Casey and Derek froze mid-embrace as the person at the door knocked again.

Derek looked down at Casey pinned beneath him, his tight-fitting shorts and otherwise naked body pressed up against her conservative, but silky pyjamas. He could feel the rise and fall of her chest against his own and he wanted to damn the person on the other side of the door to hell.

"Casey!" A voice called. "It's me. Can I talk to you?"

Casey's eyes widened and she shoved Derek to one side.

"One second." She called. "I'm…erm…watching TV. Let me switch it off and…erm…I'll be right with you."

Who is it? Derek mouthed as Casey flapped at him to move off the bed.

"Luan." She hissed. "I need to speak to her. She's very protective of me. If I don't open the door and prove I'm ok she'll get the skeleton key and let herself in. You need to hide."

"Where? The bathroom?"

"The lock's broken." Casey hissed. "I wouldn't be able to stop her coming in."

Derek looked around the room. The wardrobe looked too short and the bed was too low to the floor.

Where could he go?

Before he came to a conclusion, Luan called again. Casey grabbed Derek, opened the window and shoved him outside onto the balcony.

She locked the window behind her and pulled the drapes shut.

Taking a deep breath, Casey combed her fingers through her hair so that it didn't look as though Derek had spent the last hour running his fingers through it. And then she opened the door.

"Sorry. I was getting ready for bed with the TV on." She said to the floor as she swung the door open, raising her eyes to look at Luan as she did so.

And then she did a double take.

In front of her stood Luan as expected, but behind her, camera slung on shoulder was Kevin aka Camera Five and with him his allotted reporter, "Rabid" Rita, the scourge of the entertainment world…an interviewer renowned for digging and dishing.

Holy Sh…Something-Derek-would-say!

"Hi Casey. Sorry about this." Luan looked majorly apologetic. "I know it's late but erm…Rita was hoping that…"

The woman concerned rolled her eyes. "You're up, McDonald! It's time for you to dish on Derek." Rita said, pushing her way into the room. "I have to leave in the morning so it will need to be done now."

With that, she was firmly ensconced in Casey's room.

Casey tried not to let the panic show on her face as she dashed further into the room behind the reporter. She moved quickly in front of the drapes as a sort of ineffective guard.

Please let Derek stay quiet. Please let Derek stay quiet. I'll start going to church and even go to confessional…if you just keep Derek quiet.

As she stood there waiting for the axe to fall, Casey glanced around her room looking for things that were out of place: The bed was mussed up but there was nothing incriminating; her phone with its locked keypad was on the table; her clothes were neatly folded on her vanity unit; and there were more clothes in a heap on floor by the bed…Casey frowned.

What were they doing there?

Oh no!...Derek's clothes. She remembered his mini-strip-tease and her heart rate sped up for all the wrong reasons.

She was in her room, in her pyjamas with one of the most aggressive entertainment reporters in the Northern Americas and her step-brother's discarded clothes were lying in a pile beside her bed!

Casey walked away from the window along the wall beside the bed. She perched herself (one buttock only) on the edge and leaned "casually" on one hand, her left foot scraping Derek's clothes towards the bed and trying to wedge them underneath. The grin on her face was forced.

"Where do you want me?" She spat out, her toes failing in their job because there was almost no gap under the bed. Casey kicked her heel backwards but the clothes still wouldn't budge.

Rita gave the cameraman a look. His eyes swept around the room taking in all the furniture and possible backgrounds. Fortunately, they were still near the bedroom door and couldn't see much beyond the bed.

"How about near the vanity?" Rita suggested.

The cameraman turned to look to where Rita was pointing and for a second their eyes were directed away from Casey. Quick as a flash, Casey bent down scooped up the clothing and stuffed it under her pillow. As she turned around, Luan was staring at her.

What's going on? Paul's niece mouthed.

Tell you later. Casey replied soundlessly.

Rita and the cameraman didn't notice.

"Can't do the vanity." Kevin said. "Too much reflection from the mirror."

"Erm…wouldn't this be easier to do downstairs? There's more room."

"And have every other hack reporter in the state hear my questions and your answers? I think not. We'll do it here."

"Perhaps I should change? If you could just step out for a moment…"
"The pyjamas are fine. It makes it look more intimate. Like you're sharing your bedroom secrets with us. It's a nice touch."

I'll be sharing my bedroom secrets in a minute…hell! How long is this going to take?

While Casey was sharing this little internal monologue, she was walking across her room, looking for other signs of Derek's presence in her room. As she passed the window, she heard a tapping noise. She turned her back on the window abruptly, lifted her foot and jammed it hard backwards through the drapes until it made contact with the wooden frame.

The tapping noise stopped.

"Excellent idea!" Rita announced. "We'll place you in front of the drapes. They make a nice backdrop." The blood ran from Casey's face.

If Derek tried to come back into the room the camera would be facing right at him.

Kevin agreed to the shot and placed two chairs in front of the drapes. They were facing each other, and Casey would be sitting at an angle to the drapes.

"Sit…please." Rita asked, making it sound more like an order than an invitation. Casey stood her ground.

"No."

"Miss McDonald. I have the producer's permission for this interview, and your agent authorised it."

"She did?" Casey made a mental note to chew Angela out in the morning. How dare she agree to this without a warning!

"Yes. So I'd like to get on with it so that I can go home."

Casey took a deep breath. "Okay. But I want…" Her imagination failed her.

"…make up!" Luan announced. "Casey needs her make-up touching up. She looks a little mussed."

"Yes!" Casey blurted. "Make up! I need make-up. And Luan can help me." She said, dragging the latter into the bathroom and slamming the door shut.

Once inside, they stopped and looked at each other.

"Casey." Luan started very quietly. "What the hell is going on? You're acting like a chicken with its head cut off."

Her charge shrugged and mumbled. "Derek-is-on-my-balcony."

"Derek is what?" Luan said, slightly louder than Casey liked.

"Sssshh! When you knocked, Derek was here."

"Derek?" Luan gaped. "Was here?" She frowned. "Where is he now?"

"On my balcony." Casey whispered.

Luan was quiet for a moment.

"Casey, you do realise that Gossip Gimp herself is out there just itching to find out all your dirty little secrets don't you? With a cameraman!"

"I know. And my dirty little secret is freezing his be-jingers less than five feet away."

"His be-jingers?"

"Technically he might be almost naked."

"Almost?" Luan asked with a sinking feeling.

"He's wearing boxers." Casey started. "…tight ones…slate grey…soft…"

Luan snapped her fingers in front of Casey's eyes.

"Mind on the situation at hand, girl." She grinned. "We can talk "lunch boxes" later. Let's get some war paint on and then we can get rid of Miss Skeeter and her "Quick-Quotes Quills."

Casey grinned. "You're a Potter fan?"

"Oh yes! Uncle Paul bought me my first book when I was in junior high and I've been in love since." She smiled. "He told me that one of his students had recommended it to him as a birthday present for me."

Casey chuckled. "That was me. He was panicking because you were a book worm and he was used to boys who played computer games all the time, he had no idea what to get you."

"Well, thank you. I have you to thank for the obsession!"

A few moments later, Casey opened the door to the bathroom just in time to hear Kevin announce that he was going for a smoke on the balcony and to call him when someone was ready to make an effing interview.

"No!" Luan screeched, launching herself across the distance. "You can't smoke out there. I…erm…have asthma!" She coughed unrealistically, and Casey groaned.

But Kevin didn't notice. He cursed and put the cigarettes away.

"Miss McDonald. Firstly, can I say congratulations on another victory? The audience votes are in and you've done it again."

Casey smiled nervously. "Thank you."

"Interesting choice of music. Or rather should I say an interesting music/costume combination?"

"Trevor has a singular mind for choreography and playing dress up."

"So you have no influence on the decisions?" Pointed look.

Casey picked at the fabric covering her knees. "I wouldn't say no choice. I mean if I think it passes my own personal boundaries then I would say something. They would listen."

"You endorse the messages in each performance?"

Casey paused. "Messages?" She gave Rita her best blank look. Rita wasn't having any of it.

"Casey, Casey, Casey…" Rita tripled Casey's name.

"Rita, Rita, Rita..." Casey interrupted. "I'm here to dance and sing. If I wanted to say something, I'd just do it. I don't, if you'll forgive the pun, need to make a song and dance about it."

"Come now… "Mad about the boy"? After Miss Prescott gave an interview allegedly implying you are obsessive about Derek Venturi."

"Trevor likes The Cure. We were worried that performing the dance straight would make it too similar to my first dance. Plus, we wanted to inject humour into our routines. I think it achieved that."
"It had nothing to do with Miss Prescott's accusations?"

"Please. I hardly know Miss Prescott and she certainly doesn't know me." Casey fought to keep the bitterness out of her voice.

"Really? What about "If you've got it flaunt it"? It was a very raunchy dress and the lyrics were…"

"I'm no Sandra Dee."

"But that was a dig at Miss Prescott?"
Casey shrugged. "Everybody has weak moments. That was one of mine. Endof."

A phone began to ring somewhere in the room. Kevin looks daggers at Casey.

"Mine's on quiet." She said.

"So's mine." They all repeated, and then Casey realised it must be coming from Derek's pants under her pillow. Her eyes met Luan's.

Luan laughed nervously. "I do apologise. It's this awful hotel. It has weird acoustics and you can hear all sorts of strange noises. It will be the plumbing carrying the noise of someone else's phone ringing.

"I know. I overheard two of the waiters planning a rendezvous in a cleaning closet last week." Casey said. Luan's face became questioning. Casey shook her head.

The ringing stopped.

Rita, sensing that they weren't getting anywhere, changed tack.

"Tell me about Derek Venturi."
"5ft 11, brown hair, brown eyes, over-inflated ego. Plays hockey."

"He's your step-brother."

"That's kind of what happens when your mom marries a guy who already has kids."

"And this happened when you were fifteen?"
"This is all a matter of public record."

"But public record is all so cold and impersonal. I want the warm under-glow of familial love."

"Familial what?"

Rita raised her eyebrows.

Casey sighed. "Derek is a friend. We used to hate each other, now we don't."

"Do you find him attractive?"

"I'm sorry?" Casey gasped.

"Do you find him attractive?"
"Do you?" Casey fired back and then relented – slightly. "Do I find him attractive? Come on. No one would believe me if I said no. I do have a pulse." She leaned forward to sip the glass of water Luan had provided for her.

"When did you last see him?"

Casey choked.

"Excuse me." She spluttered. "Wrong way."

Rita waited for the water to clear from Casey's throat.

"When did you last see him?" She repeated.

"Tonight." Casey was honest. By the door she could see a look of shock on Luan's face.

"Tonight?" Rita beamed. "I wasn't aware that he was here tonight."
Closer than you might think. Casey added silently.

"He was watching the performances from the sidelines." Casey saw Luan relax. "He was invited."

"By you?"

"By the producers."

"Who is he voting for?" Casey knew what Rita wanted her to say. She wanted Casey to say that he would choose between his sister and his wife; to admit that there had been something between them – that was still something between them.

Casey smiled. "He'll probably vote for Carlos. Derek's always had a thing for Freddie Mercury."

"Miss McDonald…are you implying that Derek is…gay?"

Casey snorted. "That would put the cat among the pigeons wouldn't it? Of course not! He just likes rock music and there are plenty of women who can attest to that."

"So now you are implying he sleeps around."

"No. I'm implying there are lots of women who know he likes rock."

"Has he slept with you?"

Casey stared at her.

"Come on. It's a valid question."

"One I am not dignifying with an answer."

"Why? Because you are ashamed of the answer – or you don't want to admit to the answer?"

Casey shrugged. "He could have slept with Mother Theresa and I still wouldn't tell you." She smiled sweetly and stood up. "And you just terminated our interview. Please leave."

Rita looked annoyed but even she must have realised she had overstepped the mark because she did stand up.

"I'd like to interview you again, Miss McDonald."

"I'm sure you would. You'll have to talk to my agent about that."

Rita smiled sweetly – and totally without sincerity.

"Before I go, I'll just take a look out of that fantastic balcony I know you have. I was admiring the balconies earlier in the daylight and Miss Greeby informs me that you are lucky enough to have one."

And with that, Rita opened the drapes and unlocked the door.

Casey winced and waited for the cry of delight…but none came.

"He's not there." Luan hissed. "You can look."

Casey did so and the balcony was empty.

It took a couple of minutes to get Rita and Kevin out of the door, and Luan all-but frog-marched them in the end. As soon as the door closed behind them, Casey rushed back onto the balcony and leaned over looking for Derek.

"Derek!" She hissed.

"M-move out-t-t the f-f-fucking way!" A voice called.

She did as she was told and a head appeared over the balustrade. A moment later, he was standing shivering at her feet, his skin almost the colour of his shorts. Casey pulled him indoors and propelled him towards the bed.

"W-w-what took you so long?" Derek asked, rolling into the comforter shaking.
"It wasn't just Luan at the door." Casey explained as she went to boil a kettle. Derek needed a hot drink, stat.

"Wh-who?" He asked, his teeth chattering.

"'Rabid Rita'" Casey said by way of explanation.

"Fuck!" Derek got the point.

"She insisted on doing an interview. I nearly died when you started tapping on the glass."

"I thought I was g-g-oing t-t- f-f-freeze my balls out there."

Casey moved back to the bed and climbed in while she waited for the kettle to boil. Pulling him into her arms, she sighed. "I'm sorry. I got rid of them as soon as I could."

He clung to her, and his skin was so cold it was like hugging a bag of peas. She kissed his shoulder and her lips chilled instantly.

There was a knock at the door. Casey involuntarily glanced towards the balcony.

"Ffforget itt C-c-casey. I'm not going out again."

She chuckled and climbed out of bed, but she barely opened the door an inch.

"Is he okay?" It was Luan.

"Freezing. I need to warm him up."

Luan grinned. "I'm sure you'll manage that."

"You can help." Casey said and they both giggled. "I meant, can you get some soup and a sandwich from the kitchens? I've got the kettle on. If I know Derek food is the only thing that will sort this."

"Sure. Back in a bit."

"F-f-food isn't the only thing." Derek said in amusement from the bed.

"Oh?"

He looked her up and down suggestively. Casey rolled her eyes and started to make the tea.

Luan returned with the food and then disappeared for the night leaving Derek to his improvised meal – and hot water bottle.

He was finishing off the sandwich when, still shivering with the cold he watched transfixed as Casey started stripping off her clothes.

"What are you doing?" He asked, his teeth chattering slightly as he sipped at his second hot drink.

"I'm stripping off." Casey said, finally removing her pyjama top to reveal she was wearing nothing underneath.

"Princess…erm…I'm not complaining and I'm certainly up for sharing body warmth but…why now?" He cursed himself for talking while there was a very beautiful naked woman in front of him. His naked woman.

Casey stomped over to the bed in a temper.

"We're going to have sex." She announced.

Derek choked. "We are?"

"Yes." She said firmly. "If I'm going to go through the stress of the last half an hour I'm going to make sure I'm guilty of something!"