A/N: Another update. Not all that, but it's more of a bridge chapter. Thanks for the feedback last chapter. Remember to drop some here!

Disclaimer: FATF=Not mine. OC/Plot=Mine.

24: The Domino Effect Part 2

Cassie woke up to an aching grumble in her stomach. She rubbed her eyes open as she rose from her bed. She glanced at the neon-green numbers on the clock, reading three in the morning.

Toast hadended up taking her back to the apartment, only to be left alone. It was unknown to her whether or not Han had come home yet.

She groaned when her stomach made another loud grumble. Cassie fixed her shorts and left her room to find something to eat in the kitchen.

Cassie tiptoed through the hallway and into the kitchen. She flipped the light switch, but jumped back in fright when she saw Han sitting at the breakfast table. It took her a few seconds to catch her breath as her hand fell over her chest.

Han was sitting down perfectly in one of the metallic-like chairs, wearing nothing but a sleeve-less undershirt. His hair was still well-kept, but a few stray strands fell over one of his ears. He had his hands clasped together under his chin, as he stared at Cassie in her little T-shirt and cotton shorts.

He looked up at her, apparently a little startled as well. "What are you? A night owl?"

Cassie rolled her eyes as she opened one of the cupboards and took out a glass. "You're the one sitting in the dark." She then opened a gallon of milk from the fridge and poured herself a glass.

"Still mad at me?" Cassie's head perked up to the sound of his voice.

"What do you think?" Cassie replied sarcastically. She shrugged her shoulders. "Who cares?"

Han became aware of her passive mood. "Don't be mad at me Cass."

"You didn't care before. Why does it matter now?" She shrugged again while adding cocoa powder to her milk.

"A lot of stuff went down, okay? I just didn't want to worry you."

Her right eyebrow arched as she continued to stir the now brown-liquid in her glass. "Worry me? Nice excuse."

"I'm serious."

"You know, what bothered me the most was that you kept Dom's visit from me. I don't care about what you guys had to discuss."

"Like I said, I don't want to worry you."

"I'm not an idiot Han, so don't treat me like I'm stupid." She grimaced at him. "One time you're telling me to trust you, and another you shut me out of your secret life."

He simply blinked. "I got my reasons Cassie. Sometimes you need to understand."

"Okay whatever. Do whatever you feel like and leave your girlfriend out of it. I don't care anymore."

"Girlfriend?" He repeated, trying to imply a slight joke.

She ignored him and started to leave the kitchen.

"Come sit here," he called after her.

She turned around in irritation. "What?"

He pulled a chair beside to him and nodded at it. "Come sit next to me girl."

"Why?"

A sly grin appeared on his face. "I want to tell you something."

Cassie rolled her eyes and took a sip from her glass. "What is so important that you can't tell me from this distance?"

"Just come here."

She looked at him skeptically, not moving an inch. Then without thinking, she allowed her feet to take her over to him, making light pats against the cold tile floor. She then sat down slowly beside him, ignoring his lingering arm that was now creeping its way around the top of her chair.

Cassie felt herself get hot as she realized how close their bodies were. The silver-colored chairs they were seated upon weren't apart at all.

She took a moment to study the way his tan skin branched out of that thin undershirt. His arms were perfectly shaped, every curve carefully thought out, despite her knowing that he never worked out.

Grumbling to herself, Cassie felt vulnerable. She was supposed to be angry at him still, not admiring his body…no matter how perfect it was. She could stare at his face all day though…

Another inward grumble emerged from her. Focus! Stop lingering you dumb-ass.

She almost stopped breathing when his midnight eyes, dripping with intent, locked into her brown ones. He smiled at genuinely and pushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.

He unexpectedly placed his lips on her soft ones, making her running thoughts stop and melt away. She loved the light scent of musk that emerged from him as they got closer.

I'm supposed to be angry!

Han pushed against her lips even harder and faster, taking advantage of the fact that she hadn't stopped him in his tracks.

Think angry. Think ANGRY Cassie.

And yet, she wasn't. As Cassie put her arms around his neck, Han had pushed her up against him, one hand on her waist and one hand tangled through her short hair.

Holy crap.

She finally gathered the strength to separate their rising embrace. She shoved him away from her roughly. Han studied her questioningly.

"You don't want to continue?"

"Shut up Han."

He smirked, though cautious of her mood. "So you are mad."

"No." She really wasn't, but she wanted to be. He solved all their arguments and problems with intimacy…and that was enough of a reason to trigger some anger.

She decided Han used to be called a playboy for a reason.

"Don't be angry. I don't want to leave in an argument," he said.

Cassie's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. The wind had almost been knocked out of her…she wasn't expecting that.

"…leave?" She repeated, almost unwillingly.

He searched her eyes for a readable reaction. "I'm going back to L.A. on Monday."

"L…L.A.?"

"Just for two days." Han searched her eyes again, this time for any vague hint of uncertainty.

"Why?" And she didn't want him to lie to her. She desired the truth - and without having to squeeze it out of him.

Han sighed slightly. "There are a few problems I need to take care of."

She studied his face. He hadn't hesitated…or avoided her eyes while he'd spoken, so it could mean it was true.

But she could tell it involved Dom.

"Okay," she responded. If he had business to tend to, who was she to interfere? He was a man, not a little boy.

"It's only two days Cass…three at max."

"Yeah, okay."

He raised an eyebrow at her, unsure of her acceptance. "You don't have anything to say..?"

"You're not a kid Han. Go and do your thing if it's important." She waved him off. "But it's…only two days?"

He smiled at her reassuringly. "Only two days, baby."

"Are you okay with this Cass?"

Neela stared at Cassie in disbelief as they stood inside the airport with Reiko, Earl, Sean, and Toast. Han was with Dom and Renji, busy getting checked in with his passport and single bag of luggage.

Reiko stared on as well. "What is he leaving for?"

Cassie shook her head. "I don't know." Even though it still wasn't clear to her, it ultimately never mattered whether he decided to tell her or not. The only thing that she hated was actually dreading the days he'd be gone.

Stupid…I really am stupid.

Toast hit Cassie's back playfully, although really hard. "Oh Han and Cassie will be just fine. I'm sure they'll be on the phone at least once an hour like this." He positioned his fingers like a phone and mocked them. "'Hey baby. Are you chillin' alright? Then Cassie will be like 'Shut the hell up you dumb-ass! I love you, you idiot!'" Toast immediately stopped when Cassie cast him a life-threatening glance.

But instead of attacking him, she just watched on as Han, Dom, and Renji talked amongst each other. There was some new guy standing with them named Brian O'Connor, who Han had apparently assigned to watch over Cassie. Brian had rented a room right next to Han's apartment, so that he could keep a 'wise eye' over Cassie.

She rolled her eyes at the thought. Eighteen wasn't too far away from her and people still treated her like jailbait. To her, it was absolutely stupid.

Cassie returned to reality and solemnly watched as Han continued to talk softly with Dom and the others. They had separated themselves from the rest of group, as if no one could hear what they were talking about.

She couldn't help but feel left out of what was going on…as if they were some big picture they had cut her away from.

But she reassured herself that everything would be okay, Han was just leaving...for a little while.

She was so deep into her thoughts that she didn't even realize when Han had walked over to her. He pulled her close to him and kissed her forehead softly. She folded her arms as he ran one hand through her hair, the other hand in his jeans pocket.

"See you Cassie."

And before she knew it, she was watching him walk off slowly, as he bid his goodbyes to everyone else.

Cassie bit her lip in desperation, hating herself for not jumping onto him and yelling for him to stay. It didn't even matter to her that his trip wasn't going to be that long.

But she let him disappear through that terminal anyway, leaving her to wonder why she was missing him already.