A filler of sorts...comments and feedback most welcome!

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Chapter 11

She waits to be buzzed into the building, making her way through the halls to the main office.

"Good afternoon, Cassie," the receptionist greats warmly. "Would you like me to page Grace for you?"

She smiles kindly at the elderly woman behind the desk. "Actually, I'm here to see Nick Radford? He forgot his phone this morning and his father asked me to drop it off for him."

"Of course!...I'm surprised he's made it this long without it," she chuckles, moving towards her computer. "They're practically glued to them, aren't they?"

Cassie nods, waiting as she searches for what class Nick is in, calling the class. "He'll be down in a few minutes."
"Thank you."

A group of teachers and students enter the office, and she opts to wait in the hallway giving them some more space. The halls are particularly quiet, and she hears his sneakers before she actually see's him turn the corner. His surprise is clear on his face and his steps falter a second.

"Hey Cassie...I think they might have called me down for some reason instead of Grace?"

She shakes her head. "I'm here to see you. Grace forgot her calculus book and I was hoping that would would give it to her?"

Nick nods, accepting the textbook from her. "Sure..."

"Oh, and I have this." She pulls out his phone from her other pocket, holding it out to him.

"You talked to my Dad," he deduces, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"I did. I was having a rough morning and needed a listening ear. I think he needed the same thing."

"It wasn't great for me either." She nods. "He knows."

Nick sighs, taking the phone from her just as the bell sounds for the change in classes. "I'll make sure Grace gets her book...I gotta go."

Kids begin to fill the hallway and he's already turning to head to his next class when she stops him. "Nick."

He stops, moving out of the way of his classmates trying to get around him. "Yeah?"

"...remember, 'you're not learning anything when you're talking.'...make sure you pay attention in History class."

The recognition crosses his face the same time his smile splits from ear to ear. "You remember?"

She nods and it doesn't matter that the hallway is full of his peers; he's barrelling into her and she stumbles a bit, catching him in her arms. His head immediately goes to her shoulder and despite his age and the way he almost towers over her, he's very much a little boy in her arms right now. She cradles the back of his head, giving him a tight squeeze. "I don't know how I could have ever forgotten."

"I miss you, Cassie...you and Grace and all of us being under one roof," he confesses. "Things are just...so messed up right now."

She gives him a little squeeze before pulling him back. "Messed up, maybe, but not beyond hope."

"Yeah?"

She frames her hands around his face making sure to hold his gaze. "Yeah," she echos. "I just so happen to be making your favourite tonight-"

"-that Mexican dish?!"

She smiles, nodding. "I'll set a place for you." Nick grins. "Thanks Cassie."

...

Abigail's timing, as always, is fortuitous, heading to her car just as Linda makes her way to her own parked in Sam's drive. She makes a point of waving neighbourly to her, and Linda waves back half heartedly. Deciding she has the time, Abigail crosses her drive into Sam's.

"Morning neighbour," she greets airily.

Adjusting her bag on her shoulder, Linda smiles tightly. "This has to be a small town thing, right? Greeting each other like this?"

Abigail shrugs. "Perhaps it is. I suppose it would also be a 'small town thing' to let you know that your tires need air."

Linda quickly glances over her tires. "They look fine to me."

"I'd have them checked just to be sure; wouldn't want to get a flat in the middle of your day."

Linda regards her suspiciously. "I think I'll take my chances."

"May they be in your favour then." Abigail holds her gaze for a second too long before turning on her heals, heading back to her own car.

...

Parking out front of the Bistro, Cassie slides out of her car, heading inside. At midday, the restaurant is fairly quiet with only a few customers filling the tables and booths. As she approaches the counter, Stephanie emerges from the back, apron around her waste and flour all over her hands.

"Did I catch you at a bad time?" She asks, laughing lightly.

Stephanie shakes her head, wiping her hands on her apron. "Not at all. I'm testing out some new recipes while it's relatively quiet. How are you doing?"

Slipping onto a stool, she leans on the counter. "I've got my memories back."

Stephanie smiles excitedly, leaning against the counter in front of her. "That's great!"

When she doesn't meet her enthusiasm, her smile fades. "It's a lot to process."

"I have some time before the next batch goes in; I can pour us some tea?"

She immediately wants to turn down her offer, citing how busy Stephanie is, but she remembers her conversation with Adam earlier that morning.

She needs to let people hear her. "That would be really great."

Stephanie gives her hand a squeeze before moving to make them each a cup of tea.

...

"Hello Sam."

He's only just stepped into Abigail's shop and her quick greeting, with her back to him no less, has him thinking of his conversation with Cassie earlier at the Bell Book. She had said she hadn't felt like herself and Abigail's intuitive greeting illuminates the fact that Cassie hasn't seemed to sense his presence in weeks.

"You ok?" She questions.

He shakes himself from his thoughts, approaching the counter. "I'm just looking for a box of chocolates."

She raises her eyebrows curiously, grabbing an empty box to fill. "You usually get Cassie flowers, so I'm going to assume these are for someone else."

"They're for Eve...I've been a bit, difficult the past few weeks," he confesses.

"A peace offering then," she offers, selecting several chocolates. "You know I'm not one for

gossip-"

"-oh really?" He counters sarcastically.

She smiles, moving to tie a ribbon around the box. "-however, I think you should know that all of Middleton is worried about you."

He frowns. "Worried how? I'm fine."

She gives him a look. "You're not fooling anyone, Sam. They've noticed that you've referred all of your patients, that there hasn't been any appointments in weeks...the only thing stopping them from thinking you're leaving is your relationship with Cassie." She slides the box towards him, leaning against the counter. "Look, I get it; things have been stressful. They deserve to know the truth."

He's not sure if she's alluding to his health, his practice, or both. Pulling out his wallet, he swipes his card paying for the chocolates. "Thank you."

"Anytime."

...

"You need a hug."

She welcomes Stephanie's hug, holding on tightly. The weight she had walked in with early feels a little less heavy and she exhales.

"Can I offer some advice?"

Pulling back, she nods. "I'm all ears."

"Don't hold all of this in, Cassie. There are so many people willing to help you carry this, honey. Myself included."

"...after Jake died, I got so used to just, carrying it on my own," she admits.

Stephanie reaches for her hands. "There were so many times I wanted to reach out...you always seemed to have it together. I'm sorry that I didn't."

"It's alright," she reassures. "I wasn't ready then for help; I am now." "Anytime, day or night."

The Bistro has picked up, the early afternoon rush trickling in and she feels guilty for keeping Stephanie from her business. "Noted...I should let you get back to work.."

Stephanie waves her off, settling back into the couch. "What's the point of being the owner if you can't adjust your own schedule. Now, tell me more about you and Sam. How are things with his ex-wife?"

She sighs, sinking back into the couch too. "...something shifted between us when I didn't have my memories." She's not sure who he's told about his health, but knowing him as well as she does, she refrains from telling Stephanie.

"Have things changed between the two of you?"

Her body sizzles with the memory of his lips, his hands on her and in her heart she knows that their love hasn't changed. "No," she answers firmly. "We're just...out of sync."

Stephanie nods, reaching for her mug on the coffee table. "Maybe you need some time to get back in-sync," she wiggles her eyebrows above her mug suggestively. "If you get my drift."

She laughs lightly. "We're not out of sync that way."

"...his ex-wife being in town probably isn't helping."

As much as she wants to divulge to Stephanie just how much Linda has come between them, she doesn't. "She loves her son and wants what's best for him."

Stephanie gives her a look over her mug. "You don't have to find the good in everyone, Cassie."

"With Linda, I do," she disagrees. "She's the mother of his child and despite how her marriage with Sam ended, they loved each other at some point. They will always be tied together."

Stephanie exhales. "I don't know if I could do it."

Reaching for her own mug, she holds it between her hands. "I don't know how I'm going to do it either."

...

"A peace offering."

Eve eyes the chocolates from behind the counter. "Are they from Abigail's?"

Sam nods. " You were right to call me out earlier; I've been avoiding."

"I'm worried about you, Dr. Radford...we all are."

The guilt settles in his chest. "That was never my intention and I'm sorry...a lot of things have changed the last few weeks...specifically with my health."

Worry settles in Eve's eyes. "Are you ok?"

Just then, the bell over the door chimes, and they both look to the door to find Bruce letting himself in.

"You're not going to ignore me this time, Sam," he comments.

Sam exhales. "Why don't you wait in my office; I'll be right with you."

Bruce nods, heading back to his office.

"To answer your questions truthfully: no. I'm getting treatment and hoping that I'll get back to my old self." Eve's eyes well with tears and he quickly continues. "I'm not terminal or anything," he reassures. "We can talk more about it after I meet with Bruce."

She nods. "Ok." She quickly opens the box of chocolates, offering him one. "You're going to need one or two."

He helps himself to a chocolate, heading back to his office.

...

Neither of them notice Derek entering the Bistro until he's standing in front of them. "Sorry to interrupt; Tara told me I could find you here, Cassie."

"Is everything alright?" She questions immediately.

"Everything is fine. Everyone is fine," he reassures. "Do you have a minute?"

"I'll let you two talk," Stephanie announces, gathering their empty mugs. "Call me?"

"I will, Thank you." She gives her friends hand a squeeze. As Stephanie leaves, Derek takes her spot on the couch beside her. "What is it?"

"The department has been tying up loose ends in Weld's case for the DA's office. He goes to trial in a few weeks."

Her mouth immediately goes dry and she wishes she had a glass of water.

"All the evidence has been logged, so I thought you'd want this back." He pulls a bag from his pocket, holding it out to her.

Inside is the key she had found all those years ago renovating Grey House. The key Weld was apparently after. She takes the bag from him. "Is it really for that security deposit box?"

Derek shakes his head. "I had my guys check it out; there is no box at the bank, Merriwick or otherwise, that fits that key."

She runs her fingers over the key through the plastic. "All for nothing," she says softly.

"How are you doing?" He questions gently.

She smiles through the emotions that are swirling inside of her. "One day at time."

Derek nods.

...

"The rumours are rampant, Sam: I've heard everything from you're sick to you're leaving town. What's the truth?"

"I'm not leaving town."

Bruce relaxes a fraction. "Well that's a relief. So why aren't you practicing?"

"Because I can't." He holds out his hands, both of them watching as they tremble. "...I've been diagnosed with acute PTSD...it would be legally and morally reprehensible for me to practice right now."

Bruce rubs his jaw, shaking his head. "Of course...Are you getting help? What do you need?" Sam nods. "I am...I need time, Bruce."

"Take all the time you need. I want you to know that when you're ready, Hillcrest would like to talk about you returning as chief of staff."

He's taken aback. "Really?"

Bruce nods, getting to his feet. "Let's just say they've seen the errors in their decision to terminate your contract. Call me when you're ready."

He rises from his chair, shaking Bruce's outstretched hand. "I will."

"Take care of yourself, Sam."

Tbc

(comments and feedback welcome!)