Working on it – LWD
Summary: Set after the movie.
Disclaimer: Yep, I own LWD. No, I don't. Don't sue me.
Rated: M
A/N: Ummm…. Bad words…
Chapter 5
Two weeks before Christmas:
Lizzie was in her room after dinner with the door locked so she could wrap presents. She had a CD blaring music from her speakers, and the television was loud enough because of some sports game going on that no complained about her noise.
It was nearing nine o'clock when there was a knock on her door. Well, it sounded more like someone was kicking her door.
"I'm busy!" she yelled.
There was more kicking.
"Ugh, geez, okay!" she grumbled. Lizzie got up from the floor and made sure the last few things that were still not wrapped were out of sight before yanking her door open. "What- hey!" she was startled to see her Derek in the hallway holding two bowls of ice cream. "What are you doing here? I thought you were driving up tomorrow…"
He shrugged. "I got bored. Gonna let me in?"
She raised an eyebrow and gestured to the bowls he carried. "Do I get one of those?"
"Nope", he replied seriously. "I'm gonna eat them both."
Lizzie took one from him with a grin and took a bite of Chunky Monkey.
"I already ate out of that one", he deadpanned as she backed up to sit on her bed.
"Yummy", she said with a mouthful, "Germs."
He chuckled and kicked the door shut. Derek sent a pointed look at the stereo on her dresser. "That's mine."
"It was. Now it's not", she shrugged.
"You stole-"
"You said I could", she smirked.
"No, I didn't!"
Her head tilted thoughtfully. "Huh", she murmured. "Maybe Edwin said I could borrow his magnifying lamp…"
He stared at her incredulously. "That's not the same thing at all."
"It's really not, is it?" she laughed. "You haven't been in your room? When'd you get here?"
"About an hour ago", he shrugged. "Dad made me watch the end of the basket ball game – it was a rerun."
Lizzie laughed out loud. "How much money did you bet him?"
"Just twenty bucks", Derek smirked. He eyed the mess in her usually clean room. "Presents?"
She nodded. "I was almost done."
"Where's mine?"
"I didn't draw your name this year", she shook her head as he sat on the edge of her studying desk.
"Who'd you get?"
"Marti", she said quietly. "I found this really awesome kids' scientist kit. She's been trying to steal Edwin's stuff. She put one of his experiments in the fridge and Mom almost fed it to us for dinner."
"Gross," he laughed. "Who the hell taught Casey to cook?"
"Gran, believe it or not", she chuckled.
"Felicia can cook?"
"So, she's not the baking type, but, yeah, her cooking is the best. We saw her more when we were younger – before the divorce. Mom does breakfast okay, but she's better at baking – at least when she's not frazzled."
"Are things quieter without me and Casey fighting?"
She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. It's different, anyways. Less yelling, but still loud – crying baby and all that", Lizzie finished with a quiet laugh. She finished her ice cream and set the bowl on her night table. "Not that I don't appreciate the ice cream, but what are you doing up here?"
"Dad fell asleep and started snoring after the game was over and Ed switched it to the history channel. Marti's fell asleep on the couch half an hour ago, even though it's Friday. Nora said you've been locked in here since after dinner, and said you were pissed at the world today. I thought I'd make sure you were alive", he said mildly. "She took Simon down to the basement to sleep. I think she's reading a book."
She groaned, "Seriously? I told Mom I was wrapping presents. Of course she chooses now to overreact."
"Now opposed to when?"
Lizzie glared at him. "Everything's fine. Just because I'm not Casey and don't have to get everyone involved if I'm upset doesn't mean I'm not allowed to have a bad day every once in a while without getting the third degree!"
"I thought you said everything's fine?" he raised an eyebrow and set his empty bowl down as well.
"It is. I just had a long ass day, and wanted some privacy for a few hours. I got it. Now I'm fine."
"Fine is just another word for bullshit; and you know it."
"Is that what they taught you in college?" she asked skeptically. "I wouldn't pay for that crap."
"Smartass", he chuckled. "You don't have to tell me. It's not like I actually like talking about stuff."
"No kidding."
He shot her a peeved look. Because, hello, he was doing the whole feelings thing right now, and she wasn't paying attention. "You can though – if you want. I'm just saying."
She grimaced, "Yeah, thanks but no." Lizzie got up and turned off her stolen stereo, before nodding at Derek. "Bottom drawer", she ordered, switching on her TV and Xbox system.
He blinked in confusion. "What's in the bottom drawer?"
"Oh, stop being so suspicious. Like I'd have you go through my underwear drawer", she rolled her eyes and walked over, pushing him out of the way to get at what she wanted, holding up her prize seconds later. She held out the case. "Wanna play?"
"What the-? Liz, where'd you get this?!" he sputtered, eyeing her Call of Duty: Black Ops II the multi player game lustfully. "This isn't even out yet."
"Perks of being friends with the AV club nerds", she smirked, snatching it from him neatly and putting it in the open tray.
"Does Edwin know you have that?" he raised an eyebrow.
"Nope", she said mildly. "He's been acting like an ass-face."
"Want me to hit him?" Derek chuckled, untangling the remote cords.
She smirked and shook her head. "No. He's still trying to figure out who put blue gelatin mix in the bottle of hair gel he keeps in his locker."
"Oh, damn", he snorted. "Nice one." He held out his hand for a fist bump and she answered with a grin. "This is why you're my favorite step-sister."
"Don't get mad, get even?"
"Exactly."
She took her remote and they settled on her bed. "Let's play."
0
It was nearing midnight when George made his way upstairs after Edwin to carry Marti to bed. Edwin continued up to the attic and George folded Marti under her blankets, thankful she was already wearing pajamas, so he only paused to kiss her goodnight and flick on her nightlight before closing the door. The dark hallway only caused the one single stream of light coming from under Lizzie's door to be even more apparent.
He frowned curiously. She usually went to bed early. He noticed that Derek's room was open and dark, and decided to check things out.
As he approached the room the used to belong to him and then Casey, now Lizzie, he heard her muffled laughter, and then his oldest son curse a blue streak, only to have his language reprimanded with a slap.
"Sure, Liz", Derek complained. "I didn't hit you when you said-"
"You almost blew me up – and I'm on your team, you jackass! And you aren't supposed to hit girls – even if I did artfully string together seven curse words at once."
"Ooh, another dirty word- ow!"
George knocked on the door lightly.
"Come in", Lizzie answered with a laugh.
George poked his head through the door cautiously and found them sprawled sitting on her bed with a game paused on the TV. "What are you guys doing? Liz, you're not usually up so late."
"Playing Xbox", she explained nonchalantly. "I kicked Derek's ass."
Derek snorted, offended. "Give me six hours and I'll beat your high score playing by myself."
"Not even possible", she argued.
"Wanna bet?"
Lizzie smirked. "Twenty bucks?" she teased pointedly.
He smacked her with a pillow, burying a laugh. "Shut up."
George rolled his eyes. "We're not allowed to bet anymore, remember?"
"We don't have to tell Mom", Lizzie wiggled her eyebrows playfully.
"That's creepy stalker-ish, stop it", Derek muttered.
She grinned, "Yeah, yeah, whatever."
He made a face at her and gestured to the screen. "I still wanna know who you had to make out with to get the early copy."
She groaned, "No one, Derek. You're the only one who does that."
He smirked. "Oh, right."
George frowned, "Early copy of what?"
"The new Call of Duty that's coming out in the spring", Lizzie answered.
"I don't want to know", George muttered rubbing his forehead. "How is it?"
"Awesome", she smiled. "Derek sucks at it."
"I do not-"
"Okay, so I only won by a few hundred points."
"Blah, blah, blah, quit gloating", he grumbled, shoving her lightly.
"Derek! You almost pushed me off the bed!"
"How about I hang you out the window?" he retorted.
"Oh, just try it", she taunted.
"Okay, you two, break it up", George said half-heartedly.
Lizzie reached over to ruffle Derek's hair. "We're just playin'", she laughed.
"Hey!" Derek yelped indignantly, batting her hands away and putting her in a headlock. "Don't touch the hair!"
George snorted. "Keep it down", he chuckled. "I just put Marti in bed. If you wake her up, you can take a turn."
Derek groaned and let Lizzie pull his arm loose from around her neck. "Yeah, we'll keep it down."
"Okay then", George nodded like he had accomplished a huge task. "Edwin went to bed too, so you'll be the only ones up. I checked all the locks downstairs and the lights are off. Don't stay up too late guys."
"We won't, George", Lizzie nodded. "I told Mom I would help her make cookies tomorrow - you know that's an all-day project."
He chuckled. "Good point. Don't let Derek bother you all night."
Lizzie snorted at her step-brother's face. "Yeah, I'll kick him out eventually."
"Night, you two", George rolled his eyes as he shut the door behind him.
"Don't let Derek bother you all night?" Derek complained. "Unbelievable."
Lizzie just grabbed a pillow to cover her face with while she laughed. He growled and jabbed her side, making her curl into a ball. "Stop it!" she giggled.
He poked her again and had to slap a hand over her mouth when she yelped. Her knee pressed into his ribs to knock him off her and he chuckled. "Where's the remote? There's gotta be something on Netflix."
0
It was nearing eleven-thirty the next morning when her bedroom door banged open.
"Liz", Edwin called from the doorway. "Nora says you guys have to get up."
"Ugh, go away", she complained.
Derek made a disgruntled noise against her shoulder. She wasn't sure why they were shoved against each other… "Shut up, Ed", he grumbled.
"Can't", Edwin said dryly. "We're on high alert. Nora just got off the phone with Fiona, and they're coming here for Christmas."
Lizzie sat up, nudging Derek off of her and glared at Edwin. "They who?" she demanded.
Edwin grimaced. "Fiona, Harold… and Vicky", he said reluctantly.
Derek groaned. "Dammit. Why'd Nora say yes?"
"Casey's gonna be pissed", Lizzie muttered.
"Somebody better find all the mistletoe and hide it", Derek ordered, getting up slowly. "I don't need to be sexually assaulted by Casey's arch nemesis this year."
Lizzie snorted. "Hide it? Burn it", she rolled her eyes. "Wait a minute…" she started, eyes narrowing suspiciously. "Where exactly is Vicky supposed to sleep?
Edwin winced. "Maybe we can arrange the rooms ourselves so no one gets screwed over too badly. Marti could sleep in her tent or in here, and Vicky can have her room…"
"Come on", Derek headed for the door. "We can talk about this later. I smell bacon."
00
A/N: And that's chapter 5. Hope you liked it. Drop me a line.