Ficlet: Same Events, Different Outcomes (Cassidy/Mac) PG-13
Title: Same Events, Different Outcomes
Characters/Pairing: Cassidy, Mac (C/M). Dick mention.
Word Count: 530
Rating: PG-13, to be safe
Summary: You're not like you brother, are you? It takes him by surprise when she asks him this on their second date and, for the first time, he realizes that he really isn't like Dick.
Spoilers: AU past 2.09, but knowledge of all season two.
Author's Notes: This is a slightly AU (i.e. happier) version of Cassidy and Mac's relationship. Written for cassidy_day.

It's Post-It notes and voice mails for two weeks before he gets up the courage to ask her out on a date. It's the first time he's ever done anything like that, usually Dick is the one to make "arrangements", and he can't help but smile just a little too wide when she accepts.

Their first date is at a cafe much like the one they had their first business meeting at, but it doesn't make it any less memorable. If anything, he thinks that that will make him remember it even more in the future.

He drives her home afterward and doesn't lean down the few inches to kiss her at her door. Instead he just tells her that he'll call her and see her at school and he's surprised when he sees a little glint of respect in her eyes.

You're not like you brother, are you? It takes him by surprise when she asks him this on their second date and, for the first time, he realizes that he really isn't like Dick.

I guess I'm not. I've never really thought about it. She kisses him then and he can't help but smile against her lips and pull her just a little closer to him.

Their third date is much like the first two, but with a little more kissing, a little more hand holding, and a lot less awkwardness. He's slowly warming up to having someone touch him and like to be around him and he's convinced that it's the best feeling in the world.

They spend the next ten dates just talking and watching movies at her house when her parents are gone and at his when Dick isn't around. One day he even brings her over when Dick is around, but they just stay in his room and she smiles when he agrees that staying in the room is the best way to get Dick away from them.

She tries to get out of asking him to Sadie Hawkins, but he just keeps at it until she laughs and asks him in a high pitched voice. They only stay at the dance for a little while, but there's a part of him that is satisfied at getting to show off with his incredibly smart girlfriend.

So does this mean that you don't want to go to the prom? He looks down at her and raises his eyebrows just a little to get a laugh out of her and she smiles slightly before grabbing his hand and pulling him into her bedroom.

They do go to prom together despite it not really being the prom. They don't last the whole night though and he just rents a room last minute and hopes that her parents don't try to call from their vacation.

Graduation comes along quickly and, even though he still has a month of summer school left, they make plans for college in the fall. He had never intended to fall head long into a relationship, but he was finally happy so he didn't really care if he had to add another point to his ten year plan.