A/N: Hey, sorry it has taken so long to get a chapter out. I hope I have not lost any fans. Enjoy!!


I KISSED DEREK VENTURI!!!!

Casey, typed stiffly into her journal.

What if he hates me for it? Now it is too far to turn back now. I can forget about hideing my feelings for him. That is not going to happen now. He probaly thinks I am a weirdo...an idiot...a jerk...but...it was perfect. Everything about it. Well, except the running away part. I could have stood there forever though. I can not beileve I ran away. I am turning into the runaway bride.

Casey could not type anymore, she was still too in shock. She had to log off. Most importantly, DO something. She had to get out her fears. But who could I talk to about this? She knew she could not talk to any of her friends. Or Paul. Or her family. Who I need to talk to is Derek. But it has only been ten minutes. He most likely in shock. He might have passed out as soon as I was up the stairs. Derek does have a quesy stomach...

That was all the excuse Casey could think of to let herself go see where Derek was. She heard something downstairs. She slowly crept out of her room, went down a couple of steps and looked over the rail. Derek was sitting there makeing sandwhiches. Man, Derek looks awesome. Then again...so do the sandwhiches. Casey was still starveing. The fact that she had not eaten all day, did not go away.

That is weird that he is makeing four sandwhiches though. I know Derek can eat, but four? I wonder...

Casey heard Derek approaching the steps. She could not think. Just the sound of his steps made her feel dizzy. Casey closed her eyes for a second, and the next time she opened them, there was Derek. Down at the bottem of the stairs with two seperate plates of sandwhiches, and a baffled look on his face to why she was standing there on the stairs.

Casey knew she should say something as to why she was there. She could just not think of why. Then it hit her. "Um, sorry, I was just...I was starveing. I have not eaten anything all day."

Derek looked up at her. She looked perfect. He wanted to scream out to her 'Yes!! Kiss me, I really do like you. You do not have to run away.' He wanted to say all of this. But shock was still over him.

"Would you like a couple sandwhiches?"

Derek went further up the stairs.

Casey felt like she was going to faint. Derek comeing closer and lack of food all day was not a good combo.

Suddenly, the door flew open with Marty screaming at the top of her lungs.

"We're home!!"

Derek and Casey immediatly snapped out of their trance. Derek gave Casey one of the plates, set the other down on the bottom of the railing, and hugged Marty.

"Hey Smarti, how was the movie?"

" We had to come home early. Lizzie and Edwin were kissing!" She replied brightly.

Derek and Casey looked over to Lizzie and Edwin who just entered. They looked a little sheepish. George and Nora followed. Nora spoke first. "Well it appears that Lizzie and Edwin are...dateing."

"Did you two know anything about this?" George asked with his eyebrows raised.

Derek answered for them. "Yes, but we just recently found out ourselves."

Nora spoke up again, her voice raised a tad, "Well, we just found out about this. And the way we found out was not the way I would have preferred."

"They got seats behind us, then Daddy saw them kissing!" Marty said, again, a little too brightly.

Lizzie and Edwin looked down. Casey and Derek were surprised their siblings were so bold.

Casey had to know something. But, afraid of George and Nora's answer.

Derek had to ask a question. He had to know. But like Casey, was afraid of the answer.

They both took a deep breath, and asked in accidental unison:

"Are you mad?"

Casey and Derek looked over at eachother. Then looked back at George and Nora.

George and Nora looked at eachother.

"We're not mad, we just think they are too young." Nora stated.

Casey hesitated a little before this one. "So it is not weird that they are step brother and step sister?"

George and Nora started laughing. "No, Casey, why would you say that? They are not related."

Casey suddenly felt stupid. She saw Derek let out a deep breath.

Derek loved George and Nora's answers. He wanted to go up and hug them both.

Casey grabbed her plate of sandwhiches said goodnight, and retreated to her room. Derek did the same.

Around midnight, Derek woke up to get some water. He slowly crept out of his room and went down the hall. When he got to Casey's room, he stopped to listen for a moment. He heard little snores. Aww...Casey snores...somehow, that fits her. As he stood there for a couple more minutes, he noticed something. Those are not snores. Those are sobs. Derek knew what was wrong. He too, was feeling the same thing. The feeling of emptyness. He knew that, that kiss had a question to it also. But he did not know how to tell her. And he certainly could not kiss her around here. I want to make this special. Now, that I think Casey returns the same feelings, I want to tell her in a special way...Not just walking up to her and kissing her. Even though that sounds great right now, she deserves more. That is if she really does like me. Derek suddenly knew exactly what to do. He quickly got some water, and went back to bed. He had a lot of plans to make tomorrow and wanted to be well rested up.


A/N: I hope you liked the chapter. Again, I hope I have not lost any readers while takeing so long. Thanks for reading, and please review!