AN: I don't own LWD

#29 The Spark is Still There

BEEP BEEP BEEP! Derek Venturi's alarm clock cried on a Monday morning. He looked across his bed to find Casey's side empty, he wasn't surprised, she was always awake before him. Sleepily he sat up and stretched, he found that his thirty-five years old body needed some time to stretch every morning.

As he finally got up, he started to smell bacon, and his eyes immediately popped open, and he darted to the kitchen. When he got there he found Casey setting up a plate of breakfast with eggs and bacon. "Good Morning sleepyhead." Casey said cheerfully. Derek walked over to her and pecked her on the lips. "What's all this?" Derek asked, curious but pleased. "Well I woke up really early today, so I went for my run early and had time before I had to leave work so I though I'd make you something." Derek looked at Casey and finally realized that she was in her running clothes; hair up in a ponytail, a magenta track sweatshirt, and leggings. Derek everyday realized how lucky he was to have such a beautiful wife. Casey then handed Derek his breakfast and started to walk off, "Aren't you going to eat too?" Derek asked, stopping her. "No I'm gonna shower, then grab an apple to go." Derek nodded in reply, and she jogged off.

A half hour later, Casey was finishing up getting ready; she was just fixing her hair, and was almost ready to go to the Law Firm where she worked at. By this point Derek was getting ready for work too, he was a sports agent specifically for hockey players.

The two finished getting ready at the same time, and both walked out together. "You look beautiful today." Derek said as the two took the elevator in their apartment to the lobby. Casey blushed and replied, "Thank you sweetheart." The two continued walking together in the parking lot and parted ways once they reached their cars.

A few hours later…

Derek was working away in his office when there was a knock at his door. "Come in!" he called and Chip, a coworker, came in with a pen and paper. "Some of the guys are ordering lunch from the pizzeria, do you want anything?" Chip asked. "What are you getting?" Derek asked, thinking maybe the office could share a pizza. "A Caesar salad. I've got to stay in shape for my lady." Chip replied with a chuckle. Chip's simple comment struck something in Derek's head, he thought about all the food he had recently eaten. Then realizing Chip was still waiting for an answer, "Uhh no, I think I might go take Casey out for lunch." Chip nodded and headed out the door. Derek called Casey, and she thought lunch sounded great. He then headed out to pick her up at her office.

He quickly arrived at her law firm and went into the building up the elevator where her office was. When he arrived to her office, he saw that Casey was not alone. It was a young man around his and Casey's age, Casey and him were talking lightheartedly in her office. After watching secretly, Derek finally decided to intervene. He knocked softly and poked his head in. When Casey noticed him, her face lit up happily. "Derek! She exclaimed, walking over to him. "This is my newest coworker Gavin. Gavin, this is my husband Derek." She introduced the two and they shook hands, and greeted each other. "Well thanks for your help Casey, I'm going to fix some of the errors right now." Gavin said walking out her office. "You ready?" Derek asked, and Casey nodded, grabbing her coat and purse.

The two headed to their favorite restaurant and sat at their usual table. "This was a great idea." Casey said as she looked through her menu. Derek smiled, and flipped through his, "Why are you even looking through the menu, you always get the double burger." Casey said teasingly. Derek was a little hurt by the words, and realized that his thoughts earlier were right; he was becoming an unhealthy man. Sure he was still thin and in pretty good shape, but he was nowhere near the shape he was in through high school and college, and certainly was not in good enough shape for someone like Casey. He now knew what he had to do, start being healthy again. The waitress came, and Casey ordered a chicken wrap and Derek shocked Casey by ordering a Caesar salad. Casey gave him a questioning look, but he just shrugged him off.

The next few days Derek continued his new healthy routine, low calorie food and excessive energy. Though he could see change, he could feel his body growing more and more tired with each workout. Casey could see the change too and she was getting worried.

One night she finally confronted him. "Derek where did this intense health kick come from?" She said, blocking the doorway to prevent him from leaving for yet another run. "Nothing! I'm just being a fit strong guy, can't I do that? He questioned evasively. "Yes, but this is so sudden, and you are taking it so intense, and I'm worried. You take hardly any breaks and you look like you're ready to drop. Skip it tonight, and just stay in with me." Casey asked, touching his arm, and Derek quickly shrugged her hand off him. Hurt flashed in her eyes, and Derek replied, "Please Case, don't look at me like that. This is for you! I just need to get in better shape for you!" Derek said, exasperated. Casey's face went blank, and quietly she asked, "What?" Derek looked uncomfortable and tried to get around her to leave, but she quickly snatched his arm and dragged him to the couch.

"Spill Derek. Now. What did you mean this is for me?" She asked, looking him straight in the eyes. Derek looked down and tried to avoid eye contact with her, for fear that she would be able to break him. Casey softly took her fingers under his chin and forced him to look up at her. "Der" She started softly, "Talk to me, you know you can tell me anything." She said sincerely. Derek sighed, ran his fingers hair, and started, "I just wanted to be good enough for you again." Casey was shocked; this was not what she expected to hear. "What do you mean?" She asked. Derek took a slightly shaky breath and continued, "I know that I'm not as athletic as I was when we were young, but you are. You're still so beautiful and perfect, and I'm not. I love you so much, and you deserve someone better, but I don't want to loose you, so I was trying to get back into the shape I was in college." He finished.

"Derek." She started slowly. "That's very sweet, but you know that looks are of the lowest importance to me. And besides, you are in great shape, better than just about everyone I know, and even if you were in the worst shape ever, I would still love you. I'm so into you Derek Venturi, how could you not see that." Derek smiled slightly, and he turned to face her, "Really?" He asked, and Casey nodded. "Yes everything about you. Your chocolate brown eyes, your messy chestnut hair, your smirk and the dimples that come with it, your humor, your intelligence, and your huge heart. But that only covers the surface of it; I also love your stubbornness, your cocky attitude, and your mischievous ways. I love it all." She then grabbed his face and placed a deep kiss on his lips

Derek is a little OOC but, I thought it worked anyway.