Chapter 19: The Reception

The party had been going all night, but Finn preferred to sit and watch from the table, and so Becky stayed back with him. They laughed watching Xavier, Sasha, and Sami dancing together to a variety of Top 40 hits and cheesy classics.

"I'm I gettin' you out there anytime soon?" she leaned over and asked softly.

"No, but you should go dance."

"I'd rather be here."

That made him smile, and he waved to Sami as he returned to the table.

"How's the dance floor?"

"Pretty fantastic, are you two going to sit here all night?" Sami loosened his tie.

"Mate, you know I am. But Becky here might still get out there."

She rolled her eyes at him. Across the room, Xavier and Sasha were dancing to a slightly slower song, enjoying spinning around together and laughing.

"I'll dance with you." Sami said with a slight smile.

"Oh, uh,"

"Promise not to step on your toes."

His smile was infectious, and Sami was a good guy.

"Aiight, let's go."

They found a spot towards the edge of the dance floor, and she placed one of her arms around his shoulder, the other holding his hand. He hovered around her waist and back for a moment.

"Not a whole lot of good hand placement options in a dress like this, huh?" he said, blushing.

They both laughed.

"Don't worry about it."

Sami was known for being a pretty good dancer and Becky was enjoying letting him show her how to do it properly. It was fun, for a couple minutes. Then, he paused, racking up the courage. She knew that look, she'd seen it plenty times before.

"Can I ask you something?"

Becky tried to keep a poker face, but sighed on the inside. She had hoped to avoid this conversation since Finn had let it slip last night.

"O' course, Sami." She smiled, hoping to just let him down easy and be done with it.

"What's with you and Finn? No, honestly," he said as he saw her face change, "he dodges that question every time."

"I thought he told you he didn't have any objections."

"Ah, so he told you." Sami sighed, but smiled, "Yeah I thought he might. Well, that's what he said, after about five minutes of explaining how great you are. Heh, as if I hadn't noticed."

"This is a strange way to ask a girl out."

"I'm just not trying to get in between something here. I think you're amazing, I do, but I also know soul mates when I see them."

She shook her head, "I don't believe in soul mates."

"Yeah soul mates rarely do. Look, I'm just trying to cut the bullshit here." He looked down at her and smiled, "I thought there might really something between us, but playing second string doesn't exactly sound like a good time."

"I'm…" she was at a loss, this was supposed to be simple.

"It's okay, you don't owe me an explanation." He shrugged, "I get it, you're in love with someone else."

"That obvious, huh?"

"Yeah, it's pretty obvious, but I've been watching you a bit closer than most."

They chuckled and she said, "I'm really sorry, Sami."

"Don't be. Look Becky, I know how special you are. What I'm not so sure of is why you're waiting around for him to see that. "

She looked down at the floor, a knot twisting in her stomach. The song was playing out. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head.

"Thank you for dancing with me," he took a step back, and then said, "I hope he told you how beautiful you look tonight."

With that, and a sad smile, he walked off to get another drink at the bar. She stood there on the floor for a moment, feeling the knot in her stomach worsening. Suddenly a hand was on the small of her back, and she jumped slightly.

"Wanna go for a walk?" Finn whispered in her ear.

She nodded and he pulled her towards the garden, there were only a few others who had come out to the chilly November air.

"So I'm guessin' he struck out," Finn glanced over at her, "why are you the one who looks so dejected?"

"It's nothin'," she forced a smile, "jus' feel bad."

They sat on the edge of a flowing fountain, and Becky shivered as the wind shook a few of the trees around them. He slipped his suit jacket off and draped it around her shoulders with a simple,

"Here."

"Oh so warm, why'd they make these damn things so warm?"

"Probably so we can use it to hit on pretty girls," he grinned, and then blushed. "Not that I was…"

"Right."

"Did he say something?"

"What?"

"Sami," he leaned his elbows on his thighs, looking up at her. "Did he say something to you when you said no?"

"Oh, it's not…"

" 'Cause that's really not like 'im to be a jerk like that,"

"He didn't…"

"An' I can set 'im straight if ya need me to."

"Finn." She placed a hand on his knee to stop him, "that's not it. It's fine."

"Well you don' look fine to me." He reached over and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, and she shivered as he brushed the back of it. "What is it?"

"Okay. He asked 'bout you."

" 'Bout me?"

" 'Bout us, if there was somethin' he was gettin' in the middle of."

"But I already told 'im there wasn't."

"Guess he didn't believe ya. Now, you'd think Sami would've noticed nothin' has happened in 15 years." There was an edge to her voice she couldn't quite shake. "But he says he doesn't want to come in second and I don't blame him."

"Bex…" he said quietly.

"Because coming in second sucks." The words felt like ash leaving her mouth.

"Hey," he placed a hand around her shoulder, pulling her close to him.

"I don' wanna talk about this anymore."

Finn pushed to subject, "you could never come in second to me."

"Don't, don't patronize me Finn," she said softly, refusing to meet his gaze, "I hate it when you do that."

"You're the best friend I've got."

"Yeah," she managed a smile as she blinked away tears, "I know."

"Don't ya ever forget how much you mean to me," he pulled her in again, letting her rest her head on his shoulder.

She took in the smell of his hair, he'd been using the same shampoo as long as she'd known him. Some budget brand, hardly unique, but it was distinctively Finn to her. They had almost always used her bed to avoid Finn getting suspicious of his tangled sheets, and the smell had started to rub off onto her pillows. It was a sorry substitution for lying next to him at night, but it would do.

His hand was rubbing her shoulder and she could feel his slow breathing. In moments like this, it was enough.

"Have I told you that you look beautiful tonight?" he asked after a few moments of silence.

"Sorry?" she lifted her head, not sure she had heard him properly.

"You look beautiful," he repeated.

"Oh," was all she managed to get out. That made him smile.

"Hey lovebirds," Sasha called over to them as she and Xavier emerged from the ballroom, "oh fuck it's cold out here."

"They're wrapping up," Xavier interjected, "we going to this after party?"

"Sure, but I need to get out of these shoes," said Becky standing up and handing Finn his jacket back.

"I second that. I'll come get you in like 20?" Sasha asked, starting towards the elevators.

"Yeah, my stuff's inside."

"I'll walk you," Finn followed her back into the ballroom.

Their table was mostly empty as the ballroom was clearing out. Sami waved with a smile as he took his suit jacket from the back of his chair. Becky smiled sheepishly, rifling through the tiny evening bag to make sure everything was still in there.

"C'mon, back way," said Finn, pulling her arm as they followed the crowd to the lobby. There was a second set way on the other side of the massive lobby and lounge. He hit the up button looking very pleased with himself for avoiding the line.

"Good work," she rolled her eyes at him.

"Hey, I've been thinkin'. I want ya again."

"What?" She looked over at him in surprise, there wasn't any Demon in his voice.

"A rematch," the elevator dinged and they stepped in. "From that deal we made in Bray. I never gave you the chance to beat me on your own and that was wrong. So I want ya again."

Her eyes were steady on him, he was smiling, his eyes twinkling.

"What do I get if I win?"

"What do you want?" Good question. "Personally, I need a date to my cousin's wedding or I'm gonna havta fend off getting set up all night."

"Fine by me."

"What 'bout you?" He asked again, and she could feel the blood rushing up to her face as she thought about what she really wanted. She tried to fight off the image of his lips and his hands tracing her body, but it was no use. And like he had read her mind, or the red that had taken over her cheeks, Finn chuckled and said, "not that."

"Oh no I was just,"

"Uh huh."

"I wanna be able to eat on the couch," she quickly changed the subject.

His eyes widened, "you wouldn't."

"Oh, I would. Whenever I pleased."

"What was that other thing you were thinkin' about?"

"Nope. What're ya scared?"

"I'm not scared! Aiight. Deal." He reached out his hand and she shook it as the elevator arrived at the floor they were both on.

She pulled her key card out of her bag and swiped into her room.

"I'll see you down there?"

But he held the door open and caught her eye. It had gotten that fiery quality and the hairs on her neck stood up.

"Actually Bex," The Demon whispered, "I also want ya again." She nodded towards her room and the door had barely shut when he pushed her up against it.

Through a laugh, she managed to say, "be fast, we have to meet the others."

"Darlin', you should know by now that's my specialty."

xxxxxxxxx

He'd snuck out of her room and back to his down the hall, and she ran to fix her hair in the mirror. Between that and the party all night, it was puffing out badly. As she pulled it up into the best topknot she could manage, a knock came at the door.

"You're not even dressed yet?" Sasha said, walking into the room in a matching crop top and pencil skirt.

"I got a late start jus' gimme a minute," she riffled through her suitcase looking for an outfit.

"A late start?" Sasha crossed her arm across her chest.

"Sash…" She ran into the bathroom, slipping out of the slinky dress.

"What's that, twice in six hours? If I didn't know any better I'd say you two are out of control."

Becky emerged from the bathroom in a navy jumpsuit and slipped on flats.

"Sami asked me out," she said, quickly changing the subject.

"What? Damn girl, you've had a night."

"Well, sort of. He asked about Finn, said he got that I wanted to be with someone else."

"Oh, that's kinda a bummer," she sat down on the edge of Becky's bed.

"And that he wasn't sure why I was waitin' around for Finn." She blinked tears out of her eyes and took a last look in the mirror. "You ready?"

"No, sit down."

Becky sighed and sat on the bed next to Sasha.

"It's no big deal."

"Why are you doing this to yourself?"

"Not going out with Sami?"

"Letting yourself have part of Finn when you want it all."

"It's a lot better than nothin'."

"Are you sure about that? It's like being friends with benefits with The Demon."

Becky laughed through her tears, "yeah, that's exactly what it's like."

"I say you just tell him how you feel."

"He knows how I feel Sasha," she shook her head, "he's never going to choose me. He's had so many chances for so many years. It takes The Demon for him to do that."

"Then I think you should consider ending it with him." Sasha voice was soft, but her face was worried.

"I'll think about it, promise."