A/N: Ok, so the idea of Alex and Casey as step sisters has been done before this idea was re-cast to me by the lovely Blitz and well I took it hook line and sinker. This version will be much different than the other, and Alex and Casey will be young for only a few chapters. So enjoy!
Alex Cabot sits in the back seat of her father's SUV with her headphones in playing the hit song of the moment. To say she is furious would be an understatement. She is more like outrageously annoyed, pissed, and furious rolled into one giant dark feeling.
Watching her father walk back up to the car she sighs and turns off her music and removes her headphones. He is clearly coming to talk to her, after all, he told her to stay here while they went to check in. Opening the driver's side door he climbs in and turns to look back at his blonde hair daughter.
Alexander Cabot stares at his daughter. To say her behavior had been disappointing was an understatement. Observing his 18 year old daughter he could tell she'd been crying but was clearly trying to hide that fact. She was curled up in the backseat and trying to look at him but not really. Seeing her like this broke his heart. She looked just like a young version of her mother, Charlotte, their similarities were truly uncanny. Yet, Alex had so much of his personality that it made it hard for him to talk to her, which is what made this moment right now so difficult.
Taking a deep breath he began, "Alexandra, you cannot treat your step mother how you have been treating her. Your mother and I did not raise you to be so disrespectful and rude and I am highly disappointed in your behavior on this car trip. Caroline has done nothing but treat you well as if you are her own daughter, but frankly my dear you have been nothing but a total bitch. Furthermore, you are not acting nice at all to poor Casey. She was so excited about this ski trip, but your complaining and carrying on makes her just want to go home. So what do you have to say for yourself?"
Alex listened to her father's words while she tried to fight a new round of tears. Every word he had spoken was true although she felt like she couldn't help her behavior. She felt like she wanted to die she was so upset all the time. Finally making eye contact with her father she says, "I have nothing to say."
Frowning at his stubborn daughter, Alexander shakes his head, "You have nothing to say Alexandra. You don't think that you should apologize or at least explain yourself?"
Losing her cool Alex screams, "I told you six months ago how I felt! I told you a year ago what I thought! You don't care! So why do you want me to keep repeating myself? Do you take pleasure in seeing me cry? Jesus Christ! Fine you want me to say I am sorry? Then here it goes, I am sorry you married Caroline. I am sorry that you clearly didn't love Mom as much I did and that it took you under a year to move on, and I am sorry that you can't understand why I am hurting so much."
"Alex your mother didn't just die in some accident!" Alexander yelled quickly regretting his tone of voice as he watched tears spring from his daughter's eyes. Calming himself he tried again, "Alex, what I am trying to say is your mother was sick for a long time. She and I talked numerous times about how she wanted me to move on after she passed. My meeting Caroline and falling in love and getting married again doesn't mean I love your mother any less. Can you understand that?"
"I want to go inside now. I want to take a nap." Alex says without looking at her father.
Shaking his head James climbs out of the car and open Alex's car door. "You take your bag and Casey's. I will take mine and Caroline's."
Grabbing the bags, they walk inside the hotel and go straight to their suite. Entering their home for the next week, Alex walks straight to her and Casey's room. Dropping their bags on the floor and stripping off her boots, jacket and jeans she climbs under the bedspread and closes her eyes. She just wants to fall asleep she just wants to be left to cry alone.
Hearing the door open she realizes that she isn't going to have such luck. Feeling a familiar weight press into the bed she knows it's her step sister, her step sister that adds a whole new realm of problems to her life. She rolls over to face the attractive redhead.
Casey looks at the red eyed blonde. She may only be 16, but she knows her step sister has been crying she just isn't sure if it's for the reason she thinks it is. Taking a breath, Casey asks, "Are you okay? Do you want to talk?"
"No, I don't want to talk. I want to take a nap Casey. It's why I am laying down. What do you want?" Alex asks with a sharp tone in her voice.
Casey frowns, "I wish you'd open up to me. You know we are supposed to be sisters now and all."
"Jesus Casey! Get a clue I don't want to be your sister now or ever! Just leave me alone." Alex says coldly.
The hurt is very evident on Casey's face. She stands and walks out of the room not saying another word to the blonde. Watching the door close, Alex thinks 'I don't want to be your sister because I have feelings for you. Not so sisterly feelings.
Two days later...
Alex sat on the secluded edge of the slope looking down on the happy world around her. She really didn't know what to do anymore. So far her father wasn't speaking to her and neither was Casey. As a matter of a fact, the only person who had said anything to her in the last 24 hours was Caroline, which only made her feel worse. Alex lay down in the snow she just wished a snow drift would swallow her up.
As Casey rode the gondola she spotted a familiar form lying to one side of the slope below her. She knew it was Alex by the pink pair of skis that had been discarded to the side and her black white and pink Spyder ski outfit. However, despite knowing it was Alex she did not know why Alex was sitting at the top of a freezing slope.
Exiting the lift, Casey strapped into her board and traversed her way down the black diamond to where her step sister sat alone. Reaching Alex rather quickly, Casey slowed her board a respectable distance away as to not spray Alex with snow and slowly approached her. Sitting down next to the blonde she didn't say anything just waited.
"I am sorry Casey," Alex said so quietly that Casey almost missed it.
Reaching over Casey took her hand and squeezed it lightly, "I know Alex. Believe it or not I understand."
Alex looked over at the redhead and frowned. She believed that Casey understood the lost parent part, but she also knew that Casey had no idea about her feelings for her. Although, Alex knew she could never act on her feelings for Casey that didn't mean she couldn't be friends with her. Squeezing the redheads hand back, Alex asked, "Can you teach me how to snowboard?"
"Umm, yeah I guess." Casey replies a little shocked. There were two things shocking about this request, one Alex never asks for help, and two Alex doesn't do anything she deems boyish and snowboarding is one of those things. However, Casey can see just how lonely the blonde is at this moment. Pushing up she helps Alex into her skis and they head to the lodge.
An hour later the two girls are laughing on the bunny slope while Casey try's to help Alex get the hang of a snowboard versus skis. Despite falling every time she tries to stand the blonde seems to be enjoying herself which makes Casey smile. Shaking her head, Casey thinks had you told her two days ago that she would be having nothing but fun with Alex before this trips end she would have called you a liar.
That evening the two teens headed back to their suite in easy conversation, however, upon entering the main room Casey was shocked to see Alex's entire demeanor change. As the blonde saw her father and step mother she threw her stuff on the table by the door and walked into their room and closed the door. Casey followed after her not exactly sure what just happened.
"Alex, are you okay?" Casey tentatively asked.
"Go away Casey." Alex mumbled from her pillow.
"Is it just my Mom that you hate or is it me? Or shit Alex is it both? I can't take this hot cold perception you give off all the time. I am a nice person Alex and I want to be friends with you but when you act like this I don't know what to say or do!" Casey yells.
"I am taking a shower and going to bed." Alex says ignoring the redhead's pleas.
"Argh!" Casey screams throwing a pillow at Alex's head and successfully hitting her with it. "Snap out of it and talk to me! Stop being a raging bitch."
"Fuck you Casey! I don't need a friend and I sure as hell don't need a sister and I especially don't need or want a new mother! I want my mother Casey not yours! I want mine! Why did she have to die, and not him!" just as soon as Alex said the words she regretted them and fell to the bed crying.
Casey stood and walked to the now slightly hysterical blonde. Lying on the bed next to her she pulled her into a sort of spooning position and held her why she cried. She now knew why Alex was the way she was to her and her mother and she truly felt for her.
The next morning Casey scribbled a note to their parents letting them know they hit the slopes early then quickly directed Alex from the hotel suite and down the road to a cafe for a quick bite before heading out. Alex had thanked her for last night and for helping her avoid their parents. The blonde felt guilty for her distance from her father but relief at the same time.
Looking into Casey's captivating green eyes, Alex asked, "How did your Dad die?" She was positive she'd been told before, but never cared enough to listen.
Frowning as she stirred her coffee, Casey replied, "He was a cop and he was shot on duty. He responded to a call about domestic violence at a residence he'd been to before so knowing the wife was pregnant and had a little boy he didn't wait for back up. While helping the wife and child out of the house, the husband opened fire on them. He died a hero shielding the mother and son from the brunt of the bullets before he took down the husband."
"I am really sorry Casey." Alex said wiping a tear from her eye. She wasn't just sorry for Casey's father, she was sorry she's never paid attention to his story and for the pain she'd caused the redhead.
"I know Alex. My dad died a long time ago. I mean I can barely remember him. A matter of a fact, one of my last memories of him was him grabbing me and jumping into our pool, I was maybe five. Your mom just died two years ago. So I get it you still hurt. Plus, as awful as my dad's death was it wasn't cancer and drawn out like your moms." Casey by this time was looking right into Alex's eyes while she spoke wanting every word to absorb.
Alex felt even worse now. Casey wasn't as selfish as she was clearly considering she knew that Alex's mom died of cancer. Bowing her head Alex said, "Sorry for not remembering how your dad died."
"Don't worry about it. What kind of cancer did your mom have?" Casey asked. She knew, but she wanted Alex to feel less guilty.
"Breast cancer, it was invasive and spread to her lungs. No amount of surgery, chemo, or radiation could help. My dad acts like I should have been more prepared for her death or able to move past it already, but I kept praying for a miracle, just one never came." Alex said with tears in her voice.
Casey took the blondes hands in hers, "I am sorry Alex."
"Thanks."
The teens sat in silence for a long time. Casey kept watching Alex observing how she took in the world around her. She gave off an icy demeanor but Casey could tell it was more just a look than anything else. Alex seemed very sure of herself. She was incredibly headstrong, loyal to a fault, and passionate about everything. These were the key parts to Alex that kept her step sister's interest peaked. If it hadn't been for her qualifies as an individual she was sure she'd have kicked the blonde to the curb by now.
Heading back out onto the slopes, Casey continued to help Alex learn to snowboard. By midday she had mastered the basic principles and was easily able to traverse the mountain. Casey was really amazed at her ability to pick up a new skill.
Later that evening, while heading to the hotel Alex turned to Casey. Looking at the redhead she asked, "Would you like to get dinner before heading up to the suite?" Casey looked Alex over she was really starting to understand the degree to which the blonde did not want to be around there parents.
Rubbing her hand behind her head Casey said, "Umm, I kind of wanted to spend time with my mom tonight Alex."
"Yeah sure, I understand." Alex said quickly dropping her head to look at the ground as they continued on to the hotel. Arriving at the room, Alexander greeted the girls. Alex ignored him and walked right on into their room and closed the door while Casey was left in the main suite.
"What is her problem?" Alexander sighed shaking his head.
Caroline frowned, "I just think she needs more time to adjust Al." Turning to Casey she asks, "Did you have a fun day on the slopes honey?"
"Yeah, I did. Alex even watched me do some jumps and rails in the terrain park." Casey says beaming as she removes her jacket and toboggan.
"So I take it that Alex is being nice to you again?" Alexander inquires while pouring a drink.
"Yes sir, she is. I am going to get cleaned up for dinner, excuse me" Casey says walking into her and Alex's shared room. Heading to the bathroom she hears the shower running knocking lightly and opening the door she pokes her head in and sees Alex sitting on the floor wrapped in a towel with wet hair.
Sighing Alex says, "I thought you all were leaving for dinner."
"I wanted to get cleaned up first."
"Fine go take a shower I am done." Alex says as she stands.
"Why were you sitting on the floor with the shower running?"
"Because I don't want to be bothered. I am going to bed, if they ask I have a migraine." Alex says walking out of the room. By the time Casey finishes showering Alex is in bed asleep. Casey mentally notes this is the third night that Alex has gone to bed without eating as she leaves with their parents.
Arriving back to the hotel that night Casey wakes Alex up. "What's wrong?" Alex groggily asks.
"I brought you dinner." Casey says with a warm smile. "I wasn't sure what you'd want exactly, so I ordered you a filet since I know you like steak."
"Why are you being so nice to me Casey?" Alex questions as she takes the food. Opening the box her mouth instantly waters from the delicious smell. She was so hungry her head hurt. Not eating after snowboarding all day was miserable.
"Alex," Casey begins sitting on the bed, "I know how hungry I was getting off the slopes, so I know you had to be starving."
"So you brought me food so I wouldn't starve to death, okay thanks, but that still doesn't explain why you are being so nice to me." Alex responds while eating.
Casey lies down on the bed next to Alex and softy says, "I don't know Alex. I guess I want to be your friend even if you don't want to be mine."
Neither girl said anything else. After finishing all of her meal Alex cleaned up and got ready for bed. Walking out of the bathroom she found the redhead asleep in her bed. Not saying a word Alex climbed in and snuggled close. It was nice to feel loved even if it wasn't the way she wanted it to be.
