The Games We Play

James wasn’t lying. Even with interviews scheduled when they returned to the CEC, James had a good three hours alone at the house before Ali arrived.

In that time, he’d gotten their bed nice and cozy for her, and even made a special stop at the store before arriving home. He bought her a gourmet bar of dark chocolate, which was her favorite, in addition to a container of Ben and Jerrys. Once Ali called and told him she was only 10 minutes out, he went back upstairs and made her a bubble bath (or as good a one as he could manage…he wasn’t entirely sure how it went.) All in all, his thought process was comfort, comfort, and more comfort. He hoped he’d done a decent enough job.

When Ali arrived home, James took her suitcase and led her upstairs. She could tell by the excitement on his face that he’d done something special for her. His face took on a whole new light whenever he felt like he’d done something new and positive. It made Ali always wonder what a younger James must have looked like the first time he played hockey or won a trophy.

“Okay.” James placed his hands on Ali’s arms. “It’s not much, but I feel really bad about leaving you in a bed sheet this morning.”

Ali giggled. “Oh James, it wasn’t your fault—“

“I know. It was yours.” He watched her mouth fall open and laughed. “Come on…you know it was.”

“HALF my fault.” She raised one of her sharp eyebrows. “Yes?”

“Yes. ANYWAYS…I just did a few things to hopefully make you feel at home tonight” he said with a smile. “I think we totally destroyed that hotel room and I didn’t do much to help put it back together, so…I guess this is me trying to let you know, I’d never just leave you like that.”

His intense gaze was so full of hope at that moment that Ali didn’t know what to say. He made her feel so good, so often, in so many unexpected ways. It was difficult for her to grasp that this was the same guy who threw bodies against the boards or was ready to fight someone on the ice if it came down to it.

“What’s wrong?” James asked, wondering why Ali was hesitating.

“Not a thing” she replied. “Just thinking about how lucky I am.”

James smiled. “This is a good start, I gotta say.”

“Just show me, babe – you look like you might piss yourself if you don’t” Ali said with a laugh.

James opened the door and the first thing Ali noticed was the bed.

“Holy shit, you made the bed?”

“Pretty nice when it’s made, isn’t it?”

Ali ran a hand over their down comforter, feeling the softness of the dove gray cover beneath her fingers. “It is really nice!”

“That’s not all” James said excitedly. He went over to their master bath and opened that door. There was a puff of steam that rolled out into the bedroom.

Peeking her head in, Ali saw the bathtub full, the lights dim, and something else sitting on the ledge. She went over and saw it was a bar of her favorite kind of chocolate.

“Oh my God!” She wheeled around to find James leaning back against the sink, looking as proud as ever. “Chocolate, too? And a warm bath?”

James nodded. “And downstairs there’s a pint of your favorite Ben and Jerrys…if you haven’t had enough chocolate by then.”

Ali sighed. “Jaaammmees!”

“Aaalllliiii!” he mocked playfully.

She threw her arms around him, hugging him tight. “Thank you for all this.”

“It was nothing, really” he said, burying his nose in her hair. He caught a faint hint of something fruity, like berries and cream. He inhaled deep, not wanting to give her over to the bathtub. “One question for you.”

Ali looked at him. “Yes?”

“Can I sit and watch?”

She slapped him on the chest. “You suck.”

James was still laughing as she shoved him out the door and locked him out.

“Enjoy!” came his muffled voice from outside.

“I will!”

She looked around, feeling incredibly special. He did this because he slept in. And he slept in because he was busy giving me an orgasm.

She sighed happily and began removing her clothes she’d been in for the drive back to the city. The water felt amazing, and the chocolate went down impossibly smooth. She kicked at the bubbles that still floated around her body, totally reveling in the moment.

Once the water went cold and she couldn’t make the moment last any longer, Ali slipped into the robe James set out on the sink for her. She braided her damp hair into one long braid tossed over her shoulder, then padded downstairs to the living room. There she saw James looking at his phone, his legs spread out over the length of the couch. He looked up and immediately put his phone on the table.

“Soooo?”

Ali sat on the side of the couch next to him. “Amazing.”

“Annnnd?”

“I’m all smooth and soft and warm and the only thing I’m missing are some arms around me.”

James hugged his long arms around her and drug her small frame over him. She slid in beside, both scrunched somewhat in the narrow space of the couch. In doing so, Ali’s robe parted just a bit to reveal her bare legs. Ali and James’ eyes met.

“You have anything on under there?”

“Nope.”

James debated it, but decided against what his dick was telling him to do. He’d been spoiled enough the night before and much, much earlier that morning to be letting his body do the talking.

“Feel sleepy yet?” he asked, one hand going to the top of Ali’s head. There, he gently rubbed the top of her head, giving her a massage of sorts.

“If you keep doing that, I definitely will.”

James watched her eyes close peacefully. “I guess this means I don’t get to try some of that ice cream, eh?”

Ali giggled, her eyes remaining closed. “Go get it, dork. I’ll have some.”

“Sweet.” He kissed her temple. “Thank you.”

Over the next hour or so, they hung out and watched tv together, eating ice cream, and doing nothing but enjoying one another’s company. To both of them, it was the perfect night in.

* * *

A few days later, it was back to the madness. The Pens advanced on to play the Maple Leafs in the next round. The Leafs had a surprising upset in Game 7 over the Redwings, giving them the green light to advance on to the next round.

The first game was in Toronto, where the Pens took home the first W of that series. When they returned to home ice, it was a bit of a different story.

Ali begged for seats away from the suite, just so she could be closer to the action. James delivered, scoring seats near the net on the attack end of the ice. Here is where she unfortunately watched the Pens fall in a lousy loss, with a final score of 6-3.

She’d watched hundreds of losses, but something was different about this one. Watching it all play out, Ali felt the Leafs were taking extra time to go out of their way during the game to start fights and even injure some of the guys. She didn’t want to think this way; maybe it was just the heightened tension of being in the semi-finals.

A few times throughout the game, Ali watched Sid talk with the Leafs’ Captain, Dion Phaneuf, with plenty of referees also involved in the conversation. She watched James get thrown into the boards by this guy and various others on the team, and each time made her wince as if she felt the pain of it in her own body. James never seemed phased, but by the third period, she could tell he was getting tired of it.

At other times throughout the game, Ali witnessed Geno sliding hip first into the boards from a heavy hip-check, as well as seeing Dupuis get knocked in the face more than once with someone’s stick.

If this continues, someone’s going to let loose, and it’s not going to be pretty, she thought, taking a long drink of Diet Coke, watching as the tension mounted and mounted. Thankfully, no one on the Penguins side decided to retaliate; they had many more games to go, and to lose it so early in the series would be risky. This much Ali knew.

As the crowd emptied out of the seats and back out into the warm Pittsburgh night, Ali headed down to the locker rooms where her and James planned to meet. They’d driven in together, so she had to wait for him anyways. She never minded heading down to the hall near the locker rooms, since she got to say hi to some of the guys she rarely saw.

When Ali got to the hall that would ultimately end up at the Pens locker room, she approached the doors to the Away Team’s locker room. Because the Leafs won, there was plenty of boisterous noise coming from within the doors.

Probably should’ve went the other way Ali thought, looking down at her black Neal jersey.

Continuing down the hall, the sound of the locker room doors opening could be heard as the noise of the guys inside got louder. Laughing and yelling could be heard spilling forth, echoing loudly within the hallway.

Ali frowned, seeing Phaneuf and Kessel exit the locker room, staring right at her. She simply kept her head up and smiled sweetly at them as they crossed paths. The size difference between her and those two players alone was enough to make her feel dwarfed, especially given how broad they both were.

“Hey Neal.”

Me? Ali kept walking.

“Brown eyes!”

Ali turned around and folded her arms over her chest. “Yeah?”

Phaneuf walked forward, a snarky look on his face. “What’s a pretty thing like you doing down here…..in that?”

“Heading for the Pens locker room” Ali answered, watching Phaneuf walk closer.

He nodded, staring at the 18 on her sleeve. “You didn’t answer the other half of my question.”

She smirked, her eyes moving from Phaneuf to Kessel, who now moved forward to join his captain. “Just going to pick up James.”

Kessel snorted a laugh. “Apparently he can’t drive home on his own either” he said, elbowing Phaneuf in the side.

“What the fuck does that mean?” Ali could feel the anger boiling within her.

“He can’t score on his own.”

“Looked like he had two goals tonight…or was I dreaming?” Ali laughed. “Oh! Oh, that’s right. He had two, and it was YOU who didn’t score. That’s right…”

Phaneuf smiled. It was a smile that spoke of pity, telling Ali she shouldn’t attempt to play with the big boys. Even through his smile, he was still clearly enjoying this.

“You’re cute, whoever you are—“

“Allison. Neal’s fiancé.”

Phaneuf nodded. “Right. Anyways…Neal can’t score on his own, not without 71 or 87. That’s all I meant, sweetie.”

The guys chuckled at Ali’s expense, but she stood there smiling the entire time. “You two kids finished, or should I wait for the rest of this pathetic chirp before I leave?”

Phaneuf and Kessel both raised their eyebrows and looked at one another.

“Damn, he chose well.”

“You didn’t answer my question” Ali mocked in return.

Phaneuf waved his hand. “Yeah, you’re free to go pick up your pussy of a boyfriend.”

“Fuck you.”

Kessel laughed and headed in the opposite direction. Phaneuf gave Ali one last leering smirk.

“Have fun with that” he said, and then turned and left Ali alone. More of the Maple Leafs were leaving the locker rooms in their suits and ties, looking like any other normal team after a hockey game.

Ali stood watching until Phaneuf and Kessel were absorbed into the rest of the players that were heading out to their buses. Her heart was pounding hard, and she felt like her head was going to explode from the pain of clenching her jaw.

With some effort, she turned and headed for the locker room she wanted to be at in the first place. Everything the two guys said was replaying over and over in her head, making her angrier and angrier. By the time James emerged into the hallway where she waited, the anger was ready to spill over.

“Hey babe.” James’ voice was calm and cool, as was the smile he forced despite the loss.

“We need to leave.”

James studied the angry look on her face and frowned. “Is everything okay?”

Ali took him by the arm. “No, and I don’t want to talk about it right now.”

Around them, other Penguins started to filter into the hall, but Ali acknowledged none of them. James hardly noticed his guys saying goodbye to him because he was worried about Ali.

“Hey, look at me.” He suddenly felt confused and worried. “Was it the game?”

“I’ll tell you if we can please just go out to the car.” She looked at him with pleading eyes, doing what she could to not burst into a fit of anger right there in front of everyone.

James knew something was really wrong. As they walked out to the car together, Ali was totally silent, barely looking at him and keeping her dark eyes focused forward. Her walk was brisk, purposeful, and urgent. Even with his long strides, James had to try to keep up.

Finally they reached the car; James taking the driver’s seat and Ali the passenger side. When James turned in his seat to fully focus on Ali, he saw her eyes had filled with water.

“Fuck the Maple Leafs.” Ali put her hands over her face and inhaled deeply, trying not to let it get the best of her. She felt the comforting touch of James’ hand on her back.

“Talk to me…what happened?”

“It was that fucking Phaneuf” she said, glancing over. “And his hemorrhoid of a buddy, Kessel.”

James heard this and his hand froze on her back. “What?” He sat up in the seat. “What about them?”

“I was just walking to come meet you, and passed by the rooms—“

“Holy fuck, did they touch you?” James felt his heart slamming against his chest. “Tell me, Ali.”

“No, they only fucked with me verbally.” She saw the wild look of rage in James’ eyes at that moment, and reached her hand over to his. “I stood up to them, but they were talking shit about you, and I just couldn’t—“

James’ hands balled into fists. “I’ll fucking kill that cunt Phaneuf with my own hands.”

Ali was witnessing the same fury in James that he had with her high school ex, Tony. It came quick and hot and intense, just the same as it had back in her hometown…just like it did any time it was required on the ice.

“Listen to me” Ali said. “I didn’t let them get to me.”

He shifted his eyes to her. “What did they say.”

Ali swallowed hard. “Well….they said….” She took a breath, not knowing where to start.

“Tell me, Ali.” His eyes were a tumultuous blend of blue and gray as they stared at her.

“They asked me what a pretty thing like me was doing down in the hall…” She waited for a reaction from James, but he only stared, the corners of his mouth tense and his jaw set. “…I told them I was going to pick you up, that I was your fiancé…after the chirped me a little about that, I mean…”

“What else did they say.”

She shook her head. “You really want me to—“

”Tell me.”

Sighing, Ali looked down. “They called you a pussy and said you couldn’t score on your own, and that you couldn’t even drive yourself home, since I was coming to pick you up.”

She raised her eyes slowly, fearing James’ reaction. To her surprise, the tension in his jaw eased up a little.

“They didn’t touch you?”

“No.”

“They didn’t say anything else about you? It was all directed at me?”

“Right.”

James leaned back in the seat and rubbed his face, sending the same hand back through his fluffy hair. Ali watched as a weight seemed to lift from his general demeanor.

“I don’t give a flying fuck if they come at me” James said, his voice calmer. “But the minute they come at you? Or God forbid, they fucking touch you?”

“I’d never let them, anyways.”

“You think.” James was shaking his head angrily. “It’s not right. At least I can fight my own fucking battles, and I don’t go through their girlfriends to do. Bullshit.”

Ali sat quietly as James put her SUV in reverse and pulled out of their parking spot, hitting the gas hard and the break pedal harder.

“I’ll fix this, Allison.”

I know…and that’s what I’m afraid of, she thought.

* * *

The next game was in Toronto. James sat on the bench, watching the start of the game as Sid won the first faceoff. His left knee bounced nonstop as he held his stick in his right hand, waiting for the minute he could jump onto the ice.

When Sid and Duper waved their arms, James and Geno hopped over the boards and went into action. The first thing James did was scan the ice for the body he needed. It wasn’t his time yet, but it would come sooner or later.

A few changes in possession of the puck, and he got a wish. Thirty seconds into his shift, James watched Phaneuf zip onto the rink, and he went right for him. He crossed the ice in the direction of the play, and skated past Phaneuf closer than he would have under normal circumstances.

“Fucking harass other people’s girlfriends, Neuf?” he shouted, skating past.

Phaneuf scowled at him. “What?!”

James skated by and was able to gain possession of the puck, taking it down the length of the rink with Geno. One shot missed, but it was early.

*

At home in Pittsburgh, Ali was a nervous wreck. She could see it happening already. James was everywhere Phaneuf was. She saw them exchange words between plays, she saw the angry bend of James’ eyebrows beneath his helmet. If she held a Magic 8-Ball, it would say All Signs Point to Yes.

The whistle blew and James skated past Kessel at one point, tapping him with his skate. James looked back and chirped something at him, which cause Kessel to shake his head.

I shouldn’t have said anything.

Ali’s phone rang. She picked it up without even looking at the name. “Hello?”

“He’s gonna fight, I know it.”

It was Brittany, which was who Ali suspected it might be. “Please don’t say that…I don’t want him to fight.”

“I know – but he doesn’t want these assholes on his girl, either. It’s how they handle things, Ali!”

She sat staring at the tv, biting her thumbnail nervously. On the screen it was Sutter’s line, but she braced herself every time she watched James’ line hit the ice.

“What makes you think he’s gonna fight him?” Ali asked, wishing Brittany would convince her of any proof James wouldn’tfight.

“Have you SEEN his stare?” she exclaimed. “I wouldn’t want to be out there with him, that’s for sure.”

Ali groaned. “Can you sing Kum-ba-yah or something? Please? He can’t fight. Not in the playoffs like this—“

“—I though that was the best time TO fight!? Am I way off here?”

“No. I don’t know. I should go or something…” Ali trailed off because she was watching the game come back from commercial. James’ line was on the ice at the same time as Phaneuf’s, and they were in a faceoff on the Leafs’ end. James was very clearly talking to one of the other players who stood next to him.

“Well…I’ll call you back if it happens, okay?”

“Yeah, okay.” Ali ended the call without moving her eyes from the screen.

It seemed to happen in slow motion. When the play went into action, James didn’t skate in the direction the puck went. He skated right for Phaneuf.

*

James never had a better hipcheck in his life. He put whatever energy he had into the check, catching Phaneuf off guard, sending him flying in the opposite direction. He skated by towards the puck, which Geno had ready for him. He checked back once, checked his side once…nothing. Free. His blades carried him towards the net, sending the puck back to Geno, who made the shot and caught the corner of the crossbar.

As they circled back around with the Leafs in possession, James made sure to locate Phaneuf. Just as he expected, the asshole was heading in his direction.

“What the fuck was that?” he yelled at James.

He shrugged, pretending not to know a thing about what he was asking him. He skated close to the sideboards, waiting, watching, just incase the puck turned over.

“I asked you a fucking question, you pussy.”

Phaneuf pushed James from the back, and that was all he needed.

“You come at me next time and leave her the fuck alone, you got that?” James wiped his mouth of spit, taking his mouth guard out. “Stay the FUCK away from her.”

“Awww, did she go running to you for protection?”

James put his mouth guard back in, and lost his gloves.

*

“Oh God, please no…please…FUCK.”

Ali leaned forward on the couch cushions, her eyes glued to the screen.

“FUCK! I shouldn’t have SAID ANYTHING!”

*

James took the first swing. By the second swing, he had Phaneuf by the collar of his jersey, which left his right hand free. His blood was so hot he felt it burning everywhere on his body. He wasn’t on ice anymore; he was in the middle of an inferno. Every punch he threw didn’t feel strong enough, so he made sure to throw another.

Phaneuf grabbed at James’ shirt and threw a left jab, but it wasn’t his strong hand. He missed, and James sent another square shot to his jaw.

Refs were standing nearby, letting them fight it out, but James clearly had the upper hand because he clearly had all the rage. On the bench, the rest of the team stood up to try and see the fight better.

“Fucking PUSSY.” James hit Phaneuf again. This time, his helmet went flying off. The refs skated closer, trying to pull them apart, but Phaneuf…now without his helmet and clearly with more need to fight back…took a swing that hit James in the side of the face.

“What was she? Sid’s seconds, Neal?” Phaneuf said with a laugh. He dealt James another punch, which James followed it by giving one back.

“You have a problem with me, YOU COME AFTER ME” James yelled.

One of the referees skated between them at this point. “THAT’S ITS, THAT’S ENOUGH.” He was able to pull James back enough so that the other ref could grab hold of Phaneuf to try and lead him away. Nearby, Geno was scooping up James’ gloves with the end of his stick.

“Surprised you didn’t have her come fight for you.” Phaneuf shook his head to get the sweaty hair out of his face. “Or maybe your Russian girlfriend.”

“Go to hell, Neuf, you piece of shit” he said over his shoulder.

“Where’d you pick her up, some dumpster?”

He turned and went back after Phaneuf, but the ref stopped him. He kept his eyes locked on Phaneuf the entire way to the penalty box, and Phaneuf kept his eyes on James. Finally, the referees were able to get them into their respective boxes with their helmet and gloves, and the game resumed to a raucous cheer from the crowd and from both benches.

* * *

Notes

01-03-14: I will be away all weekend and without my laptop, so I won't be able to submit any chapters until at least Monday. Just letting you all know! :) It's going to be like this next weekend as well, since I'll be out of town a lot over the coming weeks...but I won't let you all down! Pinky swear. ;)