PART FOUR by ThomasMcNab
Prologue: "Redux"
Chapter One: "Unrequited"
Chapter Two: "One Son"
Chapter Three: "End Game"
Chapter Four: "Three of a Kind"
Chapter Five: "Revelations"
Epilogue: "The End"

Previously on 'The Caliente Affairs',
Alex and David Asher both confessed their true feelings for one another, but before anything happened Cassandra surprised Alex by turning up at his house. Alex had to brush David off as nothing more than a friend, leaving David feeling hurt & Alex wondering if his relationship was over before it had even begun. Nina was rushed back into hospital & needed another operation. It would leave Nina with a low chance of ever getting pregnant again. Even more disturbing was when the doctor found evidence of a previous abortion. Nina assured the doctor she had never been pregnant before but when Don found out he had doubts & phoned Dina. Dina didn't believe the doctor's but before she could give it much thought she received another call informing her Mortimer had been in a car crash.

Prologue: "Redux"

Alex couldn't believe he had considered telling Cassandra about his recent changes after seeing how she had reacted to a mere makeover. "Why are you wearing make-up?" She queried as she began to rub at Alex's cheeks with her fingers.

"Quit it! It's not a big deal, I'm still the same Alex." Except I'm gay, Alex yelled in his head. Sometimes he wished it was that easy, if Cassandra only knew how important that single moment with David had just been then. Maybe, in a prefect world, she'd be telling him to run and catch up with David instead of lecturing him about other things.
"I know, but surely living here has had an adverse effect on your behaviour." Cassandra said.
"My behaviour? Excuse me, Dr. Cassandra! I didn't know I was in session." Alex laughed.
"I'm serious. Maybe it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to talk to someone other than those crazy friends of yours." Cassandra advised.
"Are you suggesting I need psychiatric help just because I decided to put on a little eye-liner?"
"You're a boy, Alex." Cassandra retaliated.
"Yeah well, you're a... Poop-head!" Alex stuttered as he tried to think of a come back.

"Oh, that's real mature! What are we, seventeen and eight again?" Cassandra asked, comparing them to bickering children.
"No. I had hoped we were old enough to respect each other as human beings, but instead you're just trying to control me like you always do." Alex confessed.
"Control you! What is up with you?" Cassandra said defensively.
"I just don't get it, you came over here to lecture me about my clothes?"
"I came over to ask if you wanted to spend the night. Darren and Dirk are over and I wanted us all to spend some time together." Cassandra admitted.
"Right! And Dirk agreed to this did he?" Alex asked, gathering that Cassandra wouldn't even be asking if Dirk knew about it, as he would never say yes after what Alex pulled on him last year.
"I'm sure he will. You know I don't know what it is that's come between you two but I wish you would just sort it out."

"Alright! I'll come over, it doesn't look like I'm going to be doing anything tomorrow anyway." Alex replied dejectedly knowing only a few moments ago he was brimming with excitement over what he and David were going to do now they had both gotten their feelings out in the open.
"Well if you had plans with Meadow you could always invite her over too."
"Meadow? Cassandra, I don't date Meadow anymore."
"What! Since when?" Cassandra asked in shock.
"We broke up before Christmas."
"Well! No wonder you've done this to yourself, it's obviously a cry for help. And that explains why you were so quiet when you came over to see me." Cassandra said.
"What? Do you need help?" Alex said, trying to get Cassandra off the subject of his visit before Christmas, the visit in which he had almost told her he was gay.
"You thought I'd be disappointed, I understand now."
"Not you! Dina, do you need to sit down?" Alex asked Dina.
"No, I'm fine. That was roadside maintenance on the phone. They said they've found Mortimer's car."

"What? What's the matter?" Cassandra asked frantically as she stared at the phone, as if willing it to answer her.
"He's crashed it." Dina replied slowly.
"No!" Cassandra cried out as she pulled her hands close to her heart, panicking that her father may be dead.
"He was there and they say he's unhurt." Dina said. Seeing the faces of Cassandra and Alex she realised she should have caught her breath earlier and said everything in one go to avoid them panicking. Then again, she knew all the facts herself and even she felt her heart beating ten-to-the-dozen.

"Oh, thank god. Well what happened?" Cassandra asked.
"Apparently another driver cut him up as he was heading back. He came off the road and drove into a tree. The car's waiting to be towed but Mortimer's refusing an ambulance. He says he wants me to come pick him up."
"You! But how did he expect you to get down there when he's just crashed the car? Why didn't he phone me instead?" Cassandra began, almost talking to herself. Dina rolled her eyes and suppressed the urge to grab Cassandra and shake her.
"Would you focus on what's really important here for a second. We can call for a cab and go down there together." Dina argued and was about to call for a taxi until Cassandra stopped her.

"No. I'm going to call Darren, he can come by and pick us up." Cassandra said as she opened her hand for Dina to give her the receiver.
"Alright, we'll do it your way." Dina backed down and handed it over. She didn't care Cassandra was getting her way she just wanted to be by Mortimer's side. She didn't know what to expect. He didn't want an ambulance so he couldn't be too injured, unless he was simply putting on a front. She knew how sensitive Mortimer got about his age and health and wouldn't want to appear weak. If he was being stubborn and had really hurt himself she would never forgive him for not getting medical attention. As Cassandra dialed home she realised how fortunate it was she had been here and not at home, otherwise she might not have heard the news until... no, not until, Cassandra thought. Hearing Darren's voice on the other end of the line made Cassandra feel safe. She knew that whatever happened in her life, as long as she had Darren by her side there was no need to worry.

Chapter One: "Unrequited"

Sixteen-hours earlier, Cassandra hadn't a care in world. She let out a satisfied moan and held the hand of her fiance. For a few nights now, Darren and Dirk had been living in the Goth house with Cassandra. With Dirk finally open to accepting their relationship and the three of them under one roof Cassandra should have been ecstatic.

But as she looked into Darren's eyes she felt an emptiness inside, a piece of her life was missing and she wanted it back with her. As Darren went into the bathroom, Cassandra shuffled around and pulled back the covers. She was slightly hot after having woohoo with Darren... but not that hot, she thought as she reached down to the floor for her underwear. She also didn't feel comfortable being in the all-together with Dirk sleeping only a few feet away from her in Alex's old bedroom. She knew from experience that Dirk was a boy who didn't knock before he entered a room. At his house he may have felt like he didn't need to but here Cassandra couldn't recall the amount of times he kept walking in on her when she was in the bedroom or bathroom. Luckily, Dirk hadn't been given a show of anything he shouldn't see but sometimes, as ridiculous as it sounded in her head, she felt as if he was trying to catch her out on purpose.

As Darren returned in his sweater Cassandra laughed. "You're cold?"
"I was until about three seconds ago! You can talk. Have you just put your underwear back on so I can have fun taking it off you again?"
"Again!" Cassandra repeated in surprise. As Darren took off his sweater and laid next to Cassandra she couldn't feel the usual anticipation she felt when she was about to be with Darren.

"Did you get even more beautiful since I was gone?" Darren said as Cassandra couldn't help but roll her eyes and groan at the cheesiness of Darren's line. Coughing, he relaxed back and Cassandra held out her hand.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh at you. I'm just... would you be hurt if I said I wasn't in the mood?"
"Not really."

"I might be in a moment, I just need to ask you something first."
"Go ahead." Darren stated.
"It's just something that's been on my mind and I wouldn't feel right trying to do it whilst I'm thinking about something else."

"Cass, what is it?" Darren said, stopping Cassandra from ranting.
"I want to have Alex over. Not just for dinner, but for a whole day. I keep being reminded of him coming over before Christmas and feeling left out when I said I was eating with you and Dirk. If I went over and gave him a planned invitation then he wouldn't feel out of place." Cassandra said.
"You don't have to ask me if it's okay to have your brother over, this is your house. You could throw a party if you wanted." Darren joked.
"No. I just want you, me, Alex... and Dirk." Cassandra added with a pause, knowing how awkward that dinner table was going to be if they managed to get Dirk to sit with Alex.
"Oh, I see." Darren realised.
"You know what? Forget it. I..." Cassandra started as Darren interrupted.
"Cass, go over to see him tomorrow. Tell him to pack a bag and be here at four PM."

"Really! You mean it?" Cassandra wanted reassurance.
"And don't ever ask me again." Darren said as he sat forward and looked directly at Cassandra.

"You shouldn't feel like you have to ask. I'll tell Dirk tomorrow and he doesn't have a choice about liking it." Darren asserted.
"I don't want it to be that way though." Cassandra sighed with disappointment.
"Well until one of them tells us why they fell out then we're going to have to take charge and show them that mature people don't solve problems by simply avoiding them." Darren stated.

"Ooh, I love it when you get all philosophical and wise." Cassandra wooed as she took Darren's hand.
"Do you want me to tell you about the time I lectured my art class when the professor was running late? And I..."
"Ooh, I love it when a man knows when to be quiet because his girlfriend is trying to turn him on." Cassandra joked as she stopped Darren from talking with her lips.

"Ooh, I love it when we go twice in one night!" Dirk replied, pulling Cassandra close and kissing her gently on the forehead...

Chapter Two: "One Son"

At the bottom of the stairs, Darren had been waiting to corner Dirk and talk to him about Alex coming over for the night and, if he was lucky, find out what all their animosity was about. "Dirk, can I have a word with you?" Darren said as Dirk stopped in his tracks and rolled his eyes.

There were only three reasons a father would ever purposefully hunt down their son, Dirk knew. Either he had done something wrong, his dad had done something wrong or someone had died. Dirk just wanted to go watch TV so he prayed it was the latter of these... no-one important though, some third-cousin-twice-removed would constitute for a small enough moment of grief before Dirk could get back to more important things. "Cassandra's inviting company for dinner tonight." Darren said.
"Cool." Dirk said, taking one step back.
"Will you be here?" Darren checked.
"Sure." Dirk said, taking another.
"It's Alex." Darren finally added.
"No, I have plans." Dirk said with an annoyed look.
"Dirk!" Darren said in a harsh tone.
"No dad. You don't need me here."
"I would like... no. I demand that you attend tonight." Darren put his foot down.
"I have to finish a project for school with Orlando, we're partners in... class." Dirk lied.

"No you're not going out. We're all staying here and tonight Alex is coming over for dinner and then staying over and you two are going to get along." Darren laid down his rules.
"No! I could never get along with him. And you better not make us sleep in the same room otherwise I'll be walking home to go to sleep." Dirk said, trying to leave as he'd had enough of talking about it. Darren stopped him however.
"Why? What could Alex have done that was so heinous you have to act like this." Darren pleaded with Dirk.
"You wouldn't understand." Dirk exclaimed as Darren blocked him from leaving again.

"How am I supposed to understand when you won't tell me what the problem is?" Darren asked, making Dirk tense up. I'm not getting out of this... unless, Dirk began to think. Slowly he realised that he had to tell his dad what had happened that Thanksgiving night. If not to get him out of seeing Alex again, to at least finally get it off his own conscience.
"There's something you don't know about Alex." Dirk started as he bit his bottom lip. On the edge of admitting what had happened made Dirk realise he had to face up to his own feelings about that night, and the insecurities he now had about his own sexuality. But how on earth could he tell his dad that? Before Dirk got the chance to talk a phone ring came from Cassandra's kitchen and Darren held up his hand to stop his son. Breathing a sigh of relief, Dirk tried to plan out what he was going say. He paused when he heard his dad in the other room sounding panicked.

"Dad, what's the matter?" Dirk said as he walked over to his dad.

"That was Cassandra, I have to go pick her up. Mortimer's been in a car crash." Darren explained as he went to set off.
"Wait, is he okay?" Dirk asked with genuine concern.
"Cassandra said he's fine but he needs picking up as the car's being towed." Darren grabbed his car keys from the kitchen counter and added he'd be back soon with Cassandra and Alex.

"No, Dad. You can't." Dirk protested.
"Dirk, put your little vendetta aside and think about someone other than yourself for once in your life." Darren uttered as Dirk grew angry. One moment his dad wanted him talk and the next he was abandoning him.
"I am thinking about you, you're the whole reason I haven't told anyone..." Dirk began to explain but was interrupted by an impatient Darren.
"Dirk, I don't have time."