"Derek wait…." she called out barely above a whisper.

Somehow the sound and their tone reached his hearing and he looked back at her. Tears fell from her eyes as she sat back on the bed.

Her melancholic voice spoke, "I don't see the point of you leaving the room because you'll only enter my thoughts and never leave me alone." He sat beside her.

She went on hopelessly "I've told you in my mind that I can't have you, so just go, but you won't. You never did listen to me."

He pushed back a strand of hair that had fallen out of her braid. "You never let me rest either." he softly said openly.

With more strength, "And that scares me because I--"

"Am a control freak." he said for her.

She half-smiled. "My world has to make sense and me loving you defies everything I thought I knew."

"I know it really freaked me out too. I mean you never get your nails done." he joked complacently.

Casey's eyes pierced in irritation concealing the painful reminder of Lauren and God knows who else.

"Can I continue please?" she said aggravated.

"And because I don't want anything to change with our family. It would be weird for them to know. I can just imagine telling mom. She would be appalled… But more than anything else I'm scared to lose you Derek."

"Finally the ice melts," he said relieved. "You know I hate when you do that, when you won't allow yourself to feel."

"I hate that you're-- you and that I actually love you for it. I hate that you awoke feelings in me, more than I've felt anything before."

"So what's stopping us?" he asked.

"Reality. I'm your step-"

"No that doesn't matter. You're the one stopping us with your piety." Derek pointed out.

"I'm sorry." was all Casey could say.

He glared at her dresser. "Don't tell me that. If you were sorry you wouldn't be doing this to us."

She said gently "If I had it my way, I wouldn't be. But we don't always get what we want…It's a real shame though because I miss you terribly."

Hint for ya: This is the last chapter. For those of you interested in the angst. Your ride stops here. If I was a good enough writer you will want to finish even if that means enduring the fluff that is the remainder of this tale.

He laid his head on her knees. Her hand reached his shoulder blade and massaged him affectionately.

Derek didn't want her to stop, but he had to look at her. When he did, she slowly leaned her face to his, giving her mind time to tell her she shouldn't do what she was about to do. Or give Derek time to stop her, but he wouldn't. He'd take her anyway he could, even if she hadn't promised him a thing.

She lovingly kissed him showing him how much she wanted him. He was completely amazed and kissed her back just as deeply.

He broke the kiss when a thought entered his mind.

"What?" Casey asked.

"I can't keep thinking there's hope only to have it ripped from me. I can't keep fooling myself with these fantasies." he said searching her eyes for a sign.

Casey's forehead twisted in contemplation. There is nothing we feel more than our bodies. In our attempt to meet its needs we become hopelessly, mercilessly vulnerable. It forces us to know what would have never allowed ourselves to consider.

"It kills me to do this, but you" she hesitated finding it so difficult to say the one syllable "win."

"I win?" he asked amused.

"I surrender," Casey smiled.

His hands found her waist. "As much as it pains me to admit, I have to say we won."

"You're willing to share?" She smiled brightly, which warmed Derek. She wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Don't get used to it." He kissed her nose.

"Yeah so I'm pretty sure I'm gonna have to do something cruel to Lauren." she admitted her resentment.

"As long as I can burn your necklace with Sam wearing it." Derek wasn't kidding.

"Ouch," Casey said kissing his lips.

"I'll do that before I test for STDs." he said smoothly.

"Ew. You're gonna schedule that appointment a.s.a.p.," she teased pulling away from him, but he wouldn't let her go.

Serious again he said, "I'm sorry."

"We both messed up. No more apologies," she whispered.

"Is this for real this time? I'm not going to wake up from this?" he asked diligently.

Casey cupped his face in her hands. "I love you. I am nothing more than to be right here with you."

"Where's your rationality?" he asked knowing it was somewhere lurking..

"What? Was my choice to be with you not rational?" Her countenance altered in thought. "Can we not tell the family? Just for now anyways?"

"I'm all for whatever you want." Derek kissed her. "And your plan for school? Because you're so much better at decision making than me." he mocked.

"So you noticed? Well let's not change anything there either. Except some things like me and Sam--"

He clicked his tongue. "Yeah it looks like you guys are broken up. And you don't have to worry about my old ways."

Casey laughed. "Derek Venturi not philandering? That's crazy."

"Crazy for you."

"Look at us taking on the world."

"There is still one battle you can't win. Against me." The egomaniac boasted taking claim of her lips fervently.

"You're going down." She responded just as hotly.

Their mouths battled struggling for victory against the other. She moaned with exertion. He forcibly led her body to the bed. Casey was slick and slipped around him as he leaned on the bed, so she was above him.

Through the heated kiss, Derek smiled at her move, determined to overcome that one. She straddled him roughly. He groaned from under her, loving the way she felt on his dick though thick clothing separated them.

He took hold of her wrist and pulled it behind her, restraining it between his hand and her back. It was Casey's turn to grin.

"I'm still winning," she gloated taking a breath before continuing the fight.

He clutched her other hand, when Nora's voice was heard downstairs. They both froze then smiled. He loosened his seize of her hands. Her face a centimeter from his. Fatigue hit her and she didn't want to move.

"Come on. Get off me." Derek grunted.

"Lucky you. I was kicking your butt." Casey said lustily before standing.

"Bullshit. I was gaining."

"You're a sore loser."

They didn't hear Lizzie had came up. "What are you doing in here?" she curiously asked eyeing Derek who was still sitting on Casey's bed.

"Being a pain what else," Casey answered.

"Glad you feel better Casey." she observed then talking to both of them, "We picked up some pizza, but first come help us put up the groceries." Lizzie said entering the hallway.

"Ten o' clock. You. Me. My room. You'll see who the winner would have been." Derek challenged.

"Why your room?" she argued.

"Because you love my bed so much, that's why I found you there this morning." he said boldly.

"Get downstairs," she ordered pushing him to the door and followed him to the kitchen.

Derek began 'helping' by looking to see if they bought anything good for him to eat later. Casey scoffed withholding that she wouldn't have him any other way as she helped Lizzie. George and Edwin carried in the bags from the van. Marti guarded the pizza from hungry invisible people.

"I see the medicine worked. You look better." Nora said lovingly.

"Yeah it did," Casey looked her mother straight in the eye.

Her mother went down to her and George's room in the basement. As Casey put some frozen waffles in the freezer, she looked at Lizzie stocking up the pantry. She waited for guilt or a need for redemption to consume her, but felt neither.

"No one shall eat till all the food is put away I say!" Marti told Derek who was trying to sneak a slice.

"I'm not invisible. So it's okay, Smarti. Not even for your favorite brother?" he charmed.

"Don't let him Marti. He's not even doing anything productive like the rest of us." she pressed annoyed that everyone was working, but him.

"Just keep doing what your doing and mind your own business." he disregarded her.

"Don't start. Or I will get a headache." George said from the living room.

"You could eat a lot sooner, if you gave us a hand." she badgered.

"But you're doing so well without me." he explained convincingly.

"There that was the last of it." Lizzie threw away the empty sacks ending the argument.

"Great job everyone," Derek called out as he opened the pizza box.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Casey stared at her alarm clock. Her now calm mind had nearly drove her insane the past three days, but it finally found peace. 10:00 flashed. Knowing Derek he'd be a little late, but not for her. Quietly she heard the door knob turn.

She watched as the door opened. She saw his dark figure come in and the door shut like it had never been opened. Her eyes searched for him in the darkness. Her blanket tugged from her and she felt Derek crawl beside her.

He covered the blanket over them. He snuggled beside her and Casey smiled, laying her head and hand across his chest. She almost overanalyzed the contrast of his black shirt and her white tank top.

"You change your mind since the last time I saw you?" he asked disguising his apprehension.

They had supper together, but she knew what he meant.

She looked up at him and gave him a smooch on the lips.

"You don't feel like a criminal?" he prodded. She shook her head 'no'.

For so long forsaken had been a good term to describe himself, so it was absolutely foreign to feel blessed.

He yawned. "Prepare to be defeated tomorrow," he promised.

"Too weak tonight?" she provoked.

"That reminds me I know how Sam got that cut. I'll tell you about it in the morning."

"That was you. When?" she asked promptly.

"Good night," he answered giving her hair a kiss.

For a moment the room was silent. "I love you," Casey said closing her eyes.

"I know," he said arrogantly. She pinched his arm.

"I love you too." he laughed.

"Just because I know doesn't mean I don't want to hear it." she spoke haughtily.

"I won't get tired of saying it." he said honestly.

"Pleasant dreams."

"You know it." he winked.

She kissed him then laid her head back comfortably.

"Hey Case,"

"Yeah," she asked her eyes closed.

"You're going to hell," he joked.

"Not without you Venturi,"

"Hell is so underrated." he sighed.

He looked down at her. His finger caressing her arm. It was all he wanted. He remembered just last night telling himself that Casey wasn't all he had made her out to be. He tried to convince himself that lie because he had been destroyed by her. And yet here they were, as if this was nothing new. Like this was how it had always been and forever would be.

He closed his eyes finally finding comfort now that Casey was 'his', now that the blade that could take his life was in his arms. In the same way, Casey was allowed to peacefully sleep now that the demon in her head laid beside her . They were each other's weapon and each other's pleasure.

P.S. I do not own the chapter titles

1. Uninvited- Alanis Morrisette

2. Where Are You Going- Dave Matthews Band

3. Don't You Forget About Me- from the Breakfast Club

4. The Space Between- DMB again

5. Three Libras- A Perfect Circle

6. Helena- My Chemical Romance

7. Broken- Seether and Amy Lee (this song lyrics doesn't go with the ch.)

8. MachineHead- Bush

9. My Oxygen's Gone- Die Trying

10. Losing My Religion- REM

11. Closure- Chevelle

12. Push- Matchbox 20

13. True- Ryan Cabrarra (didn't go with the ch. But the truth came out)

14. Everything Changes- Staind

15. Heart Shaped Box-Nirvana

16. Echo- Trapt

Thanks to all reviewers. Yall were the reason I woke up and brushed my teeth in the morning. Now there's another reason ;)

I hope you enjoyed the ride. I'm actually sad that this story has come to an end. I kinda wanted to hold back on updating in fact.

Love you all and Peace out! FYI: Its never too late to review.

I'm thinking about doing an alternate ending where it doesn't end happily, just for those who understand that real life sucks. You should check it out or not whatever…