A/N: So sorry for taking forever to update. I had no idea where I was going with this story, and although all the details aren't exactly hashed out, I at least have a direction now. It takes me forever to write, because I'm a procrastinator, but sometimes inspiration just hits me and I write (when I should be sleeping). Hopefully I'll get hit again soon, and you won't have to wait so long for the next chapter. But, don't hold me to it.

I've decided that this story is taking place in the summer between Derek and Casey's sophomore and junior year of college. Lizzie and Edwin are three years younger than them, making it the summer between their junior and senior year of high school. Also, I know a few people asked if this is a Dasey, and it is, but the story itself is mostly about Derek.

Enjoy and review

Disclaimer: I own nothing

Incidentally, the next day didn't shine any brighter for Derek. The dark grey clouds and pelting rain drops against the large windows caused him to wake up, late, and in a terrible mood. He had planned on setting his alarm so he can wake up early enough to go out and find a job that would give him more money for less hours of work. However, after practically falling into the couch the night before, he forgot about the alarm and hadn't woken up in time to accomplish anything he wanted to.

He also wanted a job that didn't keep him up until ungodly hours of the morning, playing the guitar he found when he first entered the apartment, hoping his extremely helpful friend wouldn't hate him for using the expensive instrument without permission, for more than ten hours a night.

Besides, the smoke in the night club has been getting to him. He had thought that it was illegal to smoke in public places, but apparently the owners didn't care, as long as it kept people coming and spending money. And Derek wasn't about to call the authorities on the first place in this city that actually gave him a job. Not that he looked very hard, what with getting almost no sleep that first night and needing to find a job as fast as he could so he can start paying off the credit card he maxed out to get here.

So, the next day, six days ago, after throwing on the first outfit he pulled out of the duffel bag he packed, he left the apartment and looked around for 'Help Wanted' signs in nearby windows. With little to no experience in anything other than being a waiter for about a month until he realized having a job in high school cut too much into his life, and the job answering the phone at athletics department at his college, transferring calls to the different departments, the only thing he got his hands on was playing backup for whatever band the night club hired, every single night of the week.

So, with just enough time to take a shower, he breezed through his normal grooming routine, pulling a pair of clean jeans and the next shirt out of his duffel bag. Bending down to slip into his sneakers, he caught the design on his shirt and couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips.

It was a black tee with a small graphic design in the upper left corner, given to him by his younger step sister. He didn't show it at the time of unwrapping, but he fell in love with the shirt the minute his eyes landed on it. But Lizzie knew, and he knew that she knew, because seeing the smile on her face grow when she looked up and their eyes locked spoke volumes.

She had the shirt custom made, because he never saw the three different symbols together ever before. It was funny really, the fact that the two biggest sports buffs in the house couldn't play a single sport together until the summer after Derek graduated high school. It was an utter disaster when Derek tried to teach her how to play hockey, which caused her to stop playing after her first season. And every time they'd get together to practice soccer, he'd get frustrated at not being perfect and wound up kicking the ball over the fence and into their neighbor's yard. Unfortunately, said neighbor had grown to dislike Derek very much, and kept anything that happened to fall into his yard.

So, when he was told that part of his scholarship consisted of coaching a sport other than his concentration to a little league team, he threw caution to the wind and picked one out of a hat, finding baseball on the small slip of paper.

That summer found everyone with plans except for Lizzie. Edwin had some junior business group that he joined their freshman year in high school, Marti had summer camp with her friends and Casey had decided to take summer classes at college to get ahead; Lizzie was bored out of her mind. She had offered to be Derek's assistant coach, and he was skeptical at first, what with their problems in the past with sports, but relented when she gave the famous MacDonald pout.

It was surprising to both of them that they worked rather well together. They were both good at the sport, and she helped make the demonstrations to the seven year olds a lot easier. She'd joke around with him, making comments about how only a ball in between a hockey puck and soccer ball could bring them together. He'd laugh, ruffle her hair, but agree while they stopped for ice cream after every practice and pizza with the team after every game.

They lost horribly that first summer, making Derek feel like a complete failure. But, at the final pizza party for all the screaming children, Lizzie found him sulking by the drinks. She nudged him in the side and grinned up at him, telling him not to worry, that they'll do better next year. He felt bad, thinking she could do better things with her time, but Lizzie stood her ground and told Derek that she couldn't just leave him high and dry.

And so, Lizzie would always work her summer plans around her coaching schedule and help Derek. Finally, three summers later, they finally won the championship, each child receiving a shiny small trophy. Derek was ecstatic and thanked Lizzie profusely for helping him, to which she blushed and thanked him for including her and allowing her the chance to get closer to him. When she handed him the gift bag that was hiding behind her back, be raised an eyebrow but she just shrugged. It turned out to be one of the best gifts he'd ever received.

Fingering the small baseball, which was superimposed on a hockey puck and soccer ball, where underneath the word 'coach' was written out in bold, capital letters, Derek sighed and looked around the apartment before picking up the guitar case and grabbing the keys off the table. Stepping out and locking the door behind him, he couldn't help but think he was an idiot.

Little did he know, someone else would be calling him that before his night was over.