Frozen (I Need to Be Thawed)

I slept the whole plane ride to Vancouver. Carey wasn’t surprised that I had decided to go to Vancouver with him. I guess he already figured out that an interest was sparked between Burrows and I.

After our plane had landed, we took the bus to our hotel. I paid for my own private room…but Price forced me to get the room next to him. He wanted to be able to check up on me quickly if something happened.
I wasn’t in my hotel room for even 15 minutes before I got a call from Alex Burrows. “Hey, Mac, Price told me that you guys are all settled in now. Do you mind if I come over?”
I decided I would mess with him a little bit. “No, you can’t. I’m actually waiting for this hockey player to come over. I’m not sure if he’d like other guys over here.”
He was silent for a moment. “Really, Mac? Who is it? Is it Lapierre?! He talks about you a lot.”
I chuckled, “No. I’m talking about you, silly. I was kidding. So, you should get over here before you have an anxiety attack.”
“Don’t mind if I do.” He hung up. Knowing him, he’ll speed to get over here.
I looked at the grey sweatpants I was wearing and the light green tank top with lace embroidering the top and bottom. I threw my hair into a ponytail, and relaxed in my chair.
Just as I was getting nice and comfortable, reading a hockey story in Sports Illustrated, there was a knock on my door. I sighed, put the magazine down, and answered the door.
Alexandre Burrows leaned against my door frame, smiling. “Hello, Mac.”
Just looking at his smile, made me smile back, “Hey, Alex.” Although all that said was hello, it was like we didn’t need to say anything more. It’s like we had only just seen each other yesterday.
Alex chuckled, “Hey, you are just looking so excruciatingly beautiful right now. I would love to have you for the day. I can show you around the city. It’d be fun.”
I believed him. It would be fun.

I started off slowly, “So, we are going on a date?” My heart began racing. Me and Alexander Burrows, alone. ALL day?!
He nodded, “Yes. It’s a date; Dinner, and all.” Alex looked around my hotel room. “Cozy. Maybe, I could stay here one night.”
I rolled my eyes, “Me? Stay the night with a Canuck? I don’t think so. That’s like ASKING for disaster to happen.”
Burrows laughed, “Yeah. I guess that is true. Besides, you just can’t accept that I may be really nice. I’m like, the boogey man to you.”
I bumped him, “Definitely. You are the scariest thing ever. A canuck.”
Alexandre wrapped his arms around my waist. “What’s so scary about that?” he whispered in my ear.
What’s scary about a Canuck? I might fall in love with this one, that is what is scary about it! I thought.
Burrows lightly kissed my forehead, “I have a practice to go to. I had to see before I went. I should get out of practice by one. Then I’ll shower and meet you here by two.”
I nodded, “That sounds great. In the meantime, I’ll probably go shopping or something. Or bother Pyatt and Price.”
Alex raised his eyebrow, “You should stay here. I don’t need you exploring before I take you out. It’ll ruin the surprises.”
I shrugged, “I’d be fine. Carey knows his way around the city.”
He smiled, “Oh, right. The Almighty Carey Price. Is he all you ever talk about?”
I laughed pushing him out of the doorway, “Well, yeah. We’re best friends. Are you jealous?”
Alex thought for a moment, and laced his hand with mine. “Maybe only a little.” He kissed my hand and left for his practice. I didn’t even notice that I was still gazing after him until Pyatt walked out of his room and said hello.
“Hello, Ms. Collins. What are you looking at?” He greeted.
“Um. Nothing. Actually, do you want to hang out? Well, you, me and Carey. We can play some games for a couple of hours.”
Taylor Pyatt smiled, “Uh, sure. I should probably see if Carey is still awake. It is pretty early.” He winked, and then turned his back to me. “Hey, Carey, Collins is here. She wants to know if you want to play some games with her.” I heard Carey shout from another area inside the room. “I’m awake!! Don’t start without me!!”
He turned back to me, “Come in. He’s awake.” He moved out of the way as I stepped inside the room.
The morning playing video games with Pyatt and Carey was fun. Of course I got my ASS handed to me in every Super Mario Bros. game that we played. But, when we switched to NHL 2k11, I kicked their butts. I planted Pyatt on his butt several times, scored a hat trick, and pounded every guy I got into a fight with. The boys were pretty impressed. The team I had chosen to play was Nashville, my home town.
Hours had passed in no time at all, and it soon wound down to 1pm. I had to leave and get ready for my date with Burrows.
I stood up, “Alright, boys. I’m going into town, I’ll be back later, and if I’m not something happened…you have my number, just call me. If I’m okay, I’ll answer, if not, I won’t.”
Both Canadiens players hugged me. Carey whispered in my ear, “Have fun.” He winked and let me go.
I got to my room, and showered quickly. I put on white-washed skinny jeans, a black and white cardigan, black gloves, a white, fleece scarf, my favorite pair of black military boots, and to literally ‘top it off’, Burrows’ hat.
A knock at my door sent butterflies rioting in my stomach. It was time. I grabbed my varsity hockey team letterman jacket, and threw it on as I walked out of the door.
Alex was wearing black slacks, and a tight, white t-shirt. He had a thick zip-up coat to keep his body warm. “You ready?”
I nodded, nervously, “I’m as ready as I’m going to get.” I smiled at him.
---------

Alex and I had walked around the entire city, so casual that I almost forgot that we weren’t dating at all. We both had forgotten about the cold weather nipping our faces, and ignored the ache in our feet. We were just having so much fun together, that it didn’t even matter.
The sun was starting to set, so we went for some dinner at Water St. Café.
We were seated, and then we looked over the menu quickly, and ordered. The day was great. I couldn’t have imagined it better. But, Alex wasn’t quite done yet.
After dinner, Alexandre took my hand, “Come on. I want to take you somewhere special to me.”
This got my heart pounding in my chest. It was probably somewhere nobody else knows about. A place where Alex goes on his own to think.
The walk was a very short distance from where we ate. It was a pier, looking out over Coal Harbour. Next to us was a fancy Yacht. Alex urged me onto the ship. “This was my father’s boat.”
I looked around. It was magnificent. The harbour, the stars above, tonight…my gaze fell onto Alexandre Burrows, this man. Everything was like a dream. I noticed Alex putting a CD into a stereo. He hit play, and one of my favorite songs began to play. It was "Collide" By Howie Day. Alex offered his hand to me, “Would you like to dance?” He took off his jacket, it was heavy, so he was probably warm.
I started noticing how warm I was getting in my letterman jacket and took it off as well. I stared at his hand for a moment, and joined my hand with his.
Our dance was very smooth and graceful. It didn’t help that the tone of the song was sad, and lovely, or that the emotions that had already built up from today, were spilling over the edge. We poured our souls into our dance. As the song came to its last notes, tears streamed down my face.
I wrapped my arms around Alex’s neck, and he held my face in his hands. We kissed so passionately, that I felt like my heart would explode out of my chest. There was no screaming in my mind, just the soothing tingle of his lips.
He pulled away, wiping my tears with his thumbs. “Marissa Annette Collins. I have a confession to make.”
I looked at him curiously, but said nothing.
He brought his face next to my ear, and whispered so softly, I almost didn’t hear it, “I am now, so hopelessly in love with you, that is hurts.”
More tears flowed from my eyes, as I buried my face in his chest. “Alexandre Burrows, I too, have fallen so deeply in love with you tonight, that it hurts.”
Alex smiled, ‘god it was so irresistible’, and laid a kiss on my lips again.
When he pulled away, I lightly punched his arm, “You are still a Canyuck. I won’t root for your team tomorrow. Stop being so damn happy. It’s freaking me out.” I smiled.
He started laughing. It was the uncontrollable laughter that seems like it wouldn’t end. It was kind of cute….in an obnoxious way. Like, Sidney Crosby’s laugh. Thinking about Crosby’s laugh, made me giggle a little.
Burrows’ laughter subsided, and he apologized, “I’m sorry. Only you could say such a mean thing, so seriously, after saying you loved me.” He grinned.

"Yeah. Only me.” I stood on my tip-toes, kissing him. I guess I could let Carey Price for introducing me to this Canuck.
As I pulled away from him, the yacht shook violently, and started to lean to one side. The angle became so great before we could react, that I ended up losing my balance, and fell on the deck. The impact of the hit left my stunned for a moment, and my could feel my body sliping into the icy water. There was nothing for me to grab onto.
--Alex's P.O.V--
I saw Mac slipping into the water. I only took one moment to look for a line to throw her. I didn't find any. I looked back to MAc, just as she slipped completely into the water. I didn't stop to think. I sprinted to the end of the boat that was sinking, and dove into the icy, salt water.

The salt stung my eyes, but I had to find Mac. It doesn't take long for someone to die in cold water like this. I lost my breath, and resurfaced, "Mac?! Marissa!! Marissa! Where are you?!"
I looked over at the yacht again, and saw one of my crew members with a flashlight, he threw it into my hands. He shouted, "Find her, quick!!"
I turned the flashlight on, and dove back underwater. It was easier to find her this time. The light skimmed over her, revealing that her lower half of her body was pinned underneath the sunken end of the boat.
We had only been underwater for a minute. I hope she could hold her breath a little longer. I began rapidly digging at the sand around her, and wedged her out from the boat. I wrapped my arm around her waist, and swam us to the surface.
She gasped for air, panicked. Both of her arms were wrapped around my neck. We got to the pier and my crew member that had thrown me the flashlight, lifted Mac out of the water. I lifted myself out of the water next.
It was freezing. I peeled off Mac's wet layers of clothes all the way down to her bra and underwear, ignoring my hormones. I needed her to stay warm. I remembered our jackets. They were still on the side of the boat that wasn't underwater. I grabbed them quickly and laid mine over her. I stripped down to me boxers, and used her letterman jacket to keep me warm.
I turned to my crew member. "Take us to my house. She was in the water longer than me. Hypothermia could set in if we don't warm her body up."