Alex And Cassidy: Betrayal Part 25

"Sounds great. Maybe we can watch a movie, Speed." Alex said. He nodded again. Helen looked at Ca.s.sidy and mouthed the words, 'thank you.'

"All right, we'll be back. Cat, do you think you could help your dad get a couple of things outside?" Ca.s.sidy asked.

"Ca.s.sidy, Rose and I will go return the rental. Cat? How about we to go for a ride?" Nick asked. Cat shrugged. "Go get your jacket."

"Thanks," Ca.s.sidy said as she made her way to the kitchen with Barb. "Sure you don't mind?" she asked her mother as they pa.s.sed one another.

"Nope. I cannot watch anymore Batman, Ca.s.sie. I actually dreamed I was Catwoman last night. It was not a pretty visual."

Ca.s.sidy laughed and touched her mother's arm. "I see."

Rose called ahead to Nick. "How about we pick up pizzas on the way back?"

"Works for me!" he answered as Ca.s.sidy handed her mother the keys to the rental car.

Rose leaned into Ca.s.sidy. "When you see what Helen brought, well, you won't need to cook for a week." Ca.s.sidy was grateful for her family. And, she was glad Helen had come. As much as a part of her wanted to simply be with Alex, this gave her some time to process her own emotions; or perhaps to avoid them a while longer. She kissed her mother on the cheek and made her way into the kitchen.

"Cocoa and pizza it is, I guess," she said.

Helen Toles sat down across from her daughter in a large chair. Alex was still ruffling Dylan's hair and every so often she would kiss the top of his small head. The older woman watched contentedly and curiously as the tender display continued to unfold. "Speed," Alex whispered. "Why don't you go get one of your action figures? You can show my mom." He looked up to her, his eyes conveying that he was torn. "Secret? I'll be right here. Plus, you know Mom; she might use too much milk." Alex raised an eyebrow. Dylan finally smiled and scooted himself off the couch. He had missed his mother too, and part of him was happy to have an excuse to see her.

"He's adorable, Alexis."

"Yeah, he is," she agreed as she watched Dylan sprint from the room. "Like his mom," Alex said softly as if to herself.

Helen smiled. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Alex answered as her thumb pressed her temple.

"Alexis, you have never been a good liar. At least not to me." Alex looked at her mother in surprise. "You're worried."

"I am." Alex let go another sigh. "I didn't want to tell Dylan."

"No?"

Alex shook her head. "Ca.s.s...well, she's handled it so well. All of it."

"She loves you, Alexis. So does that little boy." Alex looked at the older woman and then closed her eyes. "What is really bothering you?" Helen asked her daughter.

"I shouldn't have...."

"Shouldn't have what?" The agent exhaled, looked at her mother and shook her head. "Alex," her mother continued, soliciting a surprised glance from the agent at the use of Alex's preferred name. "They love you for who you are." Alex nodded again. "You're not used to it; having to think of someone else first." The agent reluctantly smiled. "Mm...not so easy; is it?"

"No," Alex agreed, "it isn't."

Her thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a lively voice. "I got Batman, the Joker and Spiderman, see?"

"My favorites," Alex said.

"Yep." He turned to the older woman in the chair when a voice called to him.

"Dylan?"

"Coming Mom! I'll be right back." He sprinted off again as the two women in the room laughed. In what seemed like an instant he was back.

"Geez, I guess Speed was the right name," Alex mused.

"Yep. I'm fast and cool." Alex and Helen tried to contain their laughter as the small boy turned to the older woman. "Ummm....Mom said...do you want some cocoa too?"

"I would love some cocoa, Dylan."

"Okay. Mom!" He started to turn and stopped abruptly looking briefly to Alex and then back to the older woman in the chair.

Helen pursed her lips thoughtfully. "I guess we need to figure out what you should call me." Alex's eyes grew wide as Dylan leaned back into her legs. Ca.s.sidy reached the doorway ready to ask where the fire was at with all of Dylan's yelling and stopped as Helen began to speak. "What would you like to call me, Dylan?" He shrugged, afraid to answer.

"You are Alex's mom."

"Yes, I am," she smiled.

"Alex is," he stopped again.

Alex pulled him a little closer. "I'm your Alfred." He looked to Alex and his small face became serious. "What is it, Dylan?" Alex asked, beginning to grow concerned.

The small boy shook his head. "Mom said..."

"What?" Alex asked again. Dylan leaned in and whispered in Alex's ear. "That's true, Speed. You are."

He turned and looked back at the woman in the chair. "Alex is my mom too," he said. "I just call her Alex."

Helen fought her amus.e.m.e.nt at his innocence, seeing the pride that he had in his declaration. She glanced at her daughter and leaned forward to regard the boy more closely. "Well then, that would make you my grandson, wouldn't it?" He looked at her a bit sheepishly. Alex held her breath, amazed at her mother's response. "But, only if you want to be." He nodded. "Then, that is settled," she said.

"I can call you Grandma?"

"Well, Cat does sometimes, but usually he calls me YaYa."

"How come?" Dylan asked.

"It's Greek, Dylan," Alex explained, "for Grandma. It's what I called my mother's parents."

"Okay. Then I would have a Nana, a Grandma and a YaYa."

Ca.s.sidy felt Barb's hand come to rest on her shoulder. "You have no idea how huge that is," Barb whispered. "Not just for Alex, either." Ca.s.sidy nodded. She did have an idea. She had heard it in Helen Toles' voice the day before on the phone. She was a mother. Alex was hers. Ca.s.sidy could not imagine the pain of separation from a child. She smiled and led her friend back toward the kitchen.

"I guess it's cocoa all around then, Speed," Alex said.

"MOM!" he yelled again as he sprinted off. "Alex and YaYa both want cocoa!"

Alex looked at her mother. "Thanks, you didn't..."

Helen Toles looked directly into her daughter's eyes. "Alexis, when Ca.s.sidy called me yesterday, well, I stopped breathing. I don't know how to explain to you what that felt like; that call. It was like that day..."

"I know."

"But," her mother continued, "One thing was different." Alex was confused. "It wasn't a stranger on the line. It was Ca.s.sidy." Alex smiled. "She is really quite..."

"Easy to love?" Alex chuckled.

"Yes, Alexis, she is."

"Tell me," the agent smiled.

"Something tells me I don't have to."

Nick walked through the garage entrance way, carrying three large pizza boxes to find Barb, Ca.s.sidy and Helen at the table talking. Barb looked over and smiled at her husband. "Hope you guys are hungry," he said.

"I'll go get Alex and Dylan," Ca.s.sidy offered. She made her way quietly into the living room, zooms and crashes filling the air from the second Batman movie of the afternoon. She stopped just shy of the couch and smiled at the sleeping pair. Two, half full mugs of cocoa sat on the coffee table with the remote between them. Alex had moved slightly to her side to accommodate the small boy lying against her. His head was tucked under her chin and he was partly on top of her. Ca.s.sidy couldn't imagine how the agent was handling that with her broken ribs, but the pair seemed completely content as they were. She took a deep breath and walked toward them, bending over and kissing each gently on the head. Neither seemed to stir the slightest bit and she chuckled. Just as she was about to make her way out of the room, she felt a hand grab onto hers.

"Where are you going?" the agent asked sleepily.

Ca.s.sidy moved closer and kissed the agent's forehead again. "Nick just got back."

"Mm," Alex mumbled.

The teacher giggled. Alex was exhausted and so was Dylan. "Just sleep. There is enough food here to feed the entire Army." Ca.s.sidy started to pull away again and Alex pulled her closer. "What is it?"

"Stay here."

Ca.s.sidy closed her eyes and felt Alex's words wash over her. "Alex, everyone is..."

"Ca.s.s," Alex pleaded.

"Alex, I think the couch is full," she smiled. Alex gently pulled the boy to rest on top of her. "Alex, your ribs." The agent opened her eyes slightly and tipped her head. Ca.s.sidy sighed as Alex scooted closer to the back of the couch. The teacher finagled her way beside the agent and her son. "Your friend the Major would not approve of this, you know?" Alex felt Ca.s.sidy's head come to rest next to Dylan's as her leg wrapped around the agent's. "Nick and..."

"They know how to eat pizza," Alex a.s.sured her lover.

"They are going to come..."

"Let them," Alex said plainly. Ca.s.sidy closed her eyes and breathed in the agent. "Wish I could hold you," Alex whispered. Her bad arm was resting atop her hip and her free arm was supporting Dylan who remained partly on his side.

"You are," the teacher answered.

"I love you, Ca.s.s." Ca.s.sidy reached her arm around the pair beside her, both to steady her balance and her emotion.

Rose peeked into the room and smiled. Helen walked up beside her and mimicked the response, noting that Ca.s.sidy's mother was beginning to cry. Alex's mother wrapped a comforting arm around the woman beside her. "Been tough for all of them."

Rose took a deep breath and nodded. That was true. She could see it on Ca.s.sidy's face. For all of her pretenses, the teacher remained rattled. But, there was something more. "I have never seen Ca.s.sie so happy," Rose said. "I can't imagine if we lost her..."

Helen closed her eyes. It was apparent to Alex's mother that her daughter loved these people in a way Helen had never seen and that they loved her just as much. Rose loved the agent as much as she loved her own daughter and looking at the three bodies sprawled across one another Helen understood. They just fit. It was evident in every interaction. Alex and Ca.s.sidy were a family. She smiled and patted the shoulder beside her. "What do you say to some pizza?"

Rose smiled and nodded her agreement. "I think we'd better find where Ca.s.sidy keeps the ibuprofen while we are at it."

"Are you not feeling well?" Helen asked with concern.

"Oh no, I am fine," Rose chuckled as they headed for the kitchen. "But, I don't think it will just be Alex in need of pain relief when they wake up." Helen laughed at Rose's a.s.sessment.

"I wish I could tell you that someday she'll realize she's not invincible," Helen said.

"If anyone can teach her that..."

Helen laughed in agreement. "It will be Ca.s.sidy."

he day had been exhausting for both Alex and Ca.s.sidy, but each had made the silent admission that the love of their family was both needed and welcome. It was surprising that after a short rest, the living room conversation with their family had easily spiraled into late evening. When they had gone to check on the two young boys, they found each sprawled in his own beanbag chair sound asleep. Nick had moved in to wake the pair when his sister stopped him. In spite of protests, Alex and Ca.s.sidy insisted that they allow the boys to just be. Normalcy was something everyone needed now. Dylan had been shaken by Alex's injury and his contentment in the moment was enough to convince both women that this was exactly what he needed. Helen and Rose both raised eyebrows at their daughters' insistence, but realized an argument was futile. Though neither wanted to admit it, Ca.s.sidy and Alex were secretly glad when Rose decided to spend one more night in the guest room.

Alex woke up unexpectedly and was surprised to find an empty s.p.a.ce where Ca.s.sidy would normally be. She slowly moved and stopped to catch her breath. Her injuries were far more painful and debilitating than she intended to let on, and she grimaced as she struggled to find her feet. It was unlike Ca.s.sidy to be up in the middle of the night unless a nightmare plagued one of them or Dylan made his way into their room after a dream of his own. The agent sighed and gently stretched, feeling the soreness that seemed to rack every inch of her body. Slowly, she made her way out of the room, ready to head downstairs. She thought perhaps Ca.s.sidy had gone to check on the boys. A faint light from Dylan's room stopped her and she changed direction.

Ca.s.sidy was standing in front of Dylan's bookcase. Alex couldn't tell what she was looking at, but it seemed that the teacher was focused on something. "Hey." Ca.s.sidy did not respond, merely shutting her eyes tightly and fighting to draw in a full breath. "Ca.s.s?" The agent bridged the distance between them and put her hand on her lover's shoulder. "Ca.s.s?"

Ca.s.sidy turned very slowly on her heels. Once she managed to force her eyes to meet the agent's, Alex immediately noticed the swollen redness. "Alex, I can't do this."

The agent's heart stopped. This was her greatest fear come true, losing Ca.s.sidy to her own stupidity. She kept telling herself that she did what she had to do. That is why she ran into the situation with Brackett and O'Brien. She was keeping Ca.s.sidy and Dylan safe. These last two days Alex had grown unsure of everything; everything except Ca.s.sidy. If keeping Ca.s.sidy in her life meant quitting her job, she would do it. She would find a way to protect them somehow. She remembered everything now about France and about the shooting. "Ca.s.sidy, I'm sorry. I know this has been hard. I need to tell you..."

"Alex, please...."

"Ca.s.s, no please. I said no secrets. I have to tell you..."

Ca.s.sidy shook her head and put her hands on Alex's chest. "No. I need you to listen to me, please?" Alex licked her lips and nodded as the knot in her stomach and the ache in her heart began to outweigh the soreness in her body. Ca.s.sidy turned away to gather herself. "When I got that message and I was waiting," she paused and took a deep breath. "Jane came and we were in the car, she took my hand..."

"Ca.s.si...."

"Alex, please, let me get this out. I didn't know....what I would find. Where you were," she stopped and stilled herself. "I sat with Jane. I thought about Dylan, and you and me; everything my life has become." Ca.s.sidy exhaled and nodded, taking a pause to calm herself. "I love you, in a way that I don't even understand some days, Alex. I didn't think it was possible to love someone like this....to..."

Alex reached out again and touched Ca.s.sidy's shoulder. "Ca.s.s," she whispered.

Ca.s.sidy finally turned to face the agent. "I can't lose you, Alex." Alex searched the eyes before her. "I can't do this anymore," Ca.s.sidy said softly. Alex let out a heavy sigh and nodded, closing her eyes. She suddenly felt the warmth of Ca.s.sidy's palm on her cheek. "You are my family, Alex, you and Dylan. I have to tell him." Alex opened her eyes in confusion and looked at her lover. "I'm not sure how we tell Dylan, he's seven." Ca.s.sidy trembled as she continued, but the resolve in her voice was clear. "I don't know what Chris will do, Alex. Dylan...Dylan is not his. I looked at Dylan tonight. I could see John. I could see you. I could see my mother, but Chris?" Ca.s.sidy shook her head. "He may have been a part of Dylan's life, even though Dylan thinks Chris is his father....Somehow, he just never made it to Dylan's heart."

Alex sighed in relief and kissed Ca.s.sidy's forehead. "Are you sure?" she asked. Ca.s.sidy nodded.

"Alex, I'm not going to lie to you. Sometimes I hate what you do, the danger. It scares me. Only because I don't want to lose you." Alex understood. "But, I made my choice to be with you. All the things we've said to one another, this family...We can't move forward with that secret. It's not fair, not to you, not to Dylan, not to Jane or me." She chuckled sarcastically, "not even to Chris." Her voice dropped and Alex heard the unusual contempt in it, "and I don't want him in our family." Ca.s.sidy looked up at Alex and smiled softly. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ca.s.sidy. More than you know." She paused and pinched the bridge of her nose.

"What is it?" Ca.s.sidy asked.

"I'm glad you want to tell him. There's something I have to tell you."

"Alex?"

"Ca.s.s, you are not going to like this. Let's go back to bed, okay?"