After Party

By the third song on Beatles' and Zion's infinite playlist, the reception had descended into boisterous disarray. The bride and groom were getting their honeymoon started early under a table. Radio and Sherrif were swing dancing to "Kiss from a Rose" – meaning they of course had to waltz when a swing song started to play. And Karas – sweet, lovable Karas – was drunk out of her mind and making lewd advances at inanimate objects.

"I'd be more than ha-ha-happy to turn you on, M-Mister," she said to a floor lamp.

Bubbles, on her part, was doing a terrible job at pretending to have fun. She smiled when it was appropriate and even told a few jokes when she could. But there was melancholy in her eyes. She needed closure. She needed peace. She needed – more cake.

There was only one slice left and she had already eaten three but Bubbles went for it anyway. As she did her hand grazed another. "Sorry. You take it." She turned to mosey back to her seat.

"No, please. You were here first. It's only fair." Bubbles started at the familiar voice. It was him. The same mystery man who had been staring at her all night now stood right in front of her. And she had no idea what to say.

"I, um, well… Hello?"

He laughed. "Hi." There was a pause. Not the awkward sort; the kind of pause that comes from simply wanting to cherish the moment and not spoiling it with hasty words. Finally he said, ever so softly, "Care to dance?"

As they swayed in time to the music, Bubbles dared to let the sadness slip away. It felt right being with him. She smirked at the familiar smell of coffee tickling her nose. She could still feel him staring at her from behind his wire frame glasses. She hesitated and made to pull away but he held her close – as if he never meant to let her go.

"What are you thinking about?"

"Nothing," she answered lamely. She crinkled her nose and tried again. "I mean… the song is beautiful."

"It is," he said and the song ended. "I only wish I could stay longer."

"It's alright; it was fun while it lasted. Thank you for the dance though. Oh," Bubbles placed the slice of cake onto a paper plate and handed it to her anonymous admirer. "Don't forget your cake."

Without a word he took the fork and brought a piece to her lips. The chocolate was moist and rich; it tasted better than she remembered. Bubbles licked the sweet icing from her lips and peered up at her unnamed suitor, begging for another bite.

Instead, he kissed her. He kissed her and the pain that had gripped her heart was dispelled. It was like sunlight was breaking through the clouds after a terrible downpour.

"Come see me later, Bubbles," he whispered. "I'll be waiting for you outside." She nodded and watched him until he was beyond her sight.

"I'm totally jealous," Dolly sighed. "I want to find my prince charming!" The party was beginning to wind down and the guests that still remained had gathered around the bar.

"Me too!" Sheriff said. "Everyone finds their soul mate at a wedding."

"Technically," Radio said. "I found mine in Freebie."

Too distracted to realize Radio had referred to Sesshy as her soul mate, Bubbles prepared her exit. "I think I'm all partied out guys. I'm heading out."

"Aw, okay. Everyone's gone back to OT, anyway. Bye Bubbles!"

***

Bubbles pulled her jacket closed to shield her from the nippy wind. She couldn't remember at what time they were supposed to meet. But she didn't mind waiting.

"Bubbles." She turned to see him waving and jogging towards her.

"I was beginning to think you weren't coming…" She shifted her weight from leg to the other and rubbed her hands against her arms. It wasn't that cold; her nerves were getting the best of her.

"I'm sorry; I had to take care of a few things. And I know you don't like to wait; I promise to make it up to you this time."

"There's no need. I just -" She was being silly. It was too soon to be feeling like this – again. He was staring at her, but more inquisitive than curious this time. Those glasses made his dark eyes seem like great onyx orbs, gentle but troubled. "Never mind," she mumbled at last.

"Anyway," he began. He pinched the bridge of his nose; a sinus headache, Bubbles recognized. Perhaps it was his mannerisms that made her so comfortable around him. It was like she knew him already. He pulled off the glasses and, with a sigh, Manuel placed them in his shirt pocket.

Bubbles' jaw dropped. "You? How- why- what are you doing here?"

"I needed to see you, Bubbles –"

"So, you could make a fool of me?" Her voice was shrill with shock.

"Would you have come if you knew it were me?"

"Of course not!"

"Then I had no choice! We need to talk, Bubbles."

"We have nothing left to talk about." She grabbed her bag and stormed off in no particular direction.

"What if I told you it wasn't me?" Bubbles stopped dead in her tracks. This was what she had been waiting to hear: it never happened and it was all a horrible nightmare. She faced Manuel and let him wipe away the tears that were now streaming down her cheeks. "What if I told you," he continued, "that my twin brother had escaped from jail and impersonated me?"

"Oh, Papí, that horrible!" She threw her arms around him despite the stares she was getting from passers-by. "I'm so sorry! I should have trusted you! You never told me you had a twin!"

"I don't."

Bubbles sniffled a bit more. "What?"

"I don't have a twin, Bubbles." Those words were like a hammer against the fragile reality to which Bubbles clung. She stumbled backwards and pressed her palms against her temples.

"But don't you see?" he implored. "It might as well have been an impersonator! It wasn't me in there, at least not the real me. It was just a job; it meant nothing. The real me is with you! The real me has always been faithful to you."

Bubbles gave a wry chuckle. "Well the real you best get to steppin' because I can't do this anymore. How can I trust you when your job is to sleep around? How can I be with you when I have no claim over you?" She went to the curb and tried to flag down an oncoming taxi. She could have simply walked but the dark clouds were returning and Bubbles was sure the downpour would come before she could make it home.

"I'm done with that, Corazón! That's what I tried to tell you. Last night was the last time. I quit. They finally offed my father, so I'm taking over the family business in Colombia. Come with me Bubbles!" Manuel clasped her hands in his. "We can finally be together! No one can stop us! It will be just you and me and acres and acres of coca!"

Her eyes narrowed. Looking at him now, groveling and pathetic, Bubbles didn't know what she had loved in the first place. "I'm happy for you Manuel. Really, I am. I'm sure you'll be great drug lord. But there is no us. You hurt me, Manuel. I will not let you hurt me again." She pulled out of his grasp just as taxi zipping past.

"But I'm doing this for you! I'm turning my life around for you! I'm becoming a better man for you!"

"That's bullshit, Manuel! If you want to change that's fine. More power to you. But don't you dare say you're doing it for me! I never asked you to be a better man. All I wanted was for you to be my man." Finally, she succeeded in hailing a cab and wasted no time getting in the back seat and slamming the door.

"Bubbles!" he called to her. "Bubbles! You are breaking my heart, Querida!"

Bubbles rolled down the window just a crack; just enough to let him hear her reply. "Good. I'm glad I could return the favor."

A/N - Woot! This is the first multi-chap I've finished! A tad late, but still! I barely proofread and I didn't have anyone beta, so if you find typos let me know! I wanna thank all my OTers (you know who you are). And shout out to Manuel. Hope Colombia is treating you well.