Pete “Cal” Calvin (Logan-Marshall Green) has been through it this season on Marshals. From the reappearance of troubled former Navy SEAL team mate Garrett (Riley Green) to Cruz’s (Ash Santos) abduction by the Cleggs to learning the truth about Kayce’s (Luke Grimes) dark family legacy, Cal has handled these struggles as best he could while shouldering his own burdens and protecting his team. However, his priority has always been fostering a relationship with daughter, Maddie (Morgan Lindholm). “Cal put together this Marshals posse because of only one person, and it wasn’t Kayce,” said Marshall-Green. “He’s only there in Montana in an effort to get closer to Maddie.”

As the season progresses, Cal breaks down barriers with Maddie while maintaining a respectful distance. His success is in large part due to his relationship with Belle Skinner (Arielle Kebbel) who serves as his confidante. “He allowed her to chaperone him through this relationship with his daughter,” said Marshall-Green. However, an ill-timed drunken kiss threatens Belle’s and Cal’s bond. “There was a growing connection from the start,” noted Marshall-Green. “They really connected in that moment, even though they didn’t allow it to evolve.”

Just when it seemed Cal was making progress in his life and career, he received a devastating cancer diagnosis, which he faced alone for far too long. When asked what kept Cal from sharing his health news with those closest to him, Marshall-Green pointed to the fact that “a lot of soldiers carry way too much pain” due to “pride.” “We have incredibly advanced modern techniques to teach these men and women how to become warriors, but we don’t teach them how to come home and how to let go,” explained Marshall-Green.

Marshall-Green hopped on a zoom with DECIDER to discuss Cal’s upcoming cancer battle, share where Cal stands with Kayce after the dark revelations about the Dutton family, and more.

DECIDER: So much has been revealed about Cal since we last spoke. I want to start off with the Garrett of it all. It speaks to Cal’s leadership that he protected Garrett as much as he could from the consequences of the mistake that led to Rohner’s death. However, Cal still played a hand in getting Garrett discharged. Is Cal at peace knowing he did all he could for Garrett?

LOGAN MARSHALL-GREEN: Yes, absolutely. He’s especially at peace now, knowing not just that the truth has been revealed, but that he and Kayce don’t have that kind of underlying tension between them anymore. As much as I hated seeing Riley Green go, Double G had a lot of demons that he struggled with, but he finally has found some peace. Not to give anything away, but you’ll see that he’s still exists in spirit on the show next season.

When I spoke to Riley earlier this season, he credited you with helping him craft Garrett’s relationship with Cal because you kept your distance a little bit.

I did. I knew that Riley was coming into a field that he’s not normally accustomed to. I knew he wasn’t going to be alienated by my detachment because he always had Luke there, who was incredibly supportive. By the way, I have nothing against Riley Green. I just knew that keeping my distance and keeping an awkwardness, if you will, between us would benefit him as he figured out his character.

I didn’t really introduce myself. I rarely spoke to him on set. I wasn’t trying to be manipulative or go method or anything. He’s a smart, talented guy, so I knew he would get what I was doing, and he did. I was trying to put a wall up between us because I knew we were going to eventually knock it down.

How do you think Cal’s taking responsibility for what happened to Rohner shaped him post-service?

Well, Cal has always had his own demons. He dealt with his own addictions after his military service. He found purpose again with the Marshals posse and really got his shit together. You see him popping pills again, but it’s for a different reason. It’s for pain. He’s not abusing the medication. He needs it because of this new burden he’s facing.

Last time I spoke to you, Cal didn’t know what the train station was or the dark side of the Dutton legacy. How is Cal able to justify moving forward with Kayce after learning this?

There’s something to be said about the two of them having gone through Afghanistan. Let’s be honest, there are a lot of “train stations” in Afghanistan or in any war. After these new revelations about the Dutton family are out in the open, Cal’s and Kayce’s brotherhood has once again been strengthened. They’re going to carry that together moving forward. We’ll see if it comes back around and bites them in the caboose.

It feels like Cal doesn’t tell Kayce the whole truth about the death of Neil, a former Yellowstone ranch hand , given that ominous shot of the blood pooling under the ice. Is he protecting Kayce like he protected Garrett?

Yes, I saw it exactly that way. Cal didn’t want to burden Kayce with another horrible truth. Both Kayce and Cal are going to keep dealing with all the terrible things the Duttons did to maintain their land and protect themselves. As team leader, Cal felt like Kayce didn’t need to know what Cal had to do to Neil to protect Kayce. Cal wants to relieve Kayce of this Dutton curse.

Another big reveal about Cal is that he is Maddie’s father. How long had he wanted to repair things with her before this move to Montana?

Oh, I think his whole life. He didn’t have the ability to balance work and family when she was young. He was a soldier through and through. I don’t think a day went by that he didn’t think about her. Cal only put together this Marshals posse because of one person, and it wasn’t Kayce. He’s only there in Montana in an effort to get closer to Maddie. Both Spencer [Hudnut] and I have spoken about that. I don’t think a day has gone by that Cal has not strategized about getting back in Maddie’s life.

Before we get into this week’s episode, I need to talk about that kiss between Cal and Belle. What do you think draws them to each other?

Well, a little booze [laughs]. There’s no doubt they are a little lubricated when they kiss, but there is a growing connection from the start. He allows her to chaperone him through this relationship with his daughter. Plus, she’s a badass, and she’s a Marshal. As much as I don’t think any either of them wants to shit where they sleep, I think that it was inevitable in many ways. They both need to depressurize, and in that moment, they both do. They really connect in that moment, even though they don’t allow it to evolve.

Given their closeness, it makes sense that Cal would open up to Belle about his cancer diagnosis. Why does he wait so long to share this news?

Pride. He’s team leader, and he’s soldier. A lot of soldiers carry way too much pain. We have incredibly advanced modern techniques to teach these men and women how to become warriors, but we don’t teach them how to come home and how to let go. A lot of these men and women don’t know how to deal with their toughest enemy, which is pride.

Since their relationship is so new, Cal is naturally reluctant to tell Maddie about his health. Is there a part of him that believes his medical news could bring them closer together? Or is he worried about pushing her away?

I’ve thought about it. I have someone who is very close to me whose father went away from her life when she was young. At 17, he re-entered her life to tell her that he had cancer. Of course, that’s a completely different person and experience, but it resonates with me.

I don’t think Cal wants to manipulate Maddie. He’s not asking for any kind of emotional support from her. He just wants to connect with her. I’m not sure how he’s going to tell her. I look forward to speaking to Spencer about that. It’s something that needs to be nuanced, because—knowing Cal a little bit now as a man and as a father and a soldier—I also don’t think he’d want to burden her.

Cal obviously is a soldier, but is he ready to face this battle with cancer? Does he have the team he needs to help him?

I don’t think so. I don’t think anybody’s ready to take it on until you do. I’ve been through, unfortunately, a lot of situations with cancer with family members, so I’ve seen this fight up close more than I’d care to. I think Cal’s got a good chance because he’s got an incredible team behind him. It will be up to him to allow them to help. He’s got some incredible support with just Belle alone right now.

I don’t want Cal to have any bravado with this cancer. I always want stakes as high as they can go. I’m hoping that Spencer and the writers really take him—at the very least—to the very edge because that’s what it feels like when you have cancer. You’re on the edge, and your medical team is planning the attack as you go. The handbook on cancer is not written, and it will never be written. Everybody has a different experience with cancer, as well as the people close to them who stay until whatever the end looks like.

Next week’s episode is the season finale. What can you tease?

I can tell you that you will have to check back in with Season 2 if you want to finish the story because things are just getting started. A lot of family—not just Cal’s, but Kayce’s too—will be put to the test.

Marshals airs CBS on Sunday nights at 8/7c