Derek had decided that mornings were glorious. The sun bleed through his blinds, giving his bedroom a soft hazy glow he wanted to live in. More importantly, there was a very soft and nearly naked Casey in his arms. What else could he ask for?

Before his mind could begin to form coherent thoughts, his hands started to move. Her skin was achingly soft, and he was desperate to touch, to devour her whole if she let him. His hands trailed down her naked back, the bra she had been wearing the night before must have been taken off at some point, and he didn't mind one bit. His fingers slowly wrapped around her hips, his own pressing up into hers on instinct alone.

He knew he should stop, that they weren't nearly awake enough to do more…but the combination of the little moans rumbling in her chest and hips slowly circling against his made him dizzy with want.

"Der," she sighed softly, eyes still closed.

"Open your eyes for me, Princess," he begged, his voice pure gravel. But he needed those eyes on him. He needed to know she was awake and she wanted this just as much as he did.

Slowly, like she was considering his request, she opened her eyes. Sleepy blues blinked down at him through long lashes and he melted in response.

He rolled, pressing her back into the mattress, teasing her with the weight of his body to see if she could take it. Seeing no complaints from the pliant women below him, his mouth dipped into the hollow of her throat. She arched into the mattress, pushing her bare chest against him, pointing him in the direction she wanted him, and he had no trouble complying with such a sweet request.

He pressed kisses to her skin like promises, making a delicious path down when he heard his bedroom door open.

"I can't find Ca-"

On instinct, Derek's arm swung out, towards his bedside table where his gun lay loaded and ready. But thankfully he spotted Sam out of the corner of his eye, bringing his fight or flight response to delay for a fraction of a second.

Sam.
It was just Sam.

"Out!" Derek roared, leaving his gun on the table. He was glad it was just his best friend. But Casey was in his bed, nearly naked, and he had no idea how much of her Sam had seen from the door.

"I…Fuck!" Sam responded, his eyes all wide still taking in bits and pieces of what he walked in on. But the threat in Derek's eyes must have been more than enough for him to understand. But just as quickly he turned, exiting the room, the door slamming behind him.

Finally, Derek turned to Casey, who was a shade of pink he had seen in a very long long time.

"I'm sorry," were the first words out of his mouth. He had failed her. Again.

Casey, the angel that she was, shook her head. A giggle slipped passed her lips and she dared to smile up at him, one of her hands brushing the hair out of his face. "I feel like my dad just caught me with a boy in my room," she explained.

Derek huffed out a chuckle as well, letting his slowly relax into the softness of hers once more. "As if you'd even have a boy in your room," he countered.

Casey rolled her eyes in response. Her hand slid down from his hair, down his neck, and stopped at his chest. "You should probably…" she trailed off, looking at the closed bedroom door.

Derek sighed, dropping his forehead to her chest. "I…. had… plans," he explained, pulling the words out of his mind as it pained him to admit it.

"What kind of plans?" she teased, her fingers in his hair again, soothing him like she knew he needed.

"Plans that didn't involve my best friend."

"Well, maybe if you go talk to him now…we can try to salvage those plans?" she offered.

He felt the thump of her heart rattling in her chest. She was very interested in all the fun things he had planned. But if he started to think about that, he'd never leave the bed.

"Stay," he said, pulling his head up to look at her.

"I'll think about it," she teased. "Now go talk to Sam," she demanded.

Like ripping off a band-aid, he pulled himself away from her body, jumping to his feet with the agility that took years of practice. He couldn't help but be smug as he felt his eyes drink him in as if she hadn't seen it all the night before.

She was trouble. So much trouble.

Derek smirked, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'll be right back," he promised, slipping into his closet for a pair of joggers.

It was time to face his best friend.

"Sam?" Derek asked his best friend who waiting for him in the hallway. No real words, just his best friend's name, because that's all that needed to be said.

Sam was pacing up and down the space; one hand scrubbing at his mouth in frustration, the other typing frantically on his phone.

"I couldn't find her," Sam hissed to explain, pocketing his phone and giving Derek his full attention.

"Explain," Derek demanded, because they had so many protocols that losing Casey, within the estate no less, was nearly impossible. It should have been anyway.

Sam sighed heavily, looking at his best friend with a mix of emotions on his face. "Last night, Lorenzo was on watch on this wing. Casey told him she had a surprise for you, so to keep her location a secret," Sam explained, with a pointed look.

She had surprised him. But she also caused a mess in the process. Fuckkk.

"When they switched over shifts, he followed orders, listening to Casey, and did not alert Charlie," Sam went on to explain. "So, when no one had seen or heard from Casey all night, I got an alert. I came straight to you. Because last time…" Sam trailed off, giving Derek a pointed look.

Derek nodded. Last time, he made it very clear to Sam, that he was to be told of any issues involving Casey.

"I had the boys pull surveillance footage, but they didn't find her on them till after I walked in on…whatever I walked in on." Sam finished with a hint of a smile on his face.

Derek rolled his eyes. "We gotta talk to the team. I want them to listen to Casey, but…"

"Yeah, I know. I'll take care of it and make sure they know her whereabouts should never be in question. Surprise or not."

Derek nodded again, happy to have found the problem and the solution within a few minutes. He ran a hand through his hair, his anger long faded. Suddenly he was a little embarrassed about what Sam had walked in on. Not because he was ashamed, but because he wasn't sure Casey wanted anyone to know…

"So…" Sam started, wanting Derek to fill in the blanks.

Derek rolled his eyes in response. They were not teenage girls gossiping at a sleepover. "Oh come on, Sam. You knew. You've always known."

"Of course I did. But I thought you two were still in your starry-eyed phase. I didn't think you…" Sam pointed to the bedroom door as if that explained it all.

Derek couldn't help but smile. He was very pleased that they had moved on to a different stage. They can't keep their hands to themselves on stage.

"I guess I always thought …You know, Sally…" Sam suggested with a shrug.

Derek shook his head. "There's never been anyone else," he admitted softly, hoping Casey didn't hear him.

"So, this is happening?" Sam asked his tone so much softer.

"Something's happening," Derek answered with a shrug. He didn't want Sam to think they were in a relationship. He knew he was just a pit stop while Casey was at the estate.

Sam nodded slowly, sliding a hand into his pocket casually, eyeing Derek like a target. "Alright, well just... don't make me put a bullet between your eyes, D." Sam threatened him so smoothly Derek almost didn't see it coming. Sam's protective nature kicked in in full force, and this time Derek was on the receiving end of the threats.

Sam was threatening a Venturi, on Venturi land. It was a bold move. But Derek, being the sick bastard he was, smiled in response. "You threatening me, Sammy?"

"She's like a sister to me," Sam explained through gritted teeth, keeping eyes locked on Derek. It's not that Sam was mad about his discovery, Derek understood that. He was more annoyed not to have been kept in the loop. And mostly worried about Casey.

"Yeah, I've heard that before," Derek countered, rolling his eyes.

"Except I mean it. So, we clear?" Sam pushed for an answer. No one, absolutely no one could talk to Derek like that. And yet…

Derek pushed his tongue against his cheek. None of it was surprising. It made him swell with pride to know that his best friend, his second, would put her above him. "With my life," Derek swore his blood oath to his best friend. "If I hurt her, I'll load the gun for you," he offered.

"Good." Sam sighed. "Now get out of here. I'm clearing your schedule for the day."

"No, Sam-"

"My best friend finally got the girl. Take the day, D."

Derek let the words sit between them for a second. It wasn't exactly true. But it also wasn't a lie. "Fine," Derek breathed.

"And I'll let the boys know there's a new boss in town," Sam smirked, turning his back on Derek.

Derek groaned, throwing his head back. That was the whole issue. She already had too much power. "She's not the new boss!" Derek called out.

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that," Sam added, chuckling.

Well, Shit.