Sorry about the delay. I just started my Winter Semester. I'll try not to leave you guys hanging anymore. Thanks for all the Reviews so far. They've all been great.
So as far as Chapter 7... It's mostly just a connection chapter. It'll flow right into Chapter 8 (I hope).
Alex approached Casey's apartment to hear the pounding sounds of Casey's favorite German Band, Oomph, blaring at a high volume through the door. She knocked but didn't expect Casey to hear her. Alex waited outside for the song to come to a close before knocking again.
"Casey!" she called. "Casey, come on. We need to talk about this."
Casey pulled the door open. "There's nothing to talk about." She started to close the door, but Alex stopped her.
"Casey, then you should listen," Alex said.
Casey bit her lower lip and let go of the door. She walked into her living room. Alex followed. She watched Casey turn off the music. "My neighbors probably love you right now."
Alex gave a slight smile. She knew that Casey had probably been playing this all evening, ever since she saw Alex and Olivia together outside the bar.
"So here's your floor, say what you've got to say," Casey said. She sat down in a chair and threw her feet on the coffee table.
"There is nothing going on with me and Olivia," Alex said. "We had a thing, once, a long time ago. Now, we're just friends."
"Sure looked like a conversation two friends would be having," Casey said. "I'm not blind. I can read body language. You two both wanted each other. So go. Go be with her."
Alex pulled Casey's feet off the coffee table and sat down on it. She took Casey's hand. "I don't want to be with Olivia. Sure I still feel things for her, but we've both been through so much. I don't think I could go back to her now. We're walking two different paths."
"But you do want her?" Casey asked.
"Casey!" Alex exclaimed. "Why do you keep forcing this? It's like you want something to be going on with Olivia and I. Why?"
"You're too good for me," Casey said. "I'm scared."
Alex moved her hand up Casey's arm, to her shoulder, finally resting it on her cheek. "Scared of what, Casey?"
"I'm scared of this," Casey said. "I'm afraid of wanting you too much. I'm scared that I'll fall in love. I'm scared that I'll get attached and then lose you. I don't want to get hurt again."
"Casey, you've got to risk it," Alex said. "You've got to risk failure to get what you want. You can't just hide from the world because it'll hurt less. I know. I tried it. I could have come out of witness protection and gone right back to my old life, but I was scared. I thought that I would look at Olivia and see her looking at me after I was shot. I didn't want that. I avoided that life because I didn't want to risk knowing what would happen. Because of that, I spent so much time hiding when I could have moved on. I kind of wish I would have come back. I'd have been able to work with you."
Casey leaned into Alex's hand. "You'd have watched me fail."
Alex moved forward and kissed Casey. "I wish, more than anything, that I'd have been there to save you."
"Alex, no one could have saved me," Casey said. "I had my mind made up from the beginning. He wasn't going to win and it cost me my job, my license to practice law, and my sixty-thousand dollar education." Through it all, Casey smiled. "But hey, look what I gained." She kissed Alex again. "You're so much better than an education that cost me an arm and a leg."
Alex smiled and kissed her again. Like Casey had the ability to do, she completely made Alex forget why she had come here. Casey stood up, pulling Alex to her feet too. She took Alex over to the couch and laid her down. Casey straddled Alex's thighs. Her fingers laced between Alex's. She kissed Alex's face, neck, and chest.
"Casey," Alex said.
Casey sat up and looked down at Alex. "Alex."
Alex sat up and caught Casey's mouth with hers. "I think I could fall in love with you."