A/N: So the girl fight went over well, huh? I thought it might. Keep reading for the upcoming Dasey moment ... and thanks for all the reviews!

Mission accomplished, thought Casey, showered and warm in her pajamas and fuzzy bunny slippers. After the insanity of the evening, she was looking forward to relaxing for the rest of the night. Vicki had chosen to drive back to Toronto, stating that she didn't want to spend a minute longer with the "public-school keener freaks," and Casey was happy to let her go. She was thrilled that her plan had worked so perfectly, but spending time with Vicki always sapped her energy, and she just wasn't in the mood for it anymore.

I'm in the mood for … well, a lot of things right now. But I think popcorn will have to do right now. And maybe a girl movie. And I bet Derek is downstairs watching television, so we'll have to argue it out.

Casey padded downstairs, hair piled messily on her head. A girl movie was definitely out—as predicted, Derek was watching TV, an old Leafs game. He was lounging languidly in his recliner, left arm thrown over his forehead and clicker in his right hand. He was dressed for bed, and his hair was gently tousled.

Oh, wow, look at him, he's so good-looking, Casey thought. I'm never going to be able to get over him, am I? University is going to be torture. We're going to have all this time together … wait, no. No, we won't. Because he's Derek, and he's going to be playing hockey and hitting on sorority girls, and I'm only going to see him when I check on him for Emily. Or if he needs help with his classes. Casey sighed, loudly.

Derek turned slightly to see who had joined him. "Spacey."

"Hey, Derek, how's the game?" 'How's the game?!' It's an old game! He knows how it ends … he's going to see right through that. Dummy.

"It's good. The Leafs win. So, that was some fight you got into tonight. If it wasn't you and Vicki fighting, it would have been HOT." Derek grinned and nodded gently.

"Hot"? Did he just call me "hot"? No, he said it would have been hot if it WASN'T Vicki and me. Which means that he thinks that I'm not hot. A hot mess, maybe. I know I was supposed to be fighting with Vicki, but did I take it too far by knocking her into the pond? It was kind of embarrassing.

"I know, right? I can't believe that I tackled Vicki straight into the pond. At least everyone now knows what scum Truman French is. And they know I'm not with him anymore. So, I guess I'm a free woman for the rest of the summer!" Casey was trying not to show how excited she was, but her enthusiasm was thinly veiled. I wonder if he saw through that?

"I guess you are." Derek's eyes drifted back to the television. "So now what?"

"What do you mean?" Casey's heart rate quickened, and she could hear her pulse in her ears. I can think of all kinds if things …

"What now about the summer, Case. What are you going to do?"

"Oh." Damn. "Well, like I said earlier, Emily and I are going to Wasaga next weekend—"

"—Oh, right." Derek cut her off and turned towards her. "She asked me about that tonight. I'm going."

"What? I thought I asked you to tell her that you couldn't go! I really just wanted a girls' weekend, and now I need one more than ever!" As Casey was pitching her fit, she observed Derek to see if he was buying her lines. She barely believed her own words, but she knew that she had to keep up the pretense of being annoyed by his every move if she didn't want him to figure out what was really going on in her head.

"First, you didn't ask me, you told me. Second, Emily is my girlfriend and I want to spend some time with her." Right, of course he wants to spend time with Emily. His girlfriend. My best friend.

Derek continued, "Third, we all knew Truman was an ass, and you deserve no sympathy for letting that douche back into your life." Derek turned his full attention back to the television.

"Derek! You're the one that brought him back into my life!"

"I know. But you let him stay. At least I helped you get him out of your life too." Derek smirked.

Casey felt herself blush a little. "Whatever, I did that by myself. But, I never did thank you for knocking me out of the way before Vicki punched me."

"Nope, you sure didn't."

"Well, thanks, Derek." She felt herself blush hotter at the memory of Derek hovering over her in the pond. The chill of the water had immediately disappeared, and all she could feel was a comfortable warmth spreading from her stomach throughout her body. When he had jumped off of her, the chill had hit her again with force, and she was immeasurably grateful to Sam for showing up with towels when he did.

"You're welcome." Derek focused his attention back on the game.

"Derek?"

"What?"

"I was thinking that we could watch a movie. The Princess Diaries is on CBC." Casey didn't really want to watch the movie, but she knew that asking Derek to watch a chick flick would get a rise out of him

"The Princess Diaries? When there's hockey on? Even if it's an old game, no. Absolutely not."

"Well, I want to watch it!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, I've got the clicker. So I get to watch what I want to watch."

"Oh, yeah?" This is my chance, Casey thought. Besides, I've gotten into one physical fight tonight, why not another one? At least I actually like my opponent this time. Casey made a grab for the remote control, but missed and fell onto the floor.

Derek, laughing, said, "Nice one, Case. Klutzilla strikes again. I thought we were past those days."

Casey gave Derek a look, sprung up from the floor, and launched herself at him, presumably for the remote control again. Derek held it over his head, but in his efforts to back away from Casey, the movement tipped him over backwards and the entire recliner flipped. Casey, already in motion, flew after him and landed on top on him on the floor.

A/N: Yep, a cliffhanger. Sorry for this, but I will update again soon!