Damages

James came up behind Cal and wrapped her in a hug.

Cal almost hit him but realized who it was. "Thank God..."

"Come on, beautiful. Come home."

"Home...to you." She whispered.

"To me," he replied, kissing her softly.

"Am I replaceable?"

"Never, beautiful."

"And you really do love me?"

"Honest to God, Cal, I love you."

"I love you too...if this is love I mean...I don't know."

"Can we go? Can we go home?"

"Yeah."

James put an arm around her, hurriedly escorting her to the jet. "I hate to ruin the mood... and I know you don't wanna think about it... but your friend got an abortion and I don't think she's taking it as well as her husband says she is."

"Oh shit...poor Cass..."

"It had to happen... he was hunting her down because of that baby."

"She'll never get over it..."

"And if anything goes wrong with any other pregnancy, she'll blame it on this."

"I know..."

"So let's get home.... you can talk to her, because God knows she needs it... and then spend time with me?"

"Yeah. With you."

James smiled and kissed her softly as the jet took off.

Cal cuddled on his lap. "He'd already found someone else...he didn't even look for me."

"He doesn't love you like I do." James gently smoothed her hair.

"I don't love him like I do you. It's just a big ego buster."

"Don't let it be," James replied, kissing her softly.

"I can't help it."

"Let me fix it?"

"Yeah..."

He kissed her firmly. "I love you."

"I love you too..." She said softly.

The plane landed then. "Damn fast jets," James muttered, his nose buried in her hair.

"I know..." She whined.

"Soon," he promised. "Cass needs you more than... well... not so much more, but in an emotional way. And I shall be a patient man and wait for you."

"I know what you mean."

"Okay. She needs you in a girl way."

"Yeah."

"I need you in an amazingly powerful emotional and physical way but I will wait. Go on up."

"Okay." She smiled at him and walked up to Cass's room.

"It's not locked," Cass called out.

Cal stepped in. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I'm the new bride, right?" Cass bit her lip.

"I know how you feel."

"I... don't know what you're talking about."

"Yes you do."

Cass began to cry softly. "It was a little person..."

"I know." She hugged her.

"I *killed* it..."

"You did what you had to do."

"I should have been able to do something else!"

"I know."

"It's not fair, I killed it, and it could have grown up and cured a disease or conquered a country or *done* something..."

"It's okay."

"It's not!"

"It is."

Cass shook her head no, burying her face in her hands.

"I know what you're going through. It'll get easier."

"I don't *want* it to."

"I know that feeling too."

"And I feel empty... there was a baby there, and now there isn't..."

"I know."

"Well you just know everything don't you?" Cass snapped.

"I've been there Cass. But see, you have someone who loves you."

"I can't talk to him about this."

"Why not?"

"He suggested it, and he feels horrible when I bring it up..."

"Then talk to me."

"I did!"

"I know."

Cass collapsed onto the bed, still crying.

Cal rubbed her back gently.

Cass gulped for air almost like a fish out of water. "I saw it. I wasn't supposed to, but I did..."

"I'm sorry..."

"I'm not ever going to forget that..."

"I know you won't."

Cass sobbed.

"Shhh."

Cass still cried.

"I wish I could make it stop hurting..."  Cal whispered.

"It doesn't stop, and it's not ever going to stop."

Garrett stopped outside the door and closed his eyes.  What had he done to her?

"Shhh."

She buried her face in the pillow.

Cal rubbed her back.  "Try and sleep."

Cass eventually cried herself to sleep.  Between recovery and emotional turmoil, it was rather more like passing out, she mused as her body gave up trying to stay awake.

~*~*~

Cal walked back into her room and sighed.  Cass wasn't doing well even now.  She looked up, startled, as she noticed James on her bed.  "You scared the shit outta me."

"Sorry, beautiful."  He got up.  "How are you?"

"I'm okay… just worried about Cass..."

"She's still taking it hard?"

"It's more than that I think."

"What do you think's going on, then?"

"I think she's sick."

"What makes you say that?"

"I think something went wrong...I can tell."

"Let's hope for her sake you're wrong."

"Yeah but I really don’t think I am."

"Me either... but they don't need that."

"I know...well I don't know.  Where the hell is Garrett anyway?"

"I don't know.  He's around."

"He needs to talk to his wife."

"I think so too, but there are some things that no one can suggest to him.  That's one of them."

"Yes you can."

"It would do bad things to my life expectancy to imply that he doesn't know when she needs him."

"WELL HE DOESN’T!"

James gently kissed Cal.  "Hey, it's okay.  Calm down.  We'll talk to him."

"Yeah I'm calm."  She sighed.

"Do you want us to go talk to him now?"

"Us?"

"Yeah, us."

"Uh-uh."

"Why not?"

"He scares me."

"You're going to have to get used to him."

"Why?"

"Because he's my boss."

"I know.  And mine too I guess."

"Yeah.  He's not a bad man, I swear.  Maybe... if you want, I'll just go.  So you don't have to be afraid he'll freak out.  Or I'll at least talk."

"Yes.  You do the talking."

"You can... just be concerned about Cass.  Come on."  He put an arm around her and led her toward Garrett's office, knocking on the door.

"Come in."

James pushed it open.  "Boss... look, I know better than to poke at your personal life, but I guess I'm going to do it anyway.  Did you talk to her?"

"Talk to who?"

"The Mrs."

"I'm busy, James."

"She's crying," James said quietly.  "She's doing the best she can, but she needs you."

"James.  Get out of my office."

"Yes sir."  James got up, leading Cal out and closing the door behind them with a sigh.

"Shit."  Cal sighed.

"It's okay.  We've reminded him of what he already knows."

"Yeah I guess..."

"This is progress," James promised.

"Yeah...let's...go swimming."

~*~*~

Garrett walked upstairs and knocked on Cass's door.

No answer.

"Cass..." He opened her door.  "Shit." He began to storm through the house and finally found her down in the medical area.  "Cassidy..."

"Hi," she said quietly.

"What's wrong?"  He asked softly, standing just in the doorway.

"Problems.  I didn't think it was much, but Cal said I should have it checked out anyway, and I thought about it and I decided she was right."

"What is it?"  He took another step.

"There... there was blood and there shouldn't have been, and it still hurt... and I thought it was just me being stupid but it wasn't, there's something wrong."

"Oh no...Cassidy...I'm sorry.  I'm sorry I..."  He turned and left.

"Garrett!"  She cried.

He stopped, unsure of what to do. Finally he reappeared in the doorway.  "Yeah?"

"Stay?"  She asked shakily.

"Why do you want me here?  After what I did..."

"Stay.  I love you..."

"But...you're hurting...and it's my fault.  I heard you the other day.  Talking to Cal..."

"You didn't say anything?"

"No."

"Sit?"  She requested.

"Why...after what I did to you..."

"Please.  Because I love you."

"I love you too...I'm so sorry."

He sat gently.

"I'm just... I'm scared, Garrett, they're afraid I'm not... they're afraid I won't be able to -"

"No..."  He whispered.  "No you...we...God I'm sorry."

"No, I'm sorry..."

"I never..."

Cassidy felt a stray tear slide down her cheek.

"Cassidy forgive me..."  And a single tear trailed down the face of one of the world's coldest men.

She brushed it away.  "I just... I need you, I need you with me."

"I..."  He lay his head on her chest, fighting the rest of the tears.

She played with his hair.  "Garrett, I want you to have a baby..."

"I can't have a baby."

"I want *us* to have a baby," she corrected.  "And I'm scared..."

"Shhh... I'm so sorry..."

Cassidy lifted his head so she could kiss him.

Garrett kissed her back.  "I'm sorry..."  He kept whispering.

"Shh.  I love you..."

"I love you too."

"Garrett..."  She swiped at one of her tears futilely.

"Please don't cry...I'm so sorry."

She kissed him.  "Don't blame yourself."

"I can't help it."

"Don't, you didn't, we had to..."

"No we didn't!  I was a selfish bastard!"

That halted Cass.  "He was looking... because of the... you said we had to..."

"I thought we did!  But now...I just can't help thinking..."

"Then no, Garrett.  If you thought we had to, then you did what you felt had to be done and I don't blame you for that..."

"I do."

"Don't."

"I'm sorry."

"Shh..."  She kissed his cheek.

He nodded and held her.

Cass closed her eyes, glad he was there.  "Garrett?"

"Yeah?"

"We *will* have a baby.  I promise.  I want to have your baby..."

"I want you to."

"As soon as I can..."

"Okay."

Cassidy rested against the pillows, grateful for Garrett's presence.  "When you wouldn't talk to me, I was scared, I thought you were still angry..."

"No..."

"Stay with me.  I haven't slept, and I need to, but it's lonely..."

"Okay."

"I need you with me."  Cass mumbled, already falling asleep.

"I'll never leave."

She smiled slightly.

"Sleep."

"Mm-hmm..." She slept.

~*~*~

James entered the room.  "He talked to her."

"Did he?"

"Yeah.  He's down there with her now."

"Good for him."

"It'll help her."

"I hope so.  I'm really worried."

James hugged her.  "See?  You can be nice."

"Me?  No."

"No, of course not," he replied, and kissed her softly.

"I'm no nicer than you are."

"So I can't be nice sometimes?"  He teased.

"You can....sometimes."

"So can you."

"Only sometimes."

"This time."  He kissed her.

"Yeah I guess..."  She kissed him back.

James pulled her close.

Now that her mind was off of Cass she had other things in mind.

To The Next Part