Right Here

Part 15: Cravings

"Soooo....I noticed you've been extra on the snacky snacky lately." Lauren pulls my mind away from my computer as she leans against my door frame. I'm surprised she's traveled this far out of her little cave.

"I don't know what you're insinuating." I say blindly and she comes in to the office closing the door behind her. She plops down in the first arm chair she sees, and examines me cautiously.

"I think we both know what I'm insinuating here. I've also taken notice- that you and Max... Have been... Rather close as of late. Especially after the whole Cassian thing."

"Again, I don't know what you're insinuating. Max and I have always been close."

"Oh God damn you, Helen. Will you just tell me what's going on." She sighs and leans back into the chair-letting her arms fall to the rest beneath them.

"Lauren... Shouldn't you be working?"

"Helen... Shouldn't you be honest about being pregnant?" Rolling my eyes at her, I'll get back to work and she just sits there staring at me relentlessly. I love Lauren to pieces, but she likes to stick her nose in everybody else's business. Granted, we are friends and we have both done so much for each other over the years that this little secret wouldn't be too bad if she knew – but if Cassian finds out from her big mouth, I'm going to be in a world of trouble.

"Lauren seriously, this is serious stuff right now. You know how psycho crazy Cassian is? He told me to get rid of the baby, and I didn't and I don't plan to. He told me before that if I didn't he's going to hurt me and it. So if he finds out about it, everything's going to be ruined."

"So it is Cassian's."

"Yes. Max is such a great guy that he is stepping in to be the father. He and I have worked a lot of things out these past few months. I really love him." Her facial features soften, and she smiles. Lauren is always-quite often- pre-judgmental about everything and everyone, but she knows a good thing when she sees it.

"Well it's nice to know that someone's taking care of you. Anything I can help you with?"

"Yes keep this to yourself. I don't even want Iggy to know. The longer I can keep this a secret the better I'll have a chance of coming up with some kind of way to keep Cassian from finding out."

"But Helen, you're going to get bigger. Despite your petite little body – you're going to get a belly on you. You're going to become more irritable, more emotional, mood swings...you're gonna look pregnant. How are you going to hide all of that from him? And then on top of that, when you do have the kid how are you going to disguise the fact that-oh I don't know- he's half black half Korean?" Dammit, she does have a point. I never really actually thought this far ahead.

"I guess the only thing we can hope for is that he fucks up before we get that far- so I can fire him. Or that he doesn't want to be at the Dam anymore and leaves."

We both know that's unrealistic. Cassian has been playing the game for quite some time now. He knows how to manipulate people, he knows how to get others in trouble, and he's very good at hiding all of his tracks. I don't know how we're going to catch him doing something he's not supposed to. Although it is a game to him, so I know he'll come back to playing it soon.

"Well hopefully we figure out something soon. Hey... What if... What if we bait him?"

"What do you mean bait him?"

"You know-like maybe I set him up. Start flirting, making him think he can play his little game again and he starts running his mouth. His letter did say that if he speaks inappropriately in front of patients that he'd be terminated."