Disclaimer: I don’t own Life With Derek. ‘Nuff said.

Author’s Note: I know you all probably hate my guts for taking so damn long to update… completely understandable. I mean, really, 7 months? It’s practically blasphemy! But I have a perfectly logical explanation:

My muse for this fic was on vacation. A really LONG vacation.

But she’s back now, with an update to boot.

X

Marti the Matchmaker
Marti’s Quest, and the Whistle

X

About two hours had passed since the incident at dinner and Marti now found herself in her room, sitting on her bed and staring blankly at the door. She sat in complete and utter silence as she tried to tune into the conversation - the one currently taking place between Casey and their parents - that was seeping through the thin walls that separated her room from Casey’s.

It was difficult, though. Despite how thin the walls were, they still managed to muffle most of the conversation, and Marti couldn’t help but feel as though it was like she was eavesdropping from under water… or something similar to that nature.

She sighed and glanced at her clock before falling back against her headboard.

Her dad and Nora had been in Casey’s room for what seemed like eternity. Time was a valuable asset to the plan and if she was going to execute said plan successfully… they needed to hurry up and get out as soon as possible.

Then, as if her prayers had been answered, she heard Casey’s door open, followed by Nora saying something along the lines of, “Just think about it, okay?”

Marti sat up straight and waited for their footsteps to disappear down the hall before she jumped out of bed and ran over to her dresser, where she yanked open the first drawer and pulled out the walkie-talkie that Edwin had given her right after supper.

“Agent E, this is Baby Bear. Papa Bear and Mama Bear have just left the room. Is the coast clear? Over.” She announced.

There was a brief pause, followed by some static, and then finally she heard Edwin’s voice.

“Roger that, Baby Bear. The coast is all clear.” He said. “Are you all set to initiate phase one of the plan?”

“Roger that.” Marti answered, opening her bedroom door and tiptoeing out.

“Great. Agent L is ready to go when you are.”

Marti didn’t reply immediately. She was too busy creeping down the hallway towards Casey’s room, but when she finally reached her older step-sister’s door, she spoke once more.

“Alright, Agent E. I’m ready. Baby Bear, out.”

With that, she turned off the walkie-talkie and slipped it into her pocket before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Then, she knocked.

X

“Alright, Agent E. I’m ready. Baby Bear, out.”

From their position at the bottom of the staircase leading to Edwin’s attic bedroom, Agent E and Agent L - also known as Edwin and Lizzie - glanced at one another upon hearing Marti’s voice.

Edwin swallowed nervously.

“You ready?” He asked.

Lizzie smirked at him.

“I was born ready.” She assured him.

Edwin returned the smirk, but it quickly fell and he looked at her worriedly.

“Are you sure you want to do this? You don’t have to. It’s a dangerous mission, Liz.” He said. “I can do it for you, you know. I’ve dealt with this sort of thing before. I -”

Lizzie shook her head.

“No, Edwin. I have to do this.” She told him. “It’s a job only I can do.”

With that, she stood up from her kneeling position at the foot of the stairs, hid her walkie-talkie in her sweater and breathed deeply. Then, just as she was about to venture over to Derek’s room, Edwin caught her by the wrist, halting her movement. She whipped back around to face him, brows knitted together in confusion.

“Edwin, what are you -” She started, but her step-brother held up his hand to silence her.

She shut up instantly, and let him speak.

“In case you don’t make it…” He started, his entire persona serious as he reached into his pocket and pulled something out. “I want you to have this. For luck.” He took her hand and placed something cold in it.

Lizzie looked down. Her eyes widened and she glanced back up at him.

“Your whistle? But -”

“That’s not all.” Edwin said. “I also… I just wanted to let you know that I… that I…” He trailed off, tearing his gaze away from her wide, curious eyes to stare at the hardwood floor beneath them. “… I care about you. A lot.”

He gathered the courage to look at her again, and was surprised to find her smiling at him.

“Oh, Edwin!” She cried, both breathlessly and dramatically as she threw her arms around his neck. “I care about you too!”

“Y-you do?”

Lizzie pulled away, still grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Of course I do.” She replied. “And I promise I’ll make it. For you, at least.”

With that, she leaned forward and kissed the corner of his mouth before shimmying out of his hold and making her way down the hall, leaving a stunned Edwin behind.

X

Well, that was dramatic.

For the record, that last scene with Edwin and Lizzie? I totally intended for it to be really cheesy. It was supposed to be humorous. I wanted to make it reminiscent of all of those corny ‘goodbye’ scenes in old movies. You know which movies I’m talking about.

And for the record? I had the Mission Impossible theme stuck in my head the entire time I wrote the scene with Marti. Weird, isn’t it?

Anyways, my apologies for taking so damn long to update… I’m going to try to finish up this fic by the end of August. September at the latest.

-Lady Azura-