Chapter 59 A/N I don't own Merlin. This was so hard to write!
"Ooh, who are those flowers from?" Cassie asked, remembering well the lovesick smile Morgana had all day when she got the flowers and her hairpin back from Merlin just a few weeks prior.
"I don't know, maybe Arthur." Gwen said as she handed them to Morgana with a smile.
"How disappointing." Morgana said as she admired the white flowers.
"Why? Who'd you like them to be from?" Gwen asked curiously.
"I don't know. Tall, dark stranger?" she suggested, a small smile on her lips as she thought of exactly who she wanted them so dearly to be from. Merlin.
"Are you sure it's a tall, dark stranger you wish them to be from?" Cassie asked knowingly as Gwen went to put the flowers by the bed in the room.
"Oh, shut it!" Morgana said, throwing some of the papers lying around at her with a smile.
"So, Gwen. You and Lancelot?" Cassie asked curiously. "You never did tell us how he 'returned the armor.'"
"I don't think that's any of your business." she said with a huff.
"Guinevere! Don't be cruel! Tell us!" Morgana said, sitting down beside Cassie and looking at her like a child at story time.
"Yes, please!" Cassie agreed, mirroring Morgana's look.
"Nothing happened. He came to return the armor and said goodbye."
"That's the biggest lie I've ever heard uttered from your lips. And you 'forgot' to tell us about the stableboy. Tell us! He's very handsome. Are his lips as kissable as they look?" Cassie asked with twinkling eyes.
"Even more." she admitted with a small smile, thinking back to that night a few weeks ago.
"What else did he do?" Morgana asked knowingly.
"Well…" Gwen said, and started gushing about everything he said that night and how he kissed her so passionately and his burning eyes. "I should continue with my chores, I've barely got any of them done." Gwen said after an hour and a half of talking about Lancelot.
"So you and Merlin...you're over him?"
"I-I think I might be. I don't know." she said, biting her lower lip uncertainty.
"I think you and Lancelot would make a very cute couple." Cassie said matter-of-factly. "You and Merlin ramble a lot. Can you imagine your children?! Little balls of energy and talking! You'd be kicked out of Camelot by Arthur."
"Uther would beat him to it."
"They'd be so adorable, though! Merlin's sense of humor and big blue eyes and Gwen's sweet disposition! I'd call them...Emmaline and Gervasius."
"A boy and a girl?!" Morgana said with bright teasing eyes at the same time Gwen asked:
"Why Gervasius?"
"It's the first boy name that popped into my head that started with 'G' and wasn't Gaius. At least, you two would be the best parents in their eyes! They would never get in trouble from Merlin, he's probably behind half the things anyway, and you would forgive them when they open their adorable blue eyes!"
"Why are you planning my family with Merlin when we were literally just talking about me and Lancelot?"
"Because if your personalities had children they would be the most adorable children ever!"
"I think Cassie really wants children." Morgana said thoughtfully, stifling her giggles.
"Morgana!" Cassie said halfheartedly, not bothering to deny the accusation.
"Correction, my Lady. She really really wants children." Gwen said. "And I really must go now."
"Yeah, I promised Owaine we'd have lunch together. And then I have to do my rounds, I didn't do them this morning. Bye, 'Gana. Bye, Gwen."
"Bye, Cassie." they chorused as she left and Gwen went about collecting the laundry in a basket.
"Gaius! Gaius, Morgana won't wake up! Please, you have to come help!" Gwen said the following morning after several unsuccessful attempts to wake up her mistress.
"I'll be there right away." he said, gathering his things quickly and stuffing them into his physician's bag.
"Cassie, move over, Gaius is here." Gwen said as she opened the door for the old physicians and stood by the door.
"Gwen. Have a guard tell the King to come here immediately." Gaius said after a few minutes of examining Morgana and sighing deeply.
"Gaius, what's wrong with her?" Cassie asked in a trembling voice.
"I am not sure, my Lady. but I will find out." he said reassuringly.
"Cassie, you've been here all day, you need some rest. Go, I'll stay." Gwen said that night.
"No, I'm fine, Gwen. You should go home." Cassie said, shaking her head and looking at Morgana sadly.
"Cassie." Gwen said softly, putting her hand over Cassie's gently. "You need to rest. Go."
"Gwen, no matter how many times you tell me to leave, I won't go." she said, slightly annoyed that Gwen didn't know her better.
"Okay, I'll come back early, don't stay up all night." she said, though she knew the words fell on deaf ears.
"'Gana, what's wrong with you?" Cassie mumbled to herself, pushing back her friend's dark hair gently and looking around the room with a heavy sigh.
She spent the night watching over her, alternating between talking to her idly or reading to her.
"Cassie." Gwen said gently, shaking her awake. "Have you been in that position all night? You need to go, get some rest.
"I'm fine, Gwen. I'll just go and change quickly." Cassie said quietly, rubbing the sleep off her eyes and going to the door. "I will be back, count on that."
"She wouldn't want you to get sick, Cassie."
"I can't lose her, Gwen." Cassie said quietly from the door, her back to both of them. "I can't lose any of you."
"You won't lose us. Gaius will cure her, you'll see. He's coming back later to run some more tests." she said softly, walking over with quiet footsteps and putting her arms around the shaking girl. "Go on, get some rest. Morgana's not going anywhere, nor am I."
"No, I'll be back." Cassie said, sniffling very unlady-like as she walked out the door. "I may have made a bit of a mess looking for a book last night." she added sheepishly as she stopped momentarily and turned around when Gwen bent to pick something up.
"It's fine. Promise me you'll get some rest?" Gwen said, frowning as Cassie had already gone by the time she'd straightened up with the throw pillow in her hand.
"Cassie, come here." Owaine said softly when she got to their chambers, dropping his cloak on the arm of the chair and going to envelop her in his arms. "I'm sorry? I couldn't understand you." he said when she mumbled into his chest.
"I don't want her to die. She can't die!"
"My love, you need some sleep. The stress is getting to you." he told her, hugging her tighter and kissing the crown of her head.
"I don't want to!" she said, shaking her head stubbornly.
"Sometimes, you behave as if you were ten!" he said with a deep, rumbling chuckle that reverberated in his chest. "Cassie, you can't do this to yourself, get some rest."
"If Gaius doesn't figure it out soon, I'm using magic. Damn the consequences." Cassie said matter-of-factly, stepping over to the wardrobe and taking out a dress to change into, ignoring his suggestion.
"I can't let you do that, Cassie. We've not been married four months and already I need to fear losing you?" Owaine said firmly.
"I don't care what you'll let me do or not, Owaine. You're my husband, but that doesn't mean that you get a say in absolutely everything I do!" Cassie said, her voice rising as her exhaustion and anger at what happened to Morgana rose in her chest.
"And I'm not talking as your husband, I'm saying as a Knight of Camelot, that you cannot do magic here. I won't let you." he warned in a low voice.
"You wouldn't turn me in." Cassie said, stepping back a few steps and shaking her head.
"No, I won't. But that doesn't necessarily mean I won't do everything to keep you away from her."
"You do that and I won't forgive you, Owaine." Cassie said, tears swimming in her eyes as she angrily changed into a new dress. "This time, I really won't."
"Cassie." he said quietly, reaching out to take her hand only to have his swatted away.
"No, Owaine! I won't let you talk me out of this. I've made my decision. I can't lose my family again, not after being alone for so long. I can't lose my sister. And I can't lose you. Don't make me choose." she said, ignoring the tears streaming down her face and stalking out of their chambers.
"I'll go down to get you some breakfast, Cassie." Gwen said, choosing not to comment on her red eyes.
"Thanks, Gwen." Cassie said in a thick voice, looking at Morgana as tears fell down her face once more.
"Cassie, could you give us some privacy while I run some tests?"
"Yes, Gaius." she said quietly, going to the antechamber and pulling the curtain closed while he checked her over.
"Is Gaius…?" Gwen asked when she walked in and saw her sitting by the fireplace, trailing off.
"Yeah, he is." Cassie said, giving her a small smile that didn't reach her eyes and reaching for the tray of food. "Sit with me?"
"Of course, Cass." Gwen said, sitting down next to her and handing her a handkerchief wordlessly.
"She'll be fine, right?"
"Yeah. At least I hope so. Besides, King Uther wouldn't let anything happen to her." Gwen said, rubbing the younger girl's back reassuringly.
"I had a fight with Owaine." Cassie said softly, moving the food around in front of her disinterestedly.
"Why?"
"Morgana. I wanted to-" Cassie said, wanting to tell her everything about her magic and how she wanted to use it to heal Morgana only to pale significantly when the King walked in and stopped her from continuing.
"Gaius, what have you found?" Uther asked as he opened the door, ignoring the two girls sitting and waiting.
"I will administer some remedies to stimulate blood flow and I will try a few more tests to wake her up. I'll keep you informed, Sire."
"I'm assuming her handmaiden is with her at all times?"
"If not her, then Lady Cassie. They haven't left her side at all."
"I have business to attend to. I expect a report later on." Uther said, nodding once to Gaius and going out, his red cloak billowing behind him.
"Gwen, can you help me?" Gaius called out to them, waiting for Gwen to pull back the curtain and go stand next to him quickly. "Hold her head up and pinch her nose. I need her to drink this tonic." he instructed, tilting the contents into her mouth to drink quickly. "I'll come back in a few hours and examine her again." he said by way of goodbye.
"Cassie, you should go. Make up with Owaine and get some rest."
"Please don't try to make me go, Gwen." she said, paling even more as she thought about how close she'd been to Uther finding out about her magic.
"Oh, Cassie. If you don't want to leave, at least get some rest here, in the servants' chambers. I'll wake you up if anything changes. I promise." Gwen said, squeezing her hand and helping her up. "I'll leave the food out here just in case you're hungry."
"Gwen, I don't want to! You and Morgana are the closest thing I have to sisters in Camelot! I can't lose any of you." Cassie said, not letting her lead her to the spare room.
"Cassie, you're behaving like a child. Get some rest." Gwen said firmly.
"I am behaving like someone who saw her entire family brutally murdered! I won't stand idly by as someone else dies, and I won't rest until she's better." Cassie said passionately, her voice only slightly manic.
"You'll only make yourself sick, Cass." Gwen said softly.
"No, I'm not moving from her side. If you want to fight with me, too, it's not my fault."
"That's not what I want, Cassie. And it's not what Owaine wanted either. We just care about you, is all." Gwen said softly, her brow furrowed as she shook her head.
"I'm still not moving."
"Cassie-"
"Gwen, I've already fought with Owaine, are you really going to add yourself to that list?!" Cassie said, not wanting to hear any more.
"I guess not." she said, eying her warily and going about her chores, casting furtive glances at Cassie every so often.
"Owaine!" Gwen whispered, pulling him into an alcove and drawing the tapestry later that night after she'd 'gone home.'
"Gwen, what is this?"
"It's Cassie. I'm worried about her."
"I am too." he admitted, leaning against the stone wall and rubbing his hands over his face.
"She won't listen to me, and every time I tell her to get some rest, she just snaps. I've never seen her like this."
"I haven't either. And she really won't forgive us if we keep her from Lady Morgana and she doesn't survive."
"Don't say that! Morgana will live. She has to."
"Realistically speaking, Gwen, if Gaius can't figure it out, she might not live."
"She has to live." she said softly.
"I know."
"I-I took one of Morgana's sleeping draughts, I thought, maybe I could trick Cassie into drinking it, get some rest. She's not had any sleep. Barely an hour of it the past two days."
"She won't forgive easily if you do that, Gwen."
"I know…I'm just so worried about her."
"Okay, give me the potion. I'll give it to her the next time I see her."
"Owaine, I can't ask you to do that. She's your wife! She-she won't forgive you! You just said so!"
"I said she won't forgive easily. It doesn't mean she won't forgive. And she needs you, to talk to, to complain about me to. She needs you, more than she needs me." he said, his eyes going to the wall over Gwen's head in thought as he finished speaking.
"Owaine! That's not true! She loves you so much, of course she needs you!"
"Spill something on her tomorrow, she'll have to change and I'll get her to drink this."
"I can't ask this of you, Owaine. You'll lose her."
"I won't lose her forever. Maybe for a while, but not forever. Give it to me." he said firmly, holding his hand out for the vial and walking away.
"I'm going to regret this. She won't forgive either of us." Gwen muttered to herself before she too walked away to her house.
"My love?" Owaine asked the following morning when she walked into their chambers loudly.
"Gaius and the King are in with Morgana. I'm just here to wash up and change." Cassie said cooly, not even looking in his direction as she slipped off the dress.
"Cassie?"
"What! What do you want! I haven't used it at all, you can't say anything. I am here only to change!" Cassie snapped, glaring daggers as he walked up closer to her.
"Forgive me?" he asked hopefully, holding her wrists to his chest and looking down into her eyes.
"No." Cassie said, looking away from him only to have his fingers gently turn her face back around.
"How about now?"
"No." she said, refusing to meet his eyes
"And now?" he asked after kissing her nose.
"No."
"Now?" he asked, after kissing each of her eyelids softly.
"No?" she breathed out, hesitating as his lips hovered over hers.
"What about now?" he mumbled against her lips, both of them breathing hard after their passionate kiss.
"When Morgana wakes up. I'll forgive you then." she said, looking down at the floor and changing into the new dress.
"Cassie, what if she never does?" he asked her quietly, holding her in place by the shoulders.
"Please don't make me think that. I can't lose her. Every time I think about it it's like my… I don't know how to explain it, I feel like it's wrong. And then I feel like I have to do...no sé, no lo puedo describir."
"Cass, english, please?"
"I can't describe it. The feeling. I just know I have to do everything in my power to keep her safe."
"Just don't hate me, okay?" he said, hugging her and going over to where they kept the wine pitcher, pouring the sleeping draught into one cup and wine in another.
"Why would I ever hate you, Owaine? I love you more than life itself." Cassie said, looking at him in confusion as she wiped away the tears.
"Here, drink. You look tired and I bet you haven't had anything to eat or drink in two days."
"I guess I haven't. But I'm not hungry. Or thirsty." she said, shaking her head at him and gathering her hair on the crown of her head.
"Appease me. Just down it, Cass. If you won't sleep, at least drink." he said, taking her hand and putting the goblet in it.
"Okay." she said with a small smile, downing the contents in one as Owaine sipped from his cup. "You drugged me?" she slurred accusingly as she recognised the bitter taste of the potion, tears swimming in her eyes as her knees buckled and Owaine picked her up before she hit the ground.
"Please don't hate me." he whispered as he gingerly put her under the covers, kissing her forehead and caressing her cheek gently, hating himself as she unconsciously leaned into his touch and mumbled something in her sleep.
"How could you, Owaine?" Cassie asked with tears in her eyes when she woke up past noon the following day to find him watching her from their dining table.
"I had to Cassie. You would have used magic, you would have-"
"You had no right!" she said loudly.
"I couldn't watch you hurt yourself!"
"How is this any different than when you go on patrol? Or when you go to fight a griffin? Or when you-"
"It's different because I'm a Knight and I've trained for this from the very moment I was old enough to. You're a Lady, no you were raised a Princess and you're a Queen and you've never had to do this before!" he whispered heatedly.
"No…I have had to do this before. I may have lived my whole life behind cold palace walls, but I have seen death. Too much of it. And I have stayed awake for days on end multiple times and here I am. You being a Knight makes no difference Owaine. You only thought about yourself. And if Morgana dies and I'm not there-I really won't forgive you. I won't leave you, but I won't forgive you. And you'll know it every single day." Cassie spat, ignoring the angry tears in her eyes and throwing the covers on the floor as she stood up angrily.
"Cassie-"
"No, don't!" she said as she turned on her heel, her eyes glowing as she used it to smooth out the wrinkles on her dress and stomped away, Owaine too busy trying to figure out what she did to make a move to stop her, not noticing her unrumpled dress.
"Gwen?" Cassie asked when she saw her hovering by the staircase.
"Arthur, Gaius and the King are in there now. You look better." she said, answering the unasked question and noticing the bags under her friend's eyes were mostly gone.
"Yeah, well not of my own volition. I would have been fine once Morgana woke up, but Owaine drugged me. I was asleep for a whole day!" Cassie growled, trying to keep her voice from rising as the King and Arthur were near.
"Don't be angry with him." Gwen said, her eyes guilty as she tried to look anywhere else.
"You knew?" Cassie breathed out, her eyes shining with unshed tears as she recognized the look in Gwen's eyes. "I can't be here right now." Cassie said, throwing her hands up and running away, ignoring Merlin as she pushed past him on the way to the battlements with tears streaming down her face.
"Cassie? You mind, I really don't feel like washing Arthur's socks right now." he asked gently when he stopped just beside her bent knees.
"If you're here to tell me I look like hell or to get some rest I will toss you off the battlements." Cassie muttered angrily as the tears kept streaming down her face.
"I just really don't want to do my chores. You look beautiful as ever. A little tired, sure. But that's nothing some sleep won't cure." Merlin said, sitting down next to her and putting his arm around her.
"I've already slept. All day yesterday, as a matter of fact."
"That doesn't sound like you." Merlin said, looking sideways at her trying to catch her eye.
"Owaine drugged me. With Gwen's help." she said quietly after looking into his eyes for a while, resting her head on his chest.
"I'd say something, but another few days and I would have done the same thing myself." Merlin said, pulling his arm from around her and reaching up to untie his neckerchief. "It's probably not as soft as you've grown accustomed to."
"It's fine, Merlin. Thanks." Cassie said, wiping her tears away with a small smile.
"You want to talk?"
"No. I want to hit something. Or grind herbs. Both help." she responded angrily
"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were Arthur's sister. Hitting stuff to feel better." he scoffed amusedly.
"Well, he may not be blood family, but I do consider him family. You know that." Cassie said softly, looking down at her lap.
"I do. Why aren't you with Morgana right now?"
"The King was in there, he scares me."
"I think he scares everyone." Merlin agreed.
"I almost said I ha-"
"Merlin! You're supposed to be doing your chores! Not gossiping like a girl." Arthur yelled when he found him sitting on the battlements, neither of them noticing how quickly she paled.
'Parece que el mundo no quiere que ellos sepan de mi.' she shought sadly, twisting the coarse fabric in her hands as she watched them leave.
Cassie didn't move from her place on the battlements until the guards walked past her for the third time, shooting her wary looks and whispering to each other: By which time she had had enough and stalked angrily to Morgana's chambers, blatantly ignoring Gwen as she passed her in the hallway and sitting next to Morgana with a huff, wiping her red eyes roughly with Merlin's neckerchief.
"I hate this, 'Gana. You have to wake up, please." Cassie whispered, looking around before closing her eyes and letting her magic flow out to her friend, checking her over from the tips of her toes and up to her head. But before she could get past her shoulders the door opened and the King and Arthur walked in, making her release her hold on it and feel her magic bounce back into her, standing too quickly and swaying dangerously on the spot as a result of both.
"Are you okay?" Arthur asked worriedly, steadying her with quick, strong hands.
"Yes, my Lord. I just stood up too fast. Would you like the room?" she asked, hoping she wasn't too obviously nervous.
"Yes, yes we would like the room." Uther said absently, leaning against the bedpost and looking at his ward.
"As you wish, Majesty. Prince Arthur." Cassie said, curtsying to them both and going to sit on the steps of the staircase, elbows on knees and chin in hands.
"Cassie, you don't mind moving, do you?" Merlin asked as he carried an armful of instruments towards her.
"Need any help?" Cassie asked, not sparing a glance at the man walking beside Merlin.
"No, I'm good, Cass." he said as he took careful steps up the stairs.
"Okay." Cassie said, sitting back down on the stairs with a sigh in the same position as she was before.
"Put my equipment over there. Sire, I would be grateful if you could have everyone leave the room. I require peace and privacy." Cassie heard the stranger say through the open door.
"Certainly." she heard the King say.
"Cassie are you sure you're okay?" Arthur asked as he walked down the stairs.
"Yeah, I really did just stand up too quickly. The blood went to my head is all." Cassie said, looking at the floor shyly and hoping her fear had left her eyes.
"You should go lie down, then." he said, shooting her a confused look when she huffed angrily.
"Wh-who is that man? With Morgana?" Cassie asked nervously as Merlin, Gaius and Uther walked down the steps and paced the landing.
"Edwin. He claims to have a cure." Arthur answered.
"He has a cure?" Cassie asked, perking up for the first time in days.
"That is what he claims, yes." Gaius said to her.
"I certainly hope it's true." Cassie said quietly, sitting back down on the stairs and waiting, twisting Merlin's neckerchief until he gently took it from her hands and retied it behind his head.
"Great news, Your Majesty. You will be glad to hear it is not an inflammation of the brain." Edwin said as he walked down the stairs, waiting for Cassie to get up so he could step off completely.
"What is it then?" Uther asked, stopping his pacing.
"It is a cerebral haemorrhage." he answered, much to Gaius' surprise.
"Haemorrhage?" Gaius repeated "I don't think so."
"I found this trace of blood in her ear." Edwin said, a smirk clear on his face as he held up a bloody napkin.
"God in heaven." Uther said.
"The severity depends on the site and volume of the bleed. If not treated it can lead to coma, and eventually death." he said severely, looking them in the eyes.
"How could you have missed this?" Uther asked Gaius, astonished.
"I didn't see any blood." Gaius responded, completely sure of himself.
"Please. Just thank the fates that you did not administer more rosemary to stimulate the circulation. Can you imagine what that might have done?" he said, fanning the flames.
"It may have increased the bleed." Gaius answered as Uther turned to look at him.
"Is there a cure?" Uther asked, looking to Edwin.
"See for yourself." Edwin said with a small smile, stepping aside for the King and Arthur to go up.
"Sh-she's awake?" Cassie asked hopefully, her face brightening substantially as the others walked past up the stairs.
"Come on, Cass." Merlin said with a small smile, putting his arm around her shoulders and leading her up behind Gaius.
"Morgana, this is truly a miracle. I thought...I really thought…" Uther said tearfully, kissing her forehead and holding her hand.
"Oh, you won't get rid of me that easily." Morgana quipped, moving to get off the bed after Uther had turned to shake the man's hand.
"What exactly did he give you?" Gaius asked her, a seed of suspicion growing in his mind.
"I've absolutely no idea, but thank heaven he did." Morgana said, putting on her slippers and smiling softly as the men all left with quick goodbyes.
"I knew you would wake up." Cassie said with a wide smile, sitting next to Morgana on the bed and hugging her tightly.
"Cass, too tight."
"Sorry." Cassie said, wiping the tears from her face and sniffling.
"You were really worried, weren't you?" Morgana said, wiping the fresh tears with her thumb and standing up to get some water.
"I felt like my world was crashing down on me, Morgana. I don't know how to explain it."
"Oh, Cassie. I remember feeling that way when I heard about my father's death. It's completely normal. Drink up."
"Owaine and Gwen drugged me." Cassie said quickly once Morgana sat back down, breaking down and crying into Morgana's shoulder as she accepted the cup, letting the water spill on the floor.
"W-what do you mean they drugged you?"
"Owaine waited for me to get changed and tricked me into drinking one of your sleeping draughts that Gwen took from here.
"Why would they do that?" she asked with a furrowed brow, taking the goblet and refilling it with water.
"Morgana!" Gwen said happily, running in and hugging her tightly. "We thought you'd… I mean we hoped and all…"
"I'm fine, Gwen, really."
"Oh, I'm sorry my Lady. I'll set out a dress for you to change into." she said, going to the wardrobe and picking out a dress to lay over the screen, glancing nervously at Cassie.
"I-uhm, I need to go do my rounds. I'll see you later 'Gana." Cassie said, completely ignoring Gwen and leaving quickly.
"Why did you and Owaine drug her? You really shouldn't have, she's good at holding a grudge." Morgana said softly, stepping out from behind the screen and telling her they were going to the gardens.
"She was hurting herself, Morgana. She wouldn't leave your side or eat or sleep for almost as long as you were asleep. We had to." Gwen said once they stepped out to the gardens.
"There's a fine line, Gwen, in doing it for her or doing it for yourself." Morgana replied gently as they weaved through the rosebushes.
"It really was for her! You should have seen the bags under her eyes and she wouldn't eat or drink anything. She probably only slept an hour after you fell ill. Morgana, she was hurting herself and I couldn't let her keep doing so."
"Exactly Gwen. You couldn't let her, she may not seem it at times, but Cassie's a woman now, she's not a child and she's perfectly able to make her own decisions. You and Owaine went behind her back, you didn't trust in her the way you should have. It's going to take some time for her to forgive you. And Owaine too."
"I wanted to do it myself, but I needed his advice. And then he said he'd do it, so Cassie wouldn't find out and hate me. And I felt relieved that it wouldn't be me. Now I regret it all. The way she looked at me when she figured it out! She's not looked at me at all since then." Gwen finished sadly as they sat on an unoccupied bench in the far end of the enclosed gardens.
"Gwen, it'll take time. But she will forgive you." Morgana said, stretching out her legs and basking in the warmth of the sun. "Can you believe summer's nearly over?"