He Shoots, She Scores
I Don't Ever Want To Love Another, You'll Always Be My Thunder
“CARRIE! CARRIE WAKE UP!” Carrie rolled over in her bed groaning as the banging on her door continued she looked at her clock and groaned again it was 6am.
“Go away” she mumbled
“Carrie, get up and unlock the door or I’m going to kick it in” with a sigh she got out of her bed and opened the door, a rush of warm air hitting her she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the early September air already being warm when the sun was barely up
“What” she said face to face with Nate, in the 2 months that they had been married Carrie could honestly say this was the most she had spoken to Nate and after the late night she had with Lacey she was not happy with him
“Get dressed”
“No I’m going back to bed”
“There is an optional skate at Dwyer arena today”
“Then it’s an option to go, an option I am declining”
“The wives and girlfriends are going, they expect you there. They also expect you to act like we are married”
“Its 6am! And there might not even be a season so why practice!”
“That’s what you get for being out all hours of the night with “Lacey” what time did you even get home?”
“I was with Lacey no need for air quotes, and I got home at 2 which is why I need to go back to sleep!”
“We’re leaving in a half hour even if you are still in your pajamas; I bet Derek won’t be there”
“I give up trying to tell you anything” She turned from him closed her door and headed for the shower taking the fastest shower ever she let her hair dry naturally frizzing slightly signaling it was going to be a humid day if it could frizz through her hair products. She grabbed Capri’s a t-shirt and flip flops preparing for the rink to be cold but outside to be hot. She was down stairs a few minutes later and they headed towards the Falls in silence.
Getting there first Nate headed into the Niagara University dressing room Carrie took a seat on the floor waiting for others to show up, she felt herself dozing off when she heard footsteps and snapped awake to see Derek walking towards her
“Morning” he said barely looking at her
“Unfortunately” she said leaning her head against the wall
Derek let out a snort “Late night with the hubby” he smirked
“Ew, I was out with Lacey we didn’t get to celebrate her birthday on time because she had to work…. Why am I telling you this? Go away” Derek rolled his eyes and entered the locker room
“Good morning Carrie” Carrie looked up to see Lindy Ruff
“Morning Lindy” she said with a small smile she could honestly say this was the first Sabre she was happy to see this morning
“You look like you need this more than I do” he says handing her a Tim Hortons coffee
“You are my favorite coach in the NHL for a reason Mr. Ruff. By the way tell your wife that the crock pot she got me is literally my favorite thing in the world no joke”
“Will do” He smiled and headed into the locker room “What is going on in here?” she heard him yell and Carrie got up off the floor quickly and opened the door seeing Derek and Nate on the ground
With Nate
Nate watched as Derek entered the locker room on his phone oblivious to Nate’s presence
“Dude we need to go out tonight, man my beds been empty for 2 nights I need some company”
Nate looked at him disgusted, but continued to tape his socks trying to block him out
“Aw that blond was smoking, she didn’t stay either I love it when they don’t stay its always awkward in the morning anyway”
“So you stole her from me to cheat on her?” Nate says unable to ignore him any longer
“Dude I gotta go, yeah we’ll do something don’t worry” he hangs up the phone and looks at Nate confused “What?”
“Carrie you stole Carrie from me to cheat on her, how low can you go Roysy”
“I did not steal Carrie from you”
“Oh please what bull shit! You flirted and flirted until you won her over and now that you have her you can’t even be faithful for 2 months? Why couldn’t you just let her be with someone who was going to love her and actually take care of her and not cheat on her every time his balls did the thinking!”
“Gerbs I don’t know what the hell you are talking about man, I don’t talk to Carrie”
“Don’t play stupid damn it!”
“She’s your wife! Even I’m not that low”
“Oh come on everyone knows that was an arranged marriage we were forced to get married and we don’t even talk she plays nice for the public but I know that the 2 of you are together”
“Whoa, whoa deep breaths over there. Man I thought this was over with when that wedding happened I figured she told you what happened and everything got resolved and you got married. I mean I was trying to steal her from you cause well come on she flirted with me I had to at least try it was only a little contact info switching no harm no foul, but she was so stuck on you. She went insane she’s got a restraining order against me”
Nate could feel the anger bubble inside him, so many things were running though his mind like that Carrie never cheated on him, Lacey was right and most of all that Derek was a liar that he trusted. Without any thinking Nate’s balled up angry fist collided with Derek’s nose
“What the hell!” Derek yells grabbing his now bleeding nose
“You’re such a man whore, I mean can you really not even have the most remote respect for a relationship at all? So the first time you met her we were fighting that was not the in to flirt with her. But beyond that you continue to try to break up a relationship cause what you’re jealous someone used you for once” Nate stepped closer to Derek poking him and shoving him with each word he said
“I’m not gonna fight you Gerbs”
“Then you’re just gonna get your ass kicked”
Nate shoved him once more before Derek lunged at him the two hitting the floor and wrestling each getting in their separate punches. Neither of them even realized that the locker room door had opened or that their coach had walked in the door until he spoke
“What is going on in here” Lindys voice boomed and the guys stopped moments later the door swung open again and this time Carrie entered the room her eyes getting huge and the guys on the floor
“Derek get the hell off of him!” Carrie yelled pulling Derek off Nate she extended her hand and helped Nate up “Are you ok? What were you guys doing fighting?” she looked between the two noticing Derek’s nose “Oh my God, did you break his nose?” Nate went to open his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Lindy
“Both of you, out of here get changed and go home I want neither one of you here for 2 weeks do you hear me? This will not be tolerated on my team, am I understood?” they both nodded “Good, you’re acting like high school boys, Derek go get your nose checked out by T-Mack, Nate you’ll wait and then go have your eye looked at. Carrie honey figure this out for me, I now have a headache and an entire team to worry about and possibly 2 players to replace”
Lindy walked out of the locker room and Derek headed off to find their team medic
“Nate what were you thinking?”
“I’m so sorry Carrie, you and Lacey were right and I’m sorry I didn’t listen, he told me everything I’m so sorry”
“That’s what this was all about, so he tells you the truth you fight him and then what I’m supposed to automatically forgive you because you fought for my honor. You thought I was cheating on you accused me of sleeping with him, and you think sorry is gonna fix that?”
“Carrie I”
“I don’t want to hear it, go find out about your face I’ll be at the car”
Carrie turned and walked out of the dressing room and out to Nate’s car sitting on the hood waiting for him to come out in the early morning heat. Nate emerged a few minutes later with an ice pack tossing Carrie the keys
“I’m supposed to keep this on my eye” he says and she nods getting into the driver’s seat “Want to go to breakfast or something”
“No Nate I want to go home and go back to bed and back to ignoring you”
The ride home was no more silent then the ride to the arena was but there was a different kind of tension hanging in the air that made them both uncomfortable. Once home Carrie kicked off her flip flops and headed for the stairs
“I’m going to turn the air conditioning on so close the windows upstairs please”
Nate calls after her and she nods, entering her room after closing all the upstairs windows Carrie lets out a frustrated sigh closing the door behind her. She paced the floor conflicted in her mind on one hand she found it attractive that Nate was willing to fight for her but on the other hand she couldn’t help but feel like he was willing to fight too late. Letting out a huff of air she grabs a hair tie throwing her rapidly frizzing curls into a small messy bun, she turns on her fan and lays down on her bed just letting her thoughts wander, she contemplates their relationship and if it could start again or survive after all this. Not like either of them had a choice there was a divorce clause in their marriage contract and Carrie couldn’t help but feel like their parents knew somehow that one of the two of them would mess things up. Finally pushing everything out of her mind Carrie falls asleep
With Nate
Sitting on the couch Nate pulls the ice pack from his eye touching the bruised area lightly and taking a sharp intake of breath, he puts the ice pack back and sighs turning on the TV. He had to think, there had to be some way to get Carrie to forgive him or to at least consider forgiving him. He felt like such an idiot sitting there first of all he didn’t believe her originally and then to just keep rubbing it in only made it worse. But he couldn’t deny he loved her and he was willing to do anything to prove it, but first he had to figure out how. Remembering he had Lacey to apologize to as well he scrolls through his contacts to find her name. After 3 rings Lacey finally answers sleep still thick in her voice
“Is she dying, dead or in the hospital?”
“Who?”
“Carrie”
“No”
“Then goodbye”
“Lacey wait, I’m calling to apologize”
“I swear on all that is holy Carrie and you do not know the power of the snooze button”
“Listen okay I’ll make it quick and you can go back to sleep. I’m sorry I was an idiot there’s no better word for it, I confronted Derek today. Let me rephrase that I fought Derek today and I think I may have broken his nose or I at least made it bleed all over the place, but regardless I realized that I was so wrong for ever thinking you girls would lie to us. I hope you and Enzo can salvage something and I hope I can at least get Carrie to talk to me again”
“I accept your apology, but Tyler and I; I’m pretty sure we are done for good and that kills me. Carrie and you though, you guys had something and sometimes you just need to let Carrie be mad until she isn’t anymore”
“Ok well you go back to sleep maybe when you are awake you will be more coherent”
He hung up the phone and looked at the clock realizing Tyler would not yet be out of practice so he text him the whole story laughing at his ability to all of a sudden paragraph text when before he hated it, Carrie and Lacey were starting to rub off on him.
With Carrie
Carrie slowly woke up realizing she had been asleep for almost 2 hours she stretched in bed before getting up and heading downstairs. She gets to the bottom to find Nate sitting on the couch he turns to look at her and she flinches seeing the dark purple of the bruise around his eye
“Carrie we need to talk”
He stands to face her as Carrie resists the urge to touch the bruising
“You need more ice” she says turning for the kitchen
“Carrie, stop avoiding me, we need to talk”
“Ice” she says handing him an ice pack wrapped in a towel
“Carrie”
“Put it on your eye” she interrupts motioning towards his eye before walking away
“Carolyn Michele Gerbe” he says throwing the ice pack onto the counter, Carrie spins to face him his voice finally catching her attention. Sure legally she was in fact a Gerbe but in her mind she was as much an Anderson as she was 2 months ago “Talk to me, let me in please”
“You want me to talk? You really want to hear what’s going on in my mind? How I’m feeling? What’s the point you haven’t cared this long”
“Carrie, I don’t know what to do, what to say to show you I’m sorry! I know I was an idiot and I really should have known better, but you have to know. Well maybe you don’t know but you need to hear that I love you”
“Nate there is nothing you can say right now that will make this better. You didn’t believe me when I gave you no reason not to trust me. You told me you loved me, then you took it back, I’m sorry can’t fix that”
“It’s all I’ve got and it’s the truth. I need you to believe that”
She could see the sadness in his eyes and could feel the tears welling up in hers. Stepping closer to him she places her hands on the sides of his face, he slowly moves his hands to rest gently on her hips
“I know you’re sorry and I believe you I really do, but Nate as much as I want to forgive you and move past this, I just can’t, I’m still incredibly mad. I don’t know when that’s going to go away. I’m sorry handsome but I can’t forgive you, not yet”
“Okay, I’ll wait for as long as it takes but I need you to do one little thing for me”
“Okay”
“Tell me you love me, like you mean it”
“You’re killing me”
“Please Carrie, I need to hear that. I need to know I haven’t lost you forever please”
“Nathan David Gerbe I love you very much and that’s what makes being this angry so hard”
As she starts to cry Nate pulls her in tight wrapping her in a hug and plants small kisses on her temple. “I know it’s not okay right now, but someday it will be I promise you that”
“You can’t promise that Nate” she says quietly stepping out of his arms he opens his mouth to object but gets cut off “You should really get that ice back on your eye” at that she wipes her eyes and heads out the back door to sit on the patio in the early afternoon haze.
With Nate
It had been a couple weeks since Carrie and Nate had their heart to heart and today was the first day Nate was to be back in training camp for the hockey season if there was going to be one. He was happy that he and Carrie were at least on speaking terms and so were he and Lacey. The bruise around his eye was now a faded tan color which he was thankful of.
“Carrie, you ready to go?” he asks walking into the kitchen to find his keys she was sitting on the stool at the counter with her nose shoved in a book “Hello earth to Carrie”
“Huh?” she said looking over to Nate slightly confused
“I said are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, sure”
“Whatcha reading?”
“Mockingjay”
“Mocking what?”
“Mockingjay, the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series, Lacey finally finished it”
Nate nodded and headed towards the door Carrie walking behind him still reading, he turns to face her when they step outside
“Carrie”
“Yeah?”
“Give me the book”
“Why?”
“Because, you didn’t even put shoes on crazy bookworm”
Carrie looked down at her bare feet and laughed willingly handing the book over to Nate and walking back into the house to grab flip flops
“Hey!” he yelled after her
“What now?” she says with a laugh
“Go change your shirt girl! You are not wearing a Hodgson shirt to practice”
“But I like hodgepodge” Nate raised an eyebrow at her “What? Lacey and I have our own nicknames for you guys”
“Oh really? What’s mine?” Carrie shook her head at him with a smile “Tell me” again she shook her head “Tell me or I will pout” Carrie sighed
“The curse of the Gerbe pout. Fine yours is the Gerbinator, do not tell Lacey I told you that”
Nate laughed but nodded in agreement, as they got in the car Nate was still slightly chuckling and continued to do so through most of the ride there. After practice was over the guys were changing in the locker room Nate was surprised that Derek hadn’t shown up for practice even though they were both off suspension. But he changed quickly and headed out to find Carrie waiting by the car when he saw her he chuckled again.
“You’re still laughing about Gerbinator aren’t you?”
“Yes I am” he says trying to contain his laughter “It’s just such a bizarre nickname”
“Oh really? We call Ennis Enners, we call Jason J-Booty, Pat is patty cakes, Jochen is smoking hash I think Lacey’s sister came up with that one. Lacey calls Vanek fatty I call him Van or Tommyboy” Nate started cracking up as she talked
“Please don’t tell me anymore I have to work with these guys, j-booty oh man that’s hilarious”
“Listen that man has a nice booty! That’s also why Lacey calls Vanek fatty… however that sounds like an insult to me not a compliment”
“I’m starting to think I should have let you have that book all practice at least you were quietly stuck in the world of the hunger games”
“The country is Panem”
“Whatever it is, come on lets go home” he says with a small chuckle.
They talk the whole way home and stop at a diner to eat some lunch. Then they spend the day in the 80 degree heat in the in-ground pool before eventually calling it a night.
With Carrie
Carrie woke up with a jump when her room lit up, she looked at the clock to see 3am glowing brightly she sighed waiting for what she was sure would happen next and shuddered when the thunder shook the window.
Getting up she turned on her light and grabbed her book off the night stand, being scared of thunder had its downside like the fact that she knew she would not be sleeping tonight. She sat on her bed reading silently her heart rate speeding up with every crack of thunder she almost debated waking up Nate, but figured she would let him sleep since he had practice the next day.
She looked at the clock again to see 3:28 glowing she wondered how long it was going to last as she listened to the rain beat against the roof. Just as she was about to turn the page the room around her went dark.
“Lovely, powers out” she says aloud and gets off her bed, grabbing her half charged phone and walking quietly downstairs in hopes of deafening the sound of the rain beating against the house.
She sits quietly on the couch using her phone to read until it dies and then quietly watching the rain. Even with the power off the rain cooled down the temperature significantly and Carrie covered up hoping the storm would pass soon. As the thunder boomed once more and she shuddered. She hears a creak on the stairs and turns to find Nate walking towards her as the thunder booms again and she shudders once more
“You couldn’t sleep either huh?” she asks and he shakes his head
“Thunder woke me up; I figured if I was up so were you so I checked your room and it took me a minute to figure out you would come downstairs. Mind if I join you?” Carrie shook her head and moved over slightly on the couch lifting the blanket for Nate to sit next to her. She curled tightly into his side as the lightning shot across the sky and the thunder closely followed
“I hate thunder”
“I know you do” he says kissing her temple
They sat there in silence for a while listening to the rain as the sky lit up causing half the living room to light up and the loud rumble followed Carries eyes grew huge as she practically jumped into Nate’s lap, shaking slightly, he wraps his arms tightly around her pulling her from next to him into his lap.
“I have never in my life seen someone so scared of thunder, and only thunder”
“I’m sorry”
“No it’s ok, it gives me a reason to hold onto you since I’ll never get you to see a scary movie” he says with a smile and she chuckles
“No way, never in my life will I watch a scary movie”
“Well let’s play a game and we will see how easily distracted you are” Carrie looked at him quizzically “What kind of husband, or even friend would I be if I didn’t at least try to distract you from the thunder?” Carrie shrugged her shoulders “Exactly a terrible one. So hmm we can’t really play any like board games in the dark so we’ll go with 20 questions”
They started asking each other random questions and the game quickly turned into a game of would you rather, and before long they were laying on the couch just talking.
“I like this” Nate says playing with her hair
“Its hair Nate nothing special”
“No” he says with a laugh “Not your hair, this I like this laying on the couch with you just talking, I like this moment. Although your hair is nice too”
“Nice save” she says with a wink “I like this too, except I think you are cutting circulation off to my legs with your death grip”
“Sorry” he says loosening his grasp and going back to silently playing with her hair
“Thank you Nate”
“For what?”
“For sitting up half the night with me, what time is it anyway?”
“No idea I forgot to plug my phone in it was dead when the power went out”
“See I told you a long time ago to always keep an analog clock around but no mister digital over here” she says and he laughs
“Fine you win we will buy one tomorrow… or later today probably applies better” Carrie lets out a yawn and Nate answers by yawning back. They both fall silent, and Carrie wakes up when the sun comes through the window, trying to sit up she finds Nate still passed out holding tightly onto her waist
“Nate wake up” she says and he groans “Come on Nate… wake up” she says shaking him
“No, you go to sleep”
“Come on the sun is up I want my nice dark room and my comfortable bed, let go”
“No, I’m comfortable”
“Nate” she whines
“Carrie” he says back and she sighs she thinks for a minute and lets a mischievous smile spread across her face as she jams her finger in her mouth. Pulling it back out seconds later she sticks it into Nate’s ear and he jumps up releasing his grasp on her waist
“Oh God, Carrie that’s disgusting why did you do that?”
“Teach you to wake up the first time huh?” he used his shirt to wipe the spit out of his ear as she got off the couch
“Where you going?”
“My bed”
“I don’t think so”
“Oh really what are you gonna do?” he steps next to her putting one arm around her waist and the other by the back of her knees picking her up bridal style with one swoop “Well that’s what I get for thinking being the same height meant you could never pick me up”
“You learn something new every day, isn’t that your motto?” she laughs before nodding and wrapping her arms around his neck as he started up the stairs
“Where are we going?”
“Bed”
“My rooms that way” she says pointing
“Good you know directions” Carrie narrowed her eyes at him
He walked quietly into his room kicking the door shut and dropping her lightly onto his bed, then climbs in next to her wrapping his arms around her waist again
“What are you doing?”
“Going back to bed?”
“But..”
“I told you I like this” he says moving the stray hair out of her face
“I thought you meant talking”
“I did, until I woke up next to you, I like that even better”
Carrie’s eyes softened and she smiled “You sap”
“I’m your sap that is if you want me”
“A romantic comedy couldn’t write you that cute” she says and Nate looks at her in confusion “Sorry sometimes I just say what I’m thinking”
He smiles and kisses her forehead “I love you ya know”
“Yeah I know, my adorable little sappy husband” she says grabbing his face and he laughs “I love you too handsome” she says and he smiles somehow even bigger than before and stares at Carrie “Don’t do that, don’t stare at me”
“Say it again” he says like a 5 year old
“No”
“Please”
“No”
“Please”
“No and don’t even try that pout go to sleep”
“Carrie”
“What?”
“I love you”
“Go to sleep Nate” she says turning her face away from him with a smile
“Carrie”
“No”
“Carrie” he says turning her face towards his
“What Nate” she says staring into his melted chocolate eyes, feeling herself melt inside a little bit but that rock of nervousness was creeping up again and she was willing it to go away.
“I love you” he says quietly kissing her lips softly, he pulls away and looks at a stunned Carrie
“I shouldn’t have done that, too soon” he says turning back away from her
Carrie felt her heart break at the look in his eyes and for the first time in months she realized as much as she could try to say she was mad at him and as much as she tried to resist him one thing was certain, talking to him made her day better, he could make her smile on the worst day ever, when she was scared he was her protection, and his kiss could solve any apprehension she had. Without a shadow of a doubt she was hopelessly in love with him.
“Nate” she whispered and he was unmoved, but she knew there was no way he fell asleep that fast “Nate” she said again a little louder still nothing with a sigh she tried again “Nathan David, look at me when I’m talking to you” he still didn’t roll over. Now slightly frustrated she got out of the bed and walked over to his side kneeling down in front of the bed to face him he looked at her with sad eyes and started to roll over the other way
“Hold it mister” she says and he stops
“What” he says quietly and the tone almost breaks her heart
“Nothing much, just that I love you too” she says and leans up slightly to kiss him she pulls back and smiles at him
“You had me scared for a minute” he says and she looks away from him
“Sorry you just caught me off guard”
“Hey” he says and she snaps her eyes back in his direction “Get back in this bed, I’m tired” she smiles at him and walks back around the bed crawling under the sheets, he pulls her closer kissing her softly.
“Goodnight beautiful”
“Goodnight handsome”
“Go away” she mumbled
“Carrie, get up and unlock the door or I’m going to kick it in” with a sigh she got out of her bed and opened the door, a rush of warm air hitting her she wrinkled her nose in disgust at the early September air already being warm when the sun was barely up
“What” she said face to face with Nate, in the 2 months that they had been married Carrie could honestly say this was the most she had spoken to Nate and after the late night she had with Lacey she was not happy with him
“Get dressed”
“No I’m going back to bed”
“There is an optional skate at Dwyer arena today”
“Then it’s an option to go, an option I am declining”
“The wives and girlfriends are going, they expect you there. They also expect you to act like we are married”
“Its 6am! And there might not even be a season so why practice!”
“That’s what you get for being out all hours of the night with “Lacey” what time did you even get home?”
“I was with Lacey no need for air quotes, and I got home at 2 which is why I need to go back to sleep!”
“We’re leaving in a half hour even if you are still in your pajamas; I bet Derek won’t be there”
“I give up trying to tell you anything” She turned from him closed her door and headed for the shower taking the fastest shower ever she let her hair dry naturally frizzing slightly signaling it was going to be a humid day if it could frizz through her hair products. She grabbed Capri’s a t-shirt and flip flops preparing for the rink to be cold but outside to be hot. She was down stairs a few minutes later and they headed towards the Falls in silence.
Getting there first Nate headed into the Niagara University dressing room Carrie took a seat on the floor waiting for others to show up, she felt herself dozing off when she heard footsteps and snapped awake to see Derek walking towards her
“Morning” he said barely looking at her
“Unfortunately” she said leaning her head against the wall
Derek let out a snort “Late night with the hubby” he smirked
“Ew, I was out with Lacey we didn’t get to celebrate her birthday on time because she had to work…. Why am I telling you this? Go away” Derek rolled his eyes and entered the locker room
“Good morning Carrie” Carrie looked up to see Lindy Ruff
“Morning Lindy” she said with a small smile she could honestly say this was the first Sabre she was happy to see this morning
“You look like you need this more than I do” he says handing her a Tim Hortons coffee
“You are my favorite coach in the NHL for a reason Mr. Ruff. By the way tell your wife that the crock pot she got me is literally my favorite thing in the world no joke”
“Will do” He smiled and headed into the locker room “What is going on in here?” she heard him yell and Carrie got up off the floor quickly and opened the door seeing Derek and Nate on the ground
With Nate
Nate watched as Derek entered the locker room on his phone oblivious to Nate’s presence
“Dude we need to go out tonight, man my beds been empty for 2 nights I need some company”
Nate looked at him disgusted, but continued to tape his socks trying to block him out
“Aw that blond was smoking, she didn’t stay either I love it when they don’t stay its always awkward in the morning anyway”
“So you stole her from me to cheat on her?” Nate says unable to ignore him any longer
“Dude I gotta go, yeah we’ll do something don’t worry” he hangs up the phone and looks at Nate confused “What?”
“Carrie you stole Carrie from me to cheat on her, how low can you go Roysy”
“I did not steal Carrie from you”
“Oh please what bull shit! You flirted and flirted until you won her over and now that you have her you can’t even be faithful for 2 months? Why couldn’t you just let her be with someone who was going to love her and actually take care of her and not cheat on her every time his balls did the thinking!”
“Gerbs I don’t know what the hell you are talking about man, I don’t talk to Carrie”
“Don’t play stupid damn it!”
“She’s your wife! Even I’m not that low”
“Oh come on everyone knows that was an arranged marriage we were forced to get married and we don’t even talk she plays nice for the public but I know that the 2 of you are together”
“Whoa, whoa deep breaths over there. Man I thought this was over with when that wedding happened I figured she told you what happened and everything got resolved and you got married. I mean I was trying to steal her from you cause well come on she flirted with me I had to at least try it was only a little contact info switching no harm no foul, but she was so stuck on you. She went insane she’s got a restraining order against me”
Nate could feel the anger bubble inside him, so many things were running though his mind like that Carrie never cheated on him, Lacey was right and most of all that Derek was a liar that he trusted. Without any thinking Nate’s balled up angry fist collided with Derek’s nose
“What the hell!” Derek yells grabbing his now bleeding nose
“You’re such a man whore, I mean can you really not even have the most remote respect for a relationship at all? So the first time you met her we were fighting that was not the in to flirt with her. But beyond that you continue to try to break up a relationship cause what you’re jealous someone used you for once” Nate stepped closer to Derek poking him and shoving him with each word he said
“I’m not gonna fight you Gerbs”
“Then you’re just gonna get your ass kicked”
Nate shoved him once more before Derek lunged at him the two hitting the floor and wrestling each getting in their separate punches. Neither of them even realized that the locker room door had opened or that their coach had walked in the door until he spoke
“What is going on in here” Lindys voice boomed and the guys stopped moments later the door swung open again and this time Carrie entered the room her eyes getting huge and the guys on the floor
“Derek get the hell off of him!” Carrie yelled pulling Derek off Nate she extended her hand and helped Nate up “Are you ok? What were you guys doing fighting?” she looked between the two noticing Derek’s nose “Oh my God, did you break his nose?” Nate went to open his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Lindy
“Both of you, out of here get changed and go home I want neither one of you here for 2 weeks do you hear me? This will not be tolerated on my team, am I understood?” they both nodded “Good, you’re acting like high school boys, Derek go get your nose checked out by T-Mack, Nate you’ll wait and then go have your eye looked at. Carrie honey figure this out for me, I now have a headache and an entire team to worry about and possibly 2 players to replace”
Lindy walked out of the locker room and Derek headed off to find their team medic
“Nate what were you thinking?”
“I’m so sorry Carrie, you and Lacey were right and I’m sorry I didn’t listen, he told me everything I’m so sorry”
“That’s what this was all about, so he tells you the truth you fight him and then what I’m supposed to automatically forgive you because you fought for my honor. You thought I was cheating on you accused me of sleeping with him, and you think sorry is gonna fix that?”
“Carrie I”
“I don’t want to hear it, go find out about your face I’ll be at the car”
Carrie turned and walked out of the dressing room and out to Nate’s car sitting on the hood waiting for him to come out in the early morning heat. Nate emerged a few minutes later with an ice pack tossing Carrie the keys
“I’m supposed to keep this on my eye” he says and she nods getting into the driver’s seat “Want to go to breakfast or something”
“No Nate I want to go home and go back to bed and back to ignoring you”
The ride home was no more silent then the ride to the arena was but there was a different kind of tension hanging in the air that made them both uncomfortable. Once home Carrie kicked off her flip flops and headed for the stairs
“I’m going to turn the air conditioning on so close the windows upstairs please”
Nate calls after her and she nods, entering her room after closing all the upstairs windows Carrie lets out a frustrated sigh closing the door behind her. She paced the floor conflicted in her mind on one hand she found it attractive that Nate was willing to fight for her but on the other hand she couldn’t help but feel like he was willing to fight too late. Letting out a huff of air she grabs a hair tie throwing her rapidly frizzing curls into a small messy bun, she turns on her fan and lays down on her bed just letting her thoughts wander, she contemplates their relationship and if it could start again or survive after all this. Not like either of them had a choice there was a divorce clause in their marriage contract and Carrie couldn’t help but feel like their parents knew somehow that one of the two of them would mess things up. Finally pushing everything out of her mind Carrie falls asleep
With Nate
Sitting on the couch Nate pulls the ice pack from his eye touching the bruised area lightly and taking a sharp intake of breath, he puts the ice pack back and sighs turning on the TV. He had to think, there had to be some way to get Carrie to forgive him or to at least consider forgiving him. He felt like such an idiot sitting there first of all he didn’t believe her originally and then to just keep rubbing it in only made it worse. But he couldn’t deny he loved her and he was willing to do anything to prove it, but first he had to figure out how. Remembering he had Lacey to apologize to as well he scrolls through his contacts to find her name. After 3 rings Lacey finally answers sleep still thick in her voice
“Is she dying, dead or in the hospital?”
“Who?”
“Carrie”
“No”
“Then goodbye”
“Lacey wait, I’m calling to apologize”
“I swear on all that is holy Carrie and you do not know the power of the snooze button”
“Listen okay I’ll make it quick and you can go back to sleep. I’m sorry I was an idiot there’s no better word for it, I confronted Derek today. Let me rephrase that I fought Derek today and I think I may have broken his nose or I at least made it bleed all over the place, but regardless I realized that I was so wrong for ever thinking you girls would lie to us. I hope you and Enzo can salvage something and I hope I can at least get Carrie to talk to me again”
“I accept your apology, but Tyler and I; I’m pretty sure we are done for good and that kills me. Carrie and you though, you guys had something and sometimes you just need to let Carrie be mad until she isn’t anymore”
“Ok well you go back to sleep maybe when you are awake you will be more coherent”
He hung up the phone and looked at the clock realizing Tyler would not yet be out of practice so he text him the whole story laughing at his ability to all of a sudden paragraph text when before he hated it, Carrie and Lacey were starting to rub off on him.
With Carrie
Carrie slowly woke up realizing she had been asleep for almost 2 hours she stretched in bed before getting up and heading downstairs. She gets to the bottom to find Nate sitting on the couch he turns to look at her and she flinches seeing the dark purple of the bruise around his eye
“Carrie we need to talk”
He stands to face her as Carrie resists the urge to touch the bruising
“You need more ice” she says turning for the kitchen
“Carrie, stop avoiding me, we need to talk”
“Ice” she says handing him an ice pack wrapped in a towel
“Carrie”
“Put it on your eye” she interrupts motioning towards his eye before walking away
“Carolyn Michele Gerbe” he says throwing the ice pack onto the counter, Carrie spins to face him his voice finally catching her attention. Sure legally she was in fact a Gerbe but in her mind she was as much an Anderson as she was 2 months ago “Talk to me, let me in please”
“You want me to talk? You really want to hear what’s going on in my mind? How I’m feeling? What’s the point you haven’t cared this long”
“Carrie, I don’t know what to do, what to say to show you I’m sorry! I know I was an idiot and I really should have known better, but you have to know. Well maybe you don’t know but you need to hear that I love you”
“Nate there is nothing you can say right now that will make this better. You didn’t believe me when I gave you no reason not to trust me. You told me you loved me, then you took it back, I’m sorry can’t fix that”
“It’s all I’ve got and it’s the truth. I need you to believe that”
She could see the sadness in his eyes and could feel the tears welling up in hers. Stepping closer to him she places her hands on the sides of his face, he slowly moves his hands to rest gently on her hips
“I know you’re sorry and I believe you I really do, but Nate as much as I want to forgive you and move past this, I just can’t, I’m still incredibly mad. I don’t know when that’s going to go away. I’m sorry handsome but I can’t forgive you, not yet”
“Okay, I’ll wait for as long as it takes but I need you to do one little thing for me”
“Okay”
“Tell me you love me, like you mean it”
“You’re killing me”
“Please Carrie, I need to hear that. I need to know I haven’t lost you forever please”
“Nathan David Gerbe I love you very much and that’s what makes being this angry so hard”
As she starts to cry Nate pulls her in tight wrapping her in a hug and plants small kisses on her temple. “I know it’s not okay right now, but someday it will be I promise you that”
“You can’t promise that Nate” she says quietly stepping out of his arms he opens his mouth to object but gets cut off “You should really get that ice back on your eye” at that she wipes her eyes and heads out the back door to sit on the patio in the early afternoon haze.
With Nate
It had been a couple weeks since Carrie and Nate had their heart to heart and today was the first day Nate was to be back in training camp for the hockey season if there was going to be one. He was happy that he and Carrie were at least on speaking terms and so were he and Lacey. The bruise around his eye was now a faded tan color which he was thankful of.
“Carrie, you ready to go?” he asks walking into the kitchen to find his keys she was sitting on the stool at the counter with her nose shoved in a book “Hello earth to Carrie”
“Huh?” she said looking over to Nate slightly confused
“I said are you ready to go?”
“Yeah, sure”
“Whatcha reading?”
“Mockingjay”
“Mocking what?”
“Mockingjay, the 3rd book in the Hunger Games series, Lacey finally finished it”
Nate nodded and headed towards the door Carrie walking behind him still reading, he turns to face her when they step outside
“Carrie”
“Yeah?”
“Give me the book”
“Why?”
“Because, you didn’t even put shoes on crazy bookworm”
Carrie looked down at her bare feet and laughed willingly handing the book over to Nate and walking back into the house to grab flip flops
“Hey!” he yelled after her
“What now?” she says with a laugh
“Go change your shirt girl! You are not wearing a Hodgson shirt to practice”
“But I like hodgepodge” Nate raised an eyebrow at her “What? Lacey and I have our own nicknames for you guys”
“Oh really? What’s mine?” Carrie shook her head at him with a smile “Tell me” again she shook her head “Tell me or I will pout” Carrie sighed
“The curse of the Gerbe pout. Fine yours is the Gerbinator, do not tell Lacey I told you that”
Nate laughed but nodded in agreement, as they got in the car Nate was still slightly chuckling and continued to do so through most of the ride there. After practice was over the guys were changing in the locker room Nate was surprised that Derek hadn’t shown up for practice even though they were both off suspension. But he changed quickly and headed out to find Carrie waiting by the car when he saw her he chuckled again.
“You’re still laughing about Gerbinator aren’t you?”
“Yes I am” he says trying to contain his laughter “It’s just such a bizarre nickname”
“Oh really? We call Ennis Enners, we call Jason J-Booty, Pat is patty cakes, Jochen is smoking hash I think Lacey’s sister came up with that one. Lacey calls Vanek fatty I call him Van or Tommyboy” Nate started cracking up as she talked
“Please don’t tell me anymore I have to work with these guys, j-booty oh man that’s hilarious”
“Listen that man has a nice booty! That’s also why Lacey calls Vanek fatty… however that sounds like an insult to me not a compliment”
“I’m starting to think I should have let you have that book all practice at least you were quietly stuck in the world of the hunger games”
“The country is Panem”
“Whatever it is, come on lets go home” he says with a small chuckle.
They talk the whole way home and stop at a diner to eat some lunch. Then they spend the day in the 80 degree heat in the in-ground pool before eventually calling it a night.
With Carrie
Carrie woke up with a jump when her room lit up, she looked at the clock to see 3am glowing brightly she sighed waiting for what she was sure would happen next and shuddered when the thunder shook the window.
Getting up she turned on her light and grabbed her book off the night stand, being scared of thunder had its downside like the fact that she knew she would not be sleeping tonight. She sat on her bed reading silently her heart rate speeding up with every crack of thunder she almost debated waking up Nate, but figured she would let him sleep since he had practice the next day.
She looked at the clock again to see 3:28 glowing she wondered how long it was going to last as she listened to the rain beat against the roof. Just as she was about to turn the page the room around her went dark.
“Lovely, powers out” she says aloud and gets off her bed, grabbing her half charged phone and walking quietly downstairs in hopes of deafening the sound of the rain beating against the house.
She sits quietly on the couch using her phone to read until it dies and then quietly watching the rain. Even with the power off the rain cooled down the temperature significantly and Carrie covered up hoping the storm would pass soon. As the thunder boomed once more and she shuddered. She hears a creak on the stairs and turns to find Nate walking towards her as the thunder booms again and she shudders once more
“You couldn’t sleep either huh?” she asks and he shakes his head
“Thunder woke me up; I figured if I was up so were you so I checked your room and it took me a minute to figure out you would come downstairs. Mind if I join you?” Carrie shook her head and moved over slightly on the couch lifting the blanket for Nate to sit next to her. She curled tightly into his side as the lightning shot across the sky and the thunder closely followed
“I hate thunder”
“I know you do” he says kissing her temple
They sat there in silence for a while listening to the rain as the sky lit up causing half the living room to light up and the loud rumble followed Carries eyes grew huge as she practically jumped into Nate’s lap, shaking slightly, he wraps his arms tightly around her pulling her from next to him into his lap.
“I have never in my life seen someone so scared of thunder, and only thunder”
“I’m sorry”
“No it’s ok, it gives me a reason to hold onto you since I’ll never get you to see a scary movie” he says with a smile and she chuckles
“No way, never in my life will I watch a scary movie”
“Well let’s play a game and we will see how easily distracted you are” Carrie looked at him quizzically “What kind of husband, or even friend would I be if I didn’t at least try to distract you from the thunder?” Carrie shrugged her shoulders “Exactly a terrible one. So hmm we can’t really play any like board games in the dark so we’ll go with 20 questions”
They started asking each other random questions and the game quickly turned into a game of would you rather, and before long they were laying on the couch just talking.
“I like this” Nate says playing with her hair
“Its hair Nate nothing special”
“No” he says with a laugh “Not your hair, this I like this laying on the couch with you just talking, I like this moment. Although your hair is nice too”
“Nice save” she says with a wink “I like this too, except I think you are cutting circulation off to my legs with your death grip”
“Sorry” he says loosening his grasp and going back to silently playing with her hair
“Thank you Nate”
“For what?”
“For sitting up half the night with me, what time is it anyway?”
“No idea I forgot to plug my phone in it was dead when the power went out”
“See I told you a long time ago to always keep an analog clock around but no mister digital over here” she says and he laughs
“Fine you win we will buy one tomorrow… or later today probably applies better” Carrie lets out a yawn and Nate answers by yawning back. They both fall silent, and Carrie wakes up when the sun comes through the window, trying to sit up she finds Nate still passed out holding tightly onto her waist
“Nate wake up” she says and he groans “Come on Nate… wake up” she says shaking him
“No, you go to sleep”
“Come on the sun is up I want my nice dark room and my comfortable bed, let go”
“No, I’m comfortable”
“Nate” she whines
“Carrie” he says back and she sighs she thinks for a minute and lets a mischievous smile spread across her face as she jams her finger in her mouth. Pulling it back out seconds later she sticks it into Nate’s ear and he jumps up releasing his grasp on her waist
“Oh God, Carrie that’s disgusting why did you do that?”
“Teach you to wake up the first time huh?” he used his shirt to wipe the spit out of his ear as she got off the couch
“Where you going?”
“My bed”
“I don’t think so”
“Oh really what are you gonna do?” he steps next to her putting one arm around her waist and the other by the back of her knees picking her up bridal style with one swoop “Well that’s what I get for thinking being the same height meant you could never pick me up”
“You learn something new every day, isn’t that your motto?” she laughs before nodding and wrapping her arms around his neck as he started up the stairs
“Where are we going?”
“Bed”
“My rooms that way” she says pointing
“Good you know directions” Carrie narrowed her eyes at him
He walked quietly into his room kicking the door shut and dropping her lightly onto his bed, then climbs in next to her wrapping his arms around her waist again
“What are you doing?”
“Going back to bed?”
“But..”
“I told you I like this” he says moving the stray hair out of her face
“I thought you meant talking”
“I did, until I woke up next to you, I like that even better”
Carrie’s eyes softened and she smiled “You sap”
“I’m your sap that is if you want me”
“A romantic comedy couldn’t write you that cute” she says and Nate looks at her in confusion “Sorry sometimes I just say what I’m thinking”
He smiles and kisses her forehead “I love you ya know”
“Yeah I know, my adorable little sappy husband” she says grabbing his face and he laughs “I love you too handsome” she says and he smiles somehow even bigger than before and stares at Carrie “Don’t do that, don’t stare at me”
“Say it again” he says like a 5 year old
“No”
“Please”
“No”
“Please”
“No and don’t even try that pout go to sleep”
“Carrie”
“What?”
“I love you”
“Go to sleep Nate” she says turning her face away from him with a smile
“Carrie”
“No”
“Carrie” he says turning her face towards his
“What Nate” she says staring into his melted chocolate eyes, feeling herself melt inside a little bit but that rock of nervousness was creeping up again and she was willing it to go away.
“I love you” he says quietly kissing her lips softly, he pulls away and looks at a stunned Carrie
“I shouldn’t have done that, too soon” he says turning back away from her
Carrie felt her heart break at the look in his eyes and for the first time in months she realized as much as she could try to say she was mad at him and as much as she tried to resist him one thing was certain, talking to him made her day better, he could make her smile on the worst day ever, when she was scared he was her protection, and his kiss could solve any apprehension she had. Without a shadow of a doubt she was hopelessly in love with him.
“Nate” she whispered and he was unmoved, but she knew there was no way he fell asleep that fast “Nate” she said again a little louder still nothing with a sigh she tried again “Nathan David, look at me when I’m talking to you” he still didn’t roll over. Now slightly frustrated she got out of the bed and walked over to his side kneeling down in front of the bed to face him he looked at her with sad eyes and started to roll over the other way
“Hold it mister” she says and he stops
“What” he says quietly and the tone almost breaks her heart
“Nothing much, just that I love you too” she says and leans up slightly to kiss him she pulls back and smiles at him
“You had me scared for a minute” he says and she looks away from him
“Sorry you just caught me off guard”
“Hey” he says and she snaps her eyes back in his direction “Get back in this bed, I’m tired” she smiles at him and walks back around the bed crawling under the sheets, he pulls her closer kissing her softly.
“Goodnight beautiful”
“Goodnight handsome”
♠ ♠ ♠
Ok so its only been 8 days since my last post and i said two weeks but hey Nathan Gerbe scored not once but twice against the Panthers tonight and this is how I'm celebrating? Do I hear any complaints? I didn't think so! In other news ask and you shall receive a make up chapter :) yes its been written for months blame Back_Around for not writing the reception fast enough. By the way its 2:33 am and I am way to hyper enjoy your reading leave us a comment let me know what you think of Derek, Nate and Carrie, My and Back_Around's actual player nicknames, and well you know everything! Oh and I have the opinion that Nate Gerbe and Tyler Ennis are the best bromance in the NHL can I get some other hockey fan weigh in on bromanceness? And coming from a Sabres fan with Lindy Ruff no longer being the coach after 16 years hurts but I think it was time. I'll stop rambling now (and I will stick to the aforementioned 2 week posting rule)