Disclaimer: I do not own LWD!

I just wanted to start out by apologizing for the massive typos that are probably in this, and most of my other stories. A lot of my stuff has typos in it because I tend to be a fast writer. If I get a story idea I like to get it out as fast as possible before I forget. That mixed with my tendency to write into the wee hours of the morning results in overall messiness. So my bad, and if you see one let me know, I'll try to fix it!

Moon, Fish, Window, Scream, Zoo and Ring

Dear Diary,

He proposed!

It was everything I had hoped for, and things I never knew to even expect.

This afternoon I received a dozen red roses at the office, with a love note and invitation for tonight. It hinted towards the formal. I found it very mature that even in his mystery he appreciated my need to be prepared.

Dinner at Chez de la Blanche was the prelude to our evening. A four course meal that satiated the palate with exactly the right portions. The duck l'orange and crème Brule were absolute perfection. There had even been a violin serenade during dessert.

Afterwards he took me dancing. Not clubbing, or anything like that, but real old fashion dancing. The kind that I thought only existed in old movies. It was this very posh little place with an outdoor patio for dancing, that overlooked a moonlit lake. The music was live, soft and beautiful. And lights were twinkling in the trees as we sipped champagne and swayed under the full moon.

As the moon began it's decent on the evening, he pulled me towards an empty overlook of the lake and kneeled down. In his hand was an open box revealing one of the largest single diamonds I have ever seen in real life attached to a platinum ring. I was so mesmerized by it that I admittedly missed the beginning of his proposal.

But the part I did hear, was so amazingly sweet. He said, "Casey McDonald, you are the most beautiful, talented amazing woman I've ever met. Will you marry me?"

Of course I said yes, as he placed the ring on my finger and stood up to chastely kiss me. A small crowd of people applauded, and a very sweet elderly couple bought us a bottle of champagne to toast to young love.

It was wonderful. Though I have to share a small secret that I can't tell anyone… as perfect as it was, there was something missing.

Now I know this is ridiculous, but he didn't say once tonight that he loved me. Of course his actions spoke it loud enough, and he did everything right. Even still, there is a small part of me, silly as it is, that wonders why he did not. And even more so… why didn't I?

I'm sure it doesn't matter; it's just a minor case of early cold feet and nerves. What really matters is I am getting married!!!

~Casey

…

"Let me get this straight, you're going to be Casey Tracey?" The question was rhetorical and Derek kneeled over in laughter.

Casey lifted her chin as though she was too dignified and mature to allow Derek to bait her. "Yes, though I have been considering hyphenating it to McDonald-Tracey. But isn't it wonderful?"

Of course Nora thought it was, as she ran around the island in the kitchen wrapping her arms around her oldest daughter. "Oh Casey, this is so exciting!"

Derek rolled his eyes from his place at the island eating breakfast.

Just then Lizzie and Edwin walked in, a 14 year old Marti behind them. "What's exciting?" Lizzie asked.

Casey twirled to them holding her hand up so they could see the ring. "Devin and I are getting married!"

Lizzie and Marti squealed, and ran over to jump up and down with Casey.

"Why do you girls always have to do that? One of these days I'm going to lose an eardrum." Derek stated, getting a laugh from Edwin and the expected glare from the females around him.

"What's all the yelling about?" George asked coming in from the backyard with Rory, the youngest Venturi attached to him piggyback style. Her small face lit up when she saw who was in the kitchen. "Casey!"

Riley quickly scrambled down and jumped up into the arms of her sister. "I've missed you! You haven't been here all week."

Casey automatically felt bad. "I'm sorry Rory work's been busy. But I'm here this morning because have big news."

"Oh?" George asked coming up behind his wife to the gathering in the middle of the kitchen.

"Casey's getting hitched." Derek said through a mouthful of cocoa puffs.

"Der-ek!" Casey said, ignoring her 'maturity' as she shoved him, causing some milk to spurt out of his mouth.

"Hey, that hurt!" Derek said rubbing his 'injury' as George came around to hug and congratulate Casey.

"What are you getting hitched to?" Rory innocently asked.

"To Devin." Casey responded, to which Rory just looked confused.

"That means that Casey and Devin are getting married." Lizzie told her naïve sister.

That perked her up considerably. With a toothy smile that was all Venturi she turned to Casey. "Can I be your flower girl?"

"I couldn't have a wedding unless you were!" Casey said, leaning in to tickle Rory's side.

"Yes! This is so awesome." Rory said between giggles.

"Yeah, just think of all the gifts and money you're going to get." Edwin interjected, which got an elbow thrown at him from Lizzie.

Casey smiled, grateful it was summer and Lizzie and Edwin were back from college. Telling Lizzie over the phone just wouldn't have been the same. She was glad she got to see everyone's reactions in person, and know they were all as excited as she was. Well everyone minus Derek, she wasn't sure what she had expected his reaction to be.

As if he had read her mind, Derek stood and dropped his empty bowl in the sink. "Alright this is all the feel good family time I can take today. Later."

Nora stopped him before he reached the door. "You're coming to dinner tonight right?"

"I dunno Nora." Behind her he saw Rory's face fall. "Probably."

"Oh Derek, you'll finally get a chance to meet Devin!" Casey threw in.

Derek faked a squeal and flared his hands. "Oh my God, really?"

Casey rolled her eyes, and shook her head, thinking about how little Derek had changed. As the door closed behind him she briefly wondered how it was that Derek was the only one in her oversized family who hadn't met Devin. And if Derek would like Devin. Not like that should matter though.

…

Derek didn't like Devin from the second he walked in and saw him sitting at his seat at the dinner table. He was stuffy, a bit snobby and overall a cold fish.

"Devin this is Derek." Casey motioned as Devin stood to great the newcomer.

"Charmed, you're in my seat." Derek said shaking Devin's hand with a bit more of a grip than may have been called for.

George shot Derek a warning glance. "Derek, don't be rude. Can't you take the spare seat tonight?"

Derek may have been a grown up, but he was about to take a full on temper tantrum. That had always been his seat, the best position for staring down enemy number one at the table. From the corner seat next to Rory he could hardly see Casey, let alone properly push her buttons.

"Sure thing Dad." Derek gruffly sat down and did his best not to glare at Devin, who was perfectly in his range of sight.

"So Derek we were just talking about Devin's latest project." Nora began, always the peacemaker. "He's working with his father on a new ad campaign for Apple."

"Red delicious or green? Man I hope it's not crap apples… I hate those." Derek replied, with a joking smirk.

Devin looked uncomfortable, and pretended as though he didn't even hear Derek's remark. "Actually Mrs. Venturi, our project isn't quite that expansive or impressive. We are merely working on developing a marketing plan for the new iPod. Though our company is in charge of hiring a staff for the ad campaign, we have no actual involvement in the creative aspect of the ads you see. We are the research, development and distribution I suppose you could say of those ads. My personal attribution to the project is targeting potential consumers and markets."

An awkward moment fell over the table as everyone took in the mouthful Devin had just spoken. Casey was beaming at her educated, successful fiancé. And Derek was looking more irritated with him by the minute.

"Fascinating." The word out of Derek's mouth was dripping with so much sarcasm, that George choked on his mashed potatoes in surprise.

Casey stood from the table and rounded her way to Derek. "Devin would you excuse us for just one minute?"

She smiled politely at the table before grabbing the sleeve of Derek's arm and dragging him into the kitchen. She closed the sliding doors behind them, and pulled him over to the laundry room where she was sure no one would hear.

"Der-ek! What is your problem? You're acting like a two year old!" She hissed in a whisper.

Derek leaned casually against the washing machine. "At least I'm not a complete tool. Don't you think this guy is a little much, even for you?"

Casey narrowed her eyes. "You have no idea who he is Derek, you've known him for what five minutes?"

"I knew I didn't like you in less than five minutes and that judgment's still holding true." He retorted.

She raised her eyebrows and folded her arms. "When are you going to realize we're not still fifteen? You can't do this anymore."

Derek wasn't sure what she meant, so he didn't answer.

Casey took that a sign of him giving in a little. "Can you try to be nice to him, please? He's here to stay Derek."

Something about what Casey had just said brought out anger in Derek. "Yeah we'll see how long that lasts."

Like a light switch Casey was flipped off. "Are you trying to imply that my marriage isn't going to work?"

"I'm just saying after a little while of being kept up all night with your snoring, and seeing your face every morning he's going to get sick of you. Any sane man would." Derek knew the line was there when he crossed it and lied, but he was mad enough not to care.

"At least I'm grown up enough to be able to make a commitment in my life!"

"I make commitments. I've been committed to that spot at the table for nearly ten years, and then your precious Devin thinks he can just waltz in and take it. Because that's the kind of guy I see sitting out there Case, a rich jerk who thinks he can take whatever he wants. But he can't!" Derek hoped Casey didn't realize it wasn't about the chair anymore.

Casey stepped up till their noses were almost touching. She knew exactly what his words had meant, and they had set a fire ablaze behind her blue eyes. "You have no real claim over it. So Devin had every right to sit there. And frankly you got what you deserved for being so damn late."

They stared at each other a minute, before Casey huffed and turned away. "Give him a chance."

She was walking away when he grabbed her arm and turned her back around. "You're wrong; I have a claim to that chair. I have a history with it, as rocky as it may be. Devin doesn't even really know that chair; he just thought it was a nice place to sit. I love that chair, and I don't think he does. So you see I should be the only one allowed to sit there."

This time it was Derek who walked away, leaving Casey standing stunned in the aftermath of his words. She held a hand to her heart that was beating at a rapid speed. In the other room she heard the sliders fly open, and Derek throwing out an excuse about not feeling well. The slamming of the front door followed.

Casey was still slightly shocked as she made her way back to the dinning room where her fiancé was smiling up at her from Derek's chair.

…

Three weeks later the Venturi McDonalds were sitting around the dining room table again, when Derek burst through the front door. He had avoided these dinners up until this night, when he figured it he couldn't stay away forever.

Considering he told his engaged step-sister he loved her last time, he was fairly calm. So long as you didn't count the stop he made on the way to clear out his stomach of nerves, and his lunch.

No one had expected him to show up, so everyone around the table actually jumped a bit when he dramatically flung the door open.

"Is that you Derek, it's been so long I was starting to forget what you looked like." George joked to no laughter aside from Nora's.

"Old age will do that to you." Edwin piped in before Derek could. George gave him a patronizing look.

Derek made his way to the table, and put his hand onto the back of his empty chair. There was a growing smirk on his face as he slid into his claimed spot. "Devin too busy working on his big campaign?"

To his surprise everyone at the table turned to glare at him, aside from Casey who was staring at her salad as if it were the most important thing in the world. "What?"

"You should have listened to my voicemails Smerek." Marti mumbled at him.

"Casey and Devin broke up last week." Lizzie informed Derek. Derek couldn't believe how much better the night kept getting.

"Oh." He shot at Casey as she finally looked up at him. She looked nervous. He felt nervous. So he did what he did best in nervous situations. "I guess he was smarter than I gave him credit for if he had sense enough not to marry you."

He heard the chorus of voices around the table scolding him. Across from him Casey just glared. But things felt somewhat normal.

After dinner Casey had offered to spend the night with Rory and Marti so Nora and George could go see a movie with Lizzie and Edwin. Derek hadn't made any notion that said he wanted to be involved in either, but didn't leave when everyone else did. Instead he stayed firmly planted in his old recliner watching hockey.

Marti was upstairs in her room, and Rory was fast asleep on the couch already despite her claims to stay up till midnight. Casey was washing dishes in the kitchen, fully aware that Derek was still there and they were relatively alone.

She had just toweled off the last dish when Derek walked in.

"So what happened?" He couldn't hold off his real curiosity any longer.

"I don't want to talk about it." Casey said shutting off the main kitchen light and walking over the island. "But you'll be happy to know that you were right."

"He heard you snoring?" Derek made a pained face.

"No about the chair." Casey said tentatively as she walked around the island to stand in front of him. "It belongs more to you than it ever has to anyone else."

Derek stared into her eyes, trying to figure out what all of this meant. She decided to clarify it a little for him. "In fact, I'm pretty damn sure that chair loves you as much as you love it."

Derek lifted a hand to her hair. "I don't know about that… I'm pretty freaking head over heels for that stupid uptight chair. And you were right too, it took me way too long to tell you- I mean it."

Casey smiled. "Better late than never."

Derek leaned in and whispered in her ear. "I love you Spacey."

"Prove it." She said in a voice mixed with dare and want.

Derek didn't have to be told twice as he kissed her with all passion he had in him, causing her to arch her back into him and softly moan between their lips.

When he pulled back to look into her eyes, they were both gasping and grinning wildly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't quite get that." Casey panted out.

Derek happily leaned in again, willing to repeat himself as many times as she needed to get it.

…

Dear Diary,

I am so filled to the brim with happiness that I am quite sure that I will explode at any minute now!

He proposed, and it was really perfect. Even if he did leave the all the dirty work to a six year old.

We brought Rory to the zoo today. The entire time she had been begging to see the pariahs. Figures I have the sister who takes no interest in elephants and tigers, but wants to see what Derek had told her were man eating fish.

When we walked into the fish house he looked like he was going to be sick. I told him not to be scared that the man eating fish wouldn't be able to get him. He laughed and grabbed Rory's hand pulling her aside to show her the pariahs.

Rory was grinning like she had a secret when they met me at the beautiful jellyfish tank, and he looked green in the pink glow off the tank. Before I could ask what they were up to Rory asked me if she could be my flower girl. I was confused as to why she would ask that again, and then she told me that Derek already said it was okay. When I looked over to him, he was bending down and holding out a ring. I recognized it instantly as my grandmother's I had admired as a young girl, and gasped.

"I want to spend every night listening to you snore, wake up to your face that I'm so crazy about, and stake a forever permanent claim on that dinning room chair that I love so much. What do you say?" His voice was shaking at the end. I looked at him seriously for a minute, to rile him up for a change. Rory spoke up from beside me. "You're supposed to say yes."

I thought I saw him let out a held breath when I screamed yes.

Rory was doing the squealing thing that drives Derek crazy while jumping up and down. Everyone else in the room was cheering.

With the ring firmly on my finger, Derek spun me around in circles before placing me on the floor and kissing me. It was a kiss full of promise and commitment, with nothing chaste about it.

Derek is laying beside me now as he does most every night. Tonight neither of us can wipe the stupid grins off our faces, though right now he appears to be getting irritated at how long it's taking me to finish this entry. It's his own evil fault though for trying to distract me while I write.

So I must say goodnight before he throws this diary out the window.

~The Future Mrs. Venturi