For Forever and A Day

20.

Since the accident:
1 year 2 months 15 days
February 22, 2011

The night was warmer than when they had entered the courthouse. Cassandra wasn't sure if it was because how happy she was or if it was actually warmer but she didn't care.  The young woman wanted to spend as much time as she could with the officer, she walked as slow as she could without seeming suspicious.

Cassandra Williams was so overwhelmed with emotions.

She couldn't not believe that Ryan Blake did it, that he actually got him convicted. She also couldn't believe that he would be gone soon. She turned to look at him out of the corner of her eye.

He was walking with his hands in his pockets as they made their way towards her apartment. He looked conflicted somehow, like for once he didn't know what to do.

She turned shyly away and let out a small sigh.

The more time went on the more she relied on him. She more she had hoped that he would be able to stick around but she was just a job. He couldn't do that.

She looked down at her feet as she walked. 'Why do I have to feel this way?'

The girls heart sank. She was still excited. She was so happy to have Bryan's death finally avenged but why did he have to leave?

'I don't want you to go Ryan.'

When they finally reached her apartment building Ryan tipped the imaginary brim of his hat towards her. He went to turn away but Cassandra called out to him and slowly he turned back to face her.

"Can you walk me up to my door?" She asked. Her heart was racing and she was hiding her shaky hands in her pockets as she waited for his response.

'Just a few more seconds. Please.'

Ryan nodded and smiled. "Of course." Cassandra smiled widely back as she clicked the button to the elevator. They stepped inside when the doors opened and he clicked the button for her floor.

They stood in silence and Cassandra fiddled with her fingers. She knew that she had to do something or he would go and never come back.

The doors finally dinged open. Ryan put his hand up to the door to stop it and she stepped out, nodding to him in thanks.

He smiled brightly back. He stepped out behind her and walked her to her door. She pulled out her key and slowly unlocked the door. She turned the knob and pushed the door open before turning back to the officer.

"Thank you, for doing all this for Bryan." She said quietly.

"I didn't do it for Bryan." Cassandra's eyes widened. "I did it for you."

The girl felt her breath catch in her throat and her heart race even faster.

"I wanted to protect you Cassandra. I want you to not struggle as much as I did when I came back after seeing all that shit over there. I didn't want you to be alone like I was for so long."

Cassandra's emotions were a mess. The strawberry blonde felt like if he kept going then she was going to cry. But she wouldn't stop him, she felt that this was something that he needed to say.

"I don't want to leave you Cassandra Williams. I want to stay." He said, standing his ground.

"I want you to stay too." Cassandra said with a smile and a small chuckle as her eyes became glassy with a thin layer of tears for the second time that night.

Cassandra knew what she was feeling. She had fallen for the officer, but she wouldn't call it love, it wasn't love. Not yet at least.

But he was there for her, he helped her. She knew he was on Bryans case but she forgot about that so easily when he was around. He cracked her hard shell and brought her back to the real world. He made her laugh and smile. She looked forward to his stupid flirting and she couldn't wait to see him in the morning so they could go to work.

She stepped forward and she gave him a kiss on the cheek before she wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.

"I'm not ready for anything serious yet but I want to try." She whispered.

Ryan Blake pulled the girl close. "I'll give you all the time you want." They stood in each other's embrace for awhile, just enjoying the others company.

Neither of them could really believe what had happened that night, that they were almost together.

So when Ryan left the girl she was able try to settle herself down to sleep. She got herself a nice cup of milk to drink and settled herself down in a pair of sweatpants and a t-shirt. She finished the cup before she slid down under the covers and curled up.

Finally her consciousness drifted away and she fell into a peaceful sleep.

"Bry, did you see that they caught the woman who killed you?" Cassandra asked as she looked up at him, a large smile on her face. The strawberry blondes eyes were sparkling as she looked up at her boyfriend from where she lent against his chest.

The boy smiled down at her, his eyes looked sad.

"Bryan what's wrong?" The girl asked as she pulled away from him.

"Cassandra, I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for Bryan?"  The girl asked as she sat up and looked him in the eyes. "You've done nothing wrong."

"I made you upset. Look at you." He put his hand up to her cheek. Cassandra lent against the comforting hand. "You just started to get back the color in your cheeks."

"I'm alright, don't worry! I just hit a rough patch. It happens sometimes." Ms.Williams said with a smile.

"The only reason you got out of it was because of him." Cassandra's eyes widened as Bryan smiled, his eyes wet with a thin layer of unshed tears. "I wish it could have been me but I'm not there anymore."

"Bryan." The girl whispered as she looked into his brown eyes. "You're always with me." She reached up to his hand on her cheek and the down to the hand on his lap and took his large hands in her small ones.

"That's what the problem is." He replied as he looked at her. "I want you to be happy." He looked down defeated at her hands with her chipped pink nail polish.

"I will be."

"I know you will. I want you to move on." He looked up at her. "I want you to be with Ryan Blake. Enjoy every minute. Be happy, have a family and grow old. I'll see you again one day but not anytime soon."

The girls eyes filled with tears and he reached up and wiped them away. "I saw that you want to try to have a relationship with him. And I want you to try to. I'm not here anymore to protect you, but he can. He can give you everything I can't and more."

The girl sniffled as she looked up at him. "I will Bryan Turners." He smiled fondly as he tried to hold in tears of his own. "I will love you for forever and a day Bryan."

"And I will love you for forever and a day Cassandra Williams." He placed his hands on either of her cheeks and brought her head closer, giving her forehead a kiss before pressing his to hers.

"I was your first love, now let him be your last."