He finds her outside - which, okay, but it's forty degrees out and the threat of pneumonia is very real, especially with the wet face and thin cardigan she's sporting. So, he zips up his thick parka, grabs her jacket, and makes his way to her.
"Here," he drapes the puffy fabric over her shoulder. "It's damn cold and you don't need pneumonia."
"I'm fine, Jacob." Cassie rasps, even as she slides her arms into the sleeves. "I promise."
"It's forty degrees out here, Cass." Jake reaches around her and zips her up. "And, it's only gonna get colder. Frost by morning."
"Conditions aren't right." Cassandra mumbles, turning her face into the collar as the wind picks up, before finally pulling her hood up.
"Well, the weather men are idiots." he jokes quietly. "Why are you out here, Cassie?"
"I got too warm. Needed to cool off." it's a pathetic excuse, but better than nothing. "I'm fine."
"You aren't."
"Did you mean what you said?" Cassie looks up at him, all big, sad eyes and grim expression. "In that...whatever it was. Did you mean what you said?"
"I meant it when I said I don't think you're fragile." Jake hooks a stray curl on his thumb and tucks it back into her hood. "Cass, you're a strong woman. Stronger than any woman I've ever met. But, you're so smart and you get so caught up in proving your brilliance that you forget the consequences."
Tears sting her eyes.
"Look, sweetheart, it's not you. Or magic. Or, you using magic." it's his way of apologizing - in a way. "You're smart, Cassie, and capable and I have my doubts about there being anything you can't do. But there's so much we don't know about magic, so much unpredictability. It's the fact that it doesn't always do what we want it to. And what's going to happen to you if it all goes wrong? I worry for you, baby." his thumb brushes under her eye, wiping away the tears gathered in her lashes. "I know you are capable. I'm just - I just got this family. I just got you. I'd like to keep you."
It's a little awkward with their thick jackets in the way, but Cassie flings her arms around his waist as best she can. Jake releases a breath and rests a hand on top of her head, moving her hood out of the way, in order to kiss her head. She nuzzles into his neck, breathing him in, and enjoying the moment.
"I want to keep you, too." Cassie sighs against his neck.
"So, maybe, we could just agree to disagree on the magic thing?" Jacob looks down at the small woman in his arms. "Or, a don't ask, don't tell thing?"
"But, I hate keeping secrets from you, Jake." she's looking up at him in that way she does - that vulnerable, maybe a little frightened way that cracks his armor every time. "Trust and secrets don't mix."
"Then, I'll work on trusting that when you choose to use magic, it is because you know what you're doing." his eyebrows raise, silently asking her if this is going to work, because it's the best he can do at the moment.
"And, I'll make sure I know the consequences, before I do something." Cassie grins up at him, white fog mushrooming out of her raspberry pink lips. "I'll get Flynn to help me, if I'm not sure."
"Hell no, we'll all die!" Jacob protests rather loudly.
Cassandra dips her head, hoping to conceal her giggles but she just can't. While, on some level, they all love and respect Flynn, she knows that his recklessness would only exacerbate hers and then adding magic would only make the whole thing explode.
"Jenkins?"
"As long as Nessie stays in the lake." Jake laughs, kissing the top of her head. "Could we please go in, now? It's damn cold."
"Aren't cowboys supposed to be tough?"
"No, not - dammit, Cassie."