A/N: Sorry it took so long for me to update guys! It's hard to write between work and school, you know how it is. Well Enjoy the new addition! Sorry if there are a lot of typo's it's freakin three o' clock in the morning. Don't forget to review or I won't continue.


Derek arrived back at his apartment after dinner with Kendra. He admitted that it was kind of messed up to leave Casey like that after what happened between them, but what else was he suppose to do? He didn't know, he kind of just panicked. He heard the dryer going in the laundry room, he walked through the living room and made his way to the small room. There she was leaning against the washer reading a magazine, she didn't look mad.

"So… Can we talk?" he asked cautiously.

She peered up at him, slammed the magazine on top of the dryer and walked passed him.

Okay so he was wrong, she was mad. "Casey, wait…" he followed her. "I know what I did was wrong, but the only reason I did that was to end it."

She stopped in her tracks and gradually faced him. "Are you serious?" she asked seemingly upset about it. "No, Derek, that was stupid!"

"What?" Derek shook his head in bewilderment. Women are confusing! He thought in exasperation. "Why was that stupid? I thought I was doing the right thing."

She looked down and fiddled with her thumbs. "Look, I've been thinking and I really need to focus on my ballet right now and you…" She gestured towards him. "You need to focus on recording that ballad."

"Wait, but what about what happened between us? We can't just pretend that didn't happen," he said as he gazed into her eyes, he really couldn't believe she was saying all this.

"Derek, I'm sorry, but I know it just won't work between us," she pursed her lips together and looked as if she were on the brink of tears. "We both live in different worlds."

He shook his head slowly and walked up to her getting inches away from her face. "Why don't you stop making excuses and just tell me you don't want to be with me," he could feel his heart pounding in his chest as she just stared at him in sorrow.

"That's not fair, Derek, it's not that,"

He interrupted her, "Casey, just say it! What's so hard about telling me the truth?!"

"Why are you being like this?" She backed away from him.

He glanced down at his hands and said as a single tear fell from his eye, "If you're going to break my heart just do it already."

Casey froze, she had never seen him cry. "I…" she trailed off.

"goddammit, Case, don't feel sorry for me just be straight up, okay?" he rose his voice as he wiped the tear off his cheek. "I should've expected this from you!"

"What do you mean by that?" she asked placing her hands on her hips.

"You're always over-thinking everything! There hasn't been one day in your life where you said 'you know what? Fuck it,'" he ran his hands through his hair obviously frustrated with her.

"You know that's not who I am, Derek," Casey replied sadly.

He let out a short sigh and said, "Yeah, I know." He turned and began his way to his room.

"Derek," she waited for him to turn around before she continued. "Does this mean we can't be,"

"Don't, Casey… Just don't." He turned back around, but hesitated to walk back into his room. Facing her tearful countenance again he left her with these last words before he walked into his room and closed the door, "As much as I would like to shut you out of my life completely, I can't… So... If you ever need anything, you know who to call."

As Casey made her gradual way back to the guestroom she wiped the tears which escaped her eyes and finished the rest of her packing. She finally put in the last of her clothing and zipped up the suit case. Passing Derek's door she was tempted to knock and say goodbye, but she didn't have the heart to. Yes, she felt terrible about it, but she couldn't handle seeing him in that state again and by that she meant, Derek, on the verge of tears, vulnerable, stuttering his words, pain filled voice, the look of disappointment and heartache upon his handsome features. She took one last look at the apartment as if trying to discern whether or not she was doing the right thing. It's better this way, she assured herself and walked out the door without looking back.

She made it to her apartment, all her furniture looked dry. It turns out Delilah was nice enough to attempt to dry off all her furniture, she could still see the water stains on the couch and she was sure she needed a new mattress. She was used to Derek's rock hard guest bed so she decided to bunk on the floor and go mattress shopping the next day. She sat down at her small kitchen table and sighed running her hands through her long hair. It was too quiet, way too quiet… Usually the TV would be on or she could hear Derek strumming on his electric guitar, or Derek arguing with her for no apparent reason. It's okay Mcdonald, you know you did the right thing. She thought as she stood up and walked into her bedroom to start unpacking.

As the days passed Casey couldn't help but miss Derek's presence. She would sit on her couch and sip on a mug of hot chocolate thinking about starting ballet classes early because all this spare time was making her insane. There were times where she would just sit at the kitchen counter and stare at her phone just thinking about calling Derek, but could never muster up enough courage. So if she did the right thing then why did she miss him so much?

Derek would never admit it. He was too proud and stubborn. He would never admit that his apartment felt empty and cold. He would never admit that he missed the arguments, the bickering, that annoying classical music she would dance to in the guest room. The place even smelled different without her presence.

"Derek?"

He sat in the studio booth holding his guitar and staring off into nothingness.

"Hello, earth to Venturi!" Max said louder through the microphone.

The rock star snapped out of it. "Huh?"

"I said that's a wrap for today."

"Oh," Derek hopped off the stool and put his guitar away. He really needed to stop thinking about her. He just couldn't help it, he was such a…

"Venturi," Max called from the control room.

Derek turned his attention to his producer.

"Come in here for sec, will you?"

He shouldered his guitar and walked into the control, Max told him to sit down. He did and there was a brief silence before the producer spoke.

"How's Casey?"

"Why do you ask?" Derek crossed his arms suspiciously.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe because you haven't been here these past few days," Max said upsettedly.

"What're you talking about? I've been here every day," Derek replied.

Max gestured along with his words, "No, I mean you haven't been here."

"I know what you mean, Miller," Derek continued. "Casey moved out."

The producer just nodded. "Okay, And?"

"What do you mean 'And'? There's no 'And'."

"Oh, I see…" He paused for a moment. "Look, I know we got into that whole little- let's call it a misunderstanding when I 'dated' Casey for awhile, but I'm passed all that. I fucked up, Venturi. Casey is the most compassionate, kind hearted person I've ever met and I let her go."

"So what you're trying to say is don't fuck up," Derek stated simply.

Max snapped his fingers, "exactly, now go home and get focused for tomorrow. Just a few more days then we can start the editing."

Derek nodded, waved goodbye and walked out. What if I wasn't the one who fucked up? What if it was her this time?

Casey had just arrived back at her apartment from her ballet studio. Classes had started a few days ago and she already had to choreograph another dance for her spring recital which was in a few months, but she figured the sooner she worked on it the better. It had already been a two months since she left Derek's apartment, but it felt much longer than that. She sat at the kitchen table looking through her mail. After she had scanned through all her bills and threw away any advertisements she turned on the TV and began to flip through the channels. She stopped at MTV, because she saw Derek on stage performing his new song. The stage was dim, the crowds applause slowly faded as a beautiful guitar melody echoed through the speakers of her TV. She could feel her heart palpitating in her chest as she listened to the lyrics of the beautiful song.

As I sit on this park bench I can't help but think of you,

I tell myself over and over 'no this can't be true'

I've had feelings for you buried deep within me,

But I know we could never really be,

Casey began to reminisce as she listened to that verse. He had taken her advise and went out to get inspiration for his song. She could feel something inside her leap up to her throat and she could feel tears surface.

I watch you walk around my place with such confidence and grace,

I sit wanting you more each time I look at your face,

You're so beautiful inside and out,

And yet you can get on my nerves and make me want to shout,

She thought about all those times they fought and got on each others nerves. She smiled about it now, even though at the time she was so angry. The shouting, the pointless bickering it all started to make sense.

I'll never admit it, I won't say it's true,

I'll never admit that I'm in love with you,

I'll never admit that you're the woman I want,

I'll never admit that you're the woman I need,

At this point Derek was strumming his guitar gently as the lyrics left his mouth with such passion. He was expressing what he was saying perfectly and all Casey wanted to know was… Is he just putting on a show? Or does he really mean what he's singing?

Knowing that I can't have you, just tears me up inside…

I'll never admit it, I won't say it's true,

I'll never admit that I'm in love with you,

I'll never admit that you're the woman I want,

I'll never admit that you're the woman I need,

So now I'll go on pretending that my feelings aren't there,

We're better this way I know, besides I know you don't care,

Go on living life while I do the same,

Just know that you're perfect, you're the picture to my frame.

Derek started picking the strings of his guitar making a beautiful melody and then the song ended and Casey was left, sitting there in complete awe. At that moment Casey realized what she had done and she beat herself up for that. She got so worked up over it that she just started cleaning her whole house muttering different things like, "God, Mcdonald, you're so stupid! You fucked up this time." She had let him go and all because she put her career in ballet first and Derek was right, she did over analyze things. So what if their relationship was complicated, being with him would be worth all the trouble in the world, she just hoped it wasn't too late… On a whim she decided to go over Derek's house and talk to him. She didn't quite know what she was going to say and she didn't care. For the first time in her life she wasn't thinking things through and it felt great!

Casey arrived in a cab at Derek's apartment building, she passed by Eduardo's desk greeting him quickly before moving on to the elevator. She reached his floor and rushed out to his apartment door and knocked a few times, there was no reply, nothing. She decided to use the spare key she never gave back to him and let herself in.

"Hello?" She announced as she made her way to the kitchen. "Whoa…" There she saw candles all over the kitchen counter and the dinner table set with his good china.

"Casey, what're you doing here?"

She turned to face Derek well dressed as usual and a puzzled look on his face. "Hey," her mind suddenly went blank and she spent the whole cab ride thinking about what she was going to say to him. "I'm sorry to just barge in like this, but I need to talk to you," she said bluntly.

"Okay," Derek replied casually.

"Are you expecting someone?" She asked curiously.

"Yeah, Kendra's coming over," he stated.

Casey's heart sunk into her stomach. "Oh, you're back with her?"

He nodded as he glanced down at his hands.

Just then the voice of his super model girlfriend was heard coming through the front door. "Derry, where you at?"

"In the kitchen," he replied not leaving Casey's gaze.

Kendra walked in and smiled at the setting, then she saw Casey and her smile quickly faded. "Oh, hey Casey, how's it going?"

"I'm good," She replied trying to mask her emotions the best she could.

"That's great," Kendra said cheerfully. "So did you tell her?" the model turned towards Derek.

"No, Kay, now's not the,"

Kendra abruptly interrupted him and said, "We're getting married in three months!" She flashed her three carrot diamond ring at the heart broken Casey.

"Really?" Casey crossed her arms and asked Derek, "And when were you going to tell me this?"

"I was gonna call, Case, I swear," Derek said quietly.

"Right," Casey scoffed. "Well congratulations… To you both, I hope you're both really happy," She said in a bitter cheerful tone and made her way out of the apartment.

"You just had to, didn't you?" Derek said angrily at Kendra and ran after Casey. He caught her at the elevator. "Casey, wait."

She didn't look at him. "You are so full of bullshit you know that?"

"What?"

"I saw your performance on MTV today," She said angrily.

"You did…" he trailed off and run his hands through his hair.

"I just… Didn't think you'd get over it that fast," Casey cursed herself for letting tears escape her eyes.

"Casey," Derek stepped closer and that's when the elevator doors opened.

"It's better this way, I hope you and Kendra are happy together, I really do," she said her voice all raspy and with that she walked into the elevator and the doors closed shut.

Derek heaved a heavy hearted sigh and walked back into his apartment where his soon-to-be wife waited for him. He gazed at Kendra in thought wondering what he was going to do. What Casey had done was so un-like her. The reason to why he had asked Kendra to marry him was because she would fit into his little celebrity world. There would be no problems, no complications… Now he was torn between love and security.