Birthday Part One


"You comfortable?" The nurse nodded, sat at the end of the bed where Cassie was sitting up on, gown on, feet up on the stirrups as she scratched the palms of her hands back and forth.

"I'm not enjoying the draft, I'll be honest." Cassie said as the nurse smiled, sensing the comedic tone as Cassie smiled to her, "I'm fine." Cassie assured her as the nurse nodded.

"Ok, let's see how things are looking." The nurse nodded, looking on at the monitor, clicking some buttons as Cassie watched closely, "How many weeks did you say you assumed you were?"

"Going onto seven." Cassie said as the nurse nodded.

A few weeks had gone by, weeks where she'd kept her secret, a secret. From everyone. It wasn't a difficult thing for her. She wasn't an expresser. She didn't enjoy getting things off her chest. She liked to be in control of her own situations at all times, on her own. She hadn't spoken to Theo since she'd asked him for space. She knew he had every right to know what was going on, and she planned on telling him soon, she was just doing her best to pluck up the courage, and come to terms with it herself. It was still pretty unbelievable.

"Ok…" The nurse nodded, looking on at the monitor, "There is your baby." She smiled as Cassie pushed herself up onto her elbows, looking on at the monitor closely.

"What am I looking at here?" Cassie asked as the nurse chuckled.

"Here." The nurse pointed out as Cassie tilted her head, looking on closely, "Next time you come in, you'll be able to see it a little clearer." She assured her.

"And is… is everything ok?" Cassie wondered, "It's actually in there?" She asked as the nurse nodded with a smile.

"It's in there." The nurse laughed, "And everything looks perfect." She assured her as Cassie nodded.

"Ok." Cassie nodded slowly, "So that's it there?" She pointed as the nurse nodded.

"That's it." The nurse confirmed as Cassie nodded, looking on at the monitor at the little spot the nurse had pointed out to her, "I just need you to fill some things in for me, if that's ok." The nurse walked over to the table at the end of the room, grabbing the paper work onto a clipboard, "Hey, it's your birthday tomorrow." The nurse noticed Cassie's date of birth on the paper work.

"Yeah." Cassie nodded.

"Don't sound too excited." The nurse walked over to her, handing her over the clipboard and pen.

"Just another day, right?" Cassie shrugged.

"Hey, you're only supposed to say that when you get to my age." The nurse scoffed, sitting back down on the stool chair as Cassie filled some things in.

"Well, I'm working all day and I'll probably go straight to bed when I come home. Not much of a birthday." Cassie said.

"I'm sure the people around you will make it special." The nurse nodded.

"Oh, I'm sure." Cassie laughed a little, "Hey, could you do me a favour?" She asked.

"Depends." The nurse looked on.

"My sister works here, in accident and emergency." Cassie said, "I'd really appreciate it if she didn't find out. I'm still keeping this on the down low."

"Who's your sister?" The nurse asked curiously.

"Thea Castillo." Cassie said.

"Your Thea's little sister?" The nurse smiled as Cassie nodded, "Oh, yeah… shit, you guys look alike actually." She began to notice, "Don't worry. It's a completely different department. She'll never be up here." She assured her as Cassie nodded.

"That's good to know." Cassie said, relieved.

She headed off to get changed after finishing with the nurse, putting her clothes back in, booking in for her next appointment before leaving the hospital.

She was heading out the entrance, putting her jacket on when-

"Cassie?" Thea questioned, standing outside having a cigarette as she noticed her baby sister coming out the hospital entrance.

Cassie turned around, her stomach dropping as she looked over.

"Hey." Cassie plaid it cool, walking over to her.

"The hell are you doing here?" Thea shook her head with confusion.

"Uh I was… I was talking to a witness." Cassie nodded calmly.

"Why are you not in uniform?" Thea asked, puzzled as Cassie looked at her normal clothes. It was technically her day off.

"Well I was… I was supposed to be off today but Jake asked me to do this." She shrugged as Thea nodded, buying it obviously. She had no reason to question it.

"You excited for your birthday tomorrow?" Thea smiled.

"I'm working all day." Cassie shrugged.

"Yeah, but mom's throwing a little party tomorrow night." Thea reminded her.

"I told her not to bother." Cassie rolled her eyes.

"Come on, they still throw me a birthday party every year." Thea scoffed, "You're getting one."

"Jude's not even gonna be there, what's the point?" Cassie shrugged.

"So she is your favourite sister?" Thea raised a brow as Cassie scoffed.

"I don't have a favourite sister." Cassie assured her, "She did say I've to skype her when I get home tomorrow."

"She'll be there virtually." Thea nodded.

"I wish she'd just hurry up and decide what the hell she's doing, moving back here or staying in New York." Cassie said, "I miss her." She folded her arms.

"Yeah, I do too." Thea nodded, "It's a big decision. She'd be giving up a lot if she moved back here, but… she'd also be losing a lot if she stayed." She shrugged.

"Yeah well I'm selfish. I want her here." Cassie nodded as Thea smiled.

"You get what you needed from your witness?" Thea asked.

"Yeah, pretty much." Cassie went along with it, "I better get going." She said.

"Yeah, I should get back inside." Thea nodded, "See you tomorrow, birthday girl." She grinned as Cassie rolled her eyes, shaking her head and walking off as Thea chuckled, heading back into the hospital.


The next day, Cassie got home from a long day at work. Just like for most, it didn't feel like her birthday. Not the way it used to when her mother and father would throw her the best parties. Of course, she was expecting any face-painting or balloon making anymore, but nevertheless, it just didn't feel like a birthday.

She pulled up outside the house, noticing Thea and her uncle's car. She pressed her forehead on the steering wheel tiredly and took a deep breath before getting out of the car, locking it over and heading on inside.

"Hey, birthday girl." Dean noticed Cassie coming in as he was on his way for a beer from the kitchen, giving his niece a hug as Cassie smiled, "Let me see it, let me see it." He pulled back from the hug as Cassie rolled her eyes, pulling out her gun from the back of her pocket, handing it over to him as he held it in his hand, like he begged to every time he saw her.

"You're like a five year old." Cassie nodded as Dean smiled.

"Sorry, officer." Dean smiled, handing it back over to her as Cassie smiled, "Happy birthday." He flicked under her chin as Cassie smiled, watching him head away to the kitchen.

She walked on into the living room, noticing all the balloons and happy birthday banners around the room. It was impossible not to smile. She was always grateful for her family. She was grateful they still showed her immense amounts of love, even when she was trying to distance herself from it.

"Hey." AJ smiled happily, making her way over to Cassie and giving her a big hug, "Happy birthday, baby."

"Thanks, mom." Cassie smiled, making her way around her family who wished her happy birthday and gave her some gifts to open, which she did, with James and Sofia's help.

She was also pleased to see Sam in the house, who gave her a hug and a birthday gift. She wouldn't forget the mean things she had said to her, but she absolutely could forgive, and seeing Sam sober and in a genuine state was refreshing. She was happy for her, and happy for her father and uncle. It was a good thing.

"Have you talked to Jude today?" Punk asked Cassie.

"I did, yeah. I spoke to her on my lunch break." Cassie nodded, "Sad she can't be here, obviously." She said, mid opening one of her gifts.

"You want a beer in?" Dean asked her, sticking his head in the living room.

"You know what, I'm good with soda actually." Cassie assured her uncle.

"Dang, you're getting old." He teased as she smiled.

"Who got me this?" Cassie chuckled, opening up the toy gun set, made for kids of course.

"James and Sofia picked that for you." Thea grinned, sitting with Dominic on the couch.

"You guys picked this out for me?" Cassie asked her niece and nephew.

"Yes, we did." James nodded.

"In case you run out." Sofia added as Cassie chuckled and smiled.

"I love it." Cassie smiled, "Thanks, guys." She said, giving them a double hug as she lifted them up, "That's my favourite gift." She whispered to them as they smiled happily.

She put them down from the hug, watching them scramble away to go play whilst she collected all the wrapping paper to go put in the trash, walking out to the kitchen where her mother was.

"Tacos are nearly ready." AJ told her.

"They smell amazing." Cassie nodded, shoving the wrapping paper in the trash, "You know you didn't have to go to all this trouble, mom." She shook her head as AJ tutted.

"Yes, I did. We celebrate birthdays in this house." She made clear seriously as Cassie smiled.

"Yeah, we do." Cassie nodded, "That cake looks so good. I can't wait to eat it." She eyed up the chocolate cake sitting over on the counter, "I'm gonna go get changed out of my uniform." She said as AJ nodded.

She left the kitchen and headed upstairs to get changed out of her uniform and into something comfier. She got into some sweats, leaving her room and bumping into James on her way out.

"Hey, what you doing up here?" Cassie smiled.

"Playing hide and seek." James whispered, "Sofia is counting downstairs."

"Oh, I see." Cassie nodded, "You can hide under my bed if you like." She said as he smiled, running into her bedroom and getting under the bed as she chuckled.

She headed off downstairs, hearing a knock at the door as she walked down each step. She realised no one else had heard it and attempted to answer it, so she walked on over once she reached the bottom, opening it up to nobody.

She looked around with confusion, about to close the door over when she saw the wrapped up, thin square on the door step with a card with her name on it.

She reached down and picked it up, closing the door over behind her and heading over to the stairs, sitting down on the bottom one as she unwrapped the present curiously.

She smiled to herself as she pulled out the traditional vinyl record from one of her favourite singers. An authentic, difficult to find record. She didn't need to read the card to know who it was from, but she read it anyway.

She opened it up, smiling as she read it into herself.

Happy Birthday. Hope you like the gift. It was second choice, they had no old couples in stock. Have a great day. Love Theo.

She chuckled to herself as she read the card, smiling and holding the record against her chest. She was still thinking about him every day. It terrified her that she felt so strongly about him. It was hard trying to figure out what to do.

She watched as James ran past her on the stairs and into the living room, standing up and walking on in after him as she sat the record and card over by the other gifts.

"Where did you get this?" Thea sat up a little as James handed her over the black and white sonogram picture.

"Cassie's room. It fell out, I didn't mean to…" He said worriedly, showing his mother as any normal kid would.

"Tacos are almost ready." AJ walked into the living room with plates, "Hey, what's that?" She looked over at Thea who gulped.

"Uh…" Thea shook her head, confused as she looked at Dominic, who was equally confused.

"I didn't mean to rip it." James said worriedly, wondering if he'd get into trouble for ripping whatever it was that he'd accidentally brushed out under Cassie's bed whilst he was hiding from his sister.

AJ walked over, realising what Thea was holding, taking it from her and looking at the name at the top of the sonogram, raising her eyebrows.

Cassie turned around, noticing her mother and sister staring at her funny.

"What?" Cassie made a face at them with confusion, looking over and noticing her mother holding something.

"Something smells like it's burning." Punk walked into the living room, getting eyes on the sonogram in AJ's hand, "What's that?" He questioned.

"Cassie's." AJ said, in a trance as she looked over at Cassie, the room suddenly going quiet as the rest of them noticed what was being looked at.

"What?" Punk shook his head, looking on at what his wife was holding, not for long before Cassie came and ripped it from her.

"Give me that." Cassie said worriedly, "Why did you touch this?" She turned to James angrily.

"Hey, don't." Thea shook her head at her, "He's a kid." She said, rubbing James' shoulder.

"Cassie, what the hell is going on?" AJ questioned, "Are you… Are you pregnant?" She shook her head in disbelief.