I Hate This Part

Over the next month things remained pretty crazy. Cassie's suspicions about Jules were growing more and more everyday, Lucas had met her but didn't really think anything of it. She seemed alright to hi. Jules had been trying to be as nice as it was possible to Cassie to make up for getting off to such a bad start.

As if that wasn't enough Nathan was now drowning his sorrows over Haley who was still on tour with Chris Keller. Even Cassie never suspected she'd stay away this long.

Luke was still living with Dan but hadn't really found anything to use against him yet. Karen was still completely oblivious as to why her son was still living with his biological father and why even after a mediation he still chose to live with him over her. Things with Karen and Andy were heating up but Karen, for some reason, couldn't stop that little bit of jealousy that would come everytime she saw Keith with Jules. She had never had these feelings when Keith was dating any other women, so why would she start now.

It was now nearing the middle of October and fall had officially taken over. Leaves were flying everywhere in the breeze as Lucas and Cassie walked through the park.

"So how's living with Dan going?" Cassie asked her brother. He hadn't really talked about it much when they met up.

Lucas shrugged. "Ok I guess, I try to ignore him the best I can."

"That never worked for Nathan." Cassie said. "Dan's not pushing you to be an even greater basketball player?"

"No actually, we hardly talk about basketball. If we do talk it's usually about books." Lucas said.

"Books? Seriously?" Cassie said with a laugh. "Well at least we now know where you got that from."

Lucas laughed and playfully shoved her a bit. "Shut-up." He stopped laughing. "So how are things at Mom's?"

"Luke you just saw her this morning." Cassie reminded him.

"I know but she was putting on a happy front. I know she's still having a hard time accepting my decision to live with Dan. I just want to know how she's really doing." Lucas said.

"Oh...well she's doing alright I guess. She just doesn't understand and quite frankly I don't either. You have a serious heart condition and your not telling her Luke."

"Cassie can we please not start this now." Lucas pleaded. They had had this conversation one too many times now.

"Ok, ok." Cassie said as something strange caught her eye. Lucas followed her gaze.

"What?" He asked.

"Over there, is that Jules?" Cassie asked.

"Yeah.." Luke squinted to try and see who she was talking to. "And that's Dan." He said in shock.

"What the hell would she be doing with Dan? Keith told me he only just introduced them but it looks like they know eachother a heck of a lot better then that." Cassie said.

"Well maybe they just ran into eachother and it's nothing." Lucas said not wanting to jump to conclusions.

"Luke with Dan it's never nothing." Cassie said. "I'm going over."

Lucas grabbed his sister's arm before she could get to far. "Cass wait."

"What?" She said obviously annoyed.

"If you go marching over there and demand answers, your going to look like an idiot." Lucas paused as he saw his sister scowl. "Look, you said that you get an uncomfortable feeling when your around Jules right? Like she somehow resents you for being so close to Keith."

Cassie nodded.

"Well do you want to make her dislike you anymore?" Lucas asked.

"I guess not, but Luke what if they are up to something, what if Jules does end up hurting Keith?" Cassie asked and noticed her brother's hesitation to answer. "I'm not taking that chance, I don't care one way or other how that woman feels about me. I'm going to see what's going on, I won't get caught, I'll just spy."

Before Lucas could reply and stop her, Cassie bolted. She proved when she wanted to, she could be the faster runner. She ran over to the building where Dan and Jules were having their conversation, and hid behind a dumpster, watching them talk. Lucas finally caught up to her, out of breath and kneeled down next to her.

"I still think your making a mistake." He said.

"Shh." She said. "Be quiet."

Lucas rolled his eyes as he to focussed in on their conversation.

"Now remember our agreement and you will be a very rich woman." Dan said with a smug grin on his face.

"Dan, I still don't know about this. I mean getting your brother to fall in love with me is a little low, even for an SOB like you. And what about those kids. If your really serious about wanting to get to know them then why do this?" Jules asked. "If they find out what your doing to their Uncle, they will never forgive you."

"Well they will never find out will they, so long as you keep your mouth shut." Dan said.

"Fine, but I hate doing this to Keith, he's a good man." Jules finished before getting in her car and

driving off.

Cassie and Lucas both bit back a gasp at what they had just heard.

"Oh my god Cass....you were right." Lucas said and seeing the look on his sisters face he could tell she wished she hadn't been.

"I can't believe this....I can't believe that monster would do that to Keith, what would his reason be? And why would Jules go along with it?" Cassie asked.

"I don't know, but I can promise you I'm going to find out." Lucas said. "Look just hold off saying anything to Keith for now, once I find out somethings we will tell him. Deal?" He asked.

Cassie reluctantly nodded. She didn't like keeping secrets this big but she knew she had to do this. "Deal." She shook her brother's hand.

"Ok, I'm going to go follow Dan. You should go home, Mom's probably getting worried." Lucas said.

Cassie nodded. "Alright, be careful and let me know what you find out."

Lucas to nodded. "I will." He noticed the worried look on his sister's face. "Cass, it's gonna be alright. Were going to get to the bottom of this before it gets out of hand."

"Ok, go find Dan." Cassie said as she smiled slightly at her brother, then ran home.

As soon as she got home she found her Mom in the kitchen looking like she had been crying.

"Mom, you ok?" Cassie asked concerned.

Karen nodded but then broke down again. "No..I'm not....Andy and I broke up."

"What?" Cassie gasped. She thought things were going well. Andy and Karen were pretty much inseparable and even she and Lucas liked the guy. "Why?"

"For a lot of reasons. Our age difference, he wanted things that I'm not sure I did." Karen said.

"What things? What are you talking about?" Cassie asked.

"Well we got to talking about the future. You know he told me he was falling in love with me, he said he could see himself marrying me and us having a family."

"Really? That's good isn't it?" Cassie asked. She had always wanted her Mom to find happiness and she really thought Karen had in Andy. "If he loves you, then that's a good thing."

"Yeah that's great, I don't know if I'm quite there yet, but I was definitely getting there. It was the whole having kids thing I wasn't ready for." Karen explained.

"Oh Mom." Cassie sighed as she gave her Mom a hug. "I'm sorry, I never thought about that."

"Well why would you?" Karen asked pulling back from the hug and looking into her daughter's eyes.

Cassie shrugged. "I don't know. But look I totally get the whole not wanting more kids thing. You've spent the last almost 18 years putting Lucas and I first, you know your whole adult life has been spent making sure we have a roof on our head, food in our stomachs and clothes on our backs, but you've never really done anything for yourself."

Karen smiled slightly. "Well I am your mother, that's what I'm supposed to do."

Cassie laughed a little. "You know what I mean, it's time you start putting yourself first. Live your life the way you want to."

Karen laughed along with her daughter. "When did you get so wise o young one?"

"I have no idea where I got it from." Cassie joked. "Kidding...you and Uncle Keith, obviously."

Karen's face fell at the mention of Keith's name and Cassie could tell right away that something wasn't right.

"Mom you ok?" Cassie asked. "Did I say something?"

"No...it's just your Uncle Keith..." Karen's voice trailed off.

It was then something caught Cassie's attention. There were pictures on the table, pictures of her Mom and Keith. She started getting the feeling that everything her Mom had told her about the break-up wasn't totally true. Well maybe it was, but it wasn't the whole truth.

"Mom there's more to your and Andy's break-up isn't there." Cassie said.

Karen nodded sadly and sat down at the table. She faced her daughter and knew she couldn't lie. "Yeah honey, there was."

"What is it?" Cassie asked taking her Mom's hand in her own.

"Andy was jealous." Karen said.

"Jealous of what? You and Uncle Keith?" She asked.

Karen nodded.

"Well why? It's not like you and Uncle Keith are anything more then friends even though I know how he feels about you and I know if you looked deep enough you'd...oh my god." Cassie said piecing things together. "You admitted to Andy that you had feelings for Keith didn't you."

"Yes." Karen said. "I guess those feelings were always there, I was just to scared and stubborn to admit them and now I've hurt one of the truly great guys I've ever came across."

"Mom, don't say that. Andy will understand. You can't control your feelings." Cassie said. "When did you finally figure this out?"

Karen shrugged. "I don't know over the time that your Keith has been dating Jules I've had feelings I've never had before and I know those feelings are jealousy."

At the mention of Jules, Cassie became uneasy and Karen sensed it immediately.

"Cass, what's wrong?" Karen asked in concern.

"There's something you should know about Jules..." Cassie began.