Chapter 1: Baby Fever
Holy Crap.
Casey stared down at the stick with horror, shock, and queasiness. It couldn't be true, this couldn't be happening. She slid down the wall, sitting down on the floor, gasping. She felt a wave of anxiety hit her. All her life, she had planned every day, week, month, and life in specific sequence. And in one moment, everything changed, she felt tears slip down her cheek. Nothing about this was simple, it was bad enough she got pregnant one year before University graduation, but she got pregnant with the one person that would make an already complicated situation, even more complex. How could she have allowed this to happen? She was the responsible one, always abiding to the rules and yet here she was, contemplating what to do next. She couldn't contain it, she wept. She wept for what she couldn't control, wept because she had allowed this to happened, wept because she couldn't blame him entirely, and wept because she knew she wanted to keep the baby.
She had been extremely emotional for weeks, and she thought it was because of him the entire time. Yet it seemed her emotions were wrecked through something much deeper. She was pregnant with Derek's baby, with her step-brother's baby. She felt devastated, and at the same time, she wanted to keep it. How could two opposite feelings meet in the middle? It made no sense. The only reason she could come up with was the thought of Derek and that night was like needles stabbing her. He hurt her, badly but yet she couldn't hate him. Ever.
For the past few years, her relationship with Derek was estranged. They weren't necessarily on bad terms, it just happened naturally. Derek's schooling ended up leading him to a life of hockey, he was quite popular around school, and had a different group of friends than her. As for her, as always she was odd and unrefined. She made a couple good friends, and had many acquaintances. She dated a couple guys, and from what she could see Derek had no problem finding dates. It still irritated her beyond belief to see him with anyone, he would walk around campus with that doofus smile, and would taunt her with his dates as per usual. There were a few times where Derek would come sit by her favorite study tree, and they would chat easily. They saw each other for family dinners, and would run into each other all the him. He would tease her as she barreled by him, for walking around with her nose in a book.
Truthfully, there was little to complain about, for years she whined about Derek's closeness to her. She wasn't prepared to ...miss him. It was only a little bit, but it was enough to make her ponder why she missed him. Derek's hockey fame had gone to his head a bit after getting discovered by a scout. She had congratulated at the dinner with the family, she was honestly impressed. It wasn't long before Derek became even more annoying and his jerk tendencies went through the roof. Derek had always been cocky, but the way he walked around school resembled a peacock, completely showing off. If he wasn't popular before, he was now. He was constantly followed by groups of girls, and that's when everything changed. She never got any time to talk to him, he was always busy. Derek finished his schooling, and started playing hockey professionally. He was like a ghost for an entire year, and then suddenly two months ago, everything changed.
Casey started a romance with a guy she met at the gym. His name was Vincent Dimarco, he was tall, blonde, and extremely attractive. Her dating life had been a mess the past few years, she had a couple long term boyfriends, but no one really got her attention until Vincent. He was in school to become a math teacher, he was kind hearted, goofy, and sweet. They dated for a whole year, and one day, she discovered him with another girl. She walked in on them when she wanted to surprise him one night. It shattered her to pieces, and she ran out of that room before she could form a word. Her phone rang again and again, but she hid in her room, crying her eyes out. She wasn't sure if it was the moment, but suddenly she was dialing a number she knew by heart, but never used. Normally she would have called Emily, or Lizzie, but as she dialed the number urgently, her heart raced wickedly.
As the phone rang, she sat listlessly. "Hello," came his velvety voice.
She gripped the phone tightly against her cheek. "Der," she said through hard sobs, "I'm sorry to call you like this, out of the blue. It's just I have no one else to turn to," she sniffled, annoyed at herself for being such a cry baby and towards Derek of all people.
"Case, what is it? I can come over if you want," his voice sounded so soothing and she was trembling.
"Yes, please," she heard a brief goodbye and hung up. She paced around the apartment, wrestling with herself. Why did she call him? Obviously heartbreak made all logic disappear.
About an hour later, she opened the door to find Derek. He looked different. Somehow, he looked more mature. His eyes looked tired, but that same deviltry existed behind them. He buffed out, his hair was short, and styled. He wore an expensive looking leather jacket. He brought coffee, and chocolates. It was so uncharacteristic and sweet, and he smirked at her slowly.
"Thought you could use some coffee," he handed it to her and coyly smiled, noticed her eyeing the chocolate. "I'm sure you will depress me, which is why I brought the chocolate for me," he said tauntingly.
Casey found herself laughing, she missed his teasing ways. She moved over to let him pass, and he laughed as he handed her the chocolates. She watched him silently as he went to her couch and put his feet up on the coffee table. It should have annoyed her, but it was so typical Derek it was hard to be angry. "So, long time no see," she said timidly. "What rock have you been hiding under?"
Derek smiled, as put his arms behind his back. "I guess I have been a little scarce, but what can I say, I'm becoming a hockey legend. It doesn't leave a lot of time for me to see anyone, I hardly see my shadow that's how busy I've been."
Casey sat on the loveseat across from him, and she just felt this fullness in her heart, she really did miss him. Not that she would ever tell him that. "I don't see why you can't text me or your family from time to time just so we know you're not dead."
Derek chuckled "Well, I'm not dead. And I'm here, now." The way he said it was so gentle, it made her do a double take.
"Would you like anything to drink? I have some wine," she said as cheerfully as she could.
Derek eyed her with surprise. "You're offering me alcohol? This can't be good news," he said with alarm.
Casey got up and went to the kitchen and poured a glass out for him, and one for her. "Must be worse than I thought, if you are also drinking," he muttered.
She tried not to sniffle or cry, but she couldn't help it. "Just I know how much you hate tears, and you will definitely be in the presence of me bawling." She handed him the glass and sat beside him.
"What happened?" He leaned in towards her, and the eye contact was too much for her.
Casey felt the tears well up again. She was flustered. She took a swig of the wine. "Vincent cheated on me. I just can't believe this, why does this keep happening to me?" Her voice cracked. "I mean is there something wrong with me?" She stared ahead, too embarrassed over letting all her emotions out to him of all people.
She waited for the laughter and onslaught of jokes, but Derek was surprisingly quiet.
"He's an idiot. A blind idiot. Don't blame yourself." She thought for sure she misheard him, and very slowly, as if moving through water, turned to face him. He looked concerned, angry, and shocked by it.
She shrugged defeatedly. "You don't really know that, I guess I was just so focused on school, he probably felt left out and rejected. Maybe I pushed him to that extreme. Or Maybe I'm too demanding."
Derek reached for her, holding on to her shoulders. The act made her freeze. "Case. He was obviously a loser that didn't know what he had in front of him. He's a moron," he said bitingly. "You don't deserve that, and let me tell you I'd love to pay this guy a visit. Who does he think he is?"
Casey sniffled, "You're just saying that because you're my brother," she said glumly. She met his gaze and he gave her a turbulent look.
"Step-brother," he said with a bit of annoyance. "There's a big difference and you know it."
Oh she knew it, no matter how many times she told herself Derek was her brother, it just didn't seem right. "Derek," she moved away from him. "Is there? You have always treated me as a sister. You teased me, made fun of me, did so many things to me that scream brotherly. How is it not the same?"
She heard him breathing in sharply, "It just isn't. And as your step-brother, I have no real reason to tell you any of that unless I meant it."
She felt herself flush, and thanked him. He leaned back on the couch, and he sipped on the wine. They ended up talking for some time, he told her all about his hockey and how amazing it was. She just lingered on his every word, the liveliness of his voice, his usual high spirited self. Was Derek always so captivating? After a long pause, he threw her a dazzling smile.
"Want to watch a cheesy movie? Maybe that'll cheer you up," he elbowed her playfully.
"You would stomach that for me?" She asked with surprise.
Derek sighed with agony, "Normally, no, I would run away if I could. Nothing sours my mood more than unrealistic gushing and sappy declarations of love." He shivered, and gave her a little smirk. "But, you clearly need cheering up, so I'll just die in silence."
Casey smiled tenderly. "As sweet as that is of you, I for once agree with you. Romance feels dead to me now, thanks to Vincent." She looked at her glass of wine, and drank it down. She felt Derek's intense gaze on her.
"Woah, take it easy Case," he warned with a crooked smile. "Trust me, Vincent is not worth you feeling all sick tomorrow with a hangover. I can't believe that jackass had the nerve to do that to you. And he messed you up bad on top of that, if it managed to kill your romantic nature. Do you want me to go find him and give him a talking? " He looked so angry for her, and it felt nice to have him care for her to that extreme.
"No, he's not worth it. I'm just ignoring his calls now." She said with a tight smile.
Derek moved a little closer to her and put his arm around her supportively. "What would make you happy tonight? It's killing me that you're so sad, and it's not just because I hate tears."
Casey felt warmth spread through her, maybe it was his attentiveness, but something needy and cloying with in her that started brewing. Maybe in the back of her mind, she just wanted to feel better. Or maybe it was that this scenario had played in her head begrudgingly for years. Derek was there, after a whole year of not seeing him. And he was present for once, and there he was, trying to cheer her up. And as she felt his arm around her, she suddenly became extremely aware of him, she wanted to kiss him. She wanted to pull him in closer to her, she wanted something too crazy to even consider. The thoughts went through her in unsettling jolts.
"I think I know what would make me feel better," She was choking on air. Her heart was racing a million miles per hour. She turned to look at him, and he was smiling at her. She took a moment to take him in, he was right there was a difference between brother and step brother. And as hard as she tried, she couldn't seem to see him as a brother. The brewing intensified in her stomach. She just wanted one night with him, she wanted to tear down that hovering tension that had existed for years. She was tired of fighting it, and she couldn't find a reason not to give in.
"Oh yea? Please don't tell me you're going to make me do a silly dance for you, or make me study with you?"
She shook her head slowly, and he laughed. "Fine, whatever you want, it's yours. Just for tonight though, you won't catch me any other time making a fool of myself."
Casey felt the tension boiling over, and suddenly it was as if he was so clear and in her line of vision. She could see every detail about him, the way he was smiling at her, those dark eyes surging with care and sweetness. It grappled at her heart, he was so...beautiful. "Just for tonight," she echoed back, and he looked at her with confusion.
She took a deep breath, and moved closer to him. Everything in her was screaming at her to just do it, take the plunge. His eyes went wide as her gaze dipped to his mouth. It looked so tempting, so inviting, and Derek didn't have a moment to say or do anything, because she closed the distance. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and pulled his head down with a force that she couldn't seem to mellow out. Nor did she want to. The moment she felt hip lips against hers, she was dying for air, as if Derek had taken her very essence from her. He was shocked momentarily, but she didn't ease up. She had taken the leap, and now she just couldn't hold back. She soothed the nape of his neck, as she chased for his kisses. And then he responded with a blinding ferocity. He crushed his body into her, wrapping her up in his arms and pulled her towards him. She felt comforted, secure, and the rampant need was surging through her. His hands were suddenly in her her hair, and he deepened the kiss. A fire burst within them and their kisses became frantic, so desperate, it wrecked her.
She sighed, "Derek," and heard him trying to catch his breath. He pulled away in slow degrees, looking at her with intensity.
"Please," she murmured, "Just for tonight, pretend I'm not me, pretend we are not step-siblings." His lashes heavily rimmed his eyes, brimming like molten lava. She threaded her fingers through his hair, she was trembling. His hair was much more softer than she imagined. "Derek, please be with me tonight," she said with heavy emotion.
"Case," he said raggedly. He looked completely shaken up and surprised. "I can't just pretend you're not you, you're not like everyone else." His words seemed logical, but she could see the yearning emanating in him, could feel his arms move around her like manacles, holding her still. "You're upset, you're just trying to make yourself feel better, and tomorrow you'll regret this."
She shook her head adamantly. "I just want to live dangerously, for once. Please don't feel guilty, I just need this. Please." She moved in again, and kissed the side of his neck teasingly, she was going to use her persuasion skills to get what she wanted. Derek was sighing harshly, and in a matter of seconds his hands were in her hair urging on.
He breathed, "Oh, Fuck." She normally hated cursing, but she knew what it meant. He was going to give in to her request. She closed her eyes, just letting him touch her however he wanted. He cradled her face softly, the soft touch made her melt into him. She bit her lip in response. And the she felt his mouth at the corner of her eye, making his way down. The blistering kisses could be felt through her entire body, and when his mouth captured hers, she groaned deeply and he kissed like he was possessed. It took her breath away, and she tried to pull him even closer.
Derek pushed her back on the couch, and his body fused into her. He was like brimstone, hot all over, she wanted him even closer. He kissed her so hard that he was pushing her deeper into the couch. She writhed against him, nothing had ever felt so good in her entire life. She always expected Derek was a good kisser, but she wasn't prepared for this. Every kiss was different, kisses filled with passion, longing, and unrestrained desire. And then there were the sweet and tender kisses, those made her brain short circuit because a tender kiss had never felt more lustful in her entire life. Everything around her was blurry.
Her hands were suddenly rampantly trying to remove his jacket, and he broke the kiss. He was panting heavily, and let her take it off. She needed it, she needed him. They undressed each other with blindness and desperation it seemed, he grappled for her shirt and took it off lightning fast, their clothes were scattered around them. His gaze went over her like a burn, and his hands went over her body slowly, as if he was capturing every unique part of her body. She was flushed all over as she took in his body, so sexy and strong, it took her breath away.
"Case," he sighed her name unevenly, "Let me take care of you tonight. I just want you to forget that jerk, okay?"
She blushed and managed to nod. "Can't even remember his name right now."
Derek kissed her throat with hot kisses until he was tracing his tongue on her crazy pulse. He kissed that spot deeper, making her shudder. He breathed against her, warmth surged through her. "Good. Mission accomplished, but I'm not done yet."
She buried her hands in his hair and pulled him down, and his mouth was everywhere. He explored her with intentional kisses, and she could barely remember her own name. He made everything swirl with dark, crimson passion. The power in his touch made her quiver uncontrollably. He made her feel pleasure beyond anything she never felt before, he kissed, licked, lingered on her as if he was feasting on her. He was intent on making her feel good and she tried to keep silent but the moans kept slipping out of her mouth unchecked.
Derek was truly gifted, not that she was surprised. She lost count of the amount of times he overwhelmed her senses, he made her tremble as his sensual mouth went over her body with artful, seductive playfulness. He made her lose her mind time after time. When he stopped, she reached for him. She was starving for him. She needed to touch him, needed to run her hands over his skin, for her own curiosity. For as long as she could remember Derek would barely let her touch him, but now she had a rare opportunity to do it. And it felt so good, touching him made her swell with more desire. His little sounds of pleasure made her hot, and she couldn't stop touching him, wanted to please him. He was the only thing that existed in that moment. Eventually she became so frantic, the lust so intense her mind went completely dark.
"Please, now." He seemed hesitant at first, but she clamped on to him tightly. "It's okay," she sighed, "I'm on the pill." She said urgently.
He looked down at her for a long time, she couldn't tell what he was thinking, but maybe this was much more intense than he bargained for. The passion laced eyes, the colour in his cheeks, was a look that was so astonishing and it took her breath away. But this was Derek, she knew this wouldn't mean anything to him tomorrow and the glumness of that hit her, it only made her want him even more. This was a once in a lifetime, a rare giving in of indulgence.
She didn't remember who made the first move, but suddenly they were moving together, flushed against each other tightly and he kissed her wildly as he gave in to her. He was careful at first, but in his eyes she saw a roaring intensity, an unravelling quickly took over them. She was overwhelmed by him, the immediate connection that surpassed anything she'd ever felt before. His gaze was so infinitely electric, staring at her with a rapture she'd never seen before, stealing her breath as he blushed and murmured in shortened, broken words, words of desperations as he continued kissing her. He seemed completely lost in the moment, and she couldn't control herself.
It wasn't enough, and she was pleading more, not recognizing herself in the slightest. The pace intensified as he drove into her with heart stopping, hard strokes that sent her spiraling into delight. She responded to him without any shyness, the ocean of pleasure opened up. She was so lost, but in his arms she was found and she wanted to hold on to the moment just a while longer. She gripped on to his back, sighed his name over and over again. There really was no other name of her mind but his, Derek. The most infuriating name, yet it felt so right to say his name in such circumstance, and he seemed to be unraveling as she kissed his ear, repeating nonsense in his ear. The explosion came quick, she wasn't aware of anything other than the crackling flames of what he was causing in her. They stared at each other, panting, holding each other tightly.
It seemed they were both left speechless, but there was still an ardent hunger remaining and one time turned into a full night of indulgence. Once was not enough for her, and he seemed unsatisfied as well. They went to her bedroom, and she shut the door. Derek was hers for one night, and she wasn't going to let this stop until she was forced to. She had never known sex like this, the type that could make her feel as if she was levitating outside her body. Being with him was the most sinful pleasure she'd ever known, and she was addicted.
He was so wild and passionate, but there were also moments where he seemed to be looking at her with softness, holding her as if he was pulling her into his very being. If that wasn't addicting enough, it was the way he smiled when she couldn't control her response to him, how his eyes would glint with complete pride. Oh he just always liked to have the upper hand, and it seemed they were constantly challenging each other through out the night. She needed to drive him just as crazy, and he seemed just as shaken up by her. She loved watching him in such a state of passion, and knowing she was the cause of it made her unbearably happy. She didn't want the night to end, the thought of it made her want to weep.
It seemed impossible to feel so much all at once, but afterwards when they were both spent, and exhausted , she laid in his arms with a dazed expression. He seemed speechless, watching her with drowsiness, but he smiled at her. Did he feel what she did? She didn't want to ruin the moment, so she just leaned into his body and closed her eyes. She didn't want to say anything to interrupt the moment. He rubbed her back in gentle glides, soothing her, and she could feel herself drifting off. She ended up falling asleep in his arms.
When she woke up, Derek was busily putting his clothes back on. She looked at him with a mixture or confusion but also dawning realization. While she had drank a bit, she was fully aware of what they did and she felt that blush spread through her. It had to be the most passionate night of her life, she just couldn't seem to forget. Shyness bombarded her as she watched him, she felt her eyes just take in his back, powerful muscles trained by endless hockey. She felt that acute swirl of desire stir within her again, how was that possible?
"Hi," she said timidly.
Derek stopped in his tracks, turning around slowly to look at her. The light soaked through the blinds, and it touched the side of his face. He looked almost angelic. She smiled a little, but he was looking at her in away she couldn't identify. He didn't smile, he seemed extremely perplexed. Oh no, He looked guilty, extremely so. She felt the anxiety bolting through her, and she didn't want to hear the words he was thinking. So she put on a confident smile, "Derek. Thank you for being there for me, and as promised this was just a one night thing. Already put behind me, okay? No hard feelings," she said cheerfully.
Derek glared at her, as if she had just given him the biggest insult. "You're speaking my language. Usually the girls I take to bed can't get enough of me, but hey, I'm glad I was able to satisfy your quench for revenge." She couldn't quite detect his tone of voice.
Casey felt his words sting her all over. "Well, you succeeded in helping me forget, that was the point right?"
He laughed dryly. "Right. Clearly I was a good enough actor that I could pretend something I didn't feel," he said smugly.
Casey's mouth dropped. "You're saying you faked it? The whole night?" She said accusingly. He simply nodded, giving her that damn smirk.
"Well, I faked it too," she tried to get even, trying to not show just how hurt she was by his words.
Derek rolled his eyes and moved away from her, "I just wanted you to feel better, and that's what you asked for, so I did it. Simple as that. Don't see the point in trying to debate this, but you, are a terrible actress. And you liked it well enough to beg for seconds."
"I didn't beg, also I don't remember you at any point stopping. You seemed to enjoy it, I'm not that dense Derek. Must I remind you all the things you said to me in the heat of it?" She was highly insulted. During the second and third time, he was completely out of it, saying things like :"You're so hot," "Your body is to die for," "Damn where did you learn that?" or "Oh, please don't stop Casey," whenever she tried to please him.
Derek looked away, taking his time fixing his shirt. "I'm a guy, Case. Sex feels good, no matter who it's with. Doesn't mean I was into you."
Casey could feel the anger bolting through her in spurts. She wrapped the sheet around herself and stood up, walking towards him with lighting in her eyes. Derek backed up a bit, "So that's it, it was just pity sex for you?"
Derek shrugged, and plastered a deviant smile. "It was only one night as you said, so why does it matter why I did it? You were comforted, and hey I got to have sex, can't complain entirely."
Casey wanted to punch him and hard. Sure maybe she stated it was a one night thing, but to hear him admit it was such a casual experience cheapened everything she felt during the night. "Great, so I was trying to get over a jerk, by being with a jerk, clearly I'm stupid!" She turned away feeling the helplessness of the situation consume her.
She could hear Derek gasp behind her. "Case, there's a difference between me and Vincent. Vincent was in a relationship with you, he was committed to you. I am your step-brother, who you wanted to use as a distraction for one night. Don't pretend this is all on me when you used me, and hey, I was okay with that. I know it meant nothing to you, so don't you dare turn this all on me." He sounded a little wounded, his male ego probably.
Casey was trembling. She didn't use him, she wanted to say that nothing that happened was premeditated. That for once she made an impulsive decision, and yes it made her feel better, but she didn't use him to get over Vincent. He didn't even come in her mind once during the entire evening. Derek had her entire attention, and she wanted to be with him, because god help her, she missed him. And he clearly didn't realize that she had a weakness when it came to him being sweet to her, but he was too stupid to realize it. There was no point trying to defend herself, because there was a good chance she would say something stupid.
She turned back to look at him and gave him a defiant smile. "Get out, and don't ever talk to me again."
He laughed loudly, the sound destroyed her heart. "You just read my mind. See you at Thanksgiving, I guess."
Derek gave her one last stony look over his shoulder, and he paused. He seemed to be looking up and down her body slowly, but before she could process if it was true, he left. She waited until she heard the sound of the door closing outside, before screaming into her pillow. She should have known, she asked for Derek to be himself with her and somehow thought she was the one that changed his ways. As if! She was such an idiot, there really was no room for mending a relationship now, not even a friendship, she knew it. Yet as angry as she was, she couldn't regret it. Why didn't she regret it?
Casey spent all day in her apartment, trying to figure out if it was worth even telling Derek she was pregnant. She knew he would pretend that night never happened, but at the same time her high moral standard made it impossible. She didn't expect anything from him at all, and was sure he'd just laugh it away. She wanted to confirm the pregnancy, so she called her doctor and set up an appointment. It was so strange entering a sterile environment like that. As she waited for her results, she pondered her life decisions. Did she really want to go through this? This was a baby, a huge responsibility. She'd be derailing her immediate plans, and she would be a single parent more than likely.
The doctor came in and she sat up, looking at her with alertness. "Miss Mcdonald, congratulations. You are six weeks along. Would you like to do a sonogram now?"
Casey felt her heart thump merciless. It was true, it was real. She was pregnant. She nodded slowly. She was starstruck completely. As the ultrasound began, she saw the little fluttering and she could feel the tears emerge. That little flicker made everything in her fill up excitement, she wasn't expecting to feel that. That flicker was so beautiful, so tiny, but already had stolen her heart. She sobbed. You're the love of my life, she whispered softly at the screen. She felt that protectiveness. The fear of the unknown suddenly vanished for a moment, and she marveled for a long time. This was Derek's baby, Derek. She felt that surge of protectiveness take over her, she wanted this baby more than anything. It alarmed her how quickly she went from being emotional and devastated, to suddenly falling in love in one moment. Casey drove all the way to Derek's apartment. She felt jittery, but at the same time no matter what Derek's reaction was, she wouldn't let that dictate her decision. She was keeping this baby, she didn't care who she had to face to make that a reality.
She buzzed his apartment.
"Hello," his voice sent a twist of emotion through her.
Casey took a deep breath, "Der, it's me. I need to talk to you." She waited anxiously for a moment, wondering if he would just pretend he didn't hear her, but the door swung open. You can do this Casey, it will be okay, she told herself over and over as she climbed the stairs.
She knocked on the door, and waited. Derek opened the door, and she felt nausea wreck her entire body. Oh good lord, the sight of him sent her heart racing. He looked weary, tired, but still unspeakably handsome. He seemed shocked to see her, and for a moment she caught a ghost of a slight smile, that little twinkle in his eyes, but just as quickly in a flash it was gone, replaced by total indifference.
"Hi," she felt ashen and shaky all over.
Derek stared at her blankly for a while, his gaze seared her. "What do you want? I thought you never wanted to see me again."
She shrugged, hanging her head. She tried to push away the hurt of unwelcomeness, but it stung deeply. "I...you know I didn't mean it. I was just angry for a moment, but it's passed. Can we talk please?"
Derek chuckled, he took a miniscule step back. "Alright, but if you think for one moment you will waltz in here and continue where we left off, you can turn around this instant. That is never happening again," he warned.
When she looked up at him, she thought there was fear in his eyes, as if he was afraid she would try seduce him, was it really that awful for him? Was it truly such a sacrifice for him?
"Trust me," she wavered restlessly, "That's the last thing on my mind right now. Please, let me in."
Derek sighed, and moved aside. He didn't trust her, that had to to be it. His reaction was extremely confusing. She looked around the apartment, it was such a typical guy apartment. Very modestly decorated, one plant, and a huge tv. She sat on his sofa, looking down. She was going to throw up, she could feel it climbing in her throat.
"Derek," she motioned for him to sit down beside her, not meeting his eyes.
He moved slowly, and sat down beside her, but moved as far away from her as possible. What did he think that she would just jump him? Did he really think she was dying to be with him again? "Make it quick, Case. I have a date tonight," he said urgently.
Casey shot him a look, and felt that territorial feeling surge through her. "A date? Derek, what I'm going to tell you will take longer than just a quick chat, you're going to have to reschedule this date."
Derek groaned in annoyance, "I'm not blowing her off for you, Case, just forget it. Now spit it out," he sounded more and more annoyed by the second. "If you're here to tell me how much of a mistake the other night was, then I can save you the awkward talk. It's already forgotten."
"Der," she reached for his hand, holding it tightly. She had no way of telling him just how much she had thought of him, how upset she'd been over their fight. "That's not why I'm here. What I'm about to tell you is extremely delicate, but I need to tell you."
Derek's breath hitched, and she slowly took measured breaths as she finally looked at him. He arched an eyebrow in confusion. "Are you okay? Did Vincent do anything to you?"
She laughed humorlessly. "It's complicated."
Derek waited patiently as she tried to form the words. They were stuck in her throat. "I want you to know, I've made a decision and no matter what you say, I'm sticking to it. But you deserve to know."
He looked so frazzled, "Case, what the hell are you talking about?"
She closed her eyes, letting the words come slowly and as boldly as she could. "I'm pregnant."
Casey was scared to open her eyes. She had stopped breathing. She could hear Derek gasp. "You're what?" he said almost inaudibly.
She opened her eyes to find Derek white as a sheet, staring at her with pure shock. "I'm pregnant, Derek. I'm going to have a baby."
She could see him trying to digest the words, "You're..." his voice croaked. "Pregnant. Did that looser knock you up and leave you?" He got up angrily, his face became blotchy and red. "I'm going to find that guy right now and give him a piece of my mind."
"Der," she realized he hadn't made the connection yet. She reached for his hand, and pulled him down to sit beside her. "I'm six weeks pregnant. Which means, it happened two months ago." She looked him in the eye, trying to muster up the courage. "You're the father."
Derek pulled his hand back lightning quick, his eyes forming round saucers. "Me? Are you sure I thought you were on the pill."
Casey felt the tears starting to slip down her face. "It is you, because I haven't been with Vincent for more than 3 months, probably why he cheated on me. "
He started breathing heavily, "I'm the father," he repeated it to himself over and over again. He was freaking out, and she expected that. But she felt bad suddenly changing his life around, and it was all her fault. She was the one that pleaded to be with him, and this was the consequence.
She started sobbing, the hormones weren't making things any better. "I don't know why my birth control didn't work, but we were in the 1% ineffective percentage, I guess. I'm so sorry," she cried.
Derek softened, and moved closer to her. He seemed to move through a fog. "I am not angry at you at Case, just obviously shaken up. " She sniffled, trying to control the weepiness. "And you made a decision by the sounds of it,"
She nodded looking at him with determination. "I'm sorry, but I want to keep the baby. I don't expect you to be around or involved if you don't want to, but I want to have this baby. I just needed you to know the truth."
Derek was in a state of shock, she could tell. She could feel every nervous emotion he felt, maybe he was upset, she didn't know. Minutes passed, and he kept staring at her. He seemed utterly speechless, and as time went by, she started panicking. She reached in to her bag and pulled out the ultrasound. "I didn't realize how much I wanted to keep it until I saw the heartbeat flickering." She handed it to him, and he looked at it, his hands shook as he studied the picture. He smiled a little bit.
"I know this comes at a bad time, you just started a career in hockey, I have a year left of my studies. But I want to do this, and I will do this whether you like it or not."
He whipped around and gave her an intense look. She immediately regretted her words. "What kind of guy do you think I am? You really think I would just walk away from my own kid?"
Casey continued sobbing, "No, I didn't think that. Just I know our situation is so complicated, and well we aren't exactly in love or anything, yet we are pregnant."
Derek suddenly reached for her, and he slowly put his arm around her. She didn't realize the breath she was holding until she felt his touch. She felt herself relax. "Case, I may be a lot of things. I know I can be a jerk and say things I don't mean from time to time, but from that to leaving you on your own with this, is so not my style. Did you not see me? I was minutes away from kicking Vincent's ass thinking he was the one that got you pregnant. There are some things even I have limits for. And yes I'm freaked out, and yes it's a lot to take in. But I'm not going to leave you with this alone."
Casey turned to look at him with radiating hope. He was being serious, and she was choking on her sobs. She felt his hand steadily rubbing her back. "Really?"
He nodded decisively and smiled at her. He was being so supportive, and it made her heart begin to beat again. "Hate to disappoint you, I know I'm the last person you wanted to do this with, but we're in this together. It won't be easy, but yes. I want to be involved if this is what you want."
She broke apart, and leapt towards him, hugging him tightly. She was far from disappointed, Derek surprised her entirely. "Yes, I want that more than anything." She knew the best thing for her baby was having Derek around, and the thought of having his help just made that nervousness fade away. She was holding him too tightly, but he stayed put. She breathed him in, and everything began to melt around her.
Derek rested his forehead against hers as he pulled back, and he stared deeply into her eyes. She didn't know what he was thinking, but a slow smile went over his mouth, and then he slowly backed off. The shock was wearing off and he seemed like himself again. "I guess I have a date to cancel," he said with a bit of a laugh.
Casey watched him call the so call date, who was she? She felt so much better now, the weight was off her shoulders. She could hear Derek charming his way out of the date, and smiled to herself. Only Derek could pull off sounding charming when he was ditching someone. When he returned, he went to the kitchen and quietly put together some food. She could see hear him humming, humming. Was Derek truly happy about this? He returned with a tray of veggies, dip, cheese and crackers. "Now that I know you're pregnant, I need to make sure you're eating right."
She laughed, and stared in wonderment. "Aw you're being so sweet,"
Derek watched as she ate a little bit. She felt a blush go over her, it was hard to believe the last time she was with him was so...passionate and wild, and now they were sitting there together, trying to process this new direction in their life. And despite Derek's lack of maturity at times, he was handling it well. "So, do you think there's a keener in there, or a cool kid like me?" He said with a bit of a wink.
She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Oh knowing my luck, he or she will be just like you. But I'm alright with that."
His smile fizzled away for a second, "Are you really? You'd be okay with a child that's just like me when I drove you insane for years."
Casey shrugged helplessly. It's your baby, it's you why would I reject that? She wanted to say. "Yes. Why wouldn't I? You're confident, strong willed, and you are not afraid to live life to the fullest. I could only hope my kid gets that from you."
He smirked and she could see a little blush go over his face. "Well, if that kid gets anything from you, I'd be pretty happy too."
Casey laughed breathily, "I'm surprised you're not freaking out over the thought of a mini me."
He grinned, the effect of it caused her mind to short-circuit. "Trust me I am freaking out, but I'm trying not to come across as a baby here. I hope my kid gets your smarts, always been a little jealous of that and as for the rest, I got good practice with you."
Casey couldn't believe this, was this bringing them closer in a way? For years, she secretly wanted to be close to him and get along with him. And now this change of destiny just hit them over the head. She wasn't sure what to expect, but they talked for hours. And then came the realization they would have to tell the family. She couldn't imagine their reaction at that time, and the thought of having to tell them stressed her out. They agreed to deal with it at Christmas time, and in the meantime she wanted to keep it a secret until they were past a certain point. Derek mentioned that during hockey season, he would have to travel for months a time, and that thought made her sad. But he swore he would make sure to be there for her. As it got late, Casey felt really tired. Derek noticed and offered to drive her home, but she didn't want to inconvenience him. As she was getting up to leave, she felt his gaze on her.
"Should we maybe try living together again? I just want to be around if you need me, and trust me with my schedule it's hard enough to get time to myself. I know it could be weird, but we could be just roommates. Who share a baby." His words swirled around her and her mouth gaped open.
She found herself smiling brightly, her and Derek cohabitating once more? She felt excitement, and also intense nerves. How would they proceed in this new area of their relationship, would they be friends? What if he wanted to date other girls, those thoughts swirled through her mind. Usually she wanted a plan, but she found herself nodding enthusiastically. "Okay, it does make sense. Let's talk tomorrow," she offered.
He shrugged apologetically, "I'm not available until Thursday, but we can talk on the phone, whatever you want."
Casey smiled sweetly at him, and as he walked her to the door, they lingered for a moment. "Text me when you get home," he said finally.
Casey laughed, and reached to nudge his arm. He stared at her, she had so much she wanted to say, but instead she said, "Never thought I'd see the day where you'd consciously ask me to text you."
Derek rolled his eyes with exasperation, and smirked. "Well, I'm a little out of it. You came here, told me you were pregnant, and I'm the father. Clearly I'm not myself, don't get used to it."
She grinned, "Oh I wouldn't dream of it, goodnight Der." As she turned away, she felt that burden lift from her shoulders. And she could feel Derek's gaze on her the entire time until she got in the elevator and the door closed shut.
It was so surprising, she came in here expecting tears, anger and Derek's rejection, but this she did not see coming. As she drove home, she could feel the excitement pool in her stomach. She glanced down at her tummy, "Well, little one, you're going to arrive into a very confusing home. But I swear, you will be loved beyond measure. I love you," she murmured sweetly, finally allowing herself to be excited. She was going to be a mother. Derek was the father. And as crazy it sounded, she wouldn't have taken that night back. So many possibilities existed, and it was all thanks to Derek.
Author's Note: I have always wanted to do a baby fic for Dasey, and I know there are so many great stories already but here's my attempt at it. Please let me know what you thought of the start of this fic. I had originally posted this story a couple months ago but I took it down to some harassment, so I changed account names. I'm so sorry, I hope to upload all my stories again including Dream Diary, and all the others if you were following the original Dasey2020. Please let me know if you enjoyed this.