Feel

Following the morning of the Batman fiasco, Amy would wake up some mornings to the same scene. After a while, she began to see James many mornings when the team wasn't away on a road trip. Seeing him became a regular thing, and the two would exchange friendly hellos, even sometimes conversations - to which Paul tagged along - before Amy headed upstairs or James left to get ready. She grew increasingly pleased to see the quiet, blue-eyed man sitting at the Martin kitchen table, and with each conversation they had, she found her fondness of him growing. He had a great sense of humour, and although he was quiet, he wasn't afraid to speak. 

Amy soon found that all she could think about were the now familiar deep blue eyes. Every time her mind began to wander or her eyes closed, they filled her vision. She was mesmerized. By the eyes, by the dark lashes, by the smile. Everything about James Neal had her stomach fluttering and any thought of him left a smile playing on her lips. 

***

"Can you go put these by the barbecue?"

Paul held out a bag of hamburger buns and Amy took them. She was helping her brother set up for the party he was holding that night. She was excited - she hadn't gotten to hang with the guys in a while, and although she was usually kicked out halfway through, Paul let her join in - even just for a bit. It wasn't that the guys minded her, they just needed "guy time", as Paul put it. 

Amy closed the screen door behind her and turned. She had taken one step in the direction of the barbecue when she stopped suddenly. She was surprised to see James standing by the grill, flipping burgers. She hadn't known he was there.

He glanced over, smiled, and lifted his hand in greeting. Amy smiled back, and headed over with the hamburger buns. 

"I bring gifts," she announced. 

James laughed. "Thanks. Just put them right there." He motioned at the chair beside him, and Amy tossed the bag onto it. 

"Paul put you in charge? I thought you couldn't cook."

"Why did you think that?"

Amy shrugged. "You seem to come over for meals often, I just assumed." She grinned, and James laughed. 

"That's cause I don't have groceries!" he protested.

"Like you don't have enough money to go grocery shopping," Amy teased.

James shook his head with a smile. "Fine, fine, you got me. But I can flip burgers." Amy smiled and James added, "Plus, it's nice to have the company sometimes, you know?"

Amy nodded. She wondered how lonely he got in that big house. She instantly felt bad. "You're welcome over anytime, James," she said sincerely. He threw her a smile and murmured a thank you. She smiled back, watching him for  a moment, before she started to head back inside. "I'll see you in a bit," she told James. He smiled, and his gaze stayed on her retreating back for a minute, before he turned back to the grill.

***

Amy glanced around the fire with a smile. She really did love these guys. They were sitting around Paul's fire pit in the backyard. She grinned watching Max tell his story animatedly, and her eyes shifted around the circle. Flower, with his big smile, shaking his head at Max's antics. Sidney, arms crossed, listening intently with a tiny smile on his lips. Jordan, Kris Letang, Pascal Dupuis, Paul. Her eyes landed on James, just across from her, as Max concluded his tale, and she watched as he shook his head, laughing quietly along with the others. He was sitting back in his chair, his arms on the armrest. The grin stayed on his face as the laughter died down. Amy found herself smiling as she watched him, and slowly tore her eyes away.

*** 

It was around eleven at night when the guys went home. James stayed behind, helping Paul and Amy pick up the garbage and putting out the fire. After a few minutes, Paul headed inside to clean up the kitchen. Amy grew slightly nervous at the thought of being alone with James, but tried to quickly rid the thoughts from her mind. 

The two remained silent as they cleaned up. James was over by the bonfire, while Amy was over by the barbecue. She bent down to pick up the hamburger bun wrapper, and began to stand up abruptly, instantly whacking her forehead against the edge of the barbecue.

She cried out in pain and dropped her garbage bag. She remained crouched down, her hand to her forehead. She pulled her hand away, and groaned as she saw the small trickle of blood on her fingers. 

"Are you okay?"

Amy hadn't heard him come up behind her. She winced, standing up slowly and steadying herself. She turned to him, her hand up to her forehead again. "I'm fine." 

"Let me see." 

Amy sighed and removed her hand. James analyzed the cut. 

"Go sit on the chairs over there," he instructed. "I'll be right back."

Amy raised her eyebrows, but did as he said. She plopped down on the lawn chair, her legs swinging over the side. She watched James head inside, and waited a few minutes until he returned. When he did, he headed over to her with a band-aid, a cup of water, and some gauze.

He sat on the edge of the opposite chair so that they were facing one another. He dipped the corner of the gauze in the water. He was afraid of getting too close, and he said quietly, "I'm just going to..." He held up the gauze, and Amy nodded. Their knees brushed, and James murmured a quiet apology. 

His hand lifted to her forehead and he gently pressed down on the cut with the gauze. Amy winced, and James' lip tugged up at the side. "Sorry," he said again, unable to hold back his smile. 

Amy laughed gently. "It's fine."

A piece of hair had fallen over the cut and James brushed it away instinctively. He hoped he wasn't overstepping any boundaries. He had felt her look at him when he had done it, and he avoided her eyes, focusing on cleaning the cut.

Amy's heart had raced when James' fingertips had brushed her skin. She knew he hadn't meant it as a romantic gesture, but all the same, she had felt shivers rush up and down her spine. She watched as he cleaned the cut, his eyes focused and his mouth slightly ajar. She swallowed hard, and looked away.