"Jake!?" Cassie exclaimed before she fainted. Sam caught her before she fell, scooping her up into his arms. He carried her through to the sitting room and set Cassie down gently on the sofa. He checked her pulse and her breathing and then moved to brush her hair out of her face. Sam cupped Cassie's face with his cheek and called her name. Jake stood in the doorway, watching, envious of the man that was taking care of Cassie. Her eyes fluttered open, "Sam?" she looked at him and began to sit up. "Are you feeling ok?" Sam asked concerned.
Cassie looked past Sam towards Jake, "No. No I'm not ok."
"Cassie, I'm sorry..." Jake began.
"You're sorry?! I believed you were dead. I had to tell our children that you were dead. Grace grew up without a father," Cassie half shouted, half sobbed. Sam put a hand on her back to try and calm her down, he had never seen Cassie so angry and hurt.
"I want to explain, I did it for a good reason."
"I...I can't do this right now," Cassie left the room, a few seconds later they heard the front door shut behind her. Sam got up and raced outside to follow Cassie but there was no sign of her. He called her name and checked up and down the street and around the gardens but there was still no sign of Cassie.
"I think she's going to need some time. This is a huge shock for her," Sam said when he returned to the sitting room.
Jake nodded, "Maybe I should talk to her tomorrow."
"I'm going to tidy up in the kitchen, can I get you a drink? I've got a bottle of scotch open?"
"Yeah, thanks. I could really use a drink," Jake answered gratefully. Sam disappeared into the kitchen and Jake was left alone. He looked around the sitting room, it was all so familiar, hardly anything had changed since he was here last. He got up and went to look at some photos on the coffee table, pictures of Cassie and a grown up Grace, a couple of old photos from when the kids were really young and a photo of Cassie and Sam on their wedding day. Jake looked at it sadly, Cassie was still the love of his life. He had tried to move on a couple of times but it had never worked out. He was glad Cassie had found happiness but it still hurt to see her with someone else.
Sam appeared a few minutes later with two glasses of scotch, he handed one to Jake. " Thanks, I guess it's not everyday your wife's dead husband turns up on your doorstep."
"No, definitely a new one for me. So...what happened? Why did you pretend to be dead. Where have you been the last ten years?"
"I should probably tell Cassie before I speak to anyone else."
Sam nodded, understanding where Jake was coming from. His phone buzzed in his pocket, he checked the message, "Cassie is at Abigail's next door."
"Abigail? Cassie's cousin? They never got on," Jake sounded confused.
"Yes, they are pretty close these days. She used to live with Cassie here but she brought my house when we got married.
Jake took a sip of his scotch, "I'd really like to see my kids, are they around?"
"Grace will be home the day after tomorrow, she's at Wellingsley College. Lori is working as a journalist in New York and Brandon and Tara moved to Boston," Sam filled him in.
"Wow, sounds like I've got a few trips to make."
Sam downed the last of his drink, "Its getting late, how about I find you a room? Then I'll go check on Cassie.
Cassie knocked on Abigail's door, tears steaming down her face. "Cassie!" Abigail exclaimed when she opened the door. "What's wrong?" She pulled her cousin in for a hug.
"Jake. Jake is alive!" she sobbed.
"What?" Abigail pulled away to look at Cassie.
"He just turned up at Grey House."
"let me get this straight, you're dead husband is at Grey House? With your new husband?" Abigail clarified.
Cassie nodded, still crying as Abigail guided her into the living room towards the sofa. Cassie sat down, she was shaking so Abigail wrapped a blanket around her shoulders. It was strange seeing Cassie in such a vulnerable state, she was always so strong and looked after everybody else. It never occurred to Abigail that Cassie may need taking care of sometimes.
"Did he say where he had been or why he faked his death?"
Cassie shook her head, "It was all just such a shock I couldn't t deal with talking to him tonight. So I just left and came here, I hope that's ok."
Abigail took her cousin's hand and squeezed it, "Of course it is. You must be so confused by all this."
Cassie nodded, "I just don't understand what would make him leave us. What would make him pretend he was dead. How do I tell Grace, Lori and Brandon that their father is actually alive?"
"I don't know, but I guess it must be something pretty serious."
Cassie pulled the blanket tighter around her, "I'm so cold."
"How about I make some tea?" Abigail asked and Cassie nodded.
Whilst she was making the tea, Abigail text Sam to tell him Cassie was with her. She didn't want Sam worrying more than he already was. Poor Sam, Abigail thought, would Jake want Cassie back? Would Cassie want to be with Jake? This was all such a mess.
When Abigail had finished making the tea she took the cups over to the sofa and handed one to Cassie. "Thanks, I'm sorry for bringing all this to you," Cassie said sadly.
"It's ok, that's what family are for," Abigail smiled.
Cassie sipped her tea, allowing the warmth to spread throughout her body. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, centering herself. Abigail took her hand and Cassie could feel her cousin's calmness settle inside her, calming the thoughts swirling around in her head. "Thank you," she said gratefully. "Do you mind if I stay here tonight?"
"Of course not, I'll get the guest room ready for you." Cassie finished her tea whilst Abigail went to get some fresh sheets. A few minutes later Abigail returned, "All done. I've put some pyjamas out for you too."
"Thank you, Abigail," Cassie said stifling a yawn.
"Now, you go and get some sleep. I'm sure things will look a lot better in the morning." Cassie nodded, but she didn't see how that was possible. She headed to the guest room, changed into the borrowed pyjamas and crawled into bed.
Abigail heard a soft knock at her door, it was after midnight now, but she knew who it was. "Sam," She said calmly as she opened the door.
"Hey, Is Cassie still here?" Abigail could see the worry in his eyes.
"Yeah, she's just gone to bed."
"Oh, ok," Sam said sadly.
"She's really confused by all this and really angry. Just give her some time to get her head around it." Sam nodded.
"Did Jake say anything to you about why he did this or where he's been?" Abigail asked curiously .
"No, I did ask but he said he wanted to explain it all to Cassie."
"Makes sense I guess. I'll let you know when she's up in the morning, ok?"
"Ok, thanks. Good night," Sam said as he turned to walk back to Grey House.
"Good night," Abigail called after him.
Cassie fell asleep quickly, the emotions of the day catching up to her. But she tossed and turned all night, dreaming about the day Sam died and the days afterward. Cassie had been working at her store that day, she had been doing a new window display in between helping customers. When her phone rung and Derrick's number flashed up she thought it was because he was thanking her for the apple pie she had sent Jake into work with that morning. But instead, Derrick told her to sit down, that he had some bad news. Martha had been browsing the store at the time and she noticed the worried look on Cassie's face as she went to take a seat on the little sofa at the back of her store. She followed Cassie, sitting down next to her and placed her hand in her arm. The next thing Derrick said turned her world upside down, he told her that Jake has gone into a convenience store on the outskirts of town to pick up a drink whilst on patrol. He unwittingly walked into a robbery and was shot as soon as he entered the store. He managed to call for back-up before he passed out. Tears ran down Cassie's face as she dreamt, she had asked if Jake was ok and Derrick was quiet before telling her that needed to get to this hospital as soon as possible. She remembered telling Martha what happened before collapsing in her arms. Martha had quickly taken charge like she always did in a crisis, she ushered the few customers out of the store, grabbed Cassie's coat and purse and let her out before locking up. Cassie's car had been parked outside and she let her to the passenger door before get to g into the drivers seat and taking her to the hospital. When Cassie got to the hospital, She was led into a private room, Jake was lying on the bed motionless and hooked up to monitors. A doctor explained to her that the machines were keeping him alive, that the bullet had rendered him brain dead. That he had no chance of survival. In that moment Cassie felt her heart shatter into a million pieces. She had lost her husband and Brandon, Lori and Grace had lost their father. Calling each of them was one of the hardest things she had ever done, but they all needed to come and say goodbye to their father. They were all there, George has gone to pick Grace up from school early and brought her to the hospital. Cassie and George watched as each of the three children said their goodbyes, their year streaked faces breaking Cassie's heart even more. When George had said his goodbyes he took the young Russell's outside. Cassie had bent down and kissed her husband then whispered, "I will always love you Jake." The transplant co-ordinator waited by the door, it was a small comfort that Jake was going to help others to live by donating his organs. Cassie didn't want to leave but she was only postponing the inevitable. In the days and months after Jake died Cassie had tried to be strong for her family, keeping things together and going through the motions. But, every night she cried herself to sleep and every morning she woke up she reached over for Jake and then she remembered.
Cassie awoke with a start, she looked around at the unfamiliar surroundings, then she remembered. Jake wasn't dead. How had he put her and their family through all that hurt and all that pain on purpose. He had told her she was his everything, that her and the kids meant everything to him. What could he possibly say to justify what he had done?