Chapter 15, not much to say! We get a little bit more of a sense of Cassidy's back story here...The next couple chapters have been a bit of a pain to write, but the results have been entertaining! And fluffy. Why? Because I wanted them to be! I have an evil plan for future chapters, so I figured I'd give you some fluff for right now.

Reviews make me happy! I always get so excited when I see a new review. Feedback of any sort is really, really appreciated.

With that said, enjoy!

Spike made sure Cassidy was settled into the seat of the car firmly. He grabbed the seat belt and moved to pull it over her. She snorted in amusement.

"Spike, seriously. You don't have to put my seat belt on for me. I'm a big girl."

He kissed her nose and gave her his best heartbreaker smile. "I know you are. But I'm looking after you today. Doctor and boss's orders. So no complaining."

She rolled her eyes, but let him pull the seatbelt over and clip it in. He checked to make sure it wasn't squeezing on her side, and then, closing the door, he walked around the car and settled into his own seat.

"Are we going to your place or mine?" she asked.

"I figured we'd go to yours."

They arrived in a matter of minutes, and Spike went around to her side. She had already pulled of her seatbelt, and moved to get out of the car. Spike responded by scooping her up into his arms, bridal style.

"Spike!" she giggled.

"I was serious when I said I was looking after you today!" he grinned. He shifted her in his arms and kicked the car door closed. "Where do you keep your key?"

"In my purse!" she motioned to her side with a laugh.

After a bit of amazing coordination, Spike managed to unlock her front door and carry her through the entrance. He gently set her down on the couch, and gave himself a mental pat on the back for the smile on your face.

"What?" he asked.

She shook her head. "You amaze me."

"I'm getting this before I've even pulled out the food?" he pumped his fist. "Double points for Scarlatti!"

She eyed him. "You brought food?"

"I'm Italian!" he laughed. "Every occasion, happy or sad, requires the bringing of food."

She moved to stand up and go towards the kitchen, but he stopped her. "Na-uh! No getting up. In fact..." He grabbed a blanket of the arm of her couch, and motioned for her to sit back. He firmly wrapped her in it and then pointed at her. "Stay."

Cassidy couldn't help but smile as Spike walked away. After everything that had happened in Alberta, after feeling like she wasn't meant to be loved, she was amazed at the way she found her heart coming together. Not to the way it had been before she'd lost Cole, but to a new, patented Scarlatti way.

When she had come to Toronto, it was to run away. She couldn't pretend that it was anything else.

She thought of the things she had run away from. Everything from her family, to the memories of Cole, to her so-called friends. She had run so hard from that world, privileged as it was. And she had never planned on trusting anyone again. So many people had betrayed her, so many people were so quick to judge her for everything that had happened.

She looked up at Spike, who was now busying himself in her kitchen. He was the wildcard. He wasn't supposed to happen. She wasn't a relationship type of girl, nor was she the type to count on anyone. But every time she'd thought that he'd run away, or turn his back, he would just come back and prove her wrong.

Cassidy turned to stare out the window, which gave her a nice view of the tops of Toronto's tallest buildings. This place was meant to be her new start, her new go at the world. She had never expected just how much of a fresh start it would become.

"Happy thoughts?"

She glanced up to see Spike standing over her, plate of food in hand. "Cheese quesadillas, hot off the pan."

She grinned and took the plate. "You made me quesadillas?"

"Yep." He flopped down beside her with his own plate. She stared at him, and he looked the tiniest bit sheepish. "My Mom might've coached me a little."

She laughed. "Doesn't matter! They look amazing!"

Spike flipped on the TV and turned it to the Toronto Chicago baseball game. They sat watching for awhile, until Spike set his plate down and muted the television. "You know the protocol for when an officer goes down?"

She wrinkled her nose, which he also mentally added to his list of adorable things she did. "Um, no?"

"So you didn't know that Greg called your parents about what happened?"

She turned to stare at him, and paled considerably. "He called my parents?"

"It was protocol. We have to notify your next of kin."

She groaned and rubbed her forehead with her knuckle, as if it would bring some sort of relief. "And that's probably why the message light on my phone is blinking like crazy."

"That was part two of what I was going to tell you." Spike said. He turned himself to face her. "You had some pretty angry messages on your cell phone."

"Had?"

He allowed himself a small smile. "You didn't think I'd expose you to such charming words, do you?"

She snorted, for the second time that day. "So you went through my messages, deleting the ones you didn't like...anything else I should know?"

Spike smirked. "I reprogrammed your ring tones. Why would you only have one ringtone for everyone?"

Cassidy rolled her eyes. She wacked him with the pillow, and then moved to get up. He held out his arm. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Where do you think you're going?"

She pointed to the phone. "To check my messages? As much as I'd like to ignore my parents, that's not really an option."

"Why do I get the feeling that your parents aren't especially supportive of you being in Toronto?"

She sighed. "Understatement of the year. They were furious when I decided to go."

"What made you come?" Spike asked, getting up to grab the phone for her.

"I don't know...at first it was freedom. I was so sick of being the town's rebel-"

Spike snorted, and then realized her habit was rubbing off on him. Shoot. "A rebel, are you?"

"Dude, it was a tiny little town. Way conservative. I was the poster girl for rebel." She leaned back and stared at a pitch going to the Chicago second baseman, who swung and missed to end the inning. "I wanted to get away. I was so tired of everyone, even my parents, treating me like I wasn't good enough. I made a mistake, and that was enough to condemn me for life, it seemed. I was so tired of being the one who people looked at and didn't want to be like. After Cole died, I had nothing keeping me there. I'd been to Toronto a couple times with Cole...it seemed like a good place to start over."

"So why SRU? Why the police force?" Spike pressed.

"Because the police were Cole's definition of a super hero. Seriously, a guy like Ed? Right up there with Ironman. It was just how Cole saw them. And because what happened was so wrong...it was so unfair; I needed to find justice."

"So you became a superhero." mused Spike.

"Or at least Cole's definition of one." She grinned.

"But your parents couldn't support that?"

Cassidy glanced at Spike. In everything he'd learned about her he'd never run away. He'd proven to her that no matter what she had to say, he wasn't going to judge her. "They didn't support me when I had Cole. It wasn't their idea of what my life should be like. They saw Cole's death as my new shot at life-or at least the life they'd planned for me. This wasn't part of that plan."

Spike sent a prayer up that he wasn't pushing too far. She was finally to the point where she'd actually talk about herself with him. He didn't know if she'd stay at that place, or close up inside of herself when she was feeling independent once again. So he pushed. "What was their plan?"

She gave a short, bitter laugh. "They wanted me to be my Mom. The good little wife, who raises the kids, cleans the house, cooks the meals, and obeys her husband like he's the freaking King of England. You can imagine how it went over when I got pregnant with Cole."

"Did anything change after he was born?" Spike took her hand in his.

"My Mom loved him, in her own way. My Dad...he wanted nothing to do with him. Cole was the bastard child that tainted our reputation, or something along those lines. We argued about my choice to keep him so many times. So many times I was ready to give him up, just to stop the wars over it."

"But you didn't."

"No," she sighed. "I couldn't. So I jumped their vision, had the kid, lost the kid, and came here. My life in a nutshell."

She sniffed and swiped at a tear. "And now I become a basket case. Shoot."

Spike passed her a tissue. "It's cool, Cass. I get it. My Dad still isn't happy with me being a part of the team."

She stared at him, and he continued. "He has so many things that he'd rather I be doing. Thinks I could be out there, making a name for myself and doing big things in the world. He told me that I was throwing my life away."

"That's ridiculous!"

Spike nodded. "I know. And so is what your parents believe. But it's not about them. It's about what we think of what we're doing. And I, for one, think we're awesome."

"I'll second that!" she laughed, picking up the phone and dialing her message code.

Spike leaned back. So this is what is was like to have someone who wasn't programmed by computer in your life.

He hated to admit it, but his Mom had been right. It was definitely the best feeling ever.

"Shoot. Shoot. Are your freaking kidding me?" Cassidy muttered, pulling Spike's attention back.

"What is it?" he mouthed as she listened to the phone. She held up a finger, and he was silent.

She hung up the phone and leaned her head on the back of the couch, sighing deeply.

"Cass?" Spike asked unsurely. "What is it?"

She groaned. "Not what I need, that's for sure. I guess this whole shot in the vest thing freaked my family out...My parents are flying down for the week tomorrow."

Long, possibly fluffy, maybe a little bit boring, but completely necessary!

Cassidy's parents are coming to see her...how will they react to her job? And what about Spike? How's he going to go over with them?

Guess you'll just have to wait until I finish the next chapter to find out! ;D