A/N Short little chapter (especially for me) but very important because it sets up future events.

I was also asked to do a few more character recaps. I know this has gone on a long time, and has pulled in a lot of new characters. So anytime anyone needs a little "review" please don't hesitate to ask!

Jennifer Sumner – Lives on the second floor. Works at a design firm, but in a low-level gofer type job. Moved to NY from Minnesota.

Jason Sumner – Jennifer's twin brother. Jason is gay and has been living/dating Collins for a few years now. He teaches college art and design.

Ginny – She lives in Mimi's old apartment on the third floor. She moved in there when Mimi moved up to the loft. She was friends with Mimi from the Cat Scratch Club. She is still working as a stripper, but goes to nursing school and is due to graduate in December. She and Roger have that love to hate each other relationship, but they really do get along.

Izzy – Has known Roger for a long time. He owns the Iguana, the bar Roger works at.

Krystal – Izzy's longtime girlfriend. She teaches fourth grade.

Leslie – She also lives on the third floor next door to Ginny. She's quiet, so we don't hear from her often, but she is good friends with Ginny, so she is often with Ginny. She just usually let's Ginny do most of the talking.

As for Cass' family, I know that gets a little confusing sometimes, so while they aren't in the story line any time soon, we'll run through them quickly too.

Carlton – Cass' father.

Andre – Cass' uncle.

Anton – Cass' step cousin and the source of all the problems.

Gigi – Andre's wife.

Marguerite – she works for the company and is a friend of Cass'. She handles a lot of the business type things for Cass so we see her name come up when she has work related things.

Hope that helps. Like I said, just let me know if anyone gets confused at any point. I'll gladly post this again. And as usual, thanks for your continual support!

Chapter 49

Roger had been laying there watching Cass sleep for almost thirty minutes now. Just watching her. Listening to her breath. She absolutely amazed him. She stirred as he ran his fingers along her arm. Her eyes slowly fluttered open as she looked around and saw him. Before she could say anything he leaned over and kissed her.

"What was that for?" She smiled at him as she interlocked their fingers.

"Cause you're amazing. And beautiful. And I love you." He leaned down and kissed her again. When he pulled his head back up he grinned at her. "And if I do that now, before you start moving around, there is less of a chance you'll throw up on me!"

"Oh thanks!" She pulled him down so he was laying across her chest some, running her fingers through his hair. "Go back to the amazing beautiful part."

"Okay." He grinned, knowing she couldn't see his face as he ran his hand across her stomach, staring at it. "You're one of the most amazing people I have ever met. I knew that the day I met you."

"That's because I yelled at you for being mean to Mark."

"Well, that's part of it. A small part." He rubbed his hand over her stomach again. "And you're absolutely beautiful."

"You think so huh?"

"I know so."

"Well I'm definitely looking better than I was. No more bruises, taped ribs and casts." She scratched at his back with her now cast free right hand.

"Nope."

"Nope what?"

"Nope, you are as gorgeous as the day I met you."

"Oh thanks."

"No I mean it. All bruised up, with that black eye, I still thought you were beautiful. And I still do."

"Yeah well, we'll see how long that last, when I'm all fat and huge." She sighed.

Roger moved his hand from her stomach and placed it under hers, kissing each of her fingers before setting both their hands back down onto her stomach. "Nope, you'll still be beautiful and I'll always love you."

"Thank you Baby. I love you too." She picked up her hand off his running it through his hair.

"How big do you think it is?" He asked after a moment.

"I don't know. Pretty small. Maybe almost microscopic still I guess."

"Yeah I guess." He realized he sounded almost disappointed and hoped Cass didn't hear that in his voice.

"We could find out. On the Internet. There has got to something on there somewhere. We'll look it up." She stretched her arms out over her head.

"Really? We can do that? That's on the Internet?" He surprised himself at how excited he actually sounded as he sat up.

Cass just looked at him. She was surprised at his interest in the baby. She was also amazed as usual of both Roger and Mark's almost total lack of a clue as to what you could do with a computer now. She laughed. "Yes Roger, that's probably on the Internet. I keep telling you two just about everything is on the Internet."

"Let's go look!" He almost jumped off the bed.

"Okay, okay, slow down you technologically disadvantaged, still living in the 80's, Atari playing…."

"Just get up!" He laughed at her.

"Okay. What time is it anyway"

He pulled on a shirt and looked at his watch. "Almost noon. Come on!"

"Noon! Did you take your pills? I never heard your watch go off." She stood up quickly from the bed. As she did it she realized it was too quickly as she fell back down onto the edge of the bed.

"Are you okay?" He dropped down to his knees next to her.

"Yes, I'm fine. I'm fine. I just got light headed. I stood up too fast. But did you take your pills? Are you two hours late?"

"Yes, yes, I took my pills. On time. I woke up before my watch went off, that's why you didn't hear it. Now are you sure you're okay? You want some crackers? Or soda?"

"No. Maybe. I'm okay."

Roger crawled over to the milk crate that served as a nightstand and grabbed the box of crackers. "Here eat these." He handed her some crackers. "And don't go jumping off furniture anymore."

"Yes dear." She told him in a sarcastically obedient tone, but smiling at him the whole time.

Roger was still sitting on the floor rubbing her leg. "Well somebody's got to make sure you're okay. You're sure not going to do it on your own. Somebody's got to take care of you."

Cass chewed on the cracker and just looked at him. She swallowed and smiled again. "Oh look who is talking. If only Mark could hear you now."

Roger grinned, knowing she was right. "Well he can't. And if you love me he never will!" He leaned up and kissed her on the forehead. "And like I said, the less you move around the less my chances of getting puked on."

**********

After a few more crackers and about twenty more minutes they came out of the bedroom. Joellen was sitting at the far computer typing. She looked up when they came out. "Good morning. Cass I hope you don't mind. Mark said I could finish typing this up here instead of the computer lab at school."

"Oh yeah, sure. That's one's not a work computer. Just do me a favor, don't put any disks in it that have been in the school lab computers. Email yourself and save it that way. I don't want to pick up anything. I hate cleaning up viruses."

"Where's Mark?" Roger asked, pouring himself and Cass orange juice into two coffee mugs.

"He left about an hour ago. There are bagels in the bag if you want. What time did you guys finally get home last night?"

"About four. Did we wake you guys up?" She gave Roger a look and grinned.

"Nope. I never heard you. And Mark pretty much crashed when he hit the bed. Oh Cass, Fed Ex delivered this a little while ago." She held up a package.

Roger set the juice and bagels down on the counter and walked over to Joellen for the package. Cass watched Joellen check out his ass as he turned and walked back towards her. That had amused her when she first got here. Neither of them were modest in the least. It didn't phase either Roger or Mark to go walking around in their boxers or even a towel. That had surprised her some. At least about Mark.

Cass picked up the cup of juice and made a face as Roger sat down at the counter, handing her the package. "Pretend it's coffee." He told her digging bagels out of the bag. "What is all that?"

"Well," she ripped open the large envelope. "Yes! Good. Oh Marguerite, I love you! I swear, you want something done in this stupid company, you have got to go to her. I'll bet Andre has no clue how screwed he would be if he ever lost her."

Cass smiled at him. "Here. Look." She slid the letter from the top of the pile of papers over to Roger.

He picked it up and looked at it. A grin came over his face. "Um, Babe?"

"You're not mad are you? I mean it just makes sense. And it'll be easier."

"Cass…"

"I'm sorry, but damn it, it's my department, and I can hire whoever I want, for whatever I want."

"Cass?"

"And it's not really a paycheck. It's just a consultant position."

"Uh, Cass?"

"I know I should have told you, or at least asked you, but I was afraid you would say no."

Roger was still holding the letter. "Cass the letter's in French. I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh sorry! Sometimes I don't realize what language I'm reading in."

"Start at the beginning." He could tell she was getting nervous to tell him. "What did you do?"

She chewed at her lip for a second then looked at him, taking a deep breath. "Okay, you know I'm in charge of research. Well, my department, I can hire who I want."

"Uh huh." Roger bit into the bagel, not sure where this was going.

"So I hired two research assistants. Freelance assistants for now. Who only work when I need them."

"Uh huh."

She chewed at her lip again. "So I set it up so that while it's freelance work paycheck wise, it still comes with benefits." She looked down at the counter and played with her cup of juice. He voice dropped down low. "Like dental. And health insurance."

"Cass!"

"Oh wow, look at the time, I got to be at work in like, four hours. Well, got to go, don't want to be late. See you at the Life after Cass cooks. Ugh! I mean, sorry. I'll just leave now." Joellen gave a very uncomfortable laugh, collected her papers, grabbed her bag and almost ran out the door.

Roger and Cass watched Joellen nervously pack up her stuff and take off. As the door closed they looked at each other and laughed. "I think we scared her off." Cass laughed.

"Yeah. That was a faster exit then I ever even saw Mark make." He looked at her and took her hand, interlocking their fingers. "Come here." He pulled her over between his knees.

"Are you mad?"

"Tell me again what you did."

Cass sighed. "I hired you and Mark so you would have health insurance. Real health insurance. The same as mine."


"Why?"

"Well, because you don't have any. And I saw what the meant the other day."

"Cass I don't want you--"

"No! I don't want you going back there! Roger you are one of a million people going to that clinic. You need to go to a real doctor's. A good one. Where you aren't sitting around for five hours. To see somebody completely different each time!"

She started crying at that point. "I know you don't want me doing stuff like that, but tough! Damn it! I have the money and I'm sorry, but that is what it is going to take to get you a decent doctor."

"Cass." He said softly, putting his arms around her. "Shhhh. Come on don't cry. Please."

She was crying harder now. "And what about Mark? He could get an appendicitis. Or an ulcer. Or need his head super glued or something. And, and, because we're going to have a baby." She sobbed into his shoulder, her arms around him, squeezing tighter than ever before. "And I want you around for that. For a long time."

"Okay, okay. Just don't cry. I'm not mad. I understand why you did it, I'm not mad. It's okay Baby." He kept rubbing her back. "I want to be around for that too."