Here you go, Enjoy reading.

*********

When Coltrane walked out on Cassandra and Jeremy before he went straight to call Ronald.

"I have something to talk about" He knows how he behaved with her was irrational.

Ronald Ernest was a busy man. He is well known in his profession. But never in his career he thought that the man he was treating for the last few months will say those words.

When Ronald got the call he was a bit shocked. His schedule was free so he did not object but hearing those words shocked him to core.

"You did what?" Ronald asked, unable to believe he was hearing those words. For the first in his life he was feeling speechless. Nothing came out of his mouth.

Coltrane glare at the wall, clenching his teeth he repeated, " I caged her"

"Who?" Ronald asked, he had a very good idea whom he was talking about.

"Cassandra " Coltrane looked away.

'Okay Ronald take a deep breath and relax. Think how to counter it. This is not the first time you are dealing with something like this' he gave himself a pep talk about busting on Coltrane.

'Do hell with a pep talk!'

"You did what? Have you lost it?" Ronald yelled trying to keep his voice down.

Coltrane jaw clenched , the idea of talking to him was useless. Ronald was busy criticizing him. He takes a deep breath.

"Well, it's not like I did something illegal," he said coldly.

"This is illegal damn it. Keeping someone against their wish is illegal" Ronald rubbed his head.

"She is my wife, I can keep her wherever I want" Coltrane hissed.

"You can't" Ronald takes a deep breath trying to relax. The fact that Coltrane called him to say this means he is trying. As a Doctor he needs to be the rational one here.

"Why do you want to keep her with you?" He asked.

There was a brief silence Coltrane was hesitating before saying the exact same thing Ronald thought he would say.

"I am afraid that she will leave me. I don't want to lose her and she refused to listen to anything except the fact that she wants divorce" Coltrane said.

"Have you asked her why she can't give you a chance? The reason?" Ronald asked at last.

"No"

"Listen this time Coltrane if you want to get your words across to her you need to listen to her and then make her listen to your words. Explain to her that if you force it on her this will be a battle of who will break down fast" Ronald rubbed his head closing his eyes for the last month he was working on this piece of art called Coltrane Mayor. He is confusingly straight forward but when it comes to emotions he has his own weird way. This might be because Coltrane was rejected in the past but if he thinks that Cassandra will let him force her to stay then he will have another thing to think about. As much he knows Cassandra she can be as stubborn as a mole. A good combination if he would like to say himself. But his thoughts wander back to Cassandra. Is she back to being the way she was? That will be the deciding factor.

After talking to Ronald, Coltrane decided to walk back only to hear everything that Jeremy said. He was shocked but when he saw Jeremy kissing her that was the blow which snapped him back to reality. That burns him. After that he was too angry to comprehend. But now that he is on her lap and she is ready to listen, this is what he is hearing: that his love is nothing but his wrong conclusion.

"No there is a thin line between hate and obsession" she rectified him.

"That's not true," Coltrane said, his face pressed against her stomach.

"Coltrane??" She tried to say something when he cut her off.

"Tell me?" He asked at last.

"What?" She blinked her eyes at his sudden question.

"Why can't you give me a chance?" Coltrane asked. Cassandra gulped down painfully as he heard everything.

"There is no reason," she said.

"I want the reason" he looked up staring at her.

"If you have no reason then stay with me. No, I will keep you with me" he said. Her eyes widened.

"Coltrane?"

"Flynn, how many times do I need to tell you to call me Flynn?" He asked. Cassandra turned her face away, struggling against him will be futile as he grabbed her chin.

"I don't want to call you that. We are not that close anymore" She said coldly. He felt hurt at her words but what she said was true.

Coltrane sighed, closing his eyes for a while, he knew he was at fault but when he saw Jeremy kissing her. He knows that what he feels for her is love because that hurt him more than anything it pricked him in his heart not his ego.

"I know but Can you try?" Coltrane gulped down pain.

"I can't. It doesn't feel right" she whispered.

"I..." Coltrane took a deep breath hugging her tightly burying his face in her stomach.

"Don't kiss anyone," he said. Cassandra looked at him shocked.

"What?"

"You heard me?" He snapped, pulling his head up. He grabbed her chin pressing a kiss on her lip softly.

The urge to argue that she will kiss whomever she wants threatening to bust out but she stopped as a tear slid down his chin. She gasped, "I.. I won't"

The words were out before she could stop herself.

Why does it alway hurt her when he is in pain? Why can't she just stop caring? The reason she is trying to keep herself away because she knows, he can break her will power. And she will let him and again she will be broken beyond repair.

"I.. I.. don't want to care about you" Cassandra said.

"I don't want to love you"

Coltrane froze; she was not joking at all. Tears fell from her eyes as she said those words painfully hurting herself in the process.

"Why?" Coltrane asked his voice above a whisper.

"Because I love you" he blinked his eyes. He should be happy but her eyes held something else.

"And I am tired of that. Tired of getting hurt, tired of thinking that one day you will notice that you were just trying to fill the gap Catherine left in your heart. Tired of keeping my guards up just to cover up that I also get hurt. I have feelings too. Ten years Coltrane, even if you tell me you love me, I can not bring myself to believe you because I know you love Catherine and that cannot be changed that easily. Because I have been in your place for the last 10 years and I am still stuck. That cannot change" Cassandra sobbed looking down.

"I do love her" Coltrane said that broke her heart just like that. What was she thinking he would deny it? How can she hold onto that thought?

"As a friend, she was there when I needed someone and I cannot forget that. I am grateful to her for that. I won't deny it" he said.

"See" Cassandra smiled painfully.

"I am not saying this to hurt you"

"I know you are just telling me the truth" she forced a smile again looking away.

"Cassandra, look at me, Do you know why I fell for Catherine?" He asked.

Cassandra gulped down now they will discuss this.

"I don't want to know" she snapped trying to stand up.

"Listen to me please"

"No" her face flushed as tears rimmed around her lower eyelash.

"Why are you doing this to me? Do you feel happy hurting me again and again?" Cassandra yelled pushing him back. She stood up. Coltrane grabbed her hand before she rushed out. She struggled.

"Listen to me please" he said again.

"I know, I know very well. So let me go. I don't want to sit here listening to you" She struggled more only for him to hold her tight.

"It was you" she looked at him confused.

"It was you right the girl who offered me chocolate" Cassandra blinked her eyes staring at him in confusion.

"What ?" She said.

"Do you remember I told you that I met Catherine when I was a kid at my mother's funeral?" Coltrane asked.

"I.. I do" she whispered.

"That girl was you" she shake her head

"I asked Catherine. And she said that she never knew that my mother died a long time ago. So, I asked your mother and she told me that was you. But you never said anything to me" Cassandra stared at him as if he had lost his mind.

"I don't know anything about it. The truth is I don't remember that time of my life" she shook her head again.

"But that does not change anything, Coltrane" she said.

"You are right but thanks to you I am here. My father was a very busy man; he was never there for me or my mother. So I stayed with her all the time. She was weak after giving birth to me and I slowly saw her fading away in front of my eyes. I was a child back then and my father was a stranger and I felt shocked. Everyone was staying clear of me as if I would bust out any moment even my own father leave me alone but you come"

"Why are you telling me this?" She asked.

"I am saying this because I am grateful for that day. I don't know what would have happened if I did not meet you that day" he said.

Cassandra sighed, "It's fine I don't remember. So, even if you ignore it I would not have cared. And it is not related to anything" she said.

"Is it really?" He said.

"What?" She asked.

"You know that it was love at first sight right?" Coltrane asked.

"I was there for Catherine's 15th birthday. It was a few days after our school started. She walked down the staircases in a white dress. That's when I fell for her and after I saw her childhood pictures on the wall. She was that girl not only that after confirming she likes the same chocolate I know she was the one '' Cassandra gasped, her heart skipped a beat. That was her. She was the one wearing that dress.

"She was acting awkwardly cute and trying to be confident not only that she stumbled on the staircase. I could not help myself at that time" Coltrane said with a nostalgic look. But what he liked was that bright smile.

Cassanda looked at him, he was smiling softly as a tear trailed down. That day she willingly became Catherine. She was happy to celebrate her birthday for the first time with everyone. Gifts, cake and most important that everyone smiled at her while wishing her birthday. Even her father wished her birthday with a smile. She felt another tear roll down her cheek. How naive she was? Thinking like that.

"I am sorry" Coltrane whispered, wiping her tears, he hurt her again.

"I did not mean to hurt you"

"I am not hurt," Cassandra smiled.

"That girl in white dress was me." She whispered in a trance.

"Me of the past who thought smiling brings back happiness. As long as I smile everything will be fine and I will be happy" Coltrane froze his face paled.

"I hold onto that and look where am I?" She mocked herself.

"Ca.. ???" words left him. Everything seems fake. He gave his everything to love Catherine only to be told that was Cassandra from the being.

"No," he shook his head. Everything crashed on him.

"That can't be you" Coltrane whispered. How much hurt he felt when she rejected him? He was determined not to see her ever again, forget about her. But when Catherine came back hearing about his father's death. He was only a 19 year old boy and started his college life. Everything came crashing down on him. His father's death, the company will go bankrupt. Discrimination against him due to his inexperience and age. Catherine was there helping him and he fell more for her than that was all a lie from the very beginning.

Cassandra looked at him, he was doubting himself.

"It's alright if you want to believe that was not me. It's alright because.. because I know I was not your first choice. So, no need to hurt yourself over that" she whispered. His eyes snapped at her blankly. She looked back.

"Stop questioning yourself or it will eat your sanity" her expression softened.

"It's not like this will change anything at all. So, why go through self doubt? Let the past remain in the past , dragging it out now will only scratch old wounds" She shook her head.

Coltrane just stared at her, self doubt that not what he was feeling right now. He is feeling something he cannot describe too much emotion for him to handle.

Coltrane eyes widen.

"Why didn't you tell me before?" he asked.

"You never said that it was her birthday," Cassandra answered.

No.. no no no no no no no no no no just a small misunderstanding. No this is a lie this has to be a lie. This can't be true. This is supposed to be a lie right.

Coltrane rubbed his face. The woman he loves alway loved him back but he never noticed that. Is this supposed to be a joke?

After everything happened. He wanted to beg her to give him a chance but now?

Now what?

I love you. I always did but was too busy to chase after a lie. But was that a lie. The soft touch brings him back to reality.

"Don't" she shakes her head.

"Don't do this to yourself," Cassandra said. He wrapped his arms around her pulling her in a hug.

"I am sorry" he said before he could stop himself but her warmth was assuring him.

"Sorry," she looked down, closing her eyes for once she let herself feel his warmth.

"Coltrane I don't think I can forget everything"

"Will you talk to Ronald?" He asked pulling her closer if possible. Cassandra froze, her first thought was to say no and push him away but she knew she needed that if she ever wanted to live peacefully.

"I will," she said for herself. As much as in tolerable Ronald was she will bear it. He pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"I will wait till you seek out help but please Will you give me another chance?" Coltrane was pleased.

"I.. don't..know" she shakes her head.

"But I will try," Cassandra said at last with a small reassurancing smile but that's enough for now.

Why did she say that? Was it because she got to know about the past? Is she hopeful? No she needs to stop herself from walking on that destructive path. She will only think about her and Cameron.

"Will you stay with me?" Coltrane asked.

"No I want to stay alone" it's not like she has many options but she needs to find herself before giving him anything at all and the fact that she can't forget about the past. What Jeremy said was true though! As much as she tried to deny it.

"Will you let me go? Will you let me decide? Will you Coltrane?" She asked.

He gulped down painfully. No the words were at the tip of his tongue. After hurting and making her go through all that does he have any right to decide about her life.

"Will you be happy?" He asked her. Happy? Is he mocking her?

"I will," Cassandra said, staring at him.

"Then I will too" he said, her eyes widened at the fact that he will let her go hurt her. Even though that's what she wanted to hear. She closed her eyes, Can she give her a little bit of happiness? She opened her eyes and stared at him to see hurt reflecting on them.

"Ask me again" Cassandra whispered as a tear rolled down her eye.

Coltrane gulped down letting her go. He went down on his leg.

"Will you stay with me?"

"I .. I... I will '' she looked down. It almost feels like she just gave up on herself but the fact that when he said he will let her go that hurt her more. It's like she was saying all that just to hear him force her to stay with him. That might have weighed less on her consciousness than staying with him willingly.

"Thank you. It's fine for now, " Coltrane said. Cassandra nodded her head softly, she turned to leave when he grabbed her and pulled her closer.

"I love you," he said.

"And I will say that till you believe me" she closed her eyes. Is she going to get hurt again?

"And I promise that I will not hurt you" Cassandra froze, turning around to stare at him. There was truth and sincerity in his eyes. He pressed a kiss on her forehead.

"Coltrane?"

"I heard that you know when Jeremy said that. I am sorry but that will not solve anything. So, I will make you trust me at any cost" He smiled. She just stares at him and doesn't bother to say anything because she knows that she will cry. Those tears will fall and she will be a sobbing mess. After all this was something she has wanted to hear forever.

"Don't cry," He said, wiping her tears.

***************

Next day

Coltrane was ready for his office. He walked into his room to see Cassandra dressed.

"We will drop Cameron to his school. Then I will drop you to the clinic" He said she just nodded his head.

After her break down she calms down. There was silence when Cameron came back, he wanted to check on Cassandra but afraid.

"I am sorry" she told the little boy hugging him tightly. Cameron looked down before whispering that he missed his mom. Cassandra again said sorry. After that he informed Cameron that he will be joining school from tomorrow. He even called Ronald for an appointment but he refused. When Coltrane said that it was for Cassandra, Ronald accepted it. That annoyed him to no extent.

"What happened?" Cassandra asked.

"Nothing. But are you sure that you want to go alone?" He asked.

"Yes," Cassandra said, looking at him confidently.

The moment she arrived in front of his clinic. She feels herself getting cold feet. But she walked out of his car waving at him.

"I want to see you walking inside, " Coltrane said.

"Or do you want me to?"

"No, I will be fine" she said before turning and walking in straight to the receptionist even though she knew his chamber.

Cassandra standing in front of his office, taking a deep breath. She knocked.

"Come in" his voice was distanced.

Ronald not once thought that she would seek him herself. Cassandra was staring at him.

"You are here" he said even though he knows very well that Coltrane called him for an appointment. He refused at first his schedule was full and Coltrane's timely appointment was later this week but when he heard Cassandra wanted to see him. He immediately agreed.

"It's not like you don't know" Cassandra glared at him.

"Yeah but hearing it from you makes it more fun" Ronald smirked. The urge to turn around and get out of here was the first thought rush in her mind but she held onto that.

"I am here, Happy?" Cassandra snapped, determined not to let his annoyance dampen her confidence.

"Okay sorry sorry. So let's get serious" He said his eyes glazed as cold as ice not cold emotionless the touch of mirth which he usually held vanished even though his lips still had a soft impression of smile.

"Why are you here?" He asked straight to the point which was very unlike him. Ronald alway used to go round and round and slowly make them talk but he was not going to give her that. No she needs to face it.

Cassandra stared at him.

**************

Thank you for rearing dear reader. It took time and it was an emotional ride as I write this chapter and I hope that I did convey it.

There they go again not made for each other at all. How will Cassandra and Ronald conversation go? What do you think about the new twist?

I know this was a bit late but this is an emotional chapter and it was rewritten a lot of time.

Do tell me your thoughts.

Until next time..