The Cassidy Chronicles

Cassidy grabbed her jacket and walked out to her car. She needed to go to the banquet hall. Hopefully it would be open and the jacket would still be there. Cassidy drove in silence, images of the scene in her head playing repeatedly. Each time more and more details came out and each time the ending was increasingly horrific.

Cassidy pulled into the parking lot of the hall. The building was quiet. There was only one other car in the parking lot and Cassidy gasped. Standing next to the car was the exact person she needed to see.

Cassidy got out of her car and stared at the tall man. She was only five foot four and he seemed to be at least two feet taller. He was wearing faded blue jeans with a brown and green knit sweater. He had dark shoes on as well. His hair was almost white blonde and was cut short to look professional. Cassidy could see from a distance that his eyes were either gray or blue. He was wearing glasses that, instead of making him look geeky and nerdy, actually made him look more stunning that he did the night before.

Cassidy was suddenly afraid of him. It was silly really, but she had no idea how he was going to react. She also wanted to know why he was there. A million ideas filled her brain and she wondered if he was a stalker wanting to hurt her. That was a silly idea, but she didn't really know what to say. She stepped forward away from the safety of her car. She was being childish, but she left the car door open just in case.

"Do you work here?"

His voice was like velvet and it made Cassidy shiver. She tried to remember what he sounded like the night before, but the dream was the only thing that she remembered about him. It was horrible really when you think about it. She had met a man that she was truly attracted to, both physically and emotionally, and all she could remember was that he had a leather jacket on last night.

"No. You left your leather jacket there last night."

Cassidy was trying to sound sincere and sweet. She was horrible at flirting and remembered back to when she had first met Jason. It was at a dance club where Molly had dragged her when Jeremy was gone away on business. She knew that her best friend led a double life. When her husband was home, she was the doting wife and homemaker, along with running their business. When he was gone, she pretended to be single, going out to clubs, volunteering for things, nothing involving any other guy, just the things that single gals get to do.

With Jason, both of them had been drunk and she barely remembered what had happened. She had ordered a drink from the bar and he had offered to pay for it. She had said yes and the next thing she remembered was waking up no longer a virgin. It was not a pleasant thought and if this stranger hadn't reacted to her facial expression, she would not have realized that she was looking forlorn and upset.

"Are you O.K.?"

"I need to tell you something and please don't think I'm crazy. My name is Cassidy Caldwell and I need to tell you something about your future."

"Are you going to offer me a ride in your DeLorean now?"

Cassidy shook her head confused. What was he talking about?

"What?"

"I'm Ryan Gates. I was quoting the movie 'Back to the Future Part 2'. I guess you've never seen it. There's a scene where Marty McFly, played by Michael J. Fox, is told by his friend Doc Brown that he has to go back to the future with him. It's a funny scene because in the whole first movie Marty spent time in the past trying to fix his parents' mistakes. Anyway, I'm assuming you don't have a key then. I really need my jacket."

"No, I don't have a key. Why do you need your jacket so badly? I mean you left it there last night. It can't be too important." Cassidy was sounding snotty again and she didn't mean it. This was why guys didn't fall head over heels for her. In an attempt to be funny, she was sounding like a complete bitch.

"Around the time you demonstrated how klutzy you are, I got a call from work asking me to check on something. In the rush to leave, I forgot it. It has my wallet and some personal items. That's all."

"I'm not a klutz."

"Yes you are."

Right then, another car drove into the parking lot. It was a silver SUV. It was a fancy car, but not fancy enough to be Sonya or her husband's. They owned BMW's and Porsches. It was only the best for the Billings family. Who was coming to the banquet hall so early in the morning was not a concern for her. She hadn't actually thought why Ryan was so conveniently there at the same time as well. She didn't really care. She needed to tell him something and would do so after he got his jacket.

Ryan and Cassidy watched as an older man exited the vehicle. He was in casual pants and a polo shirt. He looked like he had just walked off a golf course.

"There is no loitering on the property. We got a call about some disturbances. Please identify yourselves." As the older man spoke, he pulled out an identification badge, which showed he worked for a security company.

"I'm Cassidy Caldwell. I was a volunteer here last night. I just came over because someone left a jacket in the cloakroom and I wanted to see if he had gotten it."

The older man examined Cassidy. She did look odd and out of place. Her purple hair was curly and messy. It had been hidden well last night, but now the combination of blonde and purple hair, along with her jeans and flashy shirt made Cassidy look eccentric.

"And you are?" The security guard was glaring at Ryan, but he just glared back. Cassidy was so caught up with telling Ryan her vision that she didn't notice at all. She did listen intently at what he had to say.

"I'm Ryan Gates. I attended the gala last night as a guest. I left my jacket in the cloakroom and I do apologize if I set off the alarm when I tried to open the doors. I don't think one of the bolts was done up correctly so when I pulled on the door the sensor was set off. We don't need to go in there, but if you could grab the worn brown leather jacket that is in the cloakroom, I would be very appreciative."

"Fine."

Cassidy watched as the security guard marched over to the front doors and after unlocking them, he rushed in, obviously to turn off the alarm and then make his way to the cloakroom. Ryan then turned to her.

"Is he rude or is it just me?" Ryan had a goofy smile and Cassidy giggled. She was twirling a blonde strand of hair between her fingers and didn't even notice she was chewing on her bottom lip. Ryan was leaning against his car, looking down at Cassidy.

"I didn't notice actually." It was the truth. Cassidy was transfixed on Ryan and was trying to keep the task at the forefront of her mind.

"That's fine. So who was the girl you were with in the cloakroom last night?"

Cassidy stepped back from Ryan and pouted. In the few minutes since the security guard had gone into the building, she had noticed him flirting with her. She hadn't said anything dumb in a few minutes and although she wouldn't admit to being a klutz, she was happy she hadn't fallen over or hurt herself. She was actually wondering if he was being nice to her because he wanted to. In an instant, she assumed that he thought Molly was cute. It always happened and even though it wasn't a surprise to her, it still hurt.

"She's married."

Cassidy blurted out those words and was about to apologize, but the doors of the banquet hall slammed shut and the man walked towards them carrying the leather jacket.

"Here."

He pushed the jacket into Ryan's hands and then walked to his car and drove off. Cassidy did see that he was a little rude, but she had always made excuses for people like that.

"I guess he was in a hurry. I'm sure having to show up at a site so early on a Saturday morning isn't the best way to spend a Saturday."

"I used to work with him. I got him fired. I'm surprised he got a job as a security guard, but some companies are desperate. Considering he is working the weekend shift, he probably was just hired. He has a reason to be pissed off. I wasn't asking about your friend because I'm interested in her. Learning about someone's friends is the best way to get to know them." Ryan grinned. His tone of voice changed from forceful to quite sweet. He was trying to figure out this weird dressed woman, but so far, he couldn't. She wasn't wearing a wedding ring, but that didn't mean she was necessarily single. She looked a little younger than him, but that could be incorrect as she might be older, but wanting to look younger by dying her hair purple. He was normally quite skilled at reading people. It was his job and he prided himself on this.

"Oh." Cassidy was speechless. Was he implying that he was interested in her? This was all so puzzling.

"So now that I have my jacket back do you want to go for breakfast?"

"Um."

"Or not. That's fine. I just figured that you probably didn't wake up early on a Saturday morning for fun. I'm going to the diner down the street. You can join me if you want." Ryan could sense she was nervous. He was being a little too forward and decided to back off a bit.

"Sure".

Ryan bit his tongue not wanting to make a sarcastic comment about her sudden lack of vocabulary. She had suddenly become monosyllabic.

Ryan grinned and got into his car, leading the way down the street to the diner. He watched her in his rear view mirror and was happy that she wasn't fussing with her hair or make-up. He hated self-absorbed women, which was one reason why he was so attracted to Cassidy. He pulled into the parking lot first and got out, waiting to see where Cassidy was going to park. She parked next to him and got out of her car. They walked in silence into the restaurant.

Johnny's was a small restaurant that had the best breakfast in town. You went to the counter and ordered your meal. There were six choices along with your choice of beverage. You would pay and then sit down. When your number was called, you would go pick up your food. The chairs were old and worn and some of the tables wobbled. There was no mood music or fancy decorations. This was the type of restaurant that college students and old married couples went to. On the weekends, it was crowded with pretty much every group in town.

Cassidy ordered first and decided that an omelet with toast was a good choice. Ryan ordered the same and then they sat down.

"So are you going to tell me what you needed to tell me or have my good looks made you forget?" Ryan grinned. Cassidy was trying to flirt with him, but at the same, she was so nervous she wanted to faint. At least her words and facial expression were hinting at that.

"I have to tell you something." Cassidy's words were urgent all of a sudden and it made Ryan a little nervous himself. He leaned in and listened.

"I'm not crazy. Please. I should have told you this when we first met. I wanted to tell you last night, but I couldn't find you. That's why I ran into the table and knocked down the vase. I was looking for you. You're in danger."

Ryan looked at Cassidy and laughed. Of course he was in danger. He had a dangerous job and although he took his career very seriously, he knew that there were always risks. One of those risks happened earlier this morning when he had run into one of his old coworkers.

"I know. I'm always in danger." Ryan smiled, trying to make Cassidy calm down. Their order had been called and instead of letting her answer, he got up quickly and grabbed both their plates. He got back and placed the two meals on the table.

"I'm serious. Please don't think I'm crazy." Cassidy was begging with her eyes for him not to judge her and he relaxed.

"Tell me."

"I'm psychic. I touched your jacket last night and had a premonition. It was a vision of something bad happening to you. It was scary and horrifying. You need to stay out of danger."

Ryan looked at Cassidy. She didn't look drunk or drugged up. She had driven to the restaurant without showing any signs of erratic behaviors. She had been calm and level headed throughout their discussions, except of course right now. There was no reason for him not to believe her, except for the psychic part.

"Who told you about me?"

"What?"

"No. Listen to me. Everything I used to say came true. I'd blurt out something about someone breaking up with their boyfriend and it would come true. I would say something about a news story and it would be right. Now, when I touch something sentimental that belongs to someone else, I have a vision. Normally the vision is a flashback of their life and a quick flash-forward of a few details. It was different with you. You're going to die."

Ryan gulped back his coffee. Her tone of voice was almost a whisper and she kept looking around to see if anyone was paying attention. No one was since the group of customers this morning ranged from hung over colleges students to old ladies sitting around gossiping about their neighbors. No one paid any attention to the purple haired woman who was leaning over the table whispering quietly to the tall, muscular, blond haired man.

Ryan had no reason not to believe her, but he wondered what she knew that he didn't. He was always keeping one step ahead of the bad guys, but he wondered if she was here to tell him to be more careful. He didn't respond, but chewed his toast. It was crunchy with the right amount of butter and jam. He continued thinking. He appreciated her honestly and was happy to hear that someone was looking out for him. He had been careless leaving his jacket at the ball last night. He had checked his wallet in there and everything was still in place, but it was still not in his character to forget things.

"What do you know about me Cassidy?" Ryan had finished eating and was looking into her brown eyes. He was making her nervous which was a small thrill for him. Most women were scared of him and when they found out what he did, he became even more feared.

"Enough to make me scary." Cassidy was dead serious as she said those words and Ryan decided changing the topic was best.

"So who begged you to volunteer at the ball last night? I'm sure that was your last choice for what to do on a November evening."

"My best friend Molly's mother's best friend Sonya was the one who organized the charity ball. She needed someone to help in the cloakroom and so Molly made me go. I've been staying quiet the last few months and she didn't really give me a choice. It was a fun evening until I got kicked out."

"You got kicked out? You don't look to be the rowdy type, but maybe it's the stunning purple hair." Ryan grinned, hoping she knew he was joking.

"I'm not normally a troublemaker. My stupid ex boyfriend was there and the moment I saw him, I turned into a brainless teenager. I was dim-witted and made a bad decision."

"I only saw part of the incident from the other side of the room. What exactly happened?"

"I was looking for you. I turned around and Jason was in my face. I got so startled that I stepped back into a table and made one of the centerpieces fall over. Sonya hates me to begin with. I'm the daughter of a delusional old woman who was never one to pretend to like someone. Molly was just being nice asking me to go out last night. I haven't really left the house in over two months."

Ryan knew there was more to the story. He didn't need to have a degree in psychology to know that there was a reason for her not leaving the house. There was a specific purpose for her mentioning about her mother. Things were coming together, but part of her story still didn't add up.

"Well thank you for breakfast. I know I paid, but just the same it was nice to have some company." Ryan stood up and Cassidy took the hint that they were leaving. They walked out into the cold November day. It was sunny, but cold. Cassidy hated those days because it was like Mother Nature pretended to look all sweet and innocent, giving us a sunny day. Of course behind that innocent smile was an evil grin, an evil grin of below zero temperatures.

"You don't believe me do you? I sound crazy to you. You think I'm just some peculiar woman who runs around scaring handsome men into thinking they're going to die." Cassidy blushed bright red the moment she said handsome. She was thinking that thought from the moment he first saw her, but now it was more real, she had said it aloud, and to him. She looked away and was happy that they were standing in the parking lot each next to their cars. Ryan's car separated them and it was a useful shield to hide her feelings.

"You intrigue me. You're not like any other girl I've met before. You don't seem to care about what others think. You're not putting on a show just for who I am. I like it." "You don't believe me. You're going to get shot in the line of duty."

Cassidy blurted out those words, then get into her car, and rushed off. She was barely paying attention to the cars and people around her. She got out of the parking lot in one piece and then rushed home. She knew that if he wanted to find her, he could. She hated saying what she said, but he seemed to be so infatuated with her that he wasn't thinking clearly. This was totally not a good thing at all. He needed to hate her.

Cassidy's visions were detailed in some aspects, but broad for others. The time, place, and location were usually general. The details of the location were sometimes so specific that it gave away the location, but other times it made trying to figure out the location much more difficult. The last vision Cassidy had had before Ryan Gates was regarding her brother's death. She saw her brother lying in a snow bank outside a large mansion. That was all she saw. She had to piece together the details of the situation to figure out what that meant. The next part of her vision was a strong feeling of happiness and completeness. That involved no actual image so much as her body being overtaken by that feeling.

Cassidy arrived home and stomped up the stairs to her home office. She checked her email and saw that there was an email from Jeremy discussing a case they would be working on next weekend. Cassidy smiled. She loved working with Jeremy and Molly. It was always enjoyable to be able to work with your two best friends. Cassidy's phone rang and she saw it was her mother. She rolled her eyes. She had practically hung up on her mother the last time they spoke. Her mother was a little overbearing, but this time she actually wanted to talk to her.

"Hi Mom."

"Well that's a better response to your dying mother. How are you dear?"

"Mother you are not dying. Stop being so melodramatic."

"Fine. So he doesn't believe you does he?" Delilah was sitting at her kitchen table, wringing her hands in worry. She hadn't been able to do anything, but worry for the last few hours. She could read her daughter's mind and knew that she was stressing out over this.

"I can't keep anything from you can I?" Cassidy rolled her eyes. She wasn't one to hide things from her mother in the first place, but it was a good thing to know that she would never be able to anyway.

"He's been through a lot Cassidy. His life has been in danger before. He wants to believe you, but is more concerned about you liking him."

"He doesn't like me. I'm so plain and boring."

"You didn't notice him flirting with you?"

"No."

"It's a wonder you even noticed Jason. My goodness. He likes you, a lot. Spend more time with him. Enjoy his company then slowly tell him your vision."

"I can't do that. I need to tell him and then get away from him. I can't be near him."

"Cassidy you are being stubborn again. For heaven's sake, you've been moping around your house for the last few months. Benjamin is happy, you know that. It was not your fault. I was happy when Molly told me she was going to drag you to that charity ball. Now when he calls say yes."