Claude was starting to get irritable and bored. He was ready for the summer to be over. And with the lockout going on now, he was really itching for something to do. He had spent all summer in Ottowa with his family and friends. Well he hadn't been in Ottowa the whole time. He had been down to the states several times with his friends. Plus he had made several appearances at golf tournaments. He had also been to several concerts with his friends.

It wasn't like he wasn't happy to be home with his friends and family. But during his free time all he had done was train and workout, to keep in shape for the upcoming season. Now all he wanted to do was get back to work, and now that wasn't a possibility with the lockout happening. He had his agent looking at his contract and seeing what his possibilities were. He was thinking about going over to Europe to play, until this stupid lockout was over.

But until than he was stuck being bored and just working out. The only other thing that kept his time occupied was trying to raise money for the rehabilation center for his hometown of Hearst. He had already done a pretty good job of getting donations and finding backers. But he still needed all the help he could get.

Right now he was working on his next signature line shirt for his line of clothing for Team Unsung Hero. He was headed to the new advertising company that they had working on it. Evidently this company was multi-tasking and did many different things and they evidently wanted to be a sponsor for the rehibilation center. The boys thought they would give them a try on my signature line and if it worked out well..... Than they would use them for all Team Unsung Hero merchandise.

Looking down at the piece of paper in his hand, Claude finally found the building he was looking for and headed inside. He got on the elevator and pushed the button for the fifth floor. Once the elevator stopped on the fifth floor and he stepped off, he looked down at the piece of paper [i][b]Weeping Willows Advertising[/i][/b] is all it said. It gave no name as to the person he was supposed to talk to, but luckily gave the suite number of the office.

Along the way he saw several people doing double takes, probably automatically recognizing him. It wasn't like he could really hide his ginger locks, and it wasn't like he really wanted to either. He was just glad he could tame his hair, unlike his teammate and friend Hartsy. He was glad he could just throw on a hat backwards and that would take care of the problem, most of the time. He knew he would probably be miserable if his hair was like Scott's.

Finding the office he walked in and walked up to the receptionist desk.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked, not looking up at him and taping away on her keyboard.

"Uh yeah I was supposed to have a meeting with someone. I'm not exactly sure who it was. I wasn't given a name of the person who I was supposed to meet with," he responded.

"What were you meeting them for?" She asked, finally looking up from her keyboard.

"Uhhhhh my newest t-shirt. For my signature clothing line," he responded.

"Than you would be meeting with Ms. Strigler. I'll tell her your here Mr.........," she trailed off, waiting for him to answer.

"Uhhhhh Giroux. Claude Giroux," he answered.

He swore he saw her eyes widened slightly. He also didn't miss the gasps from the two women sitting over on the couch. He turned his head towards them and gave them one of his heart stopping smiles.

"If you'll have a seat Mr. Giroux, Ms. Strigler will be with you in a little bit." The receptionist said.

"Ok," he replied, with a nod and went and sat on one of the love seats across from the two women.

He picked up a magazine and placed his ankle on his knee. He could hear the whispers and giggles coming from the women across from him. It didn't go unnoticed. Claude knew he was good looking and could get any girl he wanted. He wasn't by any means the man-whore player that Max Talbot was. But he could get any girl that he wanted, if he wanted. He flipped through the pages, not really interested in what he was reading.

"Mr. Giroux, Ms. Strigler will see you now," the receptionist said from her desk.

Claude followed the receptionists directions and walked down the hallway, before he came to another desk. Where another young woman was sitting. She looked up when she heard his footsteps coming closer.

"You must be Mr. Giroux?" She asked.

"Claude please," he responded, with a nod.

"We'll Claude, I'm Lauren. I'm Ms. Strigler's secretary. She's expecting you so, you can go ahead and go on in." Lauren responded to him, with a smile.

"Alright thank you Lauren," he responded with his own smile, and tapping on her desk.

He walked to the door and turned the knob. Walking in he shut the door behind him. His eyes glanced around the office quickly. It was a pretty simple office, as far as offices go. The walls were white with a tan around the border. The walls were littered with achievements and pictures and shirts. There were some plants in one corner, and he wasn't sure if they were fake or not. The furniture was brown leather. There was a large wood desk with a computer sitting on it. And right behind the desk was a wall of windows.

It was than he noticed the woman standing there with her back to him. Staring out of the window, he could see her arms wrapped around her middle. Even though he couldn't see her face, he looked over her backside. He couldn't help it, he was a man after all. She was at least a few inches shorter than him, without the heels she was wearing on. Her hair was a light brown with red highlights, the top half of it was thrown up in a bun and the bottom layer was left out, hanging just past her shoulders. She definitely had curves on her body. He could even see them even though she was wearing a suit jacket over her skirt.

He heard a throat being cleared and shook his head. He hadn't realized that he had been staring for so long or hard. Actually he couldn't help it, this woman had a nice looking body. But he had to remind himself that he was here on business and nothing else. His eyes went from the toes of her heels, traveling up her toned legs, and farther up.

Claude's eyes finally landed on her face which looked semi-amused. But than when his gaze finally found her eyes, he found himself looking into a familiar pair of blue eyes. He swore his heart almost stop. He could never forget that pair of eyes, in his lifetime. Those same eyes that haunted him every night.
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[b]{FLASHBACK}[/b]

[i]Leaning in the doorway of the bedroom with his arms crossed across his chest. His neatly pressed white shirt was now crumpled and half untucked from his black slacks. The knot in his tie was lose. His ginger hair was dis shelved from running his fingers through it several times, in frustration.

He watched as she moved around the room haphazardly and shoved clothing items into her bags. He wasn't sure if she realized he was there or not. But she probably didn't considering the way she was moving around the room. Like she wanted to escape, without being caught. Every heart wrenching sob that ripped from her throat, all he wanted to do was wrap his arms around her and comfort her. But he was hurting to, she had left him up there all by himself and ripped his heart out too. Even though they were young he couldn't imagine his life with anybody else. But each piece of clothing she shoved in her bag, was like her stomping on his heart and a big 'Fuck You' to him.

"So that's it than? No goodbye, see you later. You were just going to leave without an explationation?" Claude asked.

He watched as her body stiffened at the sound of his voice. He watched as she stood stiff as a board for a few seconds and than started moving around again.

"Ainsley you just left me standing there. Like a fucking idiot. I had a hundred people just sitting there looking at me standing there. You left me standing there at the alter by myself," he said, his voice cracking at the end.

He heard another sob tear through her throat. Than she slammed the top of her suitcase shut and zipped it up.

"Ainsley god damn it fucking look at me and tell me what the fuck is going on," he snapped lightly.

Ainsley slowly turned towards the man that used to be her world, that used to mean everything to her. But as of right now she couldn't stand the sight of him. Claude took in her appreance and felt his heart once again being ripped out. Her eyes had dark circles under them, like she hadn't slept all night. And completely bloodshot. But they held so many emotions behind them, hurt, anger, betrayal, jealousy. Her nose was red and swollen, probably from blowing it from all her crying.

"What do you want me to say?" She croaked quietly.

"Just tell me what the hell is going on," he replied, stepping closer to her.

Her only response was to wrap her arms around herself and move her gaze to the floor, and shrug her shoulders.

"Ains baby, please. What's going on?" He whispered, reaching a hand to cup her cheek. But moved his hand back when he saw her flinch away from his touch.

"I'm sorry. I can't," she whispered, shaking her head and moving back to her bags and zipping the rest of them,

"So that's it. Your just ending it like that? Without any explanation? What about our plans? What about our future?" He snapped lightly.

"I'm sorry Claude," she answered, grabbing her bags and turning and giving him a sorrowful look, as she passed him.[/i]
{END OF FLASHBACK} ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hello Claude," Ainsley said quietly, with her arms still wrapped around her middle.