A/N: Okay I'm just going to post this. Even though I only got two reviews of the last few chapters, but hey, I want to feel like I've completed something. So here it is, The Last Chapter! This is the final chapter of Little Miss Mary Sunshine. It's back into Casey's POV. Italics are a flashback. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks for reading! Thanks for reviewing! I love you guys! R&R! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Life with Derek, and I don't own the song 'Mary' by Saving Jane.

Chapter Eight

The Epilogue

Little Miss Mary Sunshine

Had a bad day

She say's it's overrated

Living this way...

I woke up the next morning with a smile on my face. It was the first morning in a long while that I felt fully alive and satisfied. I actually felt like things could get better, oh so much better. It was a deep, penetrating feeling. All the way to my bones kind of feeling. I knew things were going to be okay. Scratch that. I knew things were going to be great!

I pulled myself up and stood in front of my mirror. I took in the wide, bright smile on my face. It wouldn't go away. I couldn't wipe it away. I rejoiced in the surge of happiness I felt. It wasn't a bad thing that the smile wouldn't fade away. It was a wonderful thing. It meant that a single moment--a brief, minuscule, exciting, invigorating experience--could have a lasting affect on me. I could hold on to it. That is until it is replaced by a new, yet similar, experience. I loved the feeling. I could cherish it. As I knew I would.

I had dreamt about it, all night long.

I was lost for words. Had he really just said what I think he said? Or was it just a figment of my imagination? Was I going crazy? Or did Derek just say he was in love with me? Was I just projecting? Was that just what I wanted him to say?

Hold on a second there. If I wanted him to say he loved me, did that mean I...It meant I was in love with him. Oh God. How did this happen? When did this happen? He was the last person I would ever fall for. Yet...I had. I had fallen for my stepbrother. No, I had fallen for Derek Venturi. It hadn't mattered who he was to me. What matters is that he was right beside me when I had needed him most. What matters is he treated me wonderfully when I was hurting. What matters is he could tell that I was hurting. He could see it when no one else understood. He was there without me having to ask or having to say anything at all. When did he find out so much about me? Since when did he know me that well?

Derek was watching me expectantly. He wanted me to respond. I don't think he's moved at all, not even a blink of the eye, since he said it. It was all on me. The ball was in my court. I had to do something, before he took my silence as rejection. I just couldn't find the right words. I didn't know hat to say. So I didn't say anything.

We were just so close. Before Lizzie had left we were just sitting next to each other. But as we got into talking we shifted our positions so that we were sitting facing each other. In the exact same position as it is, one leg folded up on the couch and one hanging off the edge. Derek had his hands resting on his knees, mine were neatly folding in my lap. I wasn't sure what to do. My face was turned down into my lap. I took a deep breath and looked up at him, right in the eyes. And right then I decided.

I unfolded my hands. I placed one hand on top of one of his, and he immediately laced his fingers with mine. I smiled as I looked down at our hands intertwined like that. Then I looked up at him, and with my eyes never leaving his I placed my other hand on his shoulder. Pulling myself closer, my hand trailed from his shoulder to he back of his neck, my fingers just reaching his hairline. I moved closer, until I was just inches from him, my eyes locked with his. I smiled and watched his eyes flash with understanding as he smiled back. My eyes fluttered closed just before I closed the distance and pressed my lips to his.

I can honestly say I've never felt more amazing in my life. I had finally gotten something I had wanted. It didn't matter that I hadn't known I wanted it until a moment or so before I got it. Nothing mattered but us in that second. All the clichés people have about that kind of thing seemed so foolish compared to the intense emotion that ran through me. It was indescribable.

As I began to get ready, I pulled out a low-cut shirt and a pair of hip-hugging, low-rise jeans and put them on. I did a quick, light make-up job that was perfect for a Sunday at home. I pulled on a pair of strappy sandals and them stood up and gave myself one last once over in the mirror. It didn't seem right. I took a button up shirt out of my closet and shrugged it on. It covered anything the original hadn't. I kicked off the jeans and sandals and started looking for something more casual. I finally settled on a pair of sweats and some comfy sneakers.

I think I finally realized something. I have always been more of a laid-back, casual kind of girl. While I liked some of the clothes I had been wearing the last week, they weren't really me. They weren't for the every day kind of thing. They weren't the change I was looking for. It was more in just my attitude, that I wanted. I didn't need the things with low-hyphen-something in the title. I could wear them, but I didn't need them. I could still be this new, confident, strong Casey in sweats and a tee shirt.

By the time I made it downstairs, everyone was already there. They were all already situated at the table, except for my mom who seemed to be finishing off a batch of scrambled eggs at the stove. Marti had her cat ears on again and meowed at me in greeting. I sat down next to Lizzie and across from Derek. He looked up at me and gave me a knowing smile. I returned it and them looked to my plate as my mom sat down at the table. As we all began to serve ourselves my mom started up a conversation. And as I expected it was about me.

"So Casey, did the new look not work out for you?" My mom asked nonchalantly as she forked some eggs onto her plate. She kept her voice passive, as if we were talking about the weather. I appreciated her not making a big deal out of it.

Earlier that week I had told her that I was trying out some new looks. It was a vague excuse to keep her from freaking out if there were any drastic changes in my attire. Fortunately, I had kept all changes minor and low-key. It was different, but not too incredibly different.

"No, it worked out just fine. The thing is it wasn't a change in wardrobe that I was looking for, it was more of a change...outlook or attitude that I was going for. The two just seemed to go together. But I realize now that the confidence didn't come from the clothes, it came from something I already had." Then with my eyes locked with Derek's the whole time, "And the only reason I wanted to change at all was because I thought no one cared about the old me, but I know now that I was wrong."

Derek nodded subtly and I nodded in response, before we both turned back to our plates. I wasn't sure if anyone caught our silent exchange, but I decided to change the subject quickly anyway.

"Lizzie, you never got to finish telling me about that test. How did you do?" I asked.

As Lizzie began to explain to all of us about her most recent accomplishment I listened with only half an ear. I was off in my own thoughts of the previous day, and the previous week. I had experienced my all time low and my all time high in the same week. I had gone from conservative good girl to confidently bare to a mix of both. I had been hurt incredibly and experienced incredible joy. I had felt, seen, done everything from one extreme to the other in just the short span of a week. And finally settled in at a healthy combination of the two. I lost Sam, but learned I had always had a hold on Derek. I lost everything and gained more.

I caught Derek's eye once more from across the table. I dropped my gaze after a moment and smiled lightly to myself. Things were going to get better. I was sure of it. It was going to work out because I knew now that I could be myself, no matter what that is. I knew there is someone who will love me no matter what.

"What's with the two of you today?" George questioned.

"Yeah, you're usually at each others throats with food flying across the room by now." Edwin added.

"Well, we..." I started.

"We came to a...mutual agreement." Derek finished for me, catching my eye and smirking. Making the double meaning obvious to me.

Yes, things were going to be okay. Things were going to be great. I could feel it.

And to think it all started with a late alarm clock, some spilled hair spray and lotion, and burnt toast.

...Little Miss Mary Sunshine

Had a bad day

She say's it's overrated

Living this way.

The end.