A/N: Glad you all enjoyed the intro chapter.

Lexiecabot: Fear not my faithful reader. This is an AC story. You just gotta bear with me because I ship AA as well, and nobody else writes it, I gotta get it from somewhere :-P

Here's the next chapter; enjoy.

Even angels have their wicked schemes, And you take that to new extremes
But you'll always be my hero, Even though you've lost your mind

"I didn't see a ring which means that there's a higher chance that she's single."

"Kim…"

"And not to mention the fact that she was looking at you the entire time throughout the meeting so that means she's probably interested."

"Kim!" Alex snaps, causing the other woman to snap out of her ramblings. "Whether she is married or not or whether she is 'interested' or not has absolutely nothing to do with me. I'm married."

Rolling her eyes, Kim lengthens her strides in order to keep up with her friend. "Yeah to a deadbeat." She murmurs, though she has to practically skid to a halt in order to keep from ramming into Alex who has stopped abruptly.

The blonde says nothing for a brief moment before her eyes harden and she turns around slowly. "Abbie is not a deadbeat, Kim. She tries really hard for the both of us and she just needs someone in this world to believe in her. Clearly that only someone is me." she explains, shaking her head before she goes to make her way back to her office. "I just wish you'd let these things go."

"And I just wish you would open your eyes for once." Kim attempts to rationalize.

"To what? Some stranger client that Liz has brought in that just happens to think I'm pretty? Newsflash Kim, I've had people stare at me before because of how they think I look; this time is no different."

"Yeah it is, because she's different. I can feel it. Hell, she's not like any of the people I've been out with. I mean did you look at her?! There's something mysterious about her, something…alluring, not to mention she has money."

"So what, you're telling me to betray my vows and go after this woman who I hardly even know…"

"No, I'm not telling you to betray your vows or whatever. I'm just simply saying that if Casey comes around then maybe you can spice things up by flirting a little bit." Kim suggests with a nonchalant shrug of her shoulders. A wide smirk spreads across her lips when they come back to Alex's office to find the previously mentioned woman sitting in one of the chairs across from the desk. A light chuckle escapes the brunette's lips as she leans into her friend's shoulder. "Looks like you're gonna get your chance sooner than I thought."

Rolling her eyes for probably the hundredth time that day, Alex gives the shorter woman a shove in the opposite direction before she takes her own time to examine the redhead through the glass. She notices how she sits with a posture of elegance yet dominance, putting off an aura of attraction that is meant to draw anyone in. Her expression is a contradictory of soft and hard that portrays a gentleness but firmness that has Alex wondering who or even what she is as a person.

"This is ridiculous." She murmurs, thinking back to Kim's ramblings before she squares her shoulders and marches into her office. As she lowers herself into her chair, she is a little surprised that Casey is still scribbling on the notepad sitting in her lap, given the fact that she stared at her through the entire meeting with Liz just an hour ago.

"I was beginning to wonder how long you were going to stand out there and stare at me." Casey states, her eyes still trained on the writing she's doing in her lap.

Alex, who was previously taken off guard by the other woman's voice, clears her throat and puts on a challenging expression. "Well I hardly think that you can be one to judge, considering that you were the one doing the staring in the meeting."

Casey's hand stills before she sets her pen on the notepad and looks up. Alex feels like her world has been completely shaken to the door as those piercing green eyes make direct contact with her own once again and a shiver runs through her when a smirk slowly begins to tug at the corner of Casey's lips.

"Then it is my apologies for noticing such an…attractive woman." The redhead responds though her smirk doesn't waver as well as the slight hint of slyness in her tone.

"Thank you…" Alex murmurs, mentally swearing at herself when she realizes that she is blushing from a simple compliment. This isn't the first time that someone (who isn't her wife) has told her that she's attractive; so why is this time any different? "Not to sound rude or anything, but why are you sitting here in my office exactly?"

Once again, that damn smirk appears and Casey lifts her eyes to the ceiling as if to begin thinking about the answer to the otherwise simple question. "Ah, so now I get the impression you would like me to leave." She says, a breathy chuckle escaping her lips that only serves to irritate the blonde in front of her.

Alex's ears glow fire engine red before she looks to Casey once again, their eyes meeting directly for the third time within an hour and a half. "I never said that I wanted you to leave. I was just simply wondering why you are here in my office when you were meant to meet with Liz."

"Ah, Elizabeth had an emergency meeting with another client who popped in unannounced. She figured that it would be best for me to wait here. She felt it would be good for us to get more…acquainted, considering we are going to be spending a whole lot of time together over the next few months." Casey explains, her smirk only seeming to widen which is something Alex was sure was impossible. "So tell me, Alex, what's got a beautiful, intelligent woman like you working underneath that Neanderthal?"

"She's not that bad." Alex responds, though a small giggle escapes her lips as she realizes there are in fact times when Liz can be a little more than unreasonable. "I don't know…I feel like matchmaking is a good way for me to help people. At least right now anyway."

"Right now?"

"Yeah. See, what I really want to do is be a marriage counselor, but you know how life is…that hasn't really taken off yet. "

"Yet." Casey repeats with a nod as she rests her finger against her chin as she continues to examine the beautiful woman across from her. Her eyes halt when they reach the blonde's hand to notice the golden band on her left ring finger. Didn't notice that before, she thinks to herself before she speaks up. "I see that you're married."

Initially from reflex, Alex snatches her hand off of her desk as if she had been burned but she relaxes as her eyes travel down to her ring. "Oh, yeah. I'm married." She responds, a small smile tugging at her lips as she flexes her fingers. "My wife…she's an artist."

"Ah, and artist? What's her name? Maybe I've seen some of her work." Casey asks, her interest seeming to spike by the second.

"No, you probably haven't…" Alex mutters as an embarrassed blush coats her cheeks before she releases a nervous laugh. "She's…still trying to get on her feet."

Casey is nonresponsive for a moment as she seems to be mulling over something in her mind. Finally, she settles on responding with a simple 'oh', before she sits back in her chair long enough to begin examining Alex as if she were a newfound piece of rare artwork that can only be viewed on rare gallery openings.

Sensing the heavy tension in the room, though what kind of tension she isn't sure, Alex clears her throat and wills her blush to go away. "So…what about you? I don't see a ring or anything…?"

Casey simply shakes her head before she settles on tilting it to the side, determined that her examination not be wavered by a simple question. "No, I'm not married."

"What? C'mon, you? Surely there's gotta be someone?"

"Nope. There's no one. At least not right now anyway. I feel like a relationship is sacred." The redhead begins cryptically as her eyes narrow. "It must involve two people who want the same thing on the same level. I have yet to find that person. Not to mention someone who's inward and outward beauty is worth of my attention."

Swallowing thickly at the tone of the woman's words, Alex shakily nods her head. "Oh…I see."

"Does your wife take care of you?"

"I…I' m sorry?"

"Your wife," Casey repeats as if it's the most obvious question in the world. "Does she take care of you?"

Alex wears a rather owlish look as she blinks blankly before her face contorts into that of a scowl. "Who are you to ask me such questions?" she questions in response, probably a little more harshly than necessarily needed. "Why is that any of your business?"

Casey, however, shrugs nonchalantly as she seems to make a show of examining her perfectly manicured nails. "I was just asking a simple question based off of an observation I was making." She states, reaching forward as she takes a framed photo off of the desk without asking. "This is her?"

"Yes." Alex answers tightly, leaning forward to take the picture back before replacing it to the spot on her desk. Though she mentally curses herself, she can't help but let her curiosity get the best of her. "What do you mean observations?"

"I notice how you don't wear any expensive jewelry." The redhead states in confirming manner. "You don't wear any expensive jewelry which means that you don't receive such a thing as gifts. Your ring is something simple, nothing extravagant or flashy for lack of a better term. You mentioned your wife is an artist but when you mentioned she's still trying to get on her feet, there was a look of disgust that passed through your eyes; almost like you hate where you are because of it.

Snorting, Alex finds herself blushing once again as she shakes her head. "You have no idea what you're talking about."

"Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm wrong." Casey states, standing as she slowly moves around to the blonde's chair before she slowly leans down to whisper into her ear. "Or maybe I just made you realize something you've been covering up for the past few years."


"Excuse me?"

Abbie is so focused on the half finished painting in front of her that the voice behind her causes her to jump with a start, sending her brush clattering to the floor.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry." The slightly frazzled blonde says as she squats down to pick up the discarded brush before handing it back to the taller woman. "I didn't mean to startle you or anything. I should know better than to interrupt someone when they're in the middle of a thought process."

"No, no, it's fine. I should've been paying more attention." Abbie responds, clearing her throat as she examines the stranger. "Can I help you?"

"Actually, yeah," the blonde replies, reaching into her bag before she pulls out a newspaper. "I actually saw your ad as you are looking for an assistant? I can do the, you know the basic housekeeping things and I'm really into to art myself so I thought I'd just…"

Abbie raises her eyebrows as a smile splits her features. "Oh hey! Yeah, thanks, that's great." She exclaims, drying her hands on a rag before she extends a clean one. "I'm Abbie."

"Serena." The woman replies, accepting the greeting. "I just really wanna thank you for this opportunity. You have no idea how much you've helped me out."

"It's no problem really. I honestly didn't think anyone would answer the advertisement." The brunette responds with a shrug as she briefly turns her attention back to her painting. "I really don't have anything huge for you to do today. Just some canvasses I need to organize and put on easels before my four o'clock class comes in."

Nodding her head in interest, Serena gazes about the studio taking note of the beautiful paintings and portraits displayed about the area. "I don't think that'll be a problem." She says, noticing a blonde being the focus of more than one of the portrait photos. "Who's the woman that's all over the place?"

Spinning around, Abbie follows Serena's line of vision before she grins. "That's my wife, Alex." She explains, her voice full of love and adoration. "She's amazing."

"She's really beautiful." Serena comments as she notices the golden band on a chain around the brunette's neck. "Does she come around often?"

"Eh, every now and then. I think she always has the fear of getting paint on her clothes. That's why she hates it when I paint in the house." Abbie chuckles with a shrug. "I don't wanna sound like a jerk or anything, but I haven't really seen you around here before. Usually I can recognize a face."

This time, it's Serena who chuckles as she angles her gaze towards the ground. "I just moved here actually." She explains as an absent look passes over her eyes. "Needed to start fresh somewhere and get back on my feet."

Abbie frowns in concern though she keeps her eyes on her canvass. "Something happen?"

"Yeah, I…I'm just trying to get away from someone." The blonde murmurs, clearing her throat before abruptly changing the subject. Her fingers absentmindedly run over the scar on her arm and she shakes her head to vanish the memories. "So where are those canvasses you need to organize? I can get that started so it won't take as long."

Sensing the tension and the abrupt subject change, Abbie hangs on Serena's words for a brief moment before she blinks rapidly, bringing herself back to reality. "Um, yeah, they're back there in the back. I can show you if you want?"

"No that's fine. I'm pretty good at learning my way around places." Serena responds with a polite grin as she goes to retrieve the supplies.

A small frown creases Abbie's forehead as she intently watches the retreating form of her new assistant. There's something off about her, she just can't put her finger on what it is.

Forgot who it was that asked about Serena, but there she is! Not quite sure if I have a place for Liv and/or Amanda yet. We'll see. Leave your thoughts!