Disclaimer: I only own the concept and Danny.
A/N: Yep, another Caton oneshot. And it's a slightly fluffy one for a change. Enjoy!
"What are you working on, Danny?" Cassidy asked her six-year-old brother as she saw him at the dining room table with two of his school books open.
"I've got a project on dinosaurs and there are still some things I can't figure out," he answered.
Cassidy was getting an idea. It was still early on this beautiful Saturday afternoon and she had a good idea of who could help her brother with his assignment. She didn't have any real plans today anyway, so she thought to ask, "Do you want some help with your project?"
"You?" he asked, knowing already studying wasn't exactly her favorite thing to do.
She laughed at the notion. "No, I was thinking we could go to a dinosaur museum. It couldn't hurt," she shrugged.
"I didn't know we had one here."
"My class went to one about a week ago on a field trip. It was kind of cool and I think it'd really help you out here," she commented as she looked to the pages of his books again, recognizing a few of the animals from some of the images in the museum.
Though Cassidy had to admit to herself this wasn't a completely selfless act. Yes, she liked being able to help her younger sibling, but there was another reason she wanted to go there.
"Okay," the blonde haired, blue-eyed boy told his older sister. "When should we go?"
"Just let me make a phone call real quick," she replied as she pulled out her cell phone and dialed Trent's number.
She knew there wouldn't be a real point in them going there if his father wasn't going to be there. He was obviously the one who knew the most about the dinosaurs there aside from Dr. Oliver and since she, like most of the other Reefside High students, had not seen or heard from him in weeks Dr. Mercer was surely her best bet.
"Hello?" Trent answered on the third ring as he was working on his own weekend homework.
"Hey, Trent, it's Cassidy. Is your dad at the museum today?"
"No. Why?"
"My kid brother needs some help with a school project and I was thinking of taking him there. I figured your dad could help us a bit."
"I could call him and maybe have him meet you guys there. Should I call you back when I get an answer?"
"Yeah, that'd be great," she answered with a broad smile.
"So when are we going?" Danny asked.
"After Trent calls me back and tells me his dad's going to meet us at the museum," she replied, hopeful that call would come any second.
"Well, what are we gonna do if he says no?"
"Then we'll figure out something else. Maybe a trip to the library or –" but before Cassidy could finish her statement she was interrupted by her ringing phone. "Here we go," she told him, remaining hopeful. "What'd he say, Trent?"
"Actually, I thought I might tell you myself," she heard a voice deeper than Trent's reply. Cassidy's heart was racing at the realization of whom she had on the other line, but she hid it well.
Trying not to laugh or giggle in her disbelief, she asked, "So I take it this is a yes?"
Smiling at her hopefulness, Anton answered, "Yes. When do you anticipate arriving?"
"An hour?" She had meant for it to come out as a statement, but she couldn't be sure about traffic. Or how soon she could decide on what to wear.
"See you both in an hour then," he stated before she agreed and they said their goodbyes before hanging up.
"So?" Danny asked when she hung up.
"Let me get changed and I'll be ready," she replied with a smile before she charging up the stairs to her room.
Twenty minutes and as many outfits later Cassidy reappeared, dressed now in a long-sleeved powder pink top and white pants with her long blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail. She hated to admit it, but part of her was nervous. Why, she wasn't sure. Anton was hardly the first guy she had been attracted to. Though he was the first man she had found herself this attracted to.
"Wow!" Danny beamed as he saw the size of the Tyrannosaurus Rex just outside of the museum a half an hour later.
"You should see the ones inside," she replied with a smile. "Come on."
"Cassidy," Anton stated when he saw the petite pink and white clad blonde, a smile crossing his handsome face as the glass door closed behind her and her younger brother.
"Hey, Dr. Mercer," she replied, finally feeling just a little calmer.
"And who's this?" the well dressed man asked as he shifted his attention to the small boy beside her.
"This is Danny," she introduced as she put a hand to his right shoulder. "Danny, this is Dr. Mercer. He's the one that's going to be helping you with your project today." When Danny was silent, she quietly added, "He's a little shy."
"Am not!" Danny cried.
Cassidy laughed. "Correction, he's only shy until someone calls him shy."
Anton laughed in response as well, but asked, "Shall we begin?"
"Sure. Why don't you tell Dr. Mercer just which period or dinosaurs your project centers on?"
"There were different periods?" Danny asked her.
Feeling her face flush with embarrassment, Cassidy felt a little stupid for not having checked herself before they left the house, but she composed herself quickly and as she caught the amused expression on her teacher's face, she asked, "Why don't you take us through the tour like last week?"
Trying not to laugh himself, Anton nodded.
Though Cassidy was soon finding herself too lost in his deep voice and proximity to her as they walked to know just what he was saying. Danny had run ahead of them slightly, distracted by the models and recreations, leaving his sister and her teacher to walk beside one another. A little closer to one another than either had anticipated, though neither was complaining.
"Is that a real T-Rex?" Danny asked excitedly as they came upon a gigantic display.
"It was," Anton answered as he looked to the bones, a good number of which he had found himself during a few archeology expeditions.
"Cool!" the red and blue clad boy beamed as he craned his neck to get a better look at the creature. "The T-Rex is definitely my favorite!"
"I didn't know that," Cassidy stated, feeling a little left out.
"Well, it's definitely the coolest. If it wasn't would the Red Ranger have it as his robot thing?"
Anton nearly groaned. Couldn't he get away from hearing about the Rangers for just a matter of hours? "So the Red Ranger's your favorite, Danny?"
"Totally! Isn't he everyone's favorite?" he answered, still never taking his blue eyes from the dinosaur bones.
"I don't know, I think I might have to say the White Ranger is my favorite," Anton replied. Yes, it was personal bias, but was the only one there who knew it.
"I'm gonna say the girly Ranger's my favorite. I really like that there's a girl on the team who can kick some butt and isn't afraid to get her hands dirty when she has to," Cassidy added.
"You almost have to feel bad for their enemies," the tall, lean man stated. A ploy to gain some sympathy, perhaps, but he couldn't bring himself to sound as though he was a complete Ranger fan.
"Yeah," Cassidy agreed. Partially. "There's just one thing that kind of bugs me about Meso – whatever."
Trying not to laugh, Anton asked, "What's that, Cassidy?"
"Well, if he's so big and bad, why doesn't he just fight the Rangers on his own? Why send down those minions, especially when they constantly lose?"
That actually was a good question, he had to admit. It took him a moment but he had an answer, though he couldn't be certain if it was truly his answer. "Perhaps he doesn't feel they're worth his energy in that way."
"I'm bored!" Danny cried. "What other dinosaurs were able to rip apart other dinosaurs with just their teeth?"
"Danny!" Cassidy called, just short of horrified at his question.
"It's alright, I'm used to this one," Anton told her softly. "Most dinosaurs relied more on their claws than their teeth. But in a fight or if they were hungry enough, most of the carnivorous and sometimes the omnivorous dinosaurs could and would be capable of such acts."
"Cool," Danny replied as he began walking again.
"Do you really get that question all the time?" Cassidy asked the scientist as they followed her brother.
"Often times, yes. Mainly from the younger guests like your brother, but yes, that seems to be a standard," he replied with a smile.
"Come to think of it, I think Conner had the same reaction," she laughed, Anton soon laughing with her.
"Can we go home now?" Danny asked nearly two hours later, beginning to feel tired. Especially as his sister had told him she wasn't going to carry him through the rest of this tour a half an hour before.
"Are you sure you've heard enough?" Cassidy asked him, refusing to be blamed for him getting a lesser grade on his project.
"Pretty sure," he answered truthfully.
"Well if you return to studying and realize there are a few things you have forgotten or aren't sure of, you can always come back tomorrow," Anton told the boy beside his student.
"Sounds like fun," Cassidy stated. Though at hearing that again in her mind, not even she could believe she had said it. Who would believe Cassidy Cornell was looking forward to spending a day at a dinosaur museum? Oh yeah, she liked her teacher alright. She could only hope he couldn't tell.
Though at that moment Anton was having his own similar thoughts, one of which being that if she wasn't his student he knew he would be more than tempted to find out if she would be willing to come back tomorrow on her own.
"Okay," Danny replied quietly as he started walking again, this time following the signs towards the front of the museum.
"Good luck on your project, Danny," Anton stated as he walked he and Cassidy outside.
"Thanks," he replied slightly sleepily.
"Thanks for doing this for us, Dr. Mercer. I know Danny and I both appreciate it."
"You're welcome, Cassidy," he replied with a soft smile. One that lasted just a little too long, despite the fact Cassidy was returning it.
"I'm hungry," Danny whined next, finally shaking the attracted pair from their dazes.
"Alright, we'll go," Cassidy told him, finally beginning to step away from her teacher.
"In that case, I suppose I will see you in class on Monday," he told her.
"Yep," she told him, still unable to suppress a smile to him.
"Cassidy, there's something I've been meaning to ask you," Anton stated nearly a week later as she was about to leave his classroom after the dismissal bell.
"What's that?" she asked as she wrapped her arms around her books and brought them to her chest, hoping to conceal how being so close to him again was making her breathing shallow.
"How did your brother do on his assignment?"
"He got an A+, thanks to you," she replied with a smile.
"I would say it's more thanks to you. After all, you were the one who thought to take him to the museum," the scientist corrected with a smile.
"But I wouldn't have if you hadn't taken us all there on that field trip," she replied as her smile grew wider.
He laughed as he nodded. She had won and now he had to admit it. "I suppose so." Once again their soft smiles to one another were lasting just a little too long and soon it wasn't only Cassidy's breathing to growing shallow.
"I guess I should get to my next class," Cassidy said soon, seeing a few students coming in for their class to begin.
"I'll see you later then," he told her just before he watched her leave. For the first true time since he had taken over Tommy's class he found himself looking forward to him returning to work.
Granted it wouldn't change their age difference, but given that she was eighteen he knew that wasn't too great of a concern currently. The fact that she was still his student and the likelihood of Trent discovering his attraction towards her that wasn't fading was.
Meanwhile their age difference and the fact Anton was her teacher were the least of Cassidy's concerns. How she would manage to conceal her own growing infatuation from her family, friends and especially Devin were in the forefront of her mind.
FIN