Pleased to meet you... again

Forty-One

"Fuck!" Casey whispered and threw cover over a naked Xander and she heard the bedroom door open and she pulled the covers up to her neck.

"Mom!" Dawn jumped on the bed. "Who is here?"

"Can you go wait in the living room with Gran and I'll be through in a moment."

"Why don't you have your Pajamas on?" Dawn's face was a picture of innocence.

"Just go get your gran."

Dawn jumped off the bed and left the bedroom door ajar. Xander peeked their head up from beneath the covers.

"I didn't think we slept so long. Xan are you okay about Dawn and my mom knowing? Or do you want to hide here."

"They're going to know soon enough, do you think Dawn is going to be okay with things?"

"Yeah she's she loves you. We both do."

The brunette smiled, "good because I love you both too."

"You better stick your clothes on from last night. And come through." Casey said as she stood up and walked to the dresser for some PJs.

The brunette watched her naked partner stroll back to the bed, "you're stunning."

"That kind of talk will get you everywhere but not right now. I'm going to go wash my hands and face." The blonde smirked,  "and brush my teeth. I recommend you do the same." Casey gave Xander a quick kiss.

The brunette did as instructed, they looked in the mirror on the ensuite before taking a hair bobble from their pants and tying the now unruly hair into its well known top knot. They sighed, tasting the mint of their breath and wished that they could still taste the blonde.

Finally they left the room and headed into the living room, they weren't sure how they felt about seeing Joyce Hollinger, after all they were instrumental in keeping Casey from them eight years ago.

"Xander?" The older blonde smiled as the soccer player entered the room. Before looking at her daughter. She nodded. "So..."

"Xan!" Dawn ran to the brunette who swept them up off the ground in a swinging embrace.

"Alright kiddo." Xander said as she lowered the little blonde back to the ground.

Casey's mother watched the scene, her heart almost breaking. She knew this is what should have been. "Xander, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have..."

"It's okay."

"Mom, is Xander like your girlfriend?" Dawn asked.

Casey looked over at the soccer player who gave the slightest of nods. "They are my partner, yes."

"Mommy and Xander sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"

"Very good." The mum smirked.

Xander headed home about ten minutes later.

"You want to come for dinner?" Casey asked.

"Yeah that would be nice. I'll just go shower and change." They gave the blonde a kiss on the lips under the watchful gaze of the teachers mother and daughter. "See you later squirt," they hugged Dawn. "Joyce." They nodded before they left the house.

As they walked back to their apartment they couldn't help the smile that was straining their cheeks. They were on cloud nine. They thought about how everyone knew now so that was better than before, no sneaking around.

The shower and a quick snooze was called for, they set the alarm on their phone for 530 and set it down on the side of the bed. Before stripping off. They stood in the bathroom while they waited on the water heating up in the shower, then smiled as they noticed every single mark that Casey had left on their body.

They acknowledged that they were happy for the first time in a long time. They smiled at their reflection, before stepping into the shower and washing away last night's activities confident that there would be more in the not too distant future.

Casey had also had a shower, wishing that Xander was with her, maybe later. They said to themselves as the dressed and started preparing dinner, she'd put the chicken in the oven and was just preparing a variety of veggies to roast along side.

"Mom?" Dawn was at her side. "Can I tell people at school about Xander?"

She knew her daughter wasn't a particularly popular kid, that she'd struggled as parents of her classmates judged her coming from a lone parent family. "Let's wait a bit, honey."

"Okay mom, I am happy that you are happy."

"Thank you." She kissed her daughter on the head.

"Everything alright do you need a hand?" Her own mother asked as she joined a trio of blonde women in the kitchen.

"You could set the table if you like."

Joyce smiled and nodded as she started to get out cutlery and glasses.

It was almost 6pm now and the teacher was excited about seeing the soccer player. She busied herself in the kitchen lifting the chicken out of the oven to rest. She heard the door knock and smiled. Although it has only been a few hours she couldn't wait to see them.

Dawn opened the door and claimed the first hug. Before Casey, unable to contain herself, almost jumped into the brunette's and kissed their lips.

"Well I could get used to this welcome." Xander smiled broadly as she hugged both the Hollinger women. One at either side. "Dinner smells amazing."

The evening went smoothly and by the end of the meal the soccer player had all but forgotten that they disliked Joyce. When the older blonde left they offered the brunette a hug and a peck on the cheek. "This is what it always should have been, I'm sorry I wasn't a stronger person Xander. You two were always meant for each other."

Dawn was next to leave and Xander helped with the bedtime routine by reading a few Chapters of Harry Potter. Doing some voices as they went.

It was almost 10pm by the time the pair settled down on the sofa. They spoke about the day and how good it felt. Held each other's hand.

Casey rested her head on the brunette's "You staying?"

"I've got training first thing."

"Well I'm up for work anyway. I'd like you to stay."

"Then I'll stay." Xander stroked the blonde's hair.

Casey smiled up, "I love you. I've always loved you."

"I love you too."