Come To Life

Marc Staal was faced with a choice. A choice that would easily be the hardest choice he'd ever make. Did he go back to the woman who broke his heart all those months ago? The woman who destroyed him and made him a shell of a man unable to even maintain friendships or take care of himself. Did he go back to her despite all of that because at one point they had been happy and he had hope they'd be happy again?

Or did Marc go to the girl who had stolen his heart recently? The girl who made him face his shit and man up. The girl who gave him life lessons he didn't even know he wanted or needed. The girl who made him feel like he was invincible and that he was able to pull himself out of his own wreckage.

Most people would tell Marc to go with the obvious answer, which would be to go with Zoey. For Marc it wasn't that easy. He and Alaya had history together. He and Alaya had been together for years, they had been through a lot together. She had supported him through his draft year and all the ups and downs of being an NHL player. She had been with him through personal and family issues, and he had been there for her in the same way. Even through all the bad things she put him through with the wedding, she had been there for a lot and it was hard to say goodbye to someone like that.

Then there was Zoey. The girl who had, as the cliches go, brought him back to life. She had made him stand up and be a man. She had made him face his fears and talk about them, even when they were killing him. She hadn't been there with him for long, but the time he had spent with her meant the world to him. Zoey had saved him when he thought he was too far gone.

In Marc's mind there was a voice yelling at him to think of all the hurt Alaya had inflicted. Something was yelling at him to see reason and understand that the only reason Alaya was there was because her relationship with Nick had fallen apart. She was using him. She was running back to Marc because she had no one else to take care of her and Marc wasn't in the position to want to take care of her.

Marc wasn't sure he wanted a relationship in which his life revolved around the woman he was with. He'd done that life and after being forced to leave it, he didn't think he could go back to it. He'd learned so much about himself and what he wanted from a relationship. He wasn't sure that Alaya was what he wanted anymore.

On the other side Marc didn't want Zoey to be the "rebound girl". He didn't want her to be the girl he dated for a year or so before he felt he was truly ready for a relationship and then end up leaving. He knew that whatever happened would happen, but he didn't want to have to leave Zoey. He really did like Zoey.

"Marc?" Came Alaya's voice, pulling him from his daze. Marc had almost forgot she was there. He looked down at her and sighed.

"I don't know," Marc sighed, rolling over onto his back. He stared at the ceiling and continued to think.

"You don't know if you want to be with me?" Alaya asked, looking over at him.

"There's someone else," Marc stated, uttering the words she had said to him a few months ago on their wedding day.

"Someone else? You found someone else?" Alaya asked, sounding angry.

"What? You think I'm so incapable of being with someone other than you?" Marc asked, glaring at her.

"No," Alaya replied quickly and defensively. "I just didn't think you'd move on so quick."

"So quick? For months I was a wreck because of you and then one day this girl came along and made me realize what a selfish, ungrateful person you are." Marc replied, getting up off of the bed.

"Five minutes ago you were practically ripping my clothes off of me!" Alaya replied, sitting up on the bed and staring at him.

The way she looked at him like his presence irritated her and the way she looked at him like what he had to say didn't matter made him realize it. It hit him so hard.

"I made a mistake," Marc sighed. "I can't go back to you, Alaya."

"What?"

"I don't want you anymore," Marc replied, a gigantic wave of relief hitting him. "I don't want you, your body, your heart or your words anymore. I have someone else and she's the only person I want."

"So that's it?" Alaya glares, getting up off of the bed and walking towards him. Marc gently took hold of her wrist as she went to touch his chest.

"That's it," Marc nodded. "No more Marc and Alaya. Goodbye."

"Where am I supposed to go?" Alaya gasped, putting on the dramatics. Marc rolled his eyes. He hated when she did that.

"This is New York City," He scoffed. "I'm sure you can find a hotel. If you'll excuse me I have to go and call my girl."

Marc let go of Alaya's hand and walked out of his bedroom towards his kitchen where his landline was. He picked it up and quickly dialled Zoey's number.

"Hey, Z. It's Marc. Sorry for the late call, but do you think you could come over? Spend the night?" He offered and smiled at her response.

"See you soon. Drive safe,"

Marc walked to the front door and opened it as Alaya left in a huff. He closed the door just as a string of obscenities left her mouth. Marc no longer cared. He no longer cared what Alaya thought of him, or what Alaya wanted. Something in him had changed in the ten-fifteen minutes Alaya had been in his apartment. It was as if something had come to life. A spark had been lit inside of him and the only person he wanted to share that with was Zoey.

Marc grabbed the cold Chinese food and put it in his fridge. Perhaps they would have it later. He straightened up his bed and his clothes and just as he had run his fingers through his hair there was a knock at his door. He walked quickly to the door and opened it, this time revealing Zoey.

Marc didn't hesitate. He grabbed her hips and pulled her close, kissing her firmly. Zoey was taken back by his boldness, but went with it. She put her hands in his hair, and sunk into his body.

"Jeez," Zoey smiled, licking her lips when Marc finally let her breathe. "Hello to you, too."

"There's some stuff we have to talk about," Marc replied, pulling her completely inside his apartment and kicking the door shut.

"Uh-oh," She mumbled. "That doesn't sound good."

"No, I think it'll be okay." Marc nodded. He led her inside to the couch.

"Alaya showed up tonight," Marc started.

Zoey wanted to throw up, she felt like her heart was stopping. Despite all the evidence pointing to something good happening for her and Marc, she could only think of the bad. Zoey said nothing, but nodded at Marc telling him to continue.

"She came to my front door and was sobbing. She said that Nick had left her so she came out to find me and apologize," Marc continued. "I'm not going to lie to you, we kissed a lot. I can't really explain how it happened, but it just did. I know that nothing I say will make it better, but you have to know that I want you."

Zoey nodded. She wasn't mad that Marc had kissed Alaya. Zoey and Marc weren't dating, therefore she couldn't be mad at that. What made her angry was the fact that he let her in and spoke to her to the point of kissing. The fact that he even listened as Alaya tried to make amends made Zoey mad.

"I just realized that you're the person I want," Marc stated. "I know it's under weird circumstances, but I just realized that you're who I want to be with. You're the one who made me a better person when all I wanted to do was wallow in self-pity. It's you, Z."

Zoey smiled and touched his face.

"So, what do you say to dating me and only me?" Marc asked.