Fictober 2019

"I know you didn't ask for this." - Cazzie

Summary: Casey and Izzie's first date is interrupted when Sam has another incident and needs his sister to talk him down. 

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'You know what, Izzie?' Casey Gardner grinned at the girl on the other side of the table. 'I'm glad I came,' she confessed. 

Izzie raised an eyebrow smilingly, 'I'm glad you didn't stand me up.' 

'Who knew mini golf and milkshakes would make a great first date?' The former Newton High student nodded, looking slightly impressed. 

'I did, that's why we did exactly that,' Izzie winked teasingly.

'Ha ha, it was a rhetorical question, smartass,' Casey rolled her eyes, but she couldn't hide the smile on her lips. 

Suddenly, her phone started ringing, interrupting their moment. Casey frowned at the caller id before clicking on the lock button and declining the call.

'Who was it?' Her date asked curiously.

'Just my mom, probably to ask how the date's going,' Casey shook her head dismissively. 'I'm sorry, she can be so nosy sometimes.' 

'You can't blame her for being exciting about your love life,' Izzie defended gently. 

The Gardner gave her pointed look. Something about the statement reminded her of the times Evan had sided with her mother in their relationship. 'No, it's cool that she's supportive and stuff,' she conceded, 'but her timing really sucks, is all.' 

'Oh, yeah. I totally agree with you on that. Imagine if your mom calls you mid-sex, that would definitely be a mood killer,' Izzie chuckled.

'Ew, gross. No, I'd rather not imagine that. Ugh,' Casey shuddered at the thought. 'Thank you for planting that weird image in my brain,' she smiled sarcastically.

Izzie laughed at the other girl's reaction before Casey's phone dinged with an incoming text. 

'911,' the Gardner sister read the notification. 'Answer your phone, Casey!!!' 

'Must be serious,' Izzie commented and bit her lip when the phone rang again. 

'Mom, what's wrong?' Casey answered immediately. 'Uhu. Shit, okay. I'm on my way.' 

Hearing the urgency in her best friend's voice, Izzie quickly fished out a five dollar bill and left it on the table. 

'I'm sorry, Izzie,' Casey apologised as she slid out of the booth. 'Sam is having an incident at his new university, and my dad just had a panic attack so my mom drove him to the ER and she can't get to Sam in time so she asked me to go.' 

'Hey, don't worry about it. You don't have to apologise for anything. They're your family and they need you,' the other girl reassured and placed a comforting hand on her arm. 

'I know you didn't ask for this,' Casey mumbled. The Clayton Prep students had rushed to the red truck and the Gardner expertly drove them out of the parking lot, despite the obvious worry coursing through her veins. 'Look, I know it's a lot to take in with Sam's autism, Dad's panic attacks and Mom's well-meant nagging. This was our first date and if this is too much to handle, you can walk away, no hard feelings.'

'Are you kidding me? Casey, I really, really like you, but you can be so dumb sometimes. Listen to me, every family is a little fucked up and everybody is a little weird. That's like the norm, so yeah, your house situation might not be the best at times, but that's not going to scare me off,' Izzie promised vehemently. 'Hell, compared to my family, yours is like Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's.'

'They don't have kids,' Casey interrupted confusedly. 

'They have three dogs and three cats, those count as children,' the other athlete argued pointedly. 'What I'm saying is, I don't need you or your family to be perfect, just be yourself. No matter what happens, I will always be your best friend and I'll be by your side through thick and thin.' 

'You're amazing,' Casey smiled softly. 'I'm sorry I freaked out on you.'

'You good?' Izzie asked with a similar expression on her face, happy to have been able to calm her best friend down. 

'Yeah, thanks,' the Gardner sibling said gratefully and glanced at the girl in the passenger seat. 'For the record, I really, really like you too.'