A/N: All I have to say is I'm SOOOO sorry for taking so long with this chapter! I had writer's block for the longest time. Everything I wrote, I hated. Eventually I had to start over completely with a new idea, so this chapter isn't anything like I'd originally planned. Also, I've been swamped with homework and projects and other things. I was planning to write a longer chapter, but I figured I should just post this. I'm not particularly proud of this one…it's not my best writing. I hope to have the next chapter out soon, but we'll see.

Oh, and thanks for the many reviews, guys! You know I appreciate them.

Disclaimer: I don't own Life With Derek.

When Casey left to hang out with Emily later that day, Derek knew there was no reason for him to stay in the house either. Who was he kidding? He knew Casey wasn't obsessing over the kiss, and neither should he.

He'd heard about a party that night, at Kelli Garner's house. He couldn't think of a better way to distract himself.

Derek would have called Sam to see if he wanted to go, but Sam would undoubtedly want to take Casey, and then Derek would have to watch them act all couple-y all night.

Not that he cared, or anything.

No, Derek would just go to this party by himself. He'd meet some babe and he'd forget why he'd been so hung up on that one little kiss he'd shared with his stepsister.

With this in mind, Derek drove to Kelli's house.

Shortly after he'd entered through the front door, Kelli Garner herself approached him.

"Hey, Derek," she purred. "Wanna make out?"

Well, Derek thought, biting back a laugh, at least she doesn't beat around the bush.

Ten minutes later, Derek felt thoroughly disgusted with himself. Here he was, in a random girl's house, sitting on her couch, wildly making out with said girl, and still all he could think of was a certain brown-haired, blue-eyed stepsister of his.

He tore his lips from Kelli's. "This has got to stop happening," he mumbled.

"What was that, Der-Der?" Kelli was looking at him blankly. It struck him that there were much more intelligent girls out there than Kelli. He didn't know why he even cared all of the sudden.

"Nothing." He needed a beer. He hoisted himself off the couch and headed toward where he thought there might be a kitchen.

oooooooooooooooooo

Much later that night, Derek was stumbling through the back door of his house. He didn't know how many drinks he'd had; he'd lost count. He did know that it wasn't all beer. Someone had offered him something else, and he'd gratefully accepted, downing several glasses of it.

It vaguely occurred to him that he shouldn't have driven home, but he wasn't thinking rationally. In fact, he couldn't quite remember why driving home was such a bad idea in the first place.

Once he'd finally gotten inside the house, he heard footsteps on the stairs. Shit. He braced himself for the explosion once Dad or Nora figured out he'd been drinking.

But Derek was relieved to see that it was only Casey as she rounded the corner.

"Where have you—" she stopped as she noticed Derek stumbling around, leaning against a chair for support. "You're drunk," she stated flatly.

"No I'm not," Derek slurred, "just a little tipsy—"

Casey shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe you….give me one reason why I shouldn't tell Mom and George."

Derek moaned. "Don't tell them, Case….please. I won't ever do it again."

Casey looked skeptical. "Fine." She sighed. "But you owe me one."

Several minutes later, after lugging a stumbling Derek upstairs, she left him at the door to his room. "You can fend for yourself now, can't you?" she stated.

Derek only stared intently at Casey. She found herself caught up in his gaze, unable to look away.

Finally, tearing her eyes away from his, she turned to leave. But before she took a step, Derek tugged on her arm, pulling her toward him. His lips crashed onto hers as her body collided with his. She froze, enjoying the kiss for a few sweet seconds before putting a hand on his chest and pushing him away.

"You're drunk," Casey said for the second time that night.

"So?"

"So, you're not in your right mind. You don't know what you're doing."

"I know damn well what I'm doing." He moved to pull her back against him. She pulled away and backed up a little.

"Don't, Derek, you'll regret it. You'll—" She was cut off as Derek moved back toward her and pressed his mouth against hers once again. "Mmm." She surrendered herself to his kiss, temporarily forgetting why she had been objecting.

However, when Derek sat her down on his bed, she quickly came to her senses.

"Derek." He mmmed in response as he moved down and began pressing kisses to her neck. It felt good—but it wasn't the time for it.

"DEREK," she said again, louder, pushing him away and hoisting herself off the bed. "Go to sleep—you'll be glad you did come morning." Not sticking around for any objections, she slipped out of his room.

A/N: Again, not my best writing. But I hope you thought it was okay. I'll try my best to get the next chapter out soon.