AN: still has the alerts on new stories, new chapters, and reviews down. Frustrating, I know. But it's actually keeping me more on my toes, always constantly checking for my favorite story updates or new stories. I was going to wait until after the alerts were up and going again but, figured why bother?

So, without further ado..except minus the disclaimer, here it is. All shiney and new, yes?

Disclaimer:I'll be soon passing a long a petition so I can have the rights of the show. Mainly Derek, but still. Until then though, I will wait. I'm sure you'll soon be getting the petition in the mail. I'll share if you sign. Baha.

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"Derek?" Casey whispered to the darkness, slightly opening his door and praying it wouldn't squeak.

But of course, her prayers went unanswered as she opened the door more, letting out a loud squeak into the night.

She listened intently for Derek's breathing to go back to normal as she crept softly into his room, trying not to trip over the clothes, shoes, and plenty of other things she didn't even care to think about, littered all over his floor.

"Derek? Please wake up." She still spoke in a hushed tone, but this time more louder and firmer.

She made her way to his bed where she saw his peacfully sleeping form bundled in his blankets. A good night's sleep. That makes one of us.

She bent down and kissed his cheek, and with the back if her left hand followed the right side of his face, along his jawbone.

Stirring awake, Derek saw a form sitting on his bed looking at him.

"Casey?" He muttered in confusion.

"I think.. I think we need to talk. Okay? Can you wake up enough to do that?" Casey was wracked with nerves. She wasn't sure still what she was going to say but after she finished the scrap book, she went through it and realized all it was made of were pictures of her and Derek and the past couple of years that they were forced to become accustomed to eachother. It dawned on her then that the look her parents gave her after the graduation ceremony earlier that day wasn't because they knew of the arguement she and Derek had had in front of them about the park, it was a look of knowledge; they knew what was going on and they knew what tonight would mean to their two oldest. They didn't argue their kids going to the park, instead, they gathered as many photos of the two they could find and placed them in Casey's room with an album. Casey knew it was their way of being okay with it. She just didn't know if she was okay with it or not.

"I actually think that's a good idea, and I'm assuming that since you are sitting here in the middle of the night, that time to talk would be right now?"

Casey slowly nodded her head, never taking her eyes off his still sleepy face.

"Alright then, let's get to it so we can both be ready for the big "packing day" tomorrow." Derek said sarcastically, and more harsh than he intended it to come out.

Casey flinched at the words and handed him the album. Taking a deep breath, she began what she hoped would come out right.

"I know that what happened tonight..was a good thing for the both of us, but I also know that it can hurt us." For the second time since being in his room, she was proved wrong again.

Derek looked down at the book that was thrusted into his lap and tried to concentrate on her quickly spoken words.

"What I mean is that our lives are just now starting. It's a new fresh. And I just think--"

"You think we shouldn't be together for it. For the new fresh? That's so like you, Casey. What are you scared of?" Derek's anger and dismay beginning to come on full force as his mind and body began to be more alert to the night.

"Derek..Please.." Casey spoke in a hushed whisper, tears forming in her eyes, threatening to fall at any moment.

"Case, god, come here, I'm so sorry." Derek reached over to the trembling girl and pulled him into his arms, sitting her on his lap. "This whole thing is so unbelievably frustrating. You don't even know what I've been going through, thinking of all the possibilities and yet all of them still ending the same. You going to Stanford in California and me going to University of West Florida. I just want to be with you." Derek sighed as he nuzzled her still trembling neck, breathing in the scent of her hair and body wash.

Casey allowed herself to be pulled into his arms, hoping to revive the feelings from the park, the carefree-no-need-to-care-at-all-about-anything ones. It was impossible. His words struck her. She watched his eyes glance around his room at all his childhood belongings and saw how empty they looked. How lifeless they were. He looked at her and immediately they were filled with compassion and love. She shivered.

"Months ago I never would have dreamt of all this, Casey. After I got accepted to UWF, I was actually thankful to be putting so much distance between us. I was grateful. And now, I'm miserable. Can't we just.. skip it all? Can't we just run away from everything, from everyone?" His voice was pleading. Begging.

"Derek, we can't. You know that just as much as I do. I..I love you. I do. But I can't imagine us not following our dreams. I don't want that for either of us."

"Why not?" Derek was falling apart when he was supposed to be the strong one, the one that was always so sure of things, the one that knew exactly what to do in almost every situation.

"Let me put it into some perspective, please. Think about it this way. If you and Kendra were still together to this day, and y'all were about to leave for college, what would you do? Go out and get married all of a sudden? Lose sight of your dreams? Give up everything?"

Derek was stunned into silence. He honestly wouldn't know what he would do.

"Dere, we need to do this. We need to.. to give eachother this time to grow. I'm not going to give up on us. I know we could work. But we need this to happen, can you please agree with me?"

"Casey. This is was I can do. I can come back to this house and that park on this day every single year from now waiting for you to be ready for us. I can wait for you. That's what I can do. Please don't try and stop me. It's what I need to do. I need to hang on to this hope for us. Even if you don't."

Casey threw her arms around Derek's neck and began laughing.

"Thank you. I won't make you wait for long, Derek. I promise. I won't." She said smiling and kissed his lips.

Smiling back at her, he returned the kiss.

"Now that we've had this conversation? Can you please get off? I think I've lost all feeling to my legs." He smirked, looking down at Casey who was still sitting on his lap.

"Augh. No. I'm not. Deal with me." She replied hoping he wouldn't make her leave her spot.

"Fine." Derek laughed as her eyes widened when he picked her up off him and laid her down on his bed, lifting the covers and putting them on top of her. He hooked his left arm under her shoulders and turned onto his left side, looping his right arm across her tiny waist. She snuggled into his blankets and arms, smiling. I guess.. a good night's rest for the both of us. I can handle that.

The scrapbook laying on the floor by the bed. Untouched. Unopened. The two smiling faces staring out into the darkness.

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AN: And voila. Reviews?