Alex And Cassidy: Betrayal Part 7

"I love you, Alex," he said as he grabbed hold of the small rabbit nearby and closed his eyes.

"I love you too, Speed," she answered as Ca.s.sidy finally reached her and pressed into her side. "Get some sleep."

"You too. I'm gonna fly through...."

"You do that, Speed," Alex replied as she gently shut his door and turned to the woman beside her. "How are you?" she asked.

Ca.s.sidy pursed her lips. "I am all right, Agent. How are you?" she asked with concern.

"Best thing that ever happened to you, huh?" Ca.s.sidy just smiled and raised her brow. "You sure about that?"

"Pretty sure," Ca.s.sidy winked.

"Ummm..."

"What?" Ca.s.sidy asked as Alex pulled her closer.

"That thing I wanted to tell you when we got home?" Alex began.

"Yes?"

"How do you feel about a gla.s.s of wine in front of the fireplace?"

"What is going on in that head?" Ca.s.sidy asked.

"Well, you go get changed. I'll get the wine and start the fire. I think there has been enough stress and sadness for one day; don't you?" Alex smiled and placed a light kiss on her lover's nose.

"In fact, I do."

"Go change. Wine and a fire." Ca.s.sidy shook her head with a grin.

"What are you grinning about?" Alex squinted.

"Nothing," Ca.s.sidy winked. "You just surprise me sometimes."

"Yeah?"

"Umm..." Ca.s.sidy chuckled.

"What?" Alex asked as Ca.s.sidy crossed the hallway to the room that they were sharing.

"You are up to something," Ca.s.sidy called back.

Alex just shrugged. "Maybe I am," she laughed quietly.

"No maybes. You are."

"Just get comfortable," Alex laughed. It felt like the right time for a conversation the agent knew they needed to have. It made no sense to put it off any longer. This was her family. More now than ever, it felt like it was time to embrace that.

"Mr. President," a.s.sistant FBI Director Tate said as he took the seat he was offered.

"Sorry, Joshua...about the hour," Lawrence Strickland replied.

"Not at all, Sir."

"Joshua, I have been reading over some of John's notes. Where do we stand with Agent Toles?" the president asked.

"How do you mean, Sir?" Tate asked.

The president cleared his throat. "Her reinstatement is what I am referring to."

"Well, there is a mandatory two week suspension period."

"Wave it," the president replied.

"Sir, I thought that with...."

President Strickland licked his lips and considered the man before him. "There are times to think a.s.sistant Director and there are times to act. Begin the process. I want Alexis Toles reinstated by the end of the week."

"And what would you like me to do about her transfer?" Tate asked.

"I don't think that will be a concern for you," Strickland said.

"Why is that?" Tate asked curiously.

"I have it on good authority that your agent will be returning to her roots."

"I don't understand."

"She's going back to the NSA, Joshua," the president explained.

"How could you...."

The president laughed. "Joshua. Think."

"And you want her to go back to the NSA?" Tate was confused.

"More control at the NSA. More military presence, so the answer is yes, I do."

"No disrespect, Sir, but...May I speak freely?"

"You may," Strickland replied.

"President Merrow considered Michael Taylor and Alexis Toles a dangerous combination for some reason."

"I am aware," Strickland said. "They are, from what I understand." Joshua Tate's eyes conveyed all of his questions. "I have put a piece in play. A new p.a.w.n to move across the board. I suspect that attention will be focused in that direction shortly," the president offered with satisfaction.

"A smoke screen?"

"Not exactly, no. A person that Alex Toles will want to follow and a different direction to lead her; at least for now. A direction that will keep them occupied while matters are settled," Strickland explained.

"You are the Commander in Chief," Tate responded indicating that he would comply.

"Yes," Strickland gloated. "I am."

"Hey, feel better?" Alex asked as Ca.s.sidy walked toward her.

"I do, actually."

The fire was already crackling and Alex had placed some pillows on the floor against the couch for the pair to comfortably sit together. Ca.s.sidy plopped down onto the floor and closed her eyes momentarily as she stretched out. As she opened them, she caught sight of Alex making her way over and marveled at the way the glow of the fire highlighted the agent's skin and hair. Alexis Toles was nothing short of a breathtaking sight. Ca.s.sidy smiled at the realization that her lover was every bit as beautiful in a pair of sweatpants and a T-s.h.i.+rt and she had been earlier in her uniform. "What are you smiling at?" Alex asked.

"Nothing, really," Ca.s.sidy said. "I'm just glad to relax, and you know I am curious what this is all about," she raised her brow.

"You? Curious?" Alex joked. The teacher's response was a light slap of the agent's thigh. "It's been a h.e.l.l of a few weeks, Ca.s.s." Ca.s.sidy sighed. "I mean...it feels like years some days, you know?'

"I do," Ca.s.sidy admitted. Alex rubbed her temple and closed her eyes. "Alex, maybe we should just relax. Just enjoy the fire and rest. We don't have to talk about anything tonight."

"No, we do," Alex said seriously and instantly noted the fear on Ca.s.sidy's face. The agent chuckled and released the pressure on her temple. "No, Ca.s.s, it's nothing bad...well, I mean I don't think it's bad...it's just...well...you know Dylan and.... well... after John and then the...."

"Alex?" The agent looked at her lover a bit sheepishly. "Rambling," Ca.s.sidy smiled.

"Sorry," the agent chuckled. "I guess I don't know how to start."

"Why don't you just start and see what happens?"

"My parents have a condo in Florida. I was thinking, you know...when school is out. Well, maybe we could go down and spend a few days. Get away. Go to some of the parks. I don't know."

"Alex? You wanted to talk to me about taking a vacation?" Ca.s.sidy asked.

"No. Well, yes." Ca.s.sidy c.o.c.ked her head and opened her eyes a little wider, questioning what Alex was driving at. The agent sighed. "Yes. I thought it would be good for all of us."

"It would be. I agree." The teacher looked at her lover, sensing that something else was behind all of this.

"Okay. Ca.s.s, you know how you told me you want to have more kids?" Ca.s.sidy nodded. "Well....I don't know if I..."

"Alex..."

Alex immediately stopped Ca.s.sidy's thought. "I've been thinking about that a lot the last few days."

"About?" Ca.s.sidy questioned.

"About you and me and Dylan, about us having our own family." Alex paused and closed her eyes. "Actually, I can't seem to stop thinking about it." Ca.s.sidy studied the agent as Alex's stress visibly increased. "What if I am no good, Ca.s.s?"

"No good?"

"Yeah, as a parent."

"Alex, I have to confess I am a little lost. We just went from vacation to parenting," Ca.s.sidy said gently.

The agent let out a nervous chuckle. "I have to ask my parents, Ca.s.s, to use the condo."

"Okay...."

"I don't really talk to them often," Alex explained.

"I sort of gathered that."

"Just, they never really approved...of my choices in life," the agent explained.

"Which choices?"

"All of them," Alex said as her fingers began to instinctively rub her temples.

"Alex, we don't have to go anywhere. If you aren't comfortable..."

"No, Ca.s.s. I want you to meet them. I want you to...No, I need them to know."

"To know what?"

"To know that I have a family," Alex said quietly.

Ca.s.sidy let out a soft sigh. "What are you trying to say, Alex?"

The agent nodded and took Ca.s.sidy's gla.s.s away, setting both aside and taking hold of her hands. "I want you to know who I am and why. I was hoping we could go see my parents next weekend. Nick and Barb want to give them their news about the baby and well, they've seen us. I can't just pretend..."

"Alex, this is all about me meeting your parents?" Ca.s.sidy asked.

"It's not easy for me, Ca.s.s," Alex admitted. "I don't ever want to be them."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean; what if I am like them? As a parent?"

Ca.s.sidy nodded her very basic understanding. This was the first time Alex had ventured into a discussion about her parents and even now it was somewhat cryptic. What was clear to Ca.s.sidy was the anxiety the topic caused for her lover. Working with children for so many years, it was a reaction she had grown familiar with. It generally signaled some type of abuse or neglect, or at the very least a restrictive upbringing. Ca.s.sidy had feared that for Dylan with all of Chris's preconceptions about the boy's future. It had been a major factor in her decision to leave the congressman. Listening to Alex now, Ca.s.sidy needed few details to understand that her lover's childhood had not been a happy and harmonious one.

Ca.s.sidy remained a bit unclear on where Alex was attempting to head with the discussion. She did understand that she needed to calm any doubts the agent had about Ca.s.sidy's ability to handle meeting Mr. and Mrs. Toles. And, she needed to quell the lingering fear Alex was confronting about her ability to be a good parent. "Alex, can I say something here?" The agent nodded silently. "I don't know what it was like for you with your parents. If you are worried about me, I mean what they might say or do; don't be. You are not your parents; none of us are." Alex started to open her mouth to speak and Ca.s.sidy cautioned her with just a glance. "Let me finish. I watch you with Dylan. I watch him with you. I have seen you and Nick chasing after those two little boys...Alex, I saw Stephanie Merrow light up when she saw you. Whatever it is that you are afraid of, I think you can rest easy about how you are with children."

"Yeah, but Ca.s.s, I haven't raised any of them. Cat is Nick's and Stephanie and Alexandra, I mean they were older when I met them. And Dylan, you have raised..."

"I know all of that, Alex. Don't you think I worry about whether I am a good mother?"

"Why on earth would you worry about that?" Alex asked genuinely.

"Why? Oh, I don't know. I raised my son for six years with a man that I couldn't understand and didn't agree with on anything; a man that isn't even his real father. G.o.d. Alex, what kind of person does that make me?"

"Ca.s.sidy, you are the best person I know and you are a wonderful mother. I don't think there is anyone that would disagree with that."

Ca.s.sidy let out a sarcastic chuckle. "Yeah, well Dylan might disagree one day."