OK Guys, I'm just gonna chuck in the whole shabang so this will be an 8 chapter episode (including yesterday's)! Hope that's OK :)
Another great episode last night. I keep getting new ideas from it. Just wish I had more time to write!
Thanks for feedback. Here is the first directly in episode timeline. I broke my rule for this episode and have re-written a scene from the show. This is actually a scene I envisioned ages ago when I first created Kasey. At that time I thought of it as a one shot and it did kind of inspire this whole set. I hope it works for people (though I still don't intend to change the show scenes much). Anyway, I'd love to know what you think of this slightly different style.
As always, thanks to Mea23 and TheTBone for your help with this episode and everyone who has given me advice on what to include!
"Never again. Honestly, it's just not worth it - you may as well get a plumber in." a blonde woman harped on to a bored looking Jesus. "Water everywhere. Ended up having to get the boy from next door to wrench the tap closed."
"Sounds like a nightmare." Jesus finally responded, thoroughly disinterested.
"At least I learned the lesson for the shower."
"Hey did your Mom just call us?" Lexi interrupted.
"I think she did - sorry Sandra. Will catch you later."
"OK sweetheart!" the woman kissed his cheek sloppily as they departed.
Jesus wiped it off once she was out of sight.
"That's not fair, I can't believe we've been here for an hour and the first person to kiss you is your Mom's hairdresser."
Jesus gave her a smile and sprung around grabbing her into a hug and pushing her round the corner. Lexi giggled as he pressed his lips firmly against her.
"That better?" he smiled.
She stroked his cheek softly. "Did you get in trouble yesterday?"
"Not really, they just wanted to make sure we were prepared if we go any further. I told them that it's not an issue yet and won't be until we're both ready." he squeezed her a little tighter as she smiled.
"So we're still allowed upstairs then?"
"Yep. In fact - they said no closed doors but they didn't mention the them having to be upstairs rule...maybe it doesn't apply anymore..." he rationalised despite knowing it was a technicality. "These are blurry circumstances anyway...I mean, they're sort of taking over the downstairs..."
Lexi licked her lips as he grabbed her hand and dragged her towards the stairs dashing past a bored looking Cooper munching on a celery stick.
"Finally! Did you get lost?" He moaned as Kasey finally re-appeared after a phone retrieval mission a little while before.
"Sorry I got distracted. We got a chat response! Check it out! Divorced dude, teenage daughter, totally cool with playing along with Dad not knowing. His marriage even ended because of his partner being gay!" Kasey chimed waving her phone in front of Cooper. "Into football and baseball - this is perfect."
"His partner was gay too? Are you sure your dad doesn't just have another profile?"
"He even made a joke about it 'apparently one of you being gay doesn't make for a happily ever after.' This guy will make a perfect friend for Dad!"
Cooper scrutinised her excitement. "Are you sure you don't want to be with this guy?" he accused as Kasey threw him a look. "You went for friendship profile then I take it?"
"Mmhmm -" she answered by reflex, only half listening. "Look he's even got a Padres username. This is perfect!" she beamed, scrolling through their messages.
"I think I'll arrange a bowling trip with my Dad, bail and then I'll get Danny to pretend he's been blown off too or something."
"You think that will work?" Cooper shrugged.
"This was your idea, Coop. Don't start giving me doubts now." she scolded, folding her arms.
"OK, OK - I'm sure it'll be fine."
"You guys got any trash?" Jesus moaned flapping open the bag in his hand.
"How did you get cleanup duty?" Kasey laughed.
"Ooh! Does it have anything to do with you dashing up the stairs together? Tsk, tsk!" Cooper teased.
"Apparently Mom likes her friends being called old as much as she likes to be." Jesus sighed.
"Oh, little brother." Kasey commented putting her hands on his shoulders. "If you ask me, you're going about this all wrong. I was talking to your parents earlier - aren't they going to the theatre tonight, Lexi?"
"That's a good point..." Jesus looked to her.
"Stay out of trouble now, and sneak over tonight." Kasey shrugged before her phone beeped. Her eyes lit up. "Ooh, Cooper. We have some planning to do!" she sprang on her feet slightly, before jumping off into a guy munching on a stolen carrot and causing them both to drop their phones.
"Sorry!" she exclaimed picking them back up and handing his to him.
"You are getting way too excited about this." Cooper poked her as they went to hide in her room.
"You want me to sneak over tonight?" Jesus asked Lexi, sweetly.
She bit down on her bottom lip. He was being so patient and caring but it was now making her impatient. Making her want him. There was something extremely attractive about the possibility now that the stress of how she would react if he pushed too far was removed. She smiled.
"Of course." she replied, a flutter of excitement fizzing through her. She wasn't sure what would happen but was she now starting to feel that she was ready after all?
The rest of the day had almost been a blur for Lexi. The events that preceded everything up to that moment had all been eclipsed by what had just taken place.
It had been nothing like what she had imagined. She wasn't sure how far she had intended to go but something had taken over. Jesus had made it so easy - the whole time checking with her every step. They had both joked nervously about their inexperience, making it even easier and before they knew it, it had happened. Her heart thumped and her hands were almost numb, tingling with the aftermath of the sensation. Jesus lay next to her, panting lightly and just as overwhelmed with what had just happened. He couldn't believe how connected they had felt. It felt stupid because he imagined it should have been obvious, but talking about sex with his friends had always been portrayed as such a conquest. He hadn't counted on how it would bathe Lexi in a new light to him. He had never wanted to care for her more than in that moment, never been so grateful and honoured to be lying next to her. He had never felt so lucky.
He gripped her hand and smiled at her as his phone bleeped.
"You should probably check that..." Lexi breathed out, unsure of what would happen now. He opened his mouth to tell her he'd ignore it but realised that he too didn't know where to go next. He grabbed it and skimmed over.
"I've heard Moms wandering about. May wanna get back." read the text.
"Kasey thinks I should head back." he sighed. "I can stay a little if you want...I don't mind getting caught."
Lexi sat up and looked deep into his eyes.
"It's OK - it's not like I'm expecting you to never come back. Get home...I'll see you tomorrow at school."
He leaned forward and pulled her into another passionate kiss. "Thank you for being so wonderful." he whispered. She laughed gently at the lovesick expression that dreamily swam around his eyes. He pushed off her and grabbed his clothes. She sat up to see him off but he held out his palm. "Don't. You lie there, I just want to take in that sight." he blew her another kiss before taking his leave.
She flopped back down onto her bed as simplistic thoughts passed through. Blunt, hard facts. They'd just had sex. She was no longer a virgin. At 15. Her life really was different. She basked in it for a moment before being suddenly hit by a haunting realisation as the hormones drifted away. Had they genuinely just forgotten to use a condom?
"Kasey, can we talk?" Jesus appeared at her lunch table. She was sitting with Cooper and their friend Kelly looking over the messages she had exchanged with her Dad's new prospective friend.
"Now?" she asked, surprised.
"It's really important." he wrapped his fingers tightly around the strap of his backpack.
Kasey gathered her things and followed Jesus to a quiet corner.
"Kasey, I really screwed up and I need your help." Jesus twitched.
"What did you do? Are you in trouble with Moms?" she replied with concern.
"So much more than that...I need a morning after pill..."
Kasey's shoulders dropped. "Je! Really? Already? I thought you weren't even having sex?"
"We weren't...and then well...we were...and I guess in the mix-up of all the other stuff...with it being the first time and all..."
"You forgot the single most important thing Moms have been drumming into you since before puberty?" Kasey exclaimed through an angry whisper and crossing her arms.
"I know, you don't have to tell me how stupid it was." he winced.
"So what? You want me to get you a pill?" she asked, flustered.
"I would get it myself but we don't have ID - you have a license. Please Kasey, Lexi is really freaking out."
Kasey bit her tongue down over her lip and studied the worry in his face.
"I dunno Jesus. Aren't her parents really religious? Are you sure Lexi even wants to take the pill? She may have her own reservations..."
"She's the one who asked. I don't think she's been able to get it off her mind. She did all this research and everything. Please, Kasey."
She looked back at him again, her mind in a tug of war.
"I think you should talk to Moms..."
"They'll freak...or at best become overbearing and awkward about it...and worse, they'll tell the Riveras and God knows what they'll do. I swear I will never put you in this position again, just please help me out. What would you do if it was one of your friends?"
"That's different, you're my little brother...and our Moms would be OK about it if you spoke to them...sort of...if it was a friend with a supportive parent I'd get them to talk to -"
"Then think of it as Lexi, not me!" He interrupted.
Kasey processed Jesus' pleading eyes. She took a deep breath.
"I can skip health class period 6...but so help me Jesus this better not come back on me!"
"You're the best!" he leaped forward and wrapped his arms around her.
"Oh the poetry of it - skipping health class to buy the morning after pill." she moaned.
"Think of it as an assignment." he shrugged as she threw him a chastising look.
"You better not drop me in it if you get busted..."
"I won't, I swear. This is on me. I'll ditch too, I'll meet you out the back."
He squeezed her arm one more time before leaving. Kasey watched him go with a churning wrench in her stomach. She had a terrible feeling about this.
Stef hopped out of the car and made her way towards the pharmacy. She and Lena had scheduled a date that afternoon and she couldn't help but feel a teenage guidiness at the prospect of recapturing their intimacy. She remembered back to the epiphany she had the first time her and Lena had ever slept together. The nerves, the excitement and then more than anything the pieces all fitting together.
She wanted to make an effort - she had no idea when the next opportunity she and Lena would have to be alone would be. She sauntered into the pharmacy, her head buzzing. She spotted a display of oils...it couldn't hurt, right? If they were going to do this properly she may as well get something special. She looked around nervously and paid, collecting Jesus' pills as she did. She felt like a naughty schoolgirl. Clearing her throat, her heart plummeted as she saw and actual naughty school girl enter into the store. It very rapidly switched to anger.
Knowing Kasey's ability to play a situation, Stef ducked aside behind the shelves as Kasey strode towards the counter. She was on a mission. Not being close enough to hear, Stef looked over. She asked for something quietly and nervously. The pharmacist asked for ID it seemed and Kasey already had it to hand. He scrutinised it and then her before reluctantly heading out back. Kasey looked around the store and Stef ducked aside. Kasey couldn't look more suspicious if she tried but then neither could Stef. She paid and took the bag, making her way quickly out the store. Stef squinted and stormed out after. She would catch whatever this was in the act.
Kasey left the store, a clammy feeling in her gut. She felt the air on her face as she left and briskly turned around the corner. Jesus sprang forward and the two of them kept walking.
"I am never doing that again - you should have seen the way he looked at me. I thought you only got judgmental pharmacists on SVU!" Jesus was about to respond before a chilling yell froze both of them in their tracks.
"What is going on here?" Stef's voice cut through and Kasey closed her eyes. "You have got to be kidding me..." she whispered under her breath.
Jesus and Kasey looked at each other before turning back to face Stef.
"One, why aren't you in school and two, what's in the bag?" She crossed her arms angrily.
"It's a practical assignment for health class..." Kasey fluffed out, thinking back to their earlier conversation in a desperate measure. Stef gripped her hand in a fist tightly to avoid strangling her daughter.
"What. Is in. The bag." She repeated adjusting her pose and causing her own bag to open slightly, the temptation being too much for Kasey's curiosity.
"Surely we could be asking you the same question..." She stalled further observing the massage oil as Stef closed the bag nervously and snatched it away from her view.
"You really want to play this like that?" she exclaimed, finally ceasing Kasey's inappropriate stalling.
Knowing it was the end of the road, Kasey looked hard at Jesus. She wasn't taking the fall for this. Stef followed her daughter's eyeline as a previously quiet Jesus stuttered guiltily. "Jesus?"
"I...well...I kinda needed a pill...and Kasey got it for me." Stef threw a damning look at Kasey but she could identify that she wasn't the main culprit here.
"What kind of pill?" Stef asked, the heavy feeling in her stomach indicating that she already knew the answer.
"A morning after pill..." he replied quietly. "Last night...well...I sorta snuck out to Lexi's and one thing led to another..."
Stef stretched her head forward towards him and squinted furiously.
"We literally talked about this two days ago. You're honestly telling me that the day after we practically beat you round the head with a packet of condoms you have sex without one?" She was unable to hide the anger in her voice as Jesus dipped his head embarrassed at the volume at which Stef was airing his dirty laundry in the street.
"Mom...can you keep your voice down? People are looking..." Jesus whimpered out, cringing. Kasey closed her eyes knowing full well that it was not only a futile request but a baiting one.
"Keep my voice down?" Stef roared back. "Are you embarrassed, Jesus? Worried about people looking at you and judging? Tell me, son, how would you feel about the looks you and your fifteen year old girlfriend would get as you pushed a pram down the street?"
"Mom, in fairness, the pill should be preventing that..." Kasey added in before stepping back away in response to the subsequent glare.
"If you have any interest in making it through the day I strongly suggest you get your ass back to school now. I will deal with you later." She shot back at her. "You - come with me." she grabbed Jesus roughly by the arm.
"Where are we going?" He yelped.
"Home - to talk to your Mom. Start walking." she pushed him towards the car.
Kasey turned to her confused. "Why is Mama home?" She asked before clocking the bag again and a look of realisation filling her face. "Oh my God - please don't tell me...no wonder you're so mad! Did we just interrupt...ugghh!" Kasey winced. "You can't ditch work for that!"
Stef exhaled furiously. "School. Now. And I will personally make sure you get detention for the ditching."
"Isn't that a little hypocriti-"
"Move!" Stef ordered as Kasey scurried round and away.
Next Chapter Preview: Lena and Stef discuss their position as well as Kasey's role in the situation. Callie, Kasey and Stef debate Mariana's choice in men.
Mariana hurried Garrett out the door as he tried to shout through his goodbyes.
As it closed Kasey looked to an oblivious Stef.
"Is Mariana going on a date...with Garrett?" she asked, still unable to believe it.
"Uhm, yes. Do you have a problem with that or are you just determined to be involved in everyone's relationships today?"