Preggers, A Life with Derek fanfic
Title: Preggers, Chapter Three
Author: happy_overdose
Summary: Casey decides to get artificially inseminated.
Disclaimer: I dont even have a good bra
T
he afternoon went on smoothly, with Derek stepping into his Dad role perfectly. Casey suppressed her hysteria in an effort to make sure Matt had a good time, even if he never remembered it.
By the end of the night, when it was just family left and Casey had handed everyone a third piece of cake (some wrapped it up, some, like Sy, scarfed it down and asked for more) and Matt was a sleepy log on Lizzie’s shoulder, Casey decided to have them all sit down in her living room. Alex was (reluctantly) put to bed along with Matt. Simon fought for his right to stay and won.
“Okay,” Casey sighed, “As you all know, and knew before me in fact, Matt is Derek’s son.”
“Yeah, we know,” Edwin blurted, “Do you know how hard it was keeping it from you? Every time I saw you two I was like how could she not see…”
“Ed, calm down,” Lizzie rubbed his arm, “Go on Casey.”
“Alright. We both decided, meaning Derek and I, that we are gonna be co-parents. Meaning, we’ll share custody of Matt.”
“You make him sound like a plot of land,” Simon chuckled. George reached out to swat him.
“Well, I just don’t want to have any confusion about the whole thing. I don’t want Matt to feel in any way different or weird, not knowing who his dad is and…”
She was mortified when she felt the tears welling up. She promised herself she would not cry, because really there was nothing to be crying about. Nothing she could admit anyway.
She covered her face and heard all of them cooing in a comforting chorus. Suddenly she was wrapped in arms that were strong, comforting and felt way too good.
“Hey, I know it’s your thing to blubber and wear your heart on your sleeve, but it’s okay. Whatever you think is wrong, it isn’t.”
But it was. She knew it was. And she couldn’t hold it up for a day, much less all of her life.
……………………………..
“It was a nice little party. Alex had a great time,” Lizzie said as she got to the door. Edwin had taken a sleeping Alex to the car already.
Casey hugged her little sister tight.
“When are you going back?”
“Well next week. But I may be coming home for good soon. The organization is going to be starting up an operation to stop deforestation here in Canada, and they want me to head it up. But it’s not finalized yet, so I haven’t told mom and George. But keep your fingers crossed. Edwin was saying last night that if I come home, he and I can start that charity we’ve been meaning to do for so long.”
“You two will always be a dynamic duo,” Casey smiled.
“So are you and Derek,” Lizzie smiled back, “You always bicker and fight and get into each other business, but I’m sure nobody knows him like you do and visa versa. Matt is almost the crowning achievement of your partnership.”
“How many glasses of wine have you had? You sound loopy,” Edwin said as he came back to fetch Lizzie, “Bye, Case. See you next month for my company hockey game.”
Lizzie chuckled, “Edwin playing hockey. I would pay cash money to see that!”
“I’m not that bad.”
“But definitely not as good as me.”
“You were on the varsity team, Liz. A team of boys. I don’t think I would ever deny that you’re better than me.”
“Aww you’re cute.”
Casey watched them walk towards the car, still making small talk. She shook her head at the pair they made and moved to close the door.
As she did, the black sports car across the street caught her eye. It must have been Derek’s rented car. He was in Matt’s room just watching him sleep. She had to admit, Derek as a parent was really refreshing. He played with Matt all evening, in between grilling Marti about her new boyfriend, playing video games with Simon and giving Alex piggy back rides around the house. He had grown up a lot since she met him when she was fifteen, but having a kid just really cemented him as a whole person.
She went to the door of Matt’s room to see Derek holding onto Matthew’s hand through the bars of his crib. He sat there, looking at Matt as if he was memorizing his little face.
She had to tell him. She couldn’t hold it in anymore.
“Derek?”
“Yeah?” he looked around with a big grin on his face.
“Can I talk to you a moment?”
He got up from the stool he was on and headed out from Matt’s room. They headed for Casey’s office, where she sat on the end of her desk and he took the swivel chair.
“I have something to confess.”
“More than you were hiding you cake making skills all this time? Did you really make that cake? Like my camera guy Angelo says, you put your foot in it.”
Casey scrunched up her face, “Ew!”
“I know, the analogy is awful, but if you hear him say it, you’ll get exactly what he means.”
“I don’t…how did the conversation change?”
“Well, you said you had a confession and I said you hid your baking skills and I told you about Angelo…”
“Stop! Derek you’re distracting me!”
“I just don’t want you to tell me you change your mind.”
“I…” she stared at him, “Derek that is not what I’m going to say. I really do want you in Matt’s life. I’m not going back on that, I promise.”
Derek sighed, “Great! As long as you’re not telling me that, Case, I can take anything.”
She doubted it, but she soldiered on.
“Derek, I think in the back of my mind I had an idea who I wanted to be my baby’s father. I played it like I didn’t have a clue, and really consciously I didn’t. I went to that clinic presumably because it was the closest. But maybe it wasn’t the real reason. I remembered the story about the time you donated and so I sought out that particular clinic. Then after that it was just picking out the donor who had the most things in common with you. It was a hit or miss of course, plus I really wasn’t doing it consciously. It really wasn’t planned, Derek. Please don’t hate me.”
Derek knitted his brow, “I don’t get it. What are you telling me?”
“Derek! I’m saying that on some level I planned this!” Casey felt the tears spring to her eyes and wiped them away angrily. She was not allowed to cry, “Look, I understand it if you hate me…”
“Are you kidding?”
Casey halted, “But Derek…”
“Casey, Casey, Casey,” he got up and gathered her in his arms, “Look at this. If you didn’t find the clinic I went to, and you didn’t choose me out of all of those guys, I wouldn’t be a dad. So really I’m thankful. You gave me a gift.”
“How could you say that? I feel like I kidnapped your sperm!”
Derek chuckled, “The only crime here is that you felt like you had to pay for stuff you could get for free.”
She laughed as well, wiping away the last of her tears. He gave her an extra tight hug before they settled into each other, breathing each other in.
“I miss you,” Derek admitted, “You and Matt. All the time. And I have to leave again in a week. Can’t you guys come with me?”
“Where are you going this time?” Casey asked. She found she had missed him too underneath her nail-chewing anticipation.
“I’m going to Jamaica for two weeks. You know the book was written there, so they want to tie in the roots of the series into the latest movie.”
“You’re joking!” Casey exclaimed, “You thought I would turn down two weeks in Jamaica?”
“Well, it’s gonna be with me.”
“It could be with the leader of the Conservative Party, I’m going to Jamaica!”
“So it’s all set. Me you and Matt…”
“Yes Derek! Yes, yes, yes!”
She couldn’t help herself. She grabbed his lapels and pressed her lips to his.
It was like she had been thirsty and didn’t know it. She had no idea how long they stood in her office just kissing, drinking each other in. She was sure she touched him everywhere. It was like they couldn’t get close enough. Derek was helping in that department, by cupping her bottom and pressing her to his midsection. Her dancers’ hips rotated and bucked into his.
“Casey,” Derek groaned low in his throat.
It was her name that made her wake up to what she was doing. She sprang back, looked at him with wide eyes.
“Case, no-“
Too late. Her legs took it upon themselves to propel her out the room and down to the hall to her own.
It was another few minutes before she watched his sports car roll away, leaving her alone with her thoughts.
…………………………………..
Derek had to wonder why he had ever left Casey and gone all over the world.
He had been to the Caribbean before. The last time was the Bahamas, where he filmed for three days on a big blockbuster. He hardly got to see much, though the hotel he stayed at was five-star. But seeing a place through Casey’s eyes was refreshing. She wanted them to stop everywhere on their drive from the Montego Bay airport to one of the many beautiful hotels on the North Coast of the island. They bought jelly coconuts and summer dresses made out of the country’s colours of black, gold and green. They stopped to change Matt’s diaper and ended up eating jerk chicken with festival and bammy. Casey of course quipped that Derek must have been here already because they named a dish after him.
They took Matt to the seaside and placed him gingerly into the water. He totally enjoyed it, clapping his hands and giggling. That was until a wave covered his head. He screamed and clung to Derek. It was a great moment. Derek felt elated that he could give his son protection and comfort, even if it was just from a tiny wave.
They reached their hotel in the late afternoon. Casey was surprised to see a beautiful crib set up for Matt in the room. Derek noticed that she made no comment on the fact that there was one bed and not two.
Derek had a theory he wanted to test. The one bed situation was to test that out.
After Matt had his bath and was officially conked out from all the excitement of the day, Derek and Casey settled in with a movie and room service. They were on the bed, on top of the covers and in their pajamas. Derek had been watching the mother of his child suck rum and raisin ice cream off her dessert spoon for a whole minute before he had the courage to say what was on his mind.
“Casey.”
“Yeah?” she barely looked at him. The ‘romantic part’ of the movie had held her attention.
“You’re gonna have to sleep with me tonight.”
She looked at him, eyebrow quirked, “I can see that, Der. I know you probably didn’t have time to upgrade the room, but it was nice of you to get the crib for Matt.”
So she thought he had time to call the concierge to special order a crib for his room, but he had no time to call the front desk to ask them for a bigger suite. The lies Casey told herself.
Derek placed a cube of cantaloupe on his tongue, turning back to the movie, “Do you plan to ever get your head out of the clouds long enough to admit you are in love with me?”
That got her attention. She paused the movie.
“Excuse me?”
“You’re excused.”
“What the hell does that mean?”
“Casey, you admitted to deliberately having my baby. You and I keep…” he searched for the words, “…meeting up. We both have no love life. What does that say to you?”
“When you say meeting up, do you mean…”
“Hooking up. Snogging. Playing tonsil hockey.”
“Jeez, Derek, we kissed twice. Stop flattering yourself.”
“Answer this Case,” he turned his body to her on the bed, “What other reason would there be for you to have my baby?”
In the dim light of the television screen, he saw Casey blush.
“Admit it, Case. You’re in love with me.”
“And what if I am?” Casey lashed out, making Derek’s heart leap, “I haven’t heard you mention yourself. It’s either you’re doing this to torture me or you’re in love with me too. So go ahead and admit it.”
“Well as they say ladies first.”
“No I insist. After you.”
None of them had any idea who sprang at the other first, but very soon, they were rolling over each other and clinging to each other, kissing hungrily. The TV had to shut itself off automatically as the movie went ignored.
………………………………………
The rest of the two weeks were incredible. Casey would treasure the experience forever. The movie shoot was taking place on a private property nearby that had an estate house with a wraparound veranda that looked out over the Caribbean Sea. Casey and Matt camped there while Derek did his filming. The staff brought her sandwiches and pitchers of fruit punch and got her anything she wanted for Matt. They really took Derek’s instructions to heart when he told them to treat her like a princess.
Sometimes when it was too cloudy or rainy to do any filming, they took Matt on adventures. He swam with dolphins and rode in a bobsled. Casey put her foot down when Derek wanted to take Matt on the canopy ride, saying her baby boy was not going to dangle precariously over tropical forests (The park didn’t allow babies on the ride anyway). They went to see a cultural show and Casey bored Derek to near death afterwards talking about it, but Matt seemed to enjoy the drums. They stayed at ‘home’ and swam in the pool or went to the beach. They took Matt horseback riding. They went on a safari ride into the forest. They even took strolls through the town near the hotel, touring the craft market and visiting the park.
They came in exhausted one evening after one of their adventures. The waiter who brought their room service came in to the sounds of Matt being fussy and totally misinterpreted.
“You know we have a nanny service. They can take your son for the night while you two get some time together alone.”
Casey tried not to take offense. The guy was just doing his job.
“We’ll think about it, Jevaughn,” said Derek, reading his nametag and shelling out a nice tip.
Ten minutes later, Casey and Derek were arguing about whether or not a stranger could take care of their son.
“Come on, Casey. It’s just for a few hours, in the meantime, we can go to a nice restaurant, take a walk on the beach.”
‘But…” Casey watched Matt sleep. She had not ever been very far from him in the year since he had come into her life.
“Two hours, Case. Then we will be right back.”
It took the look on his face for her to agree, “Alright. I’ll call the nanny service.”
They sent up a pleasant looking girl named Melissa. She grinned big and pretty, gave them professional handshakes and nodded competently at all of Casey’s instructions- until they became long enough to fill a notebook.
“Okay Miss McDonald,” Melissa said shortly, clearly thinking Casey was one of those clingy, overprotective mothers whose connection with her baby was almost as strong as the umbilical one she had a year ago, “I’ll take good care of Matt, okay? You go enjoy your vacation, alright? Bye-bye now.”
Casey tried not to worry about Matt as she and Derek walked to the restaurant where he had made their reservation. Derek’s arm around her helped. It meant she couldn’t bolt back upstairs.
They were seated promptly and got their menus, which were big enough to give them nice big barriers to block other people from their arguing.
“What is this about?” Casey hissed.
“What?”
“Bringing me to dinner. I was fine, staying in our room tonight and ordering room service. Now I left my son up there with some stranger…”
“Babe, you know I would not have left that room if I had any feeling Melissa was gonna do something to hurt Matt. Can you just relax?”
Casey tried to ignore the feeling of elation that came over her at the sound of Derek calling her ‘babe’.
“Honey,” Casey tried it on for size, feeling her heart thump when he smirked sexily, “It’s not Melissa I’m worried about. What if Matt wakes up and doesn’t see me?”
Derek rolled his eyes, “Case, I’m sure he’ll be polite and introduce himself to the nanny.”
“This is the first time I’ve been away from our baby. He’s going to be sad when he doesn’t see me.”
“He’s my kid. He’ll see it as a challenge,” said Derek, “How much trouble he can give before Mommy and Daddy get home.”
Casey tried to hide her grin. Mommy and Daddy. She liked it when he said it like that.
They ordered their dinner and sat there smiling at each other. If they could see themselves, they would scarcely believe they were the same people who used to openly hate each other years before.
When the waiters came by with their food, they spent several minutes praising the chef. Then conversation turned to Derek’s movie and Casey’s new book, then to family and finally to Matt. It was an entertaining evening, even the adorable scrimmage they had over the dessert. They were smiling and holding hands when they left the restaurant.
Derek fulfilled his promise of a walk on the beach. They strolled along, hand in hand, watching the sun set.
Suddenly Derek stopped and turned to face the mother of his child.
“I’ve got something to say to you.”
“Oh no,” Casey half joked, “Here it comes. What’s the mean thing that’s been stewing in the back of your brain to say to me all night?”
Derek leaned forward and kissed her lips.
“Thank you for giving me the best gift I’ve ever gotten in my life. Matt is… wonderful. I love him, and I don’t want to think of a world with him not in my life. He’s the best thing about me and I’m not afraid to say I love you for giving him to me, Casey.”
She couldn’t help the gasp that escaped her lips. It had to be the nicest thing he had ever said to her. By far. He told her le loved her for goodness sake! She felt her head go light.
“I love you too,” she blurted, “And not just because of Matthew. I love you. I love everything about you.”
She watched at the proud smile lit up his face.
“Well,” he leaned forward and kissed her on the lips, “We both love each other. It’s nice to know.”
Casey blushed.
“I think… I have another confession,” Casey looked away as she said it. There had to be a point when she stopped justifying why she did stuff with half truths, because having to confess to Derek about the stuff she hid from him and herself was getting tiring.
“What is it?” Derek asked, so gently, so trusting that Casey couldn’t help the way her heart beat quickened. She lunged forward and kissed him, just a peck, just sating her urge to touch him.
“When I had Matt, in the delivery room, I was all alone. The only person I could think about was you. I was all alone in the delivery room because nobody could make it on time. If you were around, I would have wanted you there, to hold my hand. I cried for you… I cried because you weren’t there to see our son being born… Even if I didn’t really know for sure, I felt it. I felt he was yours right then, and I denied the fact that he was because I was ashamed of what I did. I’m sorry about the way I reacted. I know I hurt you.”
Derek’s fingers in her hair calmed her. She finally looked up at him to see love shining in his eyes.
“Honey, that’s all in the past, okay? Now, we don’t have to deny anything because we know we love each other and we both love Matt. Look I want you to promise me something.”
“What?” she asked.
“If at anytime in the future I maybe come to you with a tiny box and ask you to marry me, can you promise to seriously consider it?”
Casey grinned, happy that the love of her life was as serious as he was silly.
“I promise.”
………………………………….