Promises
"Here, please eat this." Thea nodded, walking into the hospital room where Cassie was sitting, extending over the packed sandwich and small bag of chips she'd picked up from the cafeteria, "If you insist on being here around the clock then you gotta eat something, to give yourself some energy." She said.
"A cheese sandwich won't give me energy." Cassie rolled her eyes, taking the sandwich nevertheless.
"Well I got this too." Thea took the red bull out of her pocket.
"Yeah, that's a bit more like it." Cassie nodded eagerly, about to reach for the can when Thea snatched it back.
"Not until the sandwich is gone." Thea shook her head, putting the energy drink back in her pocket.
"You're worse than mom sometimes." Cassie shook her head, "I barely even like cheese." She scoffed, opening up the sandwich as Thea sat down beside her.
"You like cheese." Thea shook her head, "Everybody likes cheese."
"Yeah on like burgers and pizza." Cassie agreed, "Not on a stale sandwich from a hospital."
"I lived on those sandwiches when I did my first year training." Thea nodded.
"You poor thing." Cassie shook her head, forcing herself to take a bite of the sandwich, "He makes good sandwiches." She nodded, looking on at Theo, "Chase always requests that he makes his lunch for school."
"Yeah mine do the same with Dominic." Thea shook her head, "Apparently I make messy sandwiches."
"Mom's lunches were always so good. For school." Cassie said.
"Dads were better." Thea shook her head, "He used to leave knock knock jokes on a little note in amongst everything too." She nodded, "Got kinda embarrassing after I turned like eleven, though." Thea nodded.
They were also tired and upset that they were relying on mindless conversation to get them through the difficult hours.
"Mom used to cut our sandwiches into shapes. Remember?" Cassie nodded, "And at Christmas time she'd have snowmen cutters."
"I stopped taking home made lunches when I was like fourteen." Thea said.
"Why?" Cassie shook her head.
"Because I'd ask mom for money instead and then spend it on drink or cigarettes." Thea nodded as Cassie turned to her, "And I also stole Jude's money from her. I would have stolen yours but you were a loyal homemade lunch girl. And you were like five." She shook her head.
"I wouldn't have let you." Cassie shook her head as Thea nodded, believing it.
"Lifetime ago now." Thea said as Cassie nodded, taking another reluctant bite of the dry sandwich.
"So why is Sean here?" Cassie asked. She wasn't completely unaware of her surroundings. She had bigger things to worry about and focus on, but she was still aware Sean was here.
"I guess just to be here to help if he can." Thea nodded, "He's not evil."
"I know that." Cassie nodded, "I want you to convince mom and dad to leave." She said, sitting the sandwich on her lap, looking over at Theo.
"I can try my hardest but… you know how they are. They'll wanna be here for you." Thea said.
"He wouldn't want everyone here." Cassie said, confident that she knew what her husband would want in this situation. And what she knew he wouldn't want was anyone spectating his death.
"He'd want you to have your family around you." Thea said, "No one is gonna leave you here on your own."
"If I have to watch him die… I'll do it on my own." Cassie turned to her seriously, "I don't need anyone to see me… say goodbye to him." She shook her head as Thea sighed.
"If you need time on your own with him then we'll be outside. No one is gonna leave you here." Thea shook her head. It just wasn't going to happen.
Cassie just nodded, accepting her family wouldn't budge, picking the sandwich back up reluctantly when she heard the door open, turning around and watching Jake make his way in slowly, taking his hat off and pausing.
Thea turned to Cassie who gave her a reassuring nod, "I'll be outside." Thea rubbed her shoulder, getting up from the chair and leaving the room as Jake stood at the doorway.
"Where's my deputy when I need him." Jake sighed sadly, looking on at Theo and shaking his head with grief, "I don't pray a lot, Cassie. But I've been praying." Jake admitted, still standing at the door.
"You can come in." Cassie told him, figuring he was waiting for her approval.
He nodded and headed over to the chair beside her which Thea had vacated, taking a seat and sitting his hat down on the floor beside him.
"I won't ask." Jake nodded.
"Our station…" Cassie sighed.
"You don't worry about that." Jake shook his head, "It will be fixed up in no time."
"The seven cops who died-"
"Families have been notified." Jake nodded.
"You must be so stressed." Cassie imagined, "You didn't have to come here-"
"That's enough." Jake said, "Of course I had to come here." He shook his head, "After all, everybody knows he's my favourite." He teased as Cassie smiled a little.
"Why is he? Your favourite?" Cassie wondered, "Aside from him being just… an amazing cop." She turned to Theo. She knew their boss had always had a soft spot for Theo, she just never knew the reason why.
"Because he never lets me down." Jake nodded, "And I don't mean he's perfect at everything and he's never made a mistake in his career." He clarified, "I just… I know I can always count on him. For anything." He said, "I watched him come into the station as a rookie with the biggest chip on his shoulder. A lot of the cops that come in and start with me, they normally get transferred or they flake." He said, "But I've watched him grow right in front of my eyes." He smiled.
"Everyone thinks he's after your job." Cassie nodded.
"Oh, he can have it." Jake sighed stressfully as Cassie smiled, "I've almost forgot what it's like to make decisions without him. Dealing with all of this… I keep turning to my right to discuss something with him and he's not there." He shook his head.
"Me too." Cassie whispered as Jake turned to her.
"Cassie, if there's anything you need-"
"I'll be alright." Cassie nodded bravely.
"You're so important to him." Jake nodded, "When he was undercover down in Puerto Rico, when everyone thought he was dead… the only thing he ever asked me about was you. How you were and what you were doing." He said, "Nothing else."
"Absence made the heart grow fonder I guess." Cassie said, "Would have appreciated if y'all just told me the plan. Not many people get to say they've watched their husband die twice." Cassie nodded as Jake sighed.
"Anything you need. I'm here." Jake told her, placing his hand on her shoulder as she nodded. She figured sympathy was something she'd have to get used to.
Another day fell into night where Cassie had spent in Theo's room, sleeping in the chair and just simply watching him. Different people came into the room to join her. Her dad with his bad jokes. Her mother with her comfort and hugs. Her sisters with their talent to distract her.
"I wanna see Chase." Cassie nodded, turning to Jude who was sitting beside her, "Not in here." Cassie clarified, "Just… maybe outside. For an hour or two. Before he goes to bed." Cassie looked at the time.
"I'll go tell Thea, maybe Dominic can bring him along." Jude nodded to her, "You're sure?"
"Yeah, I just want to see him and make sure he's ok." Cassie nodded.
"Ok, I'll go tell Thea." Jude nodded, leaving the room as Cassie sat on her own, looking on at Theo, reaching over and taking his hand in hers.
"I'm just gonna be outside with Chase." Cassie told him. The more time went by the harder it was to look at him, to see no movement in him, no sign of promise that they had the rest of their lives together. She felt like she was truly spending her final moments with her husband, "I'm trying to think about what… what you'd want me to say." She said, "If roles were reversed I'm trying to think what you would say to him." She nodded, "Cause I know the first thing he's gonna ask is where you are." She swallowed the lump in her throat, "Cause you're… you're his best friend." She nodded with a smile.
"I feel like I never told you enough just how much I love you." She shook her head, tears in her eyes as she looked at him, "And I'm sorry that we argued before all of this happened. I'm sorry that was the last things going through your head." She sighed, drying her tears and trying to compose herself, "I uh… I know you're probably getting tired now and… and that's ok." Her voice cracked, "It's ok if you have to go. I promise you that I'll keep our baby safe." She kissed his hand.
She then leaned over and pressed a kiss on his lips, closing her eyes as she tried to imagine him kissing her back, but he never did.
She then left the room, closing the door behind her and drying her face as she headed for outside. She didn't wait long for Chase to arrive, courtesy of Dominic bringing him along. She'd gotten herself together, drying her eyes and keeping herself strong for her son. It took so much strength not to burst into tears again when she saw him running towards her.
"Mommy!" Chase smiled, rushing to her.
"There you are." Cassie smiled, crouching down and lifting him up into her arms, hugging him tightly. She realised it was just the thing she needed. His little arms around her neck, "Hey, have you been good for uncle Dom?" She asked him.
"Yeah." Chase nodded.
"He has." Dominic agreed, standing over, "He was telling Sam about all the things he did at school." He nodded.
"Yeah?" Cassie smiled, "Well you gotta tell me too." She insisted, sitting down on the bench with him on her knee, looking over at Dominic and mouthing 'thank you' to him as he smiled and left them.
"Mommy, where is daddy?" Chase asked, playing with Cassie's necklace.
"Daddy's just having a little rest right now." Cassie nodded bravely, "So what were you doing at school? You gotta tell me." She said, brushing her hand through his hair.
"I did a painting and… it was numbers." Chase told her as Cassie nodded, hanging onto his words like they were the most fascinating she'd ever heard, "And spelling." He added.
"Lots of stuff for us to practise at home, huh?" Cassie nodded.
"Yeah I was practising with Uncle Dom." Chase explained as Cassie nodded, "We had burgers."
"Did he take you and Sam out for some yummy dinner?" Cassie smiled.
"Yeah." Chase nodded, leaning into Cassie as she sat back on the bench, "And I played soccer with James… in the… in the back yard." He sat up excitedly.
"You did?" Cassie smiled, "You know mommy's favourite sport is soccer." She told him, "I used to play all the time when I was little, like you." She told him.
"Like James?" Chase asked, leaning back into Cassie tiredly.
"Yeah, just like him." Cassie nodded, "So you were having lots of fun?" She smiled, watching the different cars enter and exit the hospital car park as she sat with Chase in her arms.
"Yeah." Chase said tiredly, rubbing his eyes, "Will daddy read to me before bed?" He asked as Cassie swallowed the lump in her throat, feeling Chase lean his head just under her chin.
"Not tonight, baby." Cassie said quietly, "You're uh… you're gonna stay with Aunt Thea and Uncle Dom again tonight." She told him, "Mommy just wanted to make sure you were behaving." She tickled his sides playfully as Chase laughed.
"I am." Chase giggled as Cassie stopped tickling him, kissing his head, "Papa." He sat up suddenly with a smile as he spotted Punk coming out of the hospital entrance from afar.
Cassie looked over, noticing the distant look on her father's face, her stomach dropping.
