved noiselessly across the floor, and paused before Derek's bedroom. She eased open the door and slid into the darkness.
He was lying on his bed with his hands folded behind his head, staring up at the ceiling. When she entered the room, their eyes met.
"Hey," she said softly, "Mind if I join you?"
Derek smiled her favourite side-ways smile and scooted over, patting the spot beside him. "Go ahead."
She jogged over to his bed and slipped under the covers beside him, the bed smelled unmistakably familiar, and she smiled as the scent overwhelmed her.
"Couldn't sleep either?" he asked, pulling her towards him and wrapping his arms around her.
She shook her head, "No.. Too much to think about."
"I agree," Derek said.
"Derek..." she said quietly. He looked over at her, his eyes giving their undivided attention, "What do you think will happen..? What if George and mom find out? Or Lizzie, or Edwin? What about Kendra, and Max?"
Derek sighed and ran one of his hands through his hair, "Dad and Nora," he said, "They won't understand immediately, that I know for sure. But they're our parents, Case. They love us after everything else, and if we stick it out.. They'll have to accept it." he re-situated her body in his arms before continuing, "Lizzie and Edwin.." he sighed.
"Are confused young adolescents." Casey finished, "Do they really need our relationship screwing with their already freaked minds?" she looked up into his eyes, honest and pleadingly.
Derek shook his head, "I know, Casey. I know. It'd be selfish of us to do this. It'd be selfish of me to ask, but," he sighed, "Case, I just want to be with you. Can't you see that? I just want to be able to hold you without question, kiss you without worry. I just want us to be able to... Be. And right now, I'd give anything to have that without complication."
Casey nodded and leaned up to kiss Derek's lips softly.
He continued as soon as her lips left his, "As for Max and Kendra.." he felt Casey shift her weight a little in his arms, "Kendra and I will probably be done before the week is out. But you and Max.." her shook his head, "Like I said before, It's your choice."
Casey looked up into his eyes again, searching them in silence. Finally she spoke, her voice quiet, "You really won't make me choose?"
Derek looked down at her honestly, "No. Not if it hurts too much. Eventually, of course, you can't have us both. But until you really know for sure.. I won't make you pick."
She smiled at him weakly, and pulled her face up to his level, "Since when did you become so amazing?"
He smirked back down at her, "When I started noticing how amazing you were."
Casey kissed him again, this time longer than before, but still just as sweet. And now finally, with the taste of Derek's lips on hers, Casey fell easily to sleep.