On the doorstep of the new year, Derek finds himself single for the sixth time in his life.  The four-month relationship to Jess of NYC has come to an end, not in the manner of shooting an ailing horse, but more in the manner of not administering a potentially lethal cure to an old person.  Sources close to Derek, speaking on the grounds of the Appomatix Courthouse, revealed that Derek is indeed saddened by this recent turn of events, but ultimately feels it is the best course of action.

Citing various reasons for the break-up, most notably contrasting plans for the future and Jess' bewildering skills at Risk that left Derek feeling like he couldn't conquer a bathtub if there were a small child asleep in it, Derek sees the break as a necessary evil.  During the time following this relationship, Derek has no immediate plans to be with anyone, as the time he had available for dating before was scant, at best.  However, he hates to deter the legions of people who have been clawing their facial features out, waiting for the moment to attract Derek's eye.  So, for those interested parties, here is the link to the application to date Derek.