A/N: I hope everyone had a happy holiday season! Work got me down a bit, but break rejuvenated me. As for this chapter...I wrote it, trashed it, wrote something else, trashed that, pulled this one back out and changed parts...it's been a rollercoaster. I hope you enjoy it.


Opening her eyes to the early morning light, Alex found herself wondering if the last few days had actually happened. Monday had arrived before all the dust had settled, and now she was left praying that Casey wouldn't change her mind. Lying in bed staring at the ceiling she began to question if the weekend had even gone as she'd actually remembered.

The kiss in the office...Casey running away...her return and the mind blowing sex that ensued...the confession...Casey leaving again...the talk and agreement when she returned, followed by the amazing sex last night before she went home...

Feeling butterflies explode in her stomach at the thought of her lover, Alex closed her eyes and rolled to her side. 'Oh my god,' she thought, 'Casey, is my girlfriend.' She wanted to tell everyone and the fact that she couldn't made her nervous. It was too dangerous for them to be open about their relationship at work, but at least she could tell her aunt and best friends. That would be enough, it wasn't like she had real friends at work. Hell she'd tried her best to only keep a working relationship with them. To keep her secret hidden...

And then there was the fear that Casey would change her mind. She had a bigger battle ahead. This wouldn't just be her hiding it at work, but from her family as well. That kind of stress could destroy a person, and she didn't know Casey well enough to know how she'd handle it. Yet, Alex was determined to make this work. She'd start by winning Casey over all the proper ways.

Looking out her window, she saw a blur of grey-white. She couldn't make it all out without eyewear, but she figured it was snow reflecting the early morning rays. As of last night they hadn't called for a delay in school or a closure for the snow. She wondered if that changed over the night.

Fishing her phone off the nightstand, she began to look up the weather. They'd gotten a total of four to five inches of snow, and it was scheduled to snow later that afternoon as well. However, so far school at St. Francis hadn't been cancelled or delayed. So the roads must be clear already.

Just as she began looking the last part over, her phone began ringing. It was the woman running circles in her mind. Answering the device she gave a breathy, "Hey there-"

"Okay, I need your help, and good morning," the redhead blurted.

Sitting up, Alex fished her glasses from the bedside table. "What's up?"

"My car won't start."

"What time is it?" She asked looking at her phone again to ensure it was really as early as she thought it was, "Why are you trying to start your car at 6 AM? You don't have to be at work till 8."

"I'm out of coffee. I was trying to go buy some since I never made it to the store this weekend. Anyway, I think the cold weather finally got to the battery."

"Okay...do you need coffee?" Alex was not awake enough for this conversation.

Casey's laugh filled the line. "I think you need coffee. I need a ride to work. If you come with coffee that would be an added bonus."

"Oh, okay. Yes, I can pick you up. Are the roads clear?"

"They appear to be around town."

"Damn, I wanted a snow day or at least a delay."

"Me too. I haven't really played in the snow in years," Casey admitted. "Anyway, I think they are trying to get school over with for the day before the next round of flurries hit. Who would have imagined we'd get snow like this right at the start of November?"

The remark gave Alex a fun idea. Climbing from bed, she assured, "I know! Anyway, I'm up and getting ready now. I should be headed your way within the hour."

"Great, thank you!" Casey replied before saying goodbye.

Standing in her room, looking out the window at the white landscape, Alex beamed. She knew just what she wanted to do with the rest of her day pending it didn't warm up.


Knocking on Casey's door, Alex felt herself about to burst. She had the trunk of her car packed for later, which excited her immensely, but right now she was just nervous. She felt like a teenager picking her girlfriend up for the first time.

Hearing the door open, she fixed a small smile on her face, only to brighten by the big grin on the redhead. "Hey."

"Hi," Casey replied before pulling Alex in the door by her jacket. The second the door was shut behind them, she pressed her lips hungrily against the blonde's quickly deepening it. She could taste coffee mixed with something sweet on her. It made Casey want all of her but she knew they didn't have the the time. Finally breaking apart she whispered a breathless, "Hello."

Alex couldn't help but laugh as she took the younger woman in, "Well, hello to you too. Feel free to greet me like that any time."

Giving her one last quick peck, Casey turned to move into the small apartment, "I'm ready, I just have to grab my bag."

Alex watched the redhead busy herself around the space. It was an amusing sight to see. She clearly was methodical in the way she left for work everyday. Yet there was something more to her movements. Something about her whole graceful demeanor made Alex want to peel her clothes off and take her right there.

She wasn't sure why. She'd never wanted another partner the way she seemed to want her. Maybe it was the dry spell finally passing or the newness of this relationship...

Casey turned finally ready, and caught Alex's expression. It was like catching a kid with their hand in the cookie jar. "Are you undressing me with your eyes?"

"What?" Alex stumbled. "Why do you say that?"

"Your eyes," she smirked, "They are dark and telling..."

"I, I..."

"Don't need to apologize," Casey laughed, "It's highly flattering."

Nodding, Alex shook her head clear and turned to get the door as Casey approached. As she neared she ducked her head to the older woman's ear, "Plus, I've been thinking about last night all morning."

Sucking in a sharp breath, Alex felt herself quiver at what the younger woman might have meant by said statement, but didn't let her mind focus too hard on it. "I have coffee in the car."

Casey's laugh filled the hallway, "Nice transition, Cabot."

"I try," she snorted, "Do you want to try to jump your car before we leave?"

"I already did. It's super dead. I called for a tow truck, they picked it up after I talked to you."

"That's good. I can take you to get it this afternoon."

Casey slowed her walk to the stairs, turning to face the blonde, "Thank you. You really are my heroine."

Leaning in, Alex placed a soft kiss to Casey's lips. As she pulled back, she whispered, "I'm glad to be."

And it was a true statement, because there really was something magical about this woman. Something that made Alex forget her concerns. Something that made Casey worth playing with fire.


Staring out her classroom window, Casey watched as the first round of snowflakes began to descend from the sky. She couldn't believe they were getting so much snow right at the start of November, but she was thankful for it. Ever since she was a child she'd been fascinated by its appearance in the sky.

Her classroom was empty, the last of the students had gone home around an hour ago, and now she was left waiting on her girlfriend. The simple thought of Alexandra Cabot as her girlfriend had her mind swimming. It had only now been a full twenty-four hours since they'd decided to embark on this potentially dangerous journey together but she found herself excited by calling her counterpart her girlfriend.

Maybe it was insanity, but she didn't care. Something about her visit home had been the final straw, she couldn't exactly place it, but she knew deep down what she was doing was right. She'd denied herself for too long. She deserved to be happy and now with Alex she was discovering just how amazing that could be.

Smiling to herself, she also recognized just how good being true to herself could feel. Being with Alex was unlike anything she could have ever have imagined...and she didn't think that the sex was solely responsible for that feeling. She really attributed those feelings to it being with Alex as well.

However, this budding relationship came with serious complications. The biggest one being lying to friends. She'd welcomed the not telling family, but she hadn't really thought about the fact that her only friends worked at St. Francis.

This fact had caused her to have to lie by omission to her new buddy Kim that very day during lunch...

"So, I noticed you rode to work with Cabot this morning. What happened?" Kim questioned as she stabbed at her salad.

Casey smiled at the memory of Alex picking her up, before catching herself, "My car crapped out on me. She was nice enough to give me a ride."

"Hmm."

"Hmm, what?"

Kim stared into Casey's questioning eyes, "It's nothing really. I've just known Cabot for three years. In all that time, she hasn't made a real friend here. She's just been a workaholic loner until you came along. I just find it interesting is all."

"Interesting how?"

"I don't mean anything bad by it. Honestly, I'm happy to know that she has a fun side to her. Maybe one day we could all get together." The brunette offered with a genuine smile.

And there was the difficult part. Now, Casey had to decide to be honest with her friend or lie about her relationship. It was a rough spot to be in. Plus, she wondered why Alex distanced herself from people at St. Francis. Was it because she was gay? Would she expect Casey to do the same?

Sighing, she turned away from the snowy landscape and back to her desk full of papers. She didn't want to grade tonight, she was ready to go home and get in comfy pajamas. After her weekend of driving all over the state of New York, and late nights with Alex, she was ready for bed. Now, she just needed the blonde to finish whatever business she had to attend to in the front office and take her home.

She still hadn't heard from the shop regarding her car. They had towed it before Alex had picked her up, but they said it could be awhile if it was more than the battery. It was the price to pay for living in a small town. Smaller town meant smaller shop to make repairs. Her guess based on time was that it wasn't the battery. It was an unfortunate situation.

Hearing a knock at her classroom door, she stretched as she stood and made her way to its source. Silently she prayed that it belonged to a gorgeous blonde ready to take her home. She didn't want to get sucked into a teacher crisis today.

Looking through the glass of her door, she saw her girlfriend with a beaming smile. It immediately created one on her own face. There really was something extraordinary about this woman.

"What's up?" She asked as she opened the door to find Alex's arms full of clothes. "And what do you have?"

"I brought you snow gear."

Watching the blonde set down the clothes, she frowned. "Why?"

"Because I planned something fun for us. I'm taking you to my favorite sledding spot."

"You what?" She stumbled as she looked at the pants.

"This morning you said it had been years since you played in the snow," the blonde conveyed as she picked up the smaller pair of pants and passed them to her partner, "So I figured since the snow would probably vanish after this last bout of flurries today was the perfect day!"

Casey couldn't help but laugh. She was worn out, but the excitement in her counterpart had somehow rejuvenated her. Grabbing Alex's hand that held the pants, she pulled her girlfriend into her arms, "I love the surprise. I didn't expect any of this."

"I'm stealthy like that," Alex whispered before quickly kissing her and separating.

The quickness of contact made Casey ache inside. She knew it was what had to happen, but she hated it all the same. "I'm going to change in the bathroom to not draw attention."

"Okay," Alex replied. She knew they were over compensating in some ways now as she herself walked to the office to change. After all, just the week prior she'd been practically naked in the office when Casey came in and kissed her. But this is what being in a secret relationship meant for them...hiding their true feelings all the time.

Changing quickly, Alex led Casey out of the building and into the falling snow. The younger woman seemed to frolic through the fast falling flakes as she led them past the gym and dance studio, to the top of the hill that followed the stairs down to the soccer field and tennis courts. She hadn't sled here since she herself was a teenager, so in a way she felt like a first timer again. The distance seemed so great and her adrenaline was definitely pumping in anticipation.

Locating the sleds she'd deposited before fetching Casey, she brushed off the new snow and grinned, "You ready?"

"That's a hell of a run," The younger woman replied wide eyed. "You've done this before?"

"Yeah," Alex spouted followed by a long pause, "When I was 17 and 18."

"So, 12 to 13 years ago..."

"I was a bit younger."

"Well, I'm five years out from that so I guess if you are still adventurous enough to do this then I better woman up," Casey replied with a snort as she sat in one disk.

"Hey! That makes me sound old." Alex scoffed as she sat in the other next to her girlfriend.

"You are seven years older than me..." she clarified as she adjusted her feet to the side of the bowl preparing to launch herself down the steep incline.

"So?"

"That makes you old."

Alex just shook her head at the mischievous redhead, "Well, let's see how well you do, Youngin'." And with that she kicked Casey's disk down the slope laughing loudly as the younger woman screamed the whole way down.

Only when she came to a stop mid soccer field did Alex push herself off. Letting out similar squeals she held on tight till she stopped a few feet short of her panting lover. "That was just as awesome as I remember!"

The fiery redhead scowled at her before jumping up and tackling Alex gently back into the snow. "That is not okay, Ms. Cabot!"

Alex smirked at the devilish look on her partner's face. "What are you going to do about it?" She asked as she gently brushed a lock of red hair from her face.

"You'll find out later," Casey whispered as she took Alex's lips in hers. It was easy to forget their surroundings when she was with her. Only when they parted did memory of their location kick back in.

Touching her lips as she separated from Casey, Alex picked up the sled and looked around cautiously, "We have to be more careful."

"I know," She acknowledged picking up her sled. "Do you think anyone saw?"

"Luckily, I think everyone has left campus already." Alex conveyed as she headed quickly back towards the stairs. "Want to go again?"

"I'd love to," she replied as she followed behind.

Reaching the final landing just outside the dance studio, Alex turned to face her girlfriend, "Do you have a problem with me being 7 years older than you?"

"Oh, god no. I was just teasing."

"Good," She replied, "because I'm really enjoying this." As she finished her statement she took Casey's hand in her own.

"Me too," Casey smiled.

It was then they heard someone walking up. Turning they found a very perplexed Kim Greylek, "Which one of you want to explain just what this is?"

Pulling her hand free, Alex looked to the brunette with a frown, "We are sledding."

"Don't lie to me. I'm not stupid," she scoffed as she looked directly to Casey for answers. "Is this why you all are so close? You are a couple?"

"Yes," Casey admitted.

"Casey!" Alex snapped.

"It's fine," she countered, "Kim's my friend," as she spoke she looked directly into the blue green eyes of her only friend in Fairhaven, "right?"

The hurt was evident on the brunette's face, "Yeah, I thought we were friends. But I don't know why my friend wouldn't tell me she was dating someone."

"Out of fear," Alex interrupted. "There is a lot to lose in our situation."

Quiet filled the air as the three women just stood and stared at each other. Casey suddenly felt like she could cry. She thought she'd have a little more time before having to figure out what to say to her friend, "Kim, please..."

"We are fine, Case," she finally sighed, "Just don't hide things from me in the future. I get it though. My sister is a lesbian. I'm happy for you two. Just be more cautious around here. I spotted you two kissing on the field when I walked out of the studio to head to my car."

"Note taken," Alex said with a sigh of relief as Casey hugged her friend.

"I'll see you all later," Kim said as she prepared to turn to leave.

"Hey," Alex called to the other woman. "Do you want to sled with us? I think I remember where we hid a sled as kids in the gym."

"Sure," Kim laughed as she fished her keys back out. "But they probably purged it years ago."

"Well let's see if they found our secret hiding spot," Alex said as she led the women towards the gym.

"You and your secrets, Cabot!" Kim chuckled as she fiddled her keys into the lock.

As Casey watched her friend and girlfriend enter the gym, she said a silent prayer of thanks. What could have ended poorly somehow turned out to be a blessing. At least, now she didn't have to lie to everyone.