The case in Peru was not going well. Cassandra had tried but she just wasn't able to keep the boys from bickering. Now Ezekiel was gone. She tried not to worry about him, after all Stone was right, Ezekiel could take care of himself. She imagined he probably was on his way back to Portland, after a stopover somewhere exotic where he spent someone else's money. Hopefully not hers nor Stone's, though she didn't think either of them had the kind of cash flow that Ezekiel would be interested in.
When she wasn't worried over Ezekiel though, she was concerned about Stone's behavior. He was hovering in a way that he'd never done before. Admittedly she'd been having headaches and nose bleeds at a frequency he wasn't used to. They'd become infrequent events since she'd come to work for the Library, something she'd chalked up to learning to control her visions and just maybe the magic in the place. She'd had a nose bleed in the Annex right before the Serpent ambush and she'd wondered if that had opened the floodgates. Or if the added stress of going out on their own for the first time as Librarians had made them worse. At any rate, Stone was visibly worried and she felt bad for snapping at him on the fourth time he asked if she needed a break.
She was trying to figure out a puzzle but she found herself realizing she was going to have to tell Stone good-bye. When and if (at this rate), they finished this mission, she was going to have to go off on her own for a while. She liked having his company but they'd become too attached. And his constant worry over her health was going to get them both into trouble. He was distracted and if she'd learned anything from Baird it was that distractions could be deadly.
It was the perfect excuse anyway, she needed to distance herself from him and Max. Even though it pained her to do so. She couldn't completely break the child's heart, he was too young to understand. So maybe she'd just cut back on her visits, see him a couple a times a month. Enough that she wouldn't hurt him but enough to start to create distance. The boy was bright enough to understand that sometimes adults got really busy. And he had other females in his life as well as a mother whom Cassandra hoped for Stone and Max's sake would soon come out to Portland and make their family complete.
Even if the thought broke Cassandra's heart. At least Max and Jacob would be happy and that's all she ever wanted for them.
"Cassandra?" Jacob's voice broke through her thoughts and the worry in it made her realize he'd been calling her name for a while. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," she said distantly as the puzzle fell into place in front of her. "I've got it figured out." She turned and smiled at him, at last some hope in this mess of a mission. "I can get us there."
There was a lot of worry in his expression as he ran his eyes over her but he nodded with a hint of a smile on his face. "Lead on."
The floors shook and dust fell from the ceiling and Cassandra was having a hard time staying upright. She had no idea where Stone was. They'd gotten separated when the rumbling started. But she was on the right track and she could end this. Solve the mystery, stop the earthquakes, get everything back to normal. She just had to concentrate. Block out the shaking and follow her instincts and the map in her head.
"Oww!" she shouted as debris fell on her, leaving a cut on her face. She brushed it off, she could tell it wasn't that bad, she'd worry about the bleeding later. "Six . . .seven . . .eight. Yes!"
She'd found it and moments later, it was all over. The rumbling stopped and she could hear birds chirping in the distance. Which meant that the entrance that had sealed behind them had opened. Now, she just had to find Stone.
The rumbling had stopped. That meant Cassandra had reached the center. Stone breathed a sigh of relief and started shifting rocks out of his way. They'd gotten separated and then a cave in had partially trapped him. It was easy enough once the rumbling stopped to move the rocks out of the way so he could get free, but it had been nearly impossible during the shaking.
"Stone? Stone!" Cassandra's voice broke through the stillness.
"Back here!" he yelled, hoping that he was loud enough for her to hear.
After a few minutes of her calling his name and him answering, she finally found him. She began moving rocks from her side and it was a matter of minutes before there was a space wide enough for him to squeeze through.
Cassandra was standing in front of him, breathing heavily, traces of fear in her blue eyes. She was covered in dirt and cobwebs and traces of dried blood, her dress and tights torn and yet Stone didn't think he'd ever seen anything so beautiful in his life.
He was dirty, his clothes torn, his hands bloody and she could see a bruise spreading across his shoulder where his shirt had torn away. She was never so happy to see him in her life. She'd been so scared.
"Are you . . . ."
"I was so . . . ."
They moved toward one another, catching each other in a tight hug. They held each other for a few moments, the only sound the racing of their hearts. Cassandra loosened the embrace and moved backward. He had intended to let go. He should have. He should have let her go, backed up and asked if she needed to see a doctor or if the first aid kit at the Library was fine. He should have.
She should have completed her movement. Backed out of his arms, told him that she was so glad he was okay. Asked him if he needed to see a doctor or if the first aid kit at the Library was fine. She should have.
Instead they looked into each others' eyes. She was caught almost like a deer in headlights at the intensity of his stare. There was no way to stop what happened next. And she knew she went willingly when his hand found her cheek and his lips went over hers.
It wasn't a gentle kiss, not a sweet one. Not the way he would have wanted to kiss her for the first time. This was desperate and passionate. Her mouth opened almost immediately and he took the opportunity. He knew this was the only time he'd ever kiss her. So he shut off the part of his brain that was screaming at him to stop this before he hurt her and poured out everything he had into the kiss. Desperation. Longing. Love. Desire. Loneliness. And so much pain.
Desperation. Months of longing, months of realizing that she'd been in love with him for a long time. She poured it out into the kiss, into his lips, his tongue as it touched hers. Moving closer to him, trying to get as close as she could. She knew it was wrong but she barely let either of them take a breath before she was sealing her mouth over his again.
He turned her, backed her into the wall, one of her legs had wrapped around his and his hand trailed almost of its own accord up her leg. She moaned against his lips and his brain snapped back online.
He broke away from her immediately, panting for breath. This time his movements were gentle untangling their bodies.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, not looking at her.
"Jacob . . . ."
"Let's just get back to the Annex, alright? We both need first aid."
Part of him wanted to run away, just away to clear his head and hide his shame for what he'd done. But he couldn't just leave her there. He might have walked a bit faster than maybe she wanted but Cassandra remained silent on the way back to the Door.
They didn't talk any more than was necessary for him to obtain directions to the Door from their location.
When they were safely back in Portland, she mentioned she was going to go find Jenkins and the first aid kit. He only responded that it was a good idea.
When she returned only a few minutes later, there was no signs of Jacob Stone to be found.
She tried texting him for a week before she gave up, never receiving an answer.
Safely back in his own place, freshly showered and bandaging his wounds, Jacob berated himself for the way he left. It was for the best, he argued. Let her be a little hurt and a lot angry now then to be broken hearted when it came to it's inevitable end. When he failed her and broke her, just like he'd done ever other woman in his life.
And for himself as well. Because unlike the majority of those women, he actually loved Cassandra. Loved her. He couldn't deny that any more. Which is why he couldn't do that to her. She'd been let down, left behind and disappointed far too much in her life. He couldn't add himself to her list.
He could handle heart break. He'd had his heart broken so many times that it was second nature to him now.
She'd get over her confusion and anger after a while and they'd be back to friendly co-workers again. Instead of what would happen if he'd pursued his love for her.
Nothing good would have come out of that.
He did sigh as he thumbed through the Snoopy and Dora the Explorer Band-Aids in the first aid kit. Max would not be happy. But he was bright enough to understand that sometimes adults were busy. He'd find out some excuse to give him. It was time they did some distancing there as well.
It would be better for everyone.
He let a couple of days pass, Cassandra sent him texts that he left unanswered, though he read every one. One indicated that she'd decided to take a case but if he felt like talking she'd be in touch.
"Oh, Cassandra."
He called Jenkins about an hour later to make sure Cassandra had indeed gone and to make arrangements to get Max from Oklahoma.
Max had been too excited to see his father and tell him all about the visit to notice at first that Cassandra wasn't there.
It was not until the next day that the boy started asking for her.
"She promised she'd see me, Daddy," Max pouted, breaking Jacob's heart. But he had to do this for his son's sake.
"I know, buddy, she did. But something came up and she's real busy. She misses you though." That part was true, Cassandra had texted him that, she was still trying to get through to him.
"Will she come see me when she's not busy?"
"Maybe? Hey, why don't we go down to the park, huh? Play catch?"
Luckily Max was still at an age that he could be easily distracted. And Jacob just hoped that he could keep him distracted long enough for them both to get over Cassandra.
Which was easier said than done. Especially when Cassandra's texts finally stopped after one last one hoping he and Max were well and saying she wouldn't bother him again. He should have felt relief but if he broke half a set of dishes while Max was at preschool it was because he was very clumsy that day and not because he was angry at himself for what he'd given up.
