A/N: I am so loving this story. It's just a fun mix of characters to write. As for the questions asked...no Andrew is not aware of who Casey's mom is yet, and Sharon hasn't shared that knowledge with anyone but Jack...
Thanksgiving Day...
"Jack, I promise I will try to be nice today. I told you I am trying to be supportive of Casey's decisions, but I am still her mother and I am allowed to be worried about her getting her heart broken. I mean Andrew did raise her after all." Sharon sighed from the passenger seat of Jack's sedan. They were in route to her daughter and soon to be daughter-in-laws home for Thanksgiving dinner. She was miserable, and frankly didn't understand why her husband was forcing her to go today. It would be the first time in 29 years that she'd seen him anywhere other than the cover of a magazine. Needless to say, she wasn't impressed.
Feeling Jack take her hand and give it a good squeeze she looked at him and smiled. "Everything will be okay Sharon, I promise. I will be with you. If things get to hard to handle we can leave. Just try to be overly cordial, you still haven't told Casey about your past, so clearly you don't want to cause her and Alex problems. Otherwise you would have told her when she first came clean about dating Alex." He said kissing the back of her hand.
"You have always been my source of strength, you know that right?" She said seeing Casey and Alex's townhouse in sight.
"Yes, darling I do, and you have always been mine." Jack replied as he parked the car.
The walk up to her daughters home seemed much to short and as she knocked on the door she could hear her children laughing inside. Their simple joy made her heart grow with love. Hearing Alex, open the door and say, "Happy Thanksgiving." Sharon was able to genuinely smile.
"Happy Thanksgiving Alex. I brought my famous pumpkin pie, I hope you don't mind." Sharon said truly happy.
Alex smiled at her soon to be mother-in-law. Sharon was never truly nice, but the holiday or more likely Jack seemed to have changed her spirits. "Thank you so much. That was so thoughtful, Sharon. Please come in out of the cold. It seems winter came super early this year." Ushering Casey's parents inside, Alex added, "Casey, Daniel and Claire are in the living room building a fire. Jack, I think they could desperately use your help. And I am in the kitchen cooking. Sharon, you are more than welcome to join me, or I can take your pie."
"I'd love to join you Alex."
Jack smiled seeing his wife warm up a bit. "I will go help the children," he said kissing Sharon's head before heading off.
Looking at Alex, Sharon smiled, "Lead the way."
Walking to the kitchen, Alex suddenly found herself thanking God for their homes open floor plan, just in case Sharon got the urge to cut her up with the turkey. "Sharon, if you'd like you can put the pie on the hutch, I am going to check the turkey."
"Thank you Alex," Sharon said as she set down the pie.
"Good, it shouldn't be much longer." Alex said as she closed the oven. Turning around she saw Casey walking into the kitchen, she couldn't hide the giant smile that formed on her face at the sight of her fiancé.
"Hey Mom!" Casey said as she hugged her mother. The doorbell ringing quickly broke the moment as Casey pushed back and smiled at Alex who quickly headed to the door. "That should be Alex's dad. I can't wait for you to meet him Mom, he is so nice."
Closing her eyes, Sharon quickly said a silent prayer that Andrew would stay quiet about their past. Obviously he hadn't told Alex anything yet, but Sharon had a funny feeling that was due to him not putting Novak or Raydor with her yet. When they'd dated she was Sharon Matthews.
Hearing Andrew's voice down the hallway, Sharon felt her heart rate triple. Now she felt like Jack was right, she should have said something to Casey...damn, she hated it when Jack was right, and he was right a lot these days. Looking around she locked eyes with Jack, seeing her obvious discomfort he walked over to join her. She loved the strength he always provided her.
"So, do I finally get to meet Casey's parents?" Andrew said as Alex walked him into the kitchen. At the sight of Sharon he froze.
Alex oblivious to her father said, "Dad, this is Sharon and Jack Raydor Casey's mom and dad. Sharon, Jack, this is my father Andrew Cabot."
"Sharon..." Jack started pointing at Sharon and then to Casey.
Alex could instantly notice the surmounting tension and moved closer to Casey. "What are we missing?" She mumbled into her fiancé's ear, only to get a shrug in return.
"Wait a minute, you are Casey's mom?" Andrew asked confused.
"Yes, Andy, I am Casey's mom." Sharon replied with a bite in her voice. Jack instantly placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her.
"Andy?" Alex questioned looking at her dad with a raised eyebrow. Hearing the state of conversation, Daniel and Claire moved into the kitchen to watch. Trying to dispel the obvious tension, Alex said, "Dad, these are Casey's siblings, Daniel and Claire!"
"Hang on a minute," Andrew continued to Sharon, "Is this why you have been so hard on Alex? Because she is my kid? Jesus, you are still harboring a grudge? It's been 30 years, let it go."
"Are you kidding me? Let it go!" Sharon yelled back, even Jack couldn't stop her now, "You broke my heart, no I take it back, you shattered it. You proposed to me and and when I wouldn't quit my job and turn into your perfect housewife you called off our wedding. You said you loved me, but it didn't take you five seconds to meet someone else and move right on!"
"You two were together?" Casey asked confused.
"Unfortunately..." Andrew sighed.
"Unfortunately!" Sharon exclaimed.
"Yes! You were nothing but a harpy!" Andrew yelled.
"Oh my god," Alex mumbled running out of the kitchen.
"Alex wait!" Casey called after her as she followed the blonde.
"You two need to stop it now. You both are upsetting your daughters." Jack said firmly.
"Fine." Both Andrew and Sharon spat like two stubborn children.
When Casey reached her bedroom she could hear Alex crying. "Alex," she said as she sat next to her fiancé.
"Casey, they hate each other." Alex cried. "How are we supposed to raise a family with them at each other's throats?"
"We just will, Alex. Our love will be enough for our future kids."
"How are we even supposed to have a wedding with them around arguing?"
Casey took a deep breath thinking the question over. "I don't know baby, but we will figure it out."
Shaking her head in agreement, Alex took a deep breath, "Okay let's get this day over with, from now on we are traveling during the holidays."
The couple headed back downstairs to discover a peaceful environment much to their surprise. Jack was helping Andrew carve the turkey, while Sharon was pulling out the casseroles with Daniel and Claire. "Wow, guys thank you." Casey said squeezing Alex's hand.
Alex couldn't help but think it was the calm before the storm. Everything was just too peaceful. She'd seen crime scene photos from situations like this, it could easily turn into an episode of Snapped in a heartbeat.
Before long everyone had fixed their plates and moved to the table. Casey was really feeling like they might make it through the holiday. Once everyone was seated, Jack said the blessing.
"That was a very nice prayer, Jack." Andrew said.
"Thank you, Andrew."
Sharon rolled her eyes, "Kiss ass."
"Mom!" Casey snapped.
"Your a mighty lucky fellow there Jack, she sure is a winner!" Andrew snapped back.
"Dad!" Alex said placing her hand on her father's arm to calm him.
"Say you're sorry children," Jack scolded.
"Sorry," They both mumbled.
"Has anyone checked to see if Mom is carrying?" Daniel asked with a laugh until Casey kicked him in the shin, "Ow! Geez, Case!"
"Don't." The younger redhead ordered.
The rest of dinner seemed to pass in relative calm. With Daniel talking about life in medical school and Claire discussing her senior year of college. Finally at the end of dinner, Claire asked the big question, "So, guys when is the wedding going to be?"
"We were thinking beginning of summer." Alex beamed.
"Yeah, we kind of wanted to get married in a garden." Casey added.
"I think Casey would look beautiful surrounded by flowers."
"That's really sweet you two." Sharon said sounding sincere.
"I agree." Andrew quickly added.
Alex not wanting to draw a semi nice dinner to its death stood, "I am going to get dessert, Case do you want to get the plates out?"
"Sure baby."
Alex picked up the pie off the hutch in the kitchen and brought it into the dining room. "Here we are," she said with a big smile setting the pie on the table near her father.
"I know that pie, it's Sharon's famous pumpkin pie. I am not eating any of it, she may have poisoned it." Andrew touted.
"Oh right, I am going to poison all of us in the hopes you may eat it and die as well." Sharon called back as Jack placed his head in his hands.
"I'd like a piece," Claire said raising her hand.
"You never know!" Andrew yelled back.
"Oh please, I work homicide, I'd have much better ways of taking you out." Sharon yelled back.
"Mother!" Casey snapped.
"Don't mother me, he insulted my pie!"
"You two stop it." Jack said firmly standing.
"Who made you keeper of the peace!" Andrew shouted.
"Enough!" Alex screamed throwing the pie on the dining room floor. "Thanksgiving is over go home!"
The whole room went quiet as Alex stood still as could be looking at the mess she'd just made. "I didn't even get a slice. It's my favorite part of Thanksgiving." Claire mumbled as Alex broke out crying and ran upstairs.
She was upset and hurt, but she was far more upset at herself than anyone else. She'd lost her cool and embarrassed herself. She interrogated criminals and put bad people away, she did not lose her cool.
Hearing the door open, she held her breath. Finally she heard Casey speak, "Alex, I got rid of them. It's just us now baby. Although, I did make my mom clean up the pie mess. I kind of felt she deserved it for keeping such a big secret."
"I am so sorry, Casey."
"Why, honey?"
"Because, our wedding is going to be a nightmare." Alex sobbed.
"Oh baby, no it won't!" Casey said running to the bed to hold Alex. "It won't, I promise, you know why?"
Alex shook her head 'no.' "It won't because we are going to elope. We can do it tomorrow if you'd like sweetie."
"What? What about our families?" Alex asked in shock.
Casey smiled her signature goofy grin, "Who cares Alex, you are the only one I care about being there."
"Okay," Alex whispered.
"Good, we will start planning in the morning. Let's get in the bath right now, I could use a soak after that."
"Me too, baby." Alex laughed following Casey. Maybe their wedding wouldn't be a total disaster.