A/N: I love this chapter too. Let me know what you all think! :)
"Pull up right here." Alex instructs Casey as she drives. Casey pulls up and parks the car looking up at an easily three story brownstone townhouse. Looking over at Alex she asks, "Are we going in there?"
"Yes, now come on we don't have all day." Alex says exiting Casey's car. Casey gets out and frowns again at the blonde. She isn't quite sure why Alex has brought her here when she so clearly cannot afford this place.
Reaching the top of the landing, Alex unlocks the main entrance and walks inside quickly turning off the alarm just inside the door. "Casey, you can come inside." Alex says laughing at the redhead who is still standing on the front landing.
Slowly entering the townhome, Casey walks through the foyer and down the hall passing the dining room with dining table and chairs to the eat in kitchen. Once inside the kitchen she sees French doors that lead outside to a stoned in garden area with a patio. Casey smiles thinking the back would be perfect for Caroline to play in and even have a tricycle to ride.
"Want to go upstairs first or down?" Alex asks. Casey's eyes go wide at the fact that there is a downstairs and an upstairs. They go down first and Alex shows Casey the living room then the family room which opens to the back courtyard as well. Going back upstairs past the main entry floor, they reach the second floor which is the master suite and one bedroom, the following floor is another two bedrooms. Casey is so overwhelmed by the amount of space, but also by how beautiful this home is in general. The paint is all fresh and very spa colored. Everything has been updated, it's just amazing, but Casey still doesn't understand why Alex would bring her here until she notices the doorframe on the bedroom across from the master bedroom. It is marking a child's growth and the name listed next to the heights and ages is Alex. Casey turns to Alex and asks "This is your home?"
"It was my home growing up. My mother lived here until she died. I didn't have the heart to sell it, so I've just been sitting on it for the last year." Alex says looking at her shoes.
Casey stands looking at the blonde in disbelief. Finally shaking her head to clear it, Casey says, "Alex, I couldn't even begin to afford to buy this place. It is gorgeous and amazing, but way out of my price range, I mean we are talking Neiman Marcus price range to Dollar Store kind of jump here."
Alex laughs at Casey's ridiculous comparison, before saying, "Casey I didn't intend for you to buy it, I just meant you and Caroline could live here if you'd like."
"Alex, I couldn't just live in your house. In no way shape or form would that be appropriate." Casey says firmly.
Moving to sit on the steps leading down to the foyer, Alex says, "Casey this house is just sitting here. I don't want to live here by myself, plus I already own my apartment. Furthermore, you said you want a place close to work and Caroline's school and this place is close to both. Then you said you wanted a park nearby and there is one down the block along with back courtyard. Plus, you wanted two bedrooms, well just don't use the 3rd floor and you will feel like there are only two. Not to mention, the rent doesn't get any better than free!"
"Not happening, Cabot. I refuse to take advantage of you." Casey says seriously sitting next to Alex.
"Fine, what if I charge you rent will you live here then?" Alex asks.
"Why are you so nice to me Alex?" Casey answers the question with a question.
Alex looks at her feet again. She keeps asking herself the same question and all she comes up with is she really likes Casey. It's an odd feeling. It's this enormous urge to help and take care of her and she wants to talk to her all the time. In a way she feels crazy, but she can't control this feeling it seems to control her.
Looking up into Casey's green eyes Alex says, "I don't know Casey. I just feel like you had a really shitty year so far and that you and Caroline deserve to have something really nice after all of that so here I am just trying to help. You name the number on rent and it's yours until you don't want it to be okay?"
Casey looks into Alex's amazing crystal blue eyes and says, "Okay Alex."
Arriving back in her office Casey begins to pace the floor. She doesn't understand why she agreed to live in Alex's childhood home. It was a ridiculously big place. Caroline and she in no way shape or form needed a place that big. Furthermore, Alex was being way too generous and that unnerved Casey.
Plus, what was it with Alex's crystal blue eyes that Casey found so amazingly captivating. Casey collapsed on the couch and propped her feet up one end. Looking into Alex's eyes on the stairs Casey wanted to lean in and kiss her. She didn't because that would be wrong in so many ways. She just couldn't it would be wrong to John.
"Hey," Kim suddenly said from the doorway startling Casey from her thoughts, "I came by earlier to see you but you assistant said you went to look at a house, did you find anything?"
Casey nodded and said, "Yeah, I guess I did."
Kim laughs a little, "Well, you don't sound too excited are you sure you did?"
"Did you ever go to Alex's mom's house?" Casey questioned.
Kim quirked an eyebrow at this statement before answering, "Umm, yeah I did once for the reception after her funeral why?"
Casey smiled faintly, "Alex offered for Caroline and me to live there, she wants us to rent it."
"Are you kidding me?"
"No," Casey says sitting up and allowing Kim to sit down. Taking a breath she continues, "It's very generous of her and I tried to say no, but she kept insisting and then it was like I couldn't say no. I looked into her eyes and I couldn't say no, no matter how much I wanted to I just couldn't."
"Good, you and Caroline deserve something good right now, and Alex is extremely generous, but also very level headed. If she didn't want you there she wouldn't have offered it to you Casey. Just enjoy it." Kim says.
Kim smiles, seeing how torn up Casey is about her feelings for Alex. She would like to ask her sister-in-law what else persuaded her to say yes, but she knows it would just upset her so she doesn't. She might just need to recruit extra help in getting Casey to go for Alex.
Despite the fact Alex use to sleep around, Kim knows that Alex had changed a lot since her mother's death. She also knows just how nice of a person Alex is and that is exactly what kind of person Casey needs in her life. Smiling Kim thinks her little plan from Saturday night might have worked perfectly to push these two together.
Standing Kim says, "Well you need to get back to work, we can talk more tonight Owen is on call so I am sure he will be sleeping at the hospital so we will have plenty of time to talk. That is if the little redheaded beauty goes to sleep on time."
Casey rolls her eyes at Kim and stands, "Ha-ha, okay see you tonight."
Walking out of Casey's office Kim head's right to Serena's and catches Abbie there as well. Closing the door after her, Kim turns to the two women and says, "Okay, Saturday night might have worked better than we planned."
"What do you mean?" Abbie says sitting in one of Serena's chairs.
Kim sits in the other chair and begins, "So Alex today offered for Casey to live in her mom's house."
"What?" Serena says shocked by this information.
"Doesn't that seem a little forward? We were just supposed to rile Alex up and cause Casey to come to her defense and realize she actually has feelings not have them move in together." Abbie replies.
Kim shakes her head, "No, they aren't going to live together. Alex offered for Casey to rent the house. I am telling you two that they are starting to realize that they have feelings for one another. Casey kept saying she wanted to say no to Alex, but just couldn't and didn't know why."
"Well, I know Alex has feelings for her, I can see it in her eyes every time she looks at Casey." Abbie says.
"We all can see it." Serena adds.
Smiling wide Kim says, "I am telling you guys it worked. Now we just need to help them along a little."
Walking into Kim and Owen's apartment that night Casey hears laughter coming from the kitchen. Caroline runs past Casey to go greet her aunt and uncle but quickly returns to Casey upset about something. Kneeling down to her distraught child Casey asks, "What's wrong sweetie?"
Caroline whispers, "There is someone with Aunt Kim." Casey nods and smiles as she runs her fingers through Caroline's hair. "I am sure it's okay sweetheart, let's go see which one of Aunt Kim's friends have joined us for dinner." Casey says cheerfully trying to calm Caroline's fears.
Entering the kitchen, Casey freezes upon seeing Alex and Kim cooking spaghetti. "Mommy?" Caroline questions sensing Casey's apprehension. Before Casey can say anything Kim and Alex turn around and notice the two new additions.
"Care-bear, when did you get home?" Kim asks walking over to pick the little girl up. Casey meanwhile is still speechless as she tries to wrap her head around why the blonde is standing in the kitchen. Kim walks towards Alex, "Caroline this is Mommy and Aunt Kim's friend Miss Alex, can you say hello?" Caroline instantly turns towards Casey and begs to go to her.
Casey walks over and takes Caroline in her arms, "It's okay sweetie, Mommy knows Miss Alex, she is really nice. She helped Mommy find us a new home today."
Alex just stands in the kitchen a little dumbfounded. She has never encountered a child that hasn't liked her so she doesn't exactly know what to do at this moment. Finally she decides to try talking to the little girl, "Hi Caroline. Your Aunt Kim tells me you love spaghetti and it's your favorite food. It's my favorite too."
Caroline looks at Alex but refuses to talk to her. In the end, Casey goes and sets the little girl up with some toys and a movie in the living room and returns to the kitchen. "Kim, I wish you'd given me a heads up about Alex joining us. I could have prepped her on the way here." Casey groans as she steals one of Owen's beers.
"If it's a problem Casey, I can leave." Alex offers.
Touching Alex's arm Casey apologizes, "Oh Alex I am sorry I didn't mean it like that. You are welcome to stay. It's just remember how I told you that Caroline isn't good around strangers since her dads death, that's just what this is."
Kim smiles seeing the exchange between the two women, "I am going to go check on her. Casey you relax for a minute and watch the sauce, will you?"
"Yeah, I got it."
Kim exits the kitchen leaving Casey and Alex to talk. "So you told the little one about the house, I am guessing that means you really are going to take me up on it then." Alex says with a grin leaning against the counter.
Casey frowns and shakes her head thinking she walked right into that one. "I guess I am," she replies taking a large sip of the cold beer.
Alex claps her hands, "Great! What is Caroline's favorite color?"
"Why?" Casey questions.
"Well, I thought I could have her room painted for you. That is if you would like it painted a different color. I am sorry is that wrong of me to offer, I just thought it would be nice and I don't know…" Alex is suddenly cut off by Casey's lips pressed to hers in a chaste kiss which Casey quickly pulls back from.
"Oh my God, Alex I am so sorry." Casey says as she is quickly turning bright red. She shuts her eyes and prays that what just happened was in her head and not for real but when she opens them again Alex is still looking at her with a shocked expression on her face with her finger over her lips.
Moving her hand away from her mouth Alex says, "You kissed me."
"I am really sorry."
"Why? Why are you sorry?" Alex asks.
Casey shakes her head and tries to explain, "You were rambling and I use to stop John from rambling with a kiss. It was basically an autopilot response I guess. I am sorry. It will never happen again."
Alex just stares at the redhead she really isn't sure what to say now. Finally she settles and asks again, "What's Caroline's favorite color?"
"Purple," Casey answers quietly.
"Do you want to move in this weekend?" Alex asks picking up her bag.
Casey frowns realizing Alex is going to leave. Sighing Casey replies, "Sure," as she lays her head in her hands.
"Great," Alex says, "I am going to go Casey, but not because you kissed me. I am going to go, because I want to kiss you again." Looking up Casey watches in shock as the blonde leaves.