Katey opened her mouth, when suddenly the drums and tambourine and guitar all played together again, all at once, and louder than before. Bang, bang, crash, crash, BANG! CRASH!

Katey opened her eyes with a start, and for a moment felt her heart race with panic as she tried to think where she was….

But then, a smiled spread across her face like butter. She suddenly remembered exactly where she was. Cuba, La Rosa Negra…Javier's bed.

Slowly she sat up, her head still spinning slightly from the intense dream.

How long had she been asleep? Was it night? Where was Javier…?

She'd had so many questions to ask him, but he had insisted that she go upstairs' to his apartment above La Rosa Negra and rest, as she must have been very weary from her trip. Reluctantly, she had obeyed him, but protested that she was far too excited to sleep. "All the same…" Javier had smiled as he sat at the edge of the bed where she lay, "we have so much to talk about though…" she'd whispered, right before closing her eyes and drifting into a deep sleep.

A soft thud came from another room, and Katey slowly stood and tentatively wandered down to where she'd heard the sound.

"Javier?" she called out.

"In here!" came the reply.

She walked down a small corridor, and at the end was a small kitchen, with Javier standing by the stove, frying pan in hand, trying unsuccessfully to flip pancakes.

"Good morning" he said, too deep in concentration to turn around.

Katey smiled, running a hand through her tousled hair, "good morning" she replied.

"Is that…." Katey took a few more steps into the kitchen, coming up behind Javier and peering over his shoulder, "pancakes?" she asked.

He laughed, "yes…but, maybe not very good pancakes!"

"What time is it?" Katey asked, looking around for a clock.

"Ten o'clock"

"In the morning?"

"Night"

She laughed, "Pancakes for dinner?"

Javier stopped flipping the pancake he'd been working on, which was now torn down the middle from too many flights in the air. He turned to Katey, and gave his lop-sided smile, "I thought you might be behind time…so I thought I would run on your time by making you breakfast at night…"

Katey smiled again, leaned in, and gave Javier a soft kiss on the lips, pulling away she breathed "thank you very much" and Javier blushed just a little, "well…there is still a little something else that I have prepared for you…" Javier said, with a sly smile.

"But what more could a girl ask for?" Katey smiled back, "I have pancakes…and I have you…" she leaned in and kissed him quickly again.

Javier nodded; "yes...but the pancakes are a little…" they both looked down at the pitiful stack of torn, broken pancakes. Katey laughed, "Well, I still have you!" she teased.

Javier took her hands in his, "yes, but tonight I celebrate your home-coming!"

Katey nodded, "ok, so what else do you have prepared for me?"

Javier's eyes twinkled mischievously, "go and get dressed and I will show you!" he said, kissing her lips quickly.

Katey rolled her eyes as Javier shooed her out of the kitchen and back down to his room where she rummaged through her suitcase for a suitable dress. Sifting between her garments, she found the photo she had tucked-in between two blouses….a photo of her daughter, Rosa. It was taken on her seventh birthday earlier that year. Her grey eyes were shining, her lips smiling wide to reveal one front tooth missing.

Katey gently ran her fingers across the photo and felt her eyes prick with tears. She had been so caught up in her return and Javier that Rosa had simply slipped from her thoughts…and she suddenly felt a pang of guilt for so easily forgetting her child.

Katey knew she would eventually have to tell Javier, after all, Rosa was the main reason Katey had returned to Cuba…to tell Javier he was, and had been, a father for the last seven years.

Katey let out a hefty sigh as she contemplated breaking the news to Javier.

But, before her raging thoughts completely took over her mind, she slowly placed the photo back between her garments, and pulled out a baby-blue halter-neck dress. She would tell Javier…eventually…but not tonight, not when too many other things had to be said.

She slipped into the light, flowing dress; spread some pink lipstick on, applied some mascara and let her wavy hair down so it fell just below her shoulders.

She was just checking herself in the full-length mirror, when she noticed Javier in the mirror's reflection, standing in the door-frame, watching her.

She spun around and gave a self-conscious smile.

"Ready?" he asked, reaching out his hand.

Katey nodded, stepped forward and took it. "You must close your eyes" Javier whispered.

"Why?" Katey asked, raising her eyebrow.

"Because…"

"Where are we going?" Katey asked, before Javier could finish.

He laughed, "Just close them, si?"

Katey gave him a skeptical look, but eventually fluttered her eyes closed.

Javier gently took both her hands in his and began to lead her out of his apartment….they walked down the small corridor…and slowly and carefully, Javier led her down the spiral stair-case to La Rosa Negra.

Katey was surprised when they stopped at the base of the stairs. "We're here?" she asked, opening her eyes….at the same time, she couldn't stop a delighted gasp from escaping her mouth.

"Javier…" she whispered in astonishment as she looked at the deserted club in awe.

All of the chairs were still sitting atop the tables, except for one specially prepared table set for two in the middle of the room… but all around the club, sitting on all the other tables, lining the bar-top and the performance stage were burning candles, casting a soft glow in the otherwise darkened club.

Javier left Katey's side to go and switch on a gramophone that stood in the corner of the room…and a sultry Spanish singer's voice quietly filled the room.

Katey took a few tentative steps further into the club, her jaw a little agape as she drank in the beautifully set scene, "Javier…" she whispered again, delighted.

"Pancakes by candlelight…." Javier smiled.

Katey turned to look at him as he walked to the specially prepared table for two, which had two candles burning on the table, and a plate of pancakes aswell. He pulled out a chair, and motioned for Katey to join him.

She graciously accepted, and sat down with a huge smile on her face. "I-I don't believe this…" she whispered.

Javier smiled too as he sat down, keeping his eyes on her; "So you like it…?" he asked.

Katey connected eyes with him and gave a nod; "I love it!" she beamed.

Javier's eyes moved down towards the less-perfect pancakes, "sorry for my bad cooking…" he said dejectedly.

Katey laughed and reached across the table for Javier's hand, squeezing it tenderly, "Javier…I love that you did this for me…its beautiful" she reassured.

Javier smiled again, "are you hungry?" he offered.

Katey released his hand and nodded, "starving" she said, watching as Javier stacked a pile of pancakes onto her plate.

Katey continued to look around the club as Javier prepared her meal. "So….do you own La Rosa Negra now?" she asked.

Javier handed her the plate and nodded, "Si…about four years ago now…"

"Well, how did that happen?" Katey asked.

Javier gave a care-free smile, as he tried to remember all the details. "Well…my brother had left for the army, with his family…and I suppose I suddenly had a lot of time on my hands"

"You're brother joined the army?" Katey asked, astounded.

Javier nodded. "He was so overwhelmed with the revolution. He said he didn't want to just read about it in newspapers, he wanted to live it…to contribute somehow…so he joined Castro's army…" Javier shook his head slightly, "I suppose that was his way of becoming involved in Cuba's future"

Katey nodded. "But, how did you get the money to buy this place…?"

Javier nodded. "A lot of luck really" he began, "the man who used to own it was not a supporter of Castro and his communist ideas that everyone should live equally. The man who used to own La Rosa was desperate to get out of the country….sell up as soon as possible…and he just so happened to be a friend of mine, so he sold it to me for practically nothing"

"A friend of yours?" Katey inquired.

Javier let out a breathy laugh, "well, when we didn't win the dance contest, I didn't exactly want to go back to selling stolen cars for Carols do get money, so I looked for another job…and I found one, here, as a bar-tender"

"You were a bar-tender here?"

Javier nodded, "it wasn't so bad….the pay wasn't great….but I love this place, I loved working here every night and seeing all my friends…"

Katey nodded, "and what did your mother think about you being a bar-tender?" she joked.

Javier averted his eyes for a moment, "…she died…"

Katey's entire face whitened, "oh my god…Javier…I'm so sorry, when?"

He shrugged, "a year after you left….cancer..." he said in a dull tone.

Katey reached over again and gently caressed his hand, "I can only imagine how hard that must have been for you…" she whispered, "I wish I had been here for you…"

Javier looked up and forced a smile, letting Katey know it was ok, "I wish you could have been too…but that's in the past now…." He gave a slight nod, "you are here now, and that is all that matters".

Javier quickly changed the subject, "Enough about me… I want to know what you have been doing, all the way over there in America."

Katey suddenly thought of Rosa. Her face flashed in her mind and for a moment Katey couldn't speak. Was this the perfect opportunity to tell Javier….?

No. No, this didn't feel right.

Katey shrugged. "Well, I finished school…and then I took a year off for myself…"

Katey smiled, "I was going to come back to you during that year off"

"You were?" Javier asked, surprised.

Katey nodded, "but, my parents talked me out of it…." as an afterthought she corrected herself, "actually, they sort of forbid me to come back"

Javier nodded, "they were right. Things were messy over here…they are still not so great right now, but a few years ago…it wouldn't have been safe"

Katey shrugged, "I didn't care" she whispered.

There was a long silence between them for a moment, until finally, Javier spoke; "You know, it was the hardest thing I ever did…"

"What?"

"Telling you not to write me anymore"

Katey gave a solemn nod, "Yes, it was hard for me too"

"But I couldn't take the chance… I knew how bad things were over here… I could only imagine how bad it would be in America…"

Katey nodded again, "it was the right thing to do, at the time"

They sat in silence for a moment longer, until once again, Javier broke the silence. "Then what?" he asked.

Katey looked up, confused.

"After the year off…" he prompted.

Katey nodded, "well, after that I got a job in New York"

Javier raised his eyebrows, shocked; "The Big Apple?" he asked.

Katey laughed, "Yes…the Big Apple… I started a job at the New York Times"

"You….write…" Javier made hand gestures as he searched for the right word, "how you say…"

"Journalist?" Katey offered, and Javier nodded; "Si…you are a Journalist?"

Katey shrugged, "I wouldn't say that…at the moment I occasionally write for the women's column, I do a few little insignificant pieces that nobody else can be bothered writing… I'm pretty much at the bottom of the heap…"

"Still, this is good, si?" Javier asked, "You will one day be at the top?"

Katey laughed out loud, "I doubt it…but who knows?"

"But, you make a difference, yes? And this is very good still?" Javier asked.

Katey raised an eyebrow, "I don't think my writing is making a difference… it just pays the bills"

Javier smiled, "I think you are very lucky to be able to write the truth for the people…"

Katey's eyes connected with Javier's as he spoke. "I think you have a very good job, Katey, as a journalist….journalist's tell the truth, si? And you are able to bring the truth to the people…this is very noble" He smiled again, "we do not always have such freedom here"

Katey nodded, "Well…when you put it like that…"

Javier smiled as he looked at Katey. "And with all this work you do….do you still find time to dance?"

Katey felt her face flush red. Javier would be ashamed if he knew how she had given up her passion for dance since having Rosa and starting her job in New York.

In fact, Katey had not danced since arriving back in America.

"No?" Javier read her mind and answered for her.

Katey reluctantly nodded, "it's true…" she admitted, "…but I just don't have any time…and I suppose, I didn't have any motivation back in America…"

Javier surprised Katey by nodding understandingly, "Si…" he said, slowly rising from his seat, "I can understand… what is the point of dancing, if you do not have me to dance with?" he smiled cheekily.

Katey scoffed at his ego, but still took his hand as he offered it to her. She stood up and followed Javier onto the dance floor. As they waited for the next song to start up, Javier smiled again; "but now, there is no excuse…" he winked.

"I'm going to be terrible…" Katey blushed.

The beat of a new song began to play on the Gramophone.

"It does not matter…." Javier comforted, "even terrible dancing is still dancing…."

Katey laughed out loud, and felt that familiar rush of adrenaline pulse through her body as Javier's hands lay on her hips.

Slowly, she began to rock her waist, slowly at first, rhythmically in time with the music…Javier standing behind her, feeling her movements….and then he began to lead her, his hands showing her which way to go.

And then, as a loud crash of drums came into the song, Javier spun Katey around. She smiled knowingly. His hand ran up to the small of her back as she slowly dipped, his firm hands holding her suspended.

Another crash of drums and Katey whipped herself back up, and started to sway her hips again, and raised her hands above her head. And, with every step, Katey's smile grew wider and wider...

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AUTHORS NOTE:

Wow. 22 reviews. Seriously, that is very touching.

I honestly thought I would be lucky to maybe get 5 comments, tops, for this whole story.

I have been receiving only the most encouraging and sweet reviews, and that's what is keeping me writing this story, so thankyou very much. Particularly, I would like to say a BIG thanks to monkey-see-monkey-do, for a very, very sweet review that put a smile on my face!

Anyway, I am trying to update as fast as I possibly can, which has been surprisingly easy for me… I am really into writing this story. And, I have watched Havana nights every single night for the last few days (I am so obsessed with that film… Diego…drool!)

I went out and hired 'Y tu mama tambien' and Oh-My-God! People, Diego is practically naked for pretty much the entire film (his acting aint' bad either!) so if you are a Diego fan, go out and hire that movie cause it is so good and he is so darn sexy!

Ha, so, that's my Diego-rant for the day…hope you enjoyed this chapter… please review, I am always open to creative criticism and just criticism's in general. Thanks heaps! And, keep a look out for my next update which will be coming very soon.