A/N: Okay, this is it. The last chapter. Finished. Done. Seriously, I'm not continuing past this. I promise. :). Okay, just want to say that I wanted George to sound a little oblivious because well, he is. And I wanted Nora to be a little more insightful. Well, that's about it. It's been really fun, dragging you all along with this story. just kidding. well please review. Hope you enjoyed! Thanks! -Mac

Disclaimer: I don't own.

The Big Reveal

"I don't know if that's the best way to tell them, Derek." Casey shook her head at Derek's suggestion to just spring it on them without any explanation.

"Well how exactly do you expect to ease into it?" Derek questioned. "Or we could do the age old trick where we make up something particularly gruesome, let them freak out then tell them 'no that didn't happen, we've just been dating secretly for the last couple months.' I'm sure the degree of surprise wouldn't kill them if we do it that way."

"Derek, be serious." Casey chided.

"I am being serious. There isn't going to be an easy way to tell them. We just have to do it." Derek responded.

"I'm trying to find the way that won't give my mother a heart attack. You're trying to get me to do the equivilent of jumping out from behind a couch and yelling 'Surprise!'"

"There's no tame way to tell them either." Derek shook his head. "We just have to suck it up and get it over with."

"Fine we'll do it your way, but we'll explain first and then tell them. Not just spring it on them and then walk away." Casey said.

"Okay." Derek agreed.

"Okay." Casey repeated.

"So we're doing this?" Derek asked one last time, giving Casey a final chance to back out.

"We're doing this." Casey nodded.

Casey and Derek waited for a moment when they could get their parents alone. Lizzie and Edwin had convinced Marti to play some board game in Lizzie's room. It gave Casey and Derek a chance to talk to Nora and George. Noar and George were in the kitchen starting dinner when Derek and Casey came downstairs to find them.

"Mom, George, can we talk to you?" Casey asked as she and Derek came into the kitchen.

"Sure." Nora responded. "Actually we've been meaning to talk to you two as well."

"You have?" Casey said.

"We've been noticing that you two have been getting along really well lately, not fighting or anything." George replied, "We want to say we're very proud of you."

"We know you've had your differences, and to be able to put them aside is a major accomplishment on your part." Nora added, "And the quiet has been lovely since the fighting stopped."

"See, that's what we wanted to talk to you about." Derek cautiously looked to Casey and she nodded. "The reason we stopped fighting."

"Oh really?" George nodded as he cut up tomatoes for the salad.

"It started when you sent Derek to talk to Marti about sharing, remember that?" Casey began.

"Yes, and he did a very good job." Nora smiled.

"I wasn't surprised, I must admit." George added, "He's very good with her."

"Well, one of the main things that convinced Marti to start sharing was a deal I made with her. She called me on the fact that I never shared with Casey, that I actually went out of my way not to. And she was right. She just kept saying I didn't like Casey because if I did I would share with her." Derek explained then looked at Casey as he said the next part. "But I did, I really did."

"He made a deal with her about sharing with me." Casey continued. "If she would start sharing at school, he would try to share more with me. To prove that sharing is caring."

"Well that's sweet." Nora responded. "And it seems to work like a charm."

"More than you know." Derek muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Nor asked.

"Nothing." Derek responded quickly.

George and Nora both frowned, but neither said anything about it. Casey rolled her eyes, but also didn't say anything about Derek's comment. The conversation was going in the right direction, but both Derek and Casey had no idea how to keep it moving. They didn't know how to say what they had to say.

"I really don't know how to say this." Casey murmured. "It's just...it started with that, but it became so much more. And the last few months, we've...well, we have been...God this is so hard to say..."

"Casey?" Nora prompted.

"Derek, what's going on?" George questioned, both he and Nora now had their eyes trained directly on their children.

"I would really like it if we can be calm about this." Derek replied. "It's not too big of a deal if you really think about it. It's actually quite a small deal if you look at it the right way..."

"Derek!" Casey nudged him and his mouth snapped closed instantly. "What he's trying to say is we don't want you to be angry, because what we have to say is really important."

"And we don't want you to have some unnecessary, over-the-top reaction because you're jumping to conclusions." Derek added.

Casey frowned but continued. "We definitely don't want you to overreact, because it's really not as bad as it might sound."

"We've been, well, seeing each other for the last few months." Derek finished and both he and Casey blew out the breath they had been holding.

"What do you mean? You see each other every day." George frowned.

"No, George." Nora put a hand on her husband's arm, "I think they meant romantically seeing each other."

Casey swallowed, "We just...I just wanted you to know, because I couldn't lie to you anymore."

"Dad, say something." Derek mumbled.

George and Nora shared a look, before George stuttered out. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"We aren't asking for your permission, the truth is, we don't need it." Derek responded.

"We just wanted you to know." Casey added, then under her breath, "Because it seems everyone else does."

"Casey, I don't know what you want us to say." Nora exclaimed, pacing. All thoughts of preparing dinner abandoned. "You couldn't expect us to approve."

"I really don't think she expected anything." Derek defended, drawing the attention of their parents to him. "I didn't. We didn't tell you thinking everything would be great. But we really care about each other, and this is an important part of our lives."

"Did you think we would just accept that?" George questioned, chopping more furiously and turning the newest tomato to mush.

"I thought you should know." Casey said calmly, turning to her mother. "It's better than lying."

Casey glanced softly at Derek before she turned and left the room. Derek looked at his dad and Nora before doing the same. He was going to check on Casey but she had her door closed already. He sighed, but figured it might be best to give everybody some time. So instead of going to Casey, he went to his own room and closed the door. They had kicked up the dust, the only thing left to do was let it settle.

There was a soft knock on Casey's door about a half hour later. Lizzie's face peeked around the door as she opened it. Casey looked up as her sister offered her a weak smile and informed her that dinner was ready. Casey got up without a word and followed her sister downstairs.

Dinne was a quiet affair. Both Casey and Derek kept their focus trained on their plates. They didn't look up in fear they would have to see something they wouldn't like in their parents' eyes. Lizzie and Edwin watched the faces of the occupants of the table for some sign of what was going to happen. Marti tilted her head to the side and decided it was too quiet, and if no one else was going to talk then she would. She promptly began to recount every detail of her day.

When each finished eating they quietly excused themselves before disappearing from the dining room. That left Nora, George and Marti at a quiet, empty table. Marti looked up, glancing at her Dad and Nora, and wondering what could be going on. Deciding it didn't really concern her, she finished the rest of her dinner.

A while later another soft knock sounded through Casey's door. She was sitting on her bed, getting in some light reading to try and clear her head. She looked up in time to see Nora open the door and walk in. Nora closed the door behind herself before coming to sit on the edge of Casey's bed. Casey closed her book, knowing she was in for a bit of a talk.

"Casey, honey..." Nora trailed off and recollected herself. "George and I are proud of your honesty."

"But you don't like the idea of us being together." Casey concluded, her shoulders slumping in defeat.

"It didn't sit right with us at first, but I--we­--are starting to think the two of you should be allowed to make some choices on your own."

"What?" Casey looked up and her mother smiled.

"You're at the age where us parents can't control your every move. You have to be allowed to make your own decisions and your own mistakes. And you can learn your own lessons." Nora explained. "George and I think coming to us showed maturity and responsibility. Traits that tell us we can trust this decision to you."

"Which means?" Casey asked softly.

"If you want to be together, we won't stop you." Nora responded. "But there will be some rules."

"Oh, thank you Mom!" Casey exclaimed, leaning forward to hug her mother.

Nora hugged Casey back, a small smile playing on her lips. Casey was ecstatic, just giddy with happiness. She didn't know that across the way George was having a similar conversation with Derek--though less eloquent and more masculine, as Derek would tell her later. And it definitely didn't end in a hug. She just couldn't wait to be able to talk to Derek. He had become so important to her, she was just glad they were being honest now.

Casey was watching TV one evening not long after that. Lizzie and Edwin were sitting on the ground working on homework. Marti was alternatively bouncing up and down the stairs, claiming she was a kangaroo.

Derek came downstairs, passing Marti on the way. He ruffled her hair as he continued down and toward the couch. He sat down next to Casey, placing his arm around her shoulders. He settled in and got comfortable.

"What are we watching?" Derek asked.

"If I remember correctly, there's a hockey game on." Casey responded.

"Hockey?" Derek exclaimed, "But you hate hockey."

"I don't hate hockey." Casey replied, "Besides sharing is caring, right?"

Casey smiled and Derek returned it. Casey leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on his lips. They then settled back into the couch as Casey changed the channel.

THE END