Finding Forgiveness

Kira's POV
God did my mother look beautiful standing up there with Ben. He had been there with her through it all, the ups and downs but no matter what he stayed by her side. They were fantastic together, both in need of comfort but still enjoyed each others company like two teenagers.

It didn't make me miss my dad any less and sometimes it upset me that my mother had moved on. But at the same time I admired that about her, that she could move on, not forget about dad but move on like he would have wanted.

It had been hard to move on for me. Being a single mother was hard work and I didn't have much time to go out and meet people. And once I moved back to Russia so Misha could be around his grandparents I didn't get to see Alex much anymore. 

He helped a lot with my son for the first year, but I couldn't let him get to attached. It wouldn't have been fair on either of them.

Evgeni's POV
If it was one thing I noticed about Kira it was once she hit 18 she didn't look like she had aged a day. She was still that beautiful looking girl I had regretted letting go.

I couldn't keep my eyes off her through the entire ceremony before I lost sight of her as everyone was headed for the reception and by the time I got there they were already busy.

To be honest I was surprised her mother was getting re-married. But according to mother Ben was a great man.

"Zhenya you have been ignoring her all night and your mother and I think it would be best if you go talk to Kira," dad put his hand on my back.
"She is with Vika and Ben, I don't want to disturb them," I shook my head and shoved my hands in my pocket thinking it was a terrible idea.
"Come on," dad grabbed my arm and dragged me in their direction.

There was no where to run, no where to hide. After 3 years of avoiding her I was about to be facing the one person who had stolen my heart when I was just a little kid and didn't even know what love was.

"Evgeni," she smiled at me and my mouth instantly dried up.
"Kira," I took her hand a kissed it as I always did with her. One thing I noticed this time was how red her cheeks had gone from that gesture.

"Oh Evgeni this is Ben," Kira stepped aside for him to be the attention.
"Ben," I nodded shaking his hand.
"And Mrs Pertrov, I mean Mrs Madin, you look beautiful, congratulations," I leant over and kissed her cheek.
"Evgeni thank you," she smiled taking my hand, "we have missed you dear."
"Yeah, but you know how hockey is, keeps me busy."

"Umm Kira... Do you want to go talk?" She always had a way of making me lose my confidence.
"Sure," she accepted my hand and we walked outside and sat on a set of limestone stairs.

Kira's POV
"So mother told me moved back here, to Russia," he twiddled his thumbs. A nervous habit I knew of his all too well.
"Yeah, two years ago."
"Why? I thought you loved the hockey thing?" He frowned.
"Well sometimes I help Denis with his team, but it was too much for a full time job. Kind of just needed to find myself," I shrugged not thinking it was a big deal.

We eventually did get into an easy flowing conversation after a few drinks. And he always got rather handsy, but I wasn't exactly complaining.

"Kira your mother is leaving," Vlad stood at the bottom of the stairs looking rather disapprovingly at us as we chuckled sitting on the top step.
"Ok we are coming," I grabbed his hand and led him down the stairs.

"Bye mama," I wrapped my arms around her neck.
"You two be good," she pointed between Evgeni and I.
"We are just exchanging words, innocent conversation."
"Yeah innocent," she raised her eyebrows at me... "Just don't forget to tell him."
"I won't, goodbye Ben, look after my mother."
"Oh I will," he smiled devilishly at my mother.
"Oh god no, not in public," I scrunched my nose up at them.

When they left I grabbed us some water to sober up a little bit, after all I had a son I had to wake up for at at least lunch time tomorrow.

"You know this song has tortured me for the past 3 years now?" I tilted my glass towards the speakers as Till We Ain't Strangers Anymore by Bon Jovi fell through the speakers. 

What was this song doing playing at a wedding? A russian wedding at that?
Mama: "have fun Kira, hope you like my song."
Mother. I knew it had to be her.

"Do you want to dance?" Evgeni stood up and put his hand for me.
"To this? Why not?" I accepted his hand and followed him out to the dance floor.

He turned around and pulled me into his arms.
"Since when did you learn to dance?" I couldn't help but smile as he held me like a true gentleman.
"I've had a lot spare time lately," he shrugged.

Evgeni's POV
I understood the moment they started singing why Kira said the song had tortured her. She was right, it was pretty deep, especially for us.

"Don't you think it's time we say some thing we haven't said. It ain't too late to get back to that place. Back to where we thought it was before. Why don't you look at me. Till we ain't strangers anymore," her hands snaked around my neck and played with my hair as she sung quietly just for the two us to hear.

I let my hands find their place around her waist as we continued to sway to the music before I pulled her head to rest on my chest.

"Lets put our two hearts back together and we'll leave the broken pieces on the floor..."
"Are you trying to tell me we should take advice from this song," I titled her chin up so she had to look at me.
"Maybe, we could try," she looked so hopeful.
"Ok, sounds good," I was willing to give anything a chance at the moment.

"Where are we going?" She asked as I led her out of the building and down to the road.
"We go back to my hotel room," a cab stopped right in front of us and I helped her in before running around to the other side of the cab and getting in.

I hadn't decided to stay at hotel purely because of this. I wasn't going to let Kira get away from me on this trip. Every other time I was in town I couldn't bring myself to face her. But now I had finally built up the courage to do it.

Kira's POV
I wasn't 100 percent sure that this was what I wanted but by the time we got to his hotel room and he had me pinned up against the door with his lips on my neck it didn't matter anymore.

I somehow managed to catch him off balance and push him in the direction of the bed.

"Sit," I ordered and pushed him down with my hand on his chest.
"No," I smacked his hand away when he reached out to touch me as I was slipping out off my dress and stood in front of him in just my underwear.
"Now for you," I straddled his lap. 

I remembered how much he loved it when I initiated sex between us and I loved how I could make him unravel in my hands.

I started with his tie and loosened it off before pulling it over his head and tossing it on the floor.
I then pushed his jacket off his shoulders and went straight for his shirt. 

His breathing became heavier as I kissed his neck and unbuttoned each button ever so slowly. Following with kisses as the skin was revealed where he sucked in a breath as I nipped at his stomach.

He grew impatient with that idea and pulled his shirt off before flipping us over and pinning my arms above my head kissing my passionately but ever so lovingly.

"I missed you," he breathed out when he broke the kiss.
"I missed you too," I grabbed his face and pulled him back down for more of the same.

"Are you still wearing that necklace?" I smiled looking at the chain hanging from his neck.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I? It's my lucky necklace," he frowned.
"Your still wearing my necklace," he pointed to pedant laying on my chest.
"I just thought you would have taken it off that's all," I shrugged.

"Kira," he laid down next to me, propping himself up on his elbow.
"I have been thinking about you all this time."
"But I thought you were with Emily," I was confused.
"Well I was, but it just wasn't going to work," I rolled over to face him slipping my leg between his, interested in what he had to say.
"Alex said that once you took a girl back to Russia she was it... And yes he told me you took her back to Russia," I laughed at the little annoyed look on his face before it was replaced with a smile.
"Alex is dumb, besides Russia wasn't for Emily. She hated it the moment we got here and just after two weeks she was on the first plane back to America."
"Ouch, that has got to hurt."
"Yeah it did a little," I was glad he could laugh about it though.

Turns out having sex had fallen off of our list of things to do. We laid together, our limbs tangled in each others, sharing stories and arguing the politics of hockey all while stealing silly little kisses.

Evgeni's POV
I don't know when it had happened but we had fallen asleep wrapped in each others arms.

I didn't want to wake her but I needed to stretch.

I carefully untangled her arms from me and settled her when she stirred before heading out onto the balcony.

I had missed Russia, it was a beautiful place. I wasn't being biased because it was my home, maybe just a little bit but I had travelled the world and it was still my favourite place.

My mind wondered to the girl in my bed. My best friend who we had both done so much wrong by each other that I never thought we would get back to where we were last night. But I was glad, it was the most amazing night I had in a long time and I wouldn't have wanted it to be with anyone other than her.