Okay, this is the first chapter I'm posting since my uncle's death. If you missed it in the last chapter, I've added a dedication to my uncle at the end of the chapter and I'll do that for the rest of the story and in my other story Changes.

Thank you for all the reviews and it may take some time but I hope to continue writing chapters to finish this story. I'm still in grieving over the loss of my uncle, so it will take some time. And I want to take my time to make sure that I can deliver some of my better work.

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DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN LIFE WITH DEREK

Chapter 9, Part 1: Date with Derek

"Hey, Emily. Listen I was wondering if you wanted to go out tomorrow." Derek asks. "No, nothing too fancy I was thinking Smelly Nelly's and a movie. Like a date."

"Sure, say 7:00." Derek continues. "Alright, I'll pick you up."

Derek hangs up the phone and walks out of his room. When he gets into the hallway, Casey is waiting for him. Derek smirks at her and continues down the stairs. Casey is following close behind him.

"DEREK, please don't go out with Emily." Casey pleads.

"WHY ARE YOU SO AGAINST THE DATE?" Derek asks.

"What do you mean?" Casey asks confused.

"Please, Casey." Derek says. "You have been nagging me constantly. It is just a date. It's not like I'm asking her to marry me."

"You better not." Casey frowns.

"Wow, jealous much." Derek says turning his back to Casey.

"I AM NOT JEALOUS!" Casey yells.

"Well, look at the time. It's been a nice chat, but now it's hockey time." Derek says.

The next day, Derek and Emily leave on their date. Casey watches as Derek shut the door. Derek smirks at her as the door closes behind him. Derek and Emily get into his car and drive off.

Derek turns on the radio and a song comes on. He immediately shifts so Emily doesn't see his face. Emily turns to look at him, while he shifts uncomfortable in his seat.

"Derek, what's wrong?" Emily asks

"Nothing. I just don't like that song." Derek explains.

"Why?" Emily asks.

"Reminds me of something I don't want to remember." Derek says.

"Okay, then just change the station." Emily responds.

At Smelly Nelly's, Derek and Emily sit in a booth and wait for their server. While waiting Derek goes in back and makes sure that his table gets special treatment. Emily waits while Derek is in back and looks at her note sheet. She nods her head and hides the note in her purse.

"So why did you want to go out with me?" Derek asks.

"I thought I give you a chance." Emily says.

"Really?" Derek says confused. "I would have thought Casey would talk you out of it."

"Casey? Talk me out of it? Are you kidding? She was ecstatic when I suggested the idea." Emily laughs.

"Oh, really?" Derek says.

"Why, is that a problem?" Emily asks. "I mean I've been waiting since you broke up with Sally."

"No. It is not a problem with you." Derek mumbles. "Only me."

"I'm sorry what was that?" Emily asks.

"Nothing." Derek quickly says.

"So Derek." Emily begins. " How are things going with Casey?"

Derek's face changes colors and his hand starts to shake. Emily smiles innocently at him, waiting for a response. He is pondering over an answer and starts to panic about the meaning of her question.

"What?" Derek asks nervously.

"I wanted to know how things were with Casey, cause she keeps talking about you. More than usual." Emily explains.

"You can only guess with her." Derek says. "I swear she probably has about 3 to 4 mood swings during the day all leading to her having some grudge against me. Everything with her always comes back to me somehow."

"Well, she still seems to bring your name up as much as possible. Every other sentence is 'Derek this' and 'Derek that'; it tends to get annoying." Emily says.

"I have been very lean on the number of pranks I've been doing. I don't do much these days to cause her to throw a tantrum at me. So why would she bring up my name?" Derek says.

"Like you said Casey tends to be "difficult" when dealing with you. I thought maybe something happened." Emily says.

"Well...." Derek thinks. "Wait, has she been bothering you about our date? Has she been trying to psyche you out of going out with me?"

"Yeah, ever since I told her that I was thinking of going out with you." Emily explains.

"I knew it." Derek says.

"What?" Emily asks.

Derek looks around the restaurant. He smirks when he focuses on a particular blonde sitting in a booth across from them. He then looks around at the other people sitting at the counter. He then looks at two older gentlemen sitting at a table drinking coffee. He thinks for a minute then turns back to Emily.

"Em. Look at the blonde across the room in the booth." Derek whispers as he points to the girl sitting in a booth.

"What about her?" Emily asks. "ARE YOU LOOKING AT OTHER GIRLS WHILE WE'RE DATING!"

"No, no." Derek quickly says. "Doesn't she remind you of someone?"

"Oh, wait. I know who you are talking about." Emily realizes. "But why is Casey here?"

"She doesn't want us to go out." Derek explains.

"Why?" Emily asks.

"She's jealous." Derek says.

"When has Casey ever been jealous of you?" Emily asks.

"Not until the other day. Right after the dance." Derek says. "Wait, what happened at the dance."

"Why does that matter?" Emily asks defensively.

"Because... Just tell me what happened." Derek says.

"Well Casey spent the whole night dancing with a guy. They really seemed to be into each other. They had that..." Emily begins as she makes an explosion sound. "Chemistry, and at the end of the night, Casey was all giddy and giggling. She said she met her prince."

"Okay, then after that?" Derek asks.

"Nothing happened after that." Emily says.

"That's funny because Alan and myself were talking about that night. And I had met someone also. And this girl and me had this..." Derek says and makes the same explosion sound. "Chemistry."

"Must be someone different." Emily says.

"So it wasn't you?" Derek asks.

"Well, why did you ask about Casey?" Emily responds. "Unless..."

"Don't think about it." Derek says menacingly.

"You...have...." Emily begins.

"Emily..." Derek says.

"feelings...for...Casey." Emily finishes.

"I don't." Derek quickly says.

"Derek, your eyes twitched and your face is pale." Emily says. "I cannot believe it."

"Because it's not true." Derek explains.

"Derek, this whole date we have been talking about you and Casey. We barely mentioned our relationship. If I just wanted to talk to you I would do it during school. So tell me if there is something I needed to know." Emily says. "I can handle it."

"No there is NOTHING you need to know, because nothing is happening between Casey and me." Derek responds defensively. "And, we are on a date so that counts for something, right?"

"Derek, I know you're lying to me. You can tell me the truth, before I spread the rumor you are a lousy date." Emily threatens.

"FINE!" Derek growls. "I...may...have...."

"DEREK! NO!" Someone screams.

Derek and Emily turn as the blonde runs up to them. She gives a menacing look to Emily and turns to Derek. She begins to shuffle across the floor. As she's falling Derek extends his hand and catches her before she falls. Emily gasps as the blonde turns beet red.

Her hair is falling off her head. Actually, a wig falls off her head and her natural brunette hair falls out.

Derek looks down at the brunette in his hands. His face pales when he realizes who is in his arms. The brunette looks up at Derek and her face turns a deep red. They look into each others eyes and everyone, from the waiter rushing to the scene to the fat guy cracking up at the counter, disappear. They are the only two people in the room, and that was all that mattered. Until Derek, feels an invisible hand slap him across the face, and he wakes up.

"Casey?" Derek asks.

To Be Continued

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Okay, not my best work, but I needed to make the first step back into writing this story. I'm glad I got one chapter out of the way. It helped a little in moving forward since the passing of my uncle.

This entire "chapter" is actually broken up into 3 parts. Each will get closer to chapter 10 and the outcome of the date. Chapter 9 Part 2 will be out Tuesday or Wednesday.

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In Loving Memory of my Uncle Tommy

1946-2009