All That Remains (Nolee Lacroix)

Nolee took in the aroma coming from the food. She didn't know what it was, but it smelled deep fried and that was enough for her tastes. She used a fork and knife to cut at it before taking small bites, looking at Paul and offering him a bite, "You want some?"

Paul shook his head as he patted her hip. "You enjoy Nolee, I have the feeling that kane picked that out just for you."

From his side of the room Kane made a noncommital noise and Paul laughed as he tucked into his own meal. The quiet wasn't awkward and before he realized they were just relaxing in the silence, the rising noise of the revelry from the front of the establishment nothing more than white noise to their ears. As much as he didn't want too Paul leaned up and whispered in Nolee's ear.

"Ready to join the rest of the party Ms. LaCroix?"

Nolee smiled and nodded, feeling rather full from her meal. But she wanted to be anywhere as long as it was with Paul. With a cute smile, she pressed tight against him, "Maybe you can teach me more about how to dance?"

Paul smirked as he pulled Nolee close, kissing her lightly as he swayed. "Nolee, I'll teach you anything about dancing that you want to know."

"And a few things that you might not want to know." Kane piped up before smirking and ducking out of the room.

Paul rolled his eyes before laughing and shaking his head. "That man, I don't know what to do with him sometimes. Perhaps you have an idea?"

Nolee smiled as they danced, trying to match his steps. She blushed when she heard Kane's comment but she shook her head. "He's your best friend Paul. I would never ever seperate the two of you. And you'd never wanna be seperated."

Paul hung his head and sighed in mock defeat. "That is true, that overly large pain in the ass is like a brother to me. I don't know what would become of me if he were to suddenly disappear." He pulled Nolee close and kissed her gently; snaking his tongue inside as he ran his hands up and down her back before pulling away and kissing her softy and chastly. "How did you get to be so wise?"

When he asked how she got so wise, Nolee felt a twinge of sadness run over her. "My own brother, a cop named Carter Lacroix, and I were very close. Lately he's been...he calls for money and that's about it. I wish he called for more but he didn't. So in a sense he's disappeared. I talk from personal experience from this one..."

Paul felt a twinge reverberate through him and he pressed his forehead against hers, kissing her nose. "Somethings happen Nolee, we can't prepare for them, if you want...if you can a hold of him I will extend him a job here in the club, steady pay, a place to stay even until he's back on his feet and done dealing with any issues he might have. I will try to bring your brother back to you."

He laid his cheek on Nolee's head as he played in Nolee's hair.

"Oh he's got a steady place to work," Nolee softly said, "he's a dirty cop." Those words should have never left her lips and she knew it. She had just admitted that her brother was a dirty cop, something she had been trying to keep from saying in months. The man who inspired her to be a cop was dirty, was changed from the man he had once be. And she hated it.

Paul nodded before hugging her gently. "It's ok, even the proud fall Nolee, I'm sure that he had a good reason for doing what he done. Just keep it in mind if she should ever fall on hard times. Ok?"

Nolee nodded softly, "I just stopped returning his calls. All he ever wanted was money. I offered him the chance to stay at my house, the chance to try and help me with some things. He just wouldn't do it. I don't even know where he is Paul. I know, as his sister, I should always be there for him but I jsut wasn't."

"Loving someone isn't always easy Nolee, even when you love them with everything you have and they return it. You tried, you put your hand out there for him and he didn't take it. He made the decision not to let you in. That is not your fault, don't blame yourself. Hopefully however he will come to his senses before it's too late." He kissed Nolee's neck before patting her hip. "Come my dear, the floor awaits us; we much to oversee tonight."

Nolee nodded and stood, taking Paul's hand in her own. However, her mind was far from the happiness that she should be feeling with the man who had never been anything but kind to her. When thinking about Carter, Nolee was always to worried about him to do anything for herself. "Sure Paul, lets go have fun..."

Paul could feel that Nolee's heart wasn't into anything at that point and he brought her close, wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I wouldn't call it fun perse Ms. Lacroix, there is much to do tonight, it's still the first week of no prostitution, there are bound to be some that will still think that they can sate those desires here with in my walls. I might have to throw a few people out before they get the message."

Nolee looked into Paul's eyes as he pulled her close and, unable to help herself, leaned up to only be able to reach his chin to kiss. She grinned and put her hands on his arms. "Well then I'll help you throw anyone you want out of here out. After all that is my job Paul."

Paul laughed as he lead her down the hallway, patting her hand where it laid on his elbow.

"Your job is to make all the other in the room jealous and make me look like some sort of a catch." He winks as he opens the door that separates the main room from the common room; music already starting to filter and making an under current to the laughing and clinking of glasses. "Besides, I need a secret weapon that no one would ever suspect; and you Darlin' are just that weapon." He bows at the waist with a smile. "After you my Lady."

"My job isn't to make you look good. You look good all by yourself Paul," Nolee smiled charmingly as she walked with him. "My job is to make you happy, no matter what."

She walked with him inside the club and that's when he saw him. Sitting by the back wall with a group of others, dressed in his usual flannel shirt with jeans and black cowboy hat and boots, was her brother. He had a deep scar across his face that she didn't remember him ever having.

"Paul...do you mind if we go back there? I....I want to talk to someone..." she softly said, her eyes never leaving Carter's face.

Paul followed her line of sight and his eyes landed on the ragged looking man in the corner. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to take Nolee and run the other way but looking down at her and seeing the tight breaths and pale features he could only assume that this person meant a great deal to her and the look of him scared her. Placing a hand in the middle of her back he started walking.

"My dear we can go anywhere you want to go. However to avoid any confusion, to whom am I steering you two and how should I address them. Do I need to call for security to come and escort them out?"

"No," Nolee replied, her eyes dotted with tears, "that's...that' my brother Carter. Ya know, the one I told you about. We're not steering clear of him, we're gonna go talk to him if you don't mind."

Paul let his eyes wander back over the man again before looking down at Nolee with a soft expression on his face.

"No my dear. We will go and talk to him if that is your wish. Far be it from me to deny anything that you so desire."

As they started over Paul sized the man up, he looked tired, rundown and he was certain that there was a light scar across his face. It wasn't an easy life the man had led it seemed and he wondered what it would take to remove him from whatever lifestyle he'd cut out for himself. If only to stop the heart ache that his leaving and sickly appearance caused Nolee.

Nolee smiled a silent thank you to Paul and led him by the arm over to her brother. She could see the outlines of scars, probably from various fist fights he had gotten himself into over the past few months. She no longer saw the caring and loving young man she knew when she was growing up. Instead this was a shell of that man.

"S...sis..." Carter said as she walked over, his voice a little horse. He looked reprehensively at Paul and then glanced back at Nolee, "whose he?"

"Carter this is my...well...my friend Paul," Nolee replied. She still didn't know if she should call him a boyfriend or not, "How have you been? Why do you sound sick?"

"I...uh...I've been arguing...look...if it's not to much of a hassel could I borrow $30. I...uh...I made a bet with this guy at the game last night...stupid ref can't make calls right..." Carter replied, shiftily looking around the place.