Over the next few weeks, Cassandra and Max continued their friendship and Cassandra and Jacob forged a new one. They had spent time together as friendly co-workers, going out for dinner and drinks with the others or having team bonding at someone's place (and now she knew why Stone had stopped volunteering to host post Christmas). But this was different, yes it was mostly Stone coming along while she spent time with Max, but there was more to it than that. Talks on benches while Max burned off energy on the playground, evenings spent playing Scrabble or watching a more grown up movie after Max had gone to bed, and even a few grown up outings that involved the few friends that both had made outside of work. Cassandra was pretty sure that her friends Cathy and Tim thought she and Jacob were dating. Introducing Jacob to them was a good thing all around though, Cathy was a stay at home mom looking for babysitting with a son Max's age and the boys took to each immediately. Tim was a math professor and Cathy had been an art teacher before having her baby. So they all got on perfectly, Jacob having whispered that Cathy actually had a book he wrote on her bookshelf, which both flattered and amused him.

Cassandra wondered if was a good idea becoming so close to Jacob and his son. Max had a mother and Jacob seemed to still carry a torch for his ex. But she simply couldn't help herself. She loved the little boy and she liked his father. She liked this new friendship that they had. Even if she wished sometimes for just a little more.


When Baird had decided to give them all the day off, Jacob and Cassandra had excitedly made their own plans. He was to drop Max off at preschool and she was going to surprise the boy with an afternoon of one on one time, complete with dinner wherever he wanted to go. It was a win-win for both, she was giving Stone a day to spend how he wanted (which for him was indulging in the Library's vast collection of art portfolios) with the knowledge that his son was well cared for and Cassandra got a free afternoon with Max. She was in the Library now, they'd had a whispered conversation at the coffee maker where she cleared her plans for Max with him and then she was off working on her own pet project. Basically it was, as Stone finished his coffee and thought about another one, the perfect morning all around.

Except the clippings book had other plans for that day for all of them.

Cassandra was so excited for the whole STEM operation that he was pretty certain she'd put the afternoon with Max to the back of her mind. Not forgotten, Cassandra never forgot, but simply reprioritized. Max, on the other hand, was always Jacob's first priority. He'd fired off a text to Sarah as they were preparing to go to Chicago. She said she should be able to pick Max up but couldn't keep him late unfortunately.

During a quiet moment of the investigation, Stone pulled Cassandra aside. "Can you cover for me with the others? Sarah can't watch Max tonight and I need to call someone else."

She paled, "oh gosh, Stone, I was supposed to have him tonight. I'm so sorry. He's going to be upset."

"Well, you were gonna surprise him with dinner and all, so at least he won't be too disappointed." Stone sighed. "Mrs. Purnell? Maybe? "

"Cathy, try calling Cathy. I know she was looking for some extra money this month and some time with James will probably make up for not spending the afternoon with me."

"Yes, that's right, she asked me the other day if I needed her to sit more. Thanks, Cassandra. I'm gonna duck outside I think."

Cassandra smiled after him and let herself ponder the fact that someone walking by would have thought they were a married couple looking for sitters. She didn't notice Ezekiel who had come in time to hear Stone's last few sentences.

Ezekiel shook his head. He swore he heard something about someone wanting to sit more. That made absolutely no sense. Americans were strange.

"There you are!" Ezekiel called for her from down the hallway. "Where's Stone?"

"He's checking up on a lead," Cassandra said. "Does Baird need me?"


Baird had given them all a makeup day off and this time Jacob decided to not risk it and work at home. He'd gone to the Annex after he dropped Max off at pre-school and gathered a collection of work to take home. Cassandra was back at her map and he'd invited her to dinner on his way out. He and Max would hit the store later because Max always liked picking up something special to make for 'Andra'.

"Hi Jacob," Sarah said as he stopped to check his mailbox in the hallway. She was gathering up her own mail. "Working from home today?"

"Yep," Jacob chuckled. "The boss wanted to make up for keeping me so late the other day. But I had to run in and grab some stuff. How are you? I feel bad, I'm always asking you to grab Max for me but I've hardly talk to you. Though," and he nudged her with his elbow, his hands not being free. "There's been a guy around here lately."

Sarah blushed. "I wasn't sure if I should mention it. I mean we did go out once. Though it kinda . . . ."

"Which is why I am happy for you," Jacob shook his head. "Trust me, I'm not that kinda guy. I have a few close female friends."

"Well his name is Mike and he's really good with the kids and things are going really well so far. We should go on a double date sometime with you and your girlfriend!"

"My girlfriend?" Jacob looked confused. "I don't . . .I'm not seein' anyone."

It was Sarah's turn to look confused. "So the pretty redhead? Max calls her Andra?"

"Cassandra?" Jacob shook his head. "Nah, we're just friends. Co-workers, actually. But she volunteered at Max's program and they got real close. So with his mama not really in the picture, I figured he could use a female in his life and she's had some rough patches that he helps her with."

Sarah cocked her head at him and laughed. "Really? And she's not helping you with your own rough patches?"

"I really don't know what you're talking about." Jacob huffed. "Sarah, come on, don't bring it up in front of her. I don't want to embarrass her. And I've gotta get to work."

"Right, right, I'm sorry I misunderstood. I'll see you later."

"Right, bye Sarah."

Jacob walked back to his apartment, his mind whirling. Did he and Cassandra appear to be a couple to outsiders? She was over a lot and she often stayed long after Max went to bed. He was making her dinner again tonight. Ever since they'd started over, he'd come to understand what it was about her that he'd liked from the moment they met. It really was a breath of fresh air being around someone he could be himself around, male or female. She was sweet and so good with Max. She certainly was pretty, beautiful even. And she pretty much had him wrapped around her finger already.

Damn.

This was not good. Not that he'd ever dated a co-worker before, but he knew it could be trouble. And trouble they didn't need in their special line of work. Not that they all hadn't noticed the vibe between Flynn and Baird, but their co-worker relationship was different. Flynn wasn't there every day. He and Baird didn't necessarily have to work as a team. He and Cassandra did.

And he was pretty sure Cassandra didn't feel that way about him. That ship had sailed pretty much right off the bat. Way too much water under that bridge. She just wanted his friendship and to spend time with Max.

Also the thing was, he really wanted Cassandra in his life. In and out of the Library. And dating her could-would mess things up. He had such a bad track record. Between his marriage falling apart and his other relationships crumbling and even Mabel . . . . He was cursed when it came to relationships. Cassandra didn't deserve the heartbreak he'd cause her. Max would be crushed. Hell, he'd be devastated. She was rapidly becoming his best friend, he couldn't lose her, it just wasn't an option. So friendship it had to be, it was the only way.

Even if he now realized this vague feeling of being unhappy with that decision was not new. And wasn't out of the blue either.

He sighed and turned to his portfolios. He really did have research to do and he needed to get something done before he picked up Max and Cassandra came over. So he pushed his troubling thoughts out of his mind and lost himself in art. And when Cassandra came over, he let himself enjoy her company. Because even though he did want a little something more, he took what he could get.


It had been possibly the weirdest day Jacob had spent at the Library. And he wasn't even sure what had happened for most of it. All he knew was that he was never wearing that shirt again, stained as it was with both Lamia and Baird's blood. The blood had been cleaned off Baird by the magical potion but he and Flynn still had it splattered on themselves. Both of them had taken turns using the shower in the Annex's locker room and both had agreed that they didn't want to keep their clothing.

Stone was shaken, he and Cassandra had each held Lamia's hands when she died, neither of them wanting to let her die alone and both knowing that Lamia hadn't been necessarily evil, just very misguided. That had been bad enough but then Baird . . . . Baird had for all intents and purposes died in his arms. Eve, who'd come to be like a sister to him, to them all, had very nearly not come back. And all he wanted after scrubbing that blood off was to go home and wrap his arms around his little boy.

As he'd made his way out into the Annex, wearing the spare shirt he'd kept in the locker room, he'd come across Cassandra. She was standing in the middle of the Annex, looking a bit lost and dazed. The Library's return had finally righted the wrong that they'd all forgiven her for, but had still weighed so heavily on her. But he was sure she was just as shaken as he was. And he knew exactly how to help.

"Hey, Cassie?" he asked gently, appearing at her elbow as she seemed miles away.

She shook her head to clear it and turned to him, using his first name for the first time in the workplace. "Jacob?"

"I'm going home to hug my son, would you like to come with me?"

She nodded vigorously and he could see the tears in her eyes.

"Then we'll take him for the biggest sundae we can find in Portland. Sound good?"

"Yes, yes it does."

When he ushered her out the door ahead of him, he let his hand linger on the small of her back longer than necessary, both of them finding comfort in that brief touch.