What Happens in Aspen Lasts in Reefside

"I have an idea of what we can do next," Cassidy softly told Anton as they continued their dance.

"Do you now?" he asked with a knowing smile as he thought for sure the next words from her would be for them to head upstairs.

She nodded. "All this time in Aspen and there are still a couple of things we have yet to do. But one we could do tonight."

"And what might that be?" It was still early enough for them to do a number of things there, but he couldn't figure out just what she had in mind.

"There's an ice skating rink just outside, near the other end of the lodge."

"I didn't bring my skates," he replied. Though he had to admit the notion of night skating with her in this winter wonderland was very tempting.

She laughed. "I didn't bring mine either, but they're open for another two hours and since we have the time and likely won't tomorrow, what do you say?"

With a smile, he told her, "If it's what you want, then it's what you shall have."

"You really are full of surprises, aren't you?" Cassidy asked when she saw moments later how well he could skate.

"I could ask the same of you?" he replied as he skated closer to her.

White Christmas lights adorned both the railing of the rink and the trees near it, making the entire area that much more of a spectacular sight as everything seemed to shimmer. But no matter how similar to a giant gingerbread house the loge looked or how many lights surrounded them, still both lovers were too distracted by this moment.

"So remind me again why you haven't been doing more on your vacation?" Kim inquired to Tommy over the phone as he sat in his room.

"I have one friend here over the age of twenty-one and he's off who knows where doing who knows what," he answered.

"Uh huh. That still doesn't explain why you haven't gone skiing or anything like that," she replied.

"Hey, I went and checked out the competition with the others today, I'd say that counts," he laughed. He couldn't believe he was having to defend himself like this, but she had told him to have fun while he was there and it was obvious she felt he had been doing anything but.

She laughed, too. "You know, you could've taken Hayley with you. She's over twenty-one."

Tommy shook his head. "She had to take care of the Cybercafé. Besides you and I both know who I'd rather have here with me."

"I know, but Jason and Kat are still on their honeymoon so you're out of luck on the best friend front," she giggled.

"I meant you and you know it," he laughed. He did miss her, but he at least knew after this vacation she would be who he was coming home to.

"I do, I'm sorry. So what do you mean about Anton being off wherever doing whatever?"

"Hard to say. He's just seemed really different since we got here, relaxed, actually seeming like he's having a good time."

"And that bothers you?" she questioned with a laugh.

"No. I'd just like to know what brought this change on and thank whomever for it. He almost seems to be back to his old self. Though if I had to guess, I'd say it's because of Cassidy."

"Why Cassidy?" She had met her more than a few times, just as she had met Anton repeatedly, yet she still couldn't quite understand how they could be any sort of close.

"All I can think is that something happened when they were in that cabin. Neither of them will talk about it, yet they've both seemed different ever since and practically the only times any of us see them anymore is when they're together."

"You don't think - ?" Kim tried to ask. She knew how it sounded, but wasn't sure if she was jumping to conclusions.

"I'm trying not to, but it's the only thing that'd make sense. But what am I supposed to do, confront him with it? He'd only deny it."

"You don't have to do anything. Anton's a grown man, he can make his own choices. Cassidy's eighteen though, right?"

"Yeah."

"Then she can make her own choices, too. Whether we agree with them or not. So what do you have planned for me when you get home?"

He laughed, enjoying the change of subject. "I was thinking of walking in, finding you in our bed, naked and waiting for me."

"You mean kind of like I am now?" she asked with a giggle though in truth she was wearing one of his old, oversized green shirts as she sat on their bed watching TV.

"Don't say that," he pleaded. That image was sure to drive him crazy and that was the last thing he needed. But only because what he needed in that moment was her.

"Okay, okay. How about you go out and get some fresh air and call me back in the morning?" she asked. She knew it was getting late and that he was more of a morning person.

"Sounds good. Goodnight, Kim. I love you," he told her.

"I love you, too, Tommy. Goodnight."

Deciding to follow Kim's advice, soon he was pulling his coat on and making his way downstairs, wanting to see if the fresh air would help him relax.

"Why'd you stop?" Cassidy asked as she felt Anton's hand release hers a moment later as they had continued their night skate. Until their break now, it seemed.

"I suppose because I still can't believe all of this is real and if I could I would have this night last forever," he answered as he continued to watch her.

"I would, too," she replied as she moved closer to him.

He smiled, seeing the truth reflected in her shimmering blue eyes. She was close enough to him now to where he could take her into his arms again and within seconds he was doing just that. It was only a moment more before his lips were sweeping hers up in a tender kiss.

Though it didn't last long as they began to forget their surroundings and were losing their footing. Anton tried to keep Cassidy steady, but instead only succeeded in bringing her down with himself. They landed hard, their heads and bodies bumping into the others', yet were nearly immediately laughing about it a moment later.

"At least we landed on ice, should cut down on the swelling," Cassidy laughed, trying to lessen the embarrassment.

The scientist was still laughing himself, "Maybe we should go back upstairs."

"But now I have a headache," the petite blonde said with a laugh as she rubbed the side of her head.

That time Anton nearly burst out laughing as he looked to her. Gently pulling her close, he kissed where her hand had just been and asked, "Better?"

"Getting there," she answered with a smile.

He smiled back and stated, "I think we should go back in, after all now we're colder than we were before and our clothes are wet."

"You're right. I guess we should get each other out of these clothes and warmed up," she told him with a knowing grin.

Again, he laughed. He had never really gotten to see this side of her before this trip and he was more thankful now for it. He knew that for him this wasn't just about sex. He did care for her, even if he couldn't yet bring himself to admit it.

"Come on," Cassidy said as he began to stand, soon offering her hand to him. "Let's get back inside and warm up."

He nodded as he took her hand, being sure to stand carefully as he didn't want to cause her to fall again. "Just one last thing before we go back in though," he told her.

"What?" she asked as she looked up at him.

He couldn't resist kissing her just once more before heading upstairs. He couldn't be sure if it was an affect of the beauty of the winter scene surrounding them or how comfortable he felt when he was with her, but whatever it was refused to let him let this opportunity pass.

Unintentionally watching them, Tommy couldn't believe his eyes. He had decided on a walk to clear his mind, but now so many questions were filling it. It may have been dark, but was still easy for him to tell who the two blondes kissing each other were.

The sun seemed to rise too soon on the third and final day of the competition and the second to last morning they would all be in Aspen for this vacation.

Inside what had become their lodge room, Anton was soon beginning to awaken, smiling to himself as he saw his petite younger lover still asleep in his arms. Both only covered by the warm lodge sheets and though he hated the idea of this having to end, he knew he had to wake her.

"Mmm," she purred softly as his lips kissed down her neck a moment later. She began to stir as his kisses lowered still down the center of her torso, waking as his lips met her stomach.

"Good morning, Cassidy," he said with a smile as his blue orbs met hers.

She smiled back and brought a slender hand through his blonde hair as he moved upwards again, soon giving her a real morning kiss. "Morning," she breathed when they parted a moment later.

"It would seem it's time for us to rejoin the world," he stated softly.

"Then I guess we should get dressed," Cassidy said with a disappointed pout.

Anton nodded and moved beside her, taking hold of a few of his clothes as he stood.

She only sighed out as she moved onto her side and watched him begin to dress. Until just a few nights ago she had been a little unsure of how she would feel about this, but now there was nothing she wanted more than to be with him.

"Are you simply going to lay there all day or are you going to get dressed yourself?" he asked with a smirk when he noticed her lustful stare.

She shot him a playful scowl and stood as she picked up a few of her own clothes. "What if I said I liked the scenery?"

Anton nearly blushed, but returned the favor. "Somehow I think my view is better."

"Is Cassidy late to breakfast again?" Ethan asked as he glanced around the table the other Rangers and Devin were at.

"So's my dad," Trent replied. "Guess they're sleeping in."

Kira nearly choked on her sip of orange juice. She could hear the others asking if she was okay and she nodded yes though she was still coughing.

"I can't believe this our last full day here," Conner said a little sadly a minute later.

"I know, it hardly seems like we've done anything," Devin replied.

"But at least we got to see the competition," Trent stated, trying to help.

"You know, Anton and Cassidy really should've been down by now," Tommy said finally as he glanced to his watch. "It's getting late."

"Want me to go up and get them?" Kira asked. She was more nervous than she cared to admit about confronting Cassidy, but she knew this might be the best time.

"What makes you think they're together?" Conner asked her.

She sighed. He hadn't seen what she had the night before and she had nearly blown it. "Nothing. I just figure Dr. Mercer might know where Cassidy is. He is the one she's been going to lately, asking if she can go for walks and everything."

Tommy nodded. He couldn't tell if she knew and was doing his best to not reveal what knew just in case.

They waited another ten minutes for them, but still neither appeared.

"I think I'm gonna go up there, just to make sure they're alright," Kira stated as she made her way towards the elevator. But as soon as the doors opened for her to go in, both Cassidy and Anton were there, trying to seem nonchalant.

"Hi, Kira," Cassidy said with an uncertain smile.

"You two are just barely in time for the competition," she told them.

"Then I suppose we should get going," Anton suggested.

"Sounds good," Cassidy replied to him.

"Cassidy, wait up," Kira called to her.

"Meet you at the car?" Anton asked Cassidy softly.

She nodded, watching Kira come closer as Anton made his way outside. "We're already gonna be late, should we really be any later?" Cassidy asked her friend, desperately trying to get out of this situation.

"I saw you two last night, in the dining room," the petite yellow and blue clad young woman told her.

Though her heart was beginning to pound, Cassidy refused to let it show. "Your song was great last night. But I thought you were going to sing something else. Something new."

"Don't change the subject, Cassidy. You were with Dr. Mercer last night, kissing him in a back booth of the dining room."

Cassidy couldn't look in her eyes then. She knew she couldn't deny it anymore. No matter how much she wished she could. "You can't tell anyone, Kira. Not even Trent. Especially not Trent."

"He's going to find out sooner or later. Especially if you and Mercer continue to be as discreet as you were last night. Just be glad Conner didn't see you dancing together."

"We should get to the competition," Cassidy stated, changing the subject once more. She couldn't believe they had let themselves get found out like that and she was trying to keep from showing her shock over it.

"Anton, can we talk for a sec?" Tommy asked when he saw him, his students too lost in their conversations to notice he had yet to join them.

"Sure," he replied as he could see Cassidy and Kira were still talking. "What do you need, Tommy?"

"How was your night?"

Anton smiled at the memory. "It was good, thanks."

"Are you really sure about that?" he asked him.

"I am," he replied truthfully.

Tommy sighed. He didn't want to, but he knew he had to say it. "Well, you did look like you were having fun. I just hope that it that's all it is that you're both honestly alright with that."

"Hey, I was beginning to think you had chosen to ride with Kira," Anton stated as he saw Cassidy coming out of the lodge at that moment, thankful for the reprieve.

"Talk to you later, man," Tommy told him as he began to step away as he saw Kira emerging from the lodge next.

"We need to talk when we get in the car," Cassidy told Anton soflty.

"Everything alright?"

She only shook her head slightly before moving closer to his rented silver sedan.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked her with a slight sigh, only able to hope Kira hadn't done to her what his former colleague had just done to him.

"Kira saw us last night," she blurted out.

It had to happen sooner or later, he knew, but still he hated that they had to hide. "How much did she see?"

"The dining room. Our dance, too."

"Could have been worse, I suppose," he replied, thinking back to what Tommy had seen.

"What do you mean?" she asked, seeing his slight relief.

"Tommy saw us skating last night."

"So, what now?" She could tell he wasn't happy about the turn of events and she couldn't help but worry when it came to what he would say next.

"I think it would be best if we took a step back from this." He knew he was hurting her again and he hated that fact. But there was nothing else he could think to do. "I think tonight we should all have dinner together as we planned and you stay in Kira's room tonight and fly back with her tomorrow."

Cassidy couldn't believe what she was hearing and her sadness was far too great for her to conceal. "So you're sure about this? Your mind's made up?" she asked him, pained by the notion of losing him.

"Not because I want it to be. I just think it would be better if we -"

"Let them win? Let them tell us this is wrong?"

"Help us both keep our reputations," he corrected.

"I'm not your student anymore and I'm eighteen, you said it yourself. There isn't anything anyone could say now."

"I was wrong. You're still Dr. Oliver's student and I can't even imagine how I would tell Trent or how you would explain this to your parents."

"It's only been a matter of days, there hasn't been time to tell anyone. Yet Kira and Dr. Oliver found out on their own. Even so, I thought you would prefer it this way."

"Having to sneak around like this? No, Cassidy. This shouldn't be the kind of relationship you want to be in. You should be able to tell anyone you choose who you care about. You deserve that. I just want you to be happy, even if that means you have to be with someone else."

"Let's just go to the competition," she told him, trying to fight her welling tears. She was convinced he was ashamed of her, ashamed to be with her. But she couldn't bring herself to say it or ask. Especially since she couldn't be sure she would believe him if he said he wasn't given what he had just said to her.

Once again, Cassidy managed to carry on through her newscast as though nothing had happened. She couldn't know how, but she was thankful for it.

As long as the camera was on it seemed to her that she was in another world. One in which the events of the last several days had no baring. Almost as though she could become someone else for minutes at a time.

Though each time Devin moved to film the sports action again, inside she was crumbling again. Even Kira could see it. More so when the competition was officially over.

On the drive back to the lodge, seeing Cassidy's distant stare out of the passenger side window, she had to ask, "What's wrong?" She had seen what had her looking away, she had seen the tears in her eyes and wanted to do what she could to help her.

"Nothing," she lied, her voice hardly above a whisper.

"Did Mercer - ?"

"Just don't, Kira. Not now." She felt she had done enough and right now Cassidy had no interest in hearing what else her friend had to say.