Sisters


"That was a nice service." Punk nodded, walking down the graveyard with Cassie after Theo's funeral, "Sounds ridiculous when you say stuff like that at things like this." He shook his head.

"No, I know what you mean." Cassie understood, "It was." She nodded.

It was a hard day. It didn't feel right saying goodbye to someone she was just beginning to let in. Her heart felt like it was just hanging. Like it was sitting on the edge of a razor blade, waiting around for him. The sudden loss of him still hadn't really sunk in for her yet.

"He must have a big family. There was a ton of people there." Punk said as Cassie nodded.

"Yeah. Lots of cops there too." Cassie said. Her eyes were puffy from tears and she was definitely ready to go home and change into her pyjamas, "I tried getting Jake's attention but I think he's trying to avoid me. Probably thinks I'm gonna ask to come back."

"You had any update on the review?" Punk asked her.

"I'm supposed to be going in next week for my psych evaluation." Cassie rolled her eyes, "And then I'll have an interview with a panel." She said, "It's gonna be weird getting put with a new partner." She sighed to herself, "I'm kinda dreading it."

"Hey, you'll be fine." Punk nodded, wrapping his arm around her and kissing her head, "You just remember everything he taught you." He said as Cassie nodded.

"Yeah, I'll try." Cassie said, "It's gonna be hard being in the station and… not seeing him there. Part of me didn't want to go on this leave of absence but now I'm dreading going back." She admitted.

"It'll be tough. Hard to get used to." Punk nodded truthfully, "But I know you can do it." He said.

"Excuse me." A woman called over as Punk and Cassie paused, turning around as Cassie noticed it was Theo's mother approaching them.

"Hi." Cassie said politely, "I'm… so sorry for your loss." She shook her head as the woman nodded.

"Thank you, sweetheart. I'm Jillian. Theo's mother." Jillian said as Cassie nodded, "Are you… Cassie?" She asked.

"Yeah, I am." Cassie nodded.

"Well I was… clearing out my son's apartment over the past couple of days and I believe there are some things I came across that are yours." Jillian said as Cassie nodded awkwardly, turning to Punk who just raised his eyebrows and looked down.

"Uh… yeah, I can come pick it up whenever." Cassie nodded quickly.

"Oh, I have it all in my car." Jillian said, "I can give you it right now."

"Oh… yeah, ok. Thank you." Cassie said as Jillian smiled.

"He spoke to me a lot about you, you know." Jillian nodded, walking towards her parked car, "I believe the first word he used to describe you to me was… a maniac." She said as Cassie chuckled whilst Punk smiled to himself.

"Yeah I can imagine him saying that." Cassie smiled to herself.

"And then he… said some nicer things about you too, of course." Jillian nodded to her as Cassie smiled, walking over to her car.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Cassie asked politely, "Anything I can help you with?"

"No, you're ok, dear." Jillian nodded, opening up the trunk of the car, "Here is your things." She passed a bag over to Cassie which had some clothes she'd left at Theo's apartment, "Oh and… this was in a separate area of his apartment. Actually it was hidden in one of the kitchen cupboards." She explained, passing over a wrapped up present, "Is it… your birthday soon?"

"Y-Yeah… Sunday." Cassie said, taking the thin, square wrapped up item from her which had a tag with her name on it.

"Well… I think that was a birthday gift for you." Jillian nodded as Cassie smiled.

"Thank you for giving me it." Cassie nodded as Punk looked on with a small smile.

"Well, I'm sure he would have really liked for you to get it." Jillian nodded, "I best get going." She said as Cassie nodded, watching her getting into her car.

"That's an odd shape." Punk observed, walking to his car with her.

"Yeah, I think I know what it is." Cassie nodded to herself with a sigh.


Punk and Cassie got home from the funeral service, walking into the house where Cassie sat the bag of clothes and her birthday gift down at the bottom of the stairs.

"Thank you for coming with me today." Cassie nodded to her father.

"Well you shouldn't have gone alone." Punk said, giving her a hug as she hugged back tightly, "You'll get through it." He whispered, kissing her head.

"Yeah, I will." Cassie sighed to herself.

"Why don't you go sit on the couch and I'll bring you in some coffee?" He said.

"Yeah, ok." Cassie nodded, watching him walk off down the kitchen.

She walked on through to the living room, pausing when she saw Jude sitting on the couch whilst Thea stood.

"Hey." Jude smiled softly.

"Hi." Thea said as Cassie looked at them both.

"Hi." Cassie said suspiciously, "I… I didn't know you were coming today." She looked over at Thea.

"Yeah, well… I had to come get those pesky kids at some point." She said as Jude smiled a little, "Look, I'm gonna come right out and say it… I am not the best sister in the world." She nodded, "I can be… selfish, stupid, insensitive and irresponsible." She nodded as Jude and Cassie looked across at her, "But I would never do anything to hurt either of you or put you in danger." She said, "And knowing I did is killing me."

"Thea, you don't gotta give a speech." Jude shook her head.

"No, I wanna hear some more." Cassie sat down on the arm of the couch, folding her arms.

"I made stupid mistakes when I was a kid because I… I wanted to feel some sort of control from it, and then it ended up controlling me." She said, "And then it caught up with me and I thought the best way to get rid of it was to run away." She nodded, "I know, classic Thea making more stupid decisions." She said, "It didn't cross my mind that I was putting the rest of you in danger, if it did I never would have left." She made clear.

"Why wouldn't it cross your mind?" Cassie questioned, "Look at our mom and dad. It's not like we don't know what people like that do."

"I don't know, maybe… maybe I was so scared I just jumped in doing the first thing that came to my mind." Thea said, "Or maybe I was protecting my kids first. I wanted them out of here, away from it all." She nodded, "And then I thought it was under control." She said, "Look, I guess what I'm trying to say is… I am so sorry, to both of you for what happened." She nodded, "If I could trade places with you both I would." She said, "I'm supposed to be the big sister and you guys are the ones who have always looked after me and kept me on the right path." She said truthfully as Jude turned to Cassie.

"Thea, this wasn't your fault." Jude shook her head, "I don't blame you for this." She made clear as Thea nodded, turning to Cassie.

"I don't blame you either." Cassie nodded, "And I'm not just saying it. I really don't blame you for this." She said, "I was just hurt and mad. I had to be mad at someone and you just fit the narrative I cooked up in my head." She shrugged, "You're my sister, and I love you." She said as Thea smiled with relief, "And actually… I owe you an apology." She said, "The way I spoke to you, what I told everyone… I'm so ashamed of myself for that and I'm really sorry that I told everyone something that… I shouldn't have even known." She said as Thea nodded.

"It's ok." Thea nodded, "Turns out we have a pretty decent mom and dad who respect the decisions and choices we make." She said.

"Yeah, they're ok." Jude nodded, "You never had to keep it a secret from us, though. I mean… it is your body, you shouldn't feel guilty about making a decision like that."

"I used to feel guilty about it." Thea nodded, "Not so much anymore." She said. Ironically, people finding out about her abortion actually made her accept it more, which was something she didn't expect but something she embraced, "I guess I always had this shame about it because of how it happened and how young I was but… it was my choice and I'm sick of having to pretend like I don't own this." She pointed up and down to her body.

"Amen to that, sister." Jude nodded as Cassie smiled to herself.

"So…" Thea said, "Are we… ok?" She asked them both as Jude and Cassie turned to each other.

"Yeah, we're ok." Cassie smiled as Thea nodded with relief, "We're always gonna be ok." She stood up, walking over to Thea and hugging her tightly as Thea hugged back.

"I'm so sorry about your friend." Thea whispered as Cassie nodded, resting her chin on Thea's shoulder.

"Wait, I want in." Jude struggled to her feet.

"Come on, fatty." Thea nodded, opening up her hug with Cassie and letting Jude into it.

"I love three-way sister hugs." Jude smiled as Cassie and Thea chuckled.

Meanwhile AJ stood at the living room door watching, smiling to herself and backing away, walking into the kitchen where Punk was sitting at the table.

"Put it there, Brooks." AJ said, putting her hand out as he slapped it triumphantly with a smile as she kissed his head sweetly.


Later that night, Cassie had gotten out of the shower and was headed into her bedroom after a long day. She felt a tremendous weight lifted from her shoulders after clearing things up with Thea. The truth was, her sisters would always be her sisters, and she was always going to love them no matter what.

She got into some pyjamas, brushing her wet hair, catching onto the birthday gift from Theo which was sitting on her bed. She was too curious and desperate to wait until Sunday. She knew he would be judging her for opening it before her birthday but she couldn't help it.

She picked up the gift and began opening it up, ripping the wrapping paper off as she pulled out the vinyl record which had a small card attached to it. She noticed it was a Billy Ocean single record, which made her smile, because she knew he paid attention.

She opened up the small card which read, 'So I listened to some of your soul ghetto punk rock stuff. I feel like these lyrics fit with you pretty well. Have a great birthday. Love Theo.'

She smiled to herself, placing the card against her chest and looking at the Vinyl which she noticed was an original copy of 'Love Really Hurts Without You'.

She walked over to her record player in her room, taking the record out and setting it up, putting the needle down as she smiled whilst the song began to play. She could understand why he correlated the lyrics with her. It made her laugh as she imagined him listening to it. It made her laugh, but with tears in her eyes and a lump in her throat.

She only wished she could have accepted the gift from him in person. It seemed unfair that it had to be this way, but all she could do as she listened to the song was imagine his smile, his goodness and kindness, all the good things that made her fall for him.