A/N: OMGOSH another.

Chapter Twenty Summery: Chapter is filled with Dasey moments LOL.

Chapter Twenty

"How was school today?" Nora asked the whole table.

Lizzie went off beside Casey talking about her new project on the rain forest. Casey stared down at her food, pushing it around with her fork. She still felt a little funny. When she got home she tried to take a nap but she just couldn't seem to fall asleep. So instead she had to suffer with the massive headache and the nauseous feeling that wouldn't go away.

"I got my license," Derek bragged.

Nora smiled widely. "That's great, Derek!"

"I think so," Derek smirked.

"But don't think for one second you can go joy riding in our car," George noted.

Derek rolled his eyes. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Casey?" Nora asked from beside her.

Casey looked up a little surprised. "Yeah?"

"Are you okay? You haven't touched your dinner," Nora noted.

Casey dropped her fork onto her plate. "I'm fine, I'm just not hungry."

"Have you eaten today?" Nora pressed on. "I don't think you had breakfast. Are you sick?"

Casey crossed her arms and sat back. "Can't I just not be hungry for once without the third degree? God."

She looked across the table at Derek. He raised an eyebrow at her then looked back down at his food.

"I was only asking Casey," Nora said.

"Oh, yeah, you mean you're finally asking me something," Casey snapped. "Why don't you just assume I'm sick and send me off to the doctor? I mean, you've already assumed I'm a troubled child and you're sending me off to dad's for two weeks."

Nora let out a sigh. "Not now, Casey."

"What's going on?" Marti asked innocently.

"So when?" Casey asked Nora. "You never want to talk about it. You're treating me like a child."

"You're acting like a child," Nora snapped back.

"And you're acting like a horrible mother who doesn't want to take care of her child," Casey said.

"Casey!" George tried to interrupt her.

Casey climbed to her feet. "I'm partly glad I'm going to dad's. One good thing is that I get a break from you."

She started up the stairs and noticed half way up that Derek was right behind her. At the top of the stairs she turned to make sure and she was right. She couldn't imagine what the family thought of that. But she shrugged the thought and went into her room, leaving the door open, knowing Derek would just walk in anyway. He closed the door behind him and leaned against it.

"Okay, this teenage rebellion thing is getting weird," he stated.

Casey rolled her eyes and turned to face him. "Its not a rebellion as much as she's really getting on my nerves. Please, Derek, I don't want to talk about it. I really just want to sleep. So could you please just leave me alone. Please."

He stared at her for a moment before nodding and leaving. She let out a long breath. Without even changing, she climbed into bed and closed her eyes. If she could just sleep away the headache she would be able to think clearer. She needed her clear mind back more then anything.

She tossed and turned for a while without getting a moments rest. Every few minutes she would turn over to look at the clock. Time seemed to be moving incredibly slow. At some point Nora knocked on the door and talked through it to get her attention. She peaked her head in and left, turning the light off when she noticed her sleeping. But she was only faking it.

The room was incredibly dark now. The light from the street seemed extremely dim. She stared up at the black hole she had for a ceiling. She wondered what New York was like. Part of her found going to be exciting. She might actually have a good time. The part that bugged her was that she was being forced to do it. If she had made the decision she might appreciate it more but that wasn't the case.

Her head was pounding now.

She rolled over and looked at the clock. Midnight. Everyone in the house was probably asleep. Without a second thought she climbed out of bed. She listened for noises for a moment before closing her door behind her. She walked to the door next to hers and tapped lightly. There was no answer or response whatsoever. She opened the door and peaked inside.

She could see Derek in the bed. He was lying on his side facing the door with the blankets pulled up to his neck. He didn't even stir at the sound of the door. She stepped inside and closed it behind her. Just as it shut Derek jumped a little.

"Casey?" he squinted at her.

Casey walked over to the bed and sat down. "I can't sleep."

"So you wanted me to suffer with you?" he asked.

"Don't be grouchy," she joked. "Move over."

"Are you serious?" he asked as though this were completely normal.

Casey shoved him a little. "Yeah, move over."

He sighed and did as told. She grabbed some of the blankets from him and laid her head down on his pillow. He got comfortable again beside her and his breath began to even out. She smiled at him. He didn't seem at all surprised that she wanted to sleep in his bed, so much that he surprised her with his actions. If he had showed up in her bedroom she would of kicked him out. But he treated it as though it happened all the time.

"Derek?" she whispered.

"What?" he asked groggily.

She turned laid on her side to face him better. "I don't feel good."

He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "I know. Now go to sleep."

She smiled again before closing her eyes. Next thing she knew his alarm was going off beside her. Her eyes fluttered open and she looked up to see the clock. 6:30 a.m. She felt an arm over her stomach and realized that Derek's face was buried in the back of her neck. He didn't even move at the loud beeping sound of his alarm. She turned it off and then rolled over to face him.

"Derek?" she whispered and pushed his shoulder. "Wake up."

He rolled over, his arm falling off her waste. "What?"

"Its time to wake up," she told him.

He opened his eyes and looked over at the clock. "Another half hour."

"No," she said, sitting up and shaking him. "Come on. I have to get back to my room without being seen."

He sighed and rubbed his face with his hand. "Fine, fine."

He sat up and obviously forced himself to get to his feet. Casey sat on the edge of the bed. He walked out into the hallway, closing the door behind him. A moment later her opened it again. She ran passed him in the hallway and back into her own room. He stood in her doorway for a moment.

"You feeling better?" he asked.

Casey grabbed a pair of jeans from the dresser and smiled at him. "A lot. Thanks."

He nodded and disappeared back into his room. She continued to smile at where he was just standing. Then she closed her door so she could get dressed for school. She chose a long sleeved pink sweater knowing that it was supposed to be freezing outside. She brushed her hair flat and left it like that. Her hair was getting so long, just how she wanted it.

When she finished everything including her makeup she went downstairs for breakfast. Lizzie and Edwin were at the counter eating cereal. Casey grabbed a glass of orange juice, not feeling up to eating anything. Nora and George entered the kitchen from their room in the basement dressed and ready to go.

"Are you going to have some cereal?" Nora asked Casey.

"I'm fine," Casey said as she sat down.

"I'm going to go get Marti," George said, heading out of the kitchen.

Derek came in next. He grabbed a bowl and poured in his favorite cereal and some milk. He sat next to Casey and eyed the glass of orange juice in front of her. He jumped up and grabbed another bowl from the cabinet. Then he put the bowl in front of Casey who went to argue but he ignored her. He poured in a little bit of cereal and added milk. Then he handed her a spoon. Everyone stared at him like he was crazy, but he ignored them and started eating his own bowl.

"I'm not hungry, Derek," Casey told him.

"Eat," he demanded. "You're probably feeling sick because your hungry."

Casey rolled her eyes. She picked up her spoon and surprisingly did as told.

After breakfast, to everyone's surprise, Derek put everyone's bowls in the sink and the cereal back in the cabinet. Lizzie and Edwin decided to ignore it and just started to grab their stuff for school. George finally came back down with Marti.

"Everyone ready?" he asked.

"I am," Edwin answered.

Casey remained in her seat and looked at Nora. "Can I just stay home? I still feel a little sick."

"Come on," Derek said, standing in front of her. He held out his hand to help her off the stool. "We'll walk, you can get some air."

Casey sighed. She grabbed her bag off the counter and took his hand, hoping down off the stool. He playfully spun her in a circle and she pushed him when she came out of it. Derek grabbed his own bag and both of their jackets and they headed out the door.

"What was that?" she overheard Lizzie ask before the door closed.

"Here," Derek said, handing her jacket to her and taking her bag so she could put it on.

"What's with you this morning?" she asked, taking her bag back.

Derek shrugged. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Casey said. They reached the street and started toward school. "Its like you're taking care of me."

Derek smiled. "You don't like it?"

"No, no," she smiled back. "Its kind of nice."

They were silent for a moment and Derek gave her a playful shove. "Just don't expect me to carry you."

"I didn't ask you too," she laughed, shoving him back. "Thanks, Derek."

"Whoa," Derek said, pulling her arm before she tripped over a trashcan. "Watch your step."

Casey laughed and rubbed her face with embarrassment. "I've really got to stop doing that."

"Its cute," Derek said playfully.

"Derek Venturi," she started, "did you just call my klutziness cute?"

Derek laughed. "Well, it's a nice laugh at your expense. But I'm starting to think I'm causing it."

"Don't flatter yourself," Casey said rather quickly.

"Oh I will," he joked.

When they got to school they went their separate ways. As Casey walked toward Grace, who was sitting with Josh by his car, she glanced back at Derek several times as he headed into the school. When Grace spotted her she slid off the hood of the car, touched Josh's chest, and then walked over to her.

"You know, after this dance," Grace started and nodded back toward Josh, "I might just keep dating him."

Casey smiled and nodded. "Step it up a notch, Gracie."

"Yeah, he's a swell guy," Grace laughed. "Come on, lets get inside." She took her arm and pulled her toward the door. "So I called you last night but Lizzie said you went to bed early. She informed me that you yelled at your mom and she asked me what was wrong with you."

"You're kidding," Casey laughed.

"Nope, honest," Grace said as the got inside. "I just told her you were fine and had a lot going on. I told her not to worry about you."

Casey looked at the people around them. "I really didn't get much sleep."

"No?" Grace asked.

Casey watched as she put in their locker combination. "Not until like midnight… when I went into…" -She looked around again- "…lets just say I've only slept that good once."

"Oh my God!" Grace cheered. She squealed a little bit and jumped up and down. "No way, no way! What happened?"

Casey hushed her. "Nothing. Quiet."

"Right, right, sorry," Grace said. She looked around. "Was it a repeat?"

"No, not at all," Casey explained in a whisper. "It wasn't anything like it. I just couldn't sleep and I just went to his room. I guess I just needed some company or something. So I went into his room and he just moved over and we fell asleep."

Grace leaned against the locker next to their own and placed her hand over her heart. "You two are meant for each other."

"No, Grace, we're not," Casey argued.

"I say that by the time you leave for vacation, you'll realize it," Grace told her.

"You're insane, do you know that?" Casey laughed.

Grace turned back around and started gathering her things. "So what are you going to do about Trevor? I know you've thought about it."

"Actually," Casey sighed, "I'm going to tell him that I think we're better off being friends. I was wrong to jump into a relationship with him. This past weekend and the whole dance thing just shows me that its not going to work. Maybe the reason why I was so happy to be around him and all was just because I like him as a friend. I mean, lets face it, I'm not in my normal crush mode when he's around me."

Grace laughed and when Casey gave her an evil eye she stopped and said quickly, "Sorry."

"But I don't want you getting false ideas here," Casey said. "This is not because of a certain other guy."

"Whatever you say," Grace smirked. "So when you breaking it to Trevor?"

"I guess when I see him," Casey noted.

Grace nodded down the hallway. "Great, go for it."

Casey looked down the hallways where Trevor just entered. She suddenly felt afraid. She looked back at Grace, who had already closed the locker and began walking away.

"Later," she told herself and followed her.