Sorry for the wait guys. This isn't beta'd because I really wanted to get it up, but I think it's close to as good as my other chapters, at least. And I just realized that I haven't put a disclaimer, so here's one now:

Disclaimer: Life With Derek is not mine. If it were, I'd totally have some obvious stepsibling action going on already. And season three would have started to air!

Edwin's POV

Lizzie is worrying me. She's got something going on that she won't talk about. Everyone gets cold feet; I forgave her for the kiss because I myself had had a moment or two of weakness. I didn't kiss anyone, but I sure as hell entertained the idea of running away to Vegas or something and hiding out and pretending to be single until my wave of nervousness passed. This isn't about that, I'm positive.

She walks around with this worried yet happy look on her face, and I can't figure out what it is she's so obsessed over that she can't focus on her work. I keep catching her reading and then when someone walks in the room, she hides it. Or she'll be surfing the net, and when I walk near, she closes her browser. I am going to ask her what's going on during our date tonight. We've been so busy, it'll be the first time we can sit down and just enjoy each other's presence without work or school or wedding plans getting in the way since the proposal. If it weren't for Easter break, we wouldn't even have that chance. I can't wait for May. No more school, and then one more month and no more wedding planning. Derek and Casey were going with us to dinner and then we were going to all see an old movie at this place that plays classics, but I was taking Lizzie on a boat ride in the harbor after, so hopefully she'll tell me what's up then.

I'm sitting in the living room just relaxing; gosh it's been forever since I could do that, when Casey walks in. She plops down on the couch looking about as tired as me, and I don't have to wonder for more than maybe five seconds about the curious look on her face.

"Do you know what's going on with my sister? She's been acting pretty strange recently. It's like one minute her head's in the clouds, and the next she looks like she's going to cry. What did you do to her?"

"What? I didn't do anything! I'm just as confused as you are. Maybe she's sick. She threw up her cereal yesterday. Who throws up something that mild?"

"It all adds up to something but I'm wondering what? Edwin, you don't think she's…"

"What?"

"She threw up her mild breakfast? She's acting all weird and moody? When's the last time you saw that kind of behavior?"

"Me? Never. Well, there was that one time when Vicky stayed with us after she got pregnant…wait, you mean…no! Oh my god! Casey do you really think so?"

"Well, Ed, I hate to ruin any announcements she was going to make. I really do. But, if the shoe fits, well, you know the rest."

"Hey, Case, I know it's been a long time since the four of us really got to hang out like we used to, but do you mind if we didn't come with you tonight?"

"Sure thing. Let us know how things work out."

Lizzie pregnant? I mean, wow. We were careful, you know? Of course obviously, I realize that with any preventative measure you take, there's no 100. It's not a bad thing either. Just unexpected; and I don't think I'm prepared. I don't mean financially either. I mean emotionally. I don't even know if I have to be thinking about this anyway.

Casey and Derek leave and Lizzie finally gets home from work. It had been a half an hour since my conversation with Casey, but it felt like a lot longer than that. If she really was pregnant, life was going to change. A lot. And it's not that I never want kids, I do, but I'm just not ready. The idea of being responsible for a whole other life is just scary. And why hasn't she told me yet? I wasn't even expecting to be the cool uncle who takes his niece or nephew to the zoo and buys them toys for a while. Now, to be a dad, I don't know how I'm going to handle this.

"Hey Liz. How has your day been?"

"Good. Where are Casey and Derek? I thought we were going out with them?"

"We had a change of plans. You and I are having dinner on a boat on the harbor. That's not a problem is it?"

"Not at all, sounds great. Let me just get changed."

I picked up the food I had ordered and we went to the marina. We got in the small boat I had rented and ate silently. Both of our minds were probably on the same thing. It was time to confront her. But what should I say?

"Lizzie, I've been noticing how you've been acting kind of funny lately. From what I can see, the last time I saw behavior like yours was with Vicky. Lizzie, are you pregnant?"

"Actually, I was going to talk to you about that tonight. I finally took the test last week, and then another and I saw the doctor, so there's no denying it. Edwin, we're going to be parents."

I felt scared and relieved all at the same time. She looked just as overwhelmed as I felt. We were in this together. I held on to her, like she was stronger than me. She had better be strong; she was going to be a mom. Suddenly I had a startling thought.

"I'm so sorry Liz."

"Sorry? What for?"

"You aren't going to get to play your last month ever of college soccer."

"Ed, it's okay. I think I can handle it. I haven't really felt like playing soccer since I realized it anyway. I've been kind of preoccupied. Trying to figure out a way to tell you, and just realizing that I'm like, carrying this life inside me. "

"Still, you only have me to blame if you ever regret missing that last month of it."

"Ed, it takes two to tango. But I'm happy. Sort of worried, but ultimately happy."

"Worried? You too? God, we can't both be worried!"

"Why not?" she looked at me funny.

"Because if you're worried and I'm worried, how are we going to take care of the kid?"

She laughs, "Ed, I'm sure we'll adjust. We'll kind of have to, wont we? I'm not worried we can't do it, just that, you know, we'll mess up or something. What if we end up like our parents? I don't want to be like them!"

"Lizzie! I can't believe you just said that. Our parents are great."

"Our parents are great people. I love them to death; they're awesome. But as parents, well…" she sighs as if she's well aware that as their child, she probably shouldn't be saying this, "as parents, they aren't that great. Remember back when we all lived together? It could be hell at times."

"But that's not necessarily their fault."

"You had two teenagers trying to rule the house, and a six year old, well, trying to rule the house. And then there were the two of us, who frankly, I'm surprised weren't hurt by the bidding of our siblings. It's nice; at least, that we grew a backbone at some point. But the only time they stepped in and took over was when they had something to lose, or worse yet, noticed! Look, I'm not saying we didn't have loving parents, but Ed, they forgot your birthday at some point. Not exactly grade-A material."

I couldn't really believe she was saying that. The more she explained, the more I agreed, but still to actually hear the words coming out of her mouth, really surprised me.

I have to remember that there is an up side to everything. At the prospect of turning out just like them, I wasn't really seeing this up side at the moment. Lizzie looked nervous, and then I saw that this was the up side. We cared. Of the seven members of the MacDonald-Venturi's, there were two who paid more attention to other people than to themselves. And those two are Lizzie and I.

"Lizzie," I said, relaxing, "I think we'll be good parents."

"You do?"

"The fact that we're so worried about turning out like them, I think that means we'll try not to. Look, we want to be good parents, and yeah, I'm sure all parents do, but I think you can only learn through experience. We're just going to have to try at it."

Lizzie relaxed considerably at this. "You're right. I just, I never imagined it this way. You want to know something funny?"

"What's that?"

"Before we got together, which granted, we were only thirteen, I think I knew. I knew you and I would get together, and I knew we'd last. Because I have with you what I could never find no matter how hard I searched, and regardless of whether we were together, I knew we had to be. I knew how I felt for you."

Its heartfelt confessions like those that remind me that I was one of the lucky ones. A lot of people my age aren't in relationships with staying power. Some never will be.

"So, from the time I knew that, I always imagined my adult life with you. So far it all fell exactly into place. We went off to college, supported each other, got engaged, all of it. But this, Edwin this baby isn't coming at the time I pictured." She paused as if she was trying to collect her thoughts.

"Casey has always done everything first. As a middle child, I think that's supposed to piss me off. I even have a right to be pissed, according to society's many crazy rules. And a lot of times, it does. A lot of times, I got angry that she got to get out of the house first, drive a car first, and on a somewhat weird level, kiss her stepbrother first. But those other firsts were supposed to prepare her for the first that I needed her to have. I don't know how to do this without her experience. I'm supposed to take her kids for the weekend, so she can go off with Derek and have alone time and spoil them so they drive her crazy when she gets back. What, now she's going to do it for me? I always knew I'd have her to ask questions to. And now I don't."

"I know Liz. Trust me; I'm having very similar thoughts. But honey, we can't do anything about it, and honestly, I don't want to be nervous for the rest of this kids life, or until we figure out what we're doing. I want our kid to think we are heroes, not wimps. And the more I think about it, the more I really can't wait. I mean, sure it'll be scary, it'll be hard, but think about it Liz. In nine months we'll look in his or her face, and it'll be magic. And then a few months after that, it'll roll over. And then crawl. Walk. Call you Mommy. Call me Daddy. Lizzie, we're going to be parents!" I really was very excited now. I'm not sure where the change in attitude came from, but I was embracing it.

Lizzie smiled at me. "I hadn't really thought of that. Thanks Ed."

"So, now we have an announcement to make."

"You don't make these kinds of announcements this soon."

"I was talking about the family. Casey needs official news."

"Casey?"

"She kind of helped me figure it out. Ha, and even though we thought Derek was going to be a dad first, you know he's going to embrace this uncle thing full force. He'll want to know too. And Dad and Nora are going to be grandparents. Marti will want to start making things, she's real crafty."

"Yeah. I do want to tell them. Let's go home."

"Okay." We took the boat back to the marina and hailed a cab. When we got back to the apartment, Casey and Derek were on the couch asleep. Yes, Derek, the guy who thinks no one can touch him is asleep on the couch before nine. He'd better hope I don't tell his friends about this.

As we started making noise, Casey woke up and it was obvious that she was very impatient to know if she was right.

"So what's up?" she pretended she wasn't digging for information.

"You might want to wake Mr. Cool up before I take a picture of him asleep at" I check my watch, to see just how early it was, "Eight forty-five. God, Casey, what exactly were you two up to?" She blushed furiously and pretended I didn't ask her that question. She started to shake him awake.

By this time Lizzie and I were seated on the couch across from them. I was very curious to see Derek's reaction. Casey, having decided she was probably right, proceeded to pick on Derek until he was sitting up and paying attention.

I took Lizzie's hand and squeezed it in encouragement. I expected she'd want to break the news, but she looked at me and mouthed "you do it." I don't think my excitement had worn off on her just yet. So I cleared my throat and looked at my brother and stepsister knowing how huge this was.

"We have an announcement. Lizzie is expecting."

Derek always takes a while to react. He weighs his options and you can see a myriad of emotions play across his face before he reacts. That's how I knew that although he crossed to the couch, picked Lizzie up, and spun her around while congratulating her, he wasn't as happy for us as he appeared. I'd seen the look of, I don't know, freaked out-ness, on his face. I don't know what that was about, but I do think we should talk about it.

Casey, however, was not nearly as disappointed. Soon as Derek put Lizzie down, Casey hugged her, smiled and winked at me, and squealing, took Lizzie into another room to talk.

Derek's POV

And there it is. It's concrete evidence that Ed and Liz are more grown up than me. They're going to be parents, I'm still spending more Saturday nights at the local bar with the guys watching hockey, than with Casey. This is what I was talking about before you know. As I flop down onto my bed, giving myself another of those "grow up you immature imbecile" lectures under my breath, someone knocked on the door.

I knew it was Ed, and I really wasn't in the mood to talk. I knew what he wanted to talk about, and I knew if I told him about my feelings, there was really only one way it could go. He would give me an earful about just how right I was, and that I had better shape up, and coming from my little brother, that would make me feel awful. More awful than I already do.

Maybe it's because I knew that he'd bring it up eventually, and I'd better just get it over with now, that I told him to come in. He settled into Casey's spot, so we could talk face-to-face.

"Derek, something tells me you aren't that happy for us. I'm just a little curious as to why."

"What do you mean, Ed? Isn't it kind of obvious? I had more achievements in my life at fifteen and twenty than I do now. Do you think I like being the family laugh? 'Oh, don't ask Derek, he'll forget all about it if there's a hockey game on'. When we were kids I took care of you, Ed. I'm supposed to be the strong, big brother, and instead, I'm this. Now there's tangible proof you've got it way more put together than I do. Way to go Ed, you're the best Venturi brother."

"No way, Derek. No way. I'm not letting you turn our lives into a competition. And I'm not going to let you beat yourself up because you have a great life. You are doing what you always wanted. You play hockey for a living."

"Minor league" I interrupt.

"So? No one is perfect Derek, and it's time you realized that 'no one' includes you. You play hockey, you have a great girlfriend, and you have a great life. If you aren't happy with it then the only person who can make you happy about it is you. Look around. Everyone is a little dissatisfied with life, but you aren't going to throw a fit like a five year old just because you didn't get your way. You want to play major league? Make it happen. Spend more time at the rink practicing so they pull you up. Whatever. Just don't come home and mope around like you think someone personally pulled one over on you, we won't let you."

I wish I could see it like that. He's right, too. I'm surprised because hearing it that way, it doesn't sound so awful. You know, when it was Casey telling me I could do it, I knew I could do it. Edwin's right. I've got nothing wrong with my life. It's pretty good. I just need to grow up a little.