Flashback (A Road to Redemption follow up story)

Slade Makes His Move

CHAPTER 7: Slade makes his move

"Slade, I'm home!" I call as I enter our apartment.

"Good." He says as I come into the living room and see him.

I blink. Why's he wearing a suit? My smile from before falls flat. "Oh no. You got called away for business?" I fret. This was supposed to be when I explained to him how things are between me and Barry.

Slade smiles and shakes his head. "No, that's not it, love. I'm taking you out to dinner."

I raise my eyebrows. "Oh."

"Go on." He motions. "Get something on. I'm starving."

"Alright, alright." I say, putting down my purse and heading towards the bedroom. I pull off my t-shirt and pants and then go to my closet. I look up at my options and consider for a moment. I've acquired a few more dresses since I can actually wear such things to work now that I'm in upper management with A.R.G.U.S.. But this isn't for work. Hmmmm.... I pull down a yellow sleeveless dress that has a gauzy loose outer material and a low back. I go to my mirror and hold it up in front of myself. I find myself reminiscing as I look at my reflection. I bought this dress because it reminded me of the one I wore when I was in Hong Kong with Slade on our first date. That particular dress, of course, was ruined beyond recovery...

"It suits you." Slade says softly as he appears in the mirror behind me. "My ray of sunshine." I gasp as his hands find their way to my bare skin and settle at my hips. His one eye glints at me.

I swallow, my heart racing as he sweeps my hair to one side of my face and gently kisses my bare neck. My eyes close. Then he pauses for a moment and lifts his head. "Is that cherry blossoms? It's new."

My eyes fly open. It is. I got it yesterday and put it on before I went to meet Barry for coffee. It was impulsive and irrational, but I somehow wanted to smell just the same as when I'd dated him and...oh my god I feel so stupid and disloyal! Stupid, stupid, stupid, and foolish! My cheeks turn red with shame and I grin lamely. "Um...yeah. Well, I'll just put this on." I say, maneuvering away from Slade and pulling on the dress.

Slade just stands there and puts his hands in his pockets, his face calm and ignorant of my tiny treachery. I am such an idiot. Stupid hussy, throw that shit away ASAP...

"There," I say as I shake out my hair. "I'm ready."

His eyes go over me from head to toe. I think he will say something, but he does not, instead giving me a mysterious grin and offering me his arm.

***

This is all a little odd.

I understand that Slade wanted to eat and not wait for me to make anything, but why did he choose for us to go to the freakin' fanciest restaurant I've ever seen?

He sits across from me finishing up his meal. Five months of living together and I still can't read him when he doesn't want me to.

I look back down to my plate and shake my head.

"Would you like to dance?" He asks.

"Whuh?"

"They have a balcony for dancing." He rises and buttons his suit.

"They do?" What kind of place is this? Slade is offering me his hand. "Okay...I guess." I get up and follow him through a curtained entryway to a balcony in the open air where a few other couples are slow dancing.

"Give me just a moment," he says as he parts from me and heads towards the small band to speak with the violin player.

I look around and finally tell myself it's not my imagination. He is going to propose...I think. I mean, if he was smart he would be. And Slade is smart. But you know...don't get your hopes up to much in case it isn't...

Suddenly I hear the violin start playing. It is so soft, it is almost a whisper. Slade rejoins me as a few other instruments carefully begin to follow the delicate tune.

"What is this?" I ask him as he takes my hand.

"Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana."

I didn't understand a damn word he just said but whatever it was, it sounded beautiful coming out of his mouth.

I'm not a great dancer. But that doesn't matter now. Neither does all the regrets from earlier or the worries I've been holding in. In this moment, as I look up at him and we sweep across the balcony, the stars just peeking through twilight above us...there is just us. I want to remember this moment forever, want to stay in this moment forever.

"Chastity, are you alright?" Slade asks me suddenly.

I realize my eyes are wet. I sniffle and look away from him. "I'm fine, it's just this music."

Slade chuckles.

"You are going to propose pretty soon right?" I whisper, my voice cracking.

He leans his head down closer to me and whispers back, "I'd be an idiot not too."

"Yes, and you'd also be an idiot if you didn't think I was going to say yes."

I look back up at him and he smiles. "Chastity..." He whispers. "Will you be mine for the rest of my life?"

"That and longer."

We stop dancing as he holds me close and our lips meet.

THE END

It is done! YAY! Did you like it? Is it all you hoped for? I sure hope it was! If you want more there is even a bonus chap after this one that is a deleted scene in which Slade and Chastity meet for the first time!

Please comment and let me hear your thoughts!