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Twelve

Casey was back to not talking to him. Derek couldn't imagine what had changed for her in the time it had took him to make excuses to flee her presence last night and the collective decision to drive to Edmonton a couple hours later. But, there they were sitting side-by-side in the back since Ralph volunteered to drive and Amanda was attached to his hip. Sam was snoring loudly from the middle seat after he dove for it like a Yankee fan would a Jeter homerun the moment he spotted Casey sitting quietly in the back.

And really, how was that supposed to impress her? They were practically two peas in a Casey pod and Derek wasn't the one dreaming of another chance. Hell, he wasn't even sure he was interested in one chance and he suspected that being new to this loving Casey thing wasn't a factor at all.

Of course, there could be long term effects he wasn't aware of yet, considering his best friend had to be blind not to see that the girl next to him wasn't ready for another relationship. But, after Derek had run away from Casey, he had collided into Sam trolling for jewelry in the casino gift shop. His best friend's purchase of a necklace with a familiar consonant doubling as a charm had to be proof of something dangerous—maybe Casey was like asbestos to the male population.

Derek supposed he should be angry that Sam was buying tacky jewelry for the girl he wasn't sure he wanted but liked to keep the option open until he decided definitively. There was a real male code about that—well, if his best friend knew they were technically into the same girl, which he didn't—but if Sam ever got the guts to give the necklace to her, it would be a big step for him so Derek wished him the best of luck.

Casey had her eyes closed but she was moving her shoulder in this way that made him think she wasn't sleeping because of some kind of pain in her back. He had lived with her long enough to know, it happened often. Derek wasn't sure if it was a side–effect from dancing or the more likely option of just being her, but Lizzie was apparently very proficient at giving back massages. The McDonald sisters always had this weird bond he didn't totally get but he supposed that it was an example of the supportiveness Casey was always preaching to him about. And hey, he could give massages—she just hadn't asked.

"Here, let me try," he whispered because even though Sam's snoring sounded like a mack-truck in a tunnel, Derek wasn't all that comfortable enough with this love thing yet to share it with Double Trouble in the front seat.

Casey tensed the moment his hands touched her shoulders, but he gently massaged them until she gradually relaxed. She had turned so her back was to him and her head fell forward—her skin was so hot through the thin cotton of her tank top.

He tried to focus on finding the knots in her back but the whole ordeal felt like he was playing Minesweeper on advanced. Because dear god, when he got to the base of her spine and pushed slightly with his thumb she made this whimpering noise that sent off a chain reaction of explosions until his hair was electorally charged.

Yeah, this game was definitely over.

He pulled his hands away from the tantalizing heat her body was giving off just to fuck with him and positioned them strategically in his lap. Casey turned to look at him questionably and she really shouldn't do that because he didn't want it to end either. Her face broke out into smiles before he could think about it further.

"Thank you. I think I must've slept wrong or something."

He was nodding, though he was pretty sure he had no idea what she said. Because, hearing was one thing, processing on the other hand—so he might be rethinking his whole position regarding Casey. And holy hell, thoughts like that weren't helping his current predicament when they weren't ever going to happen. Casey wanted Paris and he wasn't ready for the Eiffel Tower—there was still a whole wide world to be oystered and he was sure that wasn't how that saying was supposed to go.

"Are you okay, Derek?"

She was looking at him with the same worried eyes she had when he was about to bet it all during Black Jack and he supposed his hand being stuck in the proverbial cookie jar wouldn't go unnoticed. It took a moment but slowly with enough torque his hand came free with a loud pop.

"I'm fine."

She looked skeptical but nodded anyways before turning around to try to find a semi-comfortable spot. Her back was too him but it didn't stop Derek from noticing the way her hair tumbled down her back in waves of golden brown. He imagined it would be as soft as her skin had been—velvety, smooth and smelling completely delicious—and what would a relationship really be like? It was a new thing for both of them because sex wouldn't be a means to an anything, least of all an end and he wouldn't settle for the pod person she decided was his dream girl. Because if he was going to do this, he'd have to figure out if Casey McDonald was the girl worth fighting for like Batman did Vicki Vale, though Bruce Wayne had those nifty Batarangs and a disturbing infatuation with bats…

So maybe, he wasn't going to battle the fire-breathing dragon until he was sure that the reward was really something he wanted…and Batarangs were still vital to the operation too, just because they're awesome.

"Casey," he said softly and her arm twitched in recognition of her name. "Come on, I know you're awake."

She turned to look at him with an indignant look in her eyes and a scrunched nose—he smirked in response before launching into his horribly crafted paragraph to sell his master plan to her just like he usually did when he was sugar-coating bullshit.

"Since we're living together in the fall, I think we need a fresh start to make the adjustment easier on both of us."

She looked curious, if not a bit little scared because usually any statement of goodwill from him was crafted to lull her into a false sense of security before he struck. But, he planned ahead—well as much as one could during the first and last words of his previous sentence.

"Now, I know that might sound strange coming from me, but I really think that we already have enough to worry about with university and moving away from our friends and family. So I propose a day of fun, planned by yours truly, of course, and by the end of the day we can let bygones be bygones."

Surprisingly, this was the one time Casey managed to keep her face a stoic mask. Every other time her emotions were either leaking from her eyes or spewing from her lips and somehow she was sweeping the leg in a situation he created. He was beginning to think that acknowledging his love for Casey was going to be more excruciating than The Jonas Brothers hitting the big screen.

"Okay," she said slowly, so cautiously that he knew for sure his assessment was very true.

Welcome to lines, vines and trying times, Derek.

Casey turned back over and he turned to stare out the window. It was one thing to ask her but did that really mean he was ready for the answer? Derek wasn't sure he knew but then a general state of confusion was common when dealing with Casey McDonald. He had asked her so somewhere inside of him something must have been ready, besides there was no way out now anyways. She'd been let down by enough guys—almost every single one she knew—and he really didn't want to be on that list, especially since he didn't know if she could take another blow without fake and indifference to take the fall.

She was breathing evenly, so he leaned forward slightly to ask Ralph to stop. Amanda had been whining about being hungry so Derek had no need to explain himself. It was early in the morning and they were a handful of miles outside of Edmonton according to a road sign. So while Ralanda ate at a diner, Derek found a payphone at the gas station across the street.

Sam was still snoring away and Derek had laid Casey out on the backseat before leaving so he had all the time he needed to plan their outing. It wasn't really a date, not when one part of the participating couple was under the impression it was all about brother and sister bonding. But, he didn't really care about that since the point of the whole thing was to spend time with her without the labels and restrictions of back home. So even if she was thinking one way, he was thinking in the other direction enough for both of them.

The phonebook wasn't really helpful since he really didn't know what he was looking for but he absently looked through it anyways. He and Casey's relationship never included the conventional things siblings did with one another. They didn't go to the movies or hang out at some cheesy diner with friends, sporting events were out too unless you counted his hockey games Casey was forced into seeing with the family. Their time consisted of bickering over whatever was convenient, ruining each other's days in the halls of school and crashing each other's evenings out just to mix it up. As a matter of fact, the only place they actually went together had ended horribly when he left her there for a hot blonde gymnast who was visiting her cousin and leaving for New York in the morning—and he needed an operator.

Her voice sounded somewhat robotic, like it was a prerequisite to the whole operator thing, and really were men even allowed? At any rate, she had been very helpful. He knew exactly where he was going to take Casey and he was determined to make it a better experience than last time—though he was sure anything would be an improvement from before.

Amanda and Ralph were flirting over eggs and bacon so Derek ordered pancakes. He ordered some for their sleeping friends too since other people were always far from the couple's mind for completely different reasons. One half was selfish, the other was forgetful and when you mix it all together you got let them eat cake with a question mark at the end. Boy, Casey's scholarly mumble jumble sure did a number on him after all these years.

They were on the road about half an hour after that and Derek was only mildly worried that Amanda was behind the wheel. If this was the way he was supposed to go, he'd die bravely. Casey and Sam were awake eating while Derek went over his notes the operator had given him to make sure he didn't miss anything. He had never really planned anything for any other girl, even Sally and Kendra just got the dinner and a movie treatment. But, he was actively planning something meaningful, and maybe that was his answer regarding French landmarks. But, he didn't want to think about that, at least not until he had too.

When they arrived in Edmonton, Casey and Amanda's relationship took a step in the right direction when they agreed on getting motel rooms, well at least he thought so until Casey laughed at one of Ralph's jokes and Amanda was putting a do not disturb sign on the door of her room. Surprisingly enough, Sam offered to bunk with Casey and it was kind of humourous to watch the whole thing play out. It was almost like a scene out of 'Sixteen Candles'—Casey was Molly Ringwald and Sam was the loveable dork who wanted her underwear—and Derek was quickly realizing that Sam really had a shot because Casey was the type to feel obligated instead of letting him down easy. Like hell, he was letting that happen in his movie—he was Jake Ryan, goddamnit and he totally wasn't getting into his closeted admiration for John Hughes.

"Don't worry about it, Sam. It will be easier since we're doing the whole bonding thing today and Spacey here is good company when she's not awake."

He smirked slightly and Casey huffed in annoyance at the polite insult. But, really with all the kicking, drooling and sleep talking she did, it was like she was awake anyways.

"Really, Sam, I'm fine with, Derek. I've survived worse."

She shot a glare his way and he was surprised to see the playful tint to her eyes. Maybe massages really were the way to Casey's heart—he was already making a mental note to take a class or something in the fall just incase.

"Bonding thing?"

Sam was looking at them suspiciously and actually looked ticked off by this latest development—really the character growth his friend had undergone in a few short minutes was astounding and for some reason Derek's competitive nature was coming out to play. Did he want Casey or was it because he hated losing, though if he wanted to win didn't that still mean he wanted Casey anyways? God, he was getting a headache.

"Yeah, Derek didn't tell you? He has a whole day planned out so we can, what did you call it, Der?"

She was intentionally forgetting, making this a test. Yes, she was teasing him, it was quite obvious by her smile and sparkling eyes, but his intentions were on trial as well. And, she should really know better—he wasn't one of her chump boyfriends or god forbid, Noel.

"I believe I said 'we can let bygones be bygones.' I'm appalled you'd forget such an important milestone in our relationship, Case," he exclaimed, nailing mock appalled and clasping the fabric over his heart dramatically.

"You want to let bygones be bygones?" Sam asked and skeptical really wasn't that hard to get, unless you wore a toque in July it seems.

"Yep, me and Spacey are gonna be the bestest of friends," he laughed and reached out to pull Casey towards him until their sides were flush together.

Casey was looking up at him oddly but just ended up shaking her head. He supposed that his complete one-eighty really wasn't making much sense and she probably knew by now that asking was just a waste of time.

"Well after that massacre of the English language," Casey mumbled sarcastically and how did she get away from him so quickly? "I'm going to take a shower. When're we leaving for this bygones be bygones day of fun, Derek?"

"Um…two?"

And really was it too much to ask not to sound as clueless as Sam did when she asked for a decision? He was at war here, well, not really but it was a pretty gruesome knife fight, okay staring contest. Of course, that changed when Casey walked away but Sam looked away first. That so counted.

But hips, they really shouldn't sway like that and what the hell was he saying earlier?