AN: So, it's been ages since this one was updated, but I got a couple reviews lately, and felt motivated to find my old documents and pull this back up. Much to my surprise, I actually had a few chapters written that hadn't been posted! So enjoy, and sorry for the wait. Thanks to anyone who's still even following this!

Chapter 10

"Where is she?" Derek asks, pacing in his room.

It felt good to be in actual clothes. At least they were letting him walk around today.

Aggravated, he stalks to the door and flings it open.

With a startled look on her face, Casey lowers the hand that was inches from knocking straight on Derek's face.

"Hi," she says quietly, looking at the floor.

"I'm glad you're here," he steps toward her.

Casey takes a step backward, away from Derek. "I haven't forgiven you. My roommate told me to come and hear you out. No promises," she says, her cool poker face getting under his skin.

They icy, prim vibe he was getting form his former stepsister seems reminiscent of freshman year.

"Okay," Derek nods. "There's a garden in the back. I haven't been outside since I woke up. I mean, I know there's not gonna be any flowers in November, but still... Wanna go out there?"

Casey bites her lip at the sincere plea in Derek's voice. "Sure."

He walks toward the elevator, expecting her to follow.

"Race ya downstairs!" he winks, back-pedaling to see her reaction.

"Derek, we're adults now."

"So, we're not allowed to have any fun?" he asks, mocking her.

She gives him a look, the look she had especially for him.

Derek grinned, knowing that she'd only ever used that look when she wasn't really mad.

"I'm ready to hear your apology," she says crisply, sitting on a stone bench.

Derek grimaces. He was wrong. Casey wasn't just mad. She was peeved.

"Case," he looks at her, trying to soften her up. "I'm…"

She raises an eyebrow, silently calling him a coward. "Yes?"

"Sorry… I'm sorry."

Her blue eyes bore into his brown ones, making him want to do better. Stuttering, he continues. "I apologize for saying you and Ed…"

A sharp look makes him drop that particular train of thought. "And, I'm sorry for saying you lied. Oh, and I'm also sorry for making the kid cry."

Casey's eyes narrow, making him feel that he said something wrong.

"What? Geez, Casey, I apologized. I can't make up your mind for you; we both know that." Derek keeps eye-contact with her, confidence returning.

She blinks and looks away, pretending to gaze at a flowerbed.

Casey takes a deep breath and raises her eyes back to his.

"If I forgive you, and then tell you the truth, will you be able to handle it?" She was serious, Derek could see that.

Her expression was grave while she carefully considered his apology.

"Yes," Derek decides. "I can handle it."

"Alexi is not my daughter."

Derek rolls his eyes. "Yes, Case. I know that."

She glares at him, lips twitching with a smile. "Let me finish. Her father is not Edwin."

"Wait, you said she was a Venturi. Are you saying that my dad, George Venturi, had another kid?"

This time, Casey was the one to roll her eyes. "No. Derek, you are the father."

"Casey," he stares at her, "are you joking?"

"No Derek. Alexi is your baby girl."

"Leave."

"You can't be serious!" Casey seethes, the angry fire entering her eyes. She stands pacing in front of him between two flowerbeds. "You ask me to come here so you can apologize and then you send me away like I'm some kind of slave!"

"Casey," Derek growls.

"Oh," she stops, turning to face him. "Derek Venturi can't handle the fact that he's a father. Deal with it! You got married and you had a kid. Derek, you can't keep living in the past. I know you can't remember anything, but you still have to be an active part of society. Do you want to sit in this Neuro Hospital for the rest of your life? You know," she pauses, "your wife wanted to have an abortion. You wouldn't let her. Somewhere, deep inside, you have to remember that you wanted the baby! Alexi is your baby and you cannot forget that!"

In exhaustion from her little speech, Casey sits down on the grass.

Derek is lost to her. He's off in the corner of his mind that was reserved for his deepest thoughts.

"Derek," she says softly, placing a hand on his knee. "I didn't say this earlier, but… I forgive you."

He looks up, his dark eyes storming with sincerity. He clears his throat and moves his hand on top of hers. "Thank you."

She blinks. "You're welcome."

"Gosh, Case. I just can't believe it."

"You have to. Now, I'm going to Edwin's and I'll come back with Alexi."

"But, I might've just emotionally scarred my…daughter for life."

"Derek, she's only two, but I think she'll understand. Tell her you're sorry. Tell her you love her and everything is going to be okay."

His quiet voice surprises even him. "What if it's not?"

"Derek," she flips her hand over, squeezing his fingers tightly. "It is."

"But, how do you know?"

"I don't," Casey smiles. "But, it's just a feeling."

He stands, releasing her hand. "I don't know anything about being a parent. Case, what if I can't do it?"

She stands, brushing off her pants. "Do you remember that poem Marti used to love? It's called 'What If?' by Shel Silverstein."

"Vaguely. I don't see…"

Casey smiles, then interrupts him. "It says, I'm paraphrasing here, that what-if's could last you a lifetime. There's nothing you can do but learn from it."

Derek nods. "So, you're saying that I should just wing it?"

"Basically, yes."

"Wow." He laughs. "I can't believe you'd ever say that, Casey MacDonald."

"I hate to give you bad news when you're happy, but I think this proved that Ed and I shouldn't keep secrets from you. Kylie, your wife and Alexi's mother, wants a divorce."

Derek tilts his head. "That's reasonable, I suppose."

"What are you talking about? She married you. Her vows were to love you and stay with you in sickness and in health, for better or for worse!" Casey exclaims, falling back into standing up for her (former) step-brother. "Granted, it's probably worse right now—"

Derek puts a finger on Casey's lips. "Casey. I don't want to be married to a girl I don't remember. I can only imagine how… Kylie, was it?… how she feels."

Casey smiles sheepishly, her lips moving against his finger.

Derek drops the offending finger and says, "They're letting me leave within the month."

"Really?" Casey hugs him.

He grins, then stiffens at a memory. "This is not your feel-good family moment, Casey."

"Let me enjoy the moment."

A cocky smirk appears on Derek's face. "Oh, so now I'm enjoyable?"

Casey smacks his arm. "Conceited jerk."

"You know you love me."

She smiles, rolling her eyes. "Where are you going to go?"

Derek frowns.

"You haven't even thought that far ahead, have you?"

He shrugs, tossing an arm over her shoulder. "Can I crash with you, sis?"

"Derek, I still have most of a term left! You can't plan to 'crash' in my dorm room."

"Actually, your roommate offered," Derek smirks.

"She what?!?"