I woke up to a spinning room and the only thing I could truly remember right away was collapsing in front of the McDonald-Venturi's door. I sat up, and my body didn't seem to like that much so I plopped right back down. Looking up I realized I was in a room...but it wasn't Casey's. It was Derek's. Holy crap! It was DEREK'S ROOM?! I quickly shot up, and checked to make sure everything was intact. After a close examining, I seemed to be fully clothed, and the only difference from yesterday was the sore body, and a little bump on the side of my head that was bruised. I heard the sound of two people talking and then Derek walked in.

"Ahh, so she finally wakes." He smirked and handed me an asprin and a glass of orange juice. Then, an ice pack to place on the bump.

"What happened last night?" I said yawning and taking the pill.

"After the party ended, we made our way back but you were apparently way too tired, and didn't quite make it up to the room. Since my room was closest, Case and I lugged you up here, and let you rest it off."

"And the bump?"

"You must've gotten it at the party or something...didn't happen here." He shrugged.

It was somewhat coming back to me, I'd gotten up too fast and knocked my head on the door knob above me. That would explain the extreme pain in my head at the moment.

"So, where'd you...uh...you know, sleep?"

"On the couch."

"Oh..uh..sorry bout that."

"Yeah, well, what's done is done. Besides, it was worth it. You were singing 'Hit Me Baby One More Time' on our way back. What did you drink?" He laughed.

"I had some punch."

"Are you aware of what was in that punch?"

"No..I don't know, Koolaide mix?"

"More like hard liquor."

No wonder my head felt like a bull was ramming into it...apparently it wasn't just the little bang on the doorknob.

"Heh..heh.. Well, I know I'll never do that again." I groaned, someone had started playing some loud music.

"I'll go tell Case to turn it down. Oh yeah, and how long are you planning on staying anyway?"

"Mmmph." I mumbled falling back onto the pillow. My cell started ringing immediately after, so I had to get up yet again and pick up.

"Speak to me."

"Molly, it's mom, Cassie had an emergency and she needs me at work all day today. I don't want you to be in the house alone, cause the workers are coming over to work on the sing and the walls, so do you think Casey's parents would mind if you stayed a little longer?"

"Uh...hold on." I had to get up and find Derek in order to ask. He was trying to get Casey to turn down the music, classical of course, and she was saying something about her class's homework. "Uh..guys, hate to interrupt...but my mom wants to know if I can stay for most of the day, and leave around eight. Would that be an issue?"

Casey went off to go ask her mom, who said it was fine.

"Yeah mom, I can stay." I leaned against the wall next to Casey's room.

"Okay, I'll be back to pick you up later around seven fourty-five, to eight. Oh and you have a message about a change in the taping schedule, and I think they want you to come in sometime this week, so when you get home you have to listen to the messages."

"Oh, okay mom. See ya later."

"Love you."

"You too." I flipped the phone closed, and slid down the wall into a sitting position.

"C'mon get up. You're not going to waste away a whole day, just cause you're a little tired."

He grabbed my hands and pulled me up. He pulled me a little to far so I was about an inch away from his face before I backed up. The scent of his old spice soap or shower wash or whatever still lingered in my mind, but I just shook it out. It wasn't like he knew that Old Spice was my favorite scent of soap or anything... wasn't like he planned on it, it was just a coincidence.

"So, Casey's going to be studying all day, and my parents are taking Marti to the park for the day. And Edwin is going to Karate, and Lizzie to soccer practice, so it's basically just us, and I figured we could run lines before our taping tomorrow."

"You got the message? My mom told me I had one at home."

"Yeah, and since we're behind, we should work on it so we can get through it faster tomorrow and get back on track."

"It's not my fault you wanted to get closer to the floor." I laughed. He gritted his teeth.

"Would ya give it up already, that happened a while ago, okay."

I just laughed some more and ran down the stairs. Thank god for that asprin, or I probably would've felt every step down. My script was in my knapsack, so I grabbed it and took it out before taking a seat in a chair on the side of the couch. I didn't want to sit on the couch, just incase Derek got it into his head to get "cozy" if you know what I mean. So I settled for the little armchair.

When he came down with his script, he noticed where I was sitting, and made a face. "That's my chair."

"Yeah well, I'm sitting in it right now." The guy acted like he bought it with his own money.

"My chair is reserved for me." He said icily.

"Not according to my ass."

"Fine, take it, I'd rather not discuss your ass."

I laughed again, and waited for him to sit down on the couch. He took a seat reluctantly and we started running lines. When we got to the last page, I gasped. Jeez, this show wasted no time on formalities, I knew that Deana and Robert were supposed to get together at some point during the story...but during the first episode?! Come on people.

"Uhh...it says here that Robert and Deana kiss."

"Really, I hadn't noticed." I replied sarcastically. I did NOT want to kiss Derek under any circumstance.

"Uh..."

"How about we don't do it till Monday, so it's fresh and new for the cameras." I said uncertaintly.

His face seemed to fall for a bit, before it's normal smirk returned, "Works fine for me. Didn't really wanna kiss you anyway, I might catch something."

EXCUSE ME? Did he just say that? Well ... apparently he did, so I did the only thing that would make sense. I threw a couch cushion at him and it hit him square in the face. This resulted in a game of couch pillow wars until I collapsed onto the couch and surrendered. He collapsed into his chair, which I'd relinquished as his prize for winning, and we got some water from the kitchen. As we were drinking it, I noticed the time, and it was around five, and then I heard someone come through the door. Derek and Casey's parents were here, with Edwin, Marty, and Lizzie following closely behind.

"Oh hey Molly!"

"Hi Mr. Venturi."

"Molly, you'll be joining us for dinner right?" Nora asked.

"Yeah. You're a pretty good cook Ms. Venturi, and home cooked meals are a lot more appetizing than my mom's constant take out spree."

She laughed and then, "You can just call me Nora."

"And call me George. Please," He added.

"No problem." I grinned. I went up to check on Casey and wait for Dinner. Derek went out to go hang out with Sam and his hockey buddies.