Before long the family heard the Gibson from Casey's room. They also heard her singing.
That was a surprise even to her blood family. Well, all except Lizzie. She grinned and Edwin looked at her in confusion.
"She taught me how to sing. She's been singing for years. It's no biggie."
"Who else didn't get the memo about her being so musical?" George said looking equally as confused as his youngest son.
Derek was being gloomy in the corner. He heard Casey playing and groaned quietly.
Why did I do that? Why did I have to kiss her? Now she hates me! Listen to her, she's playing out her anger. He thought. She sings so well. Come on Derek! You aren't gonna let this slide. You're gonna go talk to her about it. What! No way! Come on Derek, be a man! Fine.
He rose swiftly and walked determinedly up the stairs.
He stopped at her door and gently pushed it open. She heard it and turned to face him. Without pausing she indicated that he should sit on her bed. Which he did.
"Case, stop playing. We need to talk."
She grinned and kept singing.
She switched to I'll be there for you, the theme song from Friends.
He took the hint and joined in, just in time for the first set of claps.
She didn't hate him. This song was a peace treaty. They were friends again.
He drummed out the beat on his air drum kit.
When the song ended they just stood and stared at each other for a moment.
Derek opened his mouth as though he was going to say something. Casey knew he was going to apologise and she realised that she didn't need to hear it.
"It's okay Derek. I forgive you."
"Jeez! You could at least let me apologise!"
She chuckled and started the riff to Brown Eyed Girl. He jumped up and started singing with the hugest grin on his face.
She played for him and he sang for her.
The family heard it and smiled to each other. Lizzie and Edwin high fived and Marti started doing five year old cartwheels around the room.
"Finally they're getting on!" George said hugging his wife.
"Lovers fights are swift to heal, right honey?" she replied.
"Wait, lovers?"
"Oh come on George! Even you can't be that slow! Case fell in love with him the instant she met him and he fell for her shortly afterwards. I'm surprise they haven't gotten together before now. Something happened while they were out on that walk, I'll bet anything. Derek wouldn't just abandon her in the middle of the storm unless he'd done something he hadn't meant to, like tell her about his feelings. I reckon he has and that's why she's forgiven him so quickly." Nora said looking very pleased with herself.
"Wow. When did you get so clever?"
"I'm not being clever, just observant. I am a mother after all."
Casey and Derek were now seated side by side on her bed.
"So, now you know about my feelings, you have to tell me yours." He said trying to get her to look at him.
Slowly she raised her eyes to meet his.
"I have no words to describe my feelings."
"Oh." Was all he said, and he sounded so sad when he said it.
She looked down at her knees and then without warning pushed him flat on his back.
She leant over him and her loose hair fell across her face. He reached up and tucked it behind her ear absentmindedly.
"Does this mean what I think it means?" he asked her softly.
"What do you think?" she asked although she knew that he already knew the answer.
She leant in and kissed him gently. She just wanted to taste him again. To feel that velvety softness again.
His tongue slipped out and ran along her bottom lip begging for entrance, which she granted.
Their tongues battled for power. As with everything else to do with them, neither wanted to relinquish control.
Derek seemed to come to his senses and realising that she was in the more dominant position, with her almost lying on top of him, he suddenly decided he was going to be a gentleman and gave in for a moment before realising what he was doing and remembering who he was.
He rolled them over so he was on top and started to plant light feathery kisses over her jaw line. She moaned in pleasure, which only spurred him on.
He moved slowly down her neck until he reached her collarbone. He ran his tongue over it and she moaned again, her hands snaking under his shirt to feel his toned body.
His hand meanwhile was under her shirt and was inching it's way up to her breasts. As his fingertips brushed the fabric of her bra she pulled away and told him to go back to his room.
He glared at her without moving. She pushed him off and they sat facing each other.
"I don't get you Case."
"Neither do I really!" she giggled. "I know that I want to go further with you, just not yet. Besides if I don't take things slow then you'll get bored of me and move on." She leant over and put her hands on his knees and slowly, teasingly, sliding them up his thighs.
She pecked him on the lips and then told him to get out of her room before it got out of hand.
When he had shut the door behind him he realised that George was standing on the other side of the hall with his arms crossed. But he was smiling.
"Um, Case?" Derek said knocking on the door still facing his dad.
"Yeah, what?" she opened the door and since Derek was leaning against it he fell backwards a bit. She caught him and set him back on his feet. Then she noticed George.
She bit her lip and looked worried. Derek just thought she looked so cute. No! Focus! Angry dad!
"I think we need to have a little talk."
