What Happens in Aspen Lasts in Reefside

"You'll be warmer soon, Cassidy," Anton told her soothingly as he saw her pull her pink coat tighter around her slim frame.

He had managed to find some matches in the cabin's otherwise empty kitchen and started a fire with the logs left in the fireplace.

"Are you any warmer?" she asked her handsome companion.

"A little," he answered, unable to keep from looking her over slightly as he spoke. She was beautiful, but he knew he couldn't let on that he saw it. Until a matter of weeks ago she had been his student and though she was old enough, he felt sick at how many of his fantasies had already mirrored similar settings. Especially as those fantasies had been of her.

"Guess it's a good thing we're the only ones here," Cassidy said finally as the chill began to subside a minute later. Either that or she was growing numb from the cold.

"Why do you say that?" Anton asked as he sat across from her.

"Because it means the others are safe and warm at the lodge." She knew he would be worried about Trent and wanted to do what she could to help them both feel better.

"I only wish I had booked an earlier flight. If I had -"

"It's not your fault, Dr. Mercer," she said as she moved slightly closer to him.

He almost always seemed to be feeling responsible for something horrible, most of them were used to that by now. But she hated seeing him like this.

"You had no control over this and you couldn't have known we would get stuck in traffic when we left the airport. Just be thankful we at least found this cabin."

He nodded slowly. He knew she was right, but still he couldn't help but blame himself.

"I've got an idea," she said in an upbeat tone, deciding to change the subject. "Something to take our minds off the cold and everything." She read his expression's curiosity and added, "Think I could ask you some more questions?"

He smiled. "Always the reporter."

"Is that a yes?" she asked slightly excitedly.

He glanced to the window and saw that the snow was still falling outside. "Doesn't seem like we're going anywhere any time soon. Ask away." He couldn't be sure why, but she was helping to calm his nerves and despite their circumstances he was enjoying his time with her.

"What did you really think of teaching Dr. Oliver's class?"

"Off the record?"

She paused. "Okay. Just this once."

"I expected worse. Still I'd hoped your class would have been more interested in learning, but I suppose those days have passed."

"I was interested in learning," she told him with a mock pout.

"You were interested in passing the time until you could get to the news room," he corrected with a smile.

She burst out laughing. She hadn't expected him to be paying so much attention. But then, it wasn't entirely a secret that her days often revolved around the news room. "So what was it you were interested in there?" She hadn't quite meant it the way it sounded, but at hearing it again in her mind, she knew she was curious now at both answers that could arise.

"Teaching and helping a friend," he answered truthfully, unsure she had known how she had made it sound. Even more unsure if he should give that second answer.

"Have you and Dr. Oliver always been close?" There had been some rumors flying around Reefside High that it seemed both teachers were unaware of, but she was curious now to see if this attraction was in fact one-sided.

"Not really. Especially not entirely lately." He couldn't quite understand what she was getting at, though he had an idea.

She smiled slightly, hoping that meant what she was secretly hoping it did. "And you and Ms. Randall? You two looked pretty close that first day."

"Writing a gossip column, are we?" he asked with a laugh, suddenly feeling much warmer. He wasn't sure why he was beginning to feel embarrassed, especially as it was so rare that he did, but the heat was still rising on his cheeks.

He had guessed wrong, for which she was thankful. Best to go with his idea for safety though, she decided. "I knew it'd be too obvious," she said as she rolled her eyes.

He laughed, feeling relieved that this part of the interview seemed to be over.

"Dude, are you feeling alright?" Conner asked when he saw Trent as he came back into their room.

"No one's seen my dad since the airport," he answered quickly.

"Not even Cassidy?"

"No one's seen her either. Devin blames himself since he didn't want to ride with her and I don't know what else to do."

"Have you gone to Dr. O?"

"He was on the phone," he said with a shrug. "But he did say that it's too dark now to see much of anything so to wait until morning before searching for them."

Hours had finally begun to pass within the cabin and Cassidy had continued asking Anton as many questions as she could think of. Even answering a few he had for her. But eventually they could no longer deny how tired they were growing.

Still cold and shivering slightly both laid down in front of the fire with their coats still wrapped tightly around themselves as they slumbered lightly beside one another.

But just a few hours later, Cassidy could feel herself growing colder again, her need for warmth finally waking her. She turned to the fire and saw how it had died down.

"Cassidy," Anton breathed as he watched her when he awoke next, having felt her move from where she had been lying nearly against him. He hadn't even noticed he had spoken, but he saw her turn to him from in front of the fireplace just a few feet away.

"I'm sorry, Dr. Mercer, I didn't mean to wake you. I just saw the fire dying down and decided to fix it so we wouldn't get sick."

All rational thought had left him by now, his eyes seemingly glued to the beautiful young woman as the bronzed glow from the fire seemed to wash over her. While he didn't hear the words until it was too late, he told her exactly what he was thinking. "You are so beautiful."

Cassidy's eyes widened in surprise, unsure if she had heard him correctly. "Dr. Mercer?" She was confused, but she couldn't deny that she enjoyed the compliment. Many of her classmates had told her she was hot or sexy, even cute, but Anton was the first to call her beautiful and mean it in this way.

"I'm sorry, Cassidy," he told her quickly. "I'm not sure why -"

"Did you say you think I'm beautiful?" she asked softly.

He couldn't bring himself to answer, but with how his eyes were losing themselves in the depths of hers, he didn't need to say it for her to know.

"Is this why you didn't mind being seated with me on the plane? And why you didn't mind driving me to the lodge?" she asked as she moved back to where she had been lying beside him.

Once again he felt sick at knowing how anyone else would react to this if they heard it, but he couldn't bring himself to lie to her. So he remained silent.

"And here I thought only I felt this way," she stated mostly to herself.

"You don't have to -"

"It's true. Ever since you walked into first period science." She was speaking the truth and he could see it. "I just didn't think that -"

"Perhaps we should get some more sleep," he interrupted. His eyes couldn't meet her own as he knew he was sure to find the same lust and disappointment within them.

"What?"

"It's late, Cassidy and I'd like to get an early start for the lodge in the morning should the snow let up enough."

"Goodnight then, Dr. Mercer," she told him softly as she followed his lead in lying back down, pulling her coat tighter as he had done with his own. She was hurt, more so than she knew she should have been as well as more confused than she cared to admit even to herself.

Anton hated that he had hurt her, but he feared her reaction in the morning had this gone any further. Nearly nothing about taking advantage of their dire circumstances felt right. Not when he could so easily see how it would have been if they had been at the lodge tonight. That at this moment they would both be in their separate rooms, warm, asleep and continuing to deny to themselves and each other their mutual attraction.

"Goodnight, Cassidy," he spoke almost too softly for her to hear.

She didn't reply, deciding to pretend to already be falling asleep. There was so much she wanted to say, but she knew it didn't matter then.

Sighing softly, Anton took the petite young woman into his arms, deciding to at least help keep her a little warmer.

Still Cassidy tried to ignore it, but she knew there was nowhere else she would rather be than in his arms.

Trent was the only one of his companions right then to not be asleep. Instead he was still trying to call his father, leaving a message every so often. He had already gone through losing his parents once, he knew he couldn't do it again. What made it worse was knowing Cassidy was with him and if no one could get hold of her either then something had to have happened.

At sunrise he'd had enough. Trent was soon at Tommy's door, knocking loudly to wake him. Unknowingly, waking most of the others near by as well.

"Trent?" Conner asked as he was even awakened by the noise, not seeing him in the bed across from him.

"I'll be out in a minute," Tommy called through the door. He was already dressed, knowing Trent would be there any second, Trent now proving his suspicion.

"I'll wait downstairs," Trent told him. He couldn't give up. His mind had forced him already to see so many horrible images that he couldn't shake.

"Has your dad shown up yet?" Kira asked when she saw her teammate in the lobby.

He shook his head. Neither has Cassidy apparently. Dr. O said he's on his way down so we can go look for them."

"Want me to come with? Just in case?"

"I don't know what good it'd do," he replied with a shrug.

"This way maybe Dr. O can drive while you find your dad and I can find Cassidy. It's not like Devin's down here. I think he and Ethan are still asleep."

"So's Conner. At least he was when I came down here."

Before Tommy could join his students downstairs, he went to the others and while they were still tired, told them that he and Trent were on their way to find Anton and Cassidy. It was then he began to worry himself. Could they have actually been out all night? Was it possible Cassidy had gotten him to get rooms at another lodge? Or had they been in a wreck?

"Kira?" Tommy asked when he saw her there.

"I'm getting really worried about Cassidy, Dr. O. Don't get me wrong, I like the idea of having my own room here, but not if it means she's hurt or worse."

"She wants to help us search," Trent told their teacher.

"Are you okay with that?" he asked him.

Trent nodded. "I just want to get started. I don't even want to think about how much time we may have already wasted."

Tommy's heart sank a bit. He knew he would blame himself if anything had happened to either of them. But truthfully the night before it would have been too dark and the snow would not have helped.

Cassidy began to stir moments later, soon realizing she hadn't really moved since she fell asleep against her former teacher. He still had a strong arm around her as he continued to sleep. She couldn't keep a soft smile from crossing her lips at that fact. Maybe it was a moment of weakness, maybe he really just wanted them to keep warm. But still she couldn't help but enjoy this feeling.

"Do you think they passed the lodge?" Kira asked from just behind Tommy's seat of his rental SUV.

"If I had to guess I'd say the snow was too thick last night for them to see."

"So you think they were in a wreck?" Trent asked from the front seat.

"No, I think they may have pulled over or found a motel."

"Cassidy wouldn't stay at a motel," Kira informed them. "I think she'd rather freeze."

"Thanks, Kira, I appreciate that," Trent replied sarcastically.

"I'm not saying they didn't find a hotel," she corrected. "Just that she wouldn't stay in a motel for anything."

"Guys, please, I need to concentrate on the road," Tommy pleaded, soon thinking he saw what looked like a silver sedan not too far from a cabin.

"What a minute," Kira said as she saw it for herself. "Dr. O, could that be theirs?"

"One way to find out," he replied as he managed to pull off the road and near the cabin.

"It looks abandoned," Trent commented.

"But that car doesn't," Tommy told him as he parked the SUV, but kept it running as he climbed out of it. "Anton? Cassidy?" Tommy's voice called a minute later as he knocked on the cabin door, finding it unlocked as he continued calling to them.

"Tommy," Anton replied when he saw him just as he was making his way towards the door with Cassidy only a step behind.

"Are you two alright?" he asked as he walked quickly over to them.

"Yeah, we're fine, Dr. Oliver," Cassidy said just as she moved to walk past him, not wanting him to know what all had happened the previous night.

"Cassidy, why don't you go and see how our car fared?" Anton suggested as he saw how quickly she wanted to leave.

She nodded and walked out, soon seeing the others.

"Are you alright, man?" Tommy asked his friend. "You look kind of shaken up."

"I'm fine. Cassidy and I just had a rough night." Yes, it was partially a lie, but he knew the truth would be worse right now. Part of him had been thankful for this, he had liked having Cassidy in arms nearly all night and waking beside her and already he was finding himself longing for it again.

"She was worrying about Devin all night, wasn't she?" he asked, sounding understanding as they walked to the door together to leave the cabin.

"I suppose. We were both too busy trying to stay warm. Hoping the snow would lighten up by morning so we could drive to the lodge."

"You guys should be able to make it now, nearly all the roads are clear," Tommy told them.

Glancing to Cassidy, Anton replied, "Guess we'll follow you out. Hopefully the car isn't stuck."

"Well, we could wait. Just to be sure." Tommy knew something was bothering his former colleague, but he wasn't sure if he should ask what.

The scientist nodded. "Come along, Cassidy. Let's try this again."

She gave a relieved laugh. "Sure."

The car started easily and much to their thankful surprise, wasn't stuck. They knew they had already been through enough the night before and were thankful they wouldn't have to worry about more just yet.

"At least we'll be in time for the competition at this rate," Cassidy finally said as they were nearly halfway to the lodge.

Still partially focused on the realization he had come to just minutes ago, Anton only nodded.

Cassidy could understand why he was so lost in his thoughts. She was having the same problem. How could she get through the rest of this week without letting on what had happened? Or worse, what she had hoped to have happened?

It would have been so easy, they both knew. To have given in and felt their lips against the other's, moments before being locked in a lip-crushing kiss that would have completely taken them over completely until he felt himself filling her as they made love in the warm glow filling enough of the room to keep them warm all through the night.

It was an image neither could seem to shake, nor one they found themselves wanting to lose.