That night, in a quiet suburban house in Las Vegas, Caitlin made her mother comfortable and bought her a fresh cup of tea. Moving back from the bed and closing the blinds she paused looking at the photos on her mom's dresser. As she saw an old photo of her and Jared, kind of obscured behind a few more recent pictures of Danielle, she smiled. But then her thoughts arrived back to that weird encounter with him at the store a few nights ago.

She stood still remembering it all,

She remembered the weary feeling she had felt herself; it had been the end of a busy week. She was shopping for a few things for her mom and dad now that her mom had been released and was back home. As she walked reading her list, she looked up to see him standing further down the aisle, looking just as tired and dishevelled as she felt.

She had smiled and greeted him with a "Hi" giving him a gentle wave as their eyes met and they each recognised the other.

"Ah, hey." He had nodded back, seeming nervous.

"Grabbing the essentials?" She had teased him, trying to lighten the awkwardness, motioning to the beer and frozen meal in his hand.

"Um, uh huh, I guess." He had been completely caught off guard and had seemed slightly embarrassed.

"You okay?" She had asked him, sensing something was off.

"Yeah yeah, all good." He had deflected. Turning to ask about her mom. After Caitlin had reassured him, she was doing okay and was at home she remembered asking again.

"You sure you are okay? You seem.." she had narrowed her eyes searching for the right word.

"Yeah, don't worry, I will be." He told her. "It's Chris and I, it's not your problem."

She smiled remembering how she had tried to offer and olive branch, telling him, she hoped they were friends and could talk. And that if her suddenly reappearing with Danielle had caused a rift with Chris, she wanted to help fix it. That was when he had told her.

"No Caitlin, please. It's not your fault. We are taking a break. Trying to work stuff out."

She remembered feeling every part of awkward and upset, but still managed to tell him she was here to talk if he needed or wanted anything.

She was worried about him and could see he wasn't coping.

"You okay there Caity?" Her mother asked seeing her worried vacant stare. Caitlin shook her head and refocused with a soft smile at her mother.

"Yeah, just thinking." She nodded, as she turned and straightened the covers.

"About?" Her mother asked.

"Just worried about a friend." She added as she stood up and went to head out of her mother's room.

"Jared?" Her mother asked raising her eyebrows. Caitlin stopped dead in her tracks and turned back to her mother with a querying look. "Well, you know, since you said you saw him and have been in touch, I've wondered if..." She continued,

"No! Mom." Caitlin interrupted. "It's not like that. Please don't. We are not rekindling our feelings or anything. He is, was, happy and dating a great girl, but I think me appearing at that trial, and then her seeing me with Danielle, and probably assuming she was Jared's. Well, I think I caused them to fight and break up and I feel really shit."

"Have you spoken to Jared about it? Or are you just assuming this?" Her mother asked.

"Mom, I saw him at the store the other night. He is broken, a shell of the happy guy I saw in LA back when that trial began."

"So, no feelings for him from you?" She asked.

"Mom," She sighed. "I mean. I still care about him and wish we could be good friends, but I just want him to be happy and okay."

"Then talk to him honey, check in on him. Be that good friend." She encouraged Caitlin as she smirked to herself wondering if Caitlin did actually still hold feelings.

Caitlin sighed and closed the door. She went and gave Danielle a good night kiss, before she took her wine outside to the porch. As she sat on the love seat, she lifted up her phone and dialled Molly. She needed to run this passed a friend.

"Hi." Molly answered.

"Hey, can you talk or?" Caitlin let out.

"Yeah, what's up? You okay? Is your mom okay?" Molly asked as the concern grew in her voice.

"Yeah, yeah, all good here." She calmed her friend. "I, I'm just worried about Jared."

"Oh Caitlin." Molly sighed. "Why, what's happened now?"

"No, nothing, I just. You didn't see him the other night. He was really down. And I feel like shit for being the reason he and Chris…." She trailed off not able to say it. "How is she? Have you heard?"

"I um, I asked Street. But he didn't seem to even know about the "break". Honestly, I am not surprised. Chris isn't the best at talking about her feelings. And, well, talking to Street, about this issue? Well, yeah, like I said I am not surprised."

"Right," Caitlin laughed a little. "What do I do now then?"

"Well, if I were you, I'd call him." Molly started. "Check in on him. Just let him know you are there as a friend."

"Mmmm, yeah, I kinda have. I told him that the other night and…."

"And," Molly interrupted, "if he is in such a state, he probably didn't register half of what you said."

"Okay, but it just feels like," Caitlin continued, tilting her head to the side,

"What?" Molly asked. "Feels like what?"
"That me reaching out to him, is, that, well, maybe I am interfering again. He needs to fix things with her if he is this broken about not having her. Me inserting myself again might only make it worse."

"Caitlin." Molly answered. "Call him. He might need that push, that wakeup call to make him realise what he wants." Molly explained before they said goodnight and Caitlin remained there, in the dark, thinking.

After a while of silent swinging and staring out at the stars, she decided to text him. Her confidence to actually do it, was the battle, but her conscious won as she couldn't live with the guilt any longer.

'Hi, I know we aren't that close, and you might find me reaching out weird, but are you okay? I'm worried about you.'

Back across town, Jared was on patrol as his phone buzzed,

'Hi, yeah. Sorry you had to see that the other day. Kinda Pathetic.' He typed back.

'Like I said, offers there, if you need someone to talk to. Although the way I feel about trashing your relationship. I am probably not the person you need or want to talk to.'

'You did not trash my relationship, Caitlin. I did that all on my own. How long are you in town?'

'Til, Sunday'

'Can we grab a drink tomorrow after shift?' He figured at least talking this through with her might help. Even if being honest and telling her the truth could hurt.