Want You Back

”We really don't need to do anything.” Carrie said, talking to Jimmy on her phone. She was just getting out of class.

”But I want to. I've already planned it.” Jimmy sighed. Carrie knew he went through a lot of trouble planning dates. Especially anniversaries.

”My class doesn't get out until 6:30.”

”Well that's when practice gets out. We'll leave by seven?” He posed it as a question.

”Alright.” Carrie really didn't want to go out but decided it was for the best. It would make Jimmy happy. ”Do I dress up?”

”Yes please. Dress and heels.”

”God I hate you.” Carrie laughed. She hated heels.

”I love you too hun. I'll see you after practice.” He laughed with her before hanging up.

************************

Carrie tapped her foot on the floor outside Jimmy's apartment. It was going on seven and he wasn't back yet. ”Ugh!” She muttered before deciding to head over to the Alfond and see just what was taking him so long. As she pulled into the parking lot, she saw Mike Hamilton and Mike Lundin. ”Have you guys seen Jimmy?”

”Yeah. He was just showering up. Said something about a date tonight.” Lundin said and Carrie sighed. At least he hadn't forgotten. He had a tendency to do that.

”Thanks guys.” She said and headed toward the door. She reached the door just as Greg and Derek were leaving. ”Hey.”

”Uh oh.” Greg said to himself and Carrie cocked her head to the side. ”He's still on the ice.”

”Wait?! He hasn't even...” Derek shook his head and Carrie felt like screaming. ”He can't have forgotten this quickly.” Carrie said to herself, ignoring the fact Derek and Greg were still standing in front of her.

”They're turning the lights off too. You may want to go get him.” Greg said, ushering her inside.

Carrie walked into the Alfond and past Coach Whitehead who just gave her a smile. She grimmaced back, not in the mood. As she reached the seats, she gasped, placing a hand over her mouth. The carpet was set up in the middle of the ice and on the carpet was a table, set for two. And Jimmy was waiting. He noticed her and smiled.

She laughed, in awe of what he'd done. He pointed to the zamboni door and she nodded, heading in that direction. As she reached the door, Jimmy was waiting. ”I know I told you we were going out but...”

”How... what....” Carrie was speechless.

”Ready?” He asked and she nodded, knowing she wouldn't be able to find her voice. He extended a hand and helped her toward the table.

************************

After the food had been eaten, Jimmy lead Carrie over to the bench where there were too pairs of skates waiting. ”You're insane.” Carrie said, looking incredulous.

”I am not insane. Well, maybe a little. But still... It'll be fun.” He smiled.

”No it won't. I'll end up on my ass.” She scowled. She'd never been good at skating. Ever.

”I'm right here. I won't let you fall. I promise.” He pouted, knowing Carrie couldn't say no.

”Fine.” Carrie gave in. She laced the skates up and cringed, knowing it wasn't going to end well.

Jimmy sat in his car for what seemed like a lifetime. He couldn't go back to Detroit. Not yet. And he couldn't go back to Carrie's apartment. Not with Greg hanging around. And he definitely didn't want to go to a hotel. He'd gone too long without the feeling of Carrie in his arms. Making his decision, he pulled his phone out and dialed the familiar number.

”Hello?” The voice answered. He could tell she'd been crying again.

He swallowed hard. ”Carrie....”

”What do you want Jimmy?” She sounded upset and he knew she had every right to be.

”I have to see you. To talk to you.” His mouth wasn't saying what his head was telling him to.

”Oh? You haven't caused enough trouble.”

”You know I never meant...” He started. She cut him off.

”You didn't? My mistake.” The sarcasm was back and he knew he was in trouble.

”Carrie please....” He wasn't worried about her hearing him upset anymore. ”Just hear me out.”

She sighed. He knew she was backing down. ”Fine. Greg's gone. Come over.” She told him before hanging up. If there was ever a chance at getting her back, it was now.

************************

Carrie got off the phone with Jimmy and couldn't believe what she'd just done. She had invited him over. After everything, she'd invited him over. She pushed herself up off the couch and wandered into the kitchen, making herself a cup of tea.

There was a knock on her door. She sighed before walking to the front door to answer it. ”Jimmy.” She said, trying extremely hard to bite her tongue.

”Carrie...” Jimmy looked helpless. Distraught. Carrie'd never seen him like this before. She moved aside to invite him in.

”What are you doing in Boston?” Carrie asked.

”I had to talk to you. After what happened in Detroit...”

”Yeah. I'd rather not talk about what happened in Detroit. After all, you did fuck me over. Literally and figuratively.” Carrie snapped.

”You can't look me in the eye and tell me that everything you've felt over the past two weeks isn't real.”

”You're right. I can't.” She sighed. If anyone knew her, it was Jimmy.

”Before I called you, I was thinking. Thinking about our second anniversary...” He drifted off, hoping she'd remember.

”Oh, when I thought you had forgotten, drove all the way to Alfond from your apartment and found you still on the ice.” She tried to hide the smile.

”Yeah that one.” He grinned, knowing she was just trying to keep up her annoyed front.

”We're not hear to talk about that. What was so important you needed to talk to me?” She immediately put up her wall again, keeping Jimmy at a distance.

Jimmy walked over to her, knowing he had an opening. He stopped when there was barely any space between them. ”Carrie.... I can't even begin to tell you how sorry I am for everything that I've done the last two weeks. What happened in Detroit... it shouldn't have happened like that. I hate the fact I did that to you. I hate myself for everything I've put you through not only the past two weeks but in the past ten years. And I'm expecting you to kick me out and never want to see me again. But I needed you to know just how sorry I truly am. For everything.” Carrie immediately wrapped her arms around her torso protectively. Jimmy cringed, like he'd been kicked in the gut. ”You know I want to be here for you.”

”I know.” She replied quietly.

”And I never should have accused you of lying. I was just confused as to why you wouldn't tell me. I'm still confused.”

”Because hockey came first.” Carrie said, knowing Jimmy wouldn't agree.

”It shouldn't have.”

”But it did. As much as I hated it, it did. Hockey always came first. As it should have.” She sighed, hating this conversation.

”No. It shouldn't have. And I hate the fact you felt like that. That you still feel like that. I just wish you had told me.”

”It wouldn't have changed anything. We'd still end up here.” She instinctively placed a hand over her stomach. ”And how could I force you to stay with someone who you didn't love?”

”I loved you. I love you. Now more than ever before. It scares me, how empty I felt the last few years.” Jimmy ran a hand through his hair.

”You mean Rachel wasn't doing it for you?” Carrie said sarcastically.

”No. She never did. I was just too stupid to see it. So I let you slip out of my fingers. And whether you believe me or not, I regret it every day.” Jimmy told her, placing his hands gently on her cheeks. There were tears threatening to fall from her eyes. She squeezed them tight, hoping to will the tears away. ”And I know there is nothing I can say or do to take away the pain I have caused you. But I said it and I'll say it again, I can't let you get away again. I can't.”

Carrie didn't know what posessed her to do what she did next. She knew the feelings she got when she kissed Greg. And she wanted those feelings over and over again. Her routine with Jimmy must have been so ingrained in her brain she was never sure if she was actually feeling things or if it was just a level of familiarity.

She leaned up and placed her lips on his. The minute their lips connected, Jimmy hands left her cheeks and snaked around her waist, pulling her close to him. She pulled away and rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart race. She knew she was the reason behind it. He wrapped his arms tighter around her, hoping it would somehow convince her to stay.