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The group returned to the dancefloor, and alcohol was helping to ease things along. Gina was noticeably impacted by the drinks she had enjoyed at the bar, and it turned her into even more of a free spirit. Gina was taking everyone in their group as a dance partner in turn, just glad to have another person to share the night with. She even briefly danced with another redhead at one point, before it became clearer to her that the dancer was not, in fact, Rebecca. They pulled her back into their group, but the grey girl was just a wildfire of fun on the floor, spreading to anyone who got close.

The night was becoming one song melding into another, and Rebecca ignored how red her face felt, embracing it all. She so rarely felt willing to dance, but being with her friends put her at ease, and having Agnes nearby filled her with a fire she needed to do something with.

The problem was with her and Nessa now. Her girlfriend had imbibed just as much, if not more than Gina, and it was starting to show. They were all switching off dance partners regularly, and occasionally just dancing as a loosely connected group, but Nessa was becoming increasingly more territorial. She was not barking at the other girls to stay away, but she was also starting to be all over Becca. Alcohol usually made Nessa more affectionate, but she was unashamedly letting her hands travel, dancing close enough to leave kisses, and at one point nibbling on her earlobe.

All it did was tie a knot in Rebecca’s stomach. Nessa was fun and gorgeous, but the longer it all went on, the more the redhead felt like a cheater; specifically, she felt like she was cheating on Agnes. She was not trying to actively spurn Nessa’s advances and make things obvious, but it was clear in her body language that Rebecca was a half-hearted participant.

Nessa, who had very quickly finished her Punch, (and immediately felt bitter about how much she approved of Agnes’s drink choice,) could feel something was off. She was drunk and she knew it, but even drunk, she could tell when a girl was not into her, and it was such a new feeling from Rebecca, it was immediately troubling.

Through a night of dancing, Nessa had alternated between dancing with Gina and dancing with Becca, but she noticeably never crossed paths with the fourth girl in their group. Maybe it was suspicion or jealousy or knowing deep down something was wrong, but she had been avoiding Agnes. Until she could not any longer.

She tapped Gina lightly on the shoulder and smiled. The birthday girl might have been under the impression that Nessa wanted another turn with her, but she quickly put that thought to rest. ”Can I borrow yer sister?” She inserted herself into the situation and started dancing normally. She may have even found her hand on Agnes’s hip at one point. Her eyes were usually closed as she felt the music, but occasionally they would open and look to her dancing partner, who was still keeping her sights anywhere but forward. The game of cat and mouse had gone on long enough.

Nessa’s hips swayed from side to side, but her hands moved upward, until she took an unsuspecting woman’s face into her grasp, holding Agnes in place long enough for her to get a good eyeful.

She did not linger longer than she had to, and was already letting go of Agnes when a concerned Rebecca left her dancing with Gina and came over to pull Nessa way, possibly worried about what she might do to the “ex-girlfriend” of her girlfriend. ”Nessa, th’ heck?”

”Sorry, thought I saw something on her face,” she muttered, looking down at the ground. Nessa did not want her expression to be seen, and the darkness of the room helped with that. ”Honestly, I’m not really feeling well.”

Rebecca furrowed her brow, worried that Nessa was having a bad reaction to the alcohol she had been downing all night. As much as she was hoping to find some way to leave with Agnes for the night, Nessa was her girlfriend and her responsibility if she was feeling unwell. ”Ah’m sae sorry, hun. We can call anaither Uber and gae back tae mah apartment, sae—“

Nessa shook her head and cut in before Rebecca could finish her offer. ”Actually, I’m sorry about this. I can’t go back to your place tonight. I have… a thing.” Alcohol did not make for strong improvisational skills.

Instead of accepting her girlfriend’s kindness, Nessa turned to her new friend and asked, ”Gina, could you bring me home?”

Tristen obviously thought to make one more comment, but his better judgment kicked in, if that was something he truly possessed. He allowed her to kiss him, taking the lead where he hesitated. The kiss was gentle at first, as Rebecca learned her way around another’s mouth for the first time. She was bold because she was inexperienced, and she did not want him to realize that. Every touch… every kiss… every… well, everything else. All firsts she would brazenly stumble her way through with Tristen, the boy who had grown so fixated on.

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Rebecca could give Tristen grief, but he had a long history of surprising her at the pub. She tried to shoo the thoughts from her mind, but it was hard when they involved the bar-top she was leaning over. It had been two years since anyone had touched her like that, and she was ashamed to admit she was getting restless.

True to himself, Tristen was witty and playful; the wit, she still told him was a newer addition, but he had never stopped being that playful, flirtatious free spirit. He matured a lot, but people seldom changed who they were at their core.

He joked about coming to her bar to indulge in “the chase,” but it was all talk; she knew Tristen did not pursue women at The Rock Bottom Pub. Of course, he chased women almost anywhere—like a dog chasing cars, it was his favorite pastime. The key was that this place had always been off limits. Rebecca never imposed the rule, and she never would, but it was just an unspoken decision Tristen seemed to make on his own.

Then again, it was still on her to be the one to tease him. She considered ways to bust his chops, but what she settled on was notably nicer than one of her usual barbs. ”I don’t know, Tristen. I’ve seen the clientele; even you could probably do better.” She took a swig from her rum and coke. ”Probably,” she added with a smirk.

So, SO happy to finally have big brother Book around! (Now I have to stop being lazy...)

Breakfast was wonderful, if not quick. The food was delicious, but they were eating impatiently because there was a dessert course to look forward to. Rebecca wondered if this was what it felt like to be a honeymooner; indulging in treats and indulging in each other, having no desire to keep their hands to themselves. They made an inevitable return to the silky sheets they became tangled in and under, hoping to take advantage of every passing minute they could. It would not be their last time, they knew, but the lovers had a long absence to make up for.

As check-out time drew near, they took separate showers to prepare for the day. The idea of sharing the shower again was bandied about, but they were both smart enough to know what that would lead to, and they did not have time to fit one last round in. They had to be presentable, because there was a task they were both preparing to walk into, and while it was necessary, it was nothing to look forward to.

After spending a lengthy period of time drying and combing her hair, Rebecca was sitting on the couch near the window, reapplying her perfume when Agnes emerged from the bathroom, readying herself for the outside world.

It was something Rebecca could have assumed was coming, but it still felt reassuring to hear Agnes confirm out loud that she was meeting with River to end things and call off the engagement. She watched as Agnes returned an engagement ring to her finger, hopefully for the last time. Rebecca stood from the seat, walking over to her beloved and taking her right hand. She planted a soft kiss on the ringless hand and looked up, hoping to provide some reassurance. ”Ah’m gonnae dae th' sam wi' Nessa. When th' doost clears, we'll still be thaur fur each other.” Rebecca needed to remind Agnes that their decision was not going to be easy, but they would get through it as a team. ”We're best together, Aggie. A’ays waur.”

Kissing Agnes was a sensation Rebecca never wanted to give up again. The intermingling of tongues, the warmth of her presence nearby, and the undeniable spark that always roared into a flame when they shared these intimate moments. Agnes was the first to make her feel that spark, and Rebecca was convinced more than ever that she wanted her to be the only one who ever gave her that feeling. The berry and cream added their own sweetness to the playful moment, but Becca did not need anything more than the woman in her arms.

The kiss broke, and Agnes was not alone in giggling. Everything still seemed like a dream, or some mind-impairing fantasy. There was another kiss, less intense, but no less intimate, and suddenly she was being looked to with a serious expression. Rebecca braced herself; if her last loving moment ever with Agnes had ended so abruptly, she might die from a combination of heartbreak and whiplash. She braced herself for what might come next.

The words felt like they echoed in her mind and in her heart, reverberating, making everything real again. This was not a fantasy; Agnes was there, in her arms, professing her love. Her never-ending love. Rebecca’s nose scrunched when nudged with the tip of Agnes’s nose, and she could already feel the tears pooling in her eyes. Happy tears; she had missed happy tears. Another thing she was grateful to Agnes for returning to her.

”That's aw Ah coods hae ever wanted tae hear.” Rebecca brushed away the water from her eyes before returning her arm around the slender waist of the woman she loved. ”Ah loove ye, Aggie. Mair than anyain. Mair than anythin'.” And she was never going to stop proving that to her.

There was still plenty of reality for them to deal with and talk about, but this was not the moment. River’s name would not be present in this memory when she looked back on it fondly years later. Instead, Rebecca cupped Agnes’s cheek in her hand and smiled. ”Come on. Ah want tae shaur breakfest wi' th' loove ay mah life.”

After drying herself off with a towel, she grabbed one of the complimentary robes from the closet. There was something to be said about the little luxuries in a hotel. Her robe was plush, and more comfortable than most blankets she had known. The bed and the shower were both carefully designed and engineered to promote rest and relaxation. With a quick call down to the hotel restaurant, Rebecca had placed an order for eggs, bacon, French toast, pancakes (blueberry, not banana, sadly,) coffee, milk, and juice. She had already splurged on a room, so what was the harm in splurging on breakfast? They had burnt a lot of calories the night before, (and she hoped they might burn a few more before check out.) Everything was so convenient and welcoming; if she could afford it, she would stay all week.

At the very least she had a few more hours to spare before she returned to her apartment, where she was expected to cook for herself like a barbarian. In that time, she wanted things to go well with Agnes. Until she knew exactly which decision her still-technically-ex girlfriend would make, Rebecca was essentially competing with another woman for her affection. This meant she had to commit to trying harder, and doing what she could to remind Agnes of why they worked. River had the advantage; they had lived together for a while. Then again, with the way River had been acting lately, maybe that was no longer much of a benefit.

Rebecca had a lot to make up for, and if she wanted another chance, she had to learn lessons from her past self, as well as River. They had to talk things out when trouble arose, which seemed to be a flaw in their first relationship. Rebecca could not be pushy or suspicious or controlling, because those were the very traits that pushed Agnes away from her fiancée. Most importantly, she could not take anything for granted and let Agnes go as long as she was willing to be hers. This was her last chance and she knew that.

The food arrived promptly, and Rebecca led the employee to place the large tray on a nearby table. She looked it over, feeling her mouth water a little after a night of spent energy leaving her stomach wanting. Luckily, Agnes’s reappearance followed soon after, prompting the Scot to stop politely waiting and grab a crispy piece of bacon from the plate. ”Mm, welcome back. Ah present breakfast, loovingly made by strangers.”

Becca eyed the brunette, trying to cautiously probe for the results of her thinking time. ”Sae… hae a guid shower wi’out me?” She was still unsure if they were going to continue discussing things or just enjoy each other’s company in the remaining time they had that day.