Decision


"So you're a cop too?" Manny asked Cassie, sitting in a round booth at Don's, Saturday night like scheduled.

"I am." Cassie nodded, "I was a missing persons detective for a few years and now we're both on homicide."

"So that's how you met?" Manny asked her.

"More or less." Cassie smiled, "It's a bit of a long story."

"I like a long story." Manny nodded to her as she smiled, watching Theo coming back with their drinks, "You a martini girl?" He noticed the glass.

"Dirty." Cassie nodded, raising the glass to him as he chuckled.

"She drinks anything." Theo scoffed, sitting down beside Cassie.

"Well that's not entirely true." Cassie turned to him, "I'm not a red wine person." She defended.

"Ok, so one drink." Theo smiled to her, "How come Julien isn't here?" He asked Manny.

"He got held up at work but he said he'd stop by later on." Manny nodded.

"And your other half?" Theo asked.

"At her parents for the night." Manny nodded.

"That's convenient." Theo said, "Dani was never my biggest fan, was she?" He said.

"You know it's not like that." Manny scoffed.

"Then what's it like?" Theo smiled a little, "She has me guilty by brothers association. Matthew was the one who messed with her, not me." He said.

"How's he doing anyway?" Manny asked, "He ain't been here in what? Has to be years now."

"He stopped coming when he turned sixteen." Theo nodded.

Cassie, although feeling excluded from the conversation, didn't particularly mind. In fact, she was enjoying listening in and getting a glimpse of her husband's life when he was growing up.

"So how is he?" Manny asked.

"He's good." Theo nodded briefly, turning to Cassie who just gave him a reassuring smile.

"Cassie you were about to tell me about this love story?" He pointed to the both of them, "C'mon… what possessed you to fall for this jackass?" He teased as Theo smiled to himself.

"I knocked her up and she had no choice." Theo nodded, "Long story short."

"Is that so?" Manny raised his eyebrows, looking over at Chase who was running around playing with his own son, Louis.

"Not quite." Cassie shook her head, "When I tell you it's a long story, I mean it's a really long story." She nodded, "There's lots to cover. I was his rookie. We hated each other. We were hooking up as friends. There were fake deaths. I got stabbed. Resurrections. Pregnancies. I mean… am I missing anything?" She turned to Theo.

"I think that about covers most of it." Cassie nodded.

"Sounds like quite the trip." Manny scoffed as they nodded, "I did hear about the shooting you were involved in last year." He brought up on a more serious note as Theo looked across at him, "Some white supremacist lunatic?"

"Yeah." Theo nodded.

"Shot up the whole station?" Manny said, "We read it on the paper here and then we heard from your dad. He flew out to see you, right?"

"Yeah." Theo said whilst Cassie sipped her drink.

"You were… you were in a bad way, huh?" Manny sighed, "My stomach turned when I heard. I know we don't see a lot of each other but… you know, we got those memories. Good memories. Summers here. Playing football all day and night together." He said, "It cut me up seeing that, man."

"Well I'm ok." Theo nodded, "Wasn't fun but… that bastard is in prison and I'm doing alright." He said.

"Glad to hear it." Manny said, knocking his beer off Theo's before taking a drink.

"So you guys have known each other since you were little kids, right?" Cassie inserted.

"Yeah. Four or five years old?" Manny wondered as Theo nodded.

"About then, yeah." Theo agreed.

"When his mom and dad were getting divorced and he told his mom was moving. I remember trying to convince him to stay here with his dad. I was so mad at your mom. I mean, I love Jill, I hope she's doing good and all but… couldn't believe she was taking my best friend from me."

"I still came around." Theo said, "It was easier to go with my mom."

"I think that cut your dad up big time." Manny said.

"Maybe he shouldn't have cheated on my mom then." Theo nodded, "It was the right thing. For her to move away from him." He said as Manny nodded along.

"You been to see him? I know you said… at the diner the other day that you weren't here to see him but… you will go, won't you?" Manny wondered.

"Wasn't planning to." Theo said bluntly, "Dude, you know how my relationship was with him. Don't press me on it." He sighed, feeling uncomfortable whilst Cassie sipped her drink.

"I know I just thought it'd be a little different now." Manny said.

"Why? Nothing has changed. He hasn't changed." Theo said.

"I know but all the shit he's going through. It's none of my business but-"

"What shit?" Theo asked, "What shit is he going through?" He shook his head as Manny looked at him.

"You don't know, do you?" Manny realised.

"Know what?" Theo questioned.

"He's been battling cancer for a while now, man. Lung cancer." Manny said, "I don't think it's looking very good. I think they're talking months for him." He said as Theo looked across at him in shock, "When we saw you I just immediately assumed that's why you were here."

"He… he's never said anything." Theo said, in a daze whilst Cassie placed her hand on his leg under the table. She too was taken back by the news.

"Probably didn't wanna upset you." Manny said.

"Is that why no one is coming near me in here?" Theo realised.

He'd been nervous about going to a local bar where he knew lots of people from his childhood would pop up. Although he recognised the smiling faces, none of them had approached him. At first he was glad, but now he realised they no doubt didn't want to speak with him in fear of getting upset about his dying father.

"Maybe." Manny looked around, "Sorry, man. I really thought you would have known. I know your relationship with him is all over the place but… I thought he'd tell you something like this."

"Excuse me." Theo stood up, needing some air as he slid out from the booth and headed for the door.

"Raul never called?" Manny asked Cassie, feeling terrible for being the one to break the news.

"He never calls." Cassie said quietly as Manny sighed, rubbing his forehead stressfully.

"Man, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to ruin your vacation or bring the mood down. I just… I can't sit here and talk to him knowing he doesn't know." He said.

"Don't be sorry. He needed to know." Cassie nodded, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure." Manny nodded.

"What was their relationship like when Theo came here as a kid? His relationship with his dad?" Cassie asked, "It's really hard getting him to talk about him. I only know little bits."

"Their relationship always seemed pretty fine to me." Manny said, "When Theo got older, I know they would fight a lot more. And Raul never wanted him to be a cop. I think it all came down to the fact Theo chose to live with his mom."

"They were just children." Cassie shook her head, "He can't possibly hold that against them.

"He wasn't a very affectionate father. You know… my dad used to play football with us. He'd let me grill stuff on the barbeque. Always told me he was proud of me. Showed up a lot." Manny nodded, "I know that wasn't how Theo's relationship with his dad was like."

"He doesn't even know we have Lena." Cassie told him, looking at the stroller where Lena slept beside the table.

"I see." Manny said, "I mean I don't wanna get involved in something so complicated. I'm just happy to see my friend back here. Even happier to see him happy and meet his really lovely wife." He said as Cassie smiled.

"Thank you." Cassie smiled at his sweetness, "I… I told Theo we could come out here and he could show me where he grew up and let me see a little bit more of who he is but… I don't even know how he's gonna take this news."

"Maybe you should go check on him. I'll keep my eyes on the kids." He said.

"Thanks." Cassie nodded, sliding out of her seat and heading for the front door, walking outside, looking from left to right for Theo, not seeing him anywhere in sight.


"Hey." Theo said quietly, later that night, stepping out onto the balcony in their apartment where Cassie was sitting.

She had left Don's with the kids after a few hours of Theo not returning, putting the kids to bed and waiting outside for him. She didn't want to chase him after what he'd just found out. She figured it was best to give him some space.

"Hey." Cassie said, "Where'd you go?" She asked him.

"Just walked around." He said, walking over to the table and sitting down across from her, "I went back to Don's and saw it was closed. Realised I'd been walking around for three hours." He shook his head, running his hand over his face.

"I stayed for an hour or so and then I came back here. Chase was getting sleepy." Cassie nodded, "I would have went after you but… I figured you might want a bit of space first."

"I don't even know what I feel." He shook his head, "What am I supposed to feel?" He asked her.

"I have no idea." Cassie said.

"Why'd he not tell us?" Theo shook his head, "I mean, I know we don't get along but something like that… of course I'd want to know something like that." He said.

"What do you want to do?" Cassie asked him.

"Cass, I don't know." He said stressfully, leaning his elbows on the table and looking at her, "I can't not go and see him. Otherwise… I might never see him again. I don't even know how sick he is. Is he… already too far gone or…" He wondered to himself.

"I'm sorry." She frowned, reaching her hand over and taking his, "He's still your dad. And this must hurt. I'll back on you whatever it is you want to do. If you want to go see him we'll do that. If you don't… that's fine too." Cassie nodded.

"I gotta see him." Theo shook his head, "He's dying. He's gonna die." He said, not quite believing it. Despite only seeing his father once every few years for such a long time, he still had a heavy ache in his chest at this news.

"Ok, we'll go see him." Cassie nodded.

"How do I even act? What the hell do I say to him?" Theo shook his head, "And I gotta call Matthew. They ain't spoke since he was sixteen but… I mean, I don't know how he's gonna feel when he hears this."

"Just… say whatever's on your mind. Theo, if there's anything you've ever wanted to say to him. Anything you've ever wanted to tell him that you… for some reason haven't. Now is the time." Cassie nodded, "It's never too late."

"You've only changed your tune because he's dying. Any other time you'd tell me he doesn't deserve a son like me." Theo said, "Is that what he's gonna think? When we both show up to his house on our best behaviour? That we're only there because he's dying? The way I felt when he showed up for me at the hospital?" Theo asked her, "I didn't want him there. He might not want me there." He shrugged.

"I still don't think he deserves a son like you, Theo. After all the years he's neglected with you." Cassie made clear, "But I'm not a… cold hearted bitch. Would it be so bad if you and him parted on good terms? It'd probably do the both of you a world of good. And he might… go a little easier." She shrugged.

"I just don't know what I should say to him." Theo said, "If I start having a heart to heart with him, it'll all just come spilling out and… I'll tell him how much I wished he was there for us more and… that'll only make it worse." He shook his head, "So I should just be fake and pretend we have a good relationship? For the sake of him dying?"

"Baby, I'm sorry but… this one is for you to decide. However you approach it, I'll support you. You have to make the decision." She said.