𝗦𝗛𝗘 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗡𝗘𝗥𝗦
CHAPTER THIRTY SIX!

〔  season three, episode two 〕

𝑵𝑰𝑪𝑲 𝑯𝑬𝑳𝑷𝑬𝑫 𝑪𝑨𝑺𝑺𝑨𝑵𝑫𝑹𝑨 𝑰𝑵𝑻𝑶 𝑻𝑯𝑬 𝑺𝑯𝑶𝑾𝑬𝑹 turning the tap on and making sure she didn't lose her balance before joining her in the shower — he was doing it to make sure she was okay — but he couldn't deny how much he had missed this with her

He placed small kisses on her neck slowly making her smile softly, the water washing away all the dirt and blood. She felt clean and relaxed. The meds that Jay had given her had worked she couldn't feel that much pain anymore.

She leaned into Nick's touch, as the water continued to drop on both of them, she knew Nick felt guilty but she also knew this proved she was strong to go through all that. She just needed to get stronger. She needed to stop being afraid of this world and embrace it. She needed to learn how to shoot and fight properly and she will be okay

She could learn behind these walls and be okay. She sighed contently as the warm water washed over them and she felt Nick's arms wrap around. She was safe. She was home in his arms.

Once they finished in the shower, Cassandra pulled on a pair of tight ripped grey skinny jeans and Nick helped her pull on a thin strapped tank top. Nick having picked out a blue one. She loved the colour of it.

"Stop blaming yourself Nick" Cassandra whispered as she turned around in his arms, tangling her fingers in his messy hair. Nick looked at her for a minute before dropping his head to her good shoulder sighing and breathing in her scent

"You could have died because of me" He mumbled, his fingers gripping her waist tightly holding her close

"I could die at any time. So could you, it's the world we live in now" Cassandra pulled his head back up and Nick saw an understanding in her eyes he hadn't seen before. An understanding that the world will never be the same.

Nick pulled away from her, sitting on one of the beds lighting a cigarette, Cassandra watched him carefully, she always hated him smoking seeing it as a gate way to his drugs — she never took the time to realise how attractive it actually was

She watched as he inhaled the smoke before puffing it out, her eyes drawn to It.

"Can you do circles?" Cassandra asked walking towards him, laying her head on his lap laying down with her feet placed flat on the bed and her knees up in the air, Nick looked down at her confused she had always hated his smoking. Never seemed interested in it. It was different — she seemed different.

"Yeah." Nick sucked in another hit, before puffing out little circles making Cassandra smile slightly

Nick looked down at her with a smirk, "wanna try baby?" He knew she would probably say no, the religion, her dad, everything. But then again the world had ended. He hovered the cigarette over her lips

Cassandra sucked on her lip slightly thinking about it. It shocked them both that she was actually thinking about it.

Just then Madison came rushing into the cabin, a look of relief in her eyes, the young married couple turned to look at her

"There back" those two words were all that it took for Nick and Cassandra to bolt after Madison to the front gate, relief flooding both of them at the sight of Alicia, Madison was the first to hug her. Holding her tightly.

Alicia looked up her eyes finding Cassandra's and in an instant with no Travis. Only Alicia and Jake in sight. Something was wrong, and Cass could tell just by looking at Alicia.

When Madison pulled away, walking further up the road "where is he?"

"Mom—" Alicia Started her voice almost breaking, she turned to Cassandra and Nick who looked at her with sympathy. Nick looked down kicking the dirt.

Cassandra stepped forward pulling Alicia into a hug, cradling her head and smoothing down her hair.

"Madison" Cassandra called but Madison was ignoring them, but Cassandra knew Madison knew to. She didn't want it to be true

"Where is he?" Madison turned to Alicia, Cassandra kept her in her arms,

"He's not.." Alicia breathed out,

"No...no" Madison dropped to the ground, Nick and Alicia following her as she sobbed,

"I'm sorry." Alicia cried, as Madison dug her nails into the ground, Nick and Alicia tried to comfort her. Cassandra covered her mouth, she had known Travis for years, she wasn't as close to him as she was to the Clarks but she cared about him, he made Madison happy, he was always trying to help Nick and Alicia and even herself

Cassandra bit her lip, looking up at the sky making sure the tears didnt fall. She had to be strong for Madison. She had to be strong like when Steven died.

But she couldn't believe Travis was gone, she couldn't believe it. It hurt it did but not enough to break her

She walked Infront of Madison as Nick helped her up and she pulled the blonde women, the closet thing she had to a mother into a hug and Madison melted into her embrace. Cassandra could only remember when Steven died, holding Madison and Alicia and then when Nick found out

She remembered helping Madison and Alicia. She remembers it all.

"It's gonna be okay Madison" she whispered, her eyes locking with Nick's, she could never imagine feeling that pain and now Madison had felt It twice — Alicia and Nick watched the interaction between their mother and Cassandra, Alicia had seen it before. Nick hadn't but he had always known his mother and Cassandra had a bond, an understanding.

Madison didn't see Cassandra as Just another child. Cassandra was her equal.

Cassandra's eyes moved away from nick as Troy approached, dressed in a green button up shirt and a pair of jeans — his eye still banged up and a watch adorning his wrist

He was a handsome man. Something Cassandra hated. It took a lot to turn her head but he did. But she knew he wasn't just here to greet his brother. He was up to something.

Cassandra moved away from Madison letting Alicia try to comfort her, as she moved closer to Nick, the Clark boy instantly taking ahold of her hand and tugging her closer.

Troy had watched the whole thing unfold, he watched how Cassandra barely showed any emotion and went straight into comforting everyone else and he knew right then that's where her strength laid. In the ability to control her emotions. That's why she never seemed guilty. That's why she forgave him so easily. She was emotionally intelligent and understood everyone's reasons for doing things which meant she couldn't get mad.

"We we're shot down before we got to the ranch" Jake said to his father, making Cassandra's head snapped towards them

"By who?"

"Unknown" Jake replied,

♱

Cassandra followed Madison to a beautiful place — well what would have been a beautiful place if not for the circumstance — the sunrising over the heel and tree which she was leant against

Cassandra watched her as she fell to the ground in sobs. She couldn't imagine losing Nick but she knew it would probably be just as painful. She knew she would fall to the ground to, she probably wouldn't get back up because she didn't have no where near the strength Madison did. Especially to be doing this twice

"Maddie?"

The blonde women looked up, she tried to muster up a smile but she couldn't. Cassandra understood and Just sat with her in silence. Sat with her untill she was ready to speak

Cassandra played with her ring subconsciously her mind drifting to Nick.

"I guess your finally my daughter in law" Madison smiled and Cassandra nodded,

"Cassandra Clark" Madison tested on her tongue "it feels right. Our family, we need to stay here, we need to be safe. But we don't need to trust these people"

"I want to stay here. I do. And your right, we can't trust them but we can't go back out there. If I stay Nick will and Alicia she wants a normal life. This is how we make it happen. Troy there's something not right with him.. something we can use. I know that. Jake and Jeremiah I'm not sure. Whatever the plan is or will be I'm with you Madison" Cassandra said to the women she had always looked up to, Madison reached across squeezing the girl's knee a motherly gasutue

"I know you are." Madison smiled slightly, dropping her hand as Jeremiah approached them

"You watch where you step I'm not well" Madison advised the older man, Cassandra watched quietly she wanted to judge him. This was her first proper interaction with him and judging the difference between Jake and Troy she was curious

"I know" the Otto father said "After my first wife left, my two food groups were Jake Daniels and coke."

Alcohol. Cassandra noted, one reason why Troy could be the way he was, alcoholic dad. Takes his anger out on him or neglects him

"—Many a bad morning."

Cassandra watching Madison carefully, as she tried to be strong to stop her tears, to hide her pain. Her eyebrows creased in worry and sympathy. Madison looked empty she Just stared into the distance

"If I believed in god, which I don't I'd ask where's the cosmic joke?. I get my children..but Travis..." Madison sobbed, breathing heavily to hide her tears

"God takes the best. He always does Maddie. The ones to good for this world and Travis was that..while the rest of us are left to suffer" Cassandra recited, memories of her father, memories of the bible and church, flashing in through her mind

Cassandra stared up at the sky the bright sun, probably a gift from Travis. She promised silently to look after Madison and silently she said goodbye

"What are you here to console me?" Madison turned around sharply

"No, not quite, came to find you about something else. But yeah, after someone has this kind of loss... sometimes they take matters into Their own hands." Jeremiah stared at Madison carefully as he said these words. Cassandra looked up at him with a glare, was he serious?

"They kill themselves" Madison replied,

"Which in this new age... presents another set of problems." Jeremiah crouched down Infront of the two Clark women, holding a notebook out Infront of him — she had seen Troy Carry ones similar "part of my job here is to make sure your not a danger...to yourself or anyone else"

Jeremiah also side glanced Cass, who was still staring at him, some would say without blinking but that's what Cassandra did, she read people. She judge them. And then she knew how to deal with them.

"Well, I'd say it's too soon to tell, wouldn't you?"  Madison turned towards Jeremiah "why were you coming to see me?"

"Looks like we're missing a Beretta 418 from the fuel truck, I thought maybe if you borrowed it you might want to sign for it now. It's camp policy, I always thought of that model as more a lady's pistol anyway."

Sexist. Cassandra side eyed Jeremiah as he handed Madison the the book to sign and that was the moment when Madison took it that she knew they were staying. That Madison would play by there rules for.

For now.

♱

Back in the cabin Cassandra sat on the bed, watching as Madison smoked a cigarette, she heard the door creak open seeing Nick and Alicia,

"Mom—"

"Close the door"

Nick and Alicia walked in both of them shooting Cassandra questioning looks, knowing they knew whatever it was their mother was thinking,

They both also understood that she was grieving, Madison sat on the opposite bed, Nick sitting beside her and Alicia sitting next to Cassandra leaning her head on her shoulder, the older girl instantly wrapped an arm around her

"I'm okay, I'm okay"

"You asked me if I had a plan Nick—"

"Mom, that's was before." Nick reached out grabbing ahold of Madison's hand, he knew what she was feeling. He nearly just lost Cass, he glanced up at his wife as she held his little sister. These were the most important people in his life and he would do anything to protect them — he wasn't leaving. Never again. "We don't—"

"It was the right question. We're going to stay here"

"What?" Nick looked to his mother in shock, he knew Cass wanted to stay but he also knew that if Madison said to go, Cassandra would go. But now his mother was agreeing to it. He saw no way out

"We're going to make it our home, even if we have to take it over" Madison said, her eyes connecting with Cassandras, who nodded and agreed with her words. Their was no place like this anymore

Nick turned to Alicia, hoping that she would have sense because it seemed his mother and wife did not.

"Mom. That's insane." Alicia whispered,

"There is no place out there like this anymore" Cassandra voiced her agreement making Alicia stare at her

"You can't seriously think this is a good idea?" Alicia was shocked, Cassandra was normally the only other person with a voice of reason

"No, it's our fate, we suffered to get here. Travis died getting here, Cass nearly did to, we have to accept it. We have to be stronger, tell me how to happened. Tell me everything"

Sorry for the short chapter not much I can really do with the beginning where they first join the ranch

I also feel like I'm skipping scencs to much please let me know if you think I need to add more to scences if it seems like I'm not adding enough in a scene if I need to be more detailed

Also plz let me know If you want to see anything specific

And let me know what you think of her character development if it's to fast or slow if I'm doing something wrong.