10/01/2008 21:14:00

So once again I say sorry about the wait. I didn't have writer's block this time; I was just being lazy. Haha. But I got over it in a big way cause this chapter is the longest I've ever written! The Lizzie/Edwin scene wasn't supposed to be that long, but my fingers just kept on typing!

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: To the best of my knowledge I do not own LWD, ACTs, Friends, or anything else that doesn't seem like I should own.

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KnockKnock

"Who is it?"

"Who do you think nimrod!" Lizzie exclaimed.

"I thought you were supposed to come by at 10!" Edwin called from the other side of the door.

She heard a rush of activity, followed by a small bang and Edwin whispering a pained "Crap."

"Ed are you ok?"

"Yeah just give me a second!"

A moment later he flung open his door, a guilty expression covering his face as he stepped aside to let her in and closed the door behind her.

"What were you just doing?"

"Nothing!" Edwin said quickly, his eyes widening when his voice cracked. He cleared his throat nervously and sat down on his bed.

"Yeah and I'm the abominable snow-woman. What are you hiding?" Lizzie questioned, crossing her arms as she walked around his room, looking for anything that was out of place. Well more out of place then usual. Derek was quickly becoming the tidy one compared to the upkeep of the other Venturi boy's room.

He chuckled nervously, words beginning to pour out of his mouth. "Nothing I swear, I was just surprised that you were so early and then I tripped on my, um, well nothing actually, I just tripped. Been living with Casey too long. I think maybe we should start a 'I trip over my own feet on a regular basis' support group. I really feel we could make some great profit off of the cover charge for the meetings. We could even hav—"

"EDWIN!" Lizzie exclaimed, amused at the sight of a nervous Edwin. She couldn't help but find him adorable on a regular basis and seeing him flustered just added to his appeal.

"Ok fine I am hiding something. But I won't tell you where I hid it!" Edwin stated, shifting on his bed, his eyes jumping momentarily to his desk drawer.

Lizzie perked at his movement, her lips curling into a smirk. She doubted anyone but her would have caught his gaze shifting like that. She indulged in a staring contest with him, inching ever so slightly towards the desk every few seconds. He sensed her movement and shot off his bed, leaning back and spreading his arms across the desk to prevent her from opening the drawer. She tried desperately to pry his hands from the tight grip they had on the sides of his desk, but his recent interest in physical fitness had made her days of overpowering him a distant memory. They were both laughing from their mini-wrestling match as she made one last desperate attempt to push him away from the desk by shoving her entire body against his. Finally accepting that this was one battle she would not win (at least for the moment), she sighed and sat down on his bed.

"Fine. You get to keep your little secret for now Venturi, but be aware that I'll be watching your ass."

A huge grin broke on his face as he eyed her. "Watching my ass, eh? Well it has become quite the phenomenon in the last few months with the girls at school." He turned around, moving to retrieve the binder hidden in the false back of his desk. "I've been told it could win contests."

"What 'The things that gross out Lizzie' contest?" she scoffed as her head tilted subconsciously to check him out, his jeans pulled snuggly against him with his reach.

"Got it!" Edwin exclaimed triumphantly, straightening up. "And you know I'm hot."

Lizzie realized that she was staring just in time to look away before he turned to face her. She rolled her eyes at him as he moved to sit next to her and opened the binder across both of their laps.

"Let's just get to the research, okay Mr. Arrogant?" She said playfully. "Seriously how did I miss you turning into a less mean version of Derek?"

He smiled at her, choosing to ignore her comment. "Okay so in the 'Times They've Been Suspiciously Nice to Each Other' section we've got Casey planning Derek's surprise party last year, Casey staying up all night helping Derek study for the ACTs, Derek got that guy that wouldn't leave Casey alone after she refused to go out with him to move to the states," Edwin looked up pointedly at Lizzie, his eyebrows raising in approval. "And may I say on a personal note: That was hilarious. Then we've got Derek coming back to bring Casey to Prom, Derek helping Casey with the high school summer camp 2 years ago—"

"Not to mention the hula hoop moment they shared."

"—Of course. Information thanks to agent Marti. And that would bring us to our incredibly long list of T-T-L-A-E-O-I."

"'Times They've Look At Each Other Interestingly'." Lizzie reached over, taking the binder from Edwin as he stood up to pace the room. "But if we go over all that right now we'll be here all night. So next section."

"Right you know I'm slightly offended that you're so eager to get away from me."

"I love our 'us' time," Lizzie stated, causing Edwin to smile at her over his shoulder, "but your room is starting to smell worse than your feet after bowling. Remind me again why we stopped meeting in the games closet?"

"It could no longer contain my muscles." He said flexing from where he was standing at the end of his bed. Upon noticing Lizzie staring blankly at him he frowned. "No? That wasn't the reason?"

"No." She replied, shaking her head as she reached over to pat the muscle in question gently. She was silent for a moment as she looked over their data. "You know I've noticed that the nice things they do for each other have gotten fewer and far between."

"Yeah I noticed that too. But three days ago I over heard him say something to her (something that I don't care to repeat) that may explain why," Edwin said, reaching out his hand as he sat back down next to her.

"What?" Lizzie asked as she handed him the pen off of his night table.

Edwin scribbled something down under the 'Newest Developments' section and pushed the binder back into Lizzie's hands for her to read. When she finished she looked up at him with wide eyes, her mouth hanging open in shock. "No way!"

"Yes way. The inappropriate sexual comments have begun. I think he needs to get laid or something cause I've heard at least three more comments of the sort since I heard that first one."

"Let me get this straight," She said trying desperately to keep herself from hitting him for keeping this from her. "You think that Casey and Derek's lack of kind gestures in the last few months has been the result of his borderline sexual harassment of my sister?!"

"Ah ah ah!" Edwin stated gleefully, holding up one finger in a 'just one minute' way. "Not sexual harassment if she gets off on—erm… I mean enjoys it. Sorry wrong choice of words… I mean, maybe wrong choice of words. Who knows she might get off on it but that's not really something I'd want to find—"

"Edwin! Get to the point!"

"Right. Well to Derek's face she was all angry, but once she turned around I could tell she was more angry with herself for enjoying the comment then she was with him for saying it."

"Ew, are you serious?!"

"Yep."

"Oh God." She said her face falling into her hands. "I was really hoping my sister wasn't actually starting to like Derek."

"Psh! You were still holding out on that?"

"No." Lizzie replied, bringing her head up to look at Edwin in discontent. "I just like lying to myself."

He chuckled, shaking his head as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. "Alright so let's get to the present time. The last time we wrote in here was… two weeks ago. Right after Derek cut the bottom 4 inches off of more than half of Casey shirts."

She snorted. "He's unbelievable. You'd think by now he'd come up with pranks that didn't cost him money. What was her reaction again?"

"Let's see…" He said scanning the page, his finger running along the paper. "Ah. Here it is."

Lizzie took the opportunity to lean in close to Edwin, the faint scent of his cologne almost causing her to lose her concentration. She took a deep breath and read in monotone what Casey had said a few weeks ago. "'You stupid son of a bitch, those were expensive. Not to mention the fact that you're only hurting yourself… blah blah blah I'll have to wear the cut off shirts until you buy me new ones… blah blah blah, You to my puke inducing middrift.' And Casey used finger quotes over puke inducing, and her face more than indicated that she's figured out that Derek definitely doesn't find her gross in any form of the word. Which due to her—," Lizzie frowned, the disgusted look returning to her face, "reaction to Derek's comments, she definitely knows."

"Which really, she should have figured out by his 'Ew' reaction to her Babe Raider costume that she wore right after you guys moved in, that he thinks she's hot. I mean even the milk could tell he thought she looked hot. Not to mention he was tugging his shirt down over his pants for the rest of the morning."

He leaned back on his elbows on his bed, looking up at Lizzie who's face was still contorted in disgust.

"That's sick, Edwin. I really don't want to hear about Derek's happy 'reactions' to my sister's scantily clad form."

He laughed, nudging her leg with his. "Hey we men are visual creatures. Can't help but have a physical reaction to certain… stimulation." Edwin eyes roamed up and down her body noticeably, a small smirk on his lips.

Lizzie bit her lip turning to face the wall before letting her face scrunch in embarrassment (and mild excitement) at his obvious attempt to check her out. She exhaling silently before glancing back at him and looking over at the binder. "Um, ok… so then, despite what Casey said about wearing her ruined shirts, she ended up stealing some of his and wearing those for a few days."

Edwin pushed himself into a sitting position, leaning over her shoulder to read. "Much to his pleasure. He's worn that polo with the penguin on it three times since she gave it back to him. And as far as I know he hasn't washed it."

She laughed, turning to look at him. "I don't know whether to find that completely sweet or totally sour."

"Sweet and sour. Ha! Play on words. Cute."

"Thanks. So nothing besides that has really happened until their fight tonight, resulting in my mom and George grounding them—"

"And our immanent misery," Edwin pointed out under his breath.

"—followed by a silent retreat of them into their respective rooms."

"Ok so they were fighting about a guy that Casey thinks Derek talked out of liking her. So this one gets marked under the 'T-I-E-O-L-L' section."

"Too Involved in Each Other's Love Lives."

"Yeah I really think we should come up with a shorter name for that."

"Didn't we have this discussion after the 'They Know Way too Much About Each Other to Really and Truly Not Care' category was created?"

He sighed, a far off look in his eyes as he smiled and said, "Ah good old T-K-W-M-A-E-O-R-T-N-C."

Lizzie laughed, nudging his shoulder with hers. "You're too adorable."

Edwin's head shot up, his gaze meeting hers as she froze, realizing that she hadn't kept that thought to herself. She suddenly felt very aware of just how close they were sitting. She could feel the warmth of his thigh against hers and his arm which had ended up practically wrapped around her back, his hand resting next to the hip farthest from him. There was a lock of her hair resting on his shoulder, and she could feel his breath against her neck.

Lizzie shot up off of his bed, the binder falling, papers flying out across the floor. Edwin moved to help her gather the papers before straightening up and looking at her.

"You okay Liz?" He asked looking at her suspiciously.

"Uh yeah. Completely fine. Butt cramp," She explained calmly, heading towards the door. "I should get going anyways, I still have some homework to finish before school tomorrow."

"Okay…" He stated, his forehead scrunched in confusion. "We'll continue this later then?"

"Of course. Night." She reached for his door handle, attempting to turn it and open the door.

"It's locked Liz. Like always?" Edwin called to her, now laughing at the fumbling Lizzie.

She laughed at herself, slapping a hand to her forehead, as she turned the lock, then the handle with the other.

"Good night Ed."

"Night Lizzie," He replied sounding quite amused.

Once she was behind the closed attic door and on her way down the stairs, she shook her head at her behavior, muttering to herself about how if she was a guy she'd be needing a cold shower.

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"Hey Connor," Casey said tentatively as she approached him at his locker the next day.

"Casey!" He replied turning around to look at her, a relieved sigh escaping his lips. "I thought after yesterday you were gonna avoid me for as long as possible."

"You just get right to the point don't you?"

"Sorry but you ran away yesterday before I could explain—"

"That's why I wanted to talk to you," She interrupted, standing up straight and using her best official voice. "At first I thought I had discovered why you said no, but that theory was quickly put to bed. Although I am still not positive that that original reason isn't still the reason, I would like to be informed as to why you turned down a date with me. I was almost positive that you liked me."

"I do like you. Just not as more than a science partner. I mean you're great and I really enjoy spending time with you at school, but you're, um… not exactly my type."

Casey felt offended and left it show, as she stood up straighter and scoffed. "Your type. What's that supposed to mean? Am I not blond enough? My skirt too long? Am I too smart?"

He shook his head at her, reaching to touch her arm. "No Casey, listen I—"

"No you listen, buster!" Casey said stepping closer to him and moving to poke his shoulder. "I will not change into some ditz just to appease your selfish little desir—"

"Casey, you're not my type, cause you're a girl!" He exclaimed looking at her expectantly.

"What are you…Oh," Casey said, her eyebrows raising in realization. "So that means you're…"

"Gay. Yes."

"Oh. Well then… ha. Aren't I just a rainbow of embarrassed colors!"

Conner smiled, laughing lightly at her choice of words.

"Sorry I yelled at you," She stated sheepishly, taking a step back as her face scrunched apologetically.

"Don't worry about it, Casey. It's no big deal."

"No I really shouldn't have yelled. I never yell. Well unless Derek's around. And I pretty much yelled at you because of Derek."

"What do you mean?"

"Well Emily could have sworn that you liked me and then seeing you talk to Derek yesterday, I thought maybe you let him scare you into not going out with me."

"Derek doesn't scare me!" He blurted out, before catching himself.

"Okay." Casey stated suspiciously, taken aback at his blunt comment. "But he makes you nervous."

Connor chuckled nervously, running a hand through his hair. "Umm…"

"Oh my gosh! Oh my—Connor do you like—"

He shushed her, his eyes widening as he looked around the halls.

"But you do don't you?" She dropped her voice to a whisper. "You like Derek?!"

Connor groaned hitting the back of his head against his locker. "Yes." He kept his eyes closed for a moment before straightening himself up, looking at her sheepishly.

Casey wasn't sure of what to say, her mouth opening and closing in shock at her attempts to speak.

"Look it's a well known fact that I'm gay, but I really don't want anybody to know about this whole Derek thing. And since you guys are—"

"I won't say anything to him. I promise." Casey managed to say, her voice sounding strained. She couldn't figure out why finding out about Connor's crush caused the familiar stabbing in her heart. She shook her head, reminding herself that Derek wasn't gay, the thought only slightly ebbing the clenching in her chest.

Connor looked at her with concern, placing a hand on her shoulder after she had been silent for an awkward amount of time. "Hey are you ok?"

She shook her head again in an attempt to clear the fog that had made it's way into her thoughts.

"Yeah," She stated calmly, forcing a smiling. "It's just um, kinda weird! I'm sorry I'm just so… shocked… about all of it. I had no idea you where gay. That kinda seems like something Emily would know."

"I'm surprised she doesn't. I mean I don't just go around, you know, passing out fliers announcing my sexual preference, but it's not like I hide it."

"I guess I'll have to update her. She's gonna be pretty upset that she didn't know. Maybe I'll wait and tell her over the phone. Emily hits when she's upset and bodily harm does not sound appealing right now."

Connor smiled, looking at her sympathetically. "Again, I'm sorry—"

"Don't worry about it. And I guess, well…," Casey started patting him on the arm, "Congrats on liking guys!"

"Haha. Thanks. But you should know, if I wasn't gay, I would totally be all over—"The bell rang cutting him off and causing them both to jump slightly. "Well kids that's all the time we have today for Awkward Conversations 101!"

Casey laughed genuinely, shaking her head. "You're a dork."

"Well then I guess you have a thing for dorks, huh?" Her face scrunched in distaste. "What too soon for jokes?"

"A little bit. I'll see you tomorrow Connor."

"Bye Casey." He replied with a laugh as he turned to head to class.

She watched him go, sighing as she thought about how true the statement 'All the good ones are gay or taken' was.

"What him rejecting you once wasn't enough?" A voice called from behind her. "I thought I threw enough salt in that wound yesterday."

"Derek!" Casey warned, her lips perching in anger as she turned around to face him.

"Miss me?" He stage whispered, leaning into her with a smirk on his face.

"You're an asshole." She spat, bumping his shoulder as she walked past him.

Derek watched her walk away for a moment before jogging to fall into step beside her. "So he told you he's into men, huh?"

"You knew?!" She exclaimed, looking at him incredulously. "Why am not surprised you didn't find it in you to share that little fact with me?"

"And miss out on you humiliating yourself?" He gasped, putting his arm around her shoulder, pulling her into him. "Never!"

"Did you miss the day in kindergarten where they taught you how to be compassionate?'

"Casey asked out a gay guy!" He stated matter-of-factly, ignoring her question. "Now that's a story you tell the grandchildren. You know, if you ever figure out how trick a guy into being able to handle your sass."

With the last word he moved to spank her, but she caught his wrist in her in her hand. Casey stopped walking, turning to stare daggers at Derek as he smirked back at her. Glancing around the now empty hallway, he moved his other hand down and slapped her butt lightly. She used her hold on his wrist to push him into the lockers behind them violently.

"Woah!" He exclaimed, his smirk slipping momentarily as he winced in pain. "You've gotten feisty over the years haven't you?"

She stepped forward, her body mere inches from his, the pure anger in her eyes making Derek realize he had gone too far. Before he know what he was doing, his hand moved instinctively to brush her hair out of her face. Casey's eyes drifted closed as his hand touched her cheek, her anger dissolving. She let out an inaudible gasp at the memory of warm hands caressing her arms, and soft lips brushing against hers. She took a deep breath, letting herself relish in the memories for a moment before she remembered where she was. Her eyes shot open to see Derek staring at her softly, his own eyes searching her face.

"Damn it!" She growled out angrily, pushing his hand away as she stepped back. "Don't touch me."

He straightened himself up, his gentle features turning rough as the smirk returned to his face. "Now there's something you probably never say. You'd have to have a guy actually interested enough to want to touch you. Wonder how many other guys were so turned off at the thought of dating you that they yanked open the closet door faster than you can say triangle."

Casey hands curled into fists at her sides, her jaw clenching in anger. "I. Hate. You."

"Yeah love you to, sis." Derek replied condescendingly, rubbing his neck as he brushed past her.

Casey watched him go, her face flushed with anger. She gave one last growl of frustration before turning to walk in the opposite direction of where she had originally been headed.

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The door to Paul's office hit the wall as Casey threw open it open, causing the man to jump in surprise, thus spilling his coffee all over his shirt. He jumped up pulling the now hot fabric from his skin as she slammed the door and crossed her arms angrily.

"Well?" She asked, staring at him expectantly. "Aren't you going to ask me what's wrong?"

"Oh don't worry about me. I'll be fine." Paul stated with a wave of his hand. "I only spilled scalding hot coffee all over the sweater my wife knit for me." He pulled his sweater off, looking down in relief that his button down shirt remained mostly unstained.

"It's Derek!" She exclaimed beginning to pace. "He's such a jerk! He's just an insufferable, complete and total…"

He tuned her out for the moment, knowing that the point of her frustration with her stepbrother wouldn't be coming out until after a good five minutes of generic ranting.

"…mallet! His brain is already smaller than a baby ant's, why not…"

He squeezed the coffee out of his sweater into the trash can, before hanging it up on the side of a bookcase to dry.

"…I mean even guys have crushes on him! I don't get it! He's so…"

He picked his mug up from the ground, placing the pieces into the trash can, before he sat back down, completely tuning himself into what she was saying.

"…pig with a copper pan! You know what I mean Paul?" Casey looked at him as though she wanted an answer. He opened his mouth to respond, but she continued with her rant. "I need to figure out a way to shut him up for good. Or at least to get back at him. But what could I use to cause the onset of Derek's downfall?"

"Are you sure it's a good idea to be looking for a way to intentionally hurt Derek?"

"What else am I supposed to do? Everything else I try to get him to leave me alone doesn't work!" She exclaimed, plopping down in the chair closest to her. "I try ignoring him, he uses pranks to make me pay attention to him. I pretend not to care all the while throwing witty comments his way, he does something even more offensive. And God knows blunt force didn't work!"

"You used blunt force? You'd didn't try and whack him with a copper pan, did you? Cause I never thought you'd actually try and kill him. That'd be something I would have to report."

"What does Derek enjoy that I can use to knock him off his high horse?" She put her hand to her chin, staring at the wall pensively.

Should I use my powers of invisibility to fight crime or fort evil? Paul thought, laughing inwardly at his ability to slip a 'Friends' quote into any situation.

"…Oh I know! Hockey! I could— No that won't work…" She stood up and began pacing, mumbling to herself. Paul watched her walk back and forth across his office, putting a smile on his face every time she glanced at him. She suddenly paused, her eyes lighting up as though there actually was an idea light bulb over her head.

"I got it!" She stated happily. "Oh it's so painfully simple. How could I not have though of this first." She turned to face Paul, her face filled with devious excitement. "They are his lifeline. The reason he exists… and the future bain of his existence."

Paul folded his hands on his desk, waiting patiently for her to speak again.

"Paul?!" Casey's eyebrow furrowed in confusion as she waved her hand in front of his face. "Are you even listening to me?"

"Yes. I just wasn't aware that I was allowed to speak. I can never tell which kind of day it's going to be."

"Paul I always want to know what you think. That's why I come here; To complain about Derek and then have you tell me what I don't want to hear, but should probably listen to anyways."

"Like how I think plotting to destroy Derek's spirit is a bad idea and we should figure out another way to help you work through the currant situation in which you find yourself?"

"Yeah like that!" Casey stated cheerily. "Except you won't convince me to back down on this one."

"I won't?"

"No." She bit her lip, ideas running through her mind. "I know his greatest weakness. The secret to making him cower in the corner in self loathing."

He smiled nervously, rolling his hands to motion for her to continue.

"The female sex." Casey smiled evilly, her eyes narrowing in self appreciation. "I'm going to get girls to reject him, girls to go on miserable dates with him, and best of all, I'm going to get a girl to Break. His. Heart."

Paul opened his mouth, a disapproving look on his face. "Casey, I don't think that's a good—"

"Oh no Paul," Casey stated, her voice eerily calm. "This is one thing you cannot talk me out of. Derek—", she slammed her hands down on his desk violently, "Is so going down."

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The plot bunny has now been planted in Casey brain! In the next chapter she starts to put her plan into action. Stay tuned!