On Thin Ice

It took me what felt like an eternity to explain my dream to Burrows. I told how I hated the Canucks, how I met him, about our skating adventure…our first kiss. He seemed to be pleased with the dream up until I started talking about the night on the yacht. Then, his facial expression seemed grim.

By the time I told him what I remembered of the car accident, Alex’s usual smirk had disappeared, but, the look in his eye made it seem he knew something I didn’t.

“Mac, I don’t know what to say. The way it started I loved…but…just that little bit of nightmare…your abusive ex-boyfriend…the night on the yacht…” He wrapped his arms tighter around my waist.

We were just lying underneath the covers of his obnoxiously huge bed. I rolled over to look at him, “Horrifying. I’m just glad it was all a dream.” I buried my face into his bare chest, “Even though it felt so real.”

Alex brushed my wavy brown locks over my ear, “I have nightmares like that.”

My eyes met his, “Nightmares?”

He broke the eye contact and turned me away from him, “Sorry, I don’t want you to look at me while I talk about it.” Alex paused before inhaling deeply, “I’ve been having this nightmare, where everything around me is pitch black, except one thing, a woman. She’s beautiful, and caring, but she has the fierceness of a tiger. Every time I would see her, my heart would start beating rapidly, and I would get nervous, but that is normal when you are in love with somebody.” His arms left my waist, and I could feel him ease off the bed.

He continued, “I would make my way towards her to talk to her and tell her how I feel, but right before I could touch her, some dark figure would take her away from me. I would run and run and run just to try and save her, but in the end, she disappears.” He added quietly, as he looked back at me, “My nightmare is not being able to protect the one I love, from what hurts them the most.”

Burrows made his way back over to the bed, and pulled me out from underneath the covers, taking me into his arms tightly. His breathing was normal, but his heart raced in his chest. He whispered into my ear, “Mac, you’ll see soon enough that Carey wasn’t for you. Someone very close to you is.” He lowered his head down, and right before his lips could connect with mine, my phone rang. Alex sighed, and backed away, “I’ll give you some privacy for your phone call.” He walked out of the room looking disappointed.

I picked up my phone from the coffee table sitting next to the bed, “Hello?”

>Marissa, it’s me< The voice that I’ve been trying to run from.

“What do you want, Price? Not working out for you and Sophia? I don’t have time for your mind games.” I spat roughly into my phone.

> Don’t worry, this won’t last long < then he hung up.

I squeezed my phone in my hand as the dial tone echoed in my ear. I flipped my phone shut, grabbed my coat and slipped on my boots. I stormed into the living room where Burrows was staring out his apartment window, looking down at the twinkling lights of Vancouver.

Alexandre turned to look at me, “You are upset…who was on the phone?”

“Carey Price.” was all I needed to say before Alex started to put a shirt and coat on, and slide on shoes.

“What did he say?” I could tell Alex was hiding his fury.

I sighed, “He said ‘Don’t worry, this won’t last long’ and then he hung up. I need to know what won’t last long.”

Burrows took my hand, “I’m going with you then.” He grabbed his keys off a hook my the door.

I stopped and gawked at Alexandre Burrows. “Do you think something might happen and I won’t come back?”

Alex held my hand firm as I tried to leave without him, “No. I don’t think anything will happen, but sometimes, it doesn’t hurt to be careful. People don’t just call out of the blue, say two lines and then hang up. He’s stirring up memories so you remember him, so it’ll be hard for you to find someone else.”

I muttered underneath my breath, “Kind of hard to forget.” I bit my lower lip and gave in, “Fine. I just need to get some air, move around…do something to get that phone call out of my head.”

He smirked, that usual smug little ‘I always get what I want’ smirk. We left his apartment building and stepped into the freezing Canadian air.

A few minutes passed in silence, but Burrows ended it. “Mac, why did you move to Vancouver? I thought Montreal was your true home. I mean, you are a die-hard Habs fan.”

My feet stopped moving across the sidewalk, “I am a coward, and running away from the one that hurt me. I chose Vancouver because I know there is always one person that has been there for me...you.”

Alex put a hand on my shoulder, “He didn’t hurt you physically, did he?”

I shook my head, “No. I am only running away so I don’t run back.”

Alex smiled lightly, “I believe, I could help you with that.”

My eyes wandered to his face as he took a step closer to me, and his hand moved to my cheek. I could feel his body against mine, which made my face feel hot. Memories from my dream flooded my mind. Our first kiss was the one that stayed in my mind the longest.

The warmth of his lips against mine pulled my back into reality. Everything in my dream came crashing down on me, swirling around, and constricting my mind. As the kiss ended, the memories abruptly disappeared.

My heart was pounding in my chest like a jackhammer on an asphalt road. Alex kissed me. I didn’t have to confess anything and worry about rejection…he already knew, and with no words, accepted it in the best way possible.

Alex was looking above our heads when I snapped out of it, and I followed his gaze. Hanging over our heads, was mistletoe.

Alex’s eyes returned to my face, “I’ve been waiting to do that for a long time, Mac. I knew it would bring back your memories.”

“Memories?” I asked, bewildered.

”The time we shared together in your dream was real. And my love for you has done nothing but grow, even though you hadn’t known we are suppose to be together.” He kept his hand on my cheek, “So, let me kiss you underneath the mistletoe.”