While writing this I was listening to and then I kissed him from pearl harbor and I guess I got a bit carried away, especially while writing Ste' s thoughts.

But I hope you still like it, I do still love writing this! :D anyway here's chapter 4. Enjoy!

Chapter 4

Three months later

Ste put the sign on the door from closed to open and yawned. It was nine in the morning and he was exhausted already. Yesterday Lucas had been ill and he had to stay awake half the night because the boy couldn't sleep. And now he had overslept so he had been an hour to late. He walked to the counter, grabbed some lettuce and cut it in pieces. While he was busy, a few customers walked inside but before he could even say something, Doug walked in from behind and started to help them.

When the customers had left the deli, Doug said: "I think it's gonna be a quiet day today."

Ste looked up from his salad and said: "I think your right, it has been quiet all week."

"Yeah."

It was silent again and Ste could see that Doug was looking for something to say, but couldn't come up with anything. They worked side by side in silence for a few minutes. Eventually Doug said: "I'm gonna pick up some deliveries and I will be back around lunchtime."

"Okay," Ste replied.

Doug went behind, while taking off his apron. After a minute he walked back with his jacket on. "If it's getting busy after all you'll just have to call me, alright?"

"I will be fine, Doug."

Doug nodded.

They looked at each other and Doug opened his mouth to say something, but no words came out, so he closed it again. Ste bit his lip uncomfortable as the silence continued.

Eventually Doug said: "I'll see you later then."

"Yeah, later," Ste said, relieved that Doug broke the silence.

Doug lent forward for a kiss, but Ste had his eyes on the salad again so the kiss landed on his cheek. Ste looked up surprised, he hadn't expected Doug to kiss him, just to see Doug turn around with a red face and leave the deli.

Ste sighed, while he looked at the closed door. It wasn't the way it was supposed to be, not the way he'd thought it would be. It was hard to imagine that it was only three months ago, that they had gotten together. It had been so good in the beginning, just the two of them, laughing and talking.

And Brendan had actually done what Ste had asked him to do. He had left them alone. He hadn't seen Brendan for almost two months. Ste knew Brendan had left for Barcelona three weeks ago and he had no idea if he was back or not. But even before he had left, he had barely seen him.

The first days after his visit to Brendan, Ste had been nervous, waiting for something, waiting for Brendan to do something. But nothing had happened. Doug had suggested that maybe Brendan had finally given up, finally moved on. But Ste couldn't believe it. Brendan wouldn't just give up, right? But after a month of nothing more than a nod of Brendan's head as they walked in on each other, even Ste had to admit that Brendan really did his best to leave him alone.

So Ste threw himself full in his relationship with Doug. He tried to push all thoughts of Brendan far away and to his surprise it seemed to work. He had fun with Doug and after two weeks they had had sex together for the first time. It had been romantic and sweet and Ste couldn't remember ever being so loved. He actually became aware of the fact that if live would stay like this forever there was a chance of real happiness he never even imagined he could get.

But seven weeks ago everything started to change. At first it were only little things that started to irritate him, like Doug forgetting to hang his jacket upon the coat rack, biting his nails when he was nervous and always being too late for their dates. One evening they had a fight about Doug walking in with muddy feet while Ste had just cleaned the floor. He got angry with Doug and fifteen minutes later Doug left the house, confused and upset. Once Doug was gone Ste realized how stupid he had been and he went to Doug's to apologize. They made up and he spent the night there. After that everything had been okay for a few days but soon Ste realized that, that was not the only problem he had.

Since the beginning of their relationship Doug and him tried not to talk about Brendan, but the harder they tried the more he was on their minds. Sometimes when his name did fall, an awkward silence fell over them and it became harder and harder to break it. And when his name was said accidentally, there was this tension that was really uncomfortable. At first Ste thought it was normal, because it only happened when Brendan's name fell. They didn't want to talk about him, so they tried to avoid the subject. But lately these silences were there more and more and they became longer and longer and not only when Brendan's name fell.

And now, Ste had to admit to himself, they couldn't even talk while working. The only things they talked about were the things that happened in the deli and things they saw through the window. Ste didn't know what to do about it. He didn't know what to say to Doug because there was nothing to say. At least when Brendan was bothering them they had had something to talk about. It was so strange, when he had been with Brendan, there had been silent moments, but they had never felt unnatural. They could sit or lay next to each other for ages without saying a word. So why couldn't he do that with Doug?

But that wasn't the only thing that was bothering him. No, there was more.

In the beginning it had been so easy not to think about Brendan. He was so happy with Doug. In the first week, they got together, it didn't even occur to him that he didn't see Brendan as much as he used to. But one day Doug mentioned that Brendan never came to visit the deli anymore. So Ste started to pay attention to it and he realized that Doug was right. He tried not to be bothered by this, but the less he saw Brendan, the more he thought about him. He almost became anxious to see him. Ste noticed that he was looking out of the window more and more often just to get a glimpse of Brendan. When he heard from Cheryl that Brendan had left for Barcelona, he almost felt disappointed. Disappointed that Brendan didn't come by to tell him he went there. The minute that thought had popped up in his head, he had pushed it away. Brendan had no reason to tell him, no reason, because they were over. Then why did it make him feel so bad?

Ste had always been convinced that Brendan would do something to get him back, but right now he even doubted that. Brendan had left them alone. It was all he had ever wanted, except that Ste wasn't sure that, that was what he wanted anymore. He didn't know anything for sure anymore. When did everything became so god damn complicated?

On that exact moment the door opened and Cheryl walked into the Deli.

"Morning love," She said with a smile.

'Morning Cheryl, What can I get you?'' Ste asked her. Their relationship had improved again in the last few weeks. He knew she was still kind of disappointed in him, but she was not someone who could stay angry very long. A few weeks ago she had said to him that, if he would make her a salad with extra love and discount every week, maybe one day she would be able to forgive him. And who was he to say no to that?

She looked at him with sparks in her eyes and said: "As if you don't know that.''

He grinned at her and took a few ingredients to make the salad. While working he said: "How is everything going?''

"Everything is going its way, I guess."

"It must be hard looking after the club without help from Bren… uhm your brother." He couldn't bring himself to say his name.

Cheryl smiled at him and replied: "Yeah it was, but now he's back I can concentrate on other stuff again."

Brendan was back.

"How long has he been back?" Ste asked, trying to ignore the feelings that awoke in his stomach at her words.

"For a week already, didn't you know?" she asked surprised.

"No, how could I? It's not like we talk anymore."

They were silent for a moment while Ste finished her salad. When he was done, he gave her the salad and she gave him the money.

"Keep the change," she said while turning around and walking over to the door.

"Uhm Cheryl…?"

She turned around to face him and asked: "Yes love?"

"How is he?"

"If you want to know, ask him yourself," Cheryl chuckled. Before he could give a reply she had already turned around and left the deli.

xXx

Brendan closed the map on his desk and rose from his chair. It had been a long day. He had been working on overdue payments and the accounting since 7 AM and it was 5 PM already. He didn't even finish yet! He left his office and walked towards the bar, where Cheryl was cleaning up some glasses.

He looked around to see there were only a few people in the room and asked: "Where are Rhys and Joel?"

"I told them to go home early because there's nothing left to do and it's not exactly crowded here." She put the clean glasses on the counter and continued: "They will be back around eight."

Brendan nodded and sat down on one of the bar chairs. "Can you get me a glass of whiskey?"

"Of course Love." She took two glasses and poured him a glass of whiskey and herself a glass of wine. She gave him the one with the whiskey. "There you go, love."

He took a sip and asked: "So how is your day?"

"It's good. Lynsey and I went out for a drink and after that we went shopping. I've bought this amazing new top. It looks really good on me. Oh, and I went to the Deli this morning for my weekly salad."

Brendan was barely paying attention to anything she had to say but at the mention of the deli he looked up from his glass and responded: "Did you now?"

"Yeah, Ste made me a delicious salad."

At the mention of Steven's name, he felt how his heart started to beat faster. He hadn't seen him for such a long time. He just wanted to see the face of that boy again, his smile and his eyes… He wanted to ask Cheryl if he was alright. But he didn't, instead he just asked: "So how is the happy couple doing, eh?"

"I don't know, Ste was on his own again."

Brendan couldn't resist asking: "Again?"

"Yes, he is alone a lot lately," Cheryl said, not noticing his eager to hear what she had to say about Steven. "Doug always seems to be gone when I visit the deli."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Brendan answered.

"No, you're not" Cheryl said, raising an eyebrow.

"You're right, I'm not." Brendan sighed. "I hate to see Steven unhappy. I just don't want him to be happy with Douglas".

"You're not going to mangle again, are you?" Cheryl asked warningly.

"What do you think I have been doing for the last three months," he said almost offended.

"I know you, you're always up to something."

"I have better things to do than to worry about Steven's love life."

She looked unconvinced so he said: "I promise you I won't do anything stupid."

Cheryl sighed. "I hope you won't, love."

They sat in silence for a while, both drinking their drinks and both thinking about certain people, who they cared about.

After a while Cheryl said: "He asked about you."

"Who?" Brendan asked, already knowing the answer to that question.

"Ste, he asked how you were."

"And what answer did you give him?" Brendan asked curious.

At that moment a few people approached the bar to order some drinks.

"I said that if he wanted to know he had to ask you himself," she said with a smile before turning to face the customers.

Brendan finished his drink, rose from his bar chair and walked back into his office. He closed the door behind him and a small smile crossed his face before he sat down in his chair to continue his work.

xXx

Ste wandered through the village. He had closed the deli hours ago. Just this morning he had felt tired and he had said to himself that after work was done, he should go straight to his bed. So he had tried to get some sleep but with the knowledge that Brendan was back in town, he could have known he wouldn't be able to sleep at all. So an hour ago he had left the house and since then he was wandering around the village, no idea where he wanted to go. The streets were empty and it was dark outside. It was long past midnight. He came past the fences that surrounded Chez Chez. He stood still and looked at the building, everybody would probably be home by now. Maybe he should go home too. Or he could check if everything was closed. No, that wasn't his responsibility anymore. He wanted to go back, but something in him pulled him to the dark building. Even though he didn't want to, he ended at the bottom of the stairs that let to Chez Chez and presumably to Brendan.

He climbed the stairs and paused in front of the door. It was long past midnight so the club would probably be closed. He felt relieved at this thought, it was better if he faced Brendan in brought daylight. He pushed against the door, assuming that it would be closed, so he almost fell on his face when the door swung open.

He could just keep his balance and he quickly walked inside before closing the door behind him. The club was completely empty. There were only a few empty bottles and glasses on the bar, but there was no living thing to see.

But he knew someone was here and it wasn't Cheryl or Rhys because they would have locked the door from the inside. The only person who would leave the door unlocked at such a time was Brendan. He crossed the room pausing in front of Brendan's office holding up his fist to knock on the door. A few centimeters before his fist touched the door he stopped it. He still could leave if he wanted to. He could go and Brendan wouldn't even know that he had been standing in front of his office. He glanced around the room, took a deep breath and let his fist knock softly against the door.

xXx

Brendan ran his hand through his hair and sighed. He had rolled up the sleeves of his shirt because it was bloody warm in here. He looked at the clock on the wall and sighed again. That's what you got when you left the business for two weeks, had a sister who didn't understand a damn about paperwork and a kid who was too stupid and young to run a club. Now he had to catch up two extra weeks of paperwork and he was exhausted. Most work was done, but it had cost him all day to finish it. He looked at the clock again. It was time to call it a day.

Then he heard a soft knock against the door. He sighed and cursed at the same time. It was four AM for god sake. Couldn't they leave him alone for once?

For one second he thought about not answering but he knew this wasn't an option, cause whoever that person was, they probably knew that Brendan was inside. And he had to admit that he was curious about who would visit him at such an hour.

"Come on in," Brendan said casually.

The door opened slowly and a small person stepped inside. Brendan recognized the contours immediately even though it was too dark to see who it was.

He heard his heart bounce against his chest when Steven took a step forward just so Brendan could look into his eyes.

He heard the voice, he had repeatedly heard in his head for the past two months, say:

"Hello, Brendan".

I'm leaving you with a little cliffhanger this time :P

Hope you're eager to read the new chapter!

Please review!