Okay, I hope that you enjoy this chapter. It is going to be really interesting I think…you will see why when you read it! Thanks for reading and please review and let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: As always I own nothing, but wish I did

As Casey walked in her house, she was debating on how to approach Derek when she went to his house. Her mom wouldn't be home for another couple hours from work, and Lizzie was over at a friend's house. Therefore there was nothing keeping her at home, but for some reason she was having a difficult time getting herself to go to Derek's house. Whether she was nervous about his knowing about her attack or her knowing that she had missed him and wanted to see him and be alone with him. In the end, Casey reasoned with herself that she was only helping him with school work…nothing else.

As she walked across the yard, she noticed that Derek's father's SUV was not in the drive. I guess his dad isn't home…damn it! Get it together, Casey. His brother will be there…so you will have some sort of supervision. Casey walked up to the door and lifted her fist to knock, but that was as far as she got when Derek was opening the door. For a minute, they just stared at each other. They hadn't made eye contact in so long…it was almost as if they came back to a place which had seemed lost to both of them before, but was now found. Casey was the first to break the contact.

"So are you going to invite me in, or will we discuss your project right here on the porch?" she asked

"Oh, sorry…come on in. So what's up?"

"Not much, I guess. How about you?"

"Same old, same old, if only this Spanish project were over. Thanks again for coming over, I know with everything you didn't wa-"

"It's okay!" She cut him off. "I wouldn't want you fail or anything. I can appreciate someone working toward their scholastic education. I want to help."

"Well, thanks again, Case."

Her name on his lips like that affected her more than she thought it would. The funny thing was even though the elephant was in the room, also known as her confession; she seemed much calmer than she had expected to be with him…at least for now anyway.

"So I know you said you were having trouble with your project…so what can I do to help?" Casey asked.

"Well, you know how we have to record ourselves speaking a scene in Spanish from the movie we watched in class?" Casey nodded her head, urging him to continue. "Well, I got a certain part of the movie that is difficult for me to do and I wanted someone who wouldn't judge me to tape it and watch it."

The movie they had watched in class was Sleepless in Seattle. Damn Señora Lopez for her stupid crush on Tom Hanks. Why couldn't she have picked something interesting…like Forest Gump, or Cast Away…or even Big. But no…she had to pick the chick flick…damn her!

"Well, what part did you get then, Derek?"

"Umm…I got the part when he is on the radio."

Casey understood now why he was a little nervous to do this part. He practically had to cry in order to do the part. So she could see how he wouldn't want anyone to see him. Seeing as she has known him the longest since he moved here, Casey could see why he might want her to help him out.

"It won't be as bad as you think…I don't think."

"Well, thanks for the vote of confidence, Casey."

"I didn't mean it like that…I just mean it won't be what you are used to but it should be fine. Come on and let's get started."

As the evening wore on, Casey and Derek were able to set up a good scene to film and even got out a couple of giggles which made the whole thing a little more relaxed. When it was finally time to do the first take, Casey was getting the camera ready when Derek finally did something she didn't think he was capable of doing. He seemed to get…nervous?

"Are you okay, Derek?"

"Yea, I'm fine." He said it a little high in pitch though…Casey knew he was lying.

"Listen Derek, I know it is a little intimidating to be in front of a camera, but you can always picture your audience in their underwear." Derek laughed almost out loud at that.

"Casey, you realize you are the only one in my so called audience."

Casey turned a bright shade of pink that seemed almost endearing to Derek. So much that it took him a while to say anything else…he just wanted to keep looking at her.

"Well, let's get this thing started…I think I have an idea to keep my nerves down."

"Great! Ready…and Action!"

[The talk radio woman, Dr. Marsha Fieldstone, has just asked Sam (Tom Hanks) about what was so special about his wife, now that she has been deceased for over a year.]

"Bien, era millón de pequeñas cosas minúsculas que, cuando usted los agregó todos para arriba, significaron que éramos suponemos para ser juntos… y lo sabía. Lo sabía el primer tiempo que la toqué. Era como venir a casa… solamente a ningún hogar sabido siempre… Era justo llevando su mano para ayudarle fuera de un coche y sabía. Estaba como… magia."

[Translation: Well, it was a million tiny little things that, when you added them all up, they meant we were suppose to be together... and I knew it. I knew it the very first time I touched her. It was like coming home... only to no home I'd ever known... I was just taking her hand to help her out of a car and I knew. It was like... magic.]

Casey wouldn't have thought anything about his abilities…he spoke the language very well. He even seemed to be taking the project very seriously. No, the thing that struck her the most was the way he was looking at her. And yes, he was looking right at her while he said his lines. It was difficult to breathe…watching him say that…knowing he was saying words that were supposed to mean an undying love and compassion for a person who meant more than anything could have in the world. It was a confession of passion and undying love and Casey couldn't help but imagine that Derek really was saying something like that to her.

After Derek finished, Casey almost forgot to turn off the camera when she stood up looking as if she was about to leave the house.

"Alright, well that was a really good take, so I am just going to go now."

"Case, wait…"

He had only whispered it, but it stopped her in her tracks none the less. Casey stood with her body facing the door, knowing that it would only take a few short steps and she would be free. Free of this feeling, free of this longing, free of the fear. Derek walked up to her from behind. He didn't even touch her, but her entire body was extremely aware of him so close.

"Please don't go."

The emotion behind those three little words had more effect on Casey than any book line or movie quote that ultimately brought her to tears. The idea that her leaving could cause him pain was the only thing that kept her body in place. Her mind told her to run like hell, but her heart couldn't stand the idea of hurting him. Before her heart and mind could weigh their options, Casey felt Derek inch closer to her from behind. She could feel the heat of his body and just the idea of his closeness was causing her to shiver.

Derek noticed this and brought his hands up and slowly grazed his palms over the skin at her arms. As his hands moved from her shoulders to her hands, Derek could see the goose bumps that his touch was leaving on her. When his hands met hers, he grabbed her wrist and brought it up to his mouth. He placed a gentle kiss on the inside of her palm, and then he kissed each one of her fingers before turning her around.

Casey didn't know what to think…she could only feel. She was feeling breathless and her heart was racing to the point that she would swear that Derek could heart the sound of her pulse. Even if she wanted to at this point she couldn't pull away from him. Everything inside of her was telling her to stay there…with Derek. As she faced him, she saw the look in his eyes and knew that he wanted her…his dark eyes told her everything.

"Kendra.." Casey didn't even know why she said it, maybe it was the last barrier between her desire and her common sense to stop this.

"What about her?" Derek almost looked shocked Casey would even mention his "girlfriend."

"I don't think she would appreciate this kind of behavior…out of either of us."

"Well, it isn't any of her concern what we do…"

"Of course it is Derek, she is your girlfriend."

"Not anymore, just before you came over I officially broke it off. I tried to tell her at the end of school today, but she just didn't get it. She called me right before you came over and I told her that we needed to break up. I told her that I didn't have any feelings for her. I told her that I have feelings for someone else."

"I am sure she didn't like hearing that…"

He smirked, "You are right about that…but she will get over it. Kendra is a beautiful girl, but I prefer my girl to be beautiful on the outside and the inside."

"So who is this girl of yours now?"

"I would have thought that it would be obvious…" Derek looked at Casey and she couldn't help but blush at his insinuation.

"Ever since the first time you marched into my yard on moving day, I knew that you were beautiful. Then the day you yelled at me for playing my music, I knew you were a beautiful person." He chuckled at the memory of her innocent curiosity the first time he met her. "You are the only person who can irritate me to the end of my reason, and turn around and want to kiss you until your knees go weak."

"Derek, I don't…"

"Wait, just let me finish. If I don't get this out now I might never do it. I know that you have been hurt. You were hurt in one of the worst ways, but I want you to know that I would and could never hurt you. The thought that someone out there in the world had the capability to do you harm makes me…well, I just know that I can't stand the idea of you in any sort of pain. I want to keep you safe, I want to be with you, I want to be yours, and I want you to know that you are the most amazing person that I have ever met. Please tell me that we can do this…that we can be."

"You are right about one thing…I was hurt. And I have been doing a lot of thinking about it. I know that it is still going to take me a long time to trust, but I have decided I want to try…with you."

"Okay…don't laugh, but I want to do this right.." Derek was having a really hard time containing his grin. Casey was finally going to be his…

"Casey, will you be my girlfriend?"
"Yes, Derek, I will." Casey wasn't able to hold in her giggle. Derek pulled her into a big hug that lifted her off of her feet. They both laughed together as Derek began to spin with Casey in his arms. As he finally put her down, Casey looked into his eyes and knew that what she was doing was the right thing. Before she knew what she was doing, Casey had brought herself on her tiptoes and applied a small pressure to his lips.

Derek froze in place, not sure what she was doing at first. With the contact of her lips on his, Derek wasn't able to hold in his gasp. He hadn't been expecting anything, but he knew now that Casey was fragile and he wasn't going to hurt her in any way. He wanted her…more than anything, but he wanted her trust more. He pulled away at first…

"Derek, it's okay. I promise I won't break. I just have wanted this for so long…ever since we kissed in your room. I know that I love what I am feeling when I am with you, and I guess I just want you to know that if you are feeling the same way…it is okay to show it sometimes. I want you to kiss me back…

She didn't even have to finish her sentence; Derek brought his hand to caress her face and proceeded to descend his lips on to hers in a soft, but insistent touch. He couldn't help it, after experiencing kissing with her in his room; he knew that it would be great. The fact that she was the one instigating this kiss meant so much to Derek. He wanted to be good for her…she was accepting him and that made him feel like, for lack of a better phrase, king of the world.

The kiss remained sweet for a while until Casey felt Derek's tongue on her lips; asking for entrance which she gave. The feeling of kissing Derek was unlike any other experience she had had in her life. He held the perfect taste…she couldn't get enough. Derek brought both hands to her face while Casey laid her hands on his waist, bringing him closer to her body. She loved the feel of his warm body so close to hers. It was as if she had been in this chill for so long and now having the reprieve of his warmth was so soothing to her cold that the idea of missing it was unthinkable.

She was perfect, that was all Derek could think of. The way her hands held him close made him never want to let her go. She made these beautiful sighs when he was run his tongue along her bottom lip. When he brought her tongue in his mouth and sucked a little, she gasped at the feeling and the sound cause Derek to want to shock her again. When he finally brought his lips away from her lips to let her breathe, he continued to lightly kiss her cheeks, her forehead, her eyes, her nose, and laid a final kiss on her lips that left Casey feeling light headed.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Casey was so out of herself still that she almost didn't hear the words.

"I would love that…"

"Good, because I would love to keep kissing you, but my dad is going to be home soon and I am not ready to let you go."

"Well, I wouldn't mind you holding me a little longer."

"I think I can deal with that." With that Derek leaned in a kissed her one more time for good measure.