As Fate Would Have It

"Savannah, you look like hell," Ellie's words hit my ear like a freight train and snapped me out of the daze I was in. For the past few days, my mind had taken a vacation and left me an empty shell. Looking down at my clothing choice, I shrugged.

"I didn't feel like dressing up," I retorted. My favorite blue jeans paired with a hoodie that I'd had for more years than I could even remember. It was my favorite, even if the logo on the front was flaking and a hole was developing towards the hem.

"You could have at least wiped the make-up off your face," she countered, taking her finger and rubbing under each of my eyes.

It had been days since the little incident with Ian. Once Kris left for his meeting, I curled back up into bed and wept. I wasn't sure how long I was there before another knock came at the door. I wasn't about to get up to answer the door, but my guest invited themselves in. I didn't have to wait for the face to appear in the doorway to know that it was Ellie. Word of the tiff between Kris and Ian had gotten back to her (I hated how fast word moved around this town sometimes) and she couldn't help but come and see me. I tried to convince her that I was fine, or that I would be fine with a little sleep. She wouldn't hear it. Ellie had cooked me dinner and lay in bed with me, watching sappy romantic comedies with me until another knock at the door came. To my surprise, it was Kris. I hadn't been answering my phone (and had no real idea where it even was) and he had gotten worried. Ellie left, Kris stayed.

Much like Ellie, he climbed into bed with me. However, instead of just sitting next to me, he pulled me close and let me use him as a pillow. My eyes were still puffy and red, but Kris didn't ask. It's not like he didn't know why. While we sat there, engulfed in a move, he told me he would be gone for the next few games. The team had three away games, New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, and Chicago Blackhawks. He'd be gone for a few days, and I would be left to my own devices.

It wasn't so much being alone that started to get under my skin as the days passed. It was more than I didn't know what was going to happen with Ian. I hadn't heard a word from him since Kris flat out punched him in the nose. Thoughts of texting Ian had crossed my mind more than once, just to talk about what had happened, but I never went through with it. It didn't feel safe without Kris around. My schedule since Kris left was the same practically every day. I would go to work every night, sit through the drunkards and the night owls, walk home in the morning (staying as far away from the coffee shop as I could), falling asleep once I got home, before doing it all over again. When Ellie called me to get lunch on Kris's fourth day out of town, I had no good reason to say no.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, running a finger over my glass of water. The salad I had ordered was pretty much untouched, while Ellie's plate was scraped clean.

"He'll be back tomorrow you know," Ellie began, staring me straight in the face, "it's not like he abandoned you. This is what he has to do."

"I know, Ellie. He's not my worry right now," I glanced up to catch her eye before looking right back at my glass.

"Are you still harping on Ian?" Ellie rolled her eyes. "Savannah, I told you, he's nothing to worry about. From what Louis told me, he's not angry with you. He thinks that Kris manipulated you into sleeping with him," she caught my expression change, "we both know that isn't true. I believe you when you said you asked him to stay, but nothing happened. You just need to forget it."

"How do I forget that?" I began, sitting up a little straighter, "I feel like shit because of it. I'm the reason Ian has a broken nose. I should have told Kris to just leave until I figured out what I wanted..."

"What do you want?" she interrupted, gazing at me again.

"I...uh..." I knew what I wanted. I knew who I wanted. As bad as I felt about Ian, Kris had been on my mind since the morning he left my apartment to get on the plane. At night, I waited for his phone calls, during the day I craved his texts. Just as that thought crossed my mind, I heard my Blackberry vibrate on the table. Picking it up, I read the words carefully, a smile creeping across my lips for the first time all day.

I miss you. Just finished practice. Call you tonight. - Tanger

"Personally, I think you want whoever just set you that text," Ellie said in her all knowing way. I was utterly amazed at her insight into things. She knew damn well who the text was from, but she had known my answer to the question long before that.

"Is it bad?" I began, looking up from her, a little more life in my voice, "That I'm already so head over heels for him? It's not like we've been talking for too lo..."

"Oh stop there," Ellie interrupted, again. It was her strong point after all, "He obviously cares about you, and by that stupid grin on your face, I know you care the same. So what the fuck does it matter how long you've known each other? Stop being a little bitch and admit to yourself that you're happy."

Dammit. She was right. I was happy with Kris. There was nothing not to be happy about. He kept my posted on where he was, letting me know that he was okay. Unlike Ian, he stayed away from those annoying pet names and didn't treat me like I was incapable of taking care of myself. Even though he had only been to my apartment a few times, he didn't just invite himself in. The differences were enormous in my mind, mostly because I knew just how much they drove me crazy with Ian.

"You're right," I smiled as the words escaped my lips, "I do deserve to be happy, and Kris makes me happy."

"Good," she began, a hint of mischief in her voice, "I have something that will make you happier."

My head tilted slightly to the side as she reached into her bag. Ellie was rustling through its contents, muttering curses under her breath. If there was one thing I had learned about the girl in the little while I had known her it was that she was a disaster. All of her purses were a mess, even the brief moment I had been at her apartment looked like a tornado had hit it. After a few minutes, she pulled two tickets from her purse and waved them slightly in my face.

"Ready for another game?"

-x-

Thursday morning came quicker than I had ever expected. Kris had gotten back into town the night before, but it had been late when he arrived. I had been at work anyways, so it didn't matter much. We agreed to see one another the next day. I couldn't contain the butterflies that had decided to live in my stomach yet again. My walk home from work was much like the rests, even though everything seemed a little bit brighter around me. I even slowed my pace to take in the surroundings a bit more. A smile was plastered to my face, and I knew very well that it wouldn't be leaving anytime soon.

Once I had reached my apartment building, I climbed the stairs to my apartment. As I went to slide the key in the door, it swung right open. "Shit," I muttered, pushing it a little farther. I knew I had locked my apartment when I left last night. I ALWAYS locked my apartment, and last night I had even come back to check it because I wasn't sure. Swallowing hard, I held my key firmly in my hand with the idea that I would use it as a weapon if someone tried to attack me. Seems like of stupid. A key can't do much, but I could gorge and eye out or something right?

Standing just inside the door was Kris, holding a dozen roses in his hand. I didn't realize who it was until I flipped the light switch. The sight of him made my jump before I punched him as hard as I could in the shoulder, "You scared the shit out of me!!" I bellowed, shaking my hand. My punch did nothing but hurt myself.

"I'm sorry," Kris apologized, genuinely sounding like he messed up, "I just wanted to surprise you."

Damn those surprises. But for once, I didn't mind it so much. My surprise was a gorgeous man standing in my apartment with a dozen roses. How could I possibly stay mad? Slipping my bag from my shoulder, I tossed it into the chair that always housed it before wrapping my arms around the man, making sure he wasn't just a dream. Once those strong arms encased me, I knew it wasn't. He was really here. Kris was back from his road trip and the first thing he did was come to see me.

Pulling back from our embrace, I looked over his face with a grin. He looked exhausted, but I couldn't blame him. Three games in five days had to take a lot out of him. The scruff on his face was thicker than normal, and his black hair was slicked back as always. A smile graced his features as his brown eyes ran over my own face. I knew I looked about the same. Tired, ragged, and a little worn. His free hand came up, cupping my jaw line with his large hands. His thumb dragged over my skin, and I felt my face press into his hand. "I've missed you," he began, lifting my chin to give me a quick peck on the lips.

"Not nearly as much as I've missed you," I cooed, boosting myself up to counter his kiss with one of my own. As much as I wanted to push things farther, I couldn't. I had to force myself to pull away.

His arms fell away from my body before he extended the flowers out towards me. With a smile, I took them and walked into the kitchen. As I started to search for something to place them in, I noticed Kris just standing in my living room. "You can sit down. Turn on the TV if you want, or maybe a movie? They're on the coffee table." My search continued as I heard him sit and start flipping through the movies.

It didn't take me long before I just put most of the roses into a tall glass. I left one out and set it in a different glass for my bedroom. I left both glasses on the counter before walking back to the couch. Kris had already put a movie into the DVD player. Slap Shot. It was one of my older movies, and also one I hadn't seen in years. I took my seat next to Kris, curling into his side as he wrapped his arm around me. Not long after he hit play did we both fall asleep on the couch, my head resting on his shoulder while his head fell upon mine.