A/N: Two in one day. Woo, you're spoiled. ;) Figured this little piece of fluff would be extra nice after my absence.
Six Years Ago
It was winter. Snowy. Cold. Stupid. Fourteen year old Derek Venturi sat in the front seat of of his dad's car with his ipod blasting in his ears so loud he couldn't hear his five year old sister and twelve year old brother. George reached over and yanked an earbud from his son's head, which was a challenge because of his shoulder length hair that Derek chose mainly because George hated it.
"Derek, you had better be on your best behavior." George preemptively scolded. George was taking his three kids to meet Nora, the woman he had been quietly seeing for half a year. The two had become rather serious and decided it was time the families blended a little. "I know Casey and Lizzie might not be your style but you will not say anything rude, crude, or distasteful. And you will be an absolute gentleman towards Nora. She is a very kind lady who is very interested in meeting you."
"Didn't you say Lizzie is my age?" Edwin piped up from the backseat.
"Yeah, she likes soccer and karate."
"Oh. Interesting."
"Does Nora have any sisters for me?" Marti's tiny voice came from her booster seat.
"Casey and Lizzie will NOT be my sisters." Derek snapped.
"You don't know that. Dad and Nora have been together for seven months. Average couples move in together around a year. And after that they perhaps could get married. It's anyones guess. Do you want to marry her, dad?" Edwin asked.
"Whoa, boys calm down. This is just a friendly lunch meeting at a pizza place. Pizza, we like pizza." George sighed. Honestly, he hadn't thought too much about marriage. He had briefly met the girls once before and they were very nice, but George knew his three kids came first. Which is why he and Nora had kept the kids separate up until now. If everyone didn't get along...then maybe this relationship couldn't go any further…
"I like pizza!" Marti chanted with her father.
Twenty minutes later the two families were sitting around a round table with a tacky white and red checked cloth that was supposed to make it look like a real italian bistro. After general introductions no one had spoken for a few minutes and everyone was quietly sipping on their drinks.
"So, Casey." George started. "How were your winter exams?"
"Really well! I know I aced all of them. Which was really tricky because I was the lead dancer in two seasonal performances." she was bragging a little bit, trying to impress the man her mom swooned over. She looked at the motley crew he had dragged along. A small girl in purple polkadot tights, a blue tutu, and a bright orange sweater. A young boy a tad on the geeky side with a shirt so large it had to belong to the male on his right. So, this was Derek. He hadn't looked at her yet, not that she could even tell. His stupid hair cut blocked his eyes. His shirt was black with a screenprinted band name and his jeans were foolishly ripped in the knees. He looked like the street rif raf Nora warned her about before she entered high school earlier that semester.
"Wow. Very cool. Good job. What about you Lizzie?"
"Umm...good. I'm doing pretty good at soccer right now...coach wants to make me captain."
"Impressive." George said. Edwin nodded approvingly.
"Do you like Monster Hunter Three? I hear they have it in the arcade in back." he asked excitedly.
"I have the high score."
"Not for long! Can we go play, dad? We'll be back for pizza."
"Yeah, mom. Please?" Lizzie begged. Nora laughed and handed her daughter several coins. Typically, she didn't enjoy her daughter playing such revolting games but right now bonding was better than lesson learning.
"So, Marti. Do you like preschool?" Casey asked. Derek scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, nothing. It's just, Smarti's not a baby or a puppy so stop talking to her like one."
"I wasn't! I'm genuinely interested in her school."
"She doesn't go to school. She colors and plays with blocks all day. But that doesn't mean you need to talk down to her."
"I'm sure she does more than that. Maybe you should give her more credit." Casey snapped.
"I ate blue paint and threw up blue. Mrs. Connelly didn't think it was funny but Joey did. Joey is my friend. We have a class rabbit. He's white with really tiny red eyes and long ears. Joey acts like the bunny sometimes. It's funny because he hops around but Mrs. Connelly doesn't think that's funny either." Marti said in one long wind then took a big drink of her chocolate milk.
"Wow, sounds….neat." Nora laughed and looked lovingly at her partner who was turning a deep pink.
"Marti, sweetie. Let's not tell paint eating stories at the dinner table." George laughed. Casey and Derek were still locked in a death stare. Her brown hair fell to her chest and was annoyingly straight with a light blue ribbon that matched her eyes. She was dressed like a grandma in a long sleeved white dress and pale blue cardigan. Just looking at her made Derek mad.
"I'm going to go check on Edwin and Lizzie." Derek excused himself from the table and to the arcade.
"Me too." Casey said. She trailed behind Derek and grabbed his arm to stop him. "Hey, Derek. Let's start again."
"What if I don't want to?" He said coldly.
"Well, it's not much of a question. My mom likes your dad but we don't like each other."
"Clearly. You're a geeky brown nosing spoiled princess."
"And you are angry without purpose and dress like a rebellious thug." She shot back and crossed her arms.
"Whatever, Casey." he scoffed and turned away.
"Don't you want your dad to be happy?" Casey said. Derek stopped in his tracks and sighed.
"Fine. Just don't talk to me and we'll be fine."
"Works well enough for me." Casey spun around and went back to the table. Another hour passed and the McDonald girls were in their car headed home.
"So, what do you think?" Nora asked hesitantly.
"Edwin is pretty cool and Marti is cute. Derek is okay, I guess. He didn't talk much." Lizzie supplied.
"I like Edwin. He is funny. Marti is a doll." Casey added. "Derek…is Derek."
"Agreed." Nora laughed tightly. "So, do you ladies see a future in this relationship?"
"Yes." Lizzie said immediately.
"I don't see why not." Casey said chipperly. "Whatever makes you happy, mom."
Back with the Venturi clan Marti was passed out in a pizza and milk coma in her booster and Edwin was reading in the back seat beside her. Derek was moodily staring out the window.
"Derek, what do you think? The other two raved about the girls. What about you?" George asked hopefully.
"Lizzie is cool. It's her sister that gets under my skin."
"Why?"
"She's….such a goody goody ball of freakin' sunshine. It's nauseating."
"I know. She's like the anti-you." George laughed at his son's expense.
"I really don't like her, dad." Derek sulked.
"Well...maybe one day you won't." In that moment George decided to marry Nora. Knowing that Derek had little to no positive interest in Casey had sealed the deal. George called Nora that night and the two swapped their children's opinions. Pleased the results of their experiment the McDonald ladies moved into the Venturi household less than four months later.
A/N: I hope this makes you all feel better. A little Dasey background for you all. 3 Let me know what you all think. Much Love, Little Crickett