Pleased to meet you... again

Forty-Six

Xander was in their room sharing with Geri and Petra. They were trying to ignore what was happening in their head. Geri had told them to put their phone on. Casey had been trying to contact them.

"It will be to pick a fight about the house." The winger explained. "I don't want a fight tonight."

Despite this they had put their phone on to several missed calls. No voicemail, no message. If it was that important surely Casey would have left a message. They wondered fleetingly if Dawn was okay. But decided that Casey probably wouldn't be contacting about that.

What was tickling their mind and heart was that maybe, Casey had realized now about the house and wanted to sort things. They didn't want to let hope in too much. But also they weren't sure if they could put themselves back in that place where their heart could get destroyed for a third time by the blonde. Their mind wouldn't shut down nearly enough to let them sleep.

Petra was snoring. Geri was awake on her phone, probably texting with Julie.

"Xan, you still awake?"

"Yeah." The brunette sighed.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Yeah."

"Do you want to see her?"

"What do you mean?"

"If Casey was to walk into this hotel right now would you want to see her?"

Xander thought for a moment it was a weird question. They considered if Geri was actually asking if they were still in love with Casey, truth is they would always be in love with the blonde even though the teacher didn't want them. Or maybe they wanted to hear that they were over them? Maybe Casey was... no why would they come all the way to New York to pick an argument.

"Xan, if she was here would you want to see her?"

"Yes, even if it was just a glimpse." The winger replied sadly. "I'm a sad git eh?"

"You love her eh?"

"She's always been the only one. No one else comes close. It's weird because we're so good when we are good but we don't communicate well, she's so... it's probably better for both of us not to be together it's just too extreme."

"So you do or don't want to see her?" The team medic was confused.

"Yeah I'd want to see her."

"Well you'd better get up and dressed then. Juls said that Casey arrived in Newark twenty minutes ago and is making her way here."

"Eh?" Xander's heart was pounding. "How'd she kno...? You told her."

"Well Juls told her. Go on mate you've been so bloody miserable, go and sort it out."

The brunette gulped, "what if she doesn't want to sort it out? And why should I just forgive her for what she said and did."

"Because one, nobody travels from California to New York to find someone if they don't want to sort it out and two, you're crazy in love with her and you know you'd regret not at least hearing her out." The physician replied with a sense of authority that made Xander believe them.

"I don't think I could take her hurting me again."

"You should tell her that. When you chat."

Xander got out of bed pulling on a pair of joggers.

"What's all the commotion," the Goalkeeper awoke from her sleep.

"Xander's ex is here."

"Casey?"

"Yeah. Good go get laid and put a smile on your face, you've been horrendous to be around." Petra mumbled from her slumber.

Geri laughed, "you go girl just tell them like it is."

The winger nodded their head as they lifted their galaxy team top and threw it on over the sports bra before lifting their old hoodie.

"Oh but mind no strenuous activity, pre game night, so let her top you for a change." Geri added with a laugh as Xander headed towards the door.

"Fuck off the pair of yous." Xander said as they left the room.

As they walked towards the elevator, they started to feel nauseous, nervous. They exhaled deeply as they called the lift. Not knowing what to expect.

Casey paid the cab on her card and lifted her hold-all. She stepped out into the cold New York night. Well early morning really. Fuck it was freezing. She looked up at the hi rise that was where she was staying. She wondered if behind any of those windows xander was sleeping.

Xander exited the lift and headed to reception. There were a lot of people around for the middle of the night, the women on reception looked as awake and alert as they did when the team had checked in hours ago, the concierge station had a queue and the Starbucks in the lobby was still open. Maybe they could go there and talk.

Casey walked into the busy lobby. They scanned the area for reception. A bellboy had already arrived by her side directing her to the check in desk. She looked over.

Xander spotted the blonde as she came through the entrance. Their heart was pounding with anticipation, fear and almost instant lust at the sight of Casey. God she was beautiful.

Casey's eyes met Xander's jade stare. They're waiting on me. Please let this work. Please I need them, I want them. Please let them forgive me.

They automatically started moving towards each other. Meeting in the middle of the lobby.

"You heard I was coming."

"I heard you were coming."

They both said at the same time.

It broke the tension for a second while they both smiled in response. They watch each other's lips turn up. Before their eyes returned to each others. It felt like they were searching each other's souls trying to work out what to say, what to do. The bellboy moved away. Xander gulped, Casey's eyes welled. The brunette followed suit, their tears streaming.

They kept looking at each other about a foot apart. The lobby seemed to disappear around them. No noise, no people, they were transfixed only on each other. It felt like an eternity passed. Memories they knew and dreamed swirled between them. Xander moved forward closing the gap. They knew Casey was their past, present and forever, they felt every second of love and pain the pair had ever experienced in this life, in their previous and future existences too.

Casey recalled how it felt to lose Alex in her last life. Her soul mourned, she felt the beginning of the next knowing that they would always truly be bound. Next time they would meet in elementary school and be friends and lovers their entire life. But that was years away and she needed to feel Xander's love in this, and to show them how much they felt. They really could be happy for eternity.

"I'm sorry Xan." The blonde, "I love you and I've been a stupid arse again. Please come home."

Xander felt a universe of love cascade over their body. They nodded their soul was content. But as they moved to kiss the blonde their human brain kicked in. "How do I know you won't do this again?"

With that statement the lobby and the noise appeared again. The noise and the smell of coffee. The ethereal feeling faded as they looked at each other, with the worry that they couldn't fix this etched on their faces.