Rough Hands and Kind Eyes

"Max, I can't do this!" Ellie yelled for the fifth time on the drive to wherever Max was taking her. Max sighed and pulled over yet again.

"Honey, I can't keep stopping and going all the time." Max sighed. "You have to make a concrete decision right now. Either I take you back to Sidney's or I take you to see Jordan."

What did she do? Did she really want to be with Jordan?

Of course you want to be with Jordan!

Was she ready to forgive him? What if they could never be like they were before? What if he cheated again and not just with Tess? Was she really capable of trusting him again?

"Why do you love him?" Max asked when she didn't reply.

"Because he makes me happy! He loves me, he makes me feel safe and comfortable in my own skin. He makes me laugh and I can be myself with him. He supports me in everything that I do. He teaches me something new every day," Ellie replied. "That's such a hard question to answer, Max. It's a bunch of little things all rolled into one big feeling."

"What would make you not want to be with him anymore? What don't you like about him?" Max asked.

"Well the cheating," Ellie stated. "But other than that there's not much else. He can be sarcastic and kind of mean, but I accept that about him. I can look passed it."

"We're going," Max ordered, making her decision for her. Max knew that Ellie still loved Jordan. He knew that if they just had some time together they could make things work and make themselves better. He just had to keep Ellie from having a sixth breakdown.

"Max," Ellie muttered when they pulled up at the destination. "Why are we at the arena?"

"This where you're meeting Jordan," Max smiled softly. "We pulled some strings and it's all yours."

"You're not going to walk me in?" Ellie asked.

"Nope," Max replied, shaking his head. "I've done my job, now go let Jordan do his."

Ellie got out of the car and walked into the arena. She walked through the front lobby area and only used the lights as her guide. There were only a few lights on, so she figured that's where Jordan would be. She followed the lights to the locker room and saw a pair of hockey skates laid out for her and a Staal jersey.

Ellie,
Please put on these skates and meet me on the ice.
Love, Jordan

P.S- Humor me with the jersey, please?

Ellie sighed and did as Jordan wished. She walked carefully out to the runway and got on the ice.

"I can't believe you actually put on the jersey," Jordan stated from behind her. He glided up over to her and put his hands on her lightly to steady her. When she didn't push him away he kept his hands on her.

"Niether can I," Ellie stated softly.

"Is there anything I should say to keep you?" Jordan asked, immediately getting to the point. "What can I say so you'll believe that I really am sorry?"

"I don't know," Ellie replied, shaking her head. "I just don't know anymore, Jordan."

"Do you still love me?" Jordan asked. It was a question he had been wondering for days. It was burning holes in him. His body shook as he awaited for her answer.

"Of course I do," Ellie replied. "I didn't just stop loving you when I found out what you did. I just got really, really hurt."

"And I'm so sorry that I hurt you," Jordan stated. "I can't take it back, it happened and I'm sorry."

"I know you are," Ellie nodded.

"I've made my decision, Ellie. I think it's pretty obvious that I've chosen you," Jordan stated. "I choose you a million times over. If you'll have me I'll be the best boyfriend you could have. I'm ready to work through all the stuff going on in my head just as long as it's with you. I don't want anyone else."

"It just hurts me that you had to go through sleeping someone else to realize that I was the person you wanted," Ellie muttered. Her words cut at Jordan like a knife.

"Do you think you'd want to be with me again?" Jordan asked, looking down at their skates.

"How do I know that you won't screw up again?" Ellie asked.

"You don't," Jordan replied. "You're just going to have to trust me."

"How can I trust you, Jordan? I trusted you before and you completely broke my heart," Ellie replied. The tears began to fall at this point. It was hard enough being in the same room as Jordan, but to have him touching her was too much.

"Please, don't cry." Jordan begged, touching her face.

"I love you so much, Jordan. I'm just scared that I'll never be able to trust you again. I'm just so scared that I'll never be able to trust you and I'll pull away from you," Ellie cried, gripping at his sweater. All she wanted was to be with him. She wanted to be all over him. All she wanted to do was kiss him and hold onto him, but she didn't know if she could ever do that.

"How will you know if we don't try?" Jordan asked, pressing his forehead to hers. His eyes were begging her, his hands were grabbing at her. This was the closest they'd be in days. His body was aching to touch her more.

"You absolutely broke me, Jordan." Ellie cried softly.

"I know," Jordan sobbed. "I want to make it up to you. I'll do whatever you want me to do. I'll do whatever it takes to make sure that we're together. I want you and no one else, Ellie."

"I need you to kiss me right now," Ellie whispered. She knew she was mad at that asking him to kiss was probably bad, but she needed it. She craved it.

Jordan pressed his lips to her's nice and slow at first. It was a respectful kiss, until he couldn't take it anymore. He kissed her like he needed and wanted to. He kissed like it might be the last time he would ever kiss her, he was certain it would be. He pushed them backwards so they hit the boards, they were a mess of hands and lips.

"Baby, please." Jordan begged.

Ellie couldn't deny that kissing Jordan made all the bad stuff go away. It reminded her of all the good things that she felt when they were together.

"You realize if we get back together that I'm going to keep your balls in a Ziploc bag in my purse, right?" Ellie asked, playing with the drawstrings of his hoodie.

"I'm okay with that," Jordan nodded. "Does this mean-"

"Jordan, will be my boyfriend again?" Ellie asked.

"Yes, baby." Jordan sighed happily, kissing her roughly again. He let his wander up inside the jersey feeling her skin again. Finally.

"There is one more thing I have to ask," Jordan stated, reaching into the pocket of jeans.

"Oh my God," Ellie gasped when she saw that familiar velvet box.

"Ellie, will you marry me?" Jordan asked, opening up the box and revealing the diamond ring.