Disclaimer: All the characters are created and owned by Disney. Any original characters are mine.

This isn't right.

Casey forces the lie through her head over and over, hoping it will stick and become the truth. It doesn't. It may not be right - she doesn't believe that but that's what society has told her and certainly what he would say - but it feels right.

"Just because something feels good doesn't mean it is Case!" - she can hear her dad's voice in her head and she frowns, shaking slightly. Not good - right - and there is a difference. This - this feels like she was meant to do this and she doesn't care what others may think or how it would seem. She never fit in anyway. She was the irritant, the outsider, the strange one - all because she had hopes, dreams, and big ideas that no one else seemed to grasp or understand.

"Don't try and fit in someone else's box Case. Be you." - her mom was always her biggest supporter, never trying to discourage anything.

"Don't think outside the box. Once you say that, you've established that there is a box." - it was one of her favorite Disney quotes. There aren't boundaries or perimeters. Just go and do. Don't limit yourself. TRY. "It's kind of fun to do the impossible."

And this - this right here, this was damn near impossible. She has been watching for the past thirty minutes, taking in every detail. Oh, she already knows what is wrong with their project but she will let him figure it out. In the meantime, she would watch. Watch how his frown grew deeper with every passing moment. Watch how his brow would crease with concentration. Watch how one hand would clench and unclench around the tool he was holding while the other runs through already tousled hair.

"You're not doing it right." Okay, maybe she wouldn't let him.

"Oh really?" Frank snorts without even looking up at her. "And I suppose you-"

His voice fades to silence as she reaches over his arm and moves the connector piece into the correct spot. The device immediately lights up and begins to whir on the tabletop. She bites back a grin of pride as his shoulders slump a little but there's a hint of a smile on his face.

"Don't feel discouraged." she pats his wrist lightly in a teasing manner, keeping her hand there longer than is necessary. She enjoys the warmth of his skin, the contrasting coolness of his watch, the coarse patch of hair, the way it feels underneath her fingertips and makes every atom in her body sing out. She glances away from their experiment and scans his face. The faint smile is gone, replaced with a growing frown again. He doesn't meet her eye, instead focuses on the device, trying to find where he went wrong. There's a small voice in her head telling her she is making him uncomfortable and she removes her hand, fingers suddenly cold and empty. "You would have gotten it."

She tries to be everything he needs. His confidant, his cheerleader, his support, his partner, his friend. She is everything Athena was and tries to be what Athena wasn't and couldn't be. Wants to be what she couldn't.

"Maybe not." he clears his throat and finally looks up at her. He flashes a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "You're the up and coming star and I'm the beaten down dinosaur."

"You're not a dinosaur." she huffs in irritation and rolls her eyes. "Don't talk like that."

She thinks he doesn't notice her looks and touches but maybe he does. When she thinks about it, there have been an increasing number of comments about their age - like a warning.

"I'm not going to be around forever kid."

The statement makes her blood run cold and her chest ache painfully. A year ago she had never even heard of Frank Walker and now she can't - and doesn't - want to imagine a world without him.

"I'm … proud of you." he mumbles the compliment and she raises an eyebrow. "I'm glad when you prove yourself. I'm not saying this should be your entire life but at least I know I'm leaving the place in capable hands if you wanted it."

Frank is fucked. He knows it. He's known it a long time but Casey Newton seems to point it out the most. Like some ten foot billboard with a glowing neon arrow. There is something extremely wrong with him. He stands from his desk and walks to the window - floor to ceiling glass that overlooks all of Tomorrowland. The sun is beginning to set - the bright blue morphing into pinks and golds, glinting off glass and metal spires alike.

Casey is … not here. It's an oddity. Typically, she was at his side morning, noon, and night. It's been two years since she showed up at his farmhouse and bypassed every security defense he had. Physically and emotionally, the crude voice in his head whispers. He grunts and pushes away from the window to walk to the mini fridge they kept in the lab. Inside his refrigerator are two bottles of Heineken - a gift from Eddie's most recent foray through the Bridgeway. "I don't think the Plus Ultra would have been against a little bit of this." - his friend had grinned, revealing the case hidden amongst his cargo.

He pops the cap and takes a long sip, hoping it will calm his nerves and anger. Casey is … not here and she is not here because they got into a fight. A fight he had started. He tried not to. He knows what happened the last time he felt this way and it was ultimately the cause of his breakdown and exile from Tomorrowland. No one is going to exile him now - he is the de facto leader after all but the negativity will still have an impact. It is having an impact right now. They haven't been able to come up with a new project together or separately. The third generation of recruiters are not coming along like they hoped.

She doesn't get it. For all her intelligence, she is still just a child and so damn naive. She doesn't understand that he is doing this to help her. She views him as some kind of ogre because he wants more for her.

"What are you doing tonight?"

"Working on this." She doesn't look at him as she wrangles with the wrench in her hands. It feels like she's been angry for days.

"You ever think about giving it a break?"

"You ever think you're a hypocrite?"

He rolls his eyes and grabs her hand gently, effectively stopping her and ignoring the shockwave that runs through him.

"What?" she tilts her head up finally and gives him an irritable gaze.

"What happened with those people this afternoon?"

"Nothing." a bitter look crosses her face as she turns back to her work. He interprets that as he has everything the past year - she needs more than him and their lab.

"You don't have to be here."

"Well, I am here."

"But you can do other things."

"I can but I don't want to."

"Seems to me like you do."

"Well, you're wrong." she throws the wrench down and picks up a screwdriver.

"Kid, listen - "

"Don't call me that!"

He falters, not sure how this is going down hill so quickly. They had gone for lunch that afternoon, thinking the break would give them time to rest their brains. He had noticed the group of kids before she had. They were all in her age range, giggling and messing around as they walked down through the center plaza. It had dawned on him that since the new recruits had arrive, she hadn't taken the time to interact with any of them that he knew about. He doubted that she had since they were together the majority of the day. She hadn't tried that afternoon either but the had both seen the snide looks and the whispers of gossip.

"Casey,"

"I know people are talking about me." she gives a quiet chuckle and tosses down the screwdriver. "Isn't it funny? This is supposed to be the place of dreamers and the future and showing off new ideas and making advances. That's what I'm good at and I still don't fit in. I don't want to and I don't need to. People seem to think otherwise."

People being himself and likely Eddie. He imagines that is disconcerting to see your 20 year old daughter spend all her free time with a man decades older than she was. The first year it was inevitable. Tomorrowland needed to be repaired and Casey had ideas upon ideas. He was able to implement them and she inspired him. They were a good team. Between the two of them they were able to restore Tomorrowland and even made it better in some ways. The second generation of recruiters were released and brought back new recruits.

There were more hands and more minds and they didn't have to do it all themselves. He expected her to find a group, make friends, expand her horizons. Instead she holed herself up in the lab with him creating and engineering. It was wrong for him to want to keep her there. The truth was Casey had saved him and she was all he had in Tomorrowland. He was simply being selfish and he was holding her back.

"You're kidding right?" She had said when he told her as much. "Last time I checked I was here because I wanted to be here. You didn't chain me up and lock the door Frank!"

"I just don't want you to feel like you have to be here. Go do something with yourself!"

"Do you not want me here?"

"I want you to be the best that you can be and you have more in store for you than just these four walls. Don't sell yourself short."

"I thought we were a team."

He doesn't respond to that. Of course they were a team. Athena may have been Casey's recruiter but he was her mentor and there was a point that he needed to let her go.

"Don't you care what people think?"

"Not all of them." She pushes away from the table, grabs her jacket, and storms through the door.

Frank is fucked. The first time he loved someone, she was an animatronic. The second time she is twenty year old know it all who is driving him insane.

He is surprised when he hears the door to the lab open. She hesitates by the door but quietly closes it behind herself. It's been three hours since she left and he figures she wouldn't have been back tonight - if ever.

"I forgot my phone," she offers an explanation and he sees it on the table near the seat she was in. He moves forward and grabs it, holding it out. She pauses again but takes the several steps to stop in front of him. "Thank you."

She takes the offered end in her hand but he doesn't let go.

"I'm not trying to hurt you Case. That's the last thing I want. There is just so much more out there, so much that you can accomplish, and I don't want you missing opportunities. Opportunities I can't give you. Don't get tunnel vision. Keep doing what you're doing but-"

"- do it with someone else?" She finishes coldly. "You're an idiot Frank. For everyone touting how much of a genius you are, you can be so incredibly stupid."

"You don't understand."

"Why not?" This seems to just agitate her more and her blue eyes are an endless blaze of fury. "I can understand engineering and tachyons and inter dimensional bullshit but I can't understand being happy and knowing what I want? Why because I'm a kid?"

She spits the word at him like it is a slur and he inhales a sigh as she yanks the phone out of his hand and swivels towards the door. She stops before she opens it and instead slams a fist against the metal. She slumps forward and rests her head against it and he quickly realizes she is crying. This causes him to feel overwhelming guilt.

The past two years have been a whirlwind ever since saving the world and moving to Tomorrowland. She has had Frank as a constant presence, one she didn't realize she needed initially. God knows she tried to stop this. At first, it was simply admiration. It was difficult not to admire him, considering all he accomplished and continued to. Then, as a few months went by and they were in the throes of renovating, she thought it was a crush. He always had a compliment, a grin, a joke. Ever since they stopped Nix and the Monitor and he saw hope and change were possible, she saw the man he had been previously. She learned from him - they were teacher and student. She remembered having a similar crush on her freshman science teacher. Like Frank, he had taken account of her views and ideas; had praised and encouraged her.

But as the months continued to go by and the first wave of recruiters were ready to go, she knew this was different. They stood side by side as they briefed their new team and she felt good, knowing they had accomplished one of their main goals. As she watched the recruiters disappear through the Bridgeway, she looked at him and felt a rush of love - different than what she felt for her father and brother. They had done this together and in that moment she could envision the future- what else they would accomplish together professionally and maybe personally. She had hope.

She had spent the past year trying to restrain herself. She had sneaked glances and touches but she never pushed. She tried to keep her thoughts to herself and act as though everything was normal but it got to be too difficult after a time. She was contemplating if it was better to have the part of Frank she had or nothing at all. Then he had started this whole argument.

"Case," his voice is rough and low near her ear, his hands gentle on her shoulders. "Hey, come on, relax."

It is then she realizes how hard she is crying and shaking, all tension built up from the year. She tries to shrug him off but he adjusts his hands and his arms wrap around her. She is still twisting, trying to throw him off but he doesn't budge. Finally, she gives up and turns fully in his grasp. She fits perfectly against him - something both of them realize - and her head falls to his shoulder, hair tangling on his day old stubble.

"I want you to be happy."

"I am happy." She punctuates the statement with a cry and loud, wet sniff.

"That's why you're crying a river into my shirt?" He asks wryly. It earns him a punch in his other shoulder and she reminds him it is his fault in the first place. "I knows it's my fault and this is the perfect example. I can't do this to you. You think you're happy but logically-"

"That's not true. I am not thinking anything. I know what I believe and how I feel."

He doesn't know why he is so skeptical about this. From the day he had met Casey, she had been stubborn and sure of herself and relentless in her pursuit of her goals.

"Things change. You're going to meet people and go off on your own and that's fine."

"Do you want to know what I did tonight? I went back down to the shopping district and tried to put myself out there. I didn't like it. I didn't want to be there. I wanted to be here... with you. I tried to find someone with a common interest or someone to relate to or be interested in and the truth was no one came close in comparison to you."

"Casey,"

"I'm tired of feeling like I have something to hide or I'm doing something wrong. If this makes things weird, I'm sorry but if you want me here you need to tell me." She tilts her head up to meet his gaze but his face is unreadable. "I'm not a kid. I've been through more than any person my age. Why is it so difficult to believe I can understand this?"

"It's not that." He swallows uncomfortably. "Casey, listen to me, I- I'm flattered but the reality of this is I don't have anything to give you."

"Are you seriously giving me the 'it's not you, it's me' speech?" She pulls away and gives a short laugh. "You have given me everything. You're just being a coward."

"It doesn't make sense."

"Not everything has to be logically sound. I think it's the craziest thing in the world. It makes sense to me though."

"You're misinterpreting it."

"I'm not. Look I'm sorry I was born twenty years too late or whatever but to me, it doesn't matter."

"It should."

"Well it doesn't. Anything is possible right?"

"Case, you're so young. You've got-"

"Didn't you hear me when I said no one compared."

"You could be my daughter."

"But I'm not. Just stop. If you want me gone I'll go but say it to my face in one take without fumbling."

He says nothing but there is a mixed look in his eyes. He is torn between what he wants and what is expected. He's the adult and he should know better than this.

"Fuck it," she growls suddenly and her hands are tugging him into an angry, messy kiss that floors him. She's all over, like she is trying to devour him and he hardly has a chance to respond. Leave it to Casey to go for what she wants. She finally releases him, the same determined gaze in her eyes but she also looks nervous, hoping she didn't cross a line or read the wrong signal.

He sighs quietly and backs her against the door, mumbling her name. He is overly gentle, a complete contrast to her chaos. He brushes her forehead, then her nose, before finally grazing her mouth.

"This isn't going to work."

"Yes it will."

"It's wrong."

"No it's right." She whispers before they kiss again. He sighs against her mouth, thinking back to the day they turned on the recruiters. She can argue him into oblivion.

"Unlike you, I'm an optimist." Her cheerful voice rings in his head.

The first problem arises four months later. The only thing that has changed is the physical aspect of their relationship and it feels right and good and he thinks maybe this was the only outcome that made sense. Still, they play it safe for a while, not to be too obvious in public because they know they are going to get looks and comments and right now they feel too good to let it bother them.

If it was possible, Casey spends more of her time with him and the first time she spends the night it seems like the most natural thing in the world.

The set up of his apartment is simple - kitchen, living room, bedroom, and bathroom. His bedroom is a long room off the living room, accessible by a sliding panel in the wall. Currently, he is sitting in the kitchen, staring into the bedroom at her sleeping. He is admiring the long expanse of smooth skin that disappears beneath the contrasting dark blue sheets and for once he doesn't feel like a dirty old man.

He just finishes his coffee and is contemplating rejoining her when there is a knock on the door. Without thinking, he opens it to find Eddie on the other side. He freezes, pleading with himself not to look away.

"Hi."

"You're not ready?"

"For what?"

"We were going through the Bridgeway to check those satellites." his friend cocks his head, smirking a little. "What is up with you?"

"Nothing." he answers too quickly. "I forgot. Give me ten minutes."

"Yeah no problem."

"Thanks," he starts to close the door just as Eddie moves forward and they both stop. "Uh…"

"You're not letting me in?"

"It's messy."

"I've never seen it not messy. I ran out of the apartment so fast I didn't grab a coffee and I can smell it on you." Eddie chuckles as he slaps a hand against the door. The motion startles Frank and the door slips from his grip before he can do anything else. He closes his eyes in despair, knowing the viewpoint will expose Casey. "Oh."

He pops one eye open and is surprised to see his friend not angry. A glance over his shoulder and he realizes that Eddie has no idea that it is his daughter in the room. From here, all you could see was her back and the long blonde curls that she had let grow to a ridiculous length.

"Why didn't you just say so? No wonder why you've been weird." he chuckles, clapping Frank on the shoulder. "Good for you."

It all changes in that instant. He hears Casey rustling, then sigh quietly, "Frank,"

He swears the grin on Eddie's face melts quicker than the ice caps.

"What the hell?" he angrily shoves Frank aside and storms into the apartment. He can't turn around but he hears her stumbling over her words in surprise. "Jesus Christ, Casey, put your damn clothes on."

"Dad, look - "

"What the hell is wrong with you?" he rounds on Frank and starts pushing him roughly.

"Dad, Dad, stop!" Casey jumps in suddenly, now clad in a tank top and pajama shorts. She tugs on Eddie's arm but he pushes her aside and she stumbles into the corner of the table. Frank is too concerned that she may be hurt that he doesn't see the punch coming at him. At first, he doesn't fight back. He would be pissed too if the roles were reversed but soon enough they're rolling around on the floor like schoolboys. "Hey, knock it off! Dad, stop it! You're hurting him!"

She manages to grab Eddie by the t-shirt long enough for Frank to scramble out from underneath him. He's bleeding from his lower lip, Eddie has a black eye, and they're both glaring at each other.

"Let go of me!" her dad shakes his shoulder but she refuses to budge.

"Not until you stop! I can't believe you! This is ridiculous!"

"Ridiculous? Casey, you're - he - you - you're disgusting." the last part is aimed at Frank, who doesn't have a response for that. He's said it to himself plenty of times. He pushes himself back against the nearest chair and tries to catch his breath. "What the hell is this, some kind of damn mid life crisis? You couldn't have picked someone else? You had to ruin her?"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Casey interjects. "Seriously, Dad, do you think I'm that dumb?"

"I think you've got your head in the clouds and you let him take advantage of you!"

"I find that pretty insulting. If you have to know the details, he tried telling me no and I wouldn't listen. I'll tell you the same thing I told him - I'm not a kid. I know what I want, I'm going to go after it, and I don't care what anyone thinks. It irritates me to no end to think that everyone finds me so amazing that I know all this science and that but I can't handle my own personal life!"

"You don't care what anyone thinks? Then why the hell didn't you say something?"

"If I did, this would have happened a lot sooner." Casey snaps. "That's exactly why I didn't tell you. You have to let me do my own thing."

"Nope, not this. Have you been here all night?"

"Yes."

"Then who the hell is in your bed?"

"I generated a hologram." she mumbles. "Dad,"

"No, Case, this -"

"I chose this. You have to respect my decisions."

"Jesus Casey, you just turned twenty. You don't know what you want in life. If I found you shooting up heroin on the corner, should I respect your decisions?"

"This is entirely different."

"It is not! How is this healthy? Or right?"

"If you can't see that it is then I guess you don't know either of us very well."

"This - whatever this is," he gestures a finger between them, "is done."

"You're going to pull a power play now?"

"Let's go."

"No. I'm not leaving."

"Casey,"

"You can't tell me what to do anymore."

"Like hell I can. I'm your father, you live with me -"

"Then I won't. You may be my father but I'm also an adult."

He scoffs at that and her face softens, almost pleadingly.

"Dad, please don't do this. Please don't make me choose." she tightens her fingers on his shirt. "I don't want it like this. I'd pick him."

That is enough to snap Eddie back into another rage but this time he storms out of the apartment. Casey blinks back tears, then turns her attention on Frank. She touches his face gently, thumb tracing over the cut, and she feels him tense underneath her, not quite meeting her eye. She drops her hand and stands to grab ice for him. He drags himself onto the chair and slumps onto the table, head in his hands.

"Here, put this on it." she touches his shoulder lightly, then pulls on his hand, trying to get him to sit up. He pulls out of her grasp and leans back into the chair, face turned towards the window. "Jesus, don't you start too."

"You didn't tell him?"

"I was waiting."

"For what?"

"Put this on your face,"

"Forget it!" he smacks her hand away and she drops the pack onto the table. "What the hell were you waiting for? Did you think there would ever be a good time?"

"Why are you yelling at me? Did you really think I'd tell him?"

"I don't know Casey. You're the big adult who doesn't care what anyone thinks." He throws her words mockingly back at her and it makes her frown, her chest stinging at his rudeness. If he was being honest, he knew she hasn't said anything otherwise he would have gotten his ass kicked a lot sooner. But it happened now and he is pissed all over again. Eddie was a healthy dose of reality and Franks wonders again what they are doing.

"That's not fair," she mutters, looking hurt.

"This was your decision."

"I didn't hold a gun to your head! You made a conscious effort too or were you just pitying me?"

He doesn't reply. He doesn't have an answer - or one he doesn't want to admit anyway. The truth is he doesn't deserve her. Everything Eddie said is the truth and there is nothing normal about them. How long can they go on playing this game before it blows up in their faces?

"Never mind," she chokes out the words, quickly dresses, and runs from the apartment.

"Casey?" a voice jolts her out of her concentration and she looks up to see a young blond man in the doorway. She pauses for a moment, trying to gather her thoughts.

"Teddy, hi, how are you?" she forces a smile to her face and tries to remain happy even as a deep blush crosses his face. Teddy had arrived about three months ago and spent most of his time in the lab across the hall. They talk on a regular basis and according to Frank, it was obvious the kid has a crush on her. She doesn't agree but it is a bit coincidental that he has taken time out of his day for her during the week she has been in the lab without Frank.

"I'm good. How about you? I haven't uh seen Frank recently."

"Oh. I'm sure he'll be around." She glances at the digital inlay of the table. Typically she uses this space for models, charts, and blueprints. Today - and the past week - she has a small pop up that is the tracker on Frank's phone. He is in his apartment like he's been for the past two hours. It may be stalkerish but she wants to keep an eye on him - especially if he gets close to the lab. Seeing as they haven't crossed paths yet, she is assuming he is doing the same with her. "So how are things? Are you settling in nicely?"

"Yeah, actually, I think things are finally coming along." He runs a hand through his hair and smiles.

"Good I'm glad to hear it." She knows he had a rough start in the beginning but she feels like he has come out of his shell.

"So what are you working on?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure." She slides her hand across the screen, erasing the vague dimensions she had drawn out. "Brainstorming I guess."

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, it's just been... a weird week." Her thoughts are constantly on Frank and it makes it difficult to focus on anything else. She misses him, badly, and it feels like a piece of her is gone. This isn't typical. This is deeper than you expected.

It is obvious that something is bothering her and he feels as if he is intruding.

"Do you want to take a break? It'll get your brain flowing."

She almost declines but agrees on a whim. Maybe this is what she needs. He places a warm hand on her shoulder and smiles down at her.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out." He tells her as they leave. They spend the next hour down the street at the cafe and she feels somewhat better. When they return to the labs, she thinks she may have been a little too friendly because he seems more comfortable and stands closer to her. She is weighing her options when she feels his hand brush hers. They stare at each other for a brief moment and he flashes a boyish grin. She knows this is wrong - one, she has no interest in this boy and two, she has no idea what is going on with Frank.

Teddy is leaning in before she can decide against it. They meet in a light, hesitant kiss that does nothing for her. All she can think about was how she felt the first time she had kissed Frank. She had thought all that stuff about butterflies and fireworks was bullshit but now she knows differently. She's hurting though and she wants so bad for this to mean something, to prove Frank could be one in a string of many. So she continues and pushes deeper. She can tell Teddy is caught off guard by her tenacity but he is eager for this chance so he goes with it. Wrong, wrong, wrong. He doesn't know what to do with his hands and his mouth is sloppy and God, she misses Frank. Misses the rough scrape of stubble, feeling the cords of muscle through his shoulders and back, his expert - well, everything. Kissing Teddy is like kissing a baby, she imagines.

Teddy halts in an instant when the name she murmurs is not his. Her eyes open to dismayed blue instead of the warm brown she was hoping and wishing for. It takes a moment for her brain to catch up with her mouth but when it does she's mortified.

"It's ok. I mean," he gives a half hearted smile and shrugs, "can't help who you want right?"

"Guess not." She fidgets, then points to his lab. "Is it still ok if I see how your project is coming along?"

"Yeah," he presses his finger against the scanner and unlocks the room. They step inside and he begins talking quickly, fumbling with different items. His recruiter Persephone stands like a sentinel and Casey is hardly paying attention.

"Teddy, wait -" the animatronic speaks with an urgent tone and Casey looks over to see him squeeze a bottle into a beaker before Persephone shoves her to the ground. The last thing she remembers is a loud explosion.