Chapter Three:
Some Enchanted Evening

Lying to Ella had been easy. His past truthfulness meant that she always believed everything he said. It was one of her few flaws.

He'd invented some extra shift work at a cafe and she'd just smiled and asked if they could afford a toaster with the extra money as 'this one sets bread on fire'. She'd even made him a salad to eat in his break. He'd dumped that in a bin, with a disturbing lack of conscience, half way to Becca's hotel. The lie had slipped so well into place that it didn't feel like lying at all. It probably should have been harder.

It wasn't that he planned to do anything that would upset Ella. It was just that... Being with Becca, through necessity, had always been a private thing. Their whole relationship had taken place in a separate world; one filled with passion and intensity rather than husbands and homework. Continuing like that now just felt right, even if they had nothing together now. Even if he wasn't sure what he felt for her anymore. Being in a place like that had made it all the easier to discard when reality slipped in. For her anyway.

She was clearly unhappy now, and he didn't like that, but he wasn't sure whether he wanted to help her or not. She'd admitted that she'd hardly thought of him after they split up, which did not endear her to him. He'd thought about her all the time until this last year or so. Clearly it had meant more to him.

Justin walked through the revolving doors of the hotel, past the enquiring gaze of the receptionist and into an empty elevator. As he pressed the button to her floor, memorised from his first visit, he thought about not turning up. He'd already made the effort of coming, of dressing up, and of making up an excuse, and yet part of him was still reasoning that it would be so much easier to go home, tell Ella that the job was a non-starter and curl up with her on the sofa and watch some of that badly dubbed Japanese cinema that she loved so much. The lift doors opened on Becca's floor.

He stuck one foot out into the hallway then retracted it again. He could see her door at the end of the passageway. With a reluctant sigh he strode over to it and knocked. There was a scuffling sound from inside, then the noise of the door being unlocked in a hurry. His last thought before it opened was; I should have stayed at home.

She'd just paid the taxi when Justin called in a low whisper from by the fountain, "Becca!"

Turning, frightened for a second, she glanced around the street. There was no-one around. She picked up her bags and hurried over to the spot where he was standing, "What are you doing here!" she demanded, eyes still searching for any passing busybody who might be able to discover her secret, "This is too risky Justin," she looked at him quickly, "I have to go home. So do you."

"I just wanted to see you were back ok," he murmured sweetly, "I was going to watch from my window but... I'm not good at waiting... then when I saw you just now, I knew I had to speak to you..."

"I'm fine. I'll speak to you tomorrow." she said quickly and turned to walk away.

"Wait! Please Becca.." he reached out and touched her shoulder.

"For God's sake Justin, this isn't a game!" she snapped, not turning back, "I have to get home to my family, so do you. This isn't going to last if you don't control yourself", she glanced back then and sent him a quick smile before hurrying off to the flat. He lingered about for a second, feeling lost, then when she'd disappeared from view he made his way slowly home.

As soon as she walked in the door there was a flurry of movement and Jake and Nancy rushed to greet her. Her sister grabbed her for a brief hug before Jake kissed her brow and took her bags. Together they ushered her to the sofa and encouraged her to tell all about her weekend away. The welcome was touching, especially as they appeared genuinely happy to see her, but guilt held her grateful smiles back and as soon as she could she made her excuses and retired to bed.

"What did you order for me?" she asked, looking down at the plate with some trepidation. He chuckled,

"It's goulash"

"It looks like spam in gravy" she said, wrinkling her nose and poking at one of the strips of meat with her fork.

"It's good," he said, pointedly taking a mouthful and then saying, "It's a traditional Hungarian dish, this is your holiday, you should at least try it."

She had been shocked that evening when, after being told not to expect much, he'd brought her to a restaurant and told her he would pay for everything. She had tried not to dress up too much, she didn't want to appear as if she was trying to entice him, but he was dressed so smartly now in a dark suit that she felt foolish sitting opposite him in an ordinary skirt and blouse. So, feeling uncomfortable from the start, this strange dish seemed to be another one of his attempts to throw her and make her look silly while simultaneously showing how much he'd grown. When she tasted it though, she admitted that it was quite good, causing him to smile with delight as he guessed the ambush she'd suspected.

His change in attitude was astonishing and she found it hard to connect this smiling, charming man in front of her to the frustrated, troubled man she'd seen hours before.

"We're getting on so well... I hardly want to bring it up but--"

"Don't then" he said, waving a hand.

"But this afternoon--"

"Lets just enjoy tonight," he leant forward before adding in a low voice, "Becca" in a way that made her forget the subject straight away.

"How long have you been in Budapest then?" she asked, after a long pause in which he'd sipped at his wine and watched her eat with veiled scrutiny.

"A year and a half" he answered immediately, putting down his glass and picking up a fork to continue eating, "I didn't mean to stay that long, but..." I found a girlfriend, ".. I found that I fitted in here"

"So if you've been here for a year and a half, what about the rest of the time since you left Hollyoaks..?"

"Travelling. I didn't just settle on Hungary for my destination, I was in a fair few countries before coming here"

"That sounds... expensive"

"I took work where I could.." he said with a dismissive shrug.

"What about your family--?"

"Does being a PI pay more than being a teacher?"

"I suppose I am asking a lot of questions..." she'd started to relax in the last few seconds but now tensed up again. She offered him a little smile but his good mood seemed to be slipping away, "It's just... there isn't much else to talk about... unless you want to discuss the weather or the stock market or something..."

"No." he was annoyed now, "I guess there isn't much else to talk about." he admitted, and then asked with a quick transition, "How long since you and Jake split up?"

"I-I..." she stuttered, bit her lip, and then after a sizeable pause said, "Two years."

"Was he suspicious?"

Becca looked up from the essay she was marking, Justin was standing in the open doorway. He was leaning against the frame casually, behind him the occasional student walked past, but his expression was serious.

"No." Becca looked back to the essay, then purposefully put the cap back on her pen, "No, he was just concerned."

"Good" Justin said with a sigh, walking into the room and shutting the door behind him. He reached to turn the lock--

"Stop!" Becca stood up quickly, he looked at her in surprise and pulled his hand back, "It's just... I have a class in a minute... we don't have time.."

"Okay" he acknowledged, stepping away from the door and regarding her with a searching look, "Are you ok Becca?"

She walked towards him for a second, then seemed to think better of it, instead leaning back against her desk and maintaining her distance, "Yes... I just think we need to be more careful sometimes..."

"He did say something then," Justin worried, "he must have."

"No, Justin," she sighed, "he really didn't," with a glance to the window in the door, she took a few experimental steps towards him. "He believed everything I said.." Justin reached out and touched her hand, when she didn't pull back he ran his index finger along her arm until she shivered.

"Can we meet tonight?" he asked softly, pressing his palm against her shoulder then running his hand along her collar bone.

"No," Becca didn't stop him from touching her, but felt too exposed to reciprocate, "I have to spend some time with him."

"Not even an hour after school..?" Justin murmured, stepping closer to her, his eyes fixed on the curve of her neck.

"Nancy is going to walk me back," Becca lamented, then added quickly at his look, "her idea, not mine, apparently she feels like she hardly ever sees me..."

Justin pulled his hand quickly away from her, she wondered if she'd offended him but at her questioning look he indicated the door with a nod of his head. Seconds later the bell rang and a stream of students barged into the room, noisy and unwanted. Becca moved quickly back to her desk, Justin shoved his way between two students and out of the door. Turning he mouthed 'bye' to Becca before disappearing down the corridor. She nodded quickly to him before rearranging the books on her desk as if searching for something. It was a couple of minutes before she felt composed enough to get her lesson started.

As Justin was walking back to the table from the bathroom he was forced to pause when a large group of people entered the restaurant. Glancing over to check on Becca he was struck by an eerie sense of deja vu. She was seated with her back to him and her eyes were fixed on the desert menu while the fingers of her right hand toyed with the stem of her wine glass. Her head was tilted to the side and her hair brushed gently against her shoulder as she moved. For a millisecond when he saw her he felt a satisfied kind of joy, before the last five years washed over him.

She must have been about thirty now, but she was still the same Becca. So much so that every time he spotted her it was like seeing a mirage. Her hair still golden, her eyes still a bewitching shade of blue-green and although her figure was a little more filled out it was no less attractive. He found himself staring at her for a long time after the people obstructing his way had moved. Walking up behind her he lifted a hand to touch her shoulder, but at the last moment thought better of it and snatched his fingers back.

He sank back down into his chair and suggested, "Crepes?"

"So, you managed to get away then?" he said, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She scrunched down further into the sofa and stared at the washing up liquid advert. He chuckled and leaned in close, whispering "Sorry, I suppose you don't want to talk about school," against her cheek before giving her a quick kiss.

"No" she agreed, squirming a little in an attempt to get him to back off without hurting his feelings. Not taking the hint Jake pulled her towards him,

"Not comfortable? Come over here" he intoned, lying back on the sofa. She lay beside him, head on his chest, and forced herself to relax. She listened to his heart beat for a few moments before he spoke again, "You look tired Becca. Beautiful" he added quickly, "but tired. I shouldn't have let you go alone."

"No, really, it was what I wanted..." she breathed, trying in vain to concentrate on the television but not able to fix on anything being said. Jake pressed a button on the remote and the screen went black. Silence seemed to hum through the room before he started speaking again,

"I still wish I'd been there for you. It must have been awful--"

"It wasn't so bad" she interrupted, trying to stop the conversation before the guilt in her stomach evolved into despair.

"I thought about you all weekend," he reached up a hand and started stroking her hair, "Nancy wanted to come down and join you... I reminded her of what you said but I had half a mind to agree with her just so I could come down too.. I missed you Becca."

"I missed you too." she echoed, closing her eyes at the lie.

"Next time you go down... I'd like to come too.." he admitted in a hushed voice, as if afraid she'd shout at him again, like last time, "I know you like to be alone with your parents but.. I hate being away from you" he hugged her tighter to his chest and she pulled back, feeling smothered, "Becca?"

"I'm ok" she pulled herself away from him, "Just... going to take a shower I think, wash school off of me"

"I don't mind." he said, staring up at her with wide pleading eyes, "Please, just relax here with me for a bit". Although the mere thought made her tense, she submitted and settled back into place at his side, his heartbeat back in her ear. "Oh, I have missed you," he repeated, pressing his lips against her head and smelling her hair. She closed her eyes and concentrated on not crying.

"I've missed you too"

The meal was over and they were walking in the City Park. It was enchanting, the night was lit up by the occasional lamppost and strings of little lights along the path to guide them. A few other couples walked near them and the roar of the traffic from the main road could still be heard in the distance, but overall it was a pretty secluded area. There was the calming smell of jasmine on the breeze. If both of them had not been feeling so uncomfortable it would have been perfect.

Becca placed her hand on his arm, but it stiffened under her touch so she removed it. It felt like the most awkward of dates. "This is lovely" she said, trying to coax him into speaking to her, but he seemed meditative and didn't answer. "Shall we sit down here?" she indicated a bench. It was situated on the edge of a small lake and overhung by trees, from the path it was half-invisible. He didn't disagree so they both sat down.

"Did I say something wrong at dinner?" she blurted out, "You seemed in such a good mood at first, I know I asked too many questions, it wasn't really my business, I just thought..." her voice trailed off, she wasn't sure what she'd thought.

"I told you not to expect much" he said, finally breaking his silence. She leant back against the bench and stared out at the lake, unsure of what to say. "I wanted us to part amiably... as friends," he admitted, "but I don't know if that's possible.."

"Of course it's possible," she insisted.

"No, it isn't" he said, and then with an ironic smile, "'The best of prophets of the future is the past'."

"Byron" she singled out after a pause, "A bit different from D.H. Lawrence and Shakespeare... You still like reading then?"

"I had a good teacher..." he said, voice breaking on the last word, "She... caught my imagination." He sucked in a breath of cold air and composed himself before finishing with a sigh, "Oh Becca, this isn't going to work.."

"Why?"

"Because... as childish as it is, I don't think I've forgiven you yet.." he sighed again and put his head in his hands. Indignant, she reminded him,

"But you said yesterday--"

"I said whatever I thought I needed to say to get you to leave me alone,". His head was still in his hands so he didn't see her stand up, but when she started walking away he called out, "Becca!" she didn't turn back, "Becca! What are you doing?"

"Leaving you alone!" she called over her shoulder.

"You don't even know where you're going!" he called back, but she didn't seem concerned. He stood up and watched her walk. The myriad of emotions in his chest gave him conflicting information. She'd find her way back to the hotel, it wasn't far, this was probably for the best, he hadn't really wanted to see her anyway--

Moments later he found himself jogging to catch up with her. She must have heard him approaching, but stubbornly she didn't turn around. He reached out and caught her wrist. She turned, but in doing so stumbled and ended up in his arms. For a split second they looked into each others eyes, hers angry, his confused. Then their lips met. Neither of them made the first move; it was a simultaneous action. One minute they were staring at each other, the next his arms were around her back and her hands were clutched behind his neck, holding his willing lips against hers. Every other kiss they had shared before was remembered and cast aside in comparison. When they finally broke apart they both had to catch their breath. Becca let out a relieved little laugh. Justin stared at her and asked "How did you do that?" amazement in his voice and expression.

"I know you too well" she answered, a playful smile on her lips.

Suddenly it all seemed so contrived. The storming off, the harsh words, the stumble. Justin drew back and looked at her. "You tricked me," he accused, his hands dropping back to his sides.

"I didn't force you to kiss me" she said, not disputing what he'd said but measuring her tone to try and make him less angry.

"No," he agreed, his face unreadable, "No, you didn't". Then he turned and stalked away. Becca stared after him. Just before he disappeared from sight she called his name, but he just carried on walking. She trudged back to the bench and sat down. Pressing a hand to her forehead she sighed. Ten minutes must have passed before she realised she didn't know the way back to her hotel.

Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews and kind words everyone, I'm glad people like the fic. Next chapter hopefully this week, although I make no promises...