AN: I don't own Life with Derek. Read and review I love feedback!

Love, Ellie

Five months - Monthly Family Dinner

"Marti can you pass the potato's" Ed asked over the conversation happening between Simon and Liz. Something about a protest for sea turtles and plastic straws. "Only if you pass the rolls." His youngest sister replied.

"Everyone we have an announcement to make!" Casey began with one of her big smiles. You know the one that lights up the room.

"They finally got the tests back; you really are an alien?" I replied with a smile and no bite. Over the years we had become friends. Good friends, Best Friends, we teased each other but it was never malicious.

"Der-ek! No, Jason asked me to marry him and I said yes." She beamed holding out her hand to show the ring. It was then in that moment my world stopped.

I smiled and congratulated them both, said all the right things. when she asked me to be the best man I replied yes in a daze. I acted like the brother I never was, step or not. I made an excuse about having early practice the next morning and took my leave.

48 hours later after the worst bender of my life. I woke up to incessant knocking on my front door.

"Wake... Up... D!" Marti yelled at the top of her lungs thankfully my nearest neighbor is about a mile away so no one will call the cops.

I ran my hand through my hair as I walked towards the sound of my evil baby sister.

As soon as I opened the door a very colorful blur burst through.

"Casey won't stop calling me asking why you won't answer, and why you left early on Friday. Because my neurotic sister has all your practices written down on her personal calendar, and her work calendar. I had to make up some excuse halfway through Saturday that you broke your phone." She finally took a break from her stream of consciousness. "Jesus Wept, look at you! You look like you're one shot away from having your stomach pumped. How the fuck don't you have Alcohol poisoning?!"

"Practice." I deadpanned. "Wait is that coffee?" I asked staring at the two cups of Tim Horton's coffee.

"Yes, but you don't get it until you've showered and changed." She held the coffee just out of my reach. I sighed because I knew she was right I really needed a shower. So, I walked towards the stairs to head up to my room.

I came back downstairs into the kitchen about 30 min later and Marti gave me the cup of black coffee I desperately needed.

"So, are we gonna talk about it? Or ignore the elephant in the room that suspiciously looks like a carrot and a half diamond ring?" She started pointedly.

"Why would we need to talk about it? Casey is getting married. So what?" I replied trying to sound as nonchalant as possible. I missed the mark.

"Why would we need to talk about it? Let me see. Casey your Best friend of 10 years and stepsister of 15 just announced she's getting married. After dating a man for four months. A man who lives in America. A man who's kinda a dick. I'm assuming she didn't tell you it was getting that serious based on your reaction, which is strange because she tells you everything. And most importantly the man she's marrying isn't you." She finished her rant with a deep sigh.

"Smarti... she's getting married. I don't know what's worse, that she didn't tell me first or that it's happening at all." I didn't notice the tears falling down my face. My shoulders sagged and I pinched the bridge of my nose. "The worst part is she wants me to be the Best Man, how am I supposed to do that? It's not like I can say 'no I can't be your best man because I've been in love with you forever, and just being in the room period will probably break me.' that will go over like a lead balloon."

She just stood there staring at me. I wasn't sure if it was because I was crying for the first time since we found out Abby had liver cancer. Or the fact that for the first time in 15 years I admitted to loving Casey.

"Oh Smerek, you've never told her? Not even once? I thought you were at least together during college." She responded sympathetically.

"No, I never told her. I came close, a couple times in college, and once a couple of years ago. But we were always interrupted, or I chickened out. I knew no matter how she felt, she would never choose me over the family, I couldn't put her in that position." I sighed thinking about my past mistakes.

"So, that's it, you're just going to let her marry him?" she asked flabbergasted.

"Yes." I replied defeated.

"Why?!" she asked incredulously.

"He makes her happy… and I can't." I finished with defeat in my voice.

Marti stared at me for a good thirty seconds before she responded "I hope you know what you're doing, no matter how happy it makes her, if you can't handle it drop out. I can't lose you like I lost Mom," She turned around and started to walk towards the front door, "Come on get your shit I'm taking you to practice."