"Are you sure you're ok?" he asked.
"I'm sure it's just morning sickness."
"It's the middle of the afternoon."
Cassie didn't answer.
"Look, Cass, I'm getting worried. All these headaches and nausea. Don't think that just because I've been caught up in practicing I haven't been able to pay any attention to you."
"It's nothing. I'm fine. Really."
Zac stroked her hair.
"And you're also pregnant... look, maybe we should have a doctor check you out, just in case."
"Zac, I'm fine. Don't worry."
"I can't not worry!"
There was silence for a moment.
"Cassie, I love you. I just want to make sure you're ok."
Cassie sighed and sat against the wall. She closed her eyes, and Zac noticed a couple of tears trickling down her cheeks.
"Cassie?"
She opened her eyes.
"Zac, I, I, I have a brain tumour."
"What?"
"I have a brain tumour."
Zac stared at her in shock.
"I found out late last December. Just a couple of days after Christmas."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"I, I, I didn't know how." She practically sobbed. "How can you tell someone that you're, that you're, that you're dying?"
"Dying? No, oh Cassie, no. Please take it back, take it back."
"I'm, I'm sorry Zac."
"There's got to be something that can be done. Can't they remove it?"
"There isn't anything Zac. I, I, they said I only have twelve months to live."
"Twelve months?"
"So, until the end of the year. Oh, Zac, I'm so sorry. I used you."
"What?"
"I, I used you. Oh, you know I always wanted to be a mom... I figured there would be enough time..."
Cassie started crying. Zac wrapped her up in his arms.
"Oh Cassie, don't cry... please don't. Cassie, I love you ok? Don't you ever forget that. And I really glad you're, you're having a baby. Our baby."
"But I used you. And you never even wanted to be a dad so soon." She whimpered.
"Yeah, well, that doesn't matter. It never did."
"It did to me."
"Cassie... you want this more than anything else in the world. I'm glad I could give you something..."
And for the first time in ages, Zac started crying too.