37 comments/ 63785 views/ 111 favorites Lost & Found Ch. 02 By: beachbum1958 Once again, this is only possible because of the immense help and patience of Mricemen1964, his good humour and sense of reality, and his willingness to listen, a rare quality these days! Also, I would like to acknowledge the help and gin passed to me by my wife's coven of booze-sodden man-eaters, who all seem to spend an inordinate amount of time passed-out in my study whenever the Lions are taking on the All-Blacks at Twickenham or England is batting against Australia at Lords! Their input, story curves and need to live vicariously through Robbie and Casey has proved a huge inspiration; Thank you ladies, bottoms-up! If you like it, please rate it; if you don't tell me why, I do read all comments and act on them, unless they're physically impossible or hopelessly mad... _____________________________________ Part 2: Thou hast made us to drink the wine of astonishment; Psalms 60:3 Robbie looked out of the window at the taxi dropping-off Joey and Karen. "OK Case, last chance, you can still duck out now, you don't have to do this just yet, not for me!" Casey took his hand, squeezed it for moment, and smiled. "It's OK Robbie; I need to do this, for you as well as for me. I'll be fine, OK?" The knock on the door announced they were there. "It's open!" called Robbie, and then Joey and Karen were in the hallway, calling out to him. "In here, guys!" he called back, and they walked on in, long familiarity and family ease evident in their casual dumping of coats and flight bags Joey, slightly shorter and stockier than Robbie, with young, conventionally handsome features, tousled dark blonde hair like Sarah's, came all the way into the living room, his face splitting into a wide grin on seeing a cute girl with coppery-bronze hair standing with Robbie, not recognising her right away. He took a step forward to introduce himself, and suddenly realised who he was looking at, his mouth dropping open in shock. Karen, a tall, quietly beautiful girl with a tumbled mass of midnight black curls framing her piquant features, came forward to hug Robbie, a wide, happy smile on her face. "Robbie, sweetheart, it's been too long since..." and stopped, shocked recognition making her gasp as she realised who was standing there with him. Anger flashed in her blue eyes as she spat out one word, a curse and a threat all in one. "YOU!" She started forward, towards Casey, eyes narrowed in fury, stopping short as Robbie stepped in front of her, pushing Casey slightly behind him. "Karen, Joey, please, calm down. There's a reason Casey's here, take it easy, please, guys, come on!" Karen backed off, staring daggers at Casey, Joey still standing with his mouth hanging open like a boated cod, his eyes narrowing as shock gave way to anger. "Robbie, what the hell is this...this...creature doing here!?" hissed Karen, sparks spitting in her eyes, glaring at Casey, who quailed at that glare and the sheer concentrated fury in her voice. "Yeah Bro, just what the hell's going on? What the fuck is she doing here?" gritted Joey, his shocked expression gone, face immobile but his eyes still narrowed to two angry slits. "Guys, please, for me, just lay off her for one second, please? I said I had a surprise. Casey and I, we kind of found each other; actually, she's been looking for me all this time, I listened to what she had to say, and I believed her. All that stuff in the past, that's all gone now, none of it matters anymore. I finally let it go, only because Casey showed me the way. I have a family that loves me, you guys, and I want you to hear her out, for my sake. Will you do that? At least just listen? Please?" "For you, Robbie, I'll listen," said Karen, "But if I don't like what I'm hearing...!" she trailed off meaningfully, eyes still fixed distrustfully on Casey. "That goes for me too!" spat Joey,"this had better be fucking amazingly good! Why you let her..." his voice trailed off into angry muttering, his slitted eyes still fixed intently on her face as he shook his head in disgust. Robbie squeezed Casey's hand, smoothed back her hair, and looked her in the eyes. "Say your piece, Case. Don't hold anything back, there're no secrets between any of us, just tell Joey and Karen what you told me, don't be afraid, I'm here." His sweet smile was all the encouragement she needed. Casey swallowed nervously, and began to speak. "Joey, Karen, you both know how I behaved, what I did to Robbie. I have no excuses that mean anything, I did what I did because no-one told me I couldn't, and I paid for it, with shame and loss, more than I can ever describe. I took everything, and left nothing for him, ever, not a scrap of my time or a thought for him, and I only realised what I'd done when it was too late to make it right." "I understood then that I should have been there for him. He'd always needed me, and I was too wrapped-up in myself to know that I needed him until he was gone, and it was too late. I looked for him because I wanted my big brother, I wanted him back, and I would have made any bargain, paid any price, just to get him back, to say sorry, to beg his forgiveness, and to tell him I loved and needed him. We gave him nothing, and we cast him away for no reason, left him alone when he needed us the most, and I cried for him night after night, knowing he was lost and alone when he needed me, and I needed him so badly. When Joey told me he didn't know where Robbie was, it felt like the bottom had dropped out of my world: If the one person Robbie loved and trusted most in this world didn't know where he was, then he truly was lost to me, he really was gone forever, I could never make it right with him, and it was all my fault. When Karen confronted me, what she did was no more than I deserved." "When I found him again, all he had to do was tell me to go and slam the door on me forever. He didn't, because, thank God, he's not like me, nor ever could be. I left him out of my life, but he pulled me back into his, because that's who he is, and I can never forgive myself for letting him go so easily. I did the most terrible thing in the world; I only had one chance to have a big brother, and I blew it; I threw him away, I nearly destroyed him, and I laughed when I did it, and it will weigh on my heart forever. Now I know how it feels to lose the most precious thing in the whole world, and I'm never letting him go again!" She was crying openly now, hot tears pouring down her cheeks as her shame and guilt bloomed large inside her again. Karen looked at her, her expression flinty, but tears glimmered in her eyes, wringing Joey's hand between hers, mute evidence she was feeling the powerful emotional charge in the room. Joey was still in shock; this was a side to Casey he'd never expected to see, the confident, arrogant, cheerleader babe-about-town reduced to this emotional shambles, all her defenses down, and his heart went out to her as he felt the emotional impact of her deep sorrow and even deeper sincerity. Robbie took her in his arms, holding her against him as she sobbed, smoothing her hair, murmuring gently to her, clumsily trying to calm her as he held her close. Casey wrapped her arms around him and held him tight, letting Robbie rock her gently against his chest, her hands holding and caressing him. Karen's expression slowly softened as she watched, realisation of the true nature of Robbie and Casey's relationship gradually dawning. At last, Robbie let her go, dabbing her eyes as she rested her head against his chest and brushing her hair gently with his lips, silence in the room as all of them sat motionless, mulling-over what had just unfolded. Joey stirred, breaking the spell, to hunker-down in front of Casey, wonder stirring in him as he finally got what was going on between Robbie and Casey, and reached out to gently touch her arm, take her hand. Casey looked at him through her tears, gradually seeing the look on his face, all his anger gone, only concern for her there. "Hi Casey, I'm Joey, Robbie's brother, it's nice to finally meet you at last!" he smiled, flashing a quick look of concern and enquiry at Robbie, getting a quick nod and smile back, all the affirmation he needed. Casey smiled through her tears, grateful for the love and support Robbie had been given when he'd needed it, stricken that it wasn't her who'd done that for him. "Hi Joey, I've heard so much about you; Robbie's told me all about his family, and how much he loves you all, I'm glad I finally met you!" she quavered, smiling tremulously, her eyes still bright with unshed tears. Joey reached behind him, Karen's hand slipping into his as she moved up behind him, smiling at Casey when she looked up at her. "Casey, this is my fiancée, Karen. Karen, I'd like you to meet Casey, she's with Robbie!" Karen held out her hand, Casey's slipping into it, the two of them holding hands as the family reunion unfolded around them, Karen also feeling the depth of Casey's sorrow and regret, and feeling and hearing her sincerity. "Casey, come with me, let's get you cleaned up." said Karen gently, Robbie rising and handing up Casey from the couch, the two girls making for the bathroom to fix Casey's tear-ravaged makeup. While they were gone, Joey and Robbie sat silently for a moment or two, Joey finally breaking the silence. "Mom's gonna have a haemorrhage, you do know that don't you!" he grinned. "So, are the two of you really...uh...?" Robbie grinned back at him. "Yeah, we're - significant pause - 'uh'! Is that a problem, meat-head?" Joey grinned even wider. "Hell no, Casey always was a babe, even if I hated her with depth and conviction, but this whole ...relationship thing you two seem to have begun, it's gonna open a huge can of worms, you do know that, don't you? You got the stones to keep a lid on it, Rob?" Robbie expression became sober, thoughtful. "Joey, I really think we can do this right, if you guys are willing to help us. How 'bout it? You gonna help out a friend in need?" "Always and forever, Bro, even if you are a butthead geek, that's what family does, we help each other out, and then we never mention it again while somehow constantly reminding each other about it, and then we mind each other's business, so if you can get Mom on-side, expect a whole lot of her minding your business!" grinned Joey, walking into the kitchen to the refrigerator, rummaging around inside for a beer and tossing a cold one over to Robbie while he popped his own. Joey suddenly grinned. "Mom's gonna get 'that look', you know the one I mean? And that little vein, right in the middle of her forehead! It'll be like when we did that thing with the telescope and Jodie Hollister, man she shredded us good! And somehow, once again, this will be my fault; you do know that, don't you? You were always her fair-haired little golden boy, and I'm gonna catch heat for this one, I can feel it in my bones, so you are gonna owe me big-time! I shall demand payment when I figure out what you've got that I want most, so be prepared! Come to think of it, I just love that car of yours; I would look sooo good sitting behind the wheel of it all the time!" Robbie grinned at him. "Yeah, right, blow it out your butt, meathead!" he said as he motioned Joey to take a seat. He sat down, took a long slow swallow of his beer, his eyes closed in enjoyment, then suddenly began coughing as he nearly choked. Robbie jumped up, looking at him in consternation."You OK, man? Chrissake, Joey, take it easy, you don't earn enough to pay me to give you the kiss of life!" Joey coughed and wheezed for a few seconds, giving him the finger before he caught his breath and looked Robbie straight in the face. "Jeez, Robbie, I forgot; Uncle Frank, and Aunt Caitlin! You know how they feel about your family; the pair of them and the girls are gonna skin Casey when they find out about this, she's top of their 'shred-before-recycling' list!" Robbie grinned. "I think that's where you guys come in; when the time's right, I'm going to need you two to corral Aunt Caitlin so I can get Uncle Frank alone and tell him what's happened, then we can all kind of gang-up on Aunt Caitlin to calm her down before she goes ground-zero on us. Leave the twins to me, I know how their devious, mercenary little minds work, I can get them on-side. The hard one is going to be Mom, and the only thing that's going to work is total honesty -- anything else and we'll both be on that shred-list!" Joey thought about it, and slowly nodded agreement. "Better call Mom later, make sure she knows about this before Uncle Frank or you'll be sorry. I'm just glad it's you making that call; she is most definitely not gonna like this!" The girls came back then, so discussion ended, but at least tentative plans were now in place. Casey looked better, the earlier emotional storm of earlier had calmed; now she looked fresh, happier, back on an even keel. Robbie and Joey stood up, letting the girls sit before sitting down themselves; some of Sarah's lessons in manners at least seemed to have taken firm hold. Casey flashed Joey a tentative smile, her smile broadening when Joey smiled back, and leaned into the circle of Robbie's arm, pulling in close when his arm closed around her, resting her head against him. "We all good now, Case?" he murmured, Casey squeezing his hand in the affirmative. "Good, let's go to dinner, I feel like taking my family out, who likes Szechuan? There's a new place in Serramonte, I feel the need for something sweet and hot, unless anyone else has got a preference?" No-one had, so they piled into the car, Joey driving because Robbie knew how much he enjoyed driving the GT, but mainly because he wanted to sit in the back and huddle with Casey. Dinner was everything they could have wanted, and they eventually headed back late to Daly City. Joey and Karen had to be back in Springfield in 2 days, so there was no rush for flights or anything. In the normal course of events, Joey and Robbie would spend a day with Frank, and a couple of days just hanging, but now they had things to do, people to see, and news to break. When they got back to the apartment, Robbie insisted Joey and Karen take the master bedroom, the cable was hooked through there and he knew how Joey like to watch late night movies, he and Casey camping out in the spare bedroom. After they'd changed for bed, Karen and Joey discussed the day's revelations. Karen was still astonished at the changes in Casey; in school she'd been brash, self-assured, arrogant and uber-confident, at 16 already main contender for the school Alpha-Female crown, star of the cheer-leading squad, undisputed Prom Queen in waiting. Karen had despised her, suspected what she was like even then. When she'd discovered what Casey had stood-by and allowed to happen to Robbie, she'd been appalled and disgusted at just what kind of person Casey had really been. Now that old Casey was gone; Karen recognised the fundamental changes in her, a shift from focussing on herself to Robbie, and her obvious and profound remorse for the life she'd stood by and had let happen to him, and the reality of the relationship she and Robbie had struck-up. Karen was unconcerned that Casey was his sister; for most of her life she'd been anything but. To her own wonder, she recognised the paradigm shift she'd undergone in her own views and opinions of Casey; now she saw the girl underneath all that had gone before, and how much that girl wanted, and was wanted by, Robbie. No, Karen was concerned for Robbie. He was a big, sweet kid, almost Joey's age but so much younger than him in every way that mattered, and emotional entanglements, with anyone, not just Casey, were going to be a minefield for him; he had no prior experience to help him negotiate that minefield, no history of dating or girls or anything that involved the opposite sex; like Sarah, she'd long been concerned that Robbie had consistently shown no interest or curiosity about girls, sex, dating, the things a young man should have been engaging in with headlong enthusiasm; instead, he'd seemed almost asexual in his lack of curiosity about the opposite sex. It was as if his sex drive, and everything that implied, had been completely sublimated, suppressed by so many layers of trauma for so long that it had ceased to become available to him, an almost autistic inability to connect with himself in this way. Age and maturity had not assisted him greatly; puberty for him had just meant he got taller and started shaving. When she and Joey hugged and kissed in front of him, he'd always shown no reaction, no hint that he was curious about what they were doing, and that had always worried her deeply; it was like a piece of him was missing, like a door into himself that had been closed and was so well papered-over that he hadn't known it was there. It was both ironic and gratifying that Casey, of all people, had finally been able to drill down into that untapped part of him, and unlock the things that he needed to express so he could be complete. He'd needed someone that could help him re-engage with that part of his psyche, and unbelievably, Casey had been the one to get through the layers of defensive shrouding and unlock those parts of him that had lain forgotten there. She just hoped Casey could bring him into his true adulthood in a way that matured him into who he should have been. Karen resolved to keep a close eye on her, not because she distrusted her, but because she might move too fast, damaging him in ways that none of them would be able to fix. Like Casey, Karen felt almost over-protective of Robbie, a deep sense of responsibility for him, as one would for any younger sibling; he may be almost Joey's age, but in almost every way he was still the baby of the family, a wide-eyed, almost pre-pubescent, innocent, and hurting him would be all too easy. It was all too possible to kill with kindness as easily as with malice. In their room, Robbie and Casey were not discussing motives or maturity or emotional minefields; Robbie was still resonating with the way Casey had broken down again, pouring out her apologies in a heartfelt stream of regret and remorse, and all he wanted to do was hold her, feel her against him and protect her, to keep her safe in his family, his real family, Joey and Karen and everyone else, not that travesty back home. She was still very fragile; the emotional toll on her was high, and even Robbie, emotional juvenile that he was, recognised that these confrontations were costing her a heavy price; she couldn't do this over and over again, much as she believed she had to, it was going to break her, and he wouldn't allow that. He got ready for bed, unselfconsciously stripping down to his shorts, Casey's eyes on him. He really was a beautiful specimen, she mused, like an anatomy exhibit of how the perfect male form should look, well muscled but not brooding or heavy, rippling without being over-developed, perfectly classically proportioned; Praxiteles would have sculpted him in an instant, she thought, smiling at the thought of Robbie being the model for the famous 'Hermes and Dionysus' at Olympia. Casey had never been particularly attracted to muscle-men; the line in 'Twins' where Danny DeVito asks Arnold Schwarzenegger if there's something wrong with him, he's all swelled-up, had always seemed apt, but now, when she looked at Robbie's sculpted form, she could understand the beauty of, and the attraction to, the well-developed, healthy male body. "It's not right, and it shouldn't happen, but I love him" she thought, her heart filling again with regret for the years she'd lost with him. She moved up against him, hugging him around the waist, laying her head against his chest to listen to his heartbeat, strong and steady and slow, the pulse of the true athlete. Robbie smiled at her actions, folding his arms about her, holding her to him. Lost & Found Ch. 02 "Something on your mind, Case?" he inquired, Casey hearing the smile in his voice. "I just wanted to be close to you, baby, just for a minute; do you mind?" she whispered. "Never, Case, take as long as you want, it's kind of nice for me too!" said Robbie, stroking her hair She grinned, kissed his chest, and pulled back, to look up at him. He looked back at her, complete trust, and something else, in his clear gaze. "What is it, baby?" she asked, feeling a sense of foreboding. Robbie sighed. "Tomorrow, Case, I have to tell Mom about you, about us. She's gonna be mad, I know, but I've got Joey and Karen to back us up, and she'll listen to me, but you're also going to have to do this all over again. I just don't know how many times you can do this without going out of your mind -- I can see what this is doing to you; say the word and we'll leave it be for now, let you get some of your balance back before you walk out there into the arena. How do you want to play this, Maximus?" Casey grinned at the 'Gladiator' reference, and hugged him close again. "It's OK, Robbie, if you're there with me, I can do it. Sarah's not like mom, and if she's angry, she has just cause, but she's not going to claw and maul me, I have that to be grateful for, and she adores you, so I'll be OK. Are you really sure we can do this by 'phone? I know if it were my son, I'd want to see him face to face when he tells me something like this!" He looked thoughtful. "Good point, let me think about this tonight, maybe we can do it another way, let's talk in the morning, OK?" Casey nodded agreement, slipping in close for another hug, her hands around his waist, sliding down to grasp and squeeze his solid buttocks. He grinned and began unbuttoning her shirt, pulling it out of her jeans and off her shoulders, admiring her slim shapely torso, her small but beautifully formed breasts confined inside her lacy white bra. He popped the button her of her jeans, sliding down the zipper, Casey wriggling to let them drop to the floor and daintily stepping out of them to stand before him in her skimpy, wispy, almost-there underwear. Robbie gently pulled her closer, his head dipping down to kiss her, Casey responding, sliding her arms around his neck to hold him closer as she kissed him back passionately. His hands slid up and fumbled with the clasp of her bra, unsnapping it, Casey pulling away for a second to undrape it from her and toss it aside. Still kissing her, his hands roamed down, cupping her shapely buttocks, pulling her in closer and sliding inside her panties to caress her naked skin. She broke off their kiss to hook her thumbs in the waistband of her panties, sliding them down and wriggling slightly to let them drop to the floor, standing naked in front of her sweet man. Robbie admired her frankly, enjoying the lines of her body, lithe and sleek like a dancer, but also soft, properly curved, entirely feminine. He held out his hand to her and she came to him, kissing him once more, his hands roaming over her as he 'saw' her with his other senses, feeling her silky warmth, her soft perfume and the smell of her hair dancing in his nostrils, subtle, alive and tempting. Casey held him close, feeling him grow against her, needing to feel his warmth, wanting him to know how much she wanted him. She ground herself lightly against him, the contact between her mound and his stiffening cock delightful, promising, making him groan softly and kiss her even more passionately and hold her more tightly against him. Casey rubbed her hand along the line of his erect cock, feeling it's solidity through his shorts, wanting to hold it. She broke off their kiss to kneel, sliding his shorts down, his rigid cock springing into view in front of her face. Taking hold of it and sliding her mouth over the end, she sucked gently as her tongue roamed over the velvety crown. Robbie groaned, steadying himself against her as her head bobbed over his manhood, her tongue rubbing and licking over the large, bell-shaped end as her cheeks hollowed with her suctioning, lowering the pressure, making him harder as he engorged even further. "No Case..not...like...this!" he gasped out, Casey looked up in surprise, the sight of her looking up at him with her big gray-hazel eyes and long lashes as she fellated him nearly making him come there and then. He backed out of her mouth, handing her up and backing toward the bed. "It's kind of a special day today, let's celebrate properly!" he explained, in response to her questioning look. Casey understood, smiling, letting him pilot her to the bed, to lie down and wait for him. He slid on the bed next to her, gathering her to him and kissing her again, gently, softly, making her feel wanted, and wanting him in return. Now Casey took the initiative, leaning over him to push him down, kissing him lightly, teasingly, soft feather-like kisses on his lips, his face, dodging his hands and smiling as she weaved around above him, delighting in his smile as she continued to gently tease him. She kissed him down his chest, gently catching his nipples between her teeth, making him gasp with the sensation, kissing him on further down, to take hold of his straining penis, gently kissing and licking the shaft, licking around the bulbous purple head, tasting his lubricant as his need grew. Her lips slipped over the swollen head, closing and sealing over the shaft, and her head began a long, slow bobbing motion, cheeks hollowing as she sucked, the sensation delighting and stimulating him. Her tongue slid in and through the furrow in the end of his cock, jolts of pleasure blasting through him every time she did this, her hand pumping and squeezing in time to her movements. Robbie couldn't last long like this; the build-up of stimulating sensations, the sight of her beautiful face concentrating on sucking his cock, all were too much for him, and he could feel his sperm rising, that prickling, tensing sensation in back of his scrotum and at the juncture of his thighs warning him what was about to happen. "Case, I...now...Oh God...!" he gasped, and Casey nodded, smiling and sucking harder, pumping him harder. With a deep, heartfelt groan as he lost control, Robbie felt his cock swell, jetting his sperm into the back of her throat. Casey kept sucking as jet after jet of hot spunk slammed into her mouth, swallowing as fast as he could ejaculate, pumping him to milk every last drop into her hungry mouth, until the flood subsided, her tongue swirling around the head of his cock, licking him clean. Robbie lay back, heart thudding and his chest rising and falling rapidly, Casey sliding up to lie next to him to gently stroke his face and brush his hair back from his forehead, kissing him lightly, before pulling herself tight into him, cuddling as close as she could get. Robbie turned to smile lazily at her. "How about you, Case, you got nothing out of that, let me..." Casey hushed him with a slim finger against his lips. "Oh no, Robbie, I got a great deal from that! I got to kiss and hold and pleasure a very beautiful man indeed!" "Even so...!" he said, turning to her, pulling her gently in to kiss her properly. As he did so, Casey felt his semi-flaccid cock twitch against her, a solid muscular twitch indicating that he wasn't finished just yet. She grinned happily -- just what kind of a monster had she created here? As he kissed her, his hands roamed over her, caressing, squeezing, touching, holding, making her sigh and moan in expectation, his cock growing hard and solid against her. She reached out and took hold of his erect cock, feeling its muscular solidity, hot and smooth to the touch, throbbing with his pulse, Robbie sighing as her warm hands enfolded him. As she slowly pumped him, his finger slipped into her, gently caressing, exciting her, making her gasp out loud as he slid over her clitoris, warming her up, making her want him. She moved against him, her pumping hands matching the rhythm of his stroking, her thighs parting as she gave herself up completely. Robbie moved over her, positioning himself, Casey guiding him until he was in position, then slowly sinking into her pussy as she pulled him into herself, her hiss of satisfaction loud in his ears, echoing his groan as the wet heat of her vulva enclosed him, beckoning him on, drawing him further into her. They moved slowly, almost languidly against each other, Casey meeting him stroke for stroke, lovers making love, not the excited coupling of attraction and lust, then stopping abruptly, Casey smiling at his look of concern. "It's all right sweetie, I'm OK, I just want you to do something else for me -- it'll be good, you'll like it, I promise!" Robbie disengaged from her, kneeling up at her urging, and Casey turned around, getting on all fours in front of him, her open vulva in full view. "Robbie, please, now..." she urged him, and now, instincts he didn't know he possessed coming to the fore, Robbie knelt up, aiming his penis at her and shuffling forward, Casey reaching behind to help him into her, until, with one thrust, he was able to slide into her again. Rhythm returned as he pumped, something making him reach forward to slide his hands around her ribcage to find her breasts and cup them, rubbing and lightly pinching her nipples, pulling them into hard, rubbery little points as he pumped his cock into her. Casey was gasping and sighing; from this angle she felt filled, his cock fit inside her like a hand in a glove, the dragging friction as he slid in and out of her completely out of this world. She rubbed her clitoris as he pumped her, speeding up until he was pounding into her, her gasps giving way to squeals and groans of excitement. At last, thrilled and stimulated beyond endurance, she climaxed, her vagina quivering and squeezing rhythmically along the length of his rigid cock, her muscles spasming and giving way so she dropped her shoulders and face onto the pillow. This position, and the sucking and squeezing of her convulsing vagina, made the constriction around his cock delightfully unbearable, and he came with a deep, guttural groan, sperm pumping deep into her, his orgasm setting off Casey again, her loud exclamation of fulfillment ringing in his ears as she came powerfully in an extended series of waves crashing through her body, her muscles spasming uncontrollably against him. At last he finished emptying himself into her, and, finally sated, he collapsed next to her, looking at her to see her satisfied smile and touch her beautiful face with his fingertip, smiling all the while at her. As Robbie and Casey slid their arms about each other, in desperate need of sleep as the afterglow took them, Joey and Karen lay together in the master bedroom with smiles on their faces. "Now that was fucking hot!" murmured Joey, grinning as his hands roamed over Karen's slim, tight body, cupping her breasts as she ground against him. "Sister or not, Casey sure knows how to keep Robbie satisfied!" "I know, I heard!" smiled Karen, arousal burning in her from the erotic soundtrack they'd just had played for them. "Now you come here, I've got something for you, too!" She turned to him, her hands also working as she caressed and squeezed him, feeling him respond as she kissed and nibbled her way down his torso, working her way towards his steel-hard erection. "Just lie back and enjoy this, baby, I'm gonna to rock your world!" she grinned, and Joey could only smile happily, and as he did, a sudden thought flashed through his conscious mind; whatever else he was, Robbie was obviously a quick learner... +++ Casey woke early, alert and apprehensive at the thought of meeting Robbie's family. He remained still sound asleep, his slow, even breathing the only sound as she slid gently out of bed and rummaged quietly through the dresser drawer he'd given her, looking for some clean underwear. As she rooted around she found a flat wooden case tucked away at the back of the drawer. Intrigued, she pulled it out and flicked the catch. She looked inside and gasped, tears instantly gathering in her eyes, brimming over to spill down her cheeks, unable to tear her eyes away. Inside the case, padded with cotton balls, were a handful of battered and chewed cheap plastic toy soldiers, preserved as carefully as though they were priceless, fragile treasures, his babyhood toys, the only things he'd ever owned and could call his own. Seeing them brought crashing home again to Casey how little they'd ever given, or done or felt for their son and brother, how paltry was the existence they'd allowed him to lead that this was all he had to show for a lifetime among them. She leaned against the wall, and slid down to huddle against the wall, crying silently and bitterly for everything they'd done to him, and for giving him nothing, ever, and finally forcing him out without even a passing concern for his life and future. He really had been nothing to them; here was the proof... "Casey, what's wrong, what happened?" came the soft, anxious query from Robbie as he climbed out of bed, kneeling down next to her as she lifted her tear-streaked face to him. Wordlessly she showed him the open case, the toy soldiers inside, and Robbie understood immediately, moving to hold her close as she cried with the guilt still echoing inside her, now refreshed by this poignant reminder of the burden of shame she bore. "I'm sorry, Case, I don't know why I kept them, I meant to throw them away, I will if you want me to..." he began, and she jerked her head up to stare piercingly at him. "NO, never let these go!" she gritted, "these are the only things we ever allowed you to have, you should keep them so you never forget how we treated you! This was unforgivable, and it always will be, so don't ever let these go, promise me!" He looked at her, concern washing over him as he realised that she still had much to forgive herself for, that her emotional state was still fragile and only tenuously maintained, and that the planned trip to Morgan Hill may not be such a good idea. "I...promise, Case, I'll keep them safe until you tell me it's OK to get rid of them. OK?" She pulled him in close, still jarred by her discovery, and he gently took the case away from her and slid it under the bed, to put it somewhere more secure later on. Robbie stood up and helped her stand, urging her back to bed, to lie next to him so he could hold her and make the tears go away, his presence eventually calming her. Casey lay in silence, wondering how she could ever make it up to him; give him back what he should have had as his right. She lay silently, listening to Robbie breathe next to her, taking comfort in his nearness. At last, she decided that sleep wasn't going to come, so she grabbed a quick shower and started breakfast. When Joey and Karen came in for breakfast, Casey had already made pancakes, bacon, eggs and sausage patties, and there was a pot of coffee on. Joey smiled in happy anticipation. "Ah, the food of the Gods, thank you, Casey, thank you! This one's definitely a keeper, bro; Karen only lets me have muesli, Switzerland's Revenge -- it's like licking the floor of a parrot's cage, and she says it's good for me!" Robbie grinned. "That's what you get for taking up with a health-freak; I tried to warn yoOOWW!" "Serves you right, Robert Anderson, you asked for it, and there's more where that came from!" grinned Karen, one eyebrow raised in challenge as she dared him to say anything more. "But that hurt!" protested Robbie, holding his shoulder. Karen swatted him with a magazine. "Oh stop crying, for such a big man you are such a little girl! Honestly, Robbie, I'm ashamed of you!" she grinned, watching his sweet smile as he held up his hands in surrender. OK, OK, you're the boss!" he grinned. Karen swatted him once more. "And don't you forget it! This is the way to treat him, Casey, let him know who's boss, It works on all the Anderson men...!" she trailed off with a meaningful nod at Joey, who tried to look innocent, loading his plate with forbidden sausage and bacon while he had the chance, following the Man Credo that's been true since the dawn of time; food eaten outside the home has no calories, and is always good for you... Casey watched this by-play wistfully; she'd never had anyone to horseplay with, had never dreamed of doing it with Robbie, and she wished she knew how to join in, to play with Robbie and his family, realising how much she'd really missed-out on. Robbie saw her expression, and pulled her close to include her, tipping her nose to see her smile and be happy. At last, everything was ready, and everyone sat down to breakfast, chatting about the plans for the day. Robbie had some news. "Guys, we'll come home with you tomorrow, Casey and I want to tell Mom in person; it's the right thing to do. This means we'll have to tell Uncle Frank today, so we need to head Aunt Kat off before she detonates, then tell Mom tomorrow. It's not ideal, and it's not the way I wanted to do it, but it's the only way we can all be in the same place at the same time. Any objections?" Nobody had, so after their meal they cleared up and headed out for Frank's place in Morgan Hill, near San Jose, Robbie putting a couple of packages in the trunk. "For the twins..." he explained, cryptically Joey had called ahead, letting his uncle know they were on the way, Sarah having already told him that Joey and Karen were in town and would stop by to see them, so he was expecting them at some point during the day. He was pleased that Robbie was also with them; the boy was usually working, and only managed to see Frank and his family at widely spaced intervals, although they talked all the time, so it would be a treat for the twins as well. Robbie was also relieved to hear that Caitlin was out with her friends, shopping in Oakland, and not expected back until late afternoon, which made things a little less complicated just then. When they arrived, Frank Novak was waiting in the yard for them with the twins, Moira and Morag, who immediately mobbed Robbie, two puppies attacking a mastiff, squealing and giggling as he hugged them in a crushing bear hug. Casey could see he adored them, and they him, while Frank watched with amused tolerance. Casey couldn't help but note his strong resemblance to Joey and Sarah, and the look of affection he gave Robbie as he greeted him. Robbie introduced Casey quickly, informally, glossing-over her identity, something Frank noted but didn't pry into, and they all went in out of the sun. After the usual inquiries about work and health, Robbie asked Frank if he could speak with him in private. Frank looked puzzled but acquiesced, and called him into the den, Casey hand in hand with Robbie. "Sit down, please both of you" said Frank, sitting in an armchair and waiting for Robbie to speak. "Uncle Frank, you know about what happened with my...family, my parents....and my sister. This is Casey, my sister. She's been looking for me all these years, and we found each other a couple of days ago, in Sacramento. She told me how it had been for her, and apologised for what she'd done. She's really been through the mill these last couple of days, so please, go easy on her, or at least give her a chance; Joey and Karen both accept her. They understand how it's been for her, what she's been through looking for me, and I'd like you and Aunt Kat, the girls, to accept her as well, for my sake..." Robbie trailed off, looking at Frank almost pleadingly. Frank said nothing, merely looked in Robbie's eyes. One of the things he found so attractive about the boy was that he had no idea how to lie, he always told the truth, he was painfully honest, sometimes embarrassingly so, and if he believed this girl was the real deal, then Frank was prepared to go with him on that. However... Lost & Found Ch. 02 "Son, what are you not telling me, about Casey and you, I mean? He asked, softly. "I get the feeling I'm missing out on something here, something important, and it's about you and your sister..." "Mr. Novak, may I say something please?" interjected Casey, Frank replying "Please do, Casey, and it's Frank, OK?" Casey smiled gratefully at him. "Thank you...Frank. You probably know what I did, Sarah must have given you all the nasty details. I was such a poor excuse for a sister I made my big brother leave, I drove him away, and I lost the most precious thing I had. I only realised what a gift I'd been given after I'd thrown it away. I tried and tried to find him, and all the time I was trying to find him I was terrified that he was alone, and frightened and someone so much worse than me was hurting him more, that all the evil that people can do was being done to him. I was so frightened for him, the way I should always have been, the way he deserved." "I searched for him because I needed to say I was sorry for all the terrible, hurtful, spiteful things we'd done to him. I know that I'll pay for what I did, I should; some sins can't be wiped away with words or tears, but I found him, and I found I loved him more than anything in this world. All I want is for Robbie to be safe, and protected, and I swear to God I will be the one to do that for him -- I'll never let him go again, for as long as I live!" Frank looked long and searchingly at her, at the tears standing in her eyes, at her hand holding Robbie's and his arm around her, gentle and protective, and suddenly he knew what had happened between them. He looked at them in wonder, moved by the sincerity in her voice, but also understanding what kind of obstacles they were going to face, and feeling a sudden rush of deep sympathy for what was heading their way. "Casey, I believe you, and I'm glad that you and Robbie found each other at last, and I can only wish you luck, you're going to need it. However, Robbie has three very vocal champions in my home, my wife Caitlin, and Moira and Morag, good luck convincing them, really! You're going to have to be as honest and sincere with them as you just were with me, because they're going to take a great deal of convincing. I love Robbie like a son, I'd be proud to call him son, but the girls all adore him in a very special way, and they're not going to let you off easy. The twins aren't going to be particularly happy with anyone taking Robbie away from them, and when they find out who you really are, well, just be prepared for fireworks when you tell them. For what it's worth, I'm on your side; Robbie's happy so I'm happy, and I'm pleased he's finally found a girl who'll care for him as much as you obviously do." "Caitlin, however, is going to be something else. Robbie lived with us for a couple of years, and Caitlin took him in and made him hers, just like the twins. When she thinks of her kids, Robbie sits in there as naturally as Moira and Morag; he's one of hers, and she's going to do or say anything she thinks fit to protect her boy; if she thinks she needs to, she'll stand over him and maul anyone who gets too near, make no mistake. Think of getting between momma bear and her cubs, and you'll have an idea of what she can be like when it comes to Robbie and the girls! Convince her, and you're home free, so make sure you're completely honest with her." Frank stood up, smiled, and gently patted her shoulder. "It's nearly time for lunch, kids, so we'll leave this alone until Caitlin gets back; as far as the girls are concerned, for now you're just Robbie's girlfriend, OK?" Casey and Robbie nodded, and Frank left to go and order pizza. Lunch was noisy fun, the twins Moira and Morag, loud, brash, leggy 14 year old identical green-eyed red-heads, arguing with everyone and each other, disagreeing with the pizza choices, generally causing trouble, by turns fractious, adorable and just plain annoying; in every respect, a typical boisterous Sunday afternoon in the Novak household. The girls were ecstatic Joey had brought Robbie, they loved to pester him to take them cruising in the Bentley so the neighbourhood kids could see them being driven around in such a hot car, tugging and pulling him every which way, giving him no peace, trying to hit him up for new games and game handsets, and coercing him into digging into his wallet and passing them a few bucks that Mom didn't need to know about. And he loved it, this was his family, this was how it should be. The girls were curious about Casey, and Robbie introduced her as "my new girlfriend, Case", waiting on tenterhooks to see if they'd make the connection; they didn't; as usual, they weren't really paying attention to what was going on around them, deeply involved as they were in one of their own interminable cryptic squabbles. At last, Caitlin arrived home, seeing Robbie's car in the drive and calling out for him as she came in, hugging him tightly, then Joey and Karen, and looking curiously at Casey, huddled in Robbie's arm. She was an older, taller version of the twins, slender and motherly, Casey noting how she linked arms with Robbie and held him close, protectively, obviously unaware she was doing so. "Aunt Kat, we need to talk, all of us," said Robbie, his face sombre and serious. Caitlin pricked up her ears; she'd never seen Robbie like this before; something was up. "OK, in the den. Girls, we need to talk for a while, grown-up stuff, we'll tell you about it later," shooing the two teens outside, ignoring their protests that they were grown-up's too. Once they'd all filed in and sat down, Caitlin looked at Robbie and Casey. "OK, baby, what's this about, and who's this young lady?" Robbie braced himself, began speaking. "Aunt Kat, you know all about what went on before, my...family. This is Casey, my sister, she came looking for me, she's been looking for me since I left, and we found each other by chance a couple of days ago in Sacramento." He waited apprehensively for the explosion, but, apart from a slight hardening of her eyes and a faint line appearing between her eyebrows, she just nodded, saying "Go on." Robbie continued. "We spent a long time talking about what happened, and she told me about how she felt about me, about what she'd done, and how she was trying to make it right; I don't blame her, she was only a kid and did what she saw everyone else around her doing. She apologised to me, and to Joey and Karen, she's made it right with me, and now we want to make it right with the rest of my family, finally put this whole thing away forever. Aunt Kat, I finally found my little sister, and she found me, and we discovered something about us both. I love Casey, and she loves me, like brother and sister, but also the...other way. For me, that wipes out the past. Can you understand that?" Caitlin was thunderstruck. Here was Robbie telling her that his sister, the girl who'd cost him so much, had come looking for him, had found him, and now he was in love with her! She looked searchingly at Casey, noting the way she sat as he spoke, not defensively, leaning into him, passively accepting him as her protector, her eyes on his face as he spoke, her hands showing no flinching or drawing away when he took one of them, all her body language confirming what he was saying. Caitlin finally spoke. "And you....Casey, just what have you got to say for yourself?" Her tone took away any sting her words might have had, and Casey lifted her eyes to look at her. "Mrs. Novak, everything Robbie, Joey and Sarah have told you was true. I made poor Robbie's whole life unbearable, I cost him his big chance and took away the future he should have had. I have no excuses, I was old enough to say 'no, no more' and I didn't, it was just easier to keep on hurting him. We ground him into nothing, and threw him away. When he left, that was when I realised what I'd really lost, what I should have held onto. Robbie is my big brother, and I should have looked up to him, let him be my hero; instead, I drove him away, and that will always weigh on my heart; that I made him leave, alone and with no-one to care for him; it took strangers to be the family he needed, his own family weren't worthy of him. Now that we've found each other, I won't let him go again; I found him, and he let me back in, and I found a part of him that I need more than I can ever say. I love Robbie, in a way that you probably won't approve of, nor understand, but seems so simple to me. I couldn't be his sister when he needed me, but now I can be more than that for him, and he feels the same way, and wants that same thing from me." Caitlin watched the tears roll down Casey's cheeks, saw Karen hold and squeeze her hand, and watched Robbie brush her hair with his lips as he smoothed it back from her forehead, noting the tears glimmering in Joey's eyes, and sighed. "Casey, for years now I've wanted to give you a piece of my mind, and then the flat of my hand, and now I've got you here, I find I can't! Are you sure this is what you want, both of you? Because Robbie is an important part of this family, I love him like he was my own son, as does Sarah, and we look after our own, always. Will you promise me, with all of your heart, never to hurt him, to never do anything to make the hurt come back? Because if you can't swear that absolutely, you should leave, now!" Casey looked directly at Caitlin, noted her pale, fixed features, her flared nostrils as her emotions got the better of her for a moment, all her protective instincts crowding together to defend one of her own, and said "Mrs. Novak, Robbie means the world to me; I will never hurt him again, ever. I've done enough of that, and I would die before I ever hurt him again. Now I just want to keep him close to me!" Caitlin nodded, satisfied. "And Joey, what's your part in all this?" Joey looked nonplussed. "Aunt Kat, until last night I knew nothing of this; when we walked into Robbie's place last night and saw Casey, you could have knocked me down with a feather! But I believed her then, and I believe her now, and Robbie's happy, so we worked it out. Yeah, I welcomed her in, so did Karen, and you know what happened last time they met in a confined space!" Caitlin grinned, knowing what Joey meant, and smiled at Casey. "Casey, Robbie obviously loves you, and you love him. I take it you've already talked to Frank?" They nodded, so she continued. "So I guess he's pointed out how hard this is going to be for you, the problems that you're both going to face? Robbie is special, and he's one of us, which I suppose makes you one of us now, and families hang together; otherwise, they'll hang us separately, so welcome to the family! We won't tell the girls exactly who you are; they can find that out when they're a little older. And by the way, I'm Aunt Kat or Caitlin; Mrs. Novak's what the paperboy calls me!" As Joey and Karen left, Caitlin closed the door, obviously wanting a private word with the two of them. "Robbie, Casey, you do know what you're doing here, don't you? This is a one-way street, there's no turning back, no do-over, no running for the border. Am I making myself clear?" They both nodded silently. "Good, because you've chosen a hard row to hoe. People have a way of labelling, and they'll have some nasty names for what you're doing, and even worse names for the two of you. Are you going to be strong enough together to get past all that? Get through without giving-up on each other because of outside pressure? I sincerely hope so. We can help you some of the way, but you're going to have to do the lion's share by yourselves, with no magic solutions, no god-in-a-box from on-high to come down and make it right. My best advice to you is: keep your secrets, and keep them well guarded, it's the only way you'll survive!" Her eyes were brimming, and Casey had a sudden flash of insight into why, but Caitlin said nothing further. "And Robbie, don't ever tell the girls, they get an unhallowed thrill from spilling secrets, and this is too important to trust to them. They love you fiercely, but they've got mouths like jackrabbits, always running off at full speed, and they'll spill it eventually, by accident if nothing else." They filed out of the den, the twins suddenly looking innocent, trying to look like they hadn't been eavesdropping, trying to pump any and everyone for information, agog to know what the adults had been discussing. Eventually Caitlin gave in, and told the girls that Robbie was getting engaged, Casey and Robbie grinning at her over their heads, immediately setting-off a barrage of questions about when, was there going to be a party, when were they getting married, could they be bridesmaids, squabbling about the bridesmaids' dresses and so on, eventually lapsing into 'twin-speak', gibberish comprehensible only to them. Robbie and Joey left them to it, wandering off to find Frank in the garden, lying in a lounger under a spreading olive tree, drinking a beer and idly flicking through 'Sports Illustrated'. He looked at them closely. "No marks, still got all your teeth, either she's slowing down or she took it well!" Robbie and Joey sat on the adjacent lounger and smiled. "She was OK, Uncle Frank, she accepted Casey. I'm worried about Casey, though; she's been through a lot these last few years, but these last few days have been really rough on her, and now this endless round of apologizing, dragging up the past. I'm worried about her; she can't keep beating herself up like this without paying for it. I was going to take her back home tomorrow, she wants Mom to know, make her peace there as well, but I've changed my mind, I think she needs to stay with me, just the two of us, get some stability back, before she turns into a basket-case. What do you think?" Frank paused, took a slow, thoughtful swallow, and looked up at the sky for a moment. "There's a lot to what you say, and ordinarily I'd agree with you, but I think Casey needs to face this one last hurdle and get this off her chest once and for all; the longer she delays, the harder it's gonna get; Sarah needs to know, so they can both be at peace with this. I hear what you're saying, and I feel for her; she's a lovely girl, and she seems genuinely sorry for what happened, but I really think she needs to be square with your Mom right now; if you delay, it'll look like you're trying to hide something, and the longer you delay, the worse it will get. I really think you should take her home now, see Sarah, and close this all down for good. Trust your Mom, she may surprise you; you know she only ever wants what's best for you. Plus, if you drag this out and she finds out I knew long before she did, my life will suddenly become very complicated!" Frank gave a wry grin, and Robbie smiled in quick sympathy. Joey stood up and stretched. "So, are we all heading home tomorrow or not? Robbie?" "I guess so bro." Robbie and Casey quietly told Caitlin what they were planning, and she broadly agreed with Frank, so they made their farewells. Before they left, however, Robbie had a quick whispered conversation with Caitlin, earning him a raised eyebrow and a reluctant nod, and went out to the car. He came back in with the two packages from the trunk. "Moira, Morag, come here, babies, I've got something for you!" he called, and waited until they came clattering in. "Girls, these are from Case and me, early birthday presents, OK?" the twins opened their packages and squealed; inside were the latest IPad's. "Remember, these are for your birthday, so no begging phone calls on the day, OK?" he grinned. "Happy early-Birthday from Case and me!" The twins danced around hugging Robbie and Casey, swearing undying love for both of them, then hustled off to their room to get acquainted with their new toys and boast to their friends. Once they'd all left, and the girls were locked way in their own world with their new toys, Caitlin went looking for Frank, finding him still lounging in the shade. She sat on his lap, locking her arms around his neck, burying her head in his shoulder. Frank slipped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer to him. "You're thinking about what happened before, aren't you?" he asked, making it more of a statement than a question. Caitlin murmured into his neck. "I'm scared, honey. I'm scared for those poor kids. It's happening again; dear God, I thought it was over, instead it's all happening again; how is Sarah going do it this time, really? After the last time, can she go through this again, even for Robbie? I know he's not her biological son, but he may as well be, he's family, and this is a family can of worms everyone thought was safely buried and forgotten. Robbie and Casey have got some big problems coming their way, is Sarah going to be able help them deal with all of it this time round? And there's Joey to consider as well. Whether he knows it or not, he's a part of this, a big part, supposing it all comes out while she's trying to get Robbie through this? It could tear his world apart, how can anything justify doing that to that poor kid? He doesn't deserve that!" Frank stared thoughtfully into the canopy of the olive tree, gathering his thoughts. "Sarah believes in Robbie, and the one person that Joey cares for more in the whole world than Sarah, or Karen, I suppose, is Robbie. If Joey finds out, I doubt he'll care one way or the other; I think you give him too little credit for being the kid that he is; there's more of Sarah in him than anyone else, so I don't think we should concern ourselves too much on that front. And Sarah, before, she was alone, flying blind, and yet she got it right; now, for Robbie, there's all of us there to help carry the load and make a difference. Sarah will get them both through this, with our help. Don't worry, baby, it'll work out fine, it'll be OK; Robbie's lucky, he's got two mom's to fight his corner, can you really see anyone getting past you and Sarah? Relax, they'll be fine, it will all work itself out!" On the drive back, Joey noted the gifts. "Smart move bro, now, when they find out who Casey is, all they'll focus on is the fact she gave them IPad's!" Robbie grinned. "That was kind of the plan; I told you I know what makes those two little mercenaries tick!" He didn't mention the conversation he'd had with Caitlin, but privately he knew, someday the girls would have to find out; they were family too, and Robbie loved them equally; they deserved to know, so he and Casey would have to work on that. They arrived back in Daly City just about an hour after leaving Morgan Hill, and dropped Joey and Karen off to do some browsing in Westlake Shopping Center, the two of them asserting they 'knew how to find a taxi, it's OK, go home, see you later'. As Joey had pointed out, Robbie needed to call Sarah, and they wanted to shop. Robbie called Sarah as soon as they got in; it was almost an hour later there, and she was enjoying a post lunch nap when he called. "Hi, Mom? It's me. I was just calling to say I'm coming home to see you, coming back with Joey and Karen, and I've got a surprise for you. What? No, you'll find out tomorrow. I told, you it's a surprise! Yeah, I know, see you tomorrow lunchtime, I love you too, Mom!" Robbie grimaced. "OK Casey, now comes the hard part; are you sure you're up to this?" Casey smiled gently at him. "Baby, I've made my peace with everyone in your family except the most important one, so yes, I think I'm ready for one last showdown! If I'm to have any chance of succeeding with your family and become a part of it, I have to do this, I have to clear this all out of the way now. I told you, I'll be fine, Sarah's not like my mom & dad, she's only looking out for you, like we should have, so if she wants to unload on me, well, she's earned the right, I guess. As long as you're there I'll be fine."