For A Brief Moment

Chapter 15: Sleep Tight

They arrived back at Cassie's, holding the pizza boxes as Elijah carried the grocery bags. They walked through the now spotless house into the kitchen where they were all gathered. "Finally, we were about to send out a search party," Sebastian explained. Cassie was still angry with Sebastian, but it gave her some comfort knowing he cared that much.

"You can put it on the side guys, we found some disinfectant in the garage," Dylan explained. They cautiously placed the pizza boxes and bags.

"We thought it would be a nice idea to get everyone some pizza," Cassie described as she slipped them all a large pizza. Dylan opened the lid manically as if he had never had such food.

"Has anyone ever told you you're a star Cas?" Greg turned to her, moving his face towards her. "Hmmm, I think they have, I just can't recall who," she placed a finger on her chin, looking up, mocking him clearly. Sebastian looked over at Cassie, jealousy laced on his face, something he never thought he could feel towards her.

"Cas, can we have a word," he requested, standing up from his chair and shuffling over to the back door, which was still open. Cassie turned to Chrissy,

"You know where the movies are right," Chrissy nodded in agreeance, "do you want pizza and a movie?" Cassie questioned.

"I'm already on it," Chrissy responded walking into the living room.

"Please don't get pizza on the sofa," she glanced over to Dylan and then to Elijah. "I'll be back in a minute."

Sebastian sat on the steps outside. He was looking at the lights that glistened through the garden when Cassie perched herself next to him. The was a small minute of silence, the evening breeze hitting them graciously. "Look," Sebastian began. "I care for you, and I don't want to see you get hurt. I know I can be a jerk some, if not most of the time, but it's just because I want you to be safe. I feel responsible to protect you." Cassie could feel her eyes water, she held her bandaged hand. This wasn't Sebastian's fault, she wasn't in a bandage because of him, and she wasn't about to blame him. "And that's why I think it would be best if you stop tutoring Elijah and Greg." That took a turn. Cassie was in complete shock. Out of everyone, Elijah, and Greg were the least likely people to hurt her, and it pained her to think Sebastian thought otherwise.

"No," she spoke softly. Not raising her voice.

"Cas, I'm serious."

"No, Sebastian." Softly spoken words as she continued. "Sebastian, I love you and am grateful to have you, but Greg and Elijah, they haven't done anything wrong, not to me and not to you. I won't stop tutoring or speaking to them because of you."

"Cas- "

"Let me finish," she took a deep breath, she had a lot on her mind, and she was about to release some of it. "Last night, I had never been so scared, for you and of  you." She watched as Sebastian's face dropped at the realisation. The last thing he wanted was for Cassie to fear him. "You mean so much to me, but last night, I couldn't tell the difference between you two. I was terrified Sebastian, terrified. But I had to get over that, I had to clean you up after, just like I had to with him. I was so scared. I thought he was going to kill you, and I thought you were going to kill him. If it weren't for Greg and Elijah, you would have woken up on the grass, so do not blame them or punish them for anything." She paused allowing her words to get into Sebastian's head. " I have one question, and I need you to be honest. Why? Why were you both fighting?"

"I can't Cas, I don't, I can't tell you," He recoiled. The tears formed in Cassie's eyes again, as he looked away from her. She wasn't looking at the same man she feared last night, but she wasn't looking at the brother she knew either. She stood up. She didn't say a word, she just stood up and walked away. There was nothing she could say to him as a sibling, only as a person. She stopped at the door and looked back at him as he faced the other way. "The pizza's getting cold," she spoke, with no emotion in her voice. He stood up and followed her inside. He couldn't respond to her, not after realising how much he had hurt her; How much he had scared her. But what made him somewhat happy, was the fact that she still cared for him, even after that. She carried the second pizza into the living room, seeing the three boys sitting on the floor, the box of pizza in front of them. The television screen was bright as the Labyrinth began to play. One of Cassie's favourite movies. She smiled at the screen as she placed the second pizza on the coffee table.