For many practical reasons, after the first week when it had been a live transmission there was always a slight delay between the filming of the show and the actual transmission of the show. This was to allow for potential technical problems and over-running. Most of the time, the delay was about an hour. Sometimes the recording over-ran so much it was just a few minutes.

Since the battle between Casey and Chloe had begun, the producers were relieved for other reasons. They figured if anyone committed murder on air the station would probably get shutdown.

Tonight, there was about thirty minutes between the recording ending and the programme being aired.

"What on earth is Casey wearing?" Kendra gasped pointing at the television. "She looks like she just escaped from the loony bin!"

Emily took a potato chip from the bowl on the table. "That, I think is the point. It's a commentary on the media reports about her and Derek. She's poking fun at the accusations."

"So what? Casey's got a sense of humour these days?" Kendra replied cattily.

Amanda rolled her eyes. "Come on Kend, that's unfair. Casey has a sense of humour. Somewhere…"

Sheldan groaned. "I thought girls were supposed to stop being catty when they left high school." He commented.

Sam laughed. "Whatever gave you that idea? I mean just look at Chloe. If that isn't catty…"

Emily shook her head. "That's not just catty…that's cruel."

"But great television." Amanda replied. Kendra agreed.

"Besides, it's their own fault for having a fling with each other. I mean how gross is that?"

Ralph swigged from his beer bottle. "How gross is what?" He asked blankly.

"Casey and Derek sleeping together."

Sam sighed. "They aren't sleeping together, Kendra. Chloe is just making trouble for them. They are good friends but that's all it is. God! I never thought I'd say "Casey and Derek" and "good friends" in the same sentence."

"As far as you know. He's hardly going to shout "I had sex with my sister" from the roof-tops is he?" Kendra pointed out.

Sam grinned. "Seriously. Can you see Casey letting Derek anywhere near her unclothed body?"

Every head in the room looked up.

"Yes!" They all chorused.

Later, Emily joined Sam in his kitchen.

"Thanks for inviting us, Sam. It's been too long since we were all together."

"No problem. With my wife and the kids away it's too quiet in the house. I needed the company."

"You're lucky, you know that. You found your soul-mate quickly."
"I don't know about soul-mate but she puts up with my crap really well. Your turn will come."
Emily pulled a face. "Hmmm. Sheldan thinks it already has."

Sam laughed. "He's still interested? Wow! That is commitment!"

"It's not commitment Samuel. It's insanity. It's verging on stalking and you know me, I understand stalking better than most."

"Aw! You never stalked Derek. Now Chloe…she's a stalker."

Emily nodded. "If I was Derek, I'd be upping my security."

"He has. He's also got someone watching Casey…just in case."

"Why? Does he think she's going to start stalking him too?"
Sam laughed. "No. It's to protect her from Chloe or more importantly, the less sane of Chloe's fans. He's concerned that one of them might take a pot shot at Casey out of love for Chloe."

"God! That's scary!"

"I know."

Emily fidgeted with a dish cloth as she went to mop down the worktops.

"Do you really think they aren't sleeping together?" She asked.

Sam looked thoughtful. "They aren't sleeping together. At least they weren't the last time Derek and I talked." He said confidently.

It had only been a couple of days since he had spoken to his old friend. They had discussed Casey at length – including a long monologue from Derek about how she was his best female friend and that Sam shouldn't get upset if Derek referred to her as one of his best friends because Sam and Casey were equal in his eyes.

Sam had grinned and pointed out that in view of the closeness of Derek's relationship with Casey, maybe he would like to rephrase that. Derek's eyes had widened, he had coughed (apoplexy) and as Sam had got him on his weak flank, proceeded to be rather candid about how he felt about Casey.

But, he didn't confess that he had slept with her.

"They aren't sleeping together." Sam repeated. "But not through lack of trying on Derek's part just lately."

"Really?"

"Be honest, Em. You know how they are together – so blinkered to anyone else around them. Over the years it's only got worse. The closer they've got friendship-wise, the more likely that something will happen. Chloe was Derek's last ditch attempt to convince himself that he didn't want Casey. Chloe never stood a chance."

"I should say "poor thing" but the woman is unhinged."

"Derek sure does pick 'em." Sam agreed. Emily stuck her tongue out at him. "I hope he and Casey get it right this time. They've been dancing around each other for too long."

"I'm worried she'll never just let go and give them a chance."
"It's a risk, especially in light of the press coverage. She might get up on stage dressed like the bride of Frankenstein, and she might make a joke of Chloe's claim, but you know her as well as I do. She'll be freaking out behind the scenes."

Sheldan appeared at the door. "Hey you two. She's coming back on in a minute."

"Oh my god! You made me jump!" Casey exclaimed her face wide with shock. "How on earth did you get in here?"
Derek grinned from the bed where he was reclining (fully clothed). He held up the little plastic rectangle. "Your spare room key. I lifted it last Saturday." He confessed. "I didn't want to hang around in the corridor waiting for you this time."
Casey locked her bedroom door from the inside and crossed to the bed. "Did anyone see you?" She asked. Her voice was still slightly shaky from the shock of seeing him, and nerves about his reaction to her thinly-veiled declaration of love.

"No. Chloe was holding court in the foyer complaining that songs written and performed in the late 60s but not released until 1971 don't count as being within the 1940-1970 range for Golden Oldies. She wants you disqualified."

Casey snorted delicately, as she kicked off her shoes. "Tough. We checked before we submitted it."

Derek held out a hand to her and she climbed up beside him.

They sat there staring at each other carefully.

"Well?" Casey said nervously pulling at the covers beside her.

"I got your "message"." He answered casually, referring to her song.

"And?" She bit her lip.

"Carpenters? Couldn't you have made it more rock 'n' roll? Maybe Led Zepplin or The Stones." He teased.

"Do I look like a gravel-voiced rocker?"

"Nah. More like Mama Cass."

Casey's eyes widened at the mention of the late, larger-than-life singer.

"You're a moron, Venturi!" She raised her elbow to nudge him, but he caught it. Derek smiled warmly, slid his hand down her forearm in a way that sent shivers up her spine and laced his fingers in hers. He brought her hand to his mouth and kissed her fingertips. Casey groaned in submission and he chuckled.

"You're frustrating, overly-organised and ridiculously sensitive." He pointed out whilst kissing her wrist.

Casey snorted.

"You're an egotistical jerk who has spent a decade and a half dis-organising my life."

"Really? You hate me because I make a mess?" Derek curved an eyebrow upwards an amused look on his face.
"I didn't say I hate you." Casey backtracked; caught in the gaze he was firing her way.

"No. You didn't, did you?" He smirked and combed her hair with his fingers. "Go out with me." He said softly.

"No." She said calmly.

He frowned in confusion and Casey chuckled and stroked the side of his face. "No." leaning close she whispered "Not until I get sprung from here." She kissed his cheek which meant he could smell her freshly washed hair, and the scent that was uniquely hers.

Derek groaned himself and then grabbing Casey rolled them both over until she was underneath him.

"You're a tease, McDonald." He announced, his eyes sparkling at her.

"You're a sore loser."

"Who said I lost? From where I'm looking I came out on top…literally."

"Ha ha."

There was a pause where he looked down at her seriously as though trying to work out how to put his current feelings into words. Derek didn't like "feelings" and he liked talking about them even less.

But this was Casey, and he'd been hiding his "feelings" for her for a long time…too long.

"Don't." He said. "We've bantered enough."

She nodded and Derek kissed her briefly. At first she just let him, and then she responded. Casey stretched her arms around his neck and let her fingers play with the hair at the back of his head.

They gazed at each other.

"I love you." They blurted simultaneously - and then laughed.

"Good." Derek proclaimed.

"Great minds and all that." Casey confirmed.

Derek pulled back. "What's with the change of heart?" He asked. "Not that I'm complaining or anything."

Casey sighed and sat up beside him. She scooted back on the bed and leaned against the headboard. Derek did likewise and she took his hand in her own.

"It was two things really and both of them involve me over-thinking." She smirked at him. "So next time you feel the urge to criticise it, think again."

"Go on."

"I've spent lots of time avoiding television programmes and newspapers this week. It was frustrating and upsetting. They were all so negative about us, and at the start I thought that was what was upsetting me. But then I realised I was more upset about how inaccurate the programmes were than their verdicts. I didn't care what they thought of our relationship but I did care that they got all the facts wrong.

Their reaction didn't scare me anymore. They can write what they like…just so long as the facts are right."

Derek nodded. "And the other reason?"

"I can't keep doing this coming together-moving apart business. I decided if we aren't going to be together we need to sever the connection properly." She met his concerned eyes. "When I started to think about us in those terms I realised I couldn't do that – sever all ties…not now…not yet." She glanced away for a moment and then grinned. "Of course, when this is old and faded things will be different. Then it will be me peeing you off in the newspapers and you'll find some other girl to make headlines with. But for now…"

"…it won't get old and faded, Casey. This has lasted thirteen years, I've had more girls throw themselves at me than any guy could possibly dream of, and some of them I've actually reciprocated with. But it's always been you. It hasn't faded yet."

"Who knows, Derek? Maybe I'll dump you." She smirked. "We've been through a lot together: Shared a lot, argued a lot, and experienced a lot together."

Casey turned towards him and their hands knitted together, their legs entwined. She lifted one hand and rubbed her thumb along his bottom lip. He kissed it.

She locked eyes with him. "But there is one thing we haven't done. "We've never really given us a try, and now I think I'm ready to."

"Carpenters?" Amanda snorted. "Of all the golden oldies she could have picked, she picked Carpenters?"

"I've a good mind to complain." Kendra agreed. "Casey may have won but I mean even Chloe's abysmal diner dancing was better than Casey singing Carpenters."
Emily caught Sam's eye and they grinned.

"Oh I don't know." He said. "I think the song served Casey's purpose really well."

"Sure…If she wanted to look like Little Miss Virginal." Kendra pouted.

Ralph interjected. "She'd have looked stunning as Tina Turner."

The others in the room stared at him.

"What?"

"Tina Turner is black."

"So?" Ralph sighed. "Oh…okay. Maybe Cher."

"You wanted her to get up and sing "Gypsies, tramps and thieves?"!" Amanda was surprised.

Ralph looked up. "She couldn't babe. That was 1971. Strictly speaking, so was "One Love" but I suppose they allowed it because it was written and performed much earlier than it was released."

Sam's jaw dropped. "How the hell do you know that?"

Ralph shrugged. "I like Richard Carpenter's suits. Now there was a man with style."

Derek was in a good place right now. Casey, rather than call a halt to their unconventional friendship as he had anticipated, was currently lying in his arms. After their declarations, she had changed into her pyjamas and brushed her teeth, and they were lying together in her bed: Casey under the covers, Derek on top of them. They had been talking in soft whispers for nearly an hour, punctuating the conversation every now and then with their own unique blend of argumentative banter – followed by deep kisses and equally deep sighs.

He knew he was morphing into one of his own teenage nightmares – pussy-whipped and sentimental, but he didn't care. Holding Casey like this was something he had been thinking of for more years than he would like to admit to, and it had been worse since that never to be forgotten night.

Derek supposed that his teenaged self would appreciate this more if they were naked, and yes, he had to own that he was thinking of sex on and off during the evening. But, he wasn't about to ruin this by suggesting that. Not yet.

Instead, he just cuddled her close

"Stay for a bit?" Casey asked against his neck.

"Till you throw me out." He said kissing her head.

Casey frowned and lifted her head. "How are you going to escape this week? I think the dogs might be forewarned after last week."

Derek shrugged. "I'll think of something." He said, wondering how Casey would react if he took his pants off. They were currently digging into him.

She sat up. "You mean you came here with no thought of how you were going to get away again?"

He shrugged again, using the increased distance as an opportunity to adjust the offending button. It didn't help. "I wanted to see you. I thought if I didn't come and see you that you'd walk away again."

"Der-ek! What on earth am I going to do with you? You could be stuck here now."

Fuck it! He smirked and got out of bed. "Great! I'll just get ready for bed then." He announced, undoing his pants, dropping them and stepping out. He reached for the bottom of his shirt and started undoing buttons. Might as well.

Casey slumped back against the headboard in defeat. "So your week is clear?" She asked, raising both eyebrows whilst trying to ignore his body as he slipped off the shirt. She wasn't about to stop him. He was wearing some close fitting jersey boxer shorts and it had been a while since she had seen him with so few clothes. Her memory provided her with a graphic shot of what he would look like without the boxers.

She coughed. "Nowhere to be?"

He shook his head and ran his finger around the waistband of the boxers where the elastic had cut into him slightly. The gesture was incredibly distracting for Casey.

"No practices? No games?" Casey fought to stay on track.

"Not till Wednesday." Derek grinned broadly. He rather liked the idea of staying the whole week in Casey's room even though he knew it probably wasn't going to happen. Winding Casey up about it was good though. He climbed back into bed and shuffled closer to her.

Casey backed up away from him.

"How am I supposed to feed you?" She asked.

"Room service." He said.

"Derek, you eat like a horse. If I order enough food for both of us someone is going to notice."

"I'll just snack on you." He grinned and pounced on her, his eyes full of fun.

The action caused her to squeal.

"Der-ek!"

Which was right about the time there was a knock on the door.