Chapter Four

Cassie walked down the stairs and looked around. Greg squeezed her hand and pointed at the door. There was Nick waiting and watching them closely.

They came down the rest of the stairs stopping in front of Nick. Cassie turned and kissed Greg on the cheek. "I'll call you okay?" He nodded not saying anything.

She smiled weakly at him as Nick grabbed her upper arm and dragged her out of the apartment building into the hot sunny day. The walked across the street and went into a small café.

"You get us a table," Nick said curtly not looking at her. He walked over to get them both latte's.

Cassie sat down in a corner table. She considered making a break for the door but before she really could Nick sat down across from her. He looked at her with a hard emotionless expression.

"So," Cassie said breaking the uncomfortable silence, "How is life treating you?" She smiled weakly at her big brother.

"What are you doing?" He demanded ignoring her question.

"What do you mean?"

"With Greg!" He yelled. Cassie glanced around and saw a few people look up at them. She looked at her brother.

"You see, when a girl and a boy meet each other and they like each other they go one dates, with the ultimate goal being marriage. Right now I am only worried about him ever talking to me again thanks to you!"

"What if he breaks your heart? I have to work with him!"

"So? It is my heart not yours!"

"Yeah, but you are my little sister!"

"I am also my own person, I need to live my life Nick, and I really like Greg."

Nick put his head in his hands. He looked at her with a hand over his mouth then rubbed his face with it. "Look, I just…don't know what is going on with you. We never talk anymore."

Cassie sighed at her brother's sad words. She put her hand over his lovingly. "Nick we never talked."

He looked at her, "Sure we did."

"No we didn't. You were already long graduated when I started high school, you went to university before you could do the whole 'touch my sister and I'll kill you thing,'" Nick looked crushed at her words. "But that is okay because George got to do it which he couldn't with Christen or Angelica, so he got to do it with Nicola and I. Anyway, I like having you as a friend-big-brother instead of another-father-big-brother."

She smiled at him weakly. He looked at the table, "Say hypothetically I let you go out with him, hypothetically now, do I have to be okay with it?"

Cassie smiled at her big brothers words, "No, just as long as you don't beat him up."

"I am not making any promises." Nick said smiling.

The door of the café opened and both of the Stokes turned to see who was coming in. Greg stood in the doorway. He saw Nick and looked ready to bolt. Cassie smiled and waved him over.

Carefully, always making sure he could make a quick escape Greg made his way over to the table. He sat down beside Cassie and looked at Nick, "So…"

"We're fine," said Cassie answering his unasked question. Greg exhaled and smiled.

"I will just say if you hurt her, I'll hurt you," Greg nodded at Nick's words. "So, you guys all ready for the weekend?"

Cassie looked at her brother confused, so did Greg. "Why? What for?" Cassie asked not sure she wanted her brother to answer. Greg looked at Cassie then back at Nick.

"The camping trip," Cassie raised her eyebrow at her brother.

"Nick what are you talking about?"

"Oh, come on Cassie, you know the family's annual camping trip," Cassie's mouth fell open as Greg's eyes opened wider at the words.

"Nick, that isn't until next month," Cassie ground out through clenched teeth.

"Didn't you get the e-mail? Yeah next weekend, looks like you'll be meeting the parents Greg," Nick stood up and slapped a heavy hand on Greg's shoulder. "I'll call mom and tell her to get another sleeping bag. It'll be great." Nick gave an over enthusiastic smile and walked out the café.

Cassie looked at the stunned Greg and smiled weakly, "You like camping?"