What Casey Wants

A/N: First of all, I want to send out a thank you to Ghostwriter and OverlyDramatic for letting me know I made a slight error in my last chapter. I wrote something about Marti and said that Derek was her stepbrother. Woops! Don't know WHAT I was thinking, because trust me, I'm a huge fan of the show, but like I said earlier, I had distractions! I fixed it though so no biggy…I also wanted to say I am so thrilled that every time I log onto fanfiction, I see more and more Daseys posted each day! We're already past 600 LwD stories! I remember when there was like 20! So that's awesome. And so are all my reviewers, I know I said I'd do shout outs, but I've been writing everyone back so maybe next chapter! Sorry I'm ranting again! On with the story, because you guys seem to be dying from the cliffhanger haha…

Disclaimer: I freaking love Life with Derek to the max and life sucks, therefore I don't own it. Or Michael…so sad…

Chapter 4: Please Use Your Powers For Good

'Please don't be Derek, Please don't be Derek…' Casey's thoughts made Derek smile even wider. So she was trying to avoid him? That only made the game more fun. She looked up hesitantly from her books on the bed as if her mind would will him to be someone else, but her idea failed her and she was looking straight into the face of the one person she loved to hate. And vice versa.

"Hey Grubby. Studying hard I see. What, only 10 textbooks today?" Derek asked in mild shock. Casey was about to snap out a witty retort when she noticed he had begun to search in some of her drawers.

"Derek, what are you doing? Stop going through my stuff!" She cried out in frustration.

"Sorry, I was just, uh, looking for your crazy pills. They gotta be around here somewhere. We all know 15 textbooks is your minimum" Derek wasn't trying for the heavy insults just yet. He didn't care if the ones he was stating now were lame, he was just getting warmed up.

Casey made a great show of rolling her eyes. "Wow Der, do those witty one-liners come to you naturally or did you Google comebacks to prepare for this pathetic excuse for a conversation?"

'Thank God he stopped going through my drawers. He almost found my journal!'

Derek's eyes widened with pleasure at this discovery. "What's that look for?" Casey bit out harshly. He snapped out of his thoughtful gaze as if nothing had happened. "You mean besides the look of obvious disgust I get every time I'm forced to cross paths with the ice queen? Nothing."
"Look, Derek, no one forced you to barge into my room while I'm obviously busy, so why don't you do us both a favor and escort yourself out. Let the door hit you on the butt on your way out." Derek was trying to contain his laughter. He always got a thrill when he and Casey got into these heated arguments. He just couldn't understand why he had only heard one of Casey's thoughts since he came in. A very helpful thought at that…

"As predictable as it is to know that you've thought about the well being of my back end, you're not getting rid of me that easily." Derek decided to make himself comfortable and plopped down in Casey's desk chair. Casey scoffed in disgust at the comment, but tried to ignore him and began to pretend as if she were intensely interested in the historical biography of Mark Twain. Derek didn't mind the silence. It only meant he could hear her thoughts even better…and how right he was.

'Why is he just sitting there? I can't concentrate when he's staring at me. Who am I kidding; I can't concentrate when he's within a 50-foot radius! I refuse to look at him. I refuse.' Casey's curiosity won her over though, and she quickly glanced up to what she already knew she would see: Derek grinning down at her as smug as ever. She let out a frustrated sigh and tried to continue reading what she wasn't even paying attention to in the first place.

"Am I making you…nervous, Case?" Derek question innocently. Casey flashed her own fake smile back at him. "Gee, what would ever give you that impression?" 'Am I being that obvious?' Casey immediately thought as the question escaped her lips. 'He's really been freaking me out, I mean I'm afraid to even look at him, 'cause he's practically been reading my mind lately.'

Derek realized he should tone it down a bit. Casey was already suspicious. But he was still going to try his best to make her uncomfortable. Just then, he realized how uncomfortable it had become. They were still staring at each other and Casey was looking at him expectantly as if ready to block his next insult.

"Wow, Derek. Nice comeback." Casey almost seemed genuinely disappointed he had stopped speaking. Or at least, that's what he could hear her thinking. 'I wish he'd just say something already. This is already awkward enough. Not that I mind him being here…I just wish we could have a normal conversation. Maybe then I could see why I actually like-'

Just then, Casey's thoughts were interrupted by a high pitched shriek from a little girl downstairs who was announcing that lunch was ready. Both teens were disappointed for different reasons, but broke away from their endless staring contest.

"Well, after you, your highness." Derek bowed very low and allowed her to pass as she just glared at him and huffed down the stairs. He hung back for a few minutes to make sure no one was coming, then quickly rifled through Casey's drawers and grabbed her journal. Suddenly, Derek had a thought. 'Why do I need this? It's probably filled with a bunch of sappy gooey lovey girly stuff. Come on Derek, this is amateur work. You can read girls' minds. This is too easy.' Then, overcome with the awful feel of dread that he was doing the right thing, Derek bolted out of there and fast.

He took his usual seat across from Casey and pretended he had no idea that she was trying to peel the flesh off his bones with her eyes. He had other things to think about. Like, what Casey was just about to think before they were interrupted. He was almost sure she was going to say she liked him, but at the same time it was too absurd to even analyze. This was Casey McDonald we're talking about. No one hated him more. All questions left his head when food was placed in front of him. Thoughts could always wait till after lunch.

After an eerily quiet meal, cut only by the heated tension in the room, George decided to break the silence and clear his throat loudly as if ready to announce the Queen was coming in. "Well, um, if no one's busy today, how about we all go see a movie? My treat!" He was willing to say anything to fill the awkward silence. Everyone enthusiastically agreed. Everyone except Casey and Derek.

'Great, a chance to be alone! Finally, some peace from Derek. I don't know if I can deal with him right now. Everything has just been weird today and I'm sure he'll want to discuss blackmailing terms soon. Typical.'

Derek's blank glare became his all-knowing smirk. 'She really thinks I'm just going to leave at such a perfect opportunity?'

"You guys go ahead. I still have a little bit of studying to do." Casey made a lame but believable attempt to stay home.

"Sweetie, all you do is study. Just take a little break and come see a movie with us." Nora felt her daughter needed to get out of the house today. She had seemed a little off since this morning.

"No really, go ahead Mom, I'll be fine." 'Please stop asking me to go!'

Derek felt he could help in the situation. Or at least, what Derek considered helping.
"Yeah, go ahead Nora. I think I'm gonna stay home too. I really need Casey's help with some homework and I can also keep an eye on the crazy teen for ya." Ok, so maybe not the best excuse from the Lord of the Lies, but he figured any chance to study, his dad and Nora would be thrilled to give him.

Casey scoffed and sat there staring at him, giving him the most annoyed look she could muster. 'Of course! This boy is never going to leave me alone! Ugh, just stop avoiding him! This is ridiculous! Two can play this game. I'm not letting Derek get to me this time. Not like he usually does anyway.'

Derek wasn't really sure what Casey meant by the last part, but was glad she was willing to fight back. Not that it would be a fair battle; he would know the punches she was going to throw in advance. He just couldn't pass up this opportunity.

After much debate from their parents about whether it was safe to leave them alone, they finally agreed on certain terms and the family reluctantly left the pair to fend for themselves.

Casey went to wash the dishes and was scrubbing the first plate when Derek hopped up on the counter next to her. Now was a good a chance as any to get started with the battle.
But to Derek's disappointment, Casey never looked up or spoke nor did she think too much. She kept her mind busy by a song that was stuck in her head as if shielding her mind from Derek. Then suddenly she stopped washing the dishes and randomly decided to watch some TV.

'Two can play that game, McDonald.' Derek decided as he went out to the living room to resume his reign on his chair. As soon as he plopped down, a pillow smacked him across the face. Caught off guard momentarily, Derek sent a questioning look to the attacker.

"You couldn't let me have one second of peace could you? You've been bugging me all day! If you want to discuss your terms of blackmail then get it over with!" Casey was just rambling. She needed to get rid of him; she couldn't stand the butterflies in her stomach when he was around. 'I really don't want to talk about bribery right now.'

'Funny' Derek thought 'me neither'. So instead, he grabbed another pillow and chucked it at Casey's head. If she wasn't going to talk, neither would he. All he really needed to do anyway was listen and maybe he even had some insane idea this would get her to finish her earlier thought that had been cut short. To add to the little battle, Derek also snatched the remote away from her.

"You are so dead." Casey pounced at the remote to rip it from Derek's grip, but his hockey skills were too fast for her and before she knew it, she was up against a wall, armed with a pillow that she repeatedly swung at her opponent while trying to make a grab for the remote. She was less than victorious.

Derek's arm was getting numb from blocking Casey's attacks so he quickly snatched up her wrists and locked them to her sides. "Now Casey, you're not being very polite." She squirmed with all her might to get out of his clutches. Derek leaned in closer. "Say Uncle" he smirked at her.

'Control yourself, Casey. Just because he's this close to you, does not mean you should have the urge to kiss him. Talk about wrong! But just look at him…no! Where the hell are your senses!'

Derek started to laugh with amusement at Casey's inner battle but then realized how close they actually were. Mere centimeters. And that was just face to face. He already had her body pinned to the wall with his. He wasn't sure what was going on, but the odd feeling in the pit of his stomach, Casey's urge to kiss him, and the look in her eyes scared him and without a word he had grabbed his jacket and was out the door.

Thanks to funnechick and a song by OK Go for the idea of the chapter title! So this chapter was longer than most I think and I felt it didn't progress as I'd like it to. I didn't reach the idea I thought I would for this chapter but I double promise I will in the next one! That's when I'll have Derek deal with other girls and different problems, which will hopefully be pretty funny! All of course will find their way back to Casey haha. So sorry if I didn't meet expectations but I put a little Dasey in there for you! I kinda got writer's block in the middle of this chapter and watched an episode of LwD to keep me going! Oh and thought I'd throw in one of Derek's semi-sweet moments, like leaving Casey's journal alone, because we all love both sides of Derek ;) Review and let me know if it totally sucked (please lie to me and say no lol)!
xo, Christina