On Top of the World

Karen eyed her daughter suspiciously. "What about Jules?"

Cassie thought back to what her brother had said about not telling Keith. She didn't really know if telling her Mom was such a great idea right now. Karen already had enough to deal with. "Nevermind, it's nothing."

Cassie turned away and started walking to her room, but Karen stopped her. "Halt." Karen yelled after her daughter. No way was she getting out of this that easily. Karen moved towards the table pulled out a chair and sat down. "Park it." She instructed.

Cassie reluctantly followed her mother's actions and sat down at the table.

"Now what is this about Jules?" Karen asked again.

"It's nothing, I shouldn't have even said anything." Cassie lied.

Karen knew better.

"Nice try there Cass." Karen laughed shortly. "One, your a terrible liar and two, I can see right through you. I know there is something going on and I'm getting the feeling your brother is in on it too."

"Lucas knows nothing about this." Cassie said. Again it was another lie and she hated lying to he Mom. Honesty was always a valued part of their relationship, but Cassie knew in order for her brother to find out anything about what Dan was up to, he had to be kept out of this....for now.

"You sure about that?" Karen asked and Cassie nodded insistantly. "Ok well then spill, what is it you want me to know about Jules?"

"N...nothing, it's just...I think her and Uncle Keith are moving way too fast. You heard him the other day going on about how he was going to ask her to move in." Cassie said. "I just think that if you are going to admit your feelings for Keith, you better do it now."

"Who said anything about admitting to Keith about my feelings?" Karen asked. "No way, he is happy now, I'm not going to ruin that."

"Aww come one Mom." Cassie said frustrated. "You know Keith would drop everything with Jules if he found out the truth. He thinks the sun and the moon revolve around you."

Karen sighed. "Even so, I just don't think it's a good idea. I have you and your brother to consider as well."

"That's right, you do. And you should know by now that you and Keith getting together would make Luke and I extremely happy. It's something we've dreamt about since we were kids. Getting to call Uncle Keith, Dad and us being a family. It's what we've always wanted." Cassie said.

Karen smiled at her daughter's persistency. She had always known that Lucas and Cassie wished for Keith to be their father and she did admit the word family, the way her daughter meant it, sounded pretty damn good.

"You know kid, you may be right." Karen smiled with tears coming to her eyes.

"Really?" Cassie asked with a huge smile on her face. "Your going to tell Keith how you feel?"

"I don't know I mean, I just broke up with Andy, what if he thinks it's just a rebound thing." Karen asked.

"Then you convince him otherwise." Cassie stated as if the answer was completely obvious. "Please Mom do this, it would make all of us happy. And I know things will work out. Don't wait until it's too late."

Karen sighed but then laughed. Her daughter wasn't one to give up easily and this was no exception. "Ok."

"Ok you'll do it?" Cassie asked.

Karen nodded. "I'll do it. I'll admit to Keith that I love him."

Cassie screamed with joy as tears of happiness sprung to her eyes. She had never felt so excited or happy in her life and considering just moments ago, she thought things couldn't possibly get more screwed up, this was great. She hugged her Mom then ran towards the door.

"Where are you going?" Karen asked with a laugh.

"To find Luke were going to celebrate." She said smiling and then ran out the door.

Ten minutes later she arrived at the Scott household. Normally this place gave her the creeps but she was in to good of a mood to feel that way now.

"Yes?" Deb answered the door. "Oh Cassie, hi honey, come in." She smiled warmly.

"Thanks Deb. Is uh, Luke around?" Cassie asked.

"I think he's right upstairs. Why don't you go ahead and find him." Deb pointed and Cassie smiled gratefully and nodded.

"Luke....you'll never guess..." Cassie stopped and gasped at the person in the room. "Keith hi. What are you doing here?"

"Cass?" Keith looked at her, she was the last person he expected to come flying through the door. "Nevermind.. I'm glad your here."

"Why?" Cassie questioned and was shocked to see what he had in his hand. "Is that what I think it is?"

"Well if you think it's an engagement ring, your right." Keith smiled. "I'm asking Jules to marry me. That's what I was just about to tell Luke here."

"What?" Cassie asked still in shock and looked at her brother who bore the same expression on his face.

Keith looked at the pair of faces looking at him. "I know your surprised.."

"More like incredibly, unbelievably shocked." Lucas said.

"Yeah ok and I know this is fast but I've never been happier in a relationship and I really think it's time to move to the next level. And I don't mean the levels you kids talk about these days." He joked to try and lighten the mood. "Jules is great and I know it's going to take a little bit for you two to warm up to her, but that will come in time. Now if you'll excuse me, I've got a question to ask."

"No Keith wait." Lucas said. Lucas looked at his sister not knowing what to do, on one hand they knew they should tell Keith what was going on but on the other, it would just destroy him.

Cassie knew they needed time to plot their next move and she knew she needed to tell Luke what their Mom had just admitted.

"Keith, please just wait, hold off on asking Jules. Please, I am begging you." Cassie pleaded.

"And why would I do that?" Keith asked.

"Because....just please wait a little longer. I promise you it will be worth it." Cassie said. "Do it for me and Luke?"

Keith looked at her suspiciously but knew he couldn't say no to her when she looked at him like that. The puppy dog face. He hesitantly agreed. "Ok, I won't ask Jules just yet, but I will be soon. I don't know what you two are up to but it better be worth it."

"It will be. All your dreams will come true. I promise." Cassie said.

"Laying it on a little think their Baby-girl." Keith laughed. "I better be going. I will see you two later." He left.

"What the hell was that?" Lucas asked.

"What was what?"

"That. The whole "wait a little longer, it'll be worth it, all your dreams will come true" crap." Lucas said. "What are you planning? And is it going to help us protect Keith from that hooker known as Jules."

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

"I did a little research, turns out our little friend Jules was or should I say is a hooker." Lucas explained.

"Wow so Dan's pay a hooker to seduce his brother, just great." Cassie said sarcastically. "Good thing we won't have to do a thing."

"What do you mean?" Lucas asked.

"Mom's going to do it all for us." Cassie said.

"You told Mom about Jules?"

"No of course not." Cassie looked at her brother, her eyes sparkling. "This is what I came to tell you. I almost told Mom..."

"You did? Cass you can't because the first thing she will do is go to Keith." Lucas said.

"I know which is why I stopped myself, but Luke she admitted something to me tonight." Cassie said.

"And what would that be?" Lucas asked.

"She's in love with Keith." Cassie replied and then saw the look of disbelief on her brother's face. "I swear on my life and the life of my boyfriend that it's the truth."

"What? But how? When?" Lucas asked, he couldn't believe after all this time, all his mother's denial, she had finally admitted the truth.

"I don't know, she said she thinks it's always been there, she was just too afraid to feel it. But ever since Keith started dating Jules, Mom felt it and couldn't hide it anymore." Cassie said.

"Oh my god. This is huge." He swept his sister into a hug and then put her down when he realized he was probably squeezing her to death. "So she's going to tell Keith?"

Cassie nodded. "Tonight, she promised me. Luke were going to get everything we ever wanted."

"What about Jules? What do we do about her?" Luke asked.

"Who cares about her. Once Mom admits her feelings to Keith, he will forget all about her and she will be ancient history." Cassie said.

"I don't know Cass." Luke wasn't so sure about that. He had seen the way Keith looked at the woman. He only hoped Cassie's fantasy would come true.

It was then that his phone range. "Hello?" He answered.

"Is this Lucas Scott?" A voice on the other side said.

"Yes who is this?" He asked.

"This is Dr. Kelly Peters from Matheson County Hospital. I'm sorry to inform you but your brother was brought in a little while ago, seems he was in some sort of accident. You were listed as an emergency contact."

"What? Is he ok?" Lucas asked with a feeling of dread.

"I'm afraid it's not looking good Mr. Scott. You may want to get to the hospital right away." With that the Dr. hung up.

"Who was that?" Cassie asked.

"Matheson County Hospital. Nathan's been in an accident." Lucas said.

"What? How? He's with his Uncle Cooper at the Raceway. Oh my god..." Cassie said. "We've gotta get to him."

Lucas nodded. "Your little fantasy of a perfect life is going to have to wait."