Cassie was sitting by herself outside in the gardens of Caduceus. She always found some sort of peace to the place whenever she went to it. But more than anything… she just wanted to be alone right now.
Away from all the stress… away from all the expectant eyes.
She sighed, looking down at her hands.
I'm a Stiles… Why can't I be like Dad? He could do the Healing Touch with ease yet with me I just…
She covered her face with her hands, trying to stop herself from crying again.
I just freeze…
"Cassie?"
She jumped, looking behind her, seeing three young men standing not too far from her position. Those three young men being her brothers.
"Oh… Hey Olly… Dylan… Mako… Fancy meeting you here."
"Indeed." Olly frowned, going over to his sister, sitting beside her, the brothers following suit, Dylan sitting on her other side, Mako in front of her. "But we couldn't help but notice the dark cloud over your head."
Cassie lowered her head, not meeting any of her siblings' eyes.
"I'm okay… just… thinking."
Mako crossed his arms leaning back, wearing a look that mimicked Derek's "I'm going to find out what you did" face. "Like what? How to throw some of your co-workers into the sea and make them disappear? Cause I got a bag of mermaid taffy in my pocket and we could do that easily…"
"Or you know, scalpels." Dylan gave a serious look. "I can easily remove whatever they have that's bothering you."
"Guys…" Cassie shook her head. "It's not them… It's me… I have a lot to live up to and… I don't know if I can live up to it. I'm not Dad."
"And you shouldn't be." Olly tipped her chin up. "If you were, then you wouldn't be you."
"And you're a lot prettier then Dad can ever hope to be." Mako added before he gave a gentle look. "Screw expectations. They all expect all four of us to be like him sometimes… But we're as different as can be…"
"Let's see now…" Dylan hummed. "We have an aspiring marine veterinarian, a fireman in training, and well one fellow master surgeon to be." Dylan gave a small smile. "I still have A LOT to learn before I'm caught up with you Cassie. You're really smart, you know that. Who needs a Healing Touch when you've got that big brain of yours?"
Cassie couldn't help but giggle a little.
"Guys…"
"Ah, there's a laugh." Olly smirked. "Come on, Cassie, give yourself some credit!"
"You're the only trainee who hasn't fried their brain trying out those surgical microbot thingies. You can use them without even trying hard." Mako grinned. "Even DAD struggles with them. It comes easy to you. Who needs the Healing Touch when you can do that?"
Cassie was getting misty eyed. She took off her glasses, wiping her eyes, laughing a bit.
"You guys are too much some days."
"... Alright boys… you know what this calls for." Olly looked to his brothers, giving a serious look. "You know what this sister needs."
"Brother hug!" Dylan yelled, bringing his arms around Cassie, the others doing the same, hugging her tightly. "RAH!"
"WAH! GUYS!"
"SQUISH HER TIL SHE LAUGHS!" Mako laughed messing up her hair a bit.
"Come on! We know you got a laugh box in their somewhere!" Olly nuzzled her. "Let's see that patent Cassie Stiles smile!"
Cassie couldn't help it anymore as she burst out laughing, nuzzling all three of her brothers.
"As I said, you're all too much sometimes!"
"We're just the kind of "too much" you need and you know it." Dylan grinned, keeping close.
"Your Little Shark declares it." Mako added.
Cassie continued to laugh, her brothers doing the same before they all calmed down, still keeping close together.
"You may be too much sometimes… but then again sometimes I need that." Cassie sighed happily.
"We may not be like Dad… But we know how to give our sister a good treatment… Now, one other thing… Dad said you're off the hook for the rest of the day." Mako shook a bag of taffy in front of her face. "C'mon… What's say we make like our ancestors and hit the waves for a few hours?"
Cassie smiled a bit, giving a nod.
"I could use some salty fresh air."
Olly smirked before he grabbed her by her ankles hauling her onto his shoulders. "Let's go then boys! The mermaid queen has demanded it!"
"EEP!"
"LET'S GO!"
Cassie laughed, hauling her upper body up so she was resting on her brother's head.
They may be goofs…
But they're my goofs.
And I wouldn't have it any other way.
