Flashback:
Sam and Casey were out on their three-month anniversary and Casey was moody again because of a certain annoying stepbrother.
"He's so annoying and childish. Why do I put up with him? Ugh!" Casey exasperated and shook her head. Sam just looked at her.
"Case, can we once, just not talk about Derek for a night?" Sam asked slightly annoyed.
"What's wrong with you?" Casey asked oblivious.
"Are you serious? Everyday you always talk about him? Stop venting about him. He'll always be like this and you know I'm right."
"Calm down. I do not vent about him everyday."
"Whatever Case. I'm tired of hearing about him, and I'm tired of listening about how much you hate him when you don't. I'm tired trying to win over him, when I know I can't." Sam said shaking his head.
"What are you talking about? I don't like Derek! I love you Sam and you know that." Casey explained.
"I love you too, but I know you feel for him. Don't even deny it."
"You're accusing me that I like Derek Venturi, my stepbrother?" Casey accused.
"I'm not accusing… I know you do." Sam shot back. "Look I could see it. I see the way you look at him when he plays with Marti, or when he looks out for your sister Lizzie. I see the way your eyes brighten a while when you see him, then turn to your defensive stance when he comes and decks you out. I see it. And I'm not upset that you like him. You can deny it but you know deep down you care about him. Quit the bullshit saying you don't care about him and admit it. It'll be so much easier for the both of you. And sure as hell I know Derek cares about you. He never acted this way to any girl. I see that way he looks at you also." Sam said in a calmer voice. He knew it was hurting him to let her go, but he wasn't about to stay with someone who's in love with his best friend. He wanted to be happy and he wanted Casey happy. And if Casey having Derek were happiness for her, then he'd give it.
After Sam was done with his speech, Casey was in tears as it all sunk in her. She didn't want to admit it, but she knew he was right. Even though it may have been disgusting to fall in love with her stepbrother, he was right. She lived for the fights, and he was someone to leave excitement for her. Sam wiped her face with his hands and told her to look at her.
"But we hate each other!" Casey said.
"No you don't. You know I'm right so stop trying to deny it. You and Derek are both stubborn. And you need to open your eyes. He has feelings for you and he hides it with all the arguments and fights you both have with each other. Do you ever think about how he acted when we started dating? He didn't like us together. He never really liked any of my girlfriends, but with you it was different. We got in a fight, and we never let a girl in the way. I know he likes you, and more then just siblings. Case, I know you love me, and I love you. Never doubt that, okay?" Sam said and Casey looked into his eyes and nodded.
"You're right Sam. Please don't tell anyone, especially Derek. I know you and Derek are the best of friends, but I don't want him to know. I know he wouldn't like me. I mean we are stepsiblings. How disgusting is that." Casey said tears streaming down her face.
"It's not disgusting. You both didn't know each other until last year. And it's not incest, and don't worry, I don't think it's incest." Sam said reassuring her. Casey looked at him in disbelief.
"Why are you being so nice to me? You know I…" Casey thought about how she was going to continue. Did she love Derek, player and asshole Venturi? Yes, she thought to herself, I am in love with him. He will never know. I got to get him off my mind. "I can't even say it aloud. I can't do this Sam." Casey said on crying more. Sam just hugged her.
"Your secret is safe with me Casey, I promise." Sam swore.
"Thanks Sam. I don't know what I'm going to do."
"Don't worry. I'll help you get over or help get with him."
"You'll help me get over him." Casey said. And Sam grinned.
"Uh huh. Whatever Case." Sam replied and Casey just smiled a small smile.
End of Flashback
Sam and Casey became close friends after their break up and their talk. It helped Casey admit herself that she cared about Derek to Sam. Though she still had feelings for him, she was thankful that she was with nobody, because she had to get her mind straight and not be confused. Sam kept his promise and finally got Derek to say it aloud how he felt about Casey.
Sam was hanging out with Derek in Derek's room and once again, Casey had her music on blast since Derek pissed her off. Sam and Casey already broke up, and Sam was trying to get Derek to admit he cared about her.
"Come D, why do you always do this to her? You know it pisses her off to the extent of hitting you and all, and you still do it." Sam said aggravated with him.
"What are you, my dad? Do you still care about Casey? Is that why you're acting all defensive on me?" Derek accused getting angry by the second.
"Derek you know I'll always care about her, but you pushing her to the limit. You don't see the way she'd cry when I'm with her. You don't hear her on the phone about how much she hates what you're doing to her." Sam said, trying to let what he said sink in. Obviously it worked since Derek's face started dropping. She cries? What did I do to her? I care about her but I don't want her to get hurt. What am I talking about!? I don't care about her. I got to stop thinking about her, he thought to himself.
"And why do you keep going with different girls? When you know the only girl you want to be with in the room across from you?" Sam said hoping Derek would finally admit it. He's been trying to get Derek to say it for the past month, but Derek would always change the subject or just shut up.
"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?!" Derek yelled standing up from his computer desk, "I don't want to be with Casey, get your head out of your ass." Derek said in a lower voice then a couple of seconds afterwards. Sam was tired of him trying to deny it.
"Are you fucking serious? You're so damn stubborn! You like Casey. I can see that. Don't try fooling your best friend here because you suck at it." Sam said mad that Derek was being dense. Derek glared at him and started pacing around the room.
"I don't like her. That would be disgusting and that would be incest." Derek said trying his hardest to not make it known that he really cared about her.
"It's not incest, you're not blood related. Just admit it. You suck at trying to hide your feelings for her. You show it through your guy's fights. And when she dates, you get all mad and crappy. And when I was dating her, you made up the stupid male code. Boy did you really show me your feelings there."
"Then if you knew how I felt about her, why did you go with her?" Derek said before he could stop himself. Sam smiled big; finally getting him to tell him he cared about her. "Um, I mean not that I, uh-"
"Shut up D, finally you said it out loud."
"Shut up Sam. Yeah I like her, and if you tell anyone I'll beat you up so badly that…" Derek trailed but didn't finish his sentence since he knew that Sam wouldn't tell a soul. And from the look on Sam's face confirmed to Derek that he wouldn't tell anyone. "But it's not like something's going to happen anyways. I mean she's my stepsister. She hates me." Derek said sighing and falling onto his bed.
"She doesn't hate you. Get your head out of your ass." Sam replied getting a glare in return.
"How would you know? You don't hear what she says about me." Derek put out running a hand through his messy hair. "I don't know what happened to me. I'm not supposed to care about her. I'm supposed to be the one who treats her like crap and feel no shame about it. I don't want to feel compassionate for her."
"She's special." Sam pointed out.
"She's different. She doesn't put out like the other girls. She's more of a test, a challenge that I can't accomplish. It's like I wait to get a chance to fight with her. I live to see her get all red and cute when she's mad." Derek said surprised at how much he's telling his feelings to Sam.
Sam just laughed in response, and Derek swung a pillow at him.
"Damn D, you got it so bad. Why don't you go for her? I mean you guys technically aren't related anyways." He suggested. Derek looked at him like he was crazy.
"Didn't you just hear what I just said? Casey doesn't like me. She despises me. And really, why would she date me, when she knows how I date?"
"First off man, she never said she didn't like you…" Derek looked at him like he was stupid. "Okay she may have said it, but she never meant it. Trust me. I see the way she looks at you. She had that look when she was interested in Scott. She always had that look and she always beams when she sees you. If you don't believe me look for yourself." Sam said.
"Sorry Sam, about me liking Case. I know you still like her and-"
"D, just shut up. I knew you've liked her since she first came. I'm over it." Sam said and shrugged it off. Derek just nodded, not needing to lie anymore.
"You really think she's interested in me? Derek Venturi, the player?" Derek asked in disbelief.
"No one knows but Casey MacDonald."