A/N: Wow, a third chapter of Sharing is Caring. Okay. This is three. Since I was only planning on this being a one shot, I haven't planned this out any further. So, I may continue past this, I may not. Right now let's just assume that this is the last chapter, but if you really want more then put in in your alerts or leave it in a review and maybe (just maybe) I will continue when I have time! Thanks! Read and review! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own Life With Derek, cause if I did it would definitely not be suitable for Disney channel... wink wink.

Falling Into Perfection

Things in the MacDonald-Venturi household gradually began to change. It started with small gestures between Casey and Derek. Sharing the TV time without complaints, not hogging the last of the milk, doing their chores when assigned instead of leaving it to the other or helping each other out without being asked. Eventually all their petty little fights phased out. They began to actually be nice to each other. No one could really explain it...except Marti.

She tried to explain it to Lizzie and Edwin, but they just couldn't grasp the concept. Marti didn't understand why they couldn't understand. It was simple, even to her. She thought they were smart.

"They're sharing!" Marti huffed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. It wouldn't have been bad if the echoing 'duh' wasn't implied and verbalized. "Duh!"

"Do you have any idea what she's going on about?" Lizzie whispered as Marti blew out of the room.

Edwin just dumbly shook his head, as he frowned. He couldn't understand his little sister anymore than the next person. That was Derek's job.

The house was no longer a constant war zone. Nora and George could appreciate the moments of peace and quiet that were becoming less rare and more frequent, but they knew their children's behavior was strange. Not that they wanted to have things go back to normal. No one would wish things back to normal--if it could be called normal.

Everyone watched the two, waiting for them to slip. Waiting for something to cause them to start fighting again. Waiting for something to set them off. It didn't seem possible that they could suddenly not hate each other.

They waited. They watched. But everytime something happened that should have set Casey or Derek off, they only exchanged a smile or a look that only the other could decipher. It drove their family crazy. Nora and George tried to accept the change, but didn't think it would last. Edwin claimed it had to be a bet of some kind--who would break down and blow up first. Lizzie thought it was nice that they were getting along--and it didn't matter why they were acting that way, just that they were. And little Marti got frustrated with them all. She knew what was going on. She knew why Smerek and Casey were being nice. But no one seemed to want to listen to her. They didn't understand anyway.

As time went by, the new, nice, non-fighting relationship between Derek and Casey was accepted as permenant. It just took some time to get used to. Eventually, their family stopped watching their every move. And they were left on their own

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Casey was a naturally prompt person, her perfectly planned out schedule had only been disrupted by Derek's past antics. Given their current "truce", as their family seemed to view it as, she was back on track with that schedule. She was sickenly early for school and she arrived home at the exact same time each day--give or take a minute or two.

On the days when neither she nor Derek had to pick up the younger kids, she arrived to an empty house. Derek would stumble in a few minutes later. Eventually, Nora and George and the kids come home and the house falls into its normal chaos. But brieftly, on those days, Derek and Casey had time to waste together.

Before they had spent that time holed up in their respective rooms, trying to stay as far away from the other as they could. More recently, they had spent it in each other's company. They would talk or silently enjoy the other's presence.

This time, Derek came in to find Casey sitting on the couch, the book she had to read for English open in her lap. Derek dropped his stuff by the stairs and came over to sit next to her. She glanced up at him briefly with a little smile.

"How is it that we get out of school at the exact same time and you somehow get here ten minutes before me?" Derek asked.

"I don't have an entourage to dismiss or a flock of admirers to beat off." Casey joked.

"Ha, ha. You're killing me, Case." Derek responded. Casey smiled, and shook her head. "Nora picking up the kids today?"

"Yeah. She said George has to work a little late tonight. She's picking them up and then going to the store to pick some stuff up to make dinner." Casey nodded. "Did you notice how they were watching us really closely for awhile?"

"Yes I did. Kinda creeped me out for awhile. Everytime we were in the room together, I would turn around and there was Edwin or Lizzie studying me like I was a science experiment or something." Derek chuckled. "Well, it got funny after a while...like they were waiting for something that was never gonna happen."

"My mom and George were doing it too."

"Yep." Derek responded. "Only one who wasn't..."

"Was Marti." Casey finished. "The one who started this whole thing--whatever it is."

The truth was, they hadn't really talked about what was going on between them. They had started to talk about generic things, which in itself was a step forward. They hadn't talked at all before. Still, it was hard enough for them to admit to each other that they cared at all. Let alone contemplate the future. A friendship, a relationship, or anything.

Neither had been brave enough to start that conversation. Yet Casey had just subtly alluded to it, and if he wanted anything to come of it in the near future, Derek knew he would have to grab onto it.

"Well, Case." His voice lowered, "Is there something that you want this to be?"

Casey's eyes widened. She had been waiting to have this conversation, but its sudden appearance surprised her. She blurted out her answer. "I don't know."

"Really? Are you sure that's your final answer?" Derek questioned. Her response had come so quickly, he knew she hadn't thought it over. He could see her mentally kicking herself, it shone in her eyes.

"No." Casey sighed. "I'm sorry. You just surprised me."

"So..." Derek prompted.

"Derek...I'm not sure how to say this." Casey murmured.

"You don't want anything to do with me. Right? I was stupid to think you could ever like me like that. Really, I'm sorry. I'm going to go." Derek looked away and started to get up to leave. "I never should have..."

"Derek, wait." Casey struggled to stop the laugh from bubbling out of her throat, but couldn't.

"I'm glad you think it's amusing." Derek frowned, scowling slightly.

"Derek, you have a tendency to jump to the wrong conclusion." Casey replied.

"Insulting me isn't helping. Definitely not making me feel better." Derek responded.

"It wasn't an insult." Casey smiled. "Not even close. It's a statement. Derek, you like to do this thing where you come to the worst possible conclusion before anyone can actually explain themselves."

"I don't understand."

"I never said I didn't want anything to do with you. You assumed that's what I was going to say. It wasn't." Casey explained. "It's a defense mechanism. You figure if the person doesn't actually have to say it, it will hurt less. There's only one problem with that."

"What's that?" Derek asked.

"What if what they have to say is...good?" Casey responded.

"Was it good? What you had to say, I mean. Was it good?" Derek hated the desperat undertone his voice had taken on. She had pretty much said she cared about him, but he wanted a little bit more than that.

"You see Derek, it was hard for me to do what I did. To show a part of me I swore I would never let you see. It was even harder to tell you I really like you. That's why I said 'I'm not sure how to say this.' I wasn't trying to sugar coat bad news." Casey answered, staring down at her lap.

"You really like me?" Derek swallowed.

"Yes?" Casey looked up.

"Was that a question?" Derek laughed.

"No." Casey shrugged. "It was a yes. No question, it was a yes."

"Well, Case. I hate to break it to you..." Derek started adn Casey's eyes widened. "But I really like you too."

Casey's eyes locked onto his, and they both smiled. Derek reached up and gently stroked her cheek with the pad of his thumb. Casey leaned into his touch and let her eyes fluttered closed. She could feel him leaning closer, until his breath curled against her cheek. Her eyes flew open and met his again just before he closed the distance between them and they closed again.

His lips met hers softly at first. A gentle brush, a soothing touch. Then his hand drifted from where it rested on her cheek to tangle in her hair, pulling her closer. Her arms went around his neck as he kissed her deeper, her mouth opening to him.

They broke apart just a minute or so before the rest of their family came bustling in the door. Casey couldn't stop smiling, and Derek wore that lopsided smirk he only got when he got something he wanted...something he had been waiting for. Their behavior could only be classified as strange.

"What's going on with you two?" Edwin asked, as Derek jumped up off the couch to help with the groceries.

"Nothing's going on." Derek responded quickly. He took a couple of bags from Nora and headed for the kitchen.

"You sure something isn't wrong?" Lizzie directed to Casey.

Casey smiled brightly. "No, nothing is wrong. Everything is just perfect. Really."