A/N: I am glad that y'all seem to be enjoying this little story as much as me! :)
Present Day…
"Do you think we were too hard on her?" Abbie asked Kim.
"Okay, all things aside, too hard on her? Abigail do you remember what happened, what she did to Casey?" Kim snapped.
"Geez, I was just asking…"
Kim sighed as she leaned against the wall of the elevator. "I know, I know. This is just taking all my possible energy stores. Next time we decide to have a baby, please let it not coincide with the demise of my best friends relationship. This is so much work; I mean I am going to need a two week vacation to recoup after this…" She sighs again.
Abbie leans her head against Kim's. Smiling while looking into her wife's eyes she softly says, "Done. I will take you wherever you want to go just say the words."
Kim smiles brightly, "Really?"
"Really baby, just tell me and I will book it."
"Fiji."
"Done," Abbie answers kissing Kim lightly.
One Year Ago…
Alex awoke later than usual the next morning. It was very abnormal for her to sleep later than 8am even on a weekend, so sleeping till 9:30 was unheard of in the book of Cabot. What was even stranger was how quiet the cabin was, Casey could normally be heard down the hall at work, so how was she managing to remain so quiet now. The redhead must be asleep still.
Getting out of bed, Alex realizes just how hungry she is. Refusing dinner last night because she was upset was a poor choice. What was worse was she knew she owed Casey an apology. She knew she needed to get off Casey's case, lighten up a bit, but she couldn't for some reason. Honestly, she didn't know why she got so uptight with Casey all the time.
Walking out into the living room, Alex saw that the couch was vacant. Looking around the room, she quickly realized she was all alone. Casey wasn't anywhere to be seen. "Casey?" she called out into the empty room. Realizing her bee-boppy co-chair wasn't going to pop out from a closet and back into the room, Alex crossed the room and grabbed her jacket.
Putting the just her jacket on and stepping into her boots, she opened the door to the cabin and stepped out into the freezing cold. Alex didn't see Casey anywhere in sight. Panic slowly started to creep through her veins as she saw Casey's Rover still sitting buried in the snow. "Casey!" she called out only to be met with the clunky sound of the wet snow falling.
Walking around the deck, Alex noticed tracks that looked to be made by skis. They appeared to be headed down into the forest. Why would Casey go off on skis? Did she really despise her so much that instead of waiting out a snow storm with her she would go off on skis?
Shaking the crazy thoughts from her head, Alex turns around and heads back around the porch to go back into the warmth of the house. Taking the door's handle in hand she turns the knob to discover the door is locked. Panic now setting in she fights the door hoping for a mistake in judgment, but the door won't budge it's locked. It's locked and Alex is locked out.
Beginning to pace the porch, Alex runs her hands through her hair trying to figure out what to do as she becomes increasingly cold with each passing moment. Trying every window on the porch and deck area she finds them all locked. Standing at the edge of the deck area and the now easily knee deep snow, Alex sees the bedroom window. It's her last hope, it might be unlocked. Sighing, she steps into the cold wet snow soon being up to her knees in the freezing wet mix. Slowly making her way to the window, she finds herself becoming wet and impossibly cold. Reaching the window, she tries to open it only to find it locked as well.
Silently, she makes her way back to the deck. She is so cold she can barely step up on the wooden structure. Finally making it back to the door, Alex leans against the wall. She knows she needs to break a window or something to get back inside before she freezes to death, but she just can't seem to focus well.
All the blonde can think of, as she slides to the floor and into a sitting position, is how this is all her fault. If she'd just broken up with Audrey six months ago when she'd started to fall for Casey this wouldn't be a problem. If she'd just admitted to herself and Casey how she truly felt for the redhead instead of constantly pushing her away this wouldn't be a problem. Everything could be different.
Feeling her eye lids get heavy, Alex was unaware of how much time she'd been outside in the freezing cold. Remembering she needed to get in the house she tried to stand, but she suddenly felt so warm and comfortable. Maybe she'd just close her eyes and wait here for the redhead to return. Closing her eyes she remembered the feel of Casey pressed against her as they kissed. It was an amazing kiss.
Casey finally reached the woods at the base of the house near the driveway. She'd skied the easy and fastest way down through the woods, but that wouldn't be an option for returning with the supplies. She'd have to duck walk her way up the driveway to ensure not losing any goods. It wouldn't be fun, but it would be worth it to have supplies the rest of the week.
Pulling the supplies up the long drive to the cabin, Casey wondered what Alex was doing. She hoped the stubborn blonde had followed the note Casey left and eaten the muffins Casey had made this morning before heading out. Smiling at the fact that simply thinking about the blonde could make her feel all warm inside, Casey picked up the pace. Nearing the top of the driveway, Casey hoped Alex had the fire still going strong. She would really need to warm up after this little trek through the snowy ice tundra.
Finally cresting the hill she sees a funny shape by the door. As she makes it the final way up pulling the sled she has tied behind her she realizes that what she is seeing is Alex hardly dressed for the cold temperatures outside curled into a ball on the porch next to the door. Forcing herself forward at a slightly hazardous rate considering what she's pulling, Casey screams out as she approaches, "Alex!"
Not seeing Alex move, Casey doesn't stop properly to account for the sled following her. The sled quickly catches up to her knocking her in the back of her ski boots and knocking her onto the porch. Cursing as she quickly breaks herself free from the skis, Casey makes her approach over to Alex silently whispering prayers that Alex is okay. Reaching the blonde, she is relieved to find a pulse but can tell that she has full on hypothermia. Removing the ski boots so she will be more stable Casey quickly unlocks the door and picks Alex up into her arms.
Walking into the house, Casey quickly sees the fire has burned down. Assessing Alex's state in the house, Casey can see just how cold the blonde really is and heads straight to the bedroom. Laying her on the floor next to the bed, Casey strips Alex free of all her wet clothes whispering apologies to her. Getting her free of all the wet clothing, Casey tucks her into the bed and covers her with more blankets. She knows the best way to warm Alex up is to climb into the bed with her, but she has to get the supplies inside. Running back across the cabin, she quickly retrieves them and throws two logs on the fire. Putting the perishables away and noticing that the embers of the fire are starting to catch the logs, she heads back to the room. Alex is starting to come to come to a little and is shaking profusely in the bed. Not waiting another minute, Casey strips from her clothing and climbs in with Alex muttering another round of apologies as she takes the blonde into her arms pressing their naked forms together.
Within minutes Alex's shaking subsides. Casey feels Alex grip her tighter as she nuzzles her head deeper into the crook of Casey's neck and shoulder. A few minutes later, Casey feels Alex's eye lashes start to dance against her shoulder as the blonde's hot breath becomes apparent against her skin. "Feeling better?" Casey whispers.
"Yes, I am sorry Casey." Alex answers.
"Don't be, I am sure you didn't imagine you'd get locked out. I shouldn't have locked the handle; I just wanted you safe while I got supplies."
"No," Alex said a bit more firmly as she moved back enough to look Casey in the eyes, "I am sorry I didn't tell you that I love you six months ago."
Casey looked into the blondes blue eyes. To say she was confused was an understatement, but before she could work words into sentences Alex's lips were against hers again.