Back To You ~ (Cazzie Fanfic)

The Morning After

The loud buzzing of a vibrating phone bisected the moment, making them jump. Casey fumbled; groped around, hoping the phone was within reach. She had texted Elsa the night before saying that the party had gone late and she was sleeping over at Sam's. A lie that was meant to buy her time more than to conceal her actual whereabouts. A lie that was probably catching up with her right about... now.

"God... where is it?" she mumbled, as the vibrating persisted.

"What time is it?" Izzie said groggily, more to herself than Casey.

Naked, Casey stooped to the floor and rummaged awkwardly through clothes and pockets and bedding. The vibrating stopped. Casey glanced up to see Izzie, propped up on her elbows with her hair a mess. The staccato of running feet picked up outside the bedroom, punctuated by a heavy thud against the door and a frenzied jiggling of the doorknob. Casey jumped, frantically scrambling for her clothes.

"It's ok! It's locked," Izzie interjected between the jiggling sound and the small voice wailing just on the other side.

"Izzziiiieeeee, open, open!!! Paaannncaaakkkesss!!!!" the high voice intoned.

The hidden phone began to vibrate again.

"No pancakes today bud!" Izzie called out, not unkindly. "You know how to get yourself cereal. I'll be out in a bit."

She sat up and began looking for her clothes.

"But it's Saaatttuuurrrdddaaayyyy..." the now distressed voice replied, before dissolving into indecipherable whining.

On the other side of the apartment an older child yelled "God, shut up!!"

Somewhere within the home a baby began to cry. Izzie sighed, hurriedly pulling on a sweatshirt and shorts. Deep in her jacket pocket Casey found her phone.

The screen showed the time, 8:43 AM, and numerous missed calls and texts from Elsa. Temporarily forgetting her nakedness she apprehensively opened the text thread.

11:44 PM: Thanks for letting me know honey. see u tomorrow (in response to Casey's late night text, lying about where she was.)

7:00 AM: Rise and shine sleepyhead! I'm making waffles! What time will you be home?

7:01 AM: Tell Sam and Zahid they are welcome to join us! The more the merrier!

7:32 AM: Guess you're still sleeping. Dad and I are eating but I'll make a mountain of fresh waffles for you guys, just text me when you wake up!

8:03 AM: Just spoke to Sam. Call me immediately.

8:05 AM: I'm not mad. Just worried.

8:22 AM: I'm going to assume you are at Izzie's but can you at least just text me to let me know you are alive? We'll talk when you get home.

8: 36 AM: Call me NOW or I'm coming to Izzie's.

"Well... she found me," Casey said, already mentally planning her apologetic explanation to her parents.

"Yeah, she... called me too," Izzie said, wincing down at her own phone.

Casey opened another text thread from Sam.

8: 04 AM: Mom wants you to call her.

She rolled her eyes and muttered, "Thanks for nothing Sam."

She had known he wouldn't think to cover for her but she had hoped to have at least a few more hours, if not days, before the truth came out. She made a mental note to smack him in the head the next time she saw him.