A/N: This was a fun one.

I do not own Life With Derek. (Shocker).

Players:

Casey - turning into a pushover

Derek - not gonna let that happen

James - full of fire and rage

QUEENS - DEREK'S DORM - Afternoon

Derek is sitting at his desk, shirtless and looking fine. He's attempting to get some schoolwork done, but gets distracted when his phone alerts him of a text.

It's early in the day (early, as in afternoon), when Derek reads the text from Casey, and he curses out loud when he reads it.

'Off the hook tonight. Unexpected plans. Steak tomorrow. - Casey'

He grits his teeth, because he knows that Casey is cancelling on him for James, given the lack of an explanation and curt text.

Vexed, he checks his watch, and it's still a few hours until he was supposed to go pick her up. But he has a better idea, and pushes up from his desk and gets dressed. (Yeah, yeah, it's two o'clock, but Derek doesn't wear clothes unless he needs to).

He's smiling now, because he knows Casey's schedule, and knows she has no afternoon classes on Thursdays, and she has no social life (so obviously, she'll be at her place).

And so she'll have no excuses.

And Derek's on a mission to stir up trouble, and this is the best thing he can come up with. (James will be livid, and Derek can't wait).

Casey doesn't answer her door immediately, so Derek knocks again, with more force (so she can hurry up).

And when the door opens, he smiles suggestively. He likes the way her hair is in the process of being curled, so one side is straight, and the other has waves (and he also likes the way she looks him up and down).

"What are you doing?" she asks, and there is barely even a hint of anger. (He has to fix that).

Pushing past her, he enters her dorm without being invited, and proceeds to take off his coat, sling it over her desk, and plop down a big paper bag full of food on her bed and slides onto her mattress, kicking off his shoes.

"Steak tonight. Lunch tomorrow," he answers (to her text, which she had sent an hour ago).

And she crosses her arms. "Get out! I'm studying. And getting ready for a date."

He scoffs. "It's three. Even if you did have a hot date, it won't be for another four or so hours, and I'm hungry over here, and if you don't sit beside me and hold paper towel under my chin, I'm gonna get your bed full of gravy."

(He loves the way she fumes and rolls her eyes). She rests her fists on her perfect waist (a little bit of skin is showing between the hem of her shirt and sweatpants, and Derek drinks it in). "I'm serious. I have a lot to do."

He nods. "I know. Lots to do. Like how are we supposed to eat all this in one sitting? It's going to take us at least a couple hours." Triumphantly, he starts pulling takeaway boxes out of the bag and tossing them on her bed (to which she screeches and starts catching, making sure nothing spills and soils her perfect quilt). "Bread roll?" He offers, opening up a Styrofoam, and lifting it toward her.

And he finally feels that turbulent motion in his stomach (the same one he always feels whenever he sees Casey bite her lip).

She caves (of course), and grabs a roll, and starts nibbling on it.

He taps the bed.

She ignores him.

So he pulls her down.

"Rib-eye. Medium rare," Derek states, as he hands her a container.

Casey smirks and happily accepts it. "Thanks," she says, and snags a pair of plastic utensils that have been thrown onto her pillow. All she says next is, "Why?"

And Derek shrugs and takes a bite of his steak. "I was hungry."

"We could have done this tomorrow."

"Um, it's rather unhealthy to skip meals until the next day."

And she huffs in irritation. (Because she knows it's a losing battle). "You remembered what I like."

(Did he even have to respond?) "Of course."

Silence fills the room for a few minutes, and Derek can't stop himself from staring at her (because she's adorable).

And she glares at him, and closes her container, and gets up off the bed again. "I was in the middle if curling my hair." (Because she thinks he's staring at her funny because she looks lopsided).

"Yeah, you're starting to look a little bit like Cruella."

He has to dodge the hairbrush hurtling toward his head quickly. "So where is James taking you?" (He's not actually interested. He just is curious if Casey goes anywhere fun with him.)

As she starts curling her hair around the wand of her iron, she says, "we're just going out."

(Give him something to work with here). "Yeah, but, for example, the opera is a very different outing than, say, a great club, like where we went last night."

"The opera is a great outing."

"For a stiff." (Dead or alive. Either one applies).

She ignores his comment. "For your information, James and I are going to walk along the lake."

(Laughter. So much laughter Derek has to grip his sides). "That's funny."

"We enjoy each others company."

"Sounds just enjoyable enough to walk straight into the lake and breathe in the water."

"It's romantic."

"No, it sounds boring."

"We like it."

"Probably why you don't seem that excited."

Turning around, Casey stares at him for a moment (expressionless), before she responds, saying, "Not everything has to be exciting, Derek."

He shrugs. "When you're in love, the smallest things are always exciting." (Like spontaneous steaks on the bed, for example).

And she clenches her jaw (and spins around quick before he can read her new frown).

"But if you like feeling all stable and predictable, then go right ahead."

She doesn't say anything else, but finishes doing her hair, and then pins it up so gravity won't destroy it before the evening. (He used to make so much fun of her back at home when she'd walk around like that, but now it was more endearing than ever).

"So did you talk to mystery girl?"

"What?"

"The one you like. From the restaurant. Have you talked to her since she saw us together?"

And Derek sighs and leans back on her pillows (which smells so good, by the way). "Yeah."

"And...?"

"And I'm making progress."

"For instance?"

"For instance, she's not going out with her boyfriend tonight, like she was planning on doing." (He hopes. Nothing is confirmed, but he's going to do his best).

"Really?"

He nods. "Yeah, he's not as exciting as she thought."

Casey scoffs. "She sounds dumb, then."

He smirks. "Whatever you say."

"Shouldn't you be at her place? If you're so confident she's into you?"

(Already ahead of you, sis). He shrugs. "It can wait."

"You don't want her to think you're unavailable. Otherwise it will be another 'Sally' disaster, and I'm going to have to step in and fix it for you."

(Defensive Derek: Activate). "Hey, I had the situation with Sally under control. You were the one who messed it up."

"Please. If it weren't for me, she would have given up, and you're too pigheaded to admit that you almost lost her with your stupid steely mind games. And you did lose her in the end, anyway."

"Okay, ouch. I didn't lose her. We agreed to break up."

"Because you're a sorry loser."

"Because I loved her."

(Okay, that wasn't supposed to come out. Not in front of Casey, at least).

"You loved her?"

He gets quiet. "Did I say that I loved her? I meant to say that I thought she was okay. Definitely not love. I don't love."

Casey rolls her eyes. "Obviously you do love, Derek. And you're in love right now with that girl you won't tell me about."

"That's different."

"How so?"

(Does he admit it?) "This time, it's not the same."

"What do you mean?"

He sighs (and delves). "With other girls - with Sally, and Emily, and Kendra - I was able to just... stop feeling for them. But not like this. This time, she's all I think about." (This time? More like, the whole time. Since the first time he's laid eyes on Casey, he's been in love, just trying to push those feelings aside).

Casey smiles. "That's sweet."

(No its not. It's annoying and disruptful to his life of peace. Relatively.)

"Whatever." (And he just has to ask it). "Do you love James?"

To which Casey doesn't answer right away, she stands there for a moment, and her lip pushes against her teeth, and she looks out the window briefly. "I like James. A lot."

Derek lifts an eyebrow. "Enough to become the trophy wife who travels to Victoria every week with the three babies and Labrador retriever?"

And she looks back at him, (and he can see all sorts of fear and doubt clouding her vision). "I don't know yet."

(He's feeling hopeful, because she looks a little wistful, too, like she's remembering his own speech about the future).

"Well figure it out soon, or else you might be living a life of regrets." (And he closes his eyes and puts his hands behind his head).

"Are you seriously going to sleep?"

"Food coma. Gotta."

She grimaces. "Don't drool on my pillow."

He opens one eye mischievously. "You've just given me a wonderful idea."

"If that pillow gets wet, I will stab you."

"I'd like to see you try."

It's hours later, full of reminiscing and laughter, and kicking Derek into the hall so she can get dressed in private (into a miniskirt that Derek picked out and can't wait to see because those things are known to ride up).

And as Derek is making fun of her pile of A+ papers, a knock at the door sounds (and Casey absolutely loses her shit).

"Oh my God! He's early!" Casey whispers, panicked, to Derek.

And Derek lifts an eyebrow. "So?"

And Casey glares. "He can't see you here."

"Why not?" He narrows his eyes.

"Because he's already suspicious of you, and if he thinks I still hung out with you today after he asked me not to, then he's going to be in a bad mood all night."

(And smoke is beginning to curl out of Derek's ears). "He asked you not to see me? Case, please tell me you see that something is wrong here."

(Knocking gets louder).

She puts her hands on his chest and begins to push him backward into the closet (and something scandalous passes through his head, along the lines of that game 'Seven Minutes in Heaven'), and she holds the door. "Just please hide in here until we're gone."

"And do what?"

"I don't know. Please don't make things worse, Derek." And she bites her lip, but this time it's not because she's being playful (and Derek is feeling a little bad now). "Please."

He nods, which is apparently enough because she proceeds to toss his jacket to him, along with his shoes, and slams the door in his face. (And Derek is left in a moral dilemma).

He wants to burst out of that closet so badly and make James turn into the Incredible Hulk, but he knows Casey will be angrier at him than ever before (and she's been known to give him the silent treatment).

So he becomes an absolute traitor (to himself) and listens to her.

It's painful, because he can hear everything going on (even the kissing as she initially opens her door, and he's ready to puke).

It's many minutes before he can hear a real conversation, and it's not anything he wants to hear coming out of Casey's mouth with any guy but himself.

"Not now, James. I don't feel like it."

James tries to protest, (and Derek has his hand on the closet door knob, ready to step in if things go wrong), but Casey puts him in his place.

"No. Stop it." (And Derek loves her). "How come you're here so early?" Casey starts asking, and James replies with,

"I couldn't wait to see you. I thought we could spend some more time together."

(Derek is absolutely beaming, because Casey sounds unimpressed).

"Oh. Well, it would have been nice to know, is all."

"You usually like it when I come over unannounced."

"Oh, I do. But..."

And Derek is struggling to hear anything else, (but neither of them say anything for a moment), and he's confused.

That's when Hell is unleashed.

"What's all this?"

(Derek so wishes he could see what was going on).

"Oh, nothing. Just some food I was eating earlier."

"There's... A lot."

"I was hungry." (Ravenous, perhaps).

"Was someone here with you?"

"James-"

"He was here, wasn't he?"

(Yes! This is working out perfectly! Derek doesn't even have to lift a finger and he's turning into the Hulk himself).

"No."

"How come there's enough take-out for three people, then?"

"Um... I had a friend over."

"Who?"

Casey doesn't respond, and Derek is straining to hear what happens next. He wants James to start searching the place and happen upon him in the closet (because it looks very compromising, and it would work in Derek's favour).

"A friend."

"What friend?"

(Man, this guy is pushy. And Derek is doing everything in his power not to jump out of there and deck the guy).

"James, who cares who was over. It's not like it matters. I was hungry, and a friend brought food, and we hung out, and now we're going out."

"Casey-"

"Let's go."

Derek doesn't want them to go. He can hear the controlling tone in James' voice, and knows he's not a good guy. (Why can't Casey see that?) He was pushy and domineering, and everything Derek can't stand. He has to stop it before it's too late. Because it's obvious that Casey's social life (and sanity) were on the line here. No guy had the right to question her daytime activities, and no one had the right to question her friends.

So he (nonchalantly) ruffles some of the hangers in the closet. (Squeak!)

And the room goes quiet. He gets worried, because it sounds like they have left, but sighs in relief when he hears, "What was that?"

So he does it again, and then tips over some of Casey's shoes on the floor.

"Is someone in the closet?"

And that's when the closet door bursts open, and Derek is smiling wider than ever. He stares up at James, smug, and waves. "Hey. Fancy meeting you here."

Commence Incredible Hulk: Because James is now fuming, and Derek is loving it.

Review :)