I'm glad that everyone liked the last chapter, I know, it was a little steamy, and hopefully you will like the chapters yet to come!! Please please let me know what you think!!!


Casey didn't say anything. She sat with Derek for hours until they could no longer sit. Finally they got up and headed back to the house. Derek kept his arm around her protectively as he guided her to his car that he had brought.

She had to smile that he knew her that well and had driven to the park to come be with her.

When they arrived at the house, she looked at it a little ominously. She knew she had to decide but then everything would seem final in her mind. But she knew though that there was no way that she wanted to spend the night alone.

They quietly got into the house, Derek holding her hand as they went up the stairs.

They stopped in the hallway. She looked at her door and then his.

"You coming in?" he asked her.

She took a deep breath and nodded.

It was an easy decision, at least compared to the other one. But she knew where she was leaning towards.

They entered his room that hadn't been changed.

Casey laughed as she felt like she was going through a blast from the past.

He grinned as he looked at her then quickly guided her to the bed. He was over top of her, kissing her everywhere.

"I have missed this," he said as he helped her out of her clothes and stared at her naked body.

She smiled up at him then pulled him down and rolled them over so that she was on top and helped him out of his clothes.

This was better than the park because now they could really see each other.

He grabbed her hands, pulling her closer so that they were skin to skin. She moaned as he kissed down her neck.

His finger ran over her engagement ring and froze.

She sucked in a deep breath then with a quick motion she pulled the ring off and placed it on the night table beside his bed.

The instant gratification from just that gesture was enough to make her throw herself more fully into their passionate love making.

He rolled her over again, a smirk on his lips. "Let's see if I can't convince you to run away with me," he said, in between kisses down her chest and rib cage.

She moaned in pleasure.

This time it was slow, languid. They wanted to make love and show each other how much they missed each other and reconnect on a level that was more than physical.

When they came together, it was in one passionate kiss and Derek held her close.

She felt safe, protected, and perfectly content.

They fell asleep holding each other, like they had never let each other go all those years ago.

Casey awoke hours later. She glanced at the clock; it was seven thirty in the morning.

She groaned. It was her wedding day. Oh the torture of the situation. She spotted her engagement ring, and picked it up.

She twiddled it in her fingers then sat it down again.

Casey turned to look at Derek. His arm was wrapped around her waist, holding her securely against him.

He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Hey," he said groggily.

She gave him a small smile. "Hey."

"How are you?" he asked her, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"Feeling well loved," she laughed.

He chuckled.

She turned to look at him. "Let's do it!"

His eyes widened. "Really?"

She nodded. "Yes, let's do it."

He grinned. "Okay, but I think we need to move quick. You are supposed to be getting married to Max today."

She nodded again. "I know—but first I really need a shower."

She got up from bed, grabbed his robe, kissed him soundly then went to the bathroom to have a shower.

When she got out she made her way to her room. She saw her wedding dress hung up on her closet door. She grimaced. It was such a beautiful expensive dress, it was a shame that it might go to waste. She laughed though; well she could always wear it for Derek.

She grabbed some sweat pants and a tank top and put it on. She started throwing all her clothes into her bag.

Lizzie burst into her room. "Good morning sunshine!"

Casey looked at her sister. "Uh, morning Liz."

Liz gave her a strange look. "Are you alright Case?"

"Yeah," she said, her heart starting to pound. "I'm just fine."

Lizzie frowned as she closed the door quietly.

"Casey, you are a horrible liar."

She sat down on her bed while Lizzie stood there, waiting.

"Liz, there is no way that I can go through with this wedding."

Lizzie took a deep breath. "Is it just cold feet? I mean, women get nervous all the time on the day of their wedding…

Casey shook her head. "No Liz, I don't think it's that at all. I should have known all along that I wasn't truly happy with Max. I have been lying to myself and living in denial saying that we had a great life and a very promising future."

Lizzie sat down beside her. "Well, what are you going to do? Are you going to run away?"

Casey looked away.

Lizzie laughed. "Really, miss organized herself is going to say the hell with it and run away?"

Casey groaned as she put her face in her hands then stood and started pacing the floor, clearly agitated.

"I have got to talk to Max. I just can't run away. I am going to leave but I have to say something to him. I don't want to jilt him at the altar like this. I'm going to call him."

Lizzie just sat there, knowing that she had to let Casey do this. She would try and suggest otherwise, but Casey was a mess. Then it dawned on her that she needed to grab Derek.

She left the room while Casey was now pacing the floor holding her cell phone.

Lizzie took a deep breath before knocking and opening Derek's door.

Derek was throwing stuff in his bag, talking to someone on his cell phone.

"Right, two tickets… charge it to my card… thanks," he said, then dropped the phone on the bed.

He turned and looked at Lizzie.

"What's up?"

Lizzie felt elated. She was grateful that Casey wasn't just going off the deep end. Derek had listened to her and was going to take her away.

"You better get Casey. She wants to talk to Max and I really don't think that is a good idea. You know how she is. If she suddenly feels guilty about what she's about to do to Max, she might just go through with it."

Derek froze. "No!" he said venomously. "She couldn't."

Lizzie took a deep breath. "Well, then hurry up. She was still pacing when I left her a minute ago."

Derek rushed past her and entered Casey's room.

She stopped her pacing when she felt him in her room, the cell phone still in her hand.

"Love, what are you doing?"

She looked like she was about to cry.

"What are we doing?" she asked.

He took a deep breath as he went and pulled her into his arms. "We're saving you from making a big mistake."

He kissed her and she calmed right down.

"Come on you two, hurry up and pack. I will take you to the airport. They will just think that I took you to the salon. I will throw them off your scent and when I get back I will take care of it. Deal with it in your own time."

Casey nodded and grabbed her sister in a tight hug. "Thank you Lizzie, I appreciate this so much."

"Alright, come on we really don't have much time. Let me call Edwin, he's going to have to help me with this."

Derek helped Casey pack the rest of her bag. He kissed her once more. "Come on, let's go."

She nodded then stopped. "Wait, hold on."

She ran to Derek's room, grabbed her engagement ring and came back. She sat down at her desk and quickly wrote a note. She then stood and gave it to Lizzie.

"Please give this to Max."

Lizzie nodded. "Now, get going. I will meet you in the car in just a minute," she said holding her keys up to Derek.

Derek guided Casey down the stairs, outside, to the car. He threw their bags into the trunk and put her in the front seat.

Soon Lizzie was in the car; she started the car and started driving.

Casey was feeling a little bit nervous but excited at the same time. She knew that she was making the right decision. She couldn't be with Max and living a lie. She had always loved Derek and been struggling to live a healthy life without him.

So here she was, sitting in the car, Derek sitting behind her, leaning forward to hold her hand.

Once they were at the airport, Lizzie looked at them.

"Where are you going?" she asked.

Casey turned to look at Derek.

He grinned. "I arranged it while you were getting ready. I got us tickets to Bali. We'll get a week all inclusive at a nice resort and we can just take the week to escape and make plans for when we get back."

Lizzie nodded. "Alright you two, get the hell out of here. If you happen to get married," she said with a bright smile on her face as she handed over the two bags she had brought with her. "You might need these."

Casey gasped as she saw her wedding dress and Derek's tux for his role in the wedding party as an usher.

"Who says we're getting married?" Derek asked, frowning but with a smirk.

"If you don't get married then I will owe Marti a hundred bucks."

Casey frowned. "You guys are betting on us?"

Lizzie shrugged. "Have fun you two; make sure that everything is worked out. I would love to have you back in the area," she said to Casey.

Casey smiled as she hugged her sister. "Thanks Lizzie."

"Ok, now get going."

Derek smirked then hugged Lizzie.

"I'm glad you're going to make her happy," she whispered into his ear.

They grabbed their bags then made their way to the ticket booth to check in.

"Just let us throw the two of you a huge reception when you get back and call us to let us know that you're both safe."

They waved to her then went to check in, holding hands.

Lizzie took a deep breath as she started back to her car. Now she had to go home and let them know what has happened.


So I finished the last chapter and thought oh my, that went its own way and it went its own way in this chapter, I had a plan and this story has not gone the way it was written out to… but I like it, I think, please let me know what you think, please, because now I have to finish the story on the path that it decided to run, 5 reviews at least and I will pump out the next chapter