T/W:Mentions cheating.

***
Steve

My cell chimes. I check it. It's..Kris. She's just seeing if I'm available to meet up for lunch.

'Sure' I text back.

'Great! C u soon!' I smile, re reading the text message. Then I replay how upset Lex was the other night.

Then I recall how Lex blew me off for that loser, Knox Marshall. And I decide I'll do whatever the hell I want to.

***

"Was Lex upset that you were home so late the other night?" Kris asks.

"No. More worried," I reply. There's no point in mentioning the other shit that went down. Kris would only feel badly.

"I understand that," Kris says. "Anytime Reece is more than twenty minutes late, I start to panic."

"Lex is used to me working late," I reply.

"Doesn't mean she still won't worry," Kris says. I nod. For a moment, I recall Lex's fingers caressing my beard. How right it felt. She hadn't even touched my beard in weeks.

I bow my head, suddenly aching for Lex's fingers on my beard again.

"Steve, you okay?" I nod, but I don't look up. Tears fill my eyes.

How could I have be so stupid and selfish? All Lex wanted to do was be a good friend to someone who didn't have anyone else to lean on.

"Steve?" Kris touches my hand. I jerk and look up. Kris looks confused by my reaction.

"I'm sorry," I say simply.

"For what?" Kris asks.

"For acting like a stupid ass, who wanted to get back at his wife by..being with..you."

"Oh." Kris looks uncomfortable, but I think she already knew. "You really wanted to, didn't you?" I nod.

"Only because I felt so..neglected."

"I..kinda...wanted you to as well," Kris admits.

"I know," I murmur. "It would have been so easy to."

"It would," Kris agrees. I sigh.

"The other, Lex touched my face." Kris frowns a little.

"Oookay."

"She touches my beard whenever she's upset or anxious," I explain. "She hasn't done that in weeks. I used to think it was weird. But now, now I long for it."

Kris smiles. "That's sweet." I smile.

"Yeah," I whisper. "It is."

***
When I arrive home, I go straight to Lex, kissing her deeply. She smiles, immediately reaching out to rub my beard. Tears fill my eyes. She presses close to me and we cling to each other, not speaking for a long time.

"I missed this," I murmur against Lex's hair. She's crying now.

"Me too." Lex tilts her face up, gazing into my eyes. "I know you didn't agrees  with me being there for Knox."

"I was wrong," I tell Lex, rubbing her back. She nestles in further, waiting to be as close to me as possible. "Knox is fortunate to have a friend as good as you.

Lex smiles through her tears. I note she hadn't stopped rubbing my beard this entire time.

"He needs me," Lex whispers.

"He does," I agree. I kiss Lex again. She cups my cheek in her palm.

"I never wanted Knox the way I want you, Steven."

"I had thought maybe you..did." Lex shakes her head.

"You're my saving grace, Steven. You pulled me out of a dark place after I lost Speed. No one else did that." I smile, kissing Lex's forehead.

"I did, didn't I?"

"Hell yes you did. And you know what else?" Lex's fingers continue to graze the lower half of my face.

"What?" I ask, holding her flush against me.

"You're mine. Forever." I lose it myself, as the tears pour from my eyes, dripping off on to Lex. She doesn't even care. She just holds me close.

"I love hearing you say that," I whisper.

"And I'll happily continue to say it for the rest of our time together."

***
Lex

Knox has some encouraging reports the next time I go visit him.

"I walked, alone during my last physical therapy session," he informs me, grinning. I squeal, rushing over and throwing my arms around Knox, squeezing. He laughs.

"Somebody's excited," he teases when I finally release him.

"How could you tell?" I tease back. Knox laughs again.

"For how long?" I ask, sitting down again.

"Ten whole minutes," Knox says proudly.

"Awesome!" I exclaim.

"I might be out of here sooner than they originally thought," Knox says.

"I hope you will be," I say, smiling.

"You can tell me to mind my own business," Knox says, changing the subject. "But did you talk with Steve?"

"I did," I answer.

"How'd that go?" Knox asks.

"Good." I pause, remembering how transparent both Steve and I were. I smile.

"From the look on your face," Knox comments. "I'd say things went better than just 'good.'"

"We talked shit out," I murmur. Knox smiles.

"That's great."

"I love Steve more than anything," I whisper.

"I can tell," Knox murmurs. "Anytime you mention him, your eyes light up." I grin.

"Maybe not every time." Knox chuckles.

"I'll rephrase that," he jokes. "Most of the time."

"That's better," I say.

"Oh, one other bit of good news," Knox adds.

"More?" I smile.

"Yes. A few of my colleagues stopped by, checking on me. And they said they'd be willing to help me out once we get a schedule figured out," Knox informs me.

"Wonderful!" I exclaim.

"It's definitely nice having some good news for a change," Knox murmurs.

"I'll bet," I say. Knox leans over, taking my hand.

"I got a bit of a confession to make."

"Go for it," I say.

"You're the reason I could endure this whole situation," Knox tells me.

"I can't take all the credit," I say softly, clinging to Knox's hand.

"I know a lot of my improvements relied on me," Knox agrees. "I had to have the drive to move forward. But having you around, definitely fueled my motivation."

"I'd do it all over again," I say softly. Knox chuckles, giving my hand an affectionate squeeze.

"I can't thank you enough."

"You, getting better," I say. "Is all the thanks I need."

***
I'm bubbling over as I call Cass, informing her of Knox's good reports and news.

"You must feel so relieved," Cass murmurs.

"I don't think 'relieved' quite explains it," I say.

"I'm really happy Knox will be all right," Cass says.

"Thanks."

"It wasn't his time," Cass says. "You still need him."

"I don't know that I totally follow that way of thinking," I say. "I still needed..Speed and he didn't make it.".

"It was his time," Cass murmurs.

"I guess."

"We're all given a certain amount of days. I know that's difficult to wrap our brains around, but it's true."

"Again, not sure I'm ready to say that," I tell Cass. "I'm just happy I get a second chance with Knox. Time or not."

"Embrace that, Lex," Cass tells me.

"Believe me, I will."