{James POV}

"You," she hissed at him.

'Shit she's pissed. Shit she doesn't look happy to see me'he thought to himself. When he had first heard that she was coming to Pittsburgh he hadn't really believed it. Than he had become ecstatic with the thought of her being in Pittsburgh, like it was a sign they were supposed to be together. He had never meant to leave her that day like he had. He had meant to tell her the night before that he was leaving, but after one too many drinks they kinda got lost in each other. He would have woke her that next morning, but she had looked so peaceful that he didn't want to disturb her sleep.

Layken was the one girl he couldn't forget though. He thought it would be easier to forget her in Pittsburgh, but it wasn't. She had been the only girl he always thought of. Even though their relationship had been frowned upon, and either one of them could have gotten in big trouble if they had gotten caught. But their was something about her, about them being together. And it wasn't just the fact they were great physically with each other. But it was something more, they were drawn to each other.

He felt horrible for leaving her like that, that morning but he had woken up late and Matt kept calling him. He knew he had hurt her badly the first time Pittsburgh went and played in Dallas. He had tried to find her once they had gotten to the arena. He knew she liked showing up earlier than the other girls, but after looking for her and not being able to find her he had gave up finding her early.

He realized when the Penguins were headed out for warm-ups and saw her standing by the door to ice and didn't even give him a glance, that she was trying to avoid him. He hadn't missed how hard she tried not to look at him. He also didn't miss the look of hurt that crossed her face the few time he had caught her looking at him.

"Hey Lay," he said quietly, rubbing the back of his neck and looking down at the ground.

"Don't call me that. Only my friends can call me that. And last time I checked you weren't on that list," she said lowly, with a frown.

He guessed she wasn't trying to draw the attention of his teammates out in the living room. That she didn't want people to know that they knew each other more intimately than they should. She probably just wanted to act as if she didn't know him at all.

"Ouch that hurts Lay. I thought I would at least be considered at friend status," he replied, with a small pout.

"And how did you figure that?" She snapped, her eyes darting over his shoulder.

He turned his head slightly to look over his own shoulder to make sure none of his teammates were coming. He knew she would save her own ass, but he wasn't so sure if she would save his if need be.

"Oh I don't know. I would think that at least after the second or third time of sleeping together that would put us on the friend status," he replied.

"Well it doesn't and it didn't. Friends of mine would at least tell me goodbye. Friends of mine would at least would have given me the heads up they were being traded. I mean I know we were no where close to being girlfriend and boyfriend. But I thought you considered me more than just an easy fuck. But I guess I was wrong," she snapped angrily, he could see her eyes starting to glisten.

"I did consider you....... I mean I do consider so much more than an easy fuck. I never considered you easy or a puck bunny at all. I wanted to tell you Layken, I did. I tried to tell you that night at the club, remember? But than we got to dancing and than we left. And talking was the last thing on my mind. I stayed awake for hours that night and just watched you sleep," he said, taking a breath. He figured he might as well get out as much as he could, incase she never spoke to him again.

"Creep," he heard her mutter under her breath and he let out a chuckle.

"Anyways as I watched you sleep I thought of how I was going to tell you. Layken we were so much more than just fuck buddies and I know you felt it too. Somewhere I fell asleep with my thoughts and I was planning on waking......" He continued until he heard someone calling his name.

"Please let me explain this later. I want to tell you, I really do. So will you please let me?" He pleaded with her.

Even to his own ears he sounded like a wussy. But he needed her to believe he was telling her the truth. He needed to be able to tell her the rest. He even threw in his puppy dog eyes that even his own mother would be able to deny.

"Fine," she sighed giving in. He smiled in triumph.

"Nealer my man I was wondering where you had gone," Matt Niskanen said slapping a hand down on my shoulder. "Hey Layken."

"Hey Matt," she replied with a small smile.

"It's good to see you," Matt said, giving her a smile. He put his arm around James shoulder.

"It's good to see you again too," she replied, with another smile.

[i]'Why does he get all the smiles?'[/i] James asked himself.

"I really missed you," Matt said.

Out of the corner of James's eye he could see Matt smirking. And he just really want to elbow him hard in the side. 'Is he really going to stand here with me here and flirt with her?' he wondered. Matt was the only one that knew about his feelings towards Layken and what happened between him and Layken in Dallas.

"I really missed you too," Layken chuckled, shaking her head.

Matt took his arm off of his shoulders and walked over to her. Wrapping his arms around her in a tight hug. Than picked her up and swung her around. To which she chuckled in amusement. When he set her back on her feet, her back was towards me. Matt gave him a pointed look over her shoulder.

"Ok well I just wanted to come say hi, since I hadn't gotten the chance to yet. Also that we're all leaving and going to get something to eat. Do you want to come with us?" Matt asked her.

'Please say no..... Please say no..... Please say no' he silently chanted in his head.

"Ummmmmmmm I think I'm going to have to pass this time. I've had a long day traveling," she replied, looking at me out of the corner of her eye. "Plus I think I just want to get settled in here."

"Ok, well I guess we'll see you in a couple of days than," he replied with a smirk.

"Sure Matt," she replied with a nod.

Matt gave her a quick hug again and than walked pass me giving me a look. Than walking out and leaving me alone with Layken, but not before sticking his head back in the room.

"You coming Nealer?" Matt asked.

"Yeah be there in a minute," he replied.

He waited a few minutes and listened to Matt's footsteps retreat down the hall, before he looked back at Layken.

"So I guess I should leave with them so nobody gets suspicious. But is it alright if I go and grab something to eat and come back and we can talk?" He asked shyly.

"James I don't know if that's such a good idea," she replied.

He felt his heart drop. He was sure that he would believe him and let him finishing telling her what had happened.

"Please Layken all I want to do is tell you the rest so you don't think I was just using you," he pleaded, throwing out the puppy eyes again. He would get down on his knees and beg if need be.

"Alright James, alright. Just stop with the eyes," she sighed.

"Great well I'll be back in like thirty minutes than," he said, with a big smile.

Layken and him than left the confines of her bathroom and went into the living room. Where the rest of his teammates, well the ones who helped and a few of the other Ice girls were waiting to say goodbye to her. He watched as the girls laughed and was glad to see that she was already getting along with them, not that he doubted it. Than she said goodbye to the girls. Next was the guys and each one of them a gave her a big and told her how glad that she was there.

He felt a slight pang of jealousy as he watched Sid give her a Bigger than Necessary hug and than wink at her. Than came Matt's turn again, this time Matt got a little touchy feel-ie with her backside. James cleared his throat at his friend and teammate.

He said bye to her again and told her again that he would return as he left and closed the door. After walking downstairs and outside with Matt. He said his goodbyes to him and than headed to one of his favorite places to pick up food for him and Layken.