Sisters for Life - Tiva

***Hear Me***

Once the DiNozzo's had moved into a more liveable place, things got easier. Cassie was able to be an independent teenager, and Sam felt that she could relax knowing cassie could take care of herself. Things seemed to be turning out better. Or so it seemed...

~~~

"Good morning, cassie," Sam said, unusually cheerful that morning.

Cassie grunted in response as she rolled past her sister to the bathroom. She did her normal morning routine, acting completely normal to some random person, but Sam could see the difference.

"Cassie, are you okay?"

Cassie was startled at the question. "Uh, yeah. I mean, why wouldn't I be? Everything's perfect now, right?"

Sam lowered her eyebrows, slightly confused. "Yeah... sure... I guess.."

Sam stood over cassie's shoulder and slightly followed her all day. She watched for any sign of what might really be going on.

After a few days of this charade, cassie couldn't take it anymore.

Eventually, while Sam stalked her down the hallway, Cassie broke. She whipped around in her wheelchair. "Sam! What the heck!?"

Sam froze. She knew this would happen. "What?"

"Stop following me! Stop being this overlooking creepy being watching my every move!"

"I'm sorry, cass, but something's up. And you won't tell me what it is."

Cassie growled, "For the last time, nothing. Is. Wrong. Leave me alone!" She began to roll away, but Sam didn't let up.

"Not until you tell me what's going on!" She skipped ahead and stopped cassie.

Cassie looked sam right in the eyes and yelled, "Why do I have to tell you everything, huh!?? Why do I have to tell you about my personal struggles!? Why do I have to tell you that I despise waking up in the morning just to remember that I have to pull my own legs out of bed!? Why do I have to tell you that for some God forsaken reason, I keep having this reoccurring thought that I'll never walk down the aisle at my wedding!?" At this point, tears were evident in Cassie's eyes. Her voice cracked as she continued, "Why do I have to tell you these things, Sammi?? Why do I feel the need to hide them?? Are they wrong??"

Sam furrowed her eyebrows, cringing at the thoughts cassie shared. She had no idea cassie was feeling these things. All she could get her mouth to say was, "oh, cassie..."

After a few moments of despairing silence, Sam continued, "it's not wrong... nothing you could do is ever wrong.. well, I mean. Sure there's some things. But not this. You can tell me anything.. You know that. But you don't have to tell me everything. I'm sorry for pushing you.."

Cassie slightly laughed, "It's so stupid that I'm crying over this... I- I just feel so alone... and I want to tell you things, I do. But it's just different. You don't know what it's like...  "

Sam dried cassie's tears and took her hands. "If there's one thing I'm certain of, it's that you're not alone... You're never alone. I love you more than the sun, cassie. And I'll always be here for you."

Cassie smiled, "I know. And I thank you... But it's just that-" she stopped short, her face distorted.

"What is it?" Sam inquired. Cassie drew away her hands and began to wrap them around her stiffened body.

"I.. hurt.." Cassie groaned. She closed her eyes tightly and tried to will away the pain. Where was it coming from? What was this pain?

She writhed for several moments, holding her arms around her stomach, before falling from her wheelchair. Sam had no idea what to do. She ran to find her parents.

She found them in the living room and didn't stop for a moment. "Mom, dad! It's cassie!"

They followed her back. Ziva knelt down next to her and shook her unconscious body. "Cassie! Cassie, can you Hear Me??"

~~~~~

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~Abi <3