Once again, another chapter! Hurray, Hoorah! So yeah, yeah, I hope you dearies like this one. Smiles!!

And I must say, I am kind of proud of myself. Why? Because there will be no more two month waits for an update on this story. I have the whole rest of Good Morning, Derek finished, and just waiting for me to submit! Yay, I know!!

.I own nothing.

x—x

"He's gonna tell her." Sam said.

"Definitely." Emily said. "No doubt about it, folks. This is what we've all been waiting for." she smiled.

"Um, I don't think it's going to happen." Steve said.

"What?" both Sam and Emily asked, turning from where they had been looking at the maze of shelves, to look at Steve in complete shock.

"Of course he's going to tell her." Sam said.

Emily nodded her head agreeingly.

"I think he's going to tell her." Steve assured. "I just don't think it's going to happen right now."

"What, are your spidey senses speaking to you, Steve?" Emily joked.

"No." Steve shook his head. "But I do have this feeling. And it's saying, Don't get your hopes up, kids, because right now, is not their moment."

"Kill joy." Emily murmured, turning back to look at the shelves, as if expecting to see Casey and Derek emerge, holding hands and smiling at any moment.

"Tell me about it." Sam said, also turning. "He's going to tell her." Sam said once again.

"He'll tell her, alright." Steve said again. "He's just not going to tell her right now. Trust me." he said, shaking his head at his companions. "Trust me."

x—x

"Um, Derek?" Casey asked staring at her feet as she walked along with Derek.

"Yeah?"

"Why are we walking through the library? Together?" Casey inquired.

"Um," Derek said, desperately searching through his brain for something to say. "I don't really know."

Because truthfully, he didn't. Sure, he knew that he wanted to tell Casey how he felt. In his mind, he knew how it would happen.

He'd say, "Casey, I have feelings for you. I always have. I've tried so hard not to, but I just can't help myself. You're wonderful." And then Casey would blush, and say, "Oh, Derek. Do you really mean it? I've always had feelings for you, too. I just never believed you'd like me back!" And then she'd grin, and he'd grin. And then, they'd make out, of course. Cue happy ending music. The end. Off to their happy ever after.

But was it going to happen that way? Derek had no idea. He was so nervous, he wasn't sure if he would be able to manage saying her name, let alone the rest of it, without his knees giving out. And he hated that Casey- Casey- could make him feel this way. It was the most awful feeling he could imagine. Yet, strangely, it was also the most exhilarating.

Oh, my God. What am I doing? I have no idea what I'm doing, that's what! Derek thought. Wow, she looks really pretty. Wait, don't think about that! You're just going to get more nervous! I can't let her know I'm nervous. Okay, just breath. You're going to tell her how you feel. It's all going to work out fine. Come on! You're Derek Venturi! Derek Venturi doesn't have problems with girls. Of course, Derek Venturi wasn't supposed to fall for his step-sister either. And Casey wasn't just any other girl. And he knew that. That, among so many other things, was one of the things he loved about her. She wasn't like Kendra, or any of the other girls he had been with. She was so...Casey. And Casey was what he wanted. If he could only tell her that.

"Oh." Casey said.

What is going on? Why'd he ask me to walk with him? Emily can't be right. Can she? Does he like me? Is he going to tell me? Oh, my God. Don't get your hopes up. Don't. Don't do this to yourself. You don't want to get the slightest bit excited if there's such a big chance that you're wrong. That Emily and Sam and Steve are wrong... but God, I hope they're right. Casey rambled nervously in her head. She glances at him and her heart began to beat a little faster.

In her head she sorted through the small moments they had had together that had brought countless smiles to her face. Those that she could be doing anything, and then one of those moments would pass through her head, and she couldn't help but feel a small but happier. The moments she had come to live for. Hell, she even lived for their fights. Any moment with him was a moment she would pass through her head a million times afterward. She would twist them with what she wished she had said, and what she wished she hadn't said. To what she wished he'd have said, and what she wished he wouldn't have uttered. Fixing the moment like a photoshopped picture, to make it how she wanted. And she couldn't help but wonder, whatever was going to happen next, would it need to be photoshopped, or would there be no need?

Derek and Casey continued to walk through the shelves, neither of them able to think of anything to say. The silence and the nerves were both thick in the air, making them both reasonably uncomfortable.

"Um, I'm sorry." Derek said, not able to bear the silence any longer. He pulled out anything from his mind, and spoke it, and that's what had come out.

"For what?" Casey questioned. They both stopped walking as Casey waited for an answer.

"Um." Derek said, once again drawing a blank for words. "I don't know?" he asked more than he stated.

Oh, no. I'm an idiot. I shouldn't have said that.

And he was right.

"Oh, well, that's smart." Casey retorted, annoyance flooding her features. "Derek Venturi not being able to think of a single thing he should be sorry to me about."

Stop, Casey. Stop. You don't want to be sarcastic with him. That's not what you want right now. Control yourself. Seriously, what are you doing? She asked herself. But she knew. She was doing what she was used to. Starting a fight with Derek. Starting fights with him had become her defense mechanism for having feelings for him. She wanted to reach out and kiss him? She started screaming at him instead,

Shit. Say your sorry for always being such a jerk. Say your sorry for always bothering her. And then tell her your sorry for not ADMITTING HOW YOU FELT ABOUT HER! And then TELL HER!! Derek thought.

"Well, I guess I couldn't think of anything I'm actually sorry for." Derek heard himself say.

No, no, no. NOOO!!!! Don't do this. Damn it! Derek thought. But the sarcastic comment had flowed off his tongue so easily, he had barely thought about it. He was so used to talking to Casey like that. To belittling everything she said.

"You're such a jerk, you know that?" Casey said.

No! This is not what is supposed to be happening. I don't want to fight with you, Derek! I don't. I want to kiss you, not yell at you! Casey thought furiously. She would have blushed at her own thoughts if she wasn't so angry at both Derek's and her own behavior. It was so frustrating. Even if he didn't have feelings for her, why'd she have to make things worse for herself?

"What else is new?" Derek asked.

What is wrong with me? Argh, no! Damn it, I am a jerk. Derek's head screamed to himself. You're screwing up, Venturi. Even if this...perfect girl has feelings for you, you're going to drive them away. Don't do this to yourself.

"I can't believe you dragged me out here just to prove that you're still an ass hole!" Casey cried.

"Oh, I don't recall having to do much dragging." Derek responded. He couldn't stop himself.

Well, great. How are you going to fix this one, you fuck up? Derek thought.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

What is that supposed to mean? Is he implying something? Ack, I can't even think. Thank you, Derek, for once again ruining anything that might have been. She thought angrily. And thanks to you, Case. For following along in messing things up for yourself. She thought, even more furiously. Because as angry as she always was at Derek, she was always ten times more furious with herself.

"Figure it out your own damn self!" Derek yelled.

"Is this really why you asked me to walk with you? So that we could yell at each other? Don't we do that enough?" Casey asked bravely.

That's it, Case. Bring up an opportunity for him to divulge any feelings he may possibly have. Those feelings probably don't exist, but if they do, well, here's your chance Derek. Now just lose the angry voice, Casey.

"No! This is not why I asked you to walk with me Casey!" Derek said, unable to stray away from his angry tone, although he desperately wanted to.

Tell her. Do it. Tell her, tell her, tell her!!

"Well, then what is it Derek?" Casey yelled. "What do you to tell me?"

Tell me what I want to hear. Come on. Do it. Tell me, tell me, tell me!!

"God, Casey, I have f-"

But Derek was cut short by a voice behind them.

"Am I interrupting something, kiddies?"

Both Casey and Derek abruptly turned around to see the librarian glaring at them with her arms crossed.

Oh, you have to be kidding me! She's not the librarian. Oh, no. She's the devil! Derek thought.

Casey quickly looked at Derek, and then back at the librarian.

"No. There was nothing to interrupt, anyway." Casey said, before hurrying past the librarian, her mind racing.

God, Casey, I have feelings for you.

Casey finished Derek's sentence in her mind the way she wished he would have said it. But she could truthfully say that she didn't believe that that was what she would have heard. So she may as well run away now, before given a reason to cry later.

Just another moment for her to photoshop in her head.

The librarian shook her head after Casey, and then glanced at Derek.

"Tsk, tsk." She said. "Men. They have the hardest time admitting how they really feel. Especially to those who it matters most." She stared intently at Derek for a moment, before turning on her heels leaving Derek alone and dumbfounded, still trying to process what had just happened.

And completely missing the happy ending music he had hoped for.

x—x

Ah, yes. I am cruel. I apologize. Sorry to you my sweet readers. I'll post the next chapter soon! I promise!! Love you all bunches!!

Review, loves.

-Tarryn