Last Christmas: A Greek Winter Tale

Chapter One

"Okay," Casey Cartwright said nervously. "What's going on?" She was looking into the faces of her two best friends, Ashleigh Cartwright and Rebecca Logan. They were sitting around the granite island in the Logan's expansive kitchen. The three friends had reunited the night before when they arrived at the Logan's winter home in Vail, Colorado – except this place was more than just a home, it was a 10-bedroom villa surrounded on three sides by pine and fir trees. It was the picture of a winter wonderland.

Ashleigh and Rebecca looked at each other. The two friends silently played a game of "you-tell-her" until Ashleigh sighed and decided to just say it. "So, you know that Cappie is going to be here this week, right?"

Casey nodded. "Yes, we already discussed this a month ago." Casey took a sip of her coffee and shrugged. "Are you guys certain that he won't mind that I'm here?"

"Casey," Rebecca said, "trust me, it's all good. Besides, why should you care what he thinks? You're my guest."

Casey gave her friend a small smile. "You're right," she nodded. "I shouldn't care what Cappie thinks. It's just that I haven't seen him since we broke up."

"Case," Ashleigh said teasingly, "We love you, but if we spend this whole vacation talking about your break up, we will have to hurt you."

"Okay, okay," Casey said with a wave of her hand. "Point taken; it's just that it's been over a year since we talked or saw each other. This past year has been the hardest. When we came back to CRU for Christmas last year, I wasn't expecting to leave without him."

Ashleigh put an arm around her best friend. "I know. That sucked. We were all shocked as well."

Casey sighed. "Thanks for listening, but I promise to be on my best behavior when I see Cappie."

"Well, the thing is," Rebecca said, unable to look at Casey, "well, Cappie isn't coming here alone."

"Oh," Casey said quietly. "So, he's bringing a date?"

Ashleigh cleared her throat and looked uncomfortable. "Not exactly. She's his girlfriend."

"Oh," Casey repeated. "I mean, it's been a year, Cappie was bound to start dating again." As Casey said the words, she couldn't help feeling the tears sting her eyes.

"Um," Rebecca started, "they've been together for a while."

"Well, ever since you left last year, actually." Ashleigh stated sheepishly.

Casey looked from Ashleigh's face to Rebecca's and it dawned on her what they were saying. "Wait a minute," Casey said with shock, "do you mean to tell me that his girlfriend is the girl that he cheated on me with?"

Ashleigh and Rebecca both nodded. "Yes," the two friends replied meekly.

"How could you keep this from me?" Casey asked, feeling betrayed.

"It wasn't that we were hiding it from you," Ashleigh replied. "We were protecting you."

"We're sorry, Case," Rebecca said quietly. "We all thought it was better if you didn't know."

Casey shrugged and gave her friends a small smile. "I guess I can't be mad at you guys, you're only looking out for me. But seriously, how the hell am I supposed to act when I see him? Isn't Evan on his way back from the airport with him?"

Rebecca nodded. "That's why we needed to tell you. Cappie, Lana, and Rusty's flight got in about 45 minutes ago. I'm pretty sure they'll be here soon."

"Wait, Lana?" Casey asked. "Isn't she that townie that Cappie dated during junior year?"

"That's her," Ashleigh responded.

"Wow," Casey said. "Well, um, so pretty much everyone that's coming here is in a relationship. I'm like the 11th wheel. Okay, now, I'm starting to freak out."

"Case," Ashleigh grabbed a hold of her friend's hand, "it'll be okay. Relax. Take a few breaths. There you go."

"We're really sorry, Case," Rebecca added. "We didn't mean to make it weirder for you."

Casey waved a hand at them. "Seriously, I'll be okay. We were both bound to move on at some point. I just need a few minutes to process all this information. I'm going to go my room for a bit. Just let me know when they get here." Casey gave her friends a small smile and left so that she could escape to her room before she started crying.

"Okay," Ashleigh said. "See ya." She gave Rebecca a small smile and watched as her best friend walked up the stairs and to the right. Ashleigh felt so bad for Casey. She knew her friend was miserable without Cappie and she admired how brave Casey was trying to be. She shook her head at the thought of him. She was so certain when Casey and Cappie drove off together that fateful day in June that they would live happily ever after. Whenever she talked to Casey, it seemed like things were going great with them. They had found a cute one-bedroom apartment in Washington DC while they both tried to figure out what they wanted to do. Casey had found a great job working with a non-profit organization and was visiting a lot of schools to discuss the power of voting and encouraging students to register as a voter.

A year ago, Casey and Cappie came back to CRU during Christmas for a visit. It was Ashleigh's first Christmas with Rusty Cartwright, her boyfriend of a year and a half; he also happened to be Casey's younger brother. Rusty was President of the Kappa Tau fraternity and the KTs were hosting a big Christmas mixer. Once Cappie was reunited with his former brothers and their new pledges, he realized he was miserable in the "real" world and wanted to stay at CRU. Within their 10-day stay at CRU, Cappie found a way to convince Dean Bowman that the KTs needed him as their house dad, due to the new Pan-Hellenic regulations. And just like that, Cappie made a place for himself at CRU again and he wasn't going to leave.

Ashleigh had seen a lot of Cappie over the past year of course, because of Rusty. She had no idea how Casey had avoided not seeing Cappie for a year since they were all at CRU for Rusty and Rebecca's graduation in June. She hadn't had the heart to tell Casey that Cappie was bringing his new girlfriend to Vail. Unfortunately, she had learned that the girl that kissed Cappie under the mistletoe was a townie named Lana, who Cappie had dated previously. Ever since their break up, Lana had been a fixture at the KT house, always on the arms of Cappie.

"At least now she knows," Rebecca muttered. "I just hope they can be cordial with each other. Cappie refused to come if he couldn't bring Lana and Evan really wanted his best friend here. So, I had to give in."

"Casey's tough," Ashleigh said. "She'll be okay." I hope, Ashleigh couldn't help but think to herself.

"I guess we'll have to be nice to what's-her-face, too," Rebecca said with a sigh. "I miss being bitchy to girls I don't like." She raised an eyebrow at Ashleigh and they both started laughing. They started clearing the granite counter of their plates and cups when they heard two beeps from the approaching SUV pulling into the driveway.

"Rusty's here!" Ashleigh said excitedly. She ran to the bottom of the stairs, "Case, our first guests are here. Come on!"Ashleigh watched as Casey made her way down the stairs. "Wow, that green looks amazing on you." Casey had changed into a pair of dark jeans and an emerald green sweater that looked great against her golden skin and blonde hair. She noticed that the sweater also hugged Casey's curves to a tee. She knew her friend wanted to look good for Cappie. He would have to be blind not to notice, Ashleigh thought with a smile.

Casey shrugged. "This is an old sweater," she said nonchalantly.

Rebecca wolf-whistled at her friend. "Well, it looks good on you. Trying to impress someone?"

"There's no one to impress," Casey said quickly. "I just don't want to look like a slob seeing him for the first time since our break up."

"Come on," Ashleigh linked her arms through her friends, "let's go meet and greet."

The three friends laughed as they made their way to the front door. They watched as Evan pulled the SUV in front of them. As soon as the car was parked, Rusty jumped out of the passenger seat and threw his arms around Ashleigh.

"Hey baby," Rusty whispered into Asheigh's ear. "I missed you last night." He hugged his girlfriend tight and then he kissed her.

Ashleigh giggled as they broke apart from their embrace. "Well, we can catch up tonight," she said teasingly.

"Hi," Rusty heard as someone tapped him on the shoulder. "Remember me? Your big sister?"

Rusty let go of Ashleigh and gave his big sister a big hug. "Case! How have you been? How's DC?"

"Things are great. DC couldn't be better. I got a new apartment in the Georgetown area and it's gorgeous. You and Ash need to come by for a visit this spring." Casey replied.

"Perhaps during spring break?" Rusty told her. "Let me get my bags and we can catch up inside."

"Sure," Casey said, wishing her brother was still next to her. Now that the moment was here, she wasn't sure she could really face Cappie. Or Lana. "Do you need help, Rusty?"

By this time, Rusty and Ashleigh were hand-in-hand and were walking back into the villa. She looked to Rebecca and her friend gave her a small smile. "It'll be okay," Rebecca whispered.

Casey watched as Cappie got out of the car. He smiled at Rebecca, but as his eyes laid on her, Casey felt frozen in place. She couldn't move or react. Cappie nodded in her direction. "Hey," he said quietly.

"Hi," Casey said back. It was kind of chilly outside but she couldn't help but feel warm all over as his blue eyes lingered on her. He still looked the same. He still had the long scruffy haired look that she loved so much about him.

Cappie broke their stare as he reached his hand inside to help Lana out. "Wow, this place is great!" Lana said as she looked around. She walked towards them, her long dark hair flowing behind her. "Thanks for having me."

Rebecca gave her a smile. "It's my pleasure, Lana," she said a little too sweetly.

Cappie smiled at them. "So, Casey, this is Lana." He turned to Lana, "And Lana, this is Casey and you already know Rebecca."

Lana smiled at them. "Charmed." She then turned to Casey, "I think we met a couple of years ago . Didn't we have a double date with you and what was his name? He had dark hair, kind of a mix between geeky and hunky," she looked to Cappie, "don't you remember? Was his name Mac?"

"It was Max," Casey and Cappie both said at the same time. They both looked at each other and quickly looked away. Casey could feel her cheeks blushing.

"Oh right," Lana said with a laugh. "That was a fun night."

"Sure was," Casey replied before she realized what she said. "Anyway, I'm going to go and talk to my brother. It was nice to meet you."

"You, too, Carrie." Lana replied.

"It's Casey." Once again, Casey and Cappie both said it at the same time. They briefly locked eyes before Casey turned away. "Excuse me," Casey left them and walked back towards the house. She heard Rusty and Ashleigh in the kitchen and went there. "Wow, I forgot how brash she can be. She just puts it all out there."

"What are you talking about?" Ashleigh asked.

"Lana just brought up our double date and Max. And then she called me Carrie." Casey said. "Really?"

"It'll be okay," Ashleigh told her. "You don't even have to hang out with her. Katherine and Beaver, Laura and Dale, Calvin and Heath are all getting in later today. Before you know it, this place will be filled with our other friends and you can avoid her."

"I hope so," Casey said.

Rusty came over and put his arm around his sister. "Sorry we kind of surprised you with all of this. We didn't know how to tell you."

"I get it. But next time, just tell me. And not 20 minutes before. Anyway, I think I'm going to go read in my room for a while. What time do the others get here?"

Ashleigh looked at her watch. "Let's see, it's about two now. Katherine, Beaver, Laura, and Dale get in around four, and Calvin and Heath are getting in around seven. I think we're all going out to dinner tonight once we pick up Calvin and Heath. So be ready to go by 6:30."

"Where are we going to dinner?" Casey asked.

"Some casual bar. Nothing fancy."

"Sounds good." Casey left her brother and friend and went to her room. She decided a nap was a much better idea. She was officially a mess, she had to admit. How was she going to pretend that everything was okay? She wasn't sure if she could handle being in the same room with Cappie and Lana because it had been hard when they were standing outside. The more she thought about the situations, she couldn't help but feel a bit mad towards her friends and Rusty. How could they have kept this information from her? Casey grabbed a Kleenex and wiped at her eyes. She willed herself not to cry. Not right now. She was blowing her nose when she heard a soft knock at her door. It's probably Ashleigh checking on me, she thought. Casey went to the door and pulled it open as she said "Ash, really, I'm fine."

But to her surprise, it wasn't Ashleigh at the door; instead it was Cappie. "Hey," he said with a sheepish smile. "Can we talk?"

A/N: I really enjoyed writing this chapter because one of my favorite things on Greek was watching the scenes where Casey and Cappie look at each other and you can feel the yearning, angst, and love between those looks. I hope you felt it, too. :) I will try to update much quicker for the next few weeks. Enjoy!

~Dee