Casey was already up and by the sounds of it, unpacking Derek's kitchen when he woke the following day. He showered, dressed and came down the stairs to find her simultaneously making pancakes and placing pots and pans in one of the carousel cupboards.

"Two jobs aren't enough for you, McDonald? Now you want to add "housekeeper" to the mix?"

She pulled a face but said nothing, avoiding his eyes. Derek frowned, wondering what was up with her.

"What's eating you?" He asked bluntly, subtlety not being something he aspired to very often.

Casey glared at him and started bashing said saucepans together in a way that told him even if he had only suspected it that she was definitely pissed at him.

"Casey. I have absolutely no idea what I've done. I've been asleep for the last eight and a half hours, and as far as I can remember everything was fine when you started snoring. So unless I did something in my sleep for which I can't be held accountable…"

She huffed and went to brush past him, but he caught her arm. "Princess?" And then when her eyes met his, "…I did do something in my sleep didn't I?"
"I woke up in your arms." Casey said. "You complained in your sleep when I tried to leave."

Derek was still holding her arm and he dropped it.

"Oh."

"Yes 'Oh'."

He smirked. "It could have been worse. I could have been dry humping you or something."

There was a pause and Casey didn't laugh. Derek frowned. "Casey, did I dry hump you?"
"Not exactly. Your hands were under my top and stroking my skin and you were kissing the back of my neck." The same neck which was currently turning a very vivid shade of purple.

"Oh…I must have been dreaming about Miss October again." He said flippantly.

It wasn't that he was bothered he had tried to cuddle with her in his sleep, but, he was definitely bothered that she was bothered. Casey looked unimpressed. He caught her by the waist and carefully removed the griddle pan from her right hand.

"So what? I'm not allowed to be affectionate with my best friend now?" Derek said, pulling her towards him. Casey reluctantly let him – which was a victory of its own.

"I'm sure Sam would love you to get affectionate." Casey teased. Derek smiled.

"You don't see yourself as my best friend?" he asked.

"Of course not. That would imply we were friends."

"What are we Casey?"

"I don't know. This is getting to be a very boring, very repetitive conversation."
"I know. I think you are something, but I don't think there is a name for the combination of things that you are to me." He smirked. "At least not something that I could repeat in polite company."

"That's okay, Derek you're never in polite company."

"Ouch…you wound me…and yourself."

Casey shook her head in despair. "What am I going to do with you?" She asked exasperatedly.

He shrugged. "I don't know. What are you going to do with me?"

"Der-ek!"

And with that the specifics of why she was cross with him were gone.

Life proceeded apace. Derek's career bloomed and so did Casey's. About a month after Derek moved house, Casey's now completed novel was picked up by an agent and shortly afterwards she scored a book deal. Derek was both proud and pissed off about it. The latter emotion arriving because she refused to let him read her novel until it was published.

Nora had read it, and gushed effusively as a mother should – although she swore she would be as enthusiastic if she knew nothing about the author. George read it – he said- although he could only tell you the sort of information you might find on the back of the jacket. Derek snorted and told his father he'd get him the Cliff notes the following Christmas.

Everyone it appeared was allowed to read it, except Derek.

Casey said it was because he would be too critical, and to be honest she was probably right. However, when the final draft was with the printers she got hypersensitive about the book saying that it would be a disaster because Derek hadn't read it. He, she announced, would have nitpicked the manuscript to death and therefore made it right.

Derek chuckled at the most important woman in his life. He just couldn't win.

The book deal was for four books because the first book was part one of a story in four parts. And it became an instant success. Off the back of it, Casey resigned from her day job because she was in demand, touring and making appearances. She was also seeing less of Derek. Suddenly, he realised what the past few years had been like for her when there had been long periods of time when he was away. So, during the off-season at least, he changed his schedule to try to ensure that he was around when she was…although he never told her.

By the time his season resumed, Casey was abroad again but he couldn't resent it – partly because he knew it was her turn for success and partly because he had buried himself in another "companion". He treated the girl with respect and affection but he knew that the relationship fell short of love because it wasn't overwhelming and he knew she wouldn't be his priority in life.

It had always been like this, although it had often taken him a while to realise it. Now was different, however. Since he made the decision to move to Toronto he had approached his dating life with the same question. "You're on a date with X. Casey calls because she's locked herself out. Do you a) Flip Casey off and pull the plug from the wall? b) Phone a locksmith and pay him double to bump her up the queue? c) Take the girl with you to go and help Casey into her apartment? d) Dump the girl and high-tail it to Casey?

If he ever chose something other that d) he would know he was in love.

It hadn't happened yet.

"Derek? It's Casey."
"Casey who?"
"Nice try, wise-guy. Like you'd forget your step-sister."
"Would that be the one with the disgusting personal habits or the lovely one who sends me iTunes gift cards on my birthday?"
"I don't have disgusting personal habits. I am very careful about my personal hygiene."

"Oh hi Lizzie! I didn't recognise your voice. Where's my latest iTunes card?" He joked.

"Der-ek!" Casey screeched forcing Derek to hold the phone away from his ear.

"Oh…no iTunes gift cards then." He said sadly.

"So Lizzie's your favourite now?" The hurt in her voice was touching.

"Yeah…at least she doesn't phone me in the middle of sex."

Derek, Derek, Derek…why do you tease her so much? And why just lately is everything about sex?

"In the middle of…what?" Casey was momentarily confused, then realisation struck. "Oh my god! Der-ek!" There was a click as she hung up.

Derek stared at the disconnected phone in amusement and then dialled her number.

"Relax Princess. That was a joke." He said when she answered.

"Not a very funny one."
Derek smirked to himself. "I thought it was. Anyway, I'm alone right now. Just me…oh and my right hand. Do you know I think I'm getting RSI?"

Click. The phone-line went dead again.

When she finally answered the next time, her first words were calm and serious.

"This is your last chance, moron. One single euphemism or innuendo and I'm changing my phone number and reporting you to the phone company."

"Prude."
"I am not a prude."

"Are so."

"Am not."

"Are."

"Not. Look jerk! I need an escort!" She broke across his little game.

There was a silence.

"Try looking in the Yellow Pages under Personal Services." Derek said with amusement.

"Not that kind of escort! I need a guy to stand beside me and look good in a tux."

Another silence.

"Try looking in the Yellow Pages under Personal Services." he repeated. "Wait…was that a compliment, Casey? Wow! Finally she admits it. I am perfection."

"A Perfect pain in the ass."

"Aw…only to remind you I'm here."

He heard her inhale. "Derek, please. I'm in trouble and I need you to help me without all the snarky comments."

"Okay." He relented. "Shoot."

"Stop fussing with your bow tie." Casey came into the room wearing an evening dress and fitting earrings into her pierced ears.

"You made it too tight."
"I don't think I made it tight enough."
"Casey I can barely breath."

"Yes but you can talk. I definitely didn't make it tight enough."
Derek frowned and leant towards Casey. "I didn't realise VPL was making a comeback." He snarked. (VPL = Visible Panty Line)

"I don't have VPL, Derek"

"Well from here it looks like you do." He lied again.

"I don't have VPL, Derek because I'm not wearing panties."

His eyes met hers in astonishment. Casey realised what she had said and blushed.

"I mean I'm wearing a special all-in-one that specifically doesn't have VPL." She amended. "And now I've spent more than enough time discussing my underwear choices with you, do you think we can get in the car and go?"

He smirked. "Nervous?"

"Of course I'm nervous. I've never been to a literary award dinner before."

"You won't win anything." He said confidently…but he knew that was a lie. Casey had let him read the book as soon as it came out in hard back and whilst he knew that it would be good, because everything she worked hard at was a success, he hadn't expected to like it as much as he did even if one of the minor characters did bear a slight resemblance to himself.

"I'm not expecting to win anything. I'm just nervous because there will be all these high-brow people I respect in the room – and they're there for the same reason I am – they're authors. I just don't see how I can possible compare my scribblings with their profound works of genius."

"Neither do I. You're obviously an imposter and when we get there they'll take your invitation away from you and tear it up." Derek said, smirking.

Casey knew he was only saying it to wind her up, there wasn't even a formal invitation as such, but his words tapped into the dream she had had the previous night, and she felt bile rise at the thought.

Derek spotted the greenness around her gills. "You barf on my suit, Casey and you can pay Mr Armani for a new one."

"Unlike you, Derek, I can keep hold of my stomach contents." She snipped back storming to the front door of her apartment and yanking it open. "Let's go before I re-think my decision to invite you."

.

They arrived at the hotel for the award ceremony about fifteen minutes later, perfectly on time. By now, Casey was used to the flash bulbs at major events. Occasionally during his early career, Derek had insisted she accompany him to award dinners- an experience which was more than a little ego-deflating because as soon as Derek's car pulled up, he was yanked off to one side for chats with the press and photo ops. Casey had been hastily shepherded off through the back entrance and only allowed to rejoin him after the photographers had retired to a safe distance.

For a while now, Casey too had experienced her own fair share of attention at book signings. Her novel was popular enough that a fan base had developed and security was needed whenever she made a public appearance, but it was nothing like Derek's adoring populace which bordered on a stalker-like obsession.

Tonight, as Casey and Derek arrived, it felt strange to be the person propelled to the front to talk to the press, although Derek was hardly relegated to the back. The reporters had missed the fact that they arrived together and were in complete shock that such a high profile sports celeb was attending a high brow literary awards dinner. Derek had had to get permission from his agent to accompany Casey which was stupid as he told Tim. She was his step-sister. He could go to her dentist appointment if he wanted.

As he pulled at his collar again, he wondered if there wasn't more similarity in that thought than you might think.

"Derek!" the reporters called. "Over here. Channel 6 news! What's the country's most high profile sportsman doing at book festival?" cried a guy who looked like all his Christmases had come at once now that something newsworthy had happened at what had promised to be a very tame event.

"What? I'm not allowed to read a book now?" Derek joked.

"Have you read all of the entries, Derek?" Another reporter called.

Derek laughed and shook his head. "Not this time." He said.

"Do you have a particular favourite?" A slight woman with a mousy bob asked him. Derek smiled at her. "Of course."

"Are you going to tell us which one it is?"

"No."

"Why?"

"Because she'd kill me. She'd say that I influenced the public and that she wanted her book to make it on its own merit despite the fact that it's the best thing I've ever read."

"Whom?"

"Now that would be telling…" Derek said with a smile. "I'm sorry guys. I have to go." And he turned with a wave and made his way into the building.

"What did you say?" Casey asked as soon as he appeared.

"I said I was only there for the eye candy." He lied.

Casey looked disgusted. He laughed and then as they passed an alcove he pulled her to one side.

"I'm only going to say this once, McDonald, so listen, because I'll probably deny it later. The book is fantastic – out of this world and I am more than a little proud to be your pain in the ass right now. You did it, Casey. You finally got me to admit I'm impressed with your keener status. So suck it up and enjoy this evening because you deserve it. And if at the end of the night you aren't holding an award, I'll be demanding to know why…probably in front of a studio audience."

He finished, slightly out of breath because he hadn't trusted himself to pause mid-way through.

Casey stared at him for a moment, astounded that he could say something so…nice. Then she stretched up and pecked him soundly on the lips.

AN: It's not much but at least I didn't make you wait 47 chapters for it this time.