A/N: Okay, I decided we need some more Marti fluff in here…but it's a Casey and Marti fluff, I think she's just such a cute character, I can't resist!

Disclaimer: I own nothing…well, I own the plot and any characters you may not find familiar.

Chapter 3: Quality Time

"Casey! Casey! Casey?!" Marti walked through the hallway upstairs, looking for Casey.

"I'm in here Marti. In my room." Casey smiled and rolled her eyes at herself. That little girl was the cutest thing alive.

"Oh, hi Casey!" Marti hopped onto Casey's bed and sat beside her.

"Did you need something, Marti?" Casey asked, putting a pair of jeans into a trunk.

"Casey…do you need to go?" Casey sighed and looked at the sad little girl.

"I have to go with my mom and Lizzie; I have to Marti." Marti hugged her tightly.

"Did I do something? Is it Smerek? I thought you liked Smerek." Marti frowned and looked into Casey's eyes with her own big brown pools of sadness.

"No, of course not Marti. You didn't do anything wrong. And I do like Derek, a lot. But my mom and your dad aren't getting along very well…" Casey sighed; how could she explain this to a seven year old?

"Is Nora making you leave because she and Daddy yell like you and Smerek used to?" She looked so innocent; caught in the middle of all this. She was so young, so innocent, so confused, what was Casey supposed to tell her?

"In a way…yes. Another reason is that maybe…another reason is the reason why they're arguing. Do you understand Marti? I don't want to leave you and Derek and Ed. I don't; but I have too." Marti smiled a sad smile as a lone tear quietly made its way down her cheek.

Marti made a small sniffing noise; Casey hugged her tightly, letting her tears spill over quietly. They rocked back and forth slowly, the only noises that could be heard was a sniff every once and a while from both girls. When they both calmed down Marti helped Casey pack her clothes.

Marti looked at Casey, who was currently rummaging through her drawers slowly while Marti was to go through her closet. But while pulling out clothes and shoes Marti came across a shoe box. Inside were pictures of Casey and Derek, a few of Lizzie and Edwin together, and of course Marti in the midst of all the chaos, but very much loving it.

Casey turned to see Marti gazing into the box with a small sad smile playing at her lips. "I like this one." Marti said quietly as she held up a picture of her, Casey and her Smerek. They were in the park, Derek and Casey had made Marti her own throne out of their hands, Marti was sitting on their joint arms and laughing with glee.

Casey smiled sadly and felt one tear fall down her cheek silently; Marti reached over and wiped it away with her small hand. "Marti, do want to go somewhere? We're leaving tomorrow-"

"Yes!" Marti ran into her room grabbed her jacket and ran back into Casey's room. "Where're we going?" Marti asked, excitement clearly back as she smiled brightly.

"Well…where do you want to go?" Casey asked, shrugging into her jacket.

"Can we go to Centre Island? Please!" Marti clasped her hands together in front of her face and stuck out her bottom lip. Casey smiled and nodded with a chuckle. "Oh, can we ask Smerek to come?" I nodded and watched happily as the little girl skipped off to get her big brother.

"SMEREK!" Casey heard Marti yell from inside Derek's room. "Will…Centre Island…and Casey...ease!!!?" Casey could tell that Marti was giving Derek the same face that she had given her. After a few seconds Derek walked in with Marti pulling his hand; he had his leather jacket on, Casey tried hard to not laugh.

Marti ran downstairs to tell George and Nora while Derek and Casey took their time.

"So you got pushed around by a seven year old, huh?" Casey said, nudging Derek playfully, he just smiled.

"She's going to be really sad when you're gone…I know I will." Casey smiled at him, he was so sweet.

"Softy." She said, going in for a peck before Nora and George walking in.

"You know you love it." He smirked and she held but laughter. She was walking ahead of him with her head held high; he shook his head and patted her on the butt. Casey whipped around to see Derek running with Marti in his hands.

It took a while but they finally got to Toronto and onto the ferry making their way to Centre Island.

"Casey, are you going to come back and visit us?"

"Of course, Marti."

"You promise?"

"I promise, what ride do you want to go on first?"

"That one, that one!" Marti jumped up and down, pointing to the log ride.

"That one's my favourite." Casey said, Derek thought of a remark but saved it for Casey's ears only.

When they were seated, the three of them were put in the front. Casey, with her luck, got the side that is splashed most. Derek tried to hide his smirk, she was wearing a white t-shirt, and he's only human!

When they got off of the ride, Casey was soaked. Marti had gone to the washroom and Derek was alone with Casey and her little white tee. He smirked and looked at her.

"Derek, my face is up here." He nodded but his eyes made no avail.

"I know…but I like this view." Just as he said that he heard whistles coming from a group of guys his age. They were looking at Casey. Derek shot them a look and they shut up immediately, but the staring hadn't ceased.

Casey crossed her arms over her chest self-consciously; Derek took her into his arms and calmed her down, the group began laughing; Derek left her momentarily with his jacket as he walked over to the group.

A blonde boy stepped forward, apparently being the group leader.

"Hey, Dude." He and Derek bumped hands in a greeting.

"So, you got a problem with her?" Derek pointed as Casey, who was wrapping herself in his jacket…she looked so shy and sheepish. The blonde shook his head 'no'.

"Dude, the chick's hot, why would I have a problem with her walking around in a see-through top?" One of his friends high fived him.

"Dude, that chick's my girlfriend and the only reason she looks that way is because my little sister begged her to go on the log ride, so shove a sock in it or I'll shove my fist in it." The guy snorted at Derek's threat.

He was afraid, he didn't show it, but he was. "So this so called girlfriend of yours came here with your little sister? Is she that desperate for friends?" That earned him a free trial of Derek's threat; Derek hit him square in the jaw.

"Say it again." Derek was ready to hit again.

"Another question." This guy was brave, "your sister, or, her daughter?" Derek wound up but a familiar sound stopped him.

"Smerek! Smerek…" Marti walked up to Derek and held his arm tightly, "hello." She waved at the boys and they waved back, Derek picked Marti up and rested her on one hip.

"What is it, Smarti?" Marti's smile faltered.

"Casey's crying, I heard her, she said she was okay but I don't think she is." Marti's brow furrowed and she frowned a bit while she looked back at her oldest stepsister.

"Okay, you go to her and I'll be right there, okay?" Marti nodded. Derek set her down and gave one last look to the group before turning around, when he wasn't far from Casey, someone grabbed his arm.

"Hey, sorry, man. Ricky can be full of him, tell Casey at least one of us is sorry, if it makes a difference I told the dude to shut the hell up."

"How did you know…?"

"Your little sister said 'Casey'; I assumed that was her name." Derek nodded and they bumped hands.

"Thanks…"

"Tyler."

"Thanks, Tyler. Took real guts to come over here; your friend over there doesn't deserve to be on top; he gets scared shitless." Tyler laughed and nodded. "Where you from?"

"London."

"Yeah? Me too. You wanna hang?" Tyler shrugged and tailed along after me.

"Sure; so grade ten?" Derek nodded as they approached Casey and Marti.

"Casey, Marti; this is Tyler. Tyler; Casey, Marti." Derek pointed his way through and Tyler shook Casey's hand as well as Marti's.

"Hey, Casey right?" Casey nodded, "I'm sorry on behalf of my friends, they're real jerks."

"Thank you; that's very thoughtful…and your friends? They may be jerks…but they're chicken shit jerks." She smiled at Derek with the last comment and he smirked.

"Are you one of the boys that made Casey cry?" Marti asked boldly, glaring up from the ground.

"Smarti…" Derek looked at her but had no avail.

"My friends were," Tyler knelt down to Marti's eye level. "But I wasn't." Marti smiled.

"Okay. Are you coming with us? Smerek doesn't really have lotsa funs with me and Casey. He says he's too cool to have fun on little kid rides." Derek gave Marti a half smile; Tyler nodded and the two girls walked off.

"Smerek?" Derek looked at him with a distant look in his eyes as he watched the two girls who owned his heart walk off.

"It's Derek. She's my Smarti and I'm her Smerek…since she was two."

"And Casey is…Smasey? They seem close…" Derek sighed. He had just met Tyler, but already he trusted him up to the level he trusted Sam…maybe even more-so.

"They are…Casey's my stepsister; so Marti's her stepsister aswell…"