Chapter 9 – A New Start

Matt stood on the bank looking puzzled when Cassie didn't resurface immediately. Tru heard the welcome sound of sirens as she searched the waters for Harrison and Cassie.

She called out for her brother and after what seemed like an eternity she finally spotted his blond hair as he struggled to manoeuvre the dark-haired Cassie towards the small jetty.

Tru helped Harrison get the gasping Cassie out of the water.

Once everyone was back on dry land, Tru turned to where Matt was stood. He heard the police coming down the path at the same moment she did. He turned to run but his exit was blocked by the ambulance that had come down the path from the opposite direction.

Tru felt the familiar rush of relief that once again a death had been diverted. She waved the paramedics over and after they had taken Cassie to the ambulance she waited until they had given her the all clear.

Harrison, already checked over, stood pacing nearby. He had shot frequent looks of livid fury at Matt whilst he waited in the police car. Tru was relieved when they had finally driven him away to the station and out of the way of Harrison's anger.

"Can I go home now?" Tru heard Cassie ask the paramedic. "I only live a minute or two away."

"I think so," the young woman replied. "You're lucky the young man there got to you in time."

"I know," Cassie said as she stood up and thanked the woman for her help.

"Cassie?" Tru asked as Cassie moved towards her. She noticed that she was still slightly shaky, or perhaps it was merely shivers from being in the cold water of the river.

"Tru," Cassie replied as she let her guide her away from the rest of the people who were congregating on the pathway.

"I know you didn't believe us," Tru began. "And I won't bring it up again, but could you try and forget this afternoon and give Harrison a second chance?"

"A second chance?" Cassie asked with a raise of one eyebrow. "Does he want one?"

"Of course he does," answered Tru.

"Really?" Cassie asked with a hint of scepticism. "I thought you said you knew we weren't really dating anyway?"

"I do know that," Tru said. "I also know that he likes you and you like him. So one of you should come right out and tell the other."

Tru turned to walk away. There was nothing else she could do now other than leave the two of them to work things out alone. She only hoped that her instincts today were more on target than they had been the previous day.

Harrison stood waiting until Tru had finished talking with Cassie. He wanted to know what she was saying to her but for some reason his feet felt as though they were frozen to the ground and he couldn't move. He watched Tru wave goodbye as she walked along the path. He knew she was headed in to work and he breathed a sigh of relief that there would be one less body in the morgue that night.

Cassie remained where she stood staring at him with a thoughtful expression on her face. He didn't know if he liked the look but it was a vast improvement on the one she had directed at him when throwing him out of her apartment.

"Harrison, I'm freezing here," she finally called out. "Are you just going to stand there all night?"

Suppressing a small grin he moved towards her and they headed back to her apartment. "So can I come finish that coffee now?" he teased.

"I think that one will have gone cold by now," she quipped back. "I think I can stretch my budget to another coffee, especially for the hero of the hour."

Harrison laughed in response. "So what are you doing tonight?" he asked.

"I'm washing my hair," she grinned.

"Oh," said Harrison, disappointment rising in his chest.

"It's kind of grimy from the river," Cassie continued.

"Tell me about it," Harrison joked in relief as he ran his hand over his own equally grimy head.

"So, do you realise you don't have an excuse to stop by now?" Cassie said, wondering if she was being too subtle.

"No," Harrison replied, his tongue tied. He had been out of the dating game for a while now and was well out of practice. Was she asking what he thought she was?

"So I guess I won't be seeing you much from now on?" Cassie tried again. She was beginning to doubt if Tru knew what she was talking about at all. Did she have to spell it out for him?

They reached her building and headed up the stairs to her second floor apartment.

"You don't mind if I clean up here?" Harrison asked.

"Of course not," Cassie replied as she grabbed towels from the linen cupboard and frowned at the trail of muddy water they had already left across the floor.

"Cassie?" Harrison called from where he was making the coffee.

"What is it?" she asked as she moved to grab the mugs they had all left on the table earlier that afternoon. Looking at the half drunk contents she didn't notice Harrison moving around the counter to take the crockery off her until he had grabbed them out of her hands and put them down on the counter.

"Wh-" she began before Harrison captured her lips in a kiss.

"We have some catching up to do," he said with a grin when he finally pulled away.

"And some cleaning up," Cassie laughed pulling a water weed from Harrison's hair with a grin.

"That can wait," Harrison said as he moved closer again.

Cassie ducked out of the way. She had to say it before she changed her mind. "Tru really did know what was going to happen didn't she?"

"Yeah, she knew," Harrison replied.

"Sorry I called you insane," Cassie said with a small shrug.

"That's okay," Harrison grinned. "I took some convincing before I believed her stories too. So you definitely believe us?"

"Yes," she replied. She had no idea how Tru had known but there was no other explanation for the day's events. "So no more secrets or lies right?"

"Deal," agreed Harrison. "So does this mean we're now officially dating?"

"You tell me," Cassie grinned as she put her arms round his neck.

"In that case, definitely," Harrison laughed. "How else am I going to get my free breakfasts?"

Author Note: That is it for my first Tru Calling fic. I was going to have Cassie scared by Tru's abilities and leave town but decided instead to finish it off in this way. I like Harrison too much to crush him completely by having another woman leave the city, and him, behind. Hopefully it is not overly sappy.