The following day was the day. James slept well enough, considering how little sleep he’d gotten the night before. However, adrenaline was his main energy source the whole day. Their game was an early one, starting at 10 am Mountain Time/noon Eastern. Because the team practiced after they arrived in Phoenix the day before, it was go-time not long after they woke up.

In the hotel room, James yanked his dark gray pants up to his hips, then slid his belt through the loops. On the wall in front of him was a full length mirror, and when he went to tie his tie, he took a second to look himself over. He was surprised to notice that he actually looked nervous. It wasn’t even about the game. Hell no. His entire focus for the day was to beat the Coyotes, get on a plane, and beat his own timing getting home.

Matt emerged from their bathroom and laughed when he saw James. “You alright? You’re staring at yourself.”

“Yeah, sorry. Mind’s running hard today.” He resumed tying his tie without looking over.

"You can't possibly be worried about the game?!?" Matt sounded rather surprised as he asked this. "Because, uhh..."

"I know, it's the Coyotes." James gave him a side-eye in jest. "It's other shit."

Matt nodded, throwing on his jacket. "It's you trying to get on that plane later, right? Coach told me you wouldn't be here tonight...hope that was okay."

"It's cool. I would've told you eventually." James finished with his tie, satisfied enough with the way it looked.

The pair didn’t say much more. They got themselves together and headed downstairs to board the bus to the arena. On the bus, James saw that Ali had sent him two texts, which he must not have felt in his pocket:

Hope you finally got some sleep! Good luck and I’ll be watching!

PS: I miss you. And you’re sexy. And I’m still a little sore. That’s all!

It was just the smile he needed at the start of his day. From that point on, it seemed like the entire morning just flew. Before he knew it, James was out of his suit and into his spandex and padding, ready to hit the ice.

* * *

Back home, Ali was in place to watch the game. She worked at the hotel all morning, so she had just enough time to get home afterwards to catch the puck drop. Her shift that morning was her last before the Christmas holiday. It came as a relief to know they granted the request to have off for the holiday, especially since she was the newest employee and still at the bottom of the totem pole.

So with the happiness of nowhere to go and nothing to do but watch James, Ali settled onto the couch. In front of her the tv was on, as well as the Christmas tree. She promised to leave it on until Christmas was officially over; no turning it off in between. It was it’s time to shine...literally.

On the screen, the puck dropped at center ice and white jerseys began to spread out amongst red jerseys. Ali wasn’t as familiar with this opposing team, so it was harder for her to make out who was who for the Coyotes. It was way easier to spot James on the bench whenever the camera panned past. She noticed he was leaning forward quite a bit through the entire first period with his arm draped over the board in front of him. Whenever he was skating, though, it seemed like he had an extra amount of oomph to him.

Ali really did love watching him skate. She loved it even more when Geno scored halfway through the first period. Everyone on the line skated in to hug him, and James’ giant smile made Ali happy. It was always so fun to see the guys excited like that out on the ice. What she especially enjoyed was having the knowledge that the very smile on James’ face was the same smile she got to see on a daily basis, including whenever they had sex. Ohhhh the things I know about the man currently on the ice. She smiled to herself at the very thought.

The first intermission was uneventful, so Ali called her mom. Of course, she was watching from home with her father, and both even made mention of how James seemed to be extra fast and extra alert on the ice. Ali started to wonder if maybe a three-time fuck did him wonders for his game. All the more reason to do it again.

“So are you excited to spend Christmas with him?” her mom asked.

“Well duh, mother, yes!” Ali said with a laugh. “Except his plane leaves so late tomorrow. I just don’t understand why they couldn’t get their jet sooner.”

“If you're worried he won't make it home - just stop. You two will be fiiiiiine. No matter when he comes home, you still have so much time together since you'll both be off for a while.”

Ali nodded. She lifted her eyes to the tv where Sid was being interviewed by Pierre McGuire outside the locker room. It was on mute, so while she was listening to her mom talk, she watched a silent Sidney Crosby and his sweaty, flushed face speak into the microphone.

“Hunny?”

“Yeah, mom?”

“Did you hear me?”

“No, aaghh...I’m sorry. Repeat?” Ali looked away from the tv.

“I asked if you got all your presents in line for James.”

“Yes, in fact, I did!” She actually hadn’t told her parents about the plane ticket she bought. She knew they’d protest paying as much as she did and would want to chip in, so Ali just kind of left that present out of the mentioning. They’d find out soon enough, but she wanted to wait.

“So you said you were going to get him a cashmere sweater, and what else?” Wendy asked.

“Cuff links engraved with his initials and his number on them.”

“Ooooo, that’s right!” Wendy sounded excited. “That seems like something he’d really like; plus he’d use them often enough, right?”

“Definitely!” On the tv, Sid was smiling as Pierre placed a hand on his padded shoulder. Ali assumed the interview was over as both men turned to face the camera. In doing so, Sid looked right into the camera, and Ali once again had to look away.

“Is that all you got him?”

Ali rolled her eyes. “No, I got some other stuff.” She wished her mom wouldn’t make it sound like it wasn’t enough. She wondered if maybe she should just tell her about the plane ticket.

“Okay, because, you know….Maybe I shouldn’t say anything, but James called us about an idea he had for your gift.”

Her eyes went wide. “What!? Really???” James called my parents?

“He just asked me about something specific, so don’t get too worried—“

“—No, no! I’m not worried” Ali said, sitting up a little. “I’m just….surprised.”

“You shouldn’t be!” Wendy replied. “He loves you and wanted to get it right. Remember what I said, Allison.”

“I know, I haven’t forgotten.” He wanted to get ‘it’ right. 'It'? “Okay, intermission's almost up, let’s talk again soon, okay?”

Wendy made a smooching sound. “Love you, hunny.”

“Back at ya, mom.”

She hung up and stared at her phone. On the screen across the room, players were doing warm-ups in anticipation of the second period. Ali didn’t look up right away because her mind was too busy trying to decode whatever her mom had just said. Now she was really wondering what James had gotten her, especially now that she knew it involved her parents in some way.

Resigning to the fact she’d just have to wait, Ali turned her attention back to the tv where James was beginning the second period with the rest of his line. For some reason, she felt down in the dumps. As James took off down the ice, Ali realized she just wanted him home. Everything from the tree, to the blanket on the couch, to the comfy, oversized t-shirt she wore that was actually his, just made her wish he didn’t have to play tonight. Ali supported James in everything he did, especially his love of the game, but it sucked not having him there. Instead, he was 2500 miles away, skating with the guys.

I guess I’ll just have to wait….And wait I shall.

* * *

James couldn’t wait. He didn’t have time to.

Coach Bylsma had granted him official permission to leave once they arrived back at their hotel. Since James booked his ticket for a 3:30 flight out of Phoenix, he had to hustle. If everything went as planned, the flight would put him in Pittsburgh around 9 pm. Once he got back to his house, grabbed Ali, and delivered her to her first Christmas surprise – it’d be just a few hours before midnight, and he’d make his reservation right on time.

James sent the last text he would send before he saw Ali in person. He hoped it would hold her over for the hours he’d go silent on the plane:

Hey babe! Hope you enjoyed that ass kicking because I SURE DID. We’re going out to dinner, then Geno & I might try to hit up a bball game here if we can get tickets. Wish us luck. Love U.

Some of the guys were still filing into the hotel and lugging their bags back up to their rooms by the time James threw his shit into his luggage and headed for the elevator. When the next available elevator opened, Sid, Jokinen, Fleury, and Martin were inside.

“Whoa, where are you going?” Paul asked.

“Got a plane to catch.”

Sid frowned. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I just need to get back east tonight. Sorry to throw it all on you guys so late like this.” He really did feel bad, but in a way, he’d cleared it with the only person that mattered, and Bylsma had been generous enough to make it happen for it.

“So why are you leaving early?” Sid asked. “Did Coach give you clearance?”

“A week ago, yeah” James replied. “I just need to get home to give Ali the first part of her present, and the only reservation I could make is for tonight.”

Sid blinked. “Oh.”

“Niiiiiice” Fleury said, nodding.

The guys were in the hallway now, and James hit the button to hold the elevator. Paul gave James a pat on the back and smiled.

“Good luck, man.”

“Thanks, Paulie. Catch you guys later?”

They all wished him well as he entered the elevator. As he hit the button to close the door, Sid looked back. James waved, and then the doors shut.

Downstairs, Coach had a van waiting to take him to the airport. He was also waiting by it out in the parking lot. When James jogged over, he laughed when he saw Bylsma standing there.

“Didn’t change your mind, did ya Coach?”

Dan was grinning. “No way. Just wanted to wish you luck, you know…with your whole plan. I called Tim and told him you’d likely get there around 10 or so. He said he’d be ready.”

James was humbled. When he initially asked Dan for permission to do this, he felt horrible. In fact, he worried it might make his Coach think he was blowing off his job and his role as part of the team. Instead, Dan had gone above and beyond to make this even possible.

“How can I thank you, Coach?”

Dan shook his head, a closed-lip smirk appeared on his face. “No thanks needed.”

The men shook hands, and James was beyond appreciative. He’d have to prove to Dan just how grateful he was by working twice as hard and be twice as fast in the coming weeks.

As he got into the van, Dan called back.

“Hey, Neal?”

James turned. “Yeah?”

“Let me know how she likes it.” He smiled, then gave James a quick wink.

“You got it, Coach.” James shut the door and gave Dan one last wave before the van pulled away.

* * *

The flight couldn’t have gone slower. Four hours felt like four days. James kept checking his watch, knowing that doing so wouldn’t make it go any faster. He tried to occupy the time by reading through the Sky Magazine in the back of the seat in front of him. After flipping through a quarter of it, he put it back in the seat pocket.

At least I have a window seat. He sighed and stared out the pane, looking down at the world below. While his seat was in first class, there was never enough room for his legs. He was rigorously bouncing one of them as he had been all day.

Wonder what she’s doing right now.

Looking down at the tiny dots of lights below, he couldn’t even guess where they currently were. It was approaching the second hour, so he’d at least made it halfway. The rest was all downhill from here.

James looked down at his suit and wondered if he should’ve changed. When he took Ali out later, he wanted her to be comfortable. Maybe he’d change into something at the airport before he got a ride back to the CEC to get his car.

So many thoughts were flying through his head. He needed something to occupy his time. Gazing across the aisle, a woman sitting in the seat adjacent to him looked over and smiled.

If I bolted off here the minute we roll up to the gate, would that be odd?

He looked out the window again. Window. People watch. Magazine. Window. People watch. Magazine.

Rinse and repeat.

What if Ali thinks this whole thing is too over the top?

He shook his head. There was no way. He pulled this idea right from the pages of What Makes Allison Tick. He took her to the pond in Whitby and they may have had one of the nicest, most comfortable, most memorable times together of their whole relationship there.

And I didn’t even expect her to suggest it. The fuck, Neal? Where were ya on that one?

Outside, tiny little lights still flickered below. When James was a kid, whenever he and his family would travel and it was dark out, he used to think all the little lights below on the ground were candles.

Loser.

He played with the end of his tie. Ali had bought him this tie for his birthday.

Part of a goddamn three-piece suit, too. One of the best suits I own, to boot.

“Nervous?”

James was startled by the sound of someone’s voice, let alone the woman across the aisle’s voice. He laughed rather awkwardly.

“Uhh, yeah…maybe just a bit.” He gave her a smile. “Obvious, eh?”

“Something like that.”

When she smiled at him, James felt nothing. She was attractive enough, sure. Reddish-brown hair to her shoulders, seemed leggy in her professional skirt, white blouse opened maybe one button too far…but James thought nothing of it.

“You from Phoenix?” she asked.

James didn’t feel like doing this. “Far from it. You?”

“A native, myself.” She shrugged and tossed her hair. “Must be a sucker to leave the warmth and go into the cold.”

“Never a better time to visit the Burgh” he replied, feeling the need to defend the city. “I’d rather have rivers than dust any day.” Take that, Red.

“Oh I see how it is.” She smiled again.

Fuck, she thinks I’m flirting. Dammit.

He went back to looking out the window, wishing he would’ve thought twice to get his earbuds out of the damn luggage when he had the chance.

“So why are you heading to ‘the Burgh’?” With her fingers, she made little air-quotes.

“I live and work there” James answered flatly.

“What do you do?”

“Play hockey.”

The woman laughed. “You’re kidding?”

The man sitting in the seat in front of her slowly looked over.

“If I was lying, would it matter?” James watched her shake her head. Didn’t think so.

She sat there waiting for him to ask her the question in return, but he just simply didn’t care. He was tired of this game. A year ago, sure. Two or three or four years ago, you’re damn right he would. But now? With what he had waiting back in ‘the Burgh’??

Finally, after a moment of awkward silence, the woman gave up. Every once in a while she would look over at him, and he’d see her out of the corner of his eye, but he wouldn’t give her the attention she was looking for. It remained this way the last two hours of the flight.

When the wheels touched the runway, James checked his watch. 8:20.

Fucking jet stream. Thank you.

He didn’t quite bolt out of the plane, per say, but he was the first one out the door once it opened. Pulling his hat a little lower over his eyes, he made his way quickly towards baggage claim, his phone already pressed to his ear.

“Hi, yeah – I need to request a taxi….as soon as you can get one?”

They asked his location for pickup, name, etc. He gave it all to him, hoping beyond hope no one would recognize him. Thankfully, the airport was never all that busy this late at night. Even as he boarded the little subway that would take him over to the main terminal, no one noticed him.

James thanked the baggage claim gods for having his luggage already on the belt when he arrived there. His next stop was the men's restroom, where he quickly changed out of his suit and into jeans and a sweater. All in all, by the time he was in the taxi, it was 8:45.

There was only one step left, and that was to make sure he didn’t scare the living piss out of Ali when he knocked on the door.

* * *

Ali heard the doorbell ring from upstairs. She’d done a little laundry and was just folding towels when she heard the chimes. Although she thought it was a bit odd to be getting a visitor, she thought nothing beyond that.

Hopping down the stairway, she went and pulled the door open. Her mouth fell open.

James laughed. “Surprise??”

“WHAT…..” She was shaking her head. “How?! JAMES! What!??!” She was even too stunned to move. Her hands flew over her mouth as she stood there in shock.

James moved forward and took her into his arms, finally feeling her arms wrap around him. “I know, I didn’t tell you….but I had good reason not to." He smiled at her. "And by the way - who the HELL put those lights up!?!?"

Ali held him out so she could see him. Floored. She was absolutely, 100% floored that he was even standing there.

"Me!" She laughed, then took his face and kissed him. “I did that to surprise YOU, and now you've gone and surprised me!"

"Well....I'm not quite done yet." He smiled. “Grab your coat, and I’ll show you.” Again, Ali looked confused. He kissed her forehead, his hand going to the back of her neck. “Just trust me, okay?”

Ali felt like she was floating. Her mind didn’t even have a chance to catch up to any of this and now James…who wasn’t even supposed to be there….was telling her to get her coat on. Completely on autopilot, she grabbed the coat from the bench near their front door and James helped her into it. With his heart in his throat out of pure excitement, he watched Ali move to put her boots on.

“No, no….Trainers, babe.”

Ali laughed. “Really? Where the hell are we going? WHY are we going?”

“Questions can wait. We’re pressed for time.” He nodded towards her neon colored Nikes.

Ali slipped them on, but before they left, James cupped her face and kissed her tenderly. He was nervous as fuck, but as they embraced it all seemed to disappear.

“I know you’re a little confused right now, but you’ll see really soon and then hopefully you’ll know why I’m home.” He kissed her once more. “Now let’s go.”

* * *