A/N: So, I apologize if this seems a little bit rushed, but it's almost three in the morning, and it got my point across. Look out for more drama to come, this was just basically a filler to lead up to the drama that's coming!!

Please, R&R!

-Jaclyn :)

Chapter Nine: I Know What You Do to Yourself

It was late. Real late, and under any other circumstances, Casey would never agree to be up this late on a school night. But these were not just any other circumstances; they were Derek's. And try as she might to convince herself it was her own idea to stay up late with him; she knew that it was a losing battle. He had all but begged her to sneak down after everyone was asleep so he could see her. Before she snuck down, though, she checked to make sure Lizzie was sound asleep, so she wouldn't come down there and barge in. She was, and she wouldn't.

Casey had hurried down the stairs, and collapsed on the couch as she reached it. Derek grunted quietly as her head hit his thigh. He then smiled down at her, and situated himself, so she would be comfortable using his thigh as a pillow. She sighed, and yawned.

"Why did I let you talk me into this?"

"Because you like me." He smirked at her.

"That's the only thing you've got going for you at the moment. If I didn't like you so much, I would hate you." she laughed as his face grew offended.

"That hurts, Case, that really hurts."

She giggled, and turned her head so she could kiss his nearby arm. His offended look faded, and a smile replaced it. They lie there, silently for a few moments, just enjoying being around each other, when Casey sighed again.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking down at her furrowed forehead.

"I don't know. I just don't have a good feeling about tomorrow and going to school. I just don't think it's gonna work."

"You just tell the office that I'm visiting town for a little bit, and wanted to join you at school for a little bit. They do stuff like this all the time. No one will ever know anything. Trust me." He grinned and she nodded.

"Alright, but if you get kicked out, the blame's all on you." she giggled again, and then covered her mouth, glancing at the stairs, "I've got to either giggle quieter, or go back to bed."

Derek ran his fingers through her hair, "Definitely giggle quieter, I don't want you to go to bed yet."

"If you want me to lie at school and get you in, you're going to have to let me sleep at one point."

"I'll let you sleep. When I get tired."

"Oh boy… Tired yet?" he gave her a look and she giggled, but much more quietly this time.

She snuggled into his leg and smiled, closing her eyes, "Derek, I'm glad this happened, me and you. I can't believe how long I went never knowing this much happiness could have been mine."

His smile grew wider, as he closed his eyes as well, leaning his head on the back of the couch, "Me too. I would have never gone out with any of the girls I did if I knew I could have you."

"Do you really mean that? None of them?"

"Honest. With you, I feel like I can be a one-relationship for the rest of my life kind of guy."

She sat up quickly and looked over at him; his eyes shooting open at her movement, she looked really happy, "Really?"

Derek took her face in his hands and kissed her gently, "Really." He whispered, his lips an inch from hers.

She smiled and kissed him again, "Good night, Derek." Hopping off the couch, she giggled as Derek called after, "Wha—?"

He grabbed her hand and stopped her, standing up so he was taller than her, "I remember us establishing that you couldn't go until I was tired."

"And I also remember us establishing that I was your girlfriend."

"What does that have to do with this?"

She kissed him softly and his guard let down. She quickly backed away and ran to the stairs, "I can do that, and distract you." she whispered, and then ran up the stairs, leaving Derek impressed and slightly disappointed.

--

"Good morning, Derek!" a cheery female voice cried, from somewhere near him.

He was about to greet her as Casey, but then realized that it was Lizzie. His eyes shot open and he saw her watching him at the end of the couch. He nodded over to her, and then sat up, rubbing his eyes, and running his hands through his hair.

"Morning, Liz." He said, half-yawning.

"Good morning, Lizzie, Derek!" Casey cried, happily, from the stairs.

Derek turned to face her, and saw her fully dressed once more, and her bag on her shoulder.

"Come on sleepyhead, we're going to be late for school. Now wake up, and let's get going. I'll grab you a granola bar or something to eat on the way there."

Lizzie looked disgruntled at how quickly her time with Derek had been cut short, but immediately began to make up for it by talking about everything and anything as quickly as she could, as Derek began to stretch, and continue to rub his eyes.

"So, I have a math test today, and I really don't want to take it. Do you like math? I hate it! Can't stand the subject. But I'm actually pretty good at it, I just don't like it. What's your favorite subject? Mine's Science, but I just love the earth and the environment, and so Earth Science just fascinates me. And then I love animals, so Zoology interests me a lot, and I just love learning about the different types of science, and I love the stars, so Astronomy is always cool. And—"

"And I think Derek has heard enough about school subjects," Casey interrupted, coming back into the living room with two granola bars in one hand and her keys in the other, "Derek, let's move it! You got your own subjects to learn about!" Derek obeyed and hurried over by her side, "Bye, Liz, see you today after school."

Lizzie gloomily waved after the two, watching Derek leave.

"Have I told you how great I think you are?"

"No, actually. Why?" she started up the car, as Derek grinned over at her like an idiot.

"Because you always know what to say to get me out of those awkward situations."

"Well, as much as I like to see you suffer, I like being the one who causes it." She laughed, and then smiled over at him, "I'll let you drive home today. Cuz I knew you wanted to now, but I'm glad you didn't ask. Just for that, you get to drive home."

He grinned, "Sweet! Thanks, Case."

She shook her head smiling, "No problem."

--

"He's just visiting for a few days, and he was wondering if he could just come with me to school, maybe just come into the classes so he won't have to wander around the halls?" Casey said, as she stood at the deck at the main office, and Derek sat in one of the chairs that reminded him of a hospital waiting room.

The woman behind the counter was thankfully a nicer one than Casey's first year there, "Of course, just give me his name and your class schedule, and I'll set him up."

"Oh, sure, his name's Derek Venturi," and she listed off her subjects in order and with what teachers.

"Alright, it's all set. Welcome to J.S Thompson, Mr. Venturi," the woman said kindly as he rejoined Casey as she set to leave. Derek and Casey both thanked her, and they left to Casey's locker as fast as they could.

"Alright, I have math first, so here's that book, and then the rest of my classes don't need any books until after lunch, so we won't have to come back here until after then." Casey explained handing him the book and closing the locker.

Derek just nodded and followed as she led the way to class.

--

The first half of the day was uneventful. Casey took notes, Derek barely listened and spaced off. When they got to lunch, word had gotten around that Casey was dating the new kid, Derek. She had gotten many jealous looks from girls who would normally flirt with Derek. She smiled and sat down across from him at the lunch table, and they began to just talk.

Casey felt as if someone were watching her, and she began to feel uncomfortable, so she excused herself from Derek, and decided to go to the bathroom, seeing if she could spot anyone that might be watching her. She couldn't see anyone, so she just left the lunchroom, but before she could make it to the bathroom, she heard someone call out her name. It was a boy's voice, but she didn't recognize it.

She slowly turned around and saw a tall boy with semi-long black hair walking toward her. There was a smile on his face, and he hurried over to her.

"I heard you left early Friday, and I tried to call you all weekend but you never answered." He spoke as if asking a question.

"Um, who are you?" she asked, knowing that it was this reality again, changing things and leaving her clueless.

"Haha, very funny. Like you don't remember your own boyfriend." He made to grab her hand, but she stepped back.

"Seriously, who are you?" She knew this was confusing him, but he was freaking her out, she didn't have a clue as to who he was, but yet he wanted her to act like he was her boyfriend? Definitely not.

"It's me, Sean, you're boyfriend? Or have you moved on to that guy from the lunchroom? God, Casey, you told me after you and Max broke up, we could move past all this two-timing! Are you going out with another guy again?!"

"I would never do something like that!" she cried indignantly, but feeling worried inside, these people in this reality knew her better than she did.

"Well, you did it to Max with me, who's to know if you'd do it to me with that guy?"

"Uh…" she was speechless.

"Jesus, Case, I'm your boyfriend!"

"Um, excuse me, I'm her boyfriend, thanks."

Casey sighed, thinking Derek had come to rescue her, but the boy that joined them was not Derek; he was an average height, football-built boy with dirty blonde hair.

"Who are you?" This time it was Sean who asked it. Casey was relieved, because she didn't want to have to do it again with another person that clearly knew her.

"I'm Alan, her boyfriend." He went to put his arm around her shoulders, but she ducked out of the way, and backed up away from the pair of them.

"No! I'm her boyfriend! Have been for five months!"

"You mean to tell me, that my girlfriend, of eight months, has been cheating on me for five months?!" Alan asked, looking a little worried.

"Wait, you and Max dated for two months! So that means that for two whole months, you were going out with three guys!" Sean looked angry, really angry.

"No! I would never do anything like that! That's not me! I promise I would never do anything like that at all!"

"What's the problem here?"

Casey relaxed, finally, Derek's voice. She felt his arm slip around her waist, and he pulled her in protectively, "I said, what's the problem?" he asked again, a bit more forcefully.

Sean glared at the hand around her waist, "Apparently, my girlfriends cheating on me, with two other guys!" he exclaimed.

"You mean my girlfriend!" Alan said, staring at Casey in disbelief.

Derek looked from the two of them, to Casey, then back at them, "You must be mistaken, because this is my girlfriend, and she is not cheating on anyone, because I am the only boyfriend she has."

Sean stepped closer to the two of them, and Casey instinctively clung tighter to Derek, "I'd watch it, if I were you. You're the newest of the bunch, so don't be so naïve. Casey McDonald isn't the goody-two-shoes she pretends to be. She three-timed us, and now, she's replaced Max with you as the third guy."

"Well, from here on out, I'm to only guy. Because, Casey no longer dates anyone else but me."

Casey gave him a grateful squeeze.

"You mean to tell me, the guy my girlfriend is cheating on me with, is breaking up with me for her?" Sean said, boiling with anger now.

"That's exactly what I mean. And it's not cheating, it's finding someone new. Now leave her alone, or you'll have wished you'd never met her or me."

"Oooh, I'm so scared!" Sean mocked, but then he looked to Casey, "I can't believe this, Case. After everything we said… I thought I knew you."

"Well, I know the real her, and she wants you to get the heck away from her."

"Oh, you think you know her the best, huh?"

"No. I know I know her the best."

"I'd beg to differ."

Casey didn't like the way Sean was smirking at her, and obviously neither did Derek. He let go of Casey and got in Sean's face, "You leave my girlfriend alone. Back off!"

Sean took two steps away from Derek and grabbed Alan and dragged him away, shoving him off as they got half-way down the hallway. He then turned back and pointed at Casey, "You're going to pay McDonald, you're going to wish you'd never three-timed me!" he cried, the tone in his voice genuinely deadly. And then, he and Alan were out of sight.

Casey launched herself into Derek's arms, and held tight, on the verge of tears.

He held her back, stroking her hair gently.

As she choked back the tears, she looked up at him, eyes glistening, "Derek, what kind of an awful person did I become without you?"