Last Dance :)

Brendan Brady had lost everything that day, everything that mattered to him. He had lost the love of his life in one moment of madness and now nothing would ever be the same again. His life was over the minute he confessed to his sins and now he was living with the consequences of them. He didn't care what happened to him now; he could even smile in the face of death because that would be better than living a life without the one who had always been there for him. Steven Hay had gotten under his skin pretty much from the start and although their journey together was a rough one at times Brendan couldn't imagine his life with anyone else. He had been more than he thought he could be with Steven, who had shown him how to love, that the world could be good again and for Brendan living without that love was slowly driving him insane. Every day spent without him was a day that was wasted and Brendan didn't want to waste any more days. Nothing would keep him from Steven anymore and who ever got in his way would be a dead man.

It took a while to plan his escape, but every little thing he did helped him with his victory. He had been a model prisoner for the last few months, even the guards were on friendly terms with him, but that just made it easier to break free as one of the guards agreed to help him. Turns out Derek had a lot in common with him, similar pasts with heart breaking stories of abuse and terror. Derek who had worked as a prison guard for Twenty years sympathized as Brendan shared his deepest darkest secrets with him. Brendan agreed that if they got caught, he would take the blame and if they didn't he would make sure Derek was looked after financially. He swore he would never forget the kindness he had shown him and Brendan was a man of his word. Derek had given Brendan a few instructions…pointers which included a uniform, at least then the other inmates would think he was a guard. He also had to shave off his full grown beard to look more the part, having no facial hair took years off Brendan, he was nearly unrecognizable. Once out of the cell Brendan was on his own, but he had everything he needed, keys, a plan of the prison and the beating of his heart.

It didn't take him long to exit the building he now called home, none of the other guards even battered an eyelid, it was almost too easy. But Brendan was determined, driven by love and the need to take that love in his arms and never let it go. He didn't have much time though, they would soon realise that he was gone and soon enough everywhere would be swarming with the boys in blue and the first place they would look would be the village that held his life…his Steven. After hitching a ride, Brendan was so close to the village that he could almost smell Steven. He could almost smell his cheap tacky shower gel and the thought of seeing him again made every part of him throb with excitement. He hid his face as best as he could and made his way to the familiar flat where he spent some of his happiest times with a man he loved more than anything. As he got nearer the beaten up council flat he watched Sinead come out pushing her baby, he couldn't help but wonder what she was doing in the place he not long ago called home.

He waited until she was out of sight, he didn't want anything to get in the way of another moment with his boy. His heart was pounding, beating loudly in his chest and almost making him uneasy on his feet. He took a deep breath, but before he could take another step he notices a man approaching the door and knocking on it noisily. The strange man looks a bit of a loose cannon, the type of person who crossed with his world not Stevens and the need to know what this man wanted with his Steven was enough to make him move forward and try peeking through the window. To his disappointment he couldn't make out much only the back of the skin head no mark who was totally blocking out any glimpse of the boy he was so desperate to see. Voices were raised and words got heated, the window being slightly open meant that he could hear a little and he didn't like the manor in which this thug was talking to Steven, but he couldn't help him…not yet anyway.

Brendan waited for the lowlife to leave before he took the spare key from underneath the mat and let himself in. This was it, the moment he'd been waiting for, he was going to get to see his soul mate again and his whole body began to shake. He quietly made his way into the living room, he could hear Steven in the kitchen pottering around, probably cooking or something and as he popped his head around to see him, he came face to face with his boy holding a bag full of drugs. Steven dropped the bag of pills all over the kitchen floor and his legs gave way underneath him. Shock can do funny things to you. Brendan rushed to his side and took him in his arms, kissing the top of his head and taking him all in. Steven reluctantly pushed him away.

"Steven what the hell are ye doing?"

"Brendan…is…that really you?"

"Of course it's really me, although this wasn't how I imagined our reunion to be."

"How are you even here?"

"I got out. I come back for ye."

"How did you get out? What did you do?"

"I escaped…friends on the inside. I thought you'd be happy to see me."

"Happy…you left me. You ignored me. You made me turn into something that I didn't want to be again. You ruined my life."

"I'm sorry Steven, but I couldn't let Chez…"

"No you couldn't let Cheryl take responsibility for her actions, that's just unheard of. You always put everyone before me. We had a future. We had so much to look forward to and you just shut down on me."

"Please Steven I don't know how much time I've got."

"I don't care. Go back to the hole you crawled out from. I don't need you anymore."

"You don't mean that, I know ye Steven."

"No you don't know me, you used to know me, but I've changed now."

"Ye are still my Steven."

"Really did the Steven you know sell drugs? Did he get involved with the wrong people? Did he do anything dodgy that he possibly could just to get a rush, just to feel alive? The Steven you loved is dead. He died the day you threw him away."

"But I came back for ye. I want us to be together."

"Oh and how are we going to do that? You're a convicted criminal on the run, what have we really got?"

"We could at least try. Don't ye want to try Steven?"

"No. You had your chance. You don't even look like Brendan. Where's your tash?"

"I had a beard…I had to shave it all off. I'm sorry Steven, for everything. I only wanted to protect ye."

"You've done a great job of that haven't you? I'm in the shit, I'm out of my depth in it and where were you?"

"I'm here now."

"You're too late."

"Ye said you'd love me forever."

"You said you'd give me a future I deserve. Do I deserve this do I? Selling drugs to get a bit of cash? What's next for me hey? Fucking men for money? Armed robbery? Death?"

"I never meant to hurt ye."

"Well you did and I think you should go. Trevor will be back soon."

"Who's Trevor?"

"Trouble with a capital T."

"Tell me now Steven!"

"He's my supplier, he kind of owns me now. I do what I'm told; I don't wanna get another beating."

"He hits ye?"

"Everybody hits me…you know that."

"I'll kill him."

"Why Brendan? It's no different from what you have done."

"I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have pushed ye away."

"But you did and now I have to live my life without you."

"Please Steven. I need ye. Nothing makes sense without ye."

Brendan could see that Steven felt something; he could see it in his eyes. He knew it wasn't over and now he just had to convince him. He moved quickly towards Steven and before he could say anything Brendan had joined their lips together. Steven couldn't resist anymore and he melted into Brendan's mouth, tongues swirling around, making love, coming home. Their kiss was everything Brendan would knew it would be and Steven's harsh words had now turned into declarations of love with tears and hugs and smiles.

"Don't leave me again Brendan."

"I will try not to, but we have to be quick. Are ye sure about this?"

"Where else would I want to be?"

Ste packed a bag, took all the money he owned and kissed the man waiting for him.

"Ready?"

"Ready."

They made their way to the door only to come face to face with Trevor and a few of his boys.

"Going somewhere Stevie boy?"

To be continued?

Please let me know what you think.

xx xx xx