Thank You


"So you guys are really moving here?" Thea asked, sitting in her kitchen with Jude who had stopped by for morning coffee.

"Why are you saying it like that?" Jude questioned.

"Well it's just a little hard to believe, that's all." Thea said, "You were so adamant about leaving this place."

"It's been seven years." Jude nodded, "It's time for a change."

"Is it because you miss us or are you just… doing whatever your husband wants?" She asked as Jude looked across at her unhappily.

"Neither." Jude said coldly.

"Ouch." Thea said, "I'm hurt." She held her chest sarcastically.

"It's a lot of things. It feels like the right thing to do right now." Jude nodded, "Plus, it's been up and down in New York for a while now. I think this is good for me and Sean. And the girls." She said.

"Where are they anyway?" Thea asked.

"They have their first day at their new school today." Jude nodded, "Only a half-day. I'm picking them up at lunch. Just to see how they go." She said.

"Oh, wow. You guys have the ball rolling fast with this, huh?" Thea said.

"Well we're making it work." Jude nodded, "To everyone's disappointment I'm sure."

"Oh, don't." Thea rolled her eyes.

"Well it sucks." Jude nodded.

"Surely you can't be so blinded." Thea said, "Theo was in line for that job. Fact."

"Then why was the job open for anyone?" Jude questioned.

"Ok, so it was opened for anyone. But his own family?" Thea said, "Come on, Jude. I know you gotta defend him but Sean did Theo dirty here. We all know it." She nodded as Jude sipped her coffee, not saying anything, "You defending him is what's making Cassie even madder. This is your sister. Your family. Sean's family. The least he could have done is speak with Theo about it before going for the interview." Thea said.

"How was Sean supposed to know what Theo was doing? The guy has been out of work for months. Is everyone supposed to just wait on him figuring out when he's ready to go be chief?" Jude asked.

"He's been off work because of PTSD from a mass shooting, you little bitch." Thea said seriously as Jude looked at her, "I know you and Sean have had it rough with a lot of stuff recently. Your relationship, that lunatic Wilson, the girl at your work… Theo and Cassie have their shit they've been dealing with too." She nodded, "For once I am the perfect one." Thea smiled a little as Jude rolled her eyes.

"It's not a competition over who's dealing with the most shit." Jude said.

"I know it's not, I'm just saying, be a bit more mindful… Theo's had a rough time recently. Losing Jake hit him hard. He probably saw this job as something to work towards, a goal to get to. For himself and for Jake." Thea said, "But oh no… Sean goes and gets it."

"I just think everyone needs to stop making Sean out to be the bad guy." Jude said, "It sucks. He's questioning whether he should even go through with it now."

"Well maybe he should be questioning it." Thea nodded, "You guys need to figure something out, regardless. Because it's all ridiculous."

"I can see their point of view. I can." Jude understood.

"Can you?" Thea asked.

"I can." Jude nodded, "What do you expect me to do? Tell Sean to decline the job? He's worked hard in his career too you know." She said.

"I know. I don't doubt that." Thea said, "The four of you need to talk about it and come to some kind of… resolution." She nodded, "This is Cassie. She's the baby. We don't fight with her." She shook her head.

"I'm not fighting with her, Thea. I'm defending my husband. She's the one getting all hot. Theo is the one who punched Sean in front of everyone." Jude said, "I'm sick of everyone pointing the finger at us." She shook her head, standing up.

"Jude." Thea scoffed, watching her sister get up from the table and leave the house as she sighed to herself.


"Alright, sir. Pyjamas on, let's go." Theo announced, walking into Chase's bedroom as the six year old headed for his pyjamas which were laid out on his bed, quickly changing into them and scurrying into bed.

"I want mama to tuck me in." Chase said quietly, sinking down into the pillow as Theo looked down at him.

"I think she's gone to take the trash out, buddy." Theo said, not thinking too much into his son's request, "Plus, I wanna read one of your stories." He nodded, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

"Want her to do it." Chase said as Theo turned to him, "Please." He nodded.

Theo didn't know what to say. Chase normally wasn't fussy when it came to who was tucking him in at night. He never requested. This was a first. And it hurt to hear him ask for Cassie instead of him.

"Ok." Theo nodded, "You sure you don't want me to read one of your stories? You got some new ones at the weekend, right?"

"No, I want mama." Chase said immediately.

"Ok." Theo nodded, standing up, "I'll go get her. You hang tight." He said, walking out of the bedroom and heading downstairs, feeling a pang in his chest.

"Hey that was quick." Cassie said, standing in the kitchen.

"Uh… he wants you." Theo nodded as Cassie looked across at him.

"Oh." Cassie said, "He's not normally fussy." She said.

"Yeah, I don't know." Theo shook his head, scratching the back of his head, "You get him and I'll clear up here." He nodded.

"Ok." Cassie nodded, placing her hand on his arm as she brushed by him and headed upstairs.

He began clearing up the kitchen when he heard a knock at the door. He made his way to the door, opening it up where he saw Punk standing.

"Evening." Punk nodded to him.

"Hey." Theo said. They hadn't saw Punk and AJ since the incident with Sean in the back yard. Of course he felt embarrassed and ashamed for the scene he caused, the scene he and Sean both caused at their in-laws.

"Was out for my nightly stroll." Punk nodded, "Thought I'd stop by."

"Come in." Theo nodded, stepping to the side and letting Punk into the house, "Cassie is just up putting Chase to bed." He explained, making his way to the kitchen as Punk followed.

"Haven't heard from you guys in a couple days." Punk said.

"You told us to go cool off." Theo said.

"Have you?" Punk asked him.

"I don't know. Maybe." Theo shrugged, "It's kinda exhausting being so mad for so long. I don't know how people hold grudges."

"Over the right things… it's doable." Punk nodded, folding his arms and watching as Theo dumped the dishes from dinner in the sink, "You don't gotta be all weird and embarrassed about what happened at the house the other night. He said some things. You said some things-"

"I punched him. In front of the kids." Theo shook his head.

"You know… there was one time, just after I got out from prison. I was walking down the street with Jude and Cassie. I got into a fight with a cop." Punk said, "I'd do anything to protect my girls and make sure they didn't see me like that but something just came over me. I couldn't help it. Couldn't stop it." Punk said as Theo nodded, "I made a mistake. You made a mistake." He said, "Don't beat yourself up about it."

"Trying not to." Theo nodded.

"You gave a thought about how you get around this?" Punk asked him, "It's an ugly situation. I think it was a shitty thing for him to do and I'll tell him that to his face." He said, "But… I mean… he's got the job now. Where do you go from here?" He asked Theo.

"I don't even know if I want anything to do with the job anymore." Theo nodded, "Like you said, he's got it now. I can either sulk about it and feel sorry for myself or I can just… go be a cop. Do what I know I can do. Make a difference elsewhere." He said.

"That'd be a tough thing." Punk said, "Having to sit back and watch someone else do a job you were preparing yourself to do. Someone from your own family." He said as Theo nodded.

"Yeah I know." Theo said, "But I'm not a petty person. I'll just… get on with it." He nodded.

"You know that's a lot of people's downfall." Punk said, "The mentality you have. I got it too." He nodded.

"I guess it was just how I was brought up." Theo nodded, "Don't cry about it. Just get on with it. Someone tells you to go back to where you come from… don't cry about it. Just get on with it." He shrugged as Punk folded his arms and sighed.

"I'm sorry." Punk nodded, "I'm sorry this hasn't gone how you expected it to go."

"I don't need people feeling sorry for me." Theo made clear, "I didn't become a cop to be chief. I've just been so wrapped up on being chief since Jake died… I'm not sure I even really wanted it. Maybe I just felt like I owed it to him." He said, "I hate office stuff. I hate meetings and conferences. I don't wanna travel and be without Cassie for days on end." He shook his head, "I know what I'm good at so… I think I'm just gonna do that." He nodded as Pun smiled. He could tell Theo was being sincere, that he wasn't just saying those things to hide the fact he was still upset.

"Well… I know me and April only care about what makes you happy. I'm sure that's Cassie's only concern. Once she puts her back down and her claws back in." He said as Theo chuckled a little, noticing Cassie emerging into the kitchen.

"Who let you into my house?" Cassie looked at her father, having heard what he had just said.

"Your husband." Punk nodded to her, "I was just on one of my strolls. Doing my rounds." He said.

"Well I hoped you stopped by at the hotel Jude is at and told her she's a bitch." Cassie nodded, walking over to make coffee as Theo looked over at Punk.

"Well… I didn't." Punk stated the obvious, "You gonna stay mad with them forever, Cass?" Punk asked her.

"I'll stay mad for as long as I want to, dad." Cassie nodded, "You want coffee?"

"I'm good." Punk shook his head, "Jude is just… defending Sean the same way you're defending Theo. You need to resolve this. Squash it before it becomes a bigger thing. Life is too short to be carrying on like this." He shook his head, "There's a lot of dumb stuff that me and Dean have done and said to each other that we for sure could have held against each other. But you don't. You fix it. You discuss it and you move on."

"I won't be discussing anything with either of them." Cassie made clear, cleaning the coffee filter out as Punk watched her. She reminded him so much of her mother. Stubborn. Headstrong. No tolerance for anyone telling her how to feel.

"I can't make you do anything." Punk nodded as Cassie turned around, looking over at him, "I just… I get weird feelings when you girls fight. It's like the world feels off balance." He nodded as Cassie rolled her eyes, "I'm serious."

"What Sean did was wrong. What hurt me more is that Jude can't even see it." Cassie said, "She's so blinded by him. If this was Dominic, Thea would call his ass out and then… maybe drop him on his ass." Cassie shrugged, "Not that I'm looking for that from Jude but just… something." She shook her head sadly, "You don't do this to your family."

"I know." Punk nodded, "I'm just asking that you try and figure it out together. She's moving back here. That's a good thing. Have a conversation with them. Talk it out. Get their point of view and them give them yours-"

"Why should we?" Cassie shook her head.

"We should." Theo nodded, "Seriously? Are we gonna be mad about it forever?" He asked her, "We got more important things to think about and focus on. It's so minor when you think about the bigger picture." He looked down at her as she stared at him, knowing what he was referring to.

"Well it just might take a bit of time." Cassie mumbled.

"I expect it to." Punk nodded, "Life really is too short." He said as Cassie just nodded, "Ok well I should go, I left your mom making guava empanadas." He looked at the time on his phone, "They should be about ready." He nodded as Cassie smiled.

"You time your walks so that you get home just in time for her cooking to be finished?" Cassie smiled.

"Otherwise she just yells at me for being in her way." Punk nodded as Cassie smiled, "I'll go, and get out your hair." He nodded, heading out of the kitchen.

"Dad." Cassie said as he turned back.

"Yeah?" Punk said.

"Thank you. For writing our recommendation letter for the adoption agency." She nodded as he looked at her with confusion, smiling a little. They'd already thanked him months ago when he'd gave them it.

"You heard anything?" He asked them curiously, confused by the strange thank you from her.

"Uh… no." Cassie shook her head, "Just… thank you." She smiled as he nodded.

"How do you know I didn't write so much smack about you both?" He asked smugly.

"Cause I just know." Cassie shrugged, running over to him and hugging him tightly as he raised his eyebrows, looking over to Theo who just smiled.

"I hope you get that call soon." Punk nodded, kissing her head as she smiled.

"Ok, go." Cassie nodded, stepping back, "Go get your empanadas." She encouraged as he chuckled and left the house.