Photoshop for Christmas

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

A/N: Okay, last chapter guys! I won't be posting an epilogue because I'll be making a sequel. At some point. It probably won't be very soon. Anyway, if you read it, review one last time! It would REALLY mean a lot!!

Chapter 13: Photoshop for Christmas

"I don't understand. Liz and Ed seemed fine when Dad and Jen were here." Casey said to Nora as she stood in front of her bedroom door.

"I'm sorry, Casey. You'll just have to stay with Derek for one more night. We're leaving tomorrow anyway." Nora said before she walked to the room she shared with George. Casey walked into the room to find Derek already sprawled out on the bed.

"What are you doing?" She asked and he looked at her oddly.

"Lying down in the bed I'm going to sleep in." He said bluntly. She rolled her eyes and closed the door before thinking and opening it again.

"Out." She said simply and cocked her head in the open door's direction. He raised an eyebrow questioningly. She sighed and looked at him as she waited. "Derek, do we want a repeat of last time? Let me refresh your memory…walking in…changing…shirt over head?" She said and he smirked.

"Repeat the question?" He asked and she exhaled sharply.

"Do we want a repeat of last time?" She asked slowly and his smirk enlarged.

"Absolutely." He said as he leaned back against the headboard with his hands crossed behind his head. She rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back the smile.

"I walked right into that one." She mumbled and he nodded.

"Yeah, you did. But I love you nonetheless." He said and she pouted cutely.

"Does that mean you'll leave?" She asked sweetly and he scoffed as another smirk graced his lips. He stood up and walked to he was standing in front of her.

"Not a chance in hell." He said. She narrowed her eyes playfully at him then leaned up and pressed warm kisses along the side of his neck. She slowly worked her way under his ear as she unnoticeably manoeuvred him next to the door. She kissed the spot just below his ear and she heard him intake a sharp breath before she pushed him with all her might out of the room.

"Ha, ha, ha." She said to herself as she locked the door and grabbed her clothes to get changed.

XOXO

Derek leaned against the door in slight shock. Edwin walked by him and raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell happened to you?" He asked and Derek smirked as he pushed himself off the door. Edwin eyed him before contorting his face with disgust and putting his hands up. "You know what? Never mind, Dude, I don't want to know." He said and Derek opened his mouth to speak but Edwin held his hand up.

"But –" Derek began.

"No." Edwin stopped him.

"I was just –"

"Nuh-uh." Derek remained silent and smirked.

"We were…" Derek continued to talk, ignoring Edwin as he covered his ears. Derek knew very well he could still hear him.

"La, la, la, I'm not listening, la, la, la, I can't hear you!" He continued and Derek smirked.

"If you can't hear me, why is it that you always speak when I'm stopped?" Derek asked and Edwin paused a moment, his hands still covering his ears.

"Ah, crap. You're right." He said and Derek smirked. He leaned back against the door, only to feel it open and fall into the room. He groaned and pulled the Shrek toy he had fallen on the other day from under his back and glared at it before tossing it aside and looking up at a tank-top and pyjama shorts clad Casey. He smirked and stood up. He closed the door in Edwin's face and continued where she had stopped.

XOXO

"Merry Christmas!" Casey said happily as she stepped into the kitchen, her hair wet from her shower. Everyone looked up at her and smiled. Derek came up behind her and 'ew'-ed.

"Next time, Space Case, use soap." He said, popping the 'p' for effect as he leaned down to say it to her face.

"And a jolly one at that." Lizzie said sarcastically.

"Are you kidding me? This is good holiday spirit. Remember our last Christmas in Toronto?" Nora asked Lizzie and Casey. Casey groaned and Lizzie laughed along with Nora.

"Oh, I remember. We stopped smelling like candy canes in February!" Lizzie said and the Venturis looked at one another in confusion.

"It was miserable. Why are you two laughing?" Casey asked and they both chuckled quietly.

"Oh, come on, Casey." Nora said. "Have a little sense of humour!" Nora said and Derek scoffed. Casey held her hand up to his face.

"Ignoring." She said pointedly to him and he rolled his eyes. "And I find no humour in my having to play 'Christmas Tree' with a bunch of four year olds who insisted on finding a way to hang up ornaments on me." She said and they all busted with laughter.

"Wow…that must've been…really random." Edwin said as his laughter calmed slightly.

"It was the most random Christmas ever." Lizzie said and Casey huffed.

"Aw…poor, little, whiny Casey gonna cry?" Derek asked as he feigned a pout and talked to her as though she were two years old. She growled under her breath and he snapped back. "Somebody feed the monster. She's growling." He said, gesturing to her with his thumb.

"I. Will. Bite. You." She growled at him and he widened his eyes in mock fear. He leaned down to her level again.

"Listen to me, Casey. Cannibalism is against the law. I know I look very yummy, but you can't eat me." He said slowly with a vague wink that, clearly said 'unless you really want too', only she could see. She scoffed and pretended the wink never happened.

"As if." She bit out and Edwin's face contorted with disgust.

"Ugh…Dad, Derek's saying he's 'yummy' during breakfast. Make the insanity end." Edwin said as he pushed his pancakes away. Lizzie rolled her eyes then hit the back of his head lightly.

"Okay, kids. Cut it out. It's Christmas." Marti said as she stood up and put her plate in the sink. Nora and George looked at her oddly as she left the kitchen and sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the couch and watched TV.

XOXO

"Kinda' sucks, doesn't it?" Casey asked quietly before she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"What does?" Derek asked as he plopped one of her marshmallows into his mouth.

"This. Everything. I hate it when it's over." She said and he eyes her questioningly.

"I'm sorry. You lost me completely at 'this'." He said and she smiled sweetly at him. "What?" He asked and she shook her head and averted her gaze back to the Christmas tree.

"Nothing. I was just thinking that you're adorable when you're confused." She said and he nudged her lightly.

"Hey, I'm always adorable." He said quietly and she smiled at him before kissing him gingerly. She pulled away and smiled.

"You are." She agreed as he tangled her fingers in his.

"I'm so screwed." He mumbled and she made a noise of confusion but her eyes remained on the brightly lit tree before her. "I mean…I've been with you for, what, three days? I'm already an incredible sap when I'm with you." He said and she leaned her head against his chest.

"I like it." She mumbled and he wrapped his other arm around her waist and held her protectively.

"But, being serious, Derek…what are we gonna do?" She asked and he looked down at her unreadable expression as her soft features were accented by the colourful, blinking lights on the tree.

"About what?" He whispered in a slight daze as he looked at her intently.

"Us." She whispered back. "Will we tell our parents? Do we pretend we still hate each other in front of everybody? I hate doing that. I know it's fake but…" She trailed and he played with the tips of her hair.

"Whatever you want to do." He whispered back. "It's all up to you." He pressed his forehead against hers and she couldn't help but smile at him.

XOXO

"I think it's hopeless." Nora said as George tried to read his book. "We're going home tomorrow and they haven't shown any interest." She said and George hid a smirk. "And I find it very ironic I got Adobe Photoshop as a gift from Dennis and Jenny. It's the only thing that'll put those two together." She grumbled and George tried to hide his smirk again.

"Mm-hmm." George said briefly before trying to read again.

"You know, I think Casey is still downstairs looking at the tree." Nora said she picked up the camera. "And I didn't hear Derek come up either." She grinned mischievously.

"Nora…what are you going to do?" George asked worriedly. Nora rolled her eyes.

"Don't be so worried. It isn't like I'm going to hypnotize them and make them kiss so I can take a picture." Nora said then paused a moment and contemplated the idea before smiling and shaking her head. George's eyes widened momentarily.

"Honey…maybe you should just lay down…and I'll get you something to drink." He said and she shook her head.

"No, I'm fine." She protested and walked through the door before he could say anything more.

XOXO

Nora walked down the steps quietly before she stopped and watched the scene unfold; the camera ready to snap a picture.

"Thanks." Casey whispered and he smiled. Her eyes went back to the tree and she sipped the hot chocolate before Derek took her last marshmallow. "Derek!" She whisper-scolded him.

"What?" He asked innocently. She nudged him with her shoulder and pouted.

"You ate my last marshmallow." She said quietly and he bit back a smile.

"Well…I think you may still be able to get a taste." He said suggestively and she cracked a large smile before she leaned up and caressed his lips softly with her own. He pushed his lips harder against hers and deepened the kiss. Nora clicked away. When they pulled apart, the smile graced Casey's lips again.

"You taste like marshmallows and candy canes." She said and he half-smirked, half-smiled at her.

"You taste like hot cocoa and candy canes." He said then inhaled deeply through his nose then smirked. "You even smell like candy canes." He said and she hit his shoulder.

"Shut up." She said as she rolled her eyes. A large smile was evident as she leaned up and captured his lips with hers again. Nora stood up straight and smiled lopsidedly.

"Well…whad'ya know?" She whispered to herself before ascending the stairs quietly.

A/N: And we are DONE! I hate, hate, hate, hate, hate the ending, but I needed to finish it somehow. I had no other ideas. I know it took me a while to update, and I'm sorry about that. But to all of those who have stuck by this story, please leave one last review.

It would mean a lot to know what you guys think of it. The sequel won't be coming for a while. I've got to finish GT, WTM? and then I'm going to do the sequel to EofTR. So yeah…

ANYWHO!! Reviews? Please?