The One Where Sean Wins...

Previously on Stay in Your Arms.....

Zoe left Max in LA with a note and her ring. She returned to the east coast, buying an apartment in Sean’s building for herself. Max is miserable without Zoe and Danny convinces him to call Sean when Zoe disconnects and changes her Philly number. Sean tells Max that Zoe still loves him and that he’s going to help him win her back, letting slip where she lives and where they go after Rangers games. Max, along with his ever helpful Flyers teammates, shows up at the club to find Zoe dancing with Michael Del Zotto. After getting rid of MDZ, Max and Zoe have a fight at the club and Zoe tells him that she doesn't want to be a part of them anymore and tells Max to leave. Zoe then fights with Sean, who only had the best interests of his friend at heart. He cautions her that if she lets Max walk out, that she may not be able to go back, which is fine with Zoe. Max and his teammates leave and Max gets drunk at the hotel bar. Zoe sleeps off her anger and pays a visit to Sean the next day.....



Zoe let herself into Sean’s apartment early the next morning and crawled into bed beside him. “I’m sorry,” she murmured, curling her body against his. Sean put an arm around her and held her close, stroking her hair.

“I’m sorry too.”

Zoe propped herself up on an elbow. “Why were you helping him? Why are you pushing me to him?”

“You love him.” She waited for him to continue and Sean sighed. “Zoe, I know he fucked up and I want to kill him for it. But I think you should forgive him and marry him. He loves you so much and he knows he how badly he messed up. He misses you, you miss him. Its really a no brainer.”

“I thought you’d be thrilled I ended it. Better chance for you. Because let’s face it, we’ve always had a bad habit with each other.”

“I love being there to pick up the pieces when whatever flavor of the month screws up with you because you always give all of you to me. Maybe I did hold out some hope that one day we’d figure it out together. I love you more than anyone else and you’re the only girl I’ve had in my life for this long except for my mom. She’d kill to have you as a daughter in law and once I thought about trying to give her that because I do love you, unconditionally. You make me a better person, Zoe. And that’s what I want to do for you too.”

“I love you too, Aves, unconditionally."

“But you also love Max the same way. The difference is he owns your heart. That’s why I'm pushing you, Zoe. No one can love you like he does and you will never have it in you to love anyone like you do Max. I want you happy and Max Talbot makes you happy. I knew the first night I saw you two together, at that party. You fell in love with one look in his eyes, Zoe. And I’m pretty sure it worked the same way on him.”

Zoe sighed and laid her head on his chest as he held her. “You're wrong, Sean."

"I'm wrong?"

"Mm-hmm." She snuggled into him and he held her tighter. "Last night when you kissed me, you were wrong. Max never crossed my mind. Only you."

Sean swallowed hard and sat up, pulling Zoe with him. "You thought about me?"

Zoe nodded. "I saw stars; I always see stars when you kiss me. And that threw me because I wasn't expecting it. I thought it'd be Max too and it wasn't. It's why I picked a fight with you, it's why I threw myself at Del Zotto. Because I've been trying to ignore the fact that you're it, Sean. When we kissed that night in LA, when you turned me down, all I wanted was you, all of you. And you told me no and it scared the shit out of me how hurt I felt, by you. I've never felt that way at your hand before. So while you've been convincing yourself that Max Talbot is the only man for me, I've been trying to figure out what I really want. And what I really want is someone who loves me for me, through the good and the bad, even with all my faults. And there's only one person who loves me like that. There's only one person who never runs from me but stands firm and supports me, through anything. You can push me all you want, but I can't love Max the way I love you."

"You love me?" he repeated slowly, still dumbfounded by her words.

"I love that you've always been there for me, that you're always willing to put aside whatever is going on in your life for me. I love that you have been there for me through all of this, that you dropped your life for me and that I know you always will. I love that you are willing to sacrifice your happiness for mine, to push me back to Max even though what you want is for me to choose you. So yes, Sean, I love you. I want you and only you."

"You love Max," Sean stated bluntly.

She sighed. "I'm not going to lie and say I don't because you know I do but its not the same love anymore. He's not you and the man that owns my heart is you, Sean. Its always been you."

"You're serious?"

"Have I ever lied to you?"

"No."

"Then why in the hell would I lie about this?" She smacked him in the back of his head, a playful smile on her lips. "I love you Sean Avery. With everything I have. And I know you love me too. In fact, you just told me less than five minutes ago that you love me more than anyone else and that I make you a better person, that you've thought about marrying me! You made me feel whole when I was broken, Sean. You make me a better person. And we've both been fucking idiots the entire span of our friendship by pretending otherwise!"

"Zoe," he whispered, hugging her to him. He cupped his hands around her face and kissed her softly. "I love you, so much. Do you know the things you do to me?"

She giggled. "I can guess."

"Marry me," Sean blurted out.

"What?!" Zoe exclaimed, jumping off the bed.

Sean stood and calmly walked over to her. "Marry me, Zoe. Today, tomorrow, ten years from now, I don't care. Just tell me you'll marry me. Tell me that you're mine, forever."

She smiled softly and her arms went around him. He wrapped her in his arms and pulled her to him. "Yes," she whispered in his chest.

"Yes?"

"Yes. Forever, Sean."