It was early in the morning and Casey was the only one awake. To entertain herself she turned up the radio and sang along, " .... too much of something is bad enough. But something's coming over me..." The Spice Girls were her favorite group at present. She knew Jason hated all their songs except "Two Become One" which she totally hated. But she tolerated it when it came to stuff. She mentally giggled, she looked to her side where Jason slept. *I can't believe I'm his wife..... I hope my parents take it alright.... I hope his parents take it alright.*
She observed the road signs that passed by, * St. Paul - 210, we still have a ways to go.* They had been driving for about two days and made stops for sight seeing, bathrooms and shopping centers. *Casey Scott. . .that actually sounds pretty good! * She returned her thoughts to the road and continued driving.
Jason wakes up and looks at Casey who is totally into the song playing on the radio. He smiles and hits her arm, " Morning!" She reaches over and turns down the radio, " Good Morning!" " Aren't you tired?"
" Not really.... I've kept my self pumped with coffee."
Jason looks back at his fellow passengers, who were waking up themselves, " Morning Tommy!"
" Hey... where are we?" Tommy asks.
" Um... we have about 150 miles until we reach St. Paul," Casey responds, " You guys wanna stop for breakfast?"
Rocky sits up, " Is there a McDonalds nearby?"
"Sorry I asked. Can I please be warned about Rocky when we talk about food?" Casey asks.
"You just wish you could eat like me and not gain any weight." Rocky sticks his nose up, and brushed his hair back with his hand.
"Oh you think you're slick do you? Well I think I have everyone's vote when I say I look better in a bathing suit! All hands?" Casey retaliates.
"I" Zack says raising his hand.
"Alright, the sign says there's a food court and gas station two miles ahead, everyone get dressed." Casey tells the others. They arrived at the station which was right beside the food court. Rocky jumped out of the winnabago first, " They have a McDonald's!!"
"Oh geez," Casey says getting out of the camper, " I'll put gas in and meet up with you guys inside."
The teens each hand over a few bucks towards the gas and start towards the complex. Jason stays behind and asks, " You want me to stay?"
" Go on ahead, I'll meet up with you," she says and kisses him on the cheek.
" Alright," he says and runs to catch up with the others.
A few minutes later, Casey walks into the Food Complex, " Whoa! They have everything...." she looked around for the others, " If I were Rocky I'd be....." her eyes moved to the line at McDonalds, ".... at McDonalds." She runs over to him at taps him, " Hey, where are the others?"
" Hold on.... I'll have two of your hotcake specials and a large coke... um... I think they went over to that House of Pancakes place," Rocky responds.
" Thanks Rocky," she says and runs across to the pancake place. She wanders in and looks around for the others. Her eyes roam the room and finally settle on Zack at the buffet table with a plate load of food. She runs over to him, " Hey Zack, where's the others?"
" Oh hey Casey, hungry?" Zack holds up his plate to her.
" Uh... no, where are they?"
" Over there, the newlyweds wanted their own table. I think they are waiting for you," Zack says.
Casey looks to a corner and walks over to them, " Hey...."
" There you are," Jason says looking up to her.
" Sorry.... had a problem finding a parking spot."
" Hungry?" Jason says offering her a fork full of pancakes.
She looks at it and then eats it reluctantly, " Um.... that was interesting. We gotta hurry if we want to get to St. Paul by noon."
" Okay," Kim says and finishes up her plate.
Tommy observed the signs on the side of the road, while Kim sat beside him studying a map, "We on the right track?"
" As far as I can tell," Kim says.
Zack looks up from his magazine at Casey and Jason who are snuggling on the small couch, " Come on you two... always snuggling...."
" Jealous Zack?" Jason asks smiling.
" Naah...." Zack looks over to Tanya who is reading a book at the small table by the largest window.
Jason notices his stare, " Ah..... interested?"
" She wouldn't like me.... she has Adam...." Zack whispers.
" I wouldn't be to sure about that.... I've noticed Adam and Trini hanging out alot lately," Jason says pointing to the other side of the table.
Zack looks up and observes Trini and Adam in a card game of War. He smirks, " Maybe I will ask her out.... but I'm not holding my breath."
Jason laughed at that. They'll get together. I can almost bet on it.
"Alright, I though it was Casey's turn to drive? Why am I here?"
"Because you have a better sense of direction," Rocky called out to him. The remark landed Rocky a evil glance from Casey, "Hey, c'mon how long did it take us to get to that rest stop? You had us going around in circles for an hour, admit it, Tommy has better direction!"
"I have direction!" Casey mopped.
"Yeah, to the mall," Zack said quoting a line from Clueless that also won one of Casey's winning glances. Zack retaliated, and put his fingers up to make a W and said, "Whatever!"
The group road on until they got to St Paul. When they finally arrived they looked for a hotel. Needless to say, none of the hotels they saw even closely compared to the ones in Vegas. They found a decent looking hotel and started to unpack. When the entire group unpacked, they met in the lobby and set they're plan.
"Okay since I don't have road direction," Casey paused to eye Rocky and Zack, I've been designanted to plan our site seeing. Since it's already 3:00 we'll go our separate ways now and meet up about eight to get dinner together. Tomorrow, we're going to the arena to watch the North Stars Hockey game, then we go ice skating. Sounds good?" Everyone nodded and went their separate ways.
Casey woke up laying next to Jason who was presently shirtless. * Oh yeah I could definately get into this* Casey thought to herself. She looked over to the couple sleeping in the next bed, Kim and Tommy. *Aww! They're soo cute!* She then looked to the alarm clock It read 3:30. *It's light out though, there must have been a black out* She suddenly realized what happened and looked at her watch *11:00am!!* "Damn! Tommy, Kim get your butts in gear! Jason! Jason get up! We're going to be late for the game!" Casey yelled frantically. Tommy and Kim immediatley started to wake up but Jason groaned and put the pillow over his head, "Jason Lee Scott if you don't get out of bed right now, I'm going to get the ice bucket and pour it on you head!" Jason just closed his eyes and ignored her.
"Ok, I tried to reason with you, honey, but, have it your way!" And with that Casey got the bucket and poured a little of the ice cold water over Jason's head. Jason practically sprang out of bed when he felt the light trickle, "I'm up! See this is me! Awake!"
"Yeah, I thought so" Kim and Tommy were hysterically laughing while watching the scene, "Whoa, " Kim giggled, "Never woke up like that before!"
The gang was finally together in the Winnabago, and headed to the arena. As they pulled into the arena parking lot they noticed a lot of diehard fans getting into the hockey sprit. They found a parking space about ten rows from the entrance, "Alrighty guys, this game could get ugly," Casey says.
" Ugly?" Kim asks.
" Bloody.... Not always though.... Just if someone gets hit in the face with a puck."
Kim looked at Casey, "Eww!"
"It's not as bad as it sounds.... Let's go!" Casey grabs Jason's hand and drags him to the entrance.
They enter the arena and take their seats. Zack looks around, " Boy, there sure are a lot of hockey fans."
" Yup... I heard they come from all over," Kat says.
The game begins. The ten friends watch in amazement as the home team claims victory after three hours of a game.
" What a game!" Tommy says to the others as they exit the arena and head to the winnabago.
" I agree totally," Casey says.
They all pile into the winnabago and take off for the hotel.
" Where are we gonna eat?" Rocky asks.
" I guess we can go out on our own and find a place," Kim suggests.
" I'm with Kim," Zack says.
After arriving back at the hotel, Zack, Tanya, Casey, Kim, Jason and Tommy head over to the Outback Steakhouse Buffet. During dinner Jason notices Zack staring at Tanya. He taps him on the shoulder, " Go for it!"
" If it were only that easy Jason," Zack responds.
" Huh?"
" I'm nervous and afraid she won't feel the same way."
" Zack think back a minute to when I first met Casey. How do you think I felt?"
" Nervous.... basically the way I do."
" And I finally bit the bullet and told her and now look at us."
" Alright, I'll do it, but later." Zack told him. "Ok guys," Casey began, "here's the drill, in half an hour we are going to the ice rink, so get everything you need at the hotel, and meet back here." The gang did what they were told and they were off to the ice skating rink. When they got there the group piled out of the winnie and rented their skates. There was only one problem:
"I don't know how to skate," Adam said as he got his skates on.
"Why didn't you tell us before, Adam!" Tommy asked, "I could have shown you before we left. Oh well, I guess you'll learn now."
"What...?" Adam screamed as he was viciously pulled out on to the ice by Tommy and Rocky.
Everyone laughed and proceeded to put on their skates. Zack was sitting next to Tanya, *Here's my chance, c'mon Zack man, don't be nervous.*
"Hey Tanya, ever skated before?" Zack asked trying to keep his cool.
"Not really, if it's anything like roller blading it should be easy," Tanya says standing up.
She puts her hand out to him. He takes it and stands up. Tanya looked at him, "You okay? You look a little nervous."
"It's just that I need to say something, but I'm to chicken to," Zack says following her onto the ice.
"Alrighty, well have fun!" Tanya says and skates off to meet Kat.
Zack watches his friends skate around the rink. He noticed Casey whizzing around the rink with Jason behind her trying to keep up. He smiles, *Here goes nothing.* He steps out onto the ice and starts to skate. * This isn't hard.*
Zack looks up at everyone skating. Kim, Kat, Trini and Tanya are trying out moves they see in ice skating competitions. Adam, Rocky and Tommy are playing a game of ice hockey. Zack looks at Adam who is trying his best to stay on two feet. He laughes at the sight. After awhile, the teens get off the ice and sit down and relax. Tommy looks at Casey, If you'd have gone any faster you'd of melted the ice."
"Sorry..." she says looking at everyone.
"Where'd you learn to skate like that?" Jason asks.
"My uncle played professional hockey. He taught me when I was younger," she says.
Tanya is sitting alone at a table in a corner. Zack wanders over to her, "Tanya, I need to tell you something. And I'll do it if it kills me."
"Okay?" Tanya says laughing.
Zack thinks a minute, " Would you.... be... my ah.... girlfriend?" he looks at Tanya, "You don't have to, I just really like you and I thought..."
Tanya silences him with a kiss and then breaks, "I'd love to."
Later at the Hotel:
Kim, Casey, Tommy and Jason return to their room. Casey and Kim turn on the TV and plop right in front of it, " It says channel 8 for Dawson's Creek," Casey says looking at a TV Guide.
Kim flips the channel as the guys throw pillows, "Anything, but that show!" Tommy yells.
Casey gets up and hits Jason hard, "You gonna have to learn to enjoy what I watch."
"Well your gonna have to learn to like wrestling..." Jason says hitting her back.
Casey returns to the floor where Kim is sitting watching Dawson's Creek.
Meanwhile at a Coffee Shop:
Zack looks at Tanya and smiles, "You know.... if I hadn't gotten enough courage to ask you when I did, I don't think I'd of ever gone through with it."
Tanya giggles, " Well, I'd been hiding a secret crush on you since I had first met you. Funny... I always thought you didn't like me because you avoided me a lot."
" The reason I avoided you was I thought you and Adam had something going on," Zack responds.
Tanya frowns, " We broke up awhile ago, it just didn't work between us."
Zack takes her hand, " I hope it works between us."
A Few Days Later
Casey, Jason, Zack and Tanya are sitting in the winnabago discussing their next stop.
" I think we should go to Chicago," Zack says.
Casey shakes her head, " Naah... how about Wisconsin?"
"Too many Cows," Tanya responds.
I don't know then. I guess we should ask the others, huh?" Casey asks.
With that statement the others pile into the winnabago. Casey looks at them, "So where should our next stop be?"
"Let's make it a surprise as to whose driving," Kim says.
"Alright, good plan Kim," Jason says.
Trini looks around the Winnie, " Who's up for one last visit to the ice skating rink?"
Everyone raises their hand and Tommy jumps in the driver's seat and starts to the rink.
The Ice Rink
As they arrive at the rink they notice that no one is there. Tommy drives around and parks the Winnie and gets out, " Hey! I'll check if they're open... I'll be right back."
Tommy runs up to the door and goes in to see two men standing, " Hey, are you open?"
" We sure are," the shorter man answers, " How many ya got coming?"
" Um... there's 10 of us," Tommy responds.
" Alright."
Tommy turns and goes back outside and flags the others to come on. They all exit the Winnie and run to the door.
" This is gonna be a blast," Kim says.
As they enter the place they each grab a pair of skates. Zack looks at Casey, " How about teaching me to skate as fast as you do?"
"You sure you're up to it?" Casey asks.
"Uh huh!"
"It's gonna be painful..." Casey says.
Casey and Zack skate into the middle of the rink. Casey looks at him, "First rule, never look at your feet, it's a fall waiting to happen. Two, you ever rollerblade?"
"Yea... you know that," Zack says.
"Alright, then imagine yourself rollerblading in Angel Grove Park," Casey says and they begin to skate.
Zack puts his mind into the reality she told him and he started to skate as if he were rollerblading. Casey and him eventually gained speed. The others on the side lines watched the two whizz around the rink as fast as they could.
" Wow, look at them go," Adam says,
" I'm gonna go stop Zack, before he brakes something," Tanya says and enters the rink and skates to the middle, " Zack! Zack!"
Zack notices Tanya calling him and immediately loses his concentration. He falls to the ice and slides into the barrier around the rink. Casey stops and looks at him, " That had to hurt!" she says and skates to join Tanya at his side, " Zack, you okay?"
He wobbles to his feet, " I'm fine... I just lost my concentration."
" Sorry Zack," Tanya says putting her arms around him.
"It's ok, if I'd lose my concentration to anyone, I'd want it to be you," Zack said sweetly.
Tanya almost melted when he said that. He was so cute! She helped Zack up and watched Casey skate around the rink as fast as she could. She really was fast. Tommy came over to where Zack and Tanya were and whispered to them, "I could skate faster than that."
Tanya was skeptical, "Yeah, right."
Zack decided to play along, "No, Tanya, I think Tommy really could be faster than Casey."
Tanya looked at Zack in shock. Tommy held his head up, "See, Zack's behind me."
Zack smiled and winked at Tanya, "Yeah, in fact I think we should Casey, that she's not the hot shot she thinks she is," he waved at Casey, "Hey Case, Tommy wants to have a little race! Game?"
Casey gave a broad smile, "Oh this should be fun. What do I get if I win?"
"Does it matter? Because you're not going to win."
"We'll see." Casey giggled.
They both agreed that Rocky would judge. "If you cheat," Casey smiled slyly, "Well let's just say that the piece of sharp metal on my skates really hurt if I shove it up your . . ."
"Alright!" Rocky interrupted, " I get the point!"
"Good."
Tommy and Casey stood at the starting point. They would circle the rink three times and the first one back wins. Rocky began, "On your mark, get set, go!"
Tommy got a small head start for about three seconds in the race but then Casey took the lead the rest of the race. At one point Tommy caught up, but she quickly caught the lead again. Tommy looked at the others around the rink who were cheering them on. - I'm gonna win this race. - he thought and quickly tried to catch up. They went into their third lap around the rink and Casey was still in the lead. In the last leg of the race, Tommy got ahead of Casey. But at the finish line, Casey crossed first.
" Ha Ha! I won! Casey's the Ice Skating Champion!!" Casey says skating to the sidelines where Jason was watching, " What did you think of that?" she asked.
Jason smiled, " I bet Tommy feels down right embarrassed right about now."
" Well he should know better than to make bets with me, when he knows I always win," she said watching Tommy skate over.
Tommy was out of breath, " Ya know.... if she wasn't your wife... I'd...."
" You'd what?" Jason says staring at Tommy.
" I'd.... nevermind," Tommy says.
Kat looks at all of them, " Hey guys! We better get going."
" Um... oh yeah, on our way to where ever, don't forget to drop me in Chicago," Trini says.
" Oh yeah that reminds me, drop me off also in Chicago. My best friend from Austraila moved there and I promised to visit," Kat says, " My parents are sending me a plane ticket back to Angel Grove."
" Oh alright," Zack says, " It's my turn to drive!" They return their skates and proceed to the Winnie. They all load in and Rocky feels cramped, " I think it's about time we get a new mode of transportation."
Tommy looks at him, " Don't worry, my uncle told me to trade it in New Jersey for a bigger one, if we so needed it and it looks like we do."
" Cool!" Tanya says.
" Welp, I'm gonna go to sleep," Casey says snuggling against Jason.
Zack starts up the engine, " Alright everyone, next stop Chicago, then well that's the surprise!"
They pull out of the parking lot and start to the interstate which will land them in their next adventure.
NEXT EPISODE: Excess Baggage....