A/N: Here's chapter Ten. Um, I guess there's not much for me to say. The italics are flashbacks, but that's a given. There's probably only going to be three more chapters after this, and chapter eleven has already been started. That's about it. Enjoy. R&R! Thanks! –Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own LWD.

Chapter Ten

Ultimatum

It had been three days since the happenings in her kitchen. She hadn't seen or spoken to Derek since he had ran out. She had just lived through the worst Saturday morning of her life—the first she hadn't spent with Derek in a long time. Casey might not have been able to remember all the Saturdays they spent together, but a part of her ached from the absence nonetheless. For the past week Derek had been her support system (a role he had been filling for years, she imagined) and to suddenly not have that was breaking her heart.

Yet she couldn't help but wonder what she would say if he called or what she would do if he turned up at her door. She would be a fool to believe that everything would go back to normal, it was bound to be awkward. Still, Casey knew she couldn't leave it as it was. He hadn't called but she hadn't exactly been on the phone trying to reach him either. She wasn't sure what to do about it.

The real problem was that Casey didn't know what to think about what had happened. She knew she should feel guilty—however unintentional it was, she had cheated on her husband. Despite that, she only felt giddy when she thought about the kiss. It had felt like something she had wanted for a long time had happened. She didn't understand that, but she knew that before she had felt bad about it, she had wanted to pull him closer and kiss him again. That confused her to no end.

Sam was working again and Mikay was in her room playing. Casey was lounging on the living room couch, her eyes fixed on the TV, yet unable to absorb anything that was happening on the screen. She was too caught up in other thoughts. When her home phone began to ring, she was jerked back to reality. She hopped up and snatched it off the hook without looking at the caller ID.

"Hello?" Casey answered, her voice hopeful.

"Casey? Honey?"

"Oh, hey Mom." Casey sighed lightly and moved to sit back down on the couch.

Nora picked up on the slight undertone of disappointment in her daughter's voice, "Were you expecting someone else?"

"No, more like wishful thinking." Casey responded, "What's up Mom?"

"I just wanted to see how everything's going. We haven't spoke in a while." Nora said.

"Everything's great." Casey lied.

"Something is wrong." Nora stated. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I'm fine really."

"Okay, I'm going to pretend like I believe you because I can tell you don't want to talk about it." Nora replied. "How's Mikay?"

"As active as ever." Casey answered a smile growing on her lips. This was a topic she could handle. "Lizzie has been teaching her some moves for the soccer field."

"That's great." Nora responded, "And Sam?"

Casey hesitated, "We're…he's fine."

"And you? How are you doing?"

"Hmm, I'm as okay as I can be. I'm a little stressed out, but it comes with the territory." Casey answered, leaving out that all the stress was coming from a failing marriage and a small amount of adultery with her ex-step-brother. "How are you mom?"

"I'm better now that I've gotten to talk to you. I think I'll call Lizzie and see what she's up to next." Nora answered. "I just wanted to check in. I'm sure you have some kind of plans, so I'll let go."

"Oh, okay." Casey replied, "I, I'll try and bring Mikay by sometime next week."

"That would be wonderful. I'll talk to you later."

"Bye Mom."

"Oh, and Casey, whatever it is that's bothering you, it will be okay. I'm sure it will get better. Everything will work out in the end."

"Thanks Mom." Casey waited until her Mom had hung up before she whispered to herself, "I hope you're right."

Casey had just replaced the phone on the hook when she heard a sound coming from the porch. She came into the entrance hallway and stared at the front door. She frowned, unsure of what she had heard. When the door swung open, she realized it had been the sound of the key in the lock. That realization was overshadowed by the surprise at Sam striding in. It was less about that he hadn't worked late, and more about how he was home earlier than what would have been considered a decent time. The first explanation that sprung to Casey's mind was that something was wrong, and she voiced that opinion.

"Is something wrong?" Casey blurted out the question. "What happened?"

"Nothing is wrong. Nothing happened." Sam answered, "Is it a crime for a man to come home early?"

"You never come home early. Not for anything." Casey accused calmly, she had accepted that fact.

"We need to talk and I figured the best time would be as soon as possible."

Casey nodded, "Okay, let's talk."

Sam set down his things and followed Casey into the living room. They settled down onto the couch and sat silently for a long time before Sam spoke up. When he did, his voice was even and low. He didn't want to start an argument, it was obvious.

"Casey, I know things have been difficult for us lately, but I think we can work this out." Sam began.

Casey swallowed, "I don't think it's that simple." She shook her head. It couldn't be that simple. "It's not that simple."

"I think it is." Sam said firmly, "But it would require effort from both of us." Sam paused before saying, "I'll stop seeing Emily." Casey nodded along with his statement until he added, "But you'll have to stop seeing Derek."

"What?" Casey shot out of her seat as she exclaimed, "I can't do that. Derek is my best friend, he's like family."

"That's a bunch of bull, Casey." Sam stood as well, "He's no more family now than he was when your parents were married."

"This is absurd, what you're asking of me." Casey fumed. "It's absolutely ridiculous."

"No its not." Sam shook his head, "For this to work we need to focus on us, not the other people in our lives."

"Don't lump them together. I've told you before that Derek and Emily are not the same." Casey snapped. "And they never will be, because I am a better person than that. I would never cross that line."

"Fine Casey, they're not the same, but they could be and you know it. I can learn to live without Emily and you can learn to live without Derek." Sam returned.

"No." Casey shook her head, "I can't."

"You have for the last three days. Don't think I haven't noticed how you've been moping around. I don't know what happened, and frankly, I don't care. But if you've done it this long, I'm sure you could handle it."

"No, I can't." Casey breathed, "Today has been one of the worst days of my life, because he wasn't here and he was supposed to be. He's a part of my life, Mikay's life. I won't just cut him out."

"You don't need him."

"Yes, I do." Casey corrected, only then realizing how true that statement was. "He has been by my side for years—"

Sam cut her off, "So have I!"

"NO!" Casey yelled, "He was there for us when you never were."

Casey was suddenly hit by the memories of every time Derek had been there when Sam was not. She bent over, her hands clenching at her head. They came in powerful bursts, bringing pain, sorrow, joy, gratitude, regret and every feeling in between to bombard her. She nearly screamed out in frustration.

- - - -

"Mikay's class is doing a play, she got a solo speaking part." Casey explained, an edge to her voice.

"That's something to be angry about?" Derek frowned.

Casey whipped around to face him, "Sam's not coming. They're performing it once, it's her first play, she has a solo and he's not coming."

Derek stepped closer, looking unsure of what to say, but then his expression changed and he said firmly, "I will be there, in the front row, with a dozen roses for the star. I promise."

- - - -

He never let her down, never broke a promise.

- - - -

Casey answered the door with a blanket draped over her shoulders and a tissue clutched in one hand. Her hair was a mess, her eyes were drooped slightly and her nose was a bright shade of pink. Derek's face took on an expression of concern.

"Are you okay?" Derek asked as he stepped into the house, and closed the door behind him.

Casey started to shuffle back toward the living room, "Just a cold, but I feel terrible."

"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can get you or anything I can do for you?"

"No, I had my mom pick up Mikay from school and keep her for the night. I don't want to get her sick." Casey started to shake her head, but when the motions made her stomach churn, she stopped. "By the way, you should head home, I don't want to get you sick either."

"You shouldn't be alone. I'll stay. I think I can handle a few germs."

A couple of days later, Derek was the one isolated to his couch and Casey was by his side with chicken soup and fresh tissues.

- - - -

He filled every role she needed him to. Protector, care taker, friend, father to Mikay. He did it without question, for no personal gain. He did it for her and it was for those reasons that she couldn't cut him out of her life. It would fall apart t the seams if he disappeared from it.

- - - -

"Sam forgot our anniversary." Casey spoke into the phone, "I mean, we didn't have anything planned but four years, that's a big thing, right?"

"It's a wedding anniversary, every year should be important." Derek responded.

"It just hurt, you know? He could have at least acknowledged it."

- - - -

"It's like he doesn't even know me!" Casey threw her hands up in the air. "We've been together since high school, he should know me better than that!"

"Case—"

"A book Derek! A book! For my birthday!"

"That's not that bad, you love books and you love to read." Derek started.

"Not only have I already read this book, I have a copy of it on our bookcase." Casey finished her rant.

"Oh." Derek nodded, "Okay then."

"Exactly." Casey groaned, she threw her self back into the couch she was sitting on and squinted her eyes shut. Then upon a thought, she opened one eye to look at Derek. "So, what did you get me?"

Derek walked over to a small desk that stood in his living room. He pulled open a drawer and took out a small CD case. He walked back over to Casey and handed it to her, "Sorry I didn't wrap it all fancy yet. I didn't think I was going to see you until tomorrow."

Casey looked down at the gift. It was one of those recordable-CDs. Scrolled on it was 'Happy Birthday Casey, Derek." She looked up at Derek and smiled, "Is it a CD?"

"It's a video. Here, I'll put it on." Derek said, he took the case and opened it, withdrawing the disc.

He walked over to his TV and DVD player, turned both on, and placed in the disc. Derek then sat back down next to Casey. He handed her the remote.

"Push play whenever you are ready."

Casey clicked the play button and was instantly met with a picture of her and Derek. It had been Christmas, and they were surrounded by torn up wrapping paper., as they sat on the floor by the tree. They were both laughing and Casey was sticking a bow on top of Derek's head. Casey smiled. She remembered that moment but had never seen the picture before. She looked to Derek for an explanation, right before the picture changed to one of Casey with Marti, both sticking out their tongues at the camera.

"I acquired one of Edwin's old cameras recently. They're all from the year before Nora and my Dad broke up. See, they're still happy." Derek said as the slideshow continued to a picture of Nora and George dancing. "I know Nora tried to erase all those memories. I remember you having to pack up all the old pictures. I thought you would appreciate them though."

"I love it." Casey responded, tearing up. "It's an amazing gift."

"I would have printed them out, but you have so many albums as it is and it's about time you progressed into the 21st century of photography."

Casey laughed as Derek nudged her playfully. Somewhere in her she knew Sam would never know her the way Derek did.

- - - -

Casey kept asking herself why Sam didn't measure up. Perhaps that was the problem, the question should be why was she comparing him to Derek? To her the answer was obvious now.

"Just think about it Casey." Sam replied as he started to walk out of the room, "Because if you're always going to choose him over me, you might as well file the divorce papers right now."

"How could you force me to make that choice?" Casey called after him. "You've chosen work over your family and Emily over your wife. I've never made a choice like that because my family comes first, and always has."

"Yeah, your family comes first." Sam sneered, turning back around. "Your mother, your father, George, Edwin, Lizzie, Marti, Mikay. Your family. Then Derek. Then somewhere down the list comes me. For me to even want to put an effort into this, that has to change. Starting with eliminating Derek from the equation."

"I don't know who you think you are." Casey snapped. "But you're the one who cheated, you're the one that's never here, you're the one who tore this family apart. Not me, and certainly not Derek. I don't know where you get off thinking you get to make the rules. I could leave you right now and take Mikay. You would have nothing but your fancy job and your mistress. I have more than enough reason to go."

"But you won't." Sam smirked, "You won't leave, but you know I would. And you would never do that to Mikay."

Casey stood frozen as Sam walked toward the doorway, "Think about it Casey. Him or me?"

Sam turned the corner and moved down the hallway. The sound of his office door closing jerked her from her trance. She didn't realize she was crying until her face fell into her hands. An ultimatum, that had been just what she needed.