AN: No class on Mondays... so it's a perfect time to post, right? haha.

I'm so sad. It's the end! I really enjoyed writing this story and what I enjoyed more was all of you guys reading it. I appreciate all the reviews... I went past 100! Exciting for me, it really is. Thanks guys!

So this chapter...yeah. That's all I'll say. Read. Enjoy. Love it. Miss it when it's over. I will. :Tear:

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

She was silent looking back down at the picture. She looked back up at him with wide eyes, "Derek, you said you loved what was in this picture. This is me in the picture."

"Yeah, so? You said you loved me too."

She arched her eyebrows, "What? When did I ever say I loved you?"

"In your book, Casey. You said in your book that you loved me."

Casey's eyes grew wide. She didn't say anything as she just looked down at her feet.

"My point exactly."

She looked over at him again confused, "Wait. Wait. Wait.--"

"What?"

"You said you didn't read the book!"

He was caught. He blushed with embarrassment once more, "Uh.."

She let out a laugh, "Let me guess, Derek. You lied. Again."

He crossed his arms, "Well..so? You lied too. Telling me you don't love me when you obviously do."

"You did too."

"I wasn't the one who lied first, though."

"But you still lied. So it doesn't matter."

He groaned, "You are being difficult."

"You are being..." she huffed as she couldn't think of anything, "being... typical Derek!"

They were just sounding and acting childish. They knew it.

"We are getting no where with this."

"We really aren't." she muttered.

"So does this mean..."

"Yup, Derek," She sat back on Derek's bed and sighed, "I love ya."

He laughed, "Don't worry, Casey. I love you too."

Awkward silence ensued, "So did you like the book at least?"

He took a seat next to her, "Yeah, I actually did."

She snorted, "You're just saying that because I wrote it."

"I'm saying it, Casey, because you obviously wrote it about us. Of course it flat out wasn't 'The Derek and Casey Story' but I knew exactly who it was really about."

"That obvious, huh?" she let out a pity laugh.

"No one else knows about us, so it's not that bad."

"Katie knows about it." she smiled innocently.

He glared at her, "Casey."

"Sorry. We got drunk at the release party and she asked what my inspiration for the book was. My inhibitions were low and I ended up telling her."

He slowly nodded, "That's why she was so weird when I met her earlier."

"Yup." They both stared at the ground. Awkward silence. "I started working on the book when I was engaged. That's what started making me crazy. That's what opened my eyes." she explained.

He nodded, "Well that's why I was laughing at you earlier, at the Zoo. I found it pretty funny when you tried to pretend like you don't think about that day when you have a constant reminder of it being sold in stores."

She scoffed, "Clever, Derek." he nodded thinking to himself. Silence.

"So... Casey loves me." he said aloud to himself.

"I can hear you, you know."

"Well I read it and I wasn't totally sure, but hearing it actually coming from you..."

"Feels unreal?" she finished for him.

"Yup."

"Don't laugh at me but.."

"But what?"

"I think I kinda wrote the story in a way for you to actually come back to me... somehow in one way or another...or something I don't know--" she kept rambling.

"Casey!" he laughed and she stopped talking, "It sure as hell worked, didn't it?"

She snorted, "I guess so. I know I didn't wake up this morning expecting you to come see me and take me on a whirlwind adventure."

"Funny how things work out..." more awkward silence.

"So did you always love me? Or were you just trying to save me from embarrassing myself?" she joked.

He shook his head, "No, I really do love you." he assured her. "I thought I was crazy but it was always there. That day. Your book. I don't know, Casey. Maybe it's like you said. 'It all came back from out of nowhere'."

"It was only one day, Derek." she whined.

He leaned down and rested his elbows on his knees, "I know, that's why it's hard for me to understand."

"Just like now. We literally just spent hours together and all this stuff..."

He stared at his hands, "I think today actually confirmed how I really felt about you."

She sighed, "Me too, Derek."

"We picked a really bad time to confess our feelings to each other." he laughed.

She reciprocated, "I've been waiting for this moment all my life, but it's not quite right." she let out a light grin.

He smirked at her, "You totally stole that line from that Silversun Pickups song!"

"You caught on." she smiled.

"Of course. It's a great song." they both nodded remembering the song, "You wanna open that bag now?" he pointed to the one resting on the floor; between her feet.

"I thought you wanted me to wait?"

"Well we already said a bunch of things. It wouldn't hurt to look at it now. It's a load of cheesiness, though."

She opened the bag and pulled out two small stuffed animals. One Panda and one Flamingo. She smiled at it. She looked over at Derek, who was staring at the ground, "Aww! I love it, Derek."

"Yeah, yeah." he muttered; embarrassed.

"It's like you and me." she joked.

He looked over at her lit up face. He snorted, "Yeah, Case. That's why I bought it. Now put it away before I take it back."

"Fine." She gave it one more smiling stare and gently put it back in it's bag. "Thanks," she nudged his shoulder as he nodded. She sighed, "You know, I had a lot of fun today."

"Me too."

"I gotta plane to catch though."

"Yeah, I'm surprised Katie hasn't called you back."

Casey let out a nervous laugh, "Maybe because I turned my phone off."

He smirked at her, "What have you done with the Casey I know?"

"She's gone and left, Derek."

"Just like the ending in your book." he said a bit sadly.

"Every story I read has a happy ending." she shrugged, "I thought I'd do the opposite."

He laughed, "Yeah. It totally caught me by surprise. It wasn't the normal fairy tale, happy, lovey-dovey, and romantic ending I would've expected from you."

She shrugged, "I guess with the experiences I've had in my life, it wasn't too far of a stretch."

He nodded slowly, "Well Casey," he stood up and offered her a hand, "while you're still here, we will end this story right."

"What are we doing?"

"Just take it, Casey." he chided.

She did and he brought her back into the living room. "Just stand here." he walked over to his stereo and pressed a few buttons. That familiar song came on. He looked at her and smiled, "I promise I'll get you to that airport. Just come here." She nodded and wrapped her arms around his neck. He pulled her closer.

She pulled out a grin of her own, "Is wonderful Derek back?"

He looked at her seriously, "I haven't gone anywhere, Casey."

She sincerely smiled and nodded, "You're right."

They slowly swayed to their song, "Slowly by Coconut Records." The words flowed and they just seemed to comfort both Derek and Casey. It brought back memories that only seemed to make them the thing they haven't been. Happy.

He held her close and tight, but not too suffocating. He softly ran his right hand in her hair; the other resting on the small of her back.

Her hands hanging securely around his neck. Her head resting gently on his shoulder. It seemed as if the world stopped. She didn't have a plane to catch, she didn't have a husband to get back to, she wasn't married, and she wasn't unhappy. She was in the now.

There were no more probabilities. No more of the "Maybes" they loved so much. No more "I don't knows". Just them. Just now.

"I thought about you." she mumbled quietly.

"What?"

"Months leading up to my wedding, I thought about you. On the way there, I thought about you. When I was getting married, I thought about you. I was desperately hoping you'd show up. But you didn't."

"I wish I came, Case." he said sadly.

"Yeah."

Swaying side to side as if it were the most simple dance ever. Their questions were never simple. Their situation was never simple. How they really felt for one another was just that: simple.

"Ready to go?" he whispered quietly against the side of her head.

She held onto him tighter as an answer to his question. Derek smiled and gave her a kiss on her head.

"Casey?"

"Mhmm..?"

"You know you're going to miss that flight."

"Yeah, I know."

I know I'm either going get praise or hate for the ending. I know it...haha. If this were a movie on DVD, there'd be an alternate ending where she left. But thank goodness it ain't a movie, eh? haha. There are endless possibilities of what you think happens next. I purposely left it open-ended. Evil, I know. Plus every story has a definite and secured happy ending.. I thought I'd be different. : )


So again, what can I say. I really really love you guys! Thanks to those who stuck by me through all the madness (cliffhangers). I didn't mean to torture you guys... I just thought it was a crazy idea to go with. lol. I officially am stumped on ideas for stories...hopefully my less than imaginative mind can come up with something.


Songs mentioned: Silversun Pickups - Lazy Eye ( I kept listening to it when I'd type on my laptop. Great first line) and of course you all know Coconut Records - Slowly hehe.


So did you guys love it? Like it? Hate it? Hate the ending? Love the ending? Okay I'm done. Thanks again. Reviews would be lovely? ;)