The Present

So that night when they left Sam and Caroline, and after so long, and so many different countries and occasions, yet again, they were walking into his bedroom together. Funnily enough, this was the first time it had happened in their own apartment.

Casey had already soaked in the bath, changed into her night clothes and cleaned her teeth. She climbed into his bed, picking her usual side and loving the newly laundered sheets she had dressed the bed with earlier in the day; early (ish) night, bath, clean sheets – bliss.

"What are you grinning at?" he smiled at her as he emerged from the bathroom.

"Comfort. I think I may have to change my mattress. Yours is so much more comfortable."

"You are not having my mattress."

"I meant I'd buy another one just like it." She plumped the pillow and lay down, watching him as he got changed. There was no embarrassment between them. They'd shared a tent too many times. They had seen each other naked before. Derek, naked, was definitely NOT an unpleasant sight. Casey smiled.

"Do you realise how off-putting that is?" He noted.

"What is?"

"You, smirking at my naked body."

Casey laughed.

"And laughing is even worse!" He complained.

"Why? Because I'm the only girl in the world who doesn't swoon at your feet?" Actually, she was far from immune to his "charms". It was a guilty pleasure that she could openly watch him. She'd have pleasant dreams tonight. Casey wasn't above the occasional Derek erotic dream. She'd feel guilty later but...

He dressed in his usual pjs and climbed into bed beside her.

"Yeah. Why don't you?"

"Why don't I swoon at your feet?"

He raised an eyebrow.

"Because D, I was there in the teenage years, remember? I smelled the sweaty hockey kit, tripped over the dirty underwear and watched you "make-out" with every female with a pulse in the neighbourhood. You hold no mystery to me."

"Hey. I was 17."

"Exactly. It always amazes me how girls marry guys they knew as teenagers."

"Teenage girls are no picnic either. All those…ergh…hormones…and the tears!"

Casey shook her head grinning at him. "One day, you'll have that all over again, when you have your own daughter. I can see it now; my niece running to me all upset because her father won't let her date."

Derek felt the kick in his stomach at the word "niece". He forced a grin and rolled on to his back.

"Ew… sprogs. Definitely, not." He lied. He wanted children, but there was a problem. The person he wanted to be the mother. So it wasn't going to happen.

Casey leant over him. "You're serious?"

He put a hand up to the side of her face, feeling her hair hanging down against his arm.

"Casey. Do you really think the world needs a mini-Derek?"

"Good point."

"Besides. No one would be crazy enough to let me breed with them."

Their eyes met. God he wished…

Casey flopped onto her back. "That's a shame. I was looking forward to telling her how to get around her father…"

"Really? Coz you're the expert…"
"Oh yeah. I know you inside and out, Der."

Actually, he couldn't argue with her…hang on…of course he could.

"Really? Okay. So inside and out eh?"

"Yup."

"Okay. What's my favourite position?"

"What?"

"What's my favourite sexual position?"

"Ew…Der-ek!"

He laughed. She narrowed her eyes.

"On your own in front of a mirror." She retorted bitterly.

"Ew…Cas-ey!"

They laughed together.

You drive me crazy, Case.

I'm scared I'm going to lose you Derek.

He slipped an arm around her and she shuffled closer until her head was on his shoulder.

"Are you serious about no kids?"

"Who knows? Right girl maybe. What about you?"

"In case you hadn't noticed, I'm lousy at relationships."

"That's their problem, not yours."

"Thanks." She paused. "I think I want kids. But, I'm not giving up what I've achieved; my career, the partnership."

"So you'll choose me over kids…." He teased.

"Idiot." She looked thoughtful. "Would it be a choice?"

He kissed her forehead. "Don't be ridiculous. We'd work it out somehow. You just need to find a bloke ready to put up with the crap."

"What crap?" She raised her head, ready to get angry.

"I meant our career, hun. Don't get so defensive."

Silence.

"Did you mean it? About haunting me?"

"Casey, Casey, Casey…You seriously think I'd let death get in the way of a good prank?"