Past Transgressions - Mature 18+

Chapter 23

Taking her time getting out of Jake's car at the party, Case's assisted Brace, steadying her in heels on the uneven surface, Brace immediately felt eyes on her dissecting her every move and wonder about Case and where he fit in. Pasting a smile on her face, she started up the walk trailing behind the others talking quietly with Case, trying not to ignore the knot of dread that had formed in the pit of her stomach. Gathering her courage, Brace walked through the door to the party going on inside, surveying the room and seeing Lex, the guys and of course Trina close, although not right beside Lex, in their usual location. Jake and Case headed to the kitchen to get themselves and the girls a drink,  while directing the Topaz and Brace to find them seats. The girls headed to a vacant couch that was partially blocked by a 1/2 wall from Lex and the crew ensuring a bit of privacy from having to see Lex and Trina together and settled into seats there.

Case and Jake entered back into the main party room, drinks in hand and looking for where the girls had settled. Finding them in their quiet alcove away from their usual spot they headed in their direction, handing over their drinks and taking seats beside them. Case's frustration increased seeing where Brace had chosen to sit knowing that it wasn't going to help his and Topaz's mission with her sitting there all night out of Lex's line of vision, so making eye contact with Topaz he set his drink on the table and turning to Brace, took her drink and set it beside his as he told her he was in the mood to dance.

Smiling Brace encouraged him to go, but he adamantly refused to go without her, but after a lot of prodding from him and Topaz's agreement to come out with them they hit the dance floor.  To Brace's surprise it was just what she needed, the music was upbeat and was made for dancing so they took advantage of it enjoying letting loose. Case was a fantastic dancer, and it didn't take long for him to draw a lot of female attention but he focused entirely on Brace and Topaz, covertly glancing over at Lex to ensure that his attention was on Brace dancing in the middle of the floor. Just as they had gotten in the groove the tempo changed as a slow song came on, Topaz fanning herself, excused herself claiming she was overheated to grab a drink while Case caught Brace up in his embrace before she focused on what song it was exactly. As they started to dance the words clicked in Brace's mind and her head dropped to Case's shoulder as she felt the weight of each word sung as if it was meant just for her. Glancing up, her eyes caught something in the door way of the porch, Lex! Their eyes lock both reflecting pain and unsure what to do to fix it, Brace lowered her gaze breaking their connection and answered the question Case had asked her.

Case hadn't missed the exchange between the two, and while it hurt to know he wouldn't stand a chance he finally could see that there would never be anyone for her but Lex, that he had her heart completely and totally. This dance, while not planned had set up the scene he needed it to in order to allow them to talk and work through what had happened. As the song ended, Brace plead exhaustion and Case escorted her back to their seat, making eye contact with Topaz he excused himself on the pretext of going to the washroom and then would get refills for their drinks on his way back. Topaz knew this was her cue to run interference if "little miss trailer park" thought to interfere, and to be honest Topaz was kind of hoping she would to give her a reason to put hands on the classless troll.

Case finished up pretending to use the washroom, needing to give Lex some time to watch for him to make his return to the party he descended the stairs and headed into the kitchen, casually looking over at their seats to make sure that everything was as he left it and that Topaz was ready to run interference if needed. She gave a slight nod of her head seeing him entering the kitchen, a slight smile crossing her face when less than 2 minutes later Lex entered behind him.

"She's a special girl I hope you know and understand that" Case heard Lex's familiar voice behind him say.

"Yes she is, and yes I understand that" Case replied, turning and making eye contact with Lex as he casually leaned up against the kitchen counter beside him, playing with the tab on the can of beer he had pulled from the cooler.

"She has been through a lot, and she deserves to be happy" Lex continued

"I agree, and yes she does deserve happiness"

"I won't interfere with you two, just make her happy! And I swear if you break her heart I will break you!" Lex threatened

"Well you won't have anything to interfere in as there is no her and I, she doesn't love me. She never has. So I guess I should be making that threat to you."

"She doesn't love me, at least not anymore. She trusts you, you are her knight in shining armor" Lex said bitterly

"She does love you and she trust you, the only reason I was her knight in shining armor the first time is she couldn't tell you, otherwise it would not have been me rescuing her but you."

"Maybe, but the second time it was certainly a clear choice with both of us right there."

With a sad smile Case said, "It was, and it was made out of hurt. She left a party because she was hurt, she saw you with your "friend" and was hurt when you ignored her in favour of your friend."

"Trina is just a friend!"

"Yeah, I don't think Trina knows that. On top of that women see things differently! She told me of your reaction when men would look at her at parties, now imagine how you would feel if the position had been reversed and it had been me all over her in front of you at a party."

"Well whatever the reason, she has made her choice now and I just want you to make sure she is happy." was Lex's resigned reply

"You really don't get it do you? I can't make her happy, no one can. It is you, it has always been you, it will always be you. There will never be anyone else for her but you." Case said in rising irritation, damn how hard-headed this guy was.

"You're wrong, you haven't heard her talk about you, the look on her face when she says your name so sweetly, you would think you hung the moon and stars."

"Because in her world I do, like her brother does. That is how she sees me, I am another brother, that is all I am to her because you have her heart!"

"You're wrong!"

Case unable to make Lex understand any other way broke the one promise of secrecy that he meant to take to his grave, to ensure Brace's happiness he would do that and take the consequences, whatever they might be.

"If she was so in love with me, then why on Xavier's birth certificate instead of listing my name as the father, which I was more than willing to do, did she list your name instead? For a child she loved more than life herself, she gave your last name to him."

"What?" Lex said with a start, "what did you say?"

"When Xavier was born and she didn't want Vice's name anywhere near him, she loved Xavier despite who his father, she decided to give him a last name of someone she loved just as dearly and while I would have been more than happy and willing to let her use my name as the father on his birth certificate, it was your name she listed."

Lex grabbed the counter for support as the full extent of what Case said to him sunk in. She loved him! She always had, and always would.

Pulling away from the counter, he headed out of the kitchen door searching for her. She wasn't sitting with Jake anymore, then something red on the dance floor caught his eye as he saw her back up dancing with Topaz. He headed towards her with a determined stride, Topaz seeing him coming took a position to be able to block the way should someone decide to do something foolish like interrupt the moment.

Brace dancing, slowly turned in a circle catching sight of Lex heading straight for her, she stopped and faced him as he dropped to his knees in front of her just as the song came to an end as if on cue.

"Marry me?" Lex asked quietly

"Wha-What?" Brace stammered out

"Marry me, Brace?" Lex repeated

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A/N - Please comment and/or vote so I know what you think of the chapter(s) so far.