Casa Walsh

Cassie was sitting at the kitchen table eating her grilled cheese sandwich that Cindy had made her, while Brenda was reading a book that was supposed to be really good, according to one of her professors. She had finished her last final that morning and was ready for the summer to begin. Just then the phone rang and Cindy answered it with her ever so cheerful attitude.

"Hi, is Brandon Walsh there?" The caller asked her.

"No he isn't can I take a message for him?" Cindy asked ready with a pen and paper.

"That won't be necessary… How about a Brenda Walsh?" The caller asked after he thought about it a little bit.

"Sure just a moment… Brenda, it's for you." Cindy said passing Brenda the phone.

"Hello?" Brenda asked curious on who was on the other line.

"I hear you are Kelly's best friend is this true?" The caller asked.

"She's a friend, yes, why do you ask?" Brenda asked wondering who this guy was.

"Do you happen to know where she is at the moment? I have been trying to get a hold of her, but she won't answer her phone." The caller asked sounding concerned.

"She is in DC for a few days… who is this?" Brenda questioned looking over at Cindy.

"Did she take a little girl with her?" The caller just kept throwing questions out without answering any of Brenda's.

"No." Brenda said hesitant now looking from the phone to the table.

"When's mommy coming back?" Cassie asked Cindy just loud enough that the caller could hear her.

"I'll be in touch!" The caller said as he heard Cassie.

"Who are you?" Brenda asked as she heard the line go dead.

"Who was that?" Cindy asked watching her daughter's facial expressions.

"I'm not sure." Brenda said confused.

Brandon's Hotel Room

Brandon was sitting on the couch flipping through the channels as he waited for Kelly to finish her shower. She had wanted to clean up before they went out sight seeing mainly because she needed to wake up a little bit. The plane had really tired her out, or was it the time difference that was playing with her mind. Just as Brandon found something interesting to watch he heard the water stop running.

"Kel you almost ready?" He asked wanting to leave before he got to into what he was watching.

"Almost." She called back to him as she looked in the mirror taking one last look before opening the door. "Okay let's go." She said meeting him at the couch.

Brandon was amazed at how fast she was ready, but instead of thinking it to death he just flipped the television off and smiled. He got up off the couch and took her hand in his before they walked to the door. Once they got down to the lobby they headed straight for the front doors. Not noticing that Clare and Lucinda were sitting at a table in the Lobby.

"Okay so what's first?" Kelly asked turning to face him as they continued to walk.

"I figured we could just walk and whatever we see we see!" Brandon said as he glanced around at where they were before bringing his eyes back to her face.

"It looks like there's a park over there." Kelly said pointing across the street to where she saw the park.

"After you!" Brandon said as they crossed the street hand in hand.

Kelly walked in front of him a million things racing through her mind, things she just couldn't stop thinking about. The most pressing matter was how she was going to tell Brandon about Cassie… followed closely by what Dan really wanted. Just as she thought about that she glanced over and saw a payphone and thought that she should call and let Brenda and Cindy know that she got there okay.

"Brandon I'm going to make a quick call you go ahead and I'll catch up okay?" Kelly somewhat asked as she headed towards the payphone.

"Okay." Brandon said as he walked slowly towards the park.

Kelly walked over to the payphone and inserted the money it had requested in order for her to make the call. She dialed the familiar number that she had called many times over the past four years and just waited for someone to pick up. She twisted the phone cord with her fingers as she waited. Finally Brenda answered the phone.

"Hello?" Brenda asked.

"Hey Bren it's me… I just wanted to check in and see how Cassie was doing!" She said wishing that Cassie could be with her.

"She is doing fine… she's playing basketball with my dad out back. Kel, I don't want to worry you, but I got this weird phone call a little while ago." Brenda said still a little uneasy about that call.

"Do you know who it was?" Kelly asked a little nervous now.

"He wouldn't give me his name, but Kel he was asking a bunch of questions about you… and he knew about Cassie." Brenda said trying to shake this weird feeling she had.

"Brenda you have to watch Cassie every second… don't let her out of your sight… if that was who I think it is…" Kelly couldn't finish her sentence she was so worried.

"Who is he?" Brenda asked worried too.

"His name is Dan, and he's Cassie dad… he's still mad at me for breaking things off with him." Kelly explained trying to calm herself down.

"Don't worry Kel; I won't let anything happen to Cassie… I promise! Now you just tell Brandon and we'll see you when you get back." Brenda said hanging up the phone.

Kelly nodded as she hung up the phone. She wasn't really sure that she could relax knowing what she knew about Dan, but she had to try. She looked over to where Brandon was waiting for her and smiled knowing she had to keep this to herself for just a little while longer.

"Everything okay?" He asked as she walked up to him.

"Yeah everything's fine… let's go." She said with a half smile.

As the day passed by Kelly found herself feeling closer to Brandon than she had ever felt to anyone before. She felt like she had been given a little piece of heaven, which is something that no one could take away from her. In fact she was starting to feel so comfortable that her secret almost slipped out over dinner.

"You were about to say something… what was it?" Brandon asked as he took a bite of his desert.

"Just that I had a really nice time today… and I'm glad that I came to see you." Kelly said hiding what she really wanted to say.

"I'm glad you came too… Well, I'm done how about you?" Brandon asked putting his fork down on his plate.

"Let's go!" Kelly said smiling as Brandon tossed the money on the table and took her hand.

They walked slowly back to the hotel laughing and talking the whole way, and as they walked Kelly began to realize that all her fears where just that, fears. There was no reason that Brandon would feel any differently about her if he knew her secret or not. She was panicking for no reason at all and that was when she realized that she didn't just like Brandon, she loved him.

Casa Walsh Brandon's Bedroom

Cassie was sitting in Brandon's bed holding her teddy bear waiting for Brenda to read her a story. Cindy walked in the room with a certain blanket the Cassie always slept with and handed it to the little girl before she walked out of the room. Brenda walked past the room with a book in her hand looking for something else.

"Brenda!" Cassie called from the bed.

"What is it sweetie?" Brenda asked sitting next to the little girl on the bed.

"You promised you would read me a story." Cassie said with a sad look on her face.

"I have your story right here." Brenda said opening the book.

As she began to read Cassie put her head on the pillows and hugged her bear tightly. It was something she did every night only tonight she didn't feel the same. In fact she felt insecure, she had no idea why but for some reason she did. Brenda noticed this and tried to make her feel better. Only this proved to be a little more difficult than she realized.

"Cassie, honey what's wrong?" Brenda asked noticing how uncomfortable she looked.

"I miss mommy." Cassie said with tears in her eyes.

"Hang on a second sweetie… I'll be right back." Brenda said as she left the room. "Mom can you help me? Cassie won't go to sleep." Brenda said when she saw Cindy in the hallway.

"Did you read her Sleeping Beauty?" Cindy asked her.

"Yes." Brenda answered.

"Does she have her teddy bear and blanket?" Cindy asked running down the mental list she had from when Brandon and Brenda were little.

"Yes." Brenda replied.

"Did she have her drink of water?" Cindy continued down the list.

"Yes. Mom she's been given everything and she still won't go to sleep." Brenda said finally.

"Okay I'll go and see what she needs." Cindy said as she walked back to the room. "Cassie why aren't you sleeping?" She asked as she sat down on the bed.

"Mommy didn't say good night." Cassie said teary eyed. "I want mommy." She said as she began to cry.

Cindy's heart broke into a million pieces when she saw how much Cassie missed Kelly. She felt horrible that the little girl was in tears, but there really wasn't much she could do for her. The only thing that was going to make Cassie feel any better was talking with Kelly and they really didn't want to disturb her.