"Finally."

Eat breakfast.
Say goodbye to Brittany.
Say goodbye to parents.

Then…..the drive.

In the past, Ali always considered the drives from her hometown back to Pittsburgh in one of two ways: long but necessary, or long but therapeutic. Each drive she made, whether it was to head back to college or just leaving from a weekend away, like this one, had always fallen into one of these two categorizations.

Now, however…Ali found herself discovering the drive fell into a third consideration: long and nerve-racking.

She put her iPod on and tried to listen to music that would calm her upset stomach, but nothing worked. Finally, she settled on Metallica, letting her anger and twisted emotions ride out in the angry lyrics and powerful instrumentals. Oddly enough, she was temporarily soothed.

Before she'd left town, Ali had sent James a text. It was a simple one, in case he cared to know:

A: Heading back to the city. Can we talk, please?

That was two hours ago, and as she stopped to grab gas and a bite to eat, Ali checked her phone one more time to find the screen was just as blank as it had been all weekend.

I fucked this up, she thought. Her stomach dropped a little, knowing now that her voicemail the other night had likely pissed him off. Then again, why wouldn't it piss him off?

Her nerves stayed churning in her stomach as she took the final exit to head into the city. It was almost one in the afternoon, and she had one hour to go. Instead of dreading the rest of the ride, she knew she should have been excited. She should have been looking forward to what lay ahead. Leaving town hadn't been the change she was hoping for, and for all she knew, it may have made things worse.

I should've stayed, she thought with defeat.

I should've stayed all weekend and toughed it out.

Maybe I'm not cut out for this lifestyle. Whatever that means.

On her iPod, Sad but True was the next song to come on from the Metallica playlist, and Ali used it as an excuse to crank the volume and drown out any further questions.

I should get back into running again, she thought. Would be good to run out the anger when I get home. I may do just that.

The irony of the song made her smile, the lyrics made her clench her jaw, and her actions this weekend made her not only want to go for a run - but made her want to punch something. As the freeway merged into one of the major arteries that wound itself in and around the city, Ali was relieved to know she was minutes away from her condo. At least there, she would find some sort of respite from her steady stream of thoughts and the worries that filled her up inside.

After a few more turn signals and stop signs, Ali was finally home. She passed by the other units in her complex, coming to the end of the lot and the end of the line where her condo was located. For a Sunday afternoon, the parking lot was fairly empty.

She never noticed James' Mercedes parked in the adjacent lot, facing away from her unit.

With a heavy yank, Ali pulled her weekend bag from the passenger seat, lifting her ponytail out and away from the strap as she slung it over one shoulder. Her footsteps were heavy as she made her way to her front door, keys already positioned for the lock. She was staring at the floor when she turned the key over and pushed inside, so the multiple stems of flowers scattered about the floor startled her.

She blinked, then looked up. "Holy shit!" Flinching backwards, her hand went to her chest.

James stood there smiling. "Surprise."

"Surprise is right!" Ali said, catching her breath. It took her a second, but she finally noticed what was even happening. She saw the grin on James' face, the flowers in a vase in his one hand, and a stuffed animal - a Penguin, of all things - in the other. He stood looking at her with the most adorable smile that held his usual charm. This was mixed with a hint of apology in his round eyes. Around where he stood, he had positioned stems of purple orchids all over. The same type and color of flower stood bunched together in a vase.

Giggling, Ali placed a hand over her mouth. "Is that MY vase?"

James glanced down and shrugged cooly. "Yeah."

"Where did find it?"

"In your kitchen."

"So you went rooting around in my cupboards?" she asked, amused.

James nodded, a guilty smile appearing on his face.

The whole thing was ridiculous, and Ali loved it. "And the penguin?"

James stepped forward, closing the distance between them. His height forced her to look up at him, his charming grin still ever-present. Just the way he looked at her then, Ali fell in love all over again.

"It's for you." He held it out, offering it to her. "His name is Chester."

Ali took the little stuffed animal, feeling herself melt inside. "Chester, huh?"

James nodded, the intense shade of blue-green focused in on her. "I know it's just flowers and a stuffed animal, but….I wanted to make sure you knew I was thinking of you."

Just flowers and a stuffed animal, Ali thought with a shake of her head. He thinks it's no big deal. She took in all that was James in that moment: his lopsided grin, his perfectly tousled hair, his tall and lanky frame that hinted at all of his strength beneath his clothes, and his expressive eyes - with their hint of sparkle that always let her know he was thinking one step ahead of her. Even with his growing playoff beard, his signature grin shown through easily.

"I got your message" he said, beating her to it.

Ali sighed and looked down at the stuffed animal. "I know…Let me explain--"

"--There's no need to, babe." James placed a hand on the side of her shoulder, rubbing tenderly. "I get why you were so angry, okay? I know I've been pretty distant, but you have to believe me when I say this: but it's not because of how our relationship is going."

That familiar, emotional sting started in Ali's eyes. "So why didn't you just text or call me back? Why make me wait like that?"

James cocked his head and smiled. "Do you see the amount of planning this took?" He felt the tension inside of him dissolve when he heard Ali's giggle again.

"It does seem like a well thought-out plan…" She looked down at Chester lovingly, then held the penguin under her chin as she looked up at James. "And this is one adorable penguin."

Looking aghast at her admission, James let his jaw fall open. "But what about me?"

"Pfft." Ali stepped closer. "YOU are the original adorable penguin."

Their lips met; Ali standing on her tip-toes to reach James' mouth. He let her kiss him, and let himself fall into the strong pull that was her kiss before placing his hands on each side of her face. He guided her mouth with his, their embrace deepening further. When he broke the kiss, he saw heavy wetness welling up in Ali's brown eyes. "What's wrong, babe?"

She looked away, embarrassed. "I actually thought we were over."

"Over!?" James made a noise that was both in surprise and bafflement. "What? Why would you think that?"

"Because you were just…..so busy, and not into talking to me, and it just seemed like you didn't care anymore…." Ali blinked, wishing the wetness in her eyes to go back to where they came from. "Honestly, I thought you got scared of us saying we loved one another or something. You wouldn't have been the first guy to do that."

This was the moment James had been waiting for, and he took it. With his hand, his smoothed back some of the pieces of Ali's hair that had fallen from her ponytail, admiring how effortlessly pretty she was. "Allison, listen…" He tried to find his words, hoping he wouldn't screw it up. "I'm not sure you noticed this, but when I go all in on something, I'm all in. That goes for hockey, it goes for training, it goes for the plaid suits the guys give me shit for..."

Ali allowed a small smile, but James kept going.

"But most of all, it goes for us, too. I just…" He sighed. "I'm just not that great at balancing the two, I guess."

Her eyes lowered momentarily. "I wasn't much of a help, I guess."

"It's not you, though" James added, wishing to prove to her it wasn't her fault. "I could be better…And I will be better." With this, he cupped her jaw, forcing her to look at him. "And I'll be damned if I'm not better than all these other assholes you keep mentioning. That I WILL prove to you."

She chuckled. "Sorry."

"Don't be. I have no doubt I'll beat them all." His smile appeared, larger now. "And I'll do what none of them could: and that's keep you. No matter what."

A huge weight seemed to lift from Ali in that moment, and she felt her shoulders relax as the tension fade away. We're not done. This isn't over. I misread everything. He really does want this relationship...

"So." James smiled.

Ali smiled back. "So…"

"Are we okay?" he asked. To emphasize the question, he lifted the stuffed penguin and bopped its beak on the tip of Ali's nose. "I'm asking for Chester, since he's curious if he and the flowers worked."

Ali gave a roll of her eyes and giggled. "Yes, we're okay." She took Chester and wrapped her arms around James' broad shoulders, hugging him tight. "Tell Chester he can relax now."

James kissed the side of Ali's head and closed his eyes. "That makes two of us."

* * *

The rest of the week passed, with the start of the next round of the playoffs only two days away. Practices resumed as normal, and an excited tension began to mount in all of the players.

James put this building energy to work, deciding to put into action what he told Ali the week before. If he was going to be a better boyfriend then anyone else in her life, he had to look the part as well as act the part.

And he started with furniture.

After extensive research into top furniture retailers in the city, James made took multiple measurements of his living room, bedroom, and guest bedroom. After deciding on which pieces he absolutely needed to acquire, he went about doing so. He started first with a more expensive couch and love seat, and even threw in for end tables. Surprising even himself as he stepped into the showroom and offered to buy on the spot, James knew he was doing the right thing. It felt right. Everything he did when it came to Ali felt right.

His next purchases were for the upstairs portion of his home: he bought mattresses and bed frames for both guest bedrooms, and then bought one for his own bed. He bought himself a new dresser (and swore he'd actually use it, instead of tossing his items on the floor as he'd done prior), and bought one for each of the guest bedrooms as well. Finally, he sprung for book shelves and various wall shelves for the downstairs area where there was extra room. He didn't have much of a decorative eye…he never did…but he thought he might be able to add some mementos he'd had left in boxes for years he never got around to unloading.

As James signed the slip for his final purchase at the furniture store, he handed his credit card over rather proudly. Not because he'd literally just spent thousands of dollars in a single day on furniture he wasn't sure he needed, but he knew all along what he was truly doing. While he never really admitted it to himself or to anyone, James knew all along he was getting his home ready for Ali to move in…if it came to that.

Working his position with the team and his influence from it, James was able to have most of the furniture delivered that week. He ordered rush delivery on everything he could, hoping that by the following weekend, he could show Ali he was serious….Serious about committing, whether that meant to her or to Pittsburgh in general.

No one was more surprised than Paul Martin, who, from his spot across the street, watched in awe as delivery truck after delivery truck rolled up to the Neal residence and began unloading furniture. He knew it wasn't a joke or that they had the wrong house when he saw James trot outside and begin directing them towards the house.

Since it was a warm May afternoon, James stood in mesh shorts and a t-shirt, helping to direct the men who were about to haul all of his new furniture inside. That's when he saw his teammate jog over, his jaw nearly dragging on the ground. "Hey! Sup, Paulie?" He stood next to his garage, far enough out of the way of the delivery men, but close enough to direct them which item went in which room. His grin widened as he saw Paul staring in awe at the moving trucks.

"What did I miss? Did I miss something here?"

"Just bought some furniture." James folded his arms over his chest, watching as the various pieces were hauled either through the open garage or through the front door.

A pair of delivery men carrying a large wooden item wrapped in layers of protective plastic stopped in front of him and Paul. "Where in the home will this go, Mr. Neal?"

James took a step forward and inspected the item. "Is this the cherry bookcase?"

"I believe it's the armoire" he replied.

Paul laughed. "You bought a fucking armoire?!?"

"Oh! Yeah - that goes upstairs. First bedroom on the right." James gave a nod of thanks as they carried the piece away, almost forgetting Paul was there. He felt like a real homeowner now, not just a bachelor living out of a suitcase. "What'd you say, man?"

"You bought an armoire…" Paul repeated, the same amount of shock still in his voice.

James stared at him. "Yeah, so?"

"What are you gonna do with that!?"

It was a good question, and James didn't really have an answer. "I don't know…" He watched two more delivery guys carry his love seat up the walkway to the front door. "Put stuff in it?"

"What about the bookcase?" Paul added, blonde eyebrows raised. "And is that an entertainment set I see?"

"Damn right it is" James said with great joy. "The cherry bookcase is going downstairs, the mahogany one is going upstairs to match the rest of the master bedroom stuff."

Paul thought he was living in an alternate universe. He mulled over everything he was hearing as James hurried over to help reposition a section of his new leather couch through the door, working with the guys to get it in. Once they got it in successfully, James came running back over, his hands balled into fists of victory above his head.

"Just WAIT until you go inside" he told Paul, excited beyond measure by the day's events so far. "Just wait, man. It'll be like a whole new house."

"I'm excited for you" Paul said, though he could only imagine at this point what the inside may look like. "Though I gotta ask…what's all this about?"

"What's what?"

Paul saw a defensive flash in James' eyes. "What's all the new furniture for?"

"I've been here over a year." He rubbed the back of his neck and gave a casual shrug. "I think I've avoided it long enough, eh?"

"Does this mean you're not coming over for breakfast anymore?"

James and Paul looked at one another and James laughed. "Yeah right, like that's ever gonna happen."

Paul sighed happily and shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket. "Well…at least some things never change."

*

Once everything had been delivered, set up, rearranged, and cleaned of any dust or debris collected in the moving process, James called Ali.

"What are you doing this very second?" he asked, hoping she was free.

"Ummmmmm….well, just finishing a little laundry…" Her voice was flirty and playful as she said this. "You should see how many thongs of mine you ruined this week."

James felt a stirring in his groin. "You're playing with fire with lines like that."

"I like fire" she retorted.

The friskiness in Ali's voice made James forget why he was calling. Visions of her lace and satin and sheer panties filled his mind, and now he had a craving. It was a struggle for him to get back to the point. "You're going to have to hold that thought for a minute, babe. Because I have something I want to show you."

"Oooo what is it?"

"I'd rather show you than tell you…How busy are you?"

Ali laughed on the other line. "Is this code for you wanting to fuck?"

"No!?" James liked her style, though. "But I mean…that doesn't rule out--"

"--I know, I know" Ali said, laughing further. "It's something else, then…which REALLY intrigues me."

His excitement returned, and his horniness took a backseat for the time being. "Great. When can you come over?"

"Give me 20 minutes?"

"You got it. See you soon."

James hung up, feeling on top of the world. He did one more pass through his home, inspecting everything to make sure it was as perfect as it could be. When he was satisfied, he spent the rest of the time making sure his hair, as unruly and long as it was, still looked good enough for when Ali arrived.

When she did arrive, James met her out on the walkway before she got to the front door. "Hold up."

Ali stopped, smiling as James came towards her, hands up as if she shouldn't move. "Holding?" She saw him motion her forward, albeit slowly. "What's going on?"

"It's a surprise, and I want to make sure we do this right."

His eyes were creased happily at the corners, his smile as bright and as big as Ali'd ever seen it. "Well whatever it is, it must be good because I've never seen you like this."

James already felt amazing and Ali hadn't even gone inside yet. As they got to the door, he cupped her face in his hands gently. "Now, promise me you'll take it in slowly, and let me know at the end what you think, okay?"

"O-kaaay?" She really had no idea what this was all about, but she went with it anyways. Regardless of how strange this was, she fed off the energy of James' enthusiasm.

James opened the door dramatically and lifted his hand. "Welcome to Casa de Neal."

Ali kept her focus on the sparkle in James' gaze, but soon turned her attention to the inside of the home. She didn't notice much at first…that was, until, she came to the living room.

"Whoa."

Ali took in the entirety of the space before her, which seemed to have changed from head to toe since the last time she'd stayed there. No longer was it the bare room with just a couch and a television; it looked like a real living room, with a brand new couch - large, plush, and leather - complete with matching love seat. The widescreen flat panel that had once rested on top of a simple black stand was now encased in a dark wood entertainment set.

James watched from a distance behind Ali, his smile growing. She walked over and slid a hand along the couch, then along one of the bookcases, before glancing back at him. The look on her face gave James a rush of pride all over again. "What do you think?"

She stared at him, her brown eyes wide. "It's gorgeous, James." From there, she went over to the couch and plopped down into the cushions, giving the edges a squeeze. "AND comfortable."

"Yeah?" James took a seat next to her. He realized then that he'd gotten the right couch when both he and Ali seemed dwarfed by the luxurious size of it. "Want to see the rest?"

"There's more?!?"

James nodded eagerly. "Come with me."

They headed upstairs, stopping first at the guest bedroom. Ali peered inside and nearly gasped. Shelves, a dresser, a new bed frame, and a large plush mattress occupied the room now, filling the emptiness that had once been the smaller bedroom. Looking beside her, Ali could only laugh. "James, this is amazing!"

"There's more." He gave a nod towards the master bedroom. "I saved the best for last."

"Oh, really?" This intrigued Ali most of all, following excitedly behind James as he lead her the rest of the way down the hall to the one room she'd become extremely familiar with.

As he opened the door, Ali stepped inside and her eyes immediately widened. A completely new bed frame in the darkest mahogany wood now suspended the king size bed, a headboard of equally dark wood placed back against the wall. Dark gray linens lay beneath a brand new comforter, also covered in expensive-looking white linens. The sheets and comforter complimented the fresh look of the room.

Adjacent to the bed were two end tables, both done in the same dark wood as the bed frame, with various shelving units placed here and there on the walls. There was a pair of handsome new dresser drawers, and the tv that had been resting on a spare desk was now suspended on the wall opposite the bed.

Ali blinked, stunned. "Ho….ly…..shit." She turned and looked at James, whose grin said it all. "It looks like a totally different room!"

"Right?" He ruffled her hair a little, thrilled by her reaction. "What'd I tell ya?"

"I never expected this, really…" Ali was still busy looking about her, taking it all in, not sure of how to process it. If James was trying to prove something, he'd certainly done so. She looked at him, the keenness returning to her stare. "So...why all the new furniture?"

James took a seat on the bed and crossed his ankles. "Thought the place needed sprucing up."

"Sprucing up?" Ali cocked her head. "Really?" She watched him nod confidently, acting as though his redecorating wasn't that big of a change.

"Well….that, and I wanted to impress you."

If she hadn't known him, anyone else would have considered his reply arrogant. But Ali wasn't a stranger to James anymore, and what reactions used to confuse her now only made her smile, knowing more about him than he could even know about himself. She knew he'd done it to impress her, yes…but she knew he'd done it to prove something, too.

This wasn't lost on her, even as she joined him on the bed, stretching out on the soft comforter. "Damn….this thing is amazing…."

"I know" James said, running his hand along the fabric. "I didn't really intend on buying new sheets or anything, but when I saw this, I had to. Hopefully you like it."

Ali shifted her eyes sideways, catching the hope that was evident in his voice and in his tender gaze. "I love it, babe." She rolled onto her side to face him, snuggling closer so their noses touched. "All of it."

They kissed, and even with his thick playoff beard, Ali could feel James smiling against her mouth.

"You're so happy" she said as their mouths parted. She let her fingers scratch at the long hair about his mouth. "I like Happy James."

His hands slid down to the curve of her waist, pulling her closer. "It's because you're the one whose happy."

Their lips met again, but Ali had a thought, so she tipped her head back. "I have one question, though."

The corner of James' mouth lifted. "Ask anything."

Ali smiled, hesitating only a moment. "Did you happen to buy yourself any groceries?"

They stared at one another for a second, and James closed his eyes in defeat. Ali busted out laughing, slapping a hand against his chest, knowing her answer. "I knew it!"

* * *

They ate take-out for dinner, and when they were finished eating, both James and Ali sat back heavily against the cushions of the new couch together. They left the television off, choosing to sit and talk and catch up on what the week ahead of them looked like and how they were going to tackle it. The sliding glass door that led from the room out to the back deck was left open, as it was another warm late-May night, and the sound of crickets and insects chirping was a welcome sound to the both of them.

As they lay together in comfortable silence, James' hand loosely clasped in Ali's, he thought about the week ahead and wondered how the semifinals would play out. Anything could happen, anything, and that left him feeling a little nervous. The last thing he wanted on the last night before the semifinals started was to feel nervous.

Which lead him to think of the hot tub.

"Hey." He looked over at Ali and gave her hand a tiny squeeze. "I have an idea."

"Shoot."

"Let's fire up the hot tub."

A twinkle appeared in Ali's eyes. "Is it all set up?"

James nodded. "Got it ready to keep myself busy until the furniture arrived the other day. Figured since it's practically summer, it was time."

Ali's gaze looked out beyond the screen door to the back patio. The scent of fresh cut grass and muggy air was an elixir of sorts; an unofficial sign of summer. "It's the perfect night to do it..." Her eyes shifted towards James. "My suit's back at the condo, though."

"Pfft. Really, Diserelli?" James chuffed comically. "A swim suit? For real?"

She knocked him playfully in the side. "But it's a great suit! I love the way it looks on me..."

"GUARANTEE it looks better off of you." James stood and gently tugged Ali up with him. "It's just us, so no need for clothes."

Ali smirked as she stared up at him. She hadn't been in his hot tub yet, and she figured that the neighbors wouldn't be able to see much, given how fenced in James' property was. And, considering how he was already stripping off his t-shirt as she stood debating all of this, it wasn't much of a decision for her to make.

"I'll grab the towels, you get the water ready?"

James snapped his fingers and grinned. "Deal."

They parted, and Ali scurried upstairs to grab them each a towel from the master bathroom. As she did so, James got the hot tub ready, adjusting the water temperature to just the perfect temperature. Soon, the hum and bubble of the water jets were heard...a sound James had missed during his boring winter months on the road. It was another mental note he had to make: remember to use this more often.

As he stepped out to the edge of the deck, he leaned both elbows on the wood banister and
gazed upwards to the clear night sky above. Even with the suburban light, tiny little stars could be seen glimmering.

This is how Ali found him when she padded out onto the deck. She joined him there quietly, looking up and admiring the same sight that he was. "Pretty, isn't it?"

James nodded, eyes still focused upward. "I never take time to do this."

"Look up?"

Their gazes met, and James smiled. "Yeah." He nudged her as his smile widened. "I'm not like you, Miss Airplane Lover."

"Whatever" she said playfully. "I don't do it often enough either, really." Her eyes turned back up to the night sky. "I never pause to appreciate things enough."

James, whose eyes had never left Ali, stood beside her and tried to picture himself without her there. Without her, he wouldn't be firing up the hot tub...he wouldn't be standing there staring at the sky, and he wouldn't be as happy as he was. He guessed he really didn't pause to appreciate things enough either.

Sensing him staring, Ali shifted her gaze back to him. "All we're missing now is a cheesy slow song and I'll feel like I'm in a chick flick."

James chuckled, then wrapped his arm around Ali's shoulders. "I can't picture myself doing this with anyone else but you, babe." He kissed her temple. "Cheesy song or no cheesy song."

Looking up at him, Ali smiled. "We don't need a cheesy song."

"Not even Call Me Maybe?" James asked.

"Oh God...."

"I know."

They both laughed, their eyes never leaving one another. Even in the serenity of that moment, James' nerves over the semifinals were still there. He hoped that no matter what the week brought, he could still count on moments like this with Ali to get him through.

It caused him to sigh. "I don't know" he said with a shake of his head. "This next round of games..."

Ali knew what he meant without him saying any more. She took the moment to nestle her head against James' chest, her hand sliding over his on the banister. "Whatever happens this week, I'll be there for you. Nothing like before, okay?"

James nodded humbly. If you only knew how perfect you are to me, he thought in that moment. "And no matter what happens, I'll be there for you too" he said. "No pushing our time together aside."

Their eyes met, and then their lips did.

* * *

Notes