Alex And Cassidy: Betrayal Part 32

"Uh huh," Ca.s.sidy tipped her head and shook it slightly. Alex fidgeted on the couch for a second and then stood back up. "You're right. I should take it off." Ca.s.sidy raised her eyebrows at the agent as Alex maneuvered the fleece jacket off and gave the teacher a grin.

"You must have hit your head when you fell. I think I will have to ask the major about that." Ca.s.sidy rolled her eyes. Alex just shrugged and kissed Ca.s.sidy's cheek before plopping back down beside Dylan. "Did you get my note?"

"Which note is that?" Ca.s.sidy asked playfully.

"I bought all the stuff."

"What stuff?"

"You know, for tacos," Alex said nudging Dylan slightly.

"Oh? Is someone making tacos?"

Alex bit her lip and opened her eyes wide. Dylan scooted into her side and looked at his mother. "I like tacos," he said.

"I suppose that means I can expect a day of cartoons then too?" Alex smiled again. "I give up," Ca.s.sidy laughed. "You two relax."

"Where are you going?" Alex asked. "Don't you want to watch cartoons with us?"

"Tempting, Agent Toles, but...No. I have some things I need to do myself this morning. Starting with putting away those groceries you brought home."

"I thought we were going to spend the day together?" the agent asked with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"We are. You wanted boring, right?" Alex nodded. "Well, Dylan is sick, you are still in pain," Alex started to object and Ca.s.sidy immediately intensified her gaze. "You two need to relax. Both of you." Dylan wiggled closer to the agent and put his head against her. "I need to do some laundry and run to the pharmacy, all that boring stuff you seem to cherish. Then I will make you two some tacos and then, maybe I will watch some crazy movie with you."

Ca.s.sidy looked down at the pair on the sofa and smiled. Alex was unconsciously playing with Dylan's hair and Dylan's eyes were closing slowly as he cuddled against her. The teacher gestured to her son and immediately saw Alex's expression change. "Ca.s.s, he's hot."

"I gave him some Tylenol a while ago. He just needs to rest, and so do you."

Alex laid back and guided the boy next to her. "I should help you."

"You are helping me; keeping him quiet and keeping yourself out of trouble."

"Okay. I just want to take care of you both."

"I know you do, Alex. Sometimes, maybe it's my job to take care of you. That's how it works." Alex sighed her compliance. "No files today, okay? Just take it easy; for me?"

"That's playing dirty," Alex frowned.

"I know. Did it work?"

Alex laughed. "Yeah."

Ca.s.sidy kissed the agent's forehead and then her son's. "No files. Cartoons and rest. Promise?"

"I promise, but we all have tacos together later, right?"

Ca.s.sidy laughed. "Deal," she said heading out of the room.

Dylan had fallen asleep and Alex whispered to him as if he were really paying attention. "She has no idea, Speed."

"I may have no idea what you are up to," a voice called back. "But, don't think I am not watching you."

"Watch away," Alex said slyly to herself.

"I will," the answer came. "You want those tacos, you'll behave."

"Alex," a m.u.f.fled voice called to the tall agent sleeping beside him.

"Hey, Speed."

"I don't feel good."

The agent forced her eyes open and focused on the blue eyes searching hers. "What's wrong, Speed? You are burning up." Dylan rolled his head to the side and rubbed his ear. "Is it your ear?" He nodded. "Okay, I'm gonna go find Mom, alright?" He nodded again and let his small head fall onto the couch. Alex looked back at him briefly and headed into the kitchen where Ca.s.sidy had begun her taco preparation. "Ca.s.s?"

"Hey, did you have a good rest?"

"Ca.s.s, Dylan's ear is bothering him. He doesn't look so good. He's burning up."

Ca.s.sidy sighed. She wiped her hands on a towel and cupped Alex's pale face in her hands. "Ear infection," she said. "Do me a favor and put that away," she gestured to the cutting board. "I think we might be headed to the doctor." Alex nodded sheepishly. "I'll go see," Ca.s.sidy rea.s.sured. "Looks like your taco night might be on hold."

Alex nodded again and started cleaning up the kitchen. The day was not going exactly as she had planned or hoped. She fought the deep ache in her stomach thinking about the expression on Dylan's face. She couldn't bear seeing him in pain, even for a minute. A voice broke her silent pondering. "I'm going to take him."

"Let me get my jacket," Alex said.

"Alex, why don't you just relax? Who knows how long it will take. He's okay. He just needs an antibiotic."

"Ca.s.s, if you are taking Dylan I am going with you." Alex was firm and Ca.s.sidy knew an argument would be pointless. "We can do tacos tomorrow. Let's just take care of Dylan." Ca.s.sidy smiled and kissed the agent's cheek before turning to retrieve Dylan. "Never a dull moment," Alex whispered.

"Not in this family," Ca.s.sidy called back.

Alex stood outside the small clinic absentmindedly toying with the zipper on her jacket as she spoke on her phone. "I can't get there.......I don't know how long we will be, a while....... Yeah, I know..........I am sure. Not even a question......You know where it is? Okay....Can you pick up something for.... okay......I will. Thanks." The agent hung up her phone and faced the afternoon sky. "Never boring," she mused and headed back through the automatic door.

Michael Taylor paced the floor as he listened carefully to the voice at the other end of the call. He let out a sigh. "You need to get in there. They are likely to cover more tracks if the admiral figures out that you are onto anything...That's a huge accusation. You'd better be sure that he was CIA before..... London too? s.h.i.+t....I can do that. If you are certain I will contact Brady...If you are right, s.h.i.+t......watch yourself......I'll be in touch." The NSA director disconnected the call and flopped into his oversized chair. "Jesus, Colonel. Who are you?"

Alex walked in the door with Dylan close at her side. "Feeling punkie, huh, Speed?" He nodded. "Well, guess what?" He shrugged. "I heard that there is a Batman movie waiting for you in the family room, all ready to go." Ca.s.sidy raised her eyebrow inquisitively at the agent. Alex just smiled and continued. "Mom says you need to eat to take your medicine." He nodded. "Maybe not tacos...how about some really awesome chicken soup?"

"Alex?" Ca.s.sidy asked.

"It's nothing. Why don't you go into the family room with Dylan and I will bring some in for all of us."

"Alex, where did you get chicken soup?"

The agent shrugged and then winked. "I have connections, Ca.s.sidy. Powerful ones, remember?"

Ca.s.sidy shook her head and rolled her eyes playfully. "I do remember," she laughed. There was no point in pressing Alex for details. The agent had a way of taking care of things; big things, little things, anything that she could. Ca.s.sidy suspected that seeing Dylan sick was almost as painful for Alex as it was for her son. Alex would call the White House for chicken soup if she thought it would make Dylan feel better. It was one of the agent's most endearing qualities and one of the many reasons Ca.s.sidy had fallen so deeply in love with Alex Toles. "Why don't you let me get the soup, though? You go sit with Dylan."

"Nope," the agent said as she scooted mother and son toward the family room. "I slept for hours earlier. You have been going all day. Go sit with Dylan. I promise; I can heat soup."

"Uh-huh...don't burn anything, Agent...like yourself," Ca.s.sidy joked.

"Cute, Ca.s.s." Ca.s.sidy laughed. "Go on."

"Okay, I give, you can be the chef."

"Thank you," Alex said dryly. "Is that a promotion or a demotion from butler?"

"I'll let you know after I eat the soup," Ca.s.sidy called back.

"You just wait for dessert," Alex gloated quietly.

"Oh, I will be waiting with bated breath," a voice answered from the distance.

The agent shook her head and laughed. "Oh no," she thought silently to herself, fully aware that Ca.s.sidy expected a comeback. "I'm not giving it up that easily."

Dylan was sitting on Ca.s.sidy's lap watching another movie while Alex fussed about in the kitchen cleaning up from their dinner. "Is your ear any better, sweetie?" Ca.s.sidy asked as she tenderly brushed Dylan's hair to the side.

"Kinda," he answered quietly.

"Do you want to go upstairs?" He shook his head no.

Alex stopped in the doorway and watched in silence as Ca.s.sidy kissed the small head against her. For a moment she was frozen. It was a simple moment. Alex realized as she watched the two people she loved more than anything, it was all the simple moments that seemed to matter to her now. Every minute with Ca.s.sidy and Dylan was an adventure; an adventure that had more meaning and held her interest far more than any crime she had ever solved. The last weeks and the last days had driven home with crystal clarity to the agent that Ca.s.sidy and Dylan were the center of her world. She never wanted either to doubt her love, honesty or her commitment. They had almost lost each other more than once already. Alex still struggled to grasp the responsibility she felt to keep this family safe. "Hey," Alex called softly. "I brought some dessert."

"Dessert, huh?" Ca.s.sidy asked as she laid her head on top of her son's.

Alex made her way slowly to the couch and set down a small pastry box on the coffee table. "Yeah. I got something special for you both." Dylan looked up to Alex and she winked at him. Ca.s.sidy looked at the agent curiously. Alex reached in the small box she had placed on the table and pulled out an even smaller box. She looked at Ca.s.sidy and smiled and then looked at Dylan. "This is for you, Dylan." He accepted the box and opened it slowly. "That's a Saint Alexander Medal." He pulled the small, slightly tarnished silver medallion from its home. "See, it's a tradition in our family. Nicky and I both have one. This one belonged to my grandfather Papas. When I was old enough my mother gave it to me."

"What do you do with it?" Dylan asked.

Alex smiled and pointed to the small piece of silver in the boy's hand. "You don't have to do anything with it. It moves from each parent to their child. That's just how it works. I was hoping you would accept it from me." Dylan was still a little confused. Alex chuckled slightly. Her palms were sweating and she was unsure exactly what the perfect words were now. She took a deep breath and pulled another small box out, this time from her pocket. She looked at Dylan and smiled. Then she looked at Ca.s.sidy. "See, I kind of hoped that you and your mom, well," Alex took another deep breath and looked at Ca.s.sidy. Ca.s.sidy immediately felt her body begin to go weak.

"Alex?" Ca.s.sidy's voice faltered.

"I know it's not the most romantic thing, Ca.s.s, but it isn't just you and me. It's all of us together." Ca.s.sidy covered her mouth with her hand, understanding clearly now where Alex's thoughts were headed. "I know that you tease me about wanting to do all the boring stuff, but the thing is...nothing is ever boring with you. I love you both and I want to do all of it. Everything." The agent paused and looked at Dylan who was listening carefully, but with evident confusion. "Dylan, you know I love you," he nodded and Alex pointed to the small medal that was still in his hand. "I never thought that I would have a son or a daughter to give that to. Now, I have you. I was hoping you would be my family." He looked at the agent and his eyes grew wide. "What I mean is," she stumbled slightly on her words. "I would really like it if you would give me permission to ask your mom....well," Alex was sure that she had never been so nervous. She didn't dare face Ca.s.sidy yet. "See Dylan, your mom's dad isn't here. So, that makes you the man in her life. And, you are the biggest part of her. So, would it be okay if I asked your mom to marry me?"

Dylan's mouth fell open and he nodded. "You're gonna get married?" he asked hopefully.

"Well, that sort of depends, I guess. I mean I bought vanilla cake...well, actually cupcakes," Alex said, turning to Ca.s.sidy whose tears had begun a swift descent over her cheeks. "Hoping that your mom would say yes." Alex opened the small box and put it in Ca.s.sidy's hands. "Maybe it is crazy, Ca.s.s, but I don't want to wait to ask. I don't need to think about it. I never want to lose you or Dylan. There is always uncertainty for me at work, with my parents, but not here, not with you. I want..."

Alex's rambling was stopped abruptly by a smiling school teacher's kiss. "Yes," Ca.s.sidy barely managed to whisper.

"Did you say..."

"Yes," Ca.s.sidy repeated cupping Alex's face in her hands.

"I ummm....I..." Alex looked to Dylan who was bouncing just slightly in spite of his aching ear. "I mean...I guess then..." Alex took the ring out and tried to put it on Ca.s.sidy's finger. Ca.s.sidy guided her trembling hand. "I mean...you know....If you don't like..."

Ca.s.sidy smiled and kissed Alex again. "Rambling."

"It's an emerald."

"It's beautiful, Alex."

"It was..."

Before Alex could finish her thought Dylan interrupted them. "So when are you gonna get married?" he asked.

Ca.s.sidy laid her head on Alex's shoulder and chuckled. "I don't know, Speed. I guess we'll have to think about that," Alex said.

"Alex?" he asked a bit tentatively.

"Yeah, Speed?"

"Does this mean I am really your son now?" he asked, pointing to the medal.

Alex took a seat next to Ca.s.sidy and pulled Dylan to sit between them. "Dylan, you don't need any medals or any rings to be my son. I just wanted to make sure you wanted me to be part of your family as much as I want you to be part of mine. I wanted you both to know that you are the most important part of me. So, that's why I gave you the medal." He nodded and rubbed his ear. "Still, hurting?" Alex asked. She could see his reluctance to answer. "Too much for a chocolate cupcake before bed?" Dylan smiled but Alex could tell he was reaching his limit. She looked across to Ca.s.sidy and sighed. "How about we save that for tomorrow?" He nodded again. "All right, come on." Alex motioned for Dylan to climb onto her back. "Let's get you some rest." She stopped momentarily and turned to look at Ca.s.sidy who was following close behind. "I know it wasn't exactly the most..."

Ca.s.sidy looked at her son resting his head against Alex's shoulder. "It was perfect," she whispered. "Let's go, I am still waiting for dessert," she winked.

Ca.s.sidy was sitting on the bed playing with the ring on her finger when Alex finished tucking in Dylan. The agent stopped and caught her breath. Ca.s.sidy's eyes were glistening with tears and Alex could feel her own misting now. "I hope you like it." Alex could see Ca.s.sidy's lips curl into the hint of a smile, but the teacher did not respond. "Ca.s.s?" the agent called gently as she made her way to the bed. "Hey..."

"I would marry you right now if I could," Ca.s.sidy said softly.

"You would?" Ca.s.sidy nodded. "Ca.s.s, are you okay?"

"I can't believe you. The way you asked with Dylan..."

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I probably should have thought about..." Ca.s.sidy's kiss quelled any speech or possibility of thought for the agent. "What was that for?"

"It was perfect, Alex, every minute of it."

Alex took Ca.s.sidy's hand. "Do you recognize it?" Ca.s.sidy searched the agent for her meaning. "It was your mom's."

"Alex, this is Mom's emerald? From my Nana's ring?" Alex nodded. "How did you? When did you..."

"When we were staying at Nicky's," Alex said.

"How did you get..."

"When your mother was telling me about her bed, how you always wanted it but he didn't...she told me about the ring. She said she offered it to him but he didn't want it."

Ca.s.sidy closed her eyes. "It's the only thing I wanted that was Nana's."

"I know. I asked her if I could have it to..."

"You asked my mother if you could marry me?" Alex shrugged. "When we were staying at Nick's?" The agent shrugged again. "Really?" Ca.s.sidy was amazed.

Alex laid back on the bed, guiding Ca.s.sidy along. "I didn't really have to ask. It was all over my face, I guess." The admission caused both women to giggle. "I love you, Ca.s.sidy," the agent said softly. "More than I think you can understand."