Your Parachute

"J, I'm sorry. Please come back, I didn't mean it. Sid was just pissing me off and I.... I don't know. God. Just..... don't let me be the reason you leave," Jordan’s pleading voice came through my phone as I listened to the 10th message he had left today.

I was walking in the airport, Taylor beside me with her arm wrapped around mine, Trina and Troy walking a little ahead. I was so glad to have friends like them.

"I'm sorry, J. You know, guys are pretty stupid," Taylor said consolingly. I just gave her a small smile.

"I really liked him, Tay. I mean, he didn't like me, and now I'm realizing maybe not even as a friend, but that didn't stop me from feeling those feelings. It hurt when he said those things," I explained to her, biting my lip to keep from crying. "It hurt a lot."

Taylor looked up at me, her eyes sympathetic. She tightened her grip on my arm and tried to cheer me up.

"Well, now that you're back in Canada we can go to Tim Horton's and eat as many TimBits as we can get our hands on," Taylor said, all smiles. I laughed at her enthusiasm, nodding my head in agreement. My phone rang and I pulled it out, surprised to see a different caller I.D. than I had expected.

"Hey Sid," I said, answering. I heard him clear his throat slightly.

"J. I miss you. Come back. We all miss you. Shit, practice isn't even fun now that we can't watch you put the guys in their places and fuck around with us," he said, his voice solemn. I almost laughed.

"Sid, you know, this is for the best. Pittsburgh was fun while it lasted but maybe I'm just not.... ready to leave Canada," I said slowly, trying to explain it without just saying that I couldn't go back there, not when Jordan was there. I couldn't face him.

"Cut the shit. Canada will always be home, but Pittsburgh can be home too, J. This team, we're your home. Don't let that little fuckface be the reason you leave," Sidney practically growled. Doubt rose in my head- and my heart.

He was right. The team was like my family now, even though I had just met them a few weeks ago. How could I let a few hurtful words from Jordan make me leave? I stopped walking and Taylor was yanked to a stop, looking back at me in confusion. Trina and Troy both looked back too, realizing I had stopped.

"You're right," I whispered back into the phone, tears threatening to make their way out of my eyes. I saw Trina and Taylor give me a look of understanding while Troy still looked confused at why I had stopped walking. I almost laughed at how clueless guys could be, in any situation.

"So you'll come back? I'll pay for your plane ticket and everything and you can-" Sid started to say, sounding increasingly excited. I took a deep breath and interrupted his ramblings.

"Yes," I breathed out, suddenly the whole thing seeming childlike and foolish to me. I mean, how melodramatic could I be? Leaving Pittsburgh just because Jordan said something in the heat of the moment? I hung up with Sidney after a minute and looked at the Crosby family before me, my eyes showing guilt.

"You want to go back, don't you?" Trina said knowingly, before I could get a word out.

"Yeah," I muttered, feeling embarrassed at the extremes I went to. Trina just smiled at me, seeming to notice what I was feeling.

"Love messes with your head," she said, smiling. My smile faltered a bit at the word love, but I bit back my remark and settled for a gracious smile.

"You guys really are the best. I'm just gonna go buy my ticket back to Pittsburgh now and get back on the plane though, so you can leave if you'd like," I suggested. Troy nodded and gave me a quick hug, waiting as Trina and Taylor also wrapped me up in one, before continuing out the building.

I waved until I couldn't see them anymore and then turned and walked back into the airport, saying goodbye to Canada before I had even said hello.



"J's coming back," Sidney announced proudly in the locker room. The room erupted in shouts.

"Already?" Geno asked jokingly.

"Is she bringing one of her 'ot Canadian friends?" Kris asked eagerly.

"Thank god, I was dying without the company of ma petit fille," Max said, all smiles.

Jordan sat completely still, trying to process this. He was happy. Maybe this meant J had forgiven him, maybe this meant he would get a second chance and could apologize profusely in person. He smiled to himself. J's coming back.

"Watch yourself this time around," Sidney said, half joking and half serious, as he walked up to Jordan. Jordan gave Sidney a small smile.

"You don't have to worry, I've learned my lesson."



I stood out in front of the airport, waiting for someone to come pick me up. Sid told me this time he would come pick me up himself. I saw his big SUV pull up and smiled to myself before walking towards it.

Sid stepped out of the car and scooped me up in a hug. I squeezed him as hard as I could and he laughed.

"Can't breathe, J," he choked out. I let go and laughed, giving him a smile.

"I'm sorry for being a drama queen," I said, giving him a shy smile. He just laughed, then rubbed the back of his neck, a sheepish smile making its way onto his face.

"I'm sorry too," he said, then looking to the car and looked like he was waving someone over. The passenger door opened and Jordan stepped out to join us. I gave him my best glare.

"Seriously, Sid? No warning or anything either?" I asked, thoroughly annoyed at my friend. Sid just gave me a small shrug.

"I begged to come," Jordan interjected. I didn’t even acknowledge that he spoke. I heard him growl in frustration as I looked at my nails, ignoring him. "Look at me, J!"

I dug my mirror out of my bag and checked my hair in it. Then made a face and decided to redo one of my braids. I heard Sidney stifle a laugh and could only guess the annoyed look on Jordan's face. I fought to keep a smile off mine.

& then I felt a hand on my cheek. I looked at Jordan's hand and then at his face. His eyes were determined and shining. He brought his other hand to my other cheek, now cradling my face. He stared me straight in the eye, no hesitation. I was frozen in shock and I hardly noticed that his face was getting closer.

Until our lips met.

For a moment I felt his lips move against my own frozen ones, before I responded as well. My fingers tangled themselves into his golden hair and I smiled through the kiss. His tongue begged for entry and I eagerly let it in.

A small cough startled me back to reality. I broke the kiss, gasping for breath slightly. Jordan was smirking and I had a tiny, satisfied grin on my own face. Sidney stood beside us, laughing slightly.

"Well, that was one way to get her to acknowledge you, Staalsy," Sid said, breaking the remaining tension. We all laughed and then the boys helped me pack my luggage into the car, and we were off to Sid's.

During the car ride the boys mostly filled me in on all the rest of the team's drama. You wouldn't know it, but those boys, all of them, were like gossipy old ladies. I listened, nodding and laughing in the right places, but also thinking about that amazing kiss, because it meant I was right back at square one, not knowing where in the world I stand with Jordan Staal.

But after that kiss, it almost doesn't even matter. God am I glad I came back.