Author's Note: This story takes place before, during and after Affairs of Love. I wanted to create a fic about Rocky and Casey being that I had so much fun writing them in my other fic. I was going to start it starting with their wedding, but decided that starting from the beginning was best. That way everyone knew how Casey and Rocky starting dating.

For those of you who have not read Affairs of Love, it is not necessary to read it as this one is merely a companion piece, but it is helpful since I make reference to it more than once.

This chapter takes place three years before the beginning of Affairs of Love, Katherine is in London, Tommy hasn't proposed to Nikki yet, Tanya and Adam are getting married, and Jason and Kimberly are expecting their son Jams any day. (For those of you who haven't read my other fic, Jams is the nickname Rocky gives to Kim and Jason's son and Nikki is Tommy's wife in that story) So that's the timeline for this chapter. Hope ya'll enjoy!


She took his breath away. That was all Rocky could think of the woman across the room. Her brown hair cascaded down her back in gentle curls and her hazel eyes danced as the soft lighting of the room set her creamy skin aglow. She was beautiful, and he didn't even know her name, but to his misfortune she was sitting at a table with a another man.

"Earth to Rocko." Adam whispered in his ear as he waved a hand in front of his friends face.

"Huh? Oh, sorry. Lost of my mind for a moment there." Rocky replied sheepishly.

"That brunette over there have anything to do with it?" Jason asked.

"No way." Rocky said quickly.

"Oh sure, you've only been staring at her for the last three minutes." Tommy teased. Rocky rolled his eyes.

"Can we just finish dinner and leave my staring problem alone." Rocky mumble. Rocky, Jason, Tommy, Adam, and Billy were all out eating dinner before hitting the bar for a guys night out while the girls stayed at Jason and Kimberly's house for girl's night in.

"So you admit it, you have been staring at her!" Adam laughed.

"You know, she is a lovely woman. Would it hurt for you to go talk to her?" Billy cut in.

"I can't talk to her Billy. She's obviously on a date."

"She appears to be less than happy with her companion." Billy argued.

"That she does." Rocky agreed as he looked again toward the lovely brunette again. She faked a smile toward her date as he began speaking again. Rocky had noticed that he seemed to be doing all the talking.

"So go over and talk to her." Tommy urged.

"What would I say? 'Um sorry to interrupt your date, but I was wondering if you would like to go out with me instead?' Seriously, I can't go over there."

"Pretend to know her…" Jason started.

"But I don't!"

"As I was saying, pretend to know her and tell her that all her old friends would like to say hi. Steal her away for a few minutes. She'll appreciate it." Jason finished.

"Will that really work?" Rocky said with a raised eyebrow.

"Worth a shot, the worst that can happen is she say's that she doesn't know you. You always have a way out by saying that you mistook her for someone else." Adam commented.

"I'll give it a try." Rocky finally gave in. He slowly got out of his chair and made his way across the restaurant toward the woman. He made it halfway and nearly chickened out. He turned back toward his friends to see them all giving him a waving their hands to shoo him toward her. He took a deep breath and pressed forward.

Rocky could feel his hands begin to shake, never had he been so nervous. He could face an endless sea of puttys or cogs and still not been this nervous. He tried to keep his feelings in check as he approached the table. Finally satisfied that he wouldn't come off as a heap of nerves he took the last step to the table.

"Holy cow! I haven't seen you in forever!" Rocky blurted out with a cheesy smile on his face. The woman looked at him in shock for a moment then suddenly seemed to throw herself into his game. The man glared at him suspiciously.

"Wow, it has been forever. How have you been?" She asked. Who is he? Oh who cares, he's going to save me from this nightmare.

"I've been good, I'm here with all the guys. They'd be surprised as hell if you came over and said hi." Rocky continued on. "Could I steal you away for just a minute?"

"Um, Darren would you mind terribly if I went to say hello to some old friends?" she asked her date. He simply shrugged.

"Sure doll. I'll wait right here for you." Darren replied as he took a sip of his beer. The woman stood from her chair making sure to grab her purse. She gave him a light smile before looping her arm through Rocky's and walking away with him.

"Thanks, you saved me, I can't tell you how much I wanted a reason to leave." she whispered. "My name's Casey Thompson."

"Rocky DeSantos." He grinned at her. "It's nice to meet you."

"So do you make it a habit to rescue damsels in distress?"

"More than you'll ever know." Rocky flashed her one of his patented smiled. "But mostly only the gorgeous ones."

"Thank you" Casey blushed. "So are we going to join your friends?"

"If you want to keep up appearances of being old friends, or we can dodge out the door and hope your date doesn't see us."

"Hmm, appearances are good." Casey mused. "Besides, I don't know you well enough Sir Rocky to run away on your white horse."

"How about my red sports car, I left the horse at the stables?" Rocky replied causing her to laugh. "I like your laugh."

"I hate it." She replied.

"It's cute, just like you."

"Why, Mr. DeSantos, you just met me and you're already hitting on me!" Casey exclaimed with a goofy grin plastered on her face. Rocky grinned back with a similar grin.

"We're supposed to be old friends, Ms. Thompson. 'Old' friends can flirt." Rocky replied. What luck, she has a sense of humor.

"Are you calling me old?" She asked as she playfully raised her eyebrow.

"Not at all, unless you really are old and just look damn good for your age." Rocky cracked. She saw her try to stifle a laugh. "How old are you? I know that's the last thing that I should ask a woman, but I want to make sure that I'm not robbing the cradle, or the grave for that matter."

"I think robbing the grave is closer to the truth. I'm 27! I know, I know. I'm old as dust." Casey laughed.

"Oh yeah. I'm totally a grave robber. I'm only 25 you old dusty lady."

"I finally get to a be a cougar!" Casey laughed. "You can rob the grave while I rob the cradle huh?" He's cute and such a great sense of humor!

Rocky only laughed as they approached the table where his friend sat. "Hey guys, may I introduce Ms. Casey Thompson. Casey these knuckle heads are my friends, Tommy Oliver, Jason Scott, Billy Cranston, and my best bud Adam Park. We're out celebrating his pending death sentence." Rocky pulled out the empty chair for Casey.

"Death sentence?" Casey contorted her face in confusion then suddenly drew a giant smile as she took the seat Rocky offered to her. "Oh! You're getting married!"

"Hey, what do you know? A girl that speaks Rocky!" Adam laughed.

"So when is the sentence to be carried out?" Casey asked continuing on with Rocky's joke.

"Three days." Adam replied happily.

"You seem very content for a 'death sentence' as your friend put it."

"He's head over heels for Tanya." Rocky smiled. "Nothing is going to get him down about the old ball and chain."

"I'll have you know that married life is nothing like that." Jason retorted before taking a sip of his beer.

"Says the one expecting another chain." Rocky laughed.

"Guessing that means a baby huh?" Casey quickly figured out what Rocky was talking about.

"You really do speak Rocky." Tommy chuckled.

"Yeah, my wife and I are expecting our first baby any day now. We're hoping to make it through Adam and Tanya's wedding."

"I still think that it would be totally awesome if she went into labor at the wedding." Rocky commented.

"Rocky!" the other men groaned.

"Well, it would be an unforgettable event to say the least." Casey shrugged and smiled at Rocky. "So Sir Rocky, would you mind if I went to get something to eat? I didn't have a chance to order my dinner before you whisked me away from Darren."

"You hungry then?" Rocky asked.

"Famished." She replied putting the back of her hand to her head and threw her head back. Rocky chuckled at her exaggeration.

"We haven't ordered our meals if you would like stay in the present company." Billy cut in.

"Oh but it's supposed to be a guys night." Casey protested.

"Nonsense, if you haven't eaten it's the least I can do since I stole you away from your prince charming." Rocky grinned.

"Prince dim-witted is more like it." Casey shook her head. "I really can't thank you enough for saving me from him. My friend thought we would get along famously. I wish I knew what she was smoking."

"Not so good huh?" Rocky laughed.

"All he talked about was himself and how good of a life he has. I think he was trying to impress me, but I was anything but impressed with him."

"Guess that means that I'm off the topic list then?" Rocky laughed. "Darn it, I was hoping to tell you every detail of my unimpressive life."

"You've got a strange sense of humor." Casey smiled. "But I like it."

"Well that's good." Rocky grinned. "Does that mean that I might have a chance to ask you on a date?"

"I'd say your chances are between 'possibly' and 'hell yes'."

"So that's a yes?"

"You pick the place and time, and I'll check my schedule."

"Crazy idea, how about in three days?" Rocky shrugged.

"You mean your friends wedding?" Casey replied shocked. She glanced at Adam who just smiled and nodded with a simple shrug to say that he didn't mind.

"Well, you see… I'm the best man and the only one without a date. You'd really be saving me from being set up by Kimberly and Aisha."

"So now I'm doing the rescuing huh?" Casey chuckled. "If you don't mind a party crasher Adam. I mean you don't really know me…"

"If Rocky wants you as his date, you are more than welcome to come Casey." Adam replied warmly. "Besides, Kim and 'Sha would try to set him up with any single women at the wedding. You really would be saving him from them."

"I guess I do owe you." Casey grinned. "Alright. I'll go with you."

"Hey the waiter is finally coming back." Tommy cut in pointing to their server making his way toward the table. They had been waiting for him for fifteen minutes to place their dinner orders. At least they had their drinks. The group quickly placed their orders including Casey, who also ordered herself a drink.

"Hope the food comes faster than the service." Adam said in a low voice after the server walked away.

"That's what we get for trying a new restaurant." Jason shook his head.

"So Casey, what do you do?" Billy asked.

"I'm a junior editor at Glamour magazine in Los Angeles."

"Los Angeles? What are you doing in Angel Grove?" Tommy exclaimed.

"I'm from here. Born and raised. I'm back here in Vacation right now, and my friend set me up on this 'dream' date." Casey rolled her eyes.

"So that means you attended Angel Grove High." Jason mused. "I don't seem to recall seeing you around."

"Bet you graduated ahead of us." Rocky cut in.

"Most likely if you guys are all the same age." Casey nodded.

"I graduated in '94"

"Three years ahead of us? You must have graduated early." He said remembering she was only two years older than him.

"I did." She grinned.

"You have something in common with boy genius over there." Rocky pointed his thumb toward Billy.

"You know, I'm not a boy anymore." Billy shook his head.

"Yeah, but the nickname sticks."

"I think that name belongs to Justin." Tommy added.

"Oh yeah, that's right. How about the incredible brain?"

"How about just plain old Billy?" Billy replied.

"Because 'plain old Billy' would take too long to say." Casey defended Rocky with a chuckle. She didn't know why but she felt very comfortable with this group of men as if she had known them for years.

"Yes, score one for me!" Rocky smiled. "Got someone on my side."

"I surrender. Call me whatever you wish." Billy groaned.

"Poor Billy." Tommy teased.

"Oh you don't have it any easier, Hero." Billy shot back.

"You know, he hasn't called me that in years." Tommy seemed to go deep into thought about that.

"Hey quit talking about me like I'm not here!" Rocky joked trying to take Tommy's mind off why he stopped using the nickname. Truthfully Rocky had stopped calling Tommy 'Hero' after he broke Kat's heart two year prior. Rocky had been the only one to see Kat off at the airport after she had given Tommy back his ring.

He had always held a torch for Katherine, but Tommy had long since held her heart. Seeing Katherine in such a state of heartache and pain had caused Rocky to not think of Tommy as the dashing hero anymore. Therefore he couldn't bring himself to call Tommy that anymore.

"Well then maybe you should go away so we can talk some more." Adam teased.

"You know, humor is not your thing Adam" Rocky replied dryly causing Casey to laugh a little more.

"You guys are a great little group." Casey smiled, just as the server walked over with a tray of food.

"Oh goody, I'm starving." Rocky said rubbing his hands together like an excited little kid.

"You're too cute." Casey laughed. Rocky grinned and looked around at his friends.

"You guys heard that right? She thinks I'm cute!"

"You're going to be an interesting date." Casey laughed once again as she dug into her own food. She lost herself in the company and was disappointed at the end of dinner. Casey exchanged phone numbers with Rocky as he took of his friends toward the bachelor party that they had planned.

"I'll give you a call tomorrow." Rocky grinned as Tommy pulled him away by the collar of his shirt. Casey smiled as they disappeared into their vehicles.

He's going to be so much fun, I could really see myself falling for him someday. She told herself before climbing in her own vehicle.