I keep wanting to finish this fic and then thinking of material for more chapters! I have other fics I need to work on, and new ideas I want to make a start on but this one just won't let go!

All three (I know, lots of fics there *sarcastic face pulling*) of my ongoing fics are taking ages to update because of a LOT of sh*t happening and intermittent writers block from the stress of it all, but I promise they will all be finished so stick with me.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Life with Derek, I don't own Life with Derek, I don't own Life with Derek. Does that clear me for the next two chapters?

Chapter Thirty

I took a deep breath. Then another. Then another, until I started to feel dizzy so breathed normally again.

It's going to be fine, I told myself, repeating what Derek had said about our parents just being happy that we were getting along. It didn't work. All I could picture was their disgusted faces when we told them, the disappointment in their eyes.

I swallowed the tearful lump in my throat and opened my dorm room door, blinking furiously to keep back the nervous tears as I made my way outside.

"Casey!" Lizzie jumped on me as soon as I was out of the main door, making me jump and make an embarrassing squeaking noise. She hugged me tightly for a second before grabbing my hand and leading me to the car.

I stayed mostly silent on the way to the restaurant, smiling and laughing when appropriate but not offering anything in case it prompted questions. Like 'how are things going with that guy you like', or 'have you seen much of Derek lately, and other things I would struggle to answer without lying. Not that this prevented anything.

"So, Casey. Any more news on the mystery guy?" Lizzie asked in a sly, teasing voice.

My breath caught. "N-no, not really. I mean, maybe, but..."

I was thankfully drowned out by Marti's shouts as she saw Derek overtake us, waving to her. I relaxed back into my seat in relief; I could see the exit into the restaurant parking lot coming up, there wouldn't be enough time for Lizzie to interrogate me further.

George and Edwin had been dropped off at Derek's dorm so that there was room for me in the seven seater and so the boys could have a little male bonding time (minus Simon who was still asleep in his car seat) while us girls had a break from them. This meant Mom, Lizzie and Marti went over to say hi to Derek while Edwin and George came over to me. Edwin said he didn't 'do' hugs. I hugged him anyway. Derek used to say he didn't do hugs. Turns out he's a bit of a cuddle monster with girlfriends though, and I've always know he hugs Marti a lot. This somewhat marred my opinion of people who say they don't do hugs.

Derek stood watching, grinning when we made eye contact over Edwin's shoulder, Mom passing him Simon for a moment while she tipped a stone out of her shoe. I wondered if he was even half as nervous as me. A quarter? Even an eighth?

Reunion complete, we headed inside. The place wasn't anything special, just one up from a cafe really, and we were allowed to find our own seating, something that put off family discussions for a few minutes while a table near the window or a table in the corner were debated. It wasn't long enough though.

Pretty soon we were all sat ordering our drinks, Lizzie's teasing face coming back as I put down the drinks menu.

"So, you didn't answer my question in the car." She reminded me.

The words stuck in my mouth when I tried to answer. Everyone was watching apart from Edwin and Derek, who were throwing balled up paper napkins at each other. And Simon who'd gone back to sleep, but he didn't really count in this instance.

"Have you said anything to him yet?" She persisted.

"Uh, yeah... Kinda..." I said vaguely, hoping she'd take the hint and drop it.

No such luck. "What did he say?"

My eyes darted to Derek of their own accord. "Can we talk about this later?"

Lizzie sighed but relented. I must have looked every bit as uncomfortable as I felt.

"Heads up!" Derek and Edwin shouted, paper ball flying over the table to hit Lizzie in the face.

"Edwin!"

"How do you know it's me?! Derek's been throwing them too you know!" Edwin defended himself.

"Yeah, but Derek can aim!" Lizzie retorted.

"Yeah, would have hit me if he threw it." I sent Derek a slightly flirty glare which he returned with a smirk.

Usual family banter prevailed over the course of the meal, until I had nearly forgotten about telling them Derek and I were an item and was chatting and joking normally, completely at ease.

Then we left, splitting into groups for the separate cars. Derek and I both in the prince this time as it made more sense than for him to drive them back to their hotel, them to drive me back to my dorm and then Derek to go back to his dorm and them go to their hotel. I felt a sudden panic as we said goodbye, my arms still around my mom with my finger trapped in Simon's grasp when it first hit.

I walked slowly over to where Derek was stood waiting, willing my nerves to shut the heck up before I did something stupid and blew it all. The family couldn't find out just before they left; it would be really bad timing and we wouldn't get to talk it out, I wouldn't get to explain myself.

But it wasn't me that ruined it all.

"You okay?" Derek asked, pulling me towards him by my waist and kissing my temple before I had time to react.

I froze, glancing towards our family. They were all watching. "Derek." I pulled away, unable to take my eyes off the people I loved who had just seen my step-brother act not so brotherly towards me.

Their faces were unreadable at that moment, and my panic was ten times stronger than ever before I'd even blinked.

Derek frowned and raised a hand to my face, cupping my cheek and pulling my gaze towards him. "What's the matter?"

I swallowed and my breath caught.

Understanding filled his face. "You didn't tell them yet, did you?" He stepped back, dropping his hand from my face and glaring at me. "I thought we were meant to tell them in the car?"

Blood rushed to my face. I'd forgotten that. I'd known as I walked out of the dorm building, but I'd conveniently forgotten before climbing into the car. And now they knew, and Derek knew I'd wimped out, and, oh god, George and Edwin had known since before dinner. I felt a little nauseous for a moment. They'd hugged me and said they'd missed me and hadn't treated me any differently and they knew. The relief was quickly combatted by the hurt, angry look Derek was giving me and the fact that I still didn't know how Marti, Lizzie and Mom had reacted. I took a deep breath to apologize and explain to everyone, but was cut off by Marti.

"Tell us what?" She asked, her innocent, fake-unknowing voice not fooling anyone.

"I-We-Derek and I," I stumbled out, the words merging and jumbling into almost complete nonsense.

"How long?" Lizzie said when I couldn't get the rest of the sentence vocalized. She didn't sound shocked or disgusted, she sounded... Happy.

"A couple of days." I answered meekly, sneaking a look at my mom's face. She was looking at George, her face hidden from view by Simon's head.

Marti broke group and ran over to me, surprising me with her full weight and momentum as she threw herself into hugging me.

Derek's anger was fading into an amused half-smile at his little sister and I breathed a sigh of relief. Surely if everyone else was okay with it then Mom would be?

"Smerek!" Marti gestured for him to join the hug and he gave a laugh, attempting to cover it with a long suffering eye roll. Marti squished us together with more strength than she should realistically have, Derek's hand falling on my lower back and making me want to lean into him.

"So the guy you liked was..." Mom gestured vaguely in Derek's direction.

I nodded. "Derek, yeah." I bit my tongue, fighting back excuses, reasons and explanations. I'd already upset Derek by not telling them, I couldn't make it seem like I was ashamed of him any more than I already had.

Mom smiled weakly. "Wow. And I was the last to know." She laughed quietly, her tone a little hurt.

"What? You found out the same time as Lizzie and Marti!" I protested, feeling bad about it all. I should have confided in her.

"Nah, I already knew." Lizzie grinned smugly.

"Me too!" Marti piped up. "I already thought so, but Dimi told me ages ago."

"Dimi..." I made a mental note to kill Emily for blabbing to her baby brother.

"So, for the sake of Casey's remaining sanity; is everyone okay with this?" Derek asked impatiently, the edge to his voice telling me he hadn't completely forgiven me yet.

"Of course." Mom and George spoke in sync.

Lizzie and Edwin exchanged small smiles. "Yep. Totally cool with it." Lizzie answered for the both of them.

Marti just squeezed us tighter. "I love you guys!"

I chuckled in relief. "Love you too Smarti."

"Yeah, I guess you aren't so bad." Derek ruffled her hair with a wink, earning a sullen glare that was somewhat diminished by the fact that she was still hugging us.

"I'm glad you got her in the end, Smerek. I was starting to get worried." Marti stage whispered as she pulled away.