Perception

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters, or the show, or anything of the sort.


Hope you like it.




It had been a whole month without the McDonald women in the household. Well, aside from Nora, but of course she wouldn't leave with her daughters. That would be a fairly uncomfortable situation for her to be in. Casey and Lizzy had left at the beginning of summer to their dad's house in Toronto, but only for half the summer. Tomorrow they would be coming back, and Derek was dreading the thought of it. Casey was a pest, and a know it all, who did not fit in his world. Presumably, she wasn't a bad person, but that aside she was annoying as all hell. Eever since she came into the picture he had to fight for what was his, down to his own room. "I was king of this house before she moved in" Derek spat out the words bitterly, lying on his bed, Sam at the computer desk across from him. "Man, get over it, you had a month to yourself, and besides, you don't make it easy for her" Sam offered on Casey's defense.

"The only reason you sympathize with her is because you two dated" Derek sat up at this, glaring deathly at Sam. "look man" Sam sighed, preparing for somewhat of a confrontation "all im saying is that your not the easiest guy to live with-"

"SHES not the easiest girl to live with" Derek interrupted, at which point it became impossible to talk to him. Sam merely rolled his eyes and checked who was online on MSN.

"Smerek! Smerek! Smerek!" Marti ran in the room flinging her arms in the air like wild animal "Hey Smarti, what's up?" he laid back down on his bed, distracting from the subject any further.

"Nora said I had to go to bed... but she didn't say which bed" she made an effort of climbing onto Derek's bed "and she didn't say sleep" the six year old squealed and proceeded to jump on the bed in fits of giggles. Nora walked in then, hand's on hips, with a sigh. "Marti" her tone was full of discipline "I meant YOUR bed, come on now." Marti stood still on the bed, and glared at Nora "No! I don't wanna!" Derek rolled his eyes "can you both please get OUT of my room."

"Derek" came the unmistakable voice of George "don't be rude. Come on Marti, time for bed" George reached for his daughter who immediately jumped off the bed and hid on the other side. "Daaaaad!! oh. There you are" Edwin waltzed in the room with a curious look "why is everyone in Derek's room?"

"Good question" supplied Derek "get out." George went around the bed and grabbed Marti, flinging her over his shoulder "Alright, everyone leave the angst filled teenager alone now."

"Come on Marti, I’ll read you a bedtime story, and tuck you in" Nora offered affectionately, as per usual. Finally they all filtered out of his room, and shut the door. "This is hell Sam.. and there's two more of them coming here tomorrow."

***

Morning came too soon for Derek's liking, and that only meant that his two evil step sisters were coming home, and he was losing out on his kingdom once more. Sam was already awake and dressed by the time Derek finished brushing his teeth. He looked in the mirror with a smirk, it didn't get any better than him. Being him had granted popularity, a wicked band with a wicked name, D-Rock, and a girlfriend that he considered a 'major babe.' Too bad they broke up over the summer, Kendra was too jealous either way, and insisted Emily was head over heels for him. Derek had to admit, he knew Emily liked him, but he was also totally and undeniably un-attracted to her.

"Hey man" Sam knocked on the door "put some pants on and get downstairs, the cab just pulled in" and with that he left. Derek merely grunted, and now only blamed Casey's return for his lack of sleep. "whatever" he mumbled, and made his way out the bathroom, and down the stairs. Pants weren't a priority in his house. Not for him anyway; he was Derek, all mighty king of the house. Meanwhile, Nora, George, with Marti in his arms, Edwin and Sam were downstairs. The door opened just as he got off the last step, and Lizzy ran in with a smile from one ear to the next. "Mom!" they hugged, after which George put Marti down, giving Lizzy a hug and saying how everyone missed her while she was gone. Derek managed to even give her a noogie and say "nice to see ya brat." There might have even been a hint of a smile. "Where is Casey?" Nora asked, once she was assured that her youngest daughter was all in one piece. "She's-"

"Right here" Casey beat her to it, walking in with their bags, and shutting the door behind her with her foot. She was smiling, she was back, she was...different. Dropping her things, Casey immediately reached for her mother, and once again, everyone shared a field good family moment. That is until Nora took a good long look at her daughter "Casey you got a tan! and look at...did you dye your hair?" Casey smiled and made a gesture with her hands as if to say 'voila' and then nodded "blond streaks...light." Nora wasn't quite sure whether she liked it or hated it, but then something else caught her attention. "And what are you...wearing?"

"Dad took us shopping" Lizzy offered, referring to Casey's new style. She had on an incredibly tight light green tank top that accentuated her chest, and showed off her belly. In addition to that she was wearing tight hugging jeans and heels. "Yup, it was great mom, we went to wonderland and dad took us this amazing theater called Colossus where they have robots! it was so cool." She kept talking, Lizzy adding some things in and telling some of her own stories, everyone was immersed with Casey and Lizzy. Derek hadn't said a word to her yet, she hadn't even looked him. What the hell did she do to her hair? and what's with the get up? Who was she trying to impress, nobody cared about what Casey dressed like. Derek rolled his eyes and turned to Sam, who was quite literally staring Casey down at that moment. "Hi Sam" she turned to him first, Derek was to be saved for last. As if she found him a necessity she couldn't avoid. "Derek" she said simple, offering a smile to both, no other words. "Hey Case, good to see you back" Sam returned the gesture, inevitably head over heels for Casey as usual. Derek scratched his head and walked past her "can we have some breakfast in this house."

***
Sam had ended up going home an hour or so later, which left the happy family to cope with each other. Casey had locked herself in her room, presumably unpacking. "Hey Derek" George knocked on his bedroom door, and not three seconds later, he opened it "Yes dad."

"Were taking the kids out for ice cream and a movie, kind of to welcome the girls back, you in?"
Derek rolled his eyes, a trademark move and grunted "yeah dad, because im really going out anywhere in public with my family." George smiled "I forgot you were too cool for that, ok, well we won't be long." Derek shut the door as his father was turning "yeah, bye dad." He sat still in his room until he heard the door close downstairs and the car drive out of the driveway. Immediately heading downstairs once he was assured of being alone "finally, some me.....time.....what the hell" he did a double take, looking out onto the backyard. Lounging ever so casually out there was Casey, sunglasses on, hair tied up, nothing out of the usual. Nothing except a very crucial aspect, which was that she wasn't wearing anything.

Alright, he was over exaggerating. She was wearing her bathing suit, a chocolate brown bikini with pink flowers all over. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to throw up, or to keep watching. She sat up, and pulled herself up, walking into the house. Derek never noticed her movements before, not when they were hidden so well underneath her clothes. She had a killer body on her, and with those highlights, and tan, she was a different person. She opened the fridge, ignoring his existence completely, and pulled out the O.J. "What are you doing?" he asked, almost suspiciously. She took her sunglasses off and poured herself a drink "tanning, is that not allowed?" was her sarcastic remark, after which she sipped her drink, looking at him over the glass. She never severed eye contact, she was a pest.

"You look ridiculous in that thing" he smirked, referring to her bathing suit. That was supposed to get her angry, she should have snapped with some wise ass remark. Instead she calmly put down the glass, and grabbed her sunglasses, never tearing her eyes off his. Stepping slowly around the kitchen counter, she walked towards him without pause. He raised a brow in question, she was so confidant. Stopping inches away from him she smiled "Then maybe you shouldn't look." After which she turned on her heel, her hair whipping him in the face, and walked away, heading upstairs. What had just happened here? He didn't get the last word. He didn't upset her. She won that little spat of theirs. That almost never happened. And to his undeniable horror, she looked good doing it.


Well, that was the first chapter, R&R if you liked it or not, and i'll update as soon as possible, tonight if i can manage it.