Fallen into Place

Halloween was just around the corner, two days to be exact, and Alice and Andrew were shopping for costumes for the annual Halloween party the Blackhawks had for the day after the holiday. Alice scanned the wall with all the costumes on it. They went in the middle of the day so little kids wouldn't be running around wildly as they looked last minute for a costume to get candy in. Andrew pointed to one, shaking his head a the ridiculousness to some of these.

"Pirates!" Alice squealed and pointed to the picture with a male and female in pirate costumes. It was called Rebel of the Seas. "You know how much I love pirates."

Andrew shrugged as he continued to scan the wall. "Maybe. Or we could be hot firefighters." Alice flicked his head. "Or dirty cops." This time she smacked his head.

"This is a family event," she reminded him. They stood there for a couple minutes before Alice pointed to another one. "Ninjas?"

Andrew bit the inside of his cheek, trying not to laugh as Alice kicked her foot in the air to act like a ninja. She almost knocked over a rack of masks in the process. "I'll be a ninja if you just do that again so I can get it on video."

"Ha, ha," she said sarcastically and stuck out her tongue. They checked out, buying a large bowl to hold the bags of candy they had already bought. Andrew pouted all the way to the car.

"What?"

"Guy costumes always look stupid."

"That's because guys are stupid."

Andrew glared as she giggled. Shrugging, she set the bags in the back and sat down in front. They drove in silence with their hands clasped together in the middle. It was times like this that even as simple as holding hands showed how much they were in love with each other. There was no need of talking; their actions showed their feelings. When they arrived back home, Alice placed the bag with the costumes on the floor of the closet in the bedroom and brought the orange bowl down to the kitchen. Andrew was sitting on the couch with a powerade in his hands and feet up on the coffee table. He had a morning skate that morning, and there was a game against the Senators that night.

Alice could tell he was a little nervous as he sipped the drink and stared at the blank screen of the TV. She was nervous herself about the game. The Ottawa Senators were doing pretty good so far in the season with their new edition Bobby Ryan. Even though the Hawks had started off well, they didn't want to start slipping and Jonathan and Coach Q made it very clear to the team that every win counted, no matter how early in the season.

She rubbed his back soothingly and rested her head on his shoulder. They sat in silence as thoughts consumed their minds. Mostly about the game. Andrew kissed Alice's cheek before standing up.

"I'm going to take my nap, want to join?"

Alice shook her head reluctantly. "I'm going out for a late lunch with the girls, but I'll see you before the game." She kissed him lightly. "Love you."

While Andrew napped, Alice headed out to some restaurant Nia picked. The two girls were already sitting at one of the round tables outside, which was okay for them because it felt perfect out. Especially since the sun was heating everything up. Alice smiled to them as she took her seat and sipped the water in front of her.

"So what are you being for Halloween?" Nia asked after they placed their orders. Alice ordered a chicken wrap, Lindsey soup and salad, and Nia a BLT. "Marcus and I are going as Superman and Wonder Woman. So the cliche thing."

Lindsey and Alice giggled when she rolled her eyes, saying it was Marcus' idea.

"Jon and I are being pirates," Lindsey said and Alice moaned.

"Lucky! Andrew wouldn't." Alice rested her chin in the palm of her hand, giving out a pathetic look that the girls sitting across from her found funny. "But we're being ninjas."

They nodded their heads silently. Alice felt like they were discussing about her costume topic in their heads as the two stole quick glances at each other. Alice sat there, waiting for someone to speak up about whatever the problem was.

"Won't that be tight?" Lindsey finally spoke up. Alice nodded, feeling like she really did need to get friends who didn't judge her, but she knew there was a reason behind her questioning. "Well... won't um..." she fumbled, glancing at Nia for some help.

"Your stomach will stick out," Nia said with a blank face and Lindsey slightly giggled, covering her mouth with her hand.

Alice gasped. "Are you calling me fat?" She was completely kidding on this question, knowing the two girls get annoyed everytime they would bring it up and Alice would ask that.

Lindsey rolled her eyes. "For the last time, we are not calling you fat!"

Lunch went more normal after that. Conversation about the upcoming Olympics. If Marcus made the team, Nia would be leaving with him, and same with Lindsey. Alice kind of felt left out with the talk of getting to go to Russia, but when she brought up going to Hawaii, it was the others who were jealous about that. Then they talked a little about the party in a couple days, knowing it was going to be another hit like every other party. Plus now everyone is able to make fun of each other about their costume choices.

When the bills came, they paid and sat at the table as they continued talking.

"Alice, are you going to the doctor soon?" Nia asked what they had been wondering for a while now. Alice seemed to be just avoiding the whole hospital completely, and it was driving them, and herself, insane.

"I know, I should," she sighed, running a hand through her shoulder length hair. "I'm still feeling sick some times, but I seem to control it."

"Okay, but just remember if you need us, we're here."



Alice poured the small Snickers, Hersheys, Butterfingers, and Twix into the bowl and brought it out to the garage where a small table was in between two chairs. Like every kid, Alice loved the holiday because it was one of the times she got a giant bag of delicious candy for free. Then she wasn't into it when she hit her teens, like everyone else, but now being an adult she actually enjoyed getting to pass out the treats and seeing their faces light up.

Andrew had practice until seven, so Alice sat out in a sweatshirt and jeans and handed out candy to the small children who weren't able to stay up late. She was waving to a small boy dressed as a cute alligator when a quick wave of pain washed over her. She clutched the arm rest on the chair.

"I really need to go to the doctor," she mumbled to herself and braced herself when Andrew's truck pulled into the driveway. He hopped out of the car, smiling as he approached her.

"How was practice?"

"Practice." He shrugged, leaning in to kiss her cheek. "The Sharp's will probably be here soon, so I'm going to take a shower."

Since they did live by them, Madelyn was going to be visiting, and Alice couldn't wait to see what costume the little girl was dressed in this year. Last year it was a pink poodle and it was adorable.

It took Andrew about fifteen minutes to shower and soon he was out in the open garage, sitting next to Alice. He dug through the bowl, trying to find something to fill his emtpy stomach.

"Stop, you can't eat those," Alice said and slapped his hand away.

He rolled his eyes. "There's like a hundred. It was just one."

"I'm going to tell Jon."

"Is that a threat?"

"A promise."