AN: I love you guys : ) I know it's hardly a note but eh.. its the truth. So more zoo talk, monkeys, flamingos, and sillies.

Disclaimer: I don't own nuffin.

"How's married life treating you?"

She tensed, "It's okay." she stared ahead.

He thought that was a weird answer. "It's just 'okay'?"

She let out a small laugh, "It's better than okay. It's great. It's perfection." she said a bit sarcastic, "I mean Mikey's great and I love him to death, but marriage is difficult. I didn't know it would be this hard. Compromise, arguments, decisions, and time. Ugh." she shrugged, "Maybe I'm just acting this way because we fought this morning. He was the reason I was late to my own signing."

"Oh." he seemed a bit weirded out.

"Sorry, I'm venting." he nodded to himself.

They entered the Ape building, "I just would have thought you would be in the perfect marriage; happy everyday, and having a bunch of kids."

She looked over at him and laughed mostly at herself, "Trust me, I did too." she coughed, "Ugh. It smells so bad in here."

"It's you." he joked.

She scoffed, "You know what, Derek--"

He smiled big, "It's you that smells?"

She glared at him, "This is your habitat!"

He laughed loud, "That's the best you could come up with?!" she glared some more, "Those gorillas could have come up with the better comeback."

"You would know..." she said in a sing-song voice.

He nodded; smiling, "Alright, Casey."

They both laughed walking over to look at the first Gorilla. Casey instantly frowned, "Jeez, they look so..."

"Unhappy?" he finished for her.

She nodded slowly; still staring through the glass, "Yeah."

They moved onto the next ape who just threw his poop at the window, "Ew!!" Derek laughed hysterically.

Casey thought it was totally disgusting but she couldn't help but laugh at how this type of thing made Derek happy, "That's so vile."

"I know!" he looked at her then back at the Ape, "It's so outrageous how they do that and they just don't care because someone else will clean up after them."

"Sounds like someone I used to know." she joked.

"Hey! That was so long ago. Nowadays I just bring a girl home and she'll clean up after me in return." he laughed loud.

She wrinkled her nose, "Ew. That is just so wrong, Derek."

"Yes. But so right, Casey." They walked over to the Orangutans who were hanging off the trees, "Those are massively long arms."

"That's crazy." they both stared with interest, "You really believe we were formed from those things?"

"I really don't know." he shrugged; laughing, "Whether we did or not, I'm just glad we ended up looking better."

She shared his laugh, "Yeah we definitely look better." they moved to the next one. "So we talked about my love life. How's yours?" they continue to walk.

He snorted, "We hardly talked about yours and actually I just had a date the other night." he told her proudly.

She rolled her eyes, "Still a lady's man huh, Derek?"

He laughed, "Yeah, I mean who would I be if I lived my life sitting and moping all day?"

"Me." she muttered her breath.

He didn't catch what she said, "What's that?"

"Nothing. Let's get outta here." her nose wrinkled together, "The smell is making me light-headed." she could sense Derek's uncanny reflex for sarcasm. She interrupted him as his mouth opened, "Shut it, Derek."

He laughed, "I didn't even say anything!"

"Well you were." she muttered looking down at her guide again. "Let's go see the the 'Great Cats' they have lions and tigers there!"

"Alright." They walked over to the Feline section. They looked over the guardrail and down at the tigers.

"Aren't they beautiful?" she sighed smiling at all the tigers.

"Yeah. Beautiful on the outside" he slowly nodded, "but inside I can tell they are miserable with where they are."

Casey caught onto his metaphor in an instant, "Derek--"

"Let's go see the Lions." he walked quickly. He hoped she didn't push the subject.

She knew he didn't want her to answer so she dropped it. "It's pretty nice out here, Derek. I didn't know DC had all these pretty places."

He laughed, "Yeah. I was a little scared at first but after living here for 7 years, I got used to it. It really does have it's nice parts."

"Do you live far from here?"

"No. Not too far. I just got a place over in Georgetown. It was pretty pricey but with the money I made from some projects, I was able to afford it. Probably the nicest area I've been around."

"That's good." They walked out of the area and back onto the main path. They headed toward the reptiles.

"So where exactly are you living?" he really didn't know.

She sighed, "Mikey and I just bought a house. Still in Toronto." she said blankly.

"You don't really like talking about Mikey, do you?" he let out a small laugh so she didn't get offended.

She turned to him. Her hand over her chest; expressing shock, "I don't?! How weird!" her turn to be sarcastic.

He let out a small laugh but decided to ask anyway, "How do Nora and my Dad get along with him?"

"They love him. He has that sort of 'charming the parents' quality but I guess they always approved of all the boyfriends I've had. As long as I'm happy right?" she let out a pity laugh.

He nodded slowly. Himself not agreeing, "Right. So the sibs? How about them?"

She shrugged, "Truthfully, Edwin looks up to him, Marty thinks he's hilarious, and Lizzie thinks he's cool because he takes her to a bunch of soccer games. They all love him."

"So he's a hit with the family." slowly convincing himself.

"Yup." she stared ahead. "Too bad you've never met him."

"You think I would like him?" she shrugged. "Fair enough."

"No serious girlfriends yet, Derek?"

"Not really. I had a few girlfriends who went past the 6 month mark, but then it got too serious for me. I find casual dating much more fun." he grinned.

Casey brought her hands in front of her, "Derek Venturis school for the casual dating." she gestured jokingly. She looked back over at him with her eyebrows raised; nodding, "You should really look into it."

He grinned, "Yes. I'll be a hit with all the younger generations of me out there. Maybe you can help me write a book about it!"

"Then you could take the pictures for the back and front cover." she played along.

"Then we could both collaborate on a film based on your book about me!"

They both laughed hysterically. "We are so dumb."

"Tell me about it." he laughed as they kept walking. He tapped her on the shoulder; facing to his right, "Flamingos, Casey."

"Oh! Where?" they walked over and saw a field of them behind the cage. "So pink! I love them."

"Oh wow. That one just crapped."

"Do you always have to point out when they poop?"

He scoffed, "Yes, Casey, because it's fascinating!!"

"Only you.." she muttered while laughing.

"What can I say? I'm a shit enthusiast" They both laughed.

"Pretty. Pretty." He watched her excitement as she scanned everyone of those birds. She looked over at him, raising an eyebrow, "What? I like flamingos, okay?"

He chuckled, "Yeah, I can see that. You like Flamingos and I like Pandas. What are the odds?"

"Very good." she mumbled staring at the birds. He wanted to look over at the birds but he couldn't take his eyes off of her. She raised another eyebrow, "Derek, why do you keep looking at m--"

"Do you ever still think about that day?"

And what day is that?.. you'll find out in the next chapter. It'll be a flashback chapter.