Alpha

Tyler had never been more unexcited to go on a road trip. Yes, it was the middle of the season and the team was feeling worn down and beat up, but his sore and tired body wasn't the reason he didn't want to go. No, instead it was the woman laying in his bed. Savannah had stayed over again last night, and he could have sworn they'd been going out longer than a couple of weeks. He always thought people that said they fell fast and hard were crazy, but now he was one of those people.

He had let her continue to stay in his bed as he got ready to meet up with Jamie to head to the plane. She had told him she would leave, but he had told her to stay comfortable. He knew her leg still wasn’t back to normal, and if she felt better in his bed, then he wanted her to stay there.

He had given her one last kiss, and she had replied with a sleepy smile which for whatever reason turned him on. He didn't want to go, but he knew if he didn't leave now, he likely would end up back in bed with her and late for the plane. And he did not want to be late for the plane.

He drove to Jamie's place, hitting the button to get Jamie to let him into his place. He was allowed access instantly, and Tyler assumed Alex wasn't around. He was proven wrong when she was the one to answer the door. "Hey, you're here earlier than I expected," Alex greeted him. "Figured you'd stay with Savannah as long as possible."

He set his bag down just inside the door. He was planning on carpooling, and the captain always drove. "If I didn't leave then, I wasn't getting out of there," Tyler admitted. "Where's that boyfriend of yours?"

"Finishing up packing," Alex told him. "So, Savannah said she kinda ruined the date the other night, bringing up your past relationships?"

Tyler shouldn't have been surprised she revealed that to her best friends, but he still wasn't keen on them knowing everything that went on between the two of them. He wondered if she also told them about their shower sex afterwards. "Yeah, wasn't exactly the best conversation I've had," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.

"You can't blame her for being curious. I mean, you are known for your one night stands," Alex reminded him.

"So you and Jamie have discussed past relationships?" Tyler asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What past relationships?" Jamie's voice rang out as he appeared from the hallway.

"Van and Segs had that talk the other night," Alex responded.

"Shit, bro, I'm sorry," Jamie said sympathetically.

"You two have had that conversation?"

Jamie nodded his head. "Yeah, and quickly learned that no one should have that conversation. Did you make it out alive?"

"Well she's in my bed right now, so I'd say I survived," Tyler laughed.

"And you're here why?" Jamie asked him, raising an eyebrow at him.

Tyler laughed even louder. "Good question. But something tells me Coach isn't going to accept the excuse that my girlfriend is in my bed as a reason to miss the flight." He sat down on the couch, glancing at the television that was showing some wedding show on TLC. He then glanced over at Alex. "Getting ideas?" he joked. He was pretty sure Jamie and Alex hadn't even discussed marriage yet, though he had very little doubt that they would end up married at some point in the future.

Alex shook her head as she sat down next to him extending her hand. "No ring in sight," she said jokingly.

"Better get on that," Tyler nodded towards Jamie, who just glared at his teammate.

"Did you get into details about your past one night stands with Savannah?" Jamie changed the conversation back to Tyler.

"Hell no," Tyler replied. "That is one thing that needs to stay in the past."

Alex patted Tyler on his knee. "Good answer. Though I will say, Van doesn't really get jealous. So the fact that she brought up your past relationships says something."

Tyler looked over at her. "What does that say?" he asked, really having no idea what she was referring to.

"That she likes you," Alex said in an obvious tone. "And she obviously doesn’t want to be just another addition to your one night stand count." Tyler gave her a look that showed how much he disliked what she was saying, and Alex held up her hands in defense. "Hey, I'm not saying that's what she is to you! In fact, I've told her the opposite! But, sometimes reputations precede you and it's not always a good thing."

Tyler sighed. "Well I don't know what I'm supposed to do or say to get her to see that I'm not just fucking her and leaving." He looked up for help from Jamie or Alex, but neither really had any advice for him. "You two are a lot of help," Tyler muttered sarcastically.

"Sorry, Segs, but I can't help you on this one," Alex replied. "But I will say that I've been on your side this whole time with Van, and eventually she'll let her walls down."

"Why are her walls so damn high?" he asked.

"Because she's learned from past mistakes," Alex said, and Tyler looked over at her, wondering what she meant. "And that's all I'm going to say about that," she added before Tyler could ask her more questions about her comment. He glanced over at Jamie, wondering if he had any information, but the captain just shrugged his shoulders.

"So back to that ring your boyfriend needs to get you," Tyler said with a grin, and Jamie just shook his head while Alex laughed.

"You ready to head out?" Jamie asked before Tyler could add any more fuel to the fire on that subject.

"Bye, Alex," Tyler said, standing up. He leaned back down, saying in a loud whisper, "Just remember, if he won't commit, I'll get you the ring." He added a wink before he walked towards the door to grab his bag.

"Bye, Ty," Alex replied before walking over to Jamie, giving him a big kiss, and Jamie held on for a few extra moments when they hugged. He finally let her go, and Tyler walked out the door.

As soon as their door shut behind him, Jamie went over and elbowed Tyler in the side. "Do you have to keep going on and on about proposing?" he said in a low, serious voice.

"She knows I'm joking," Tyler defended himself. "Besides, don't tell me you haven't thought about it."

"Thought about it? Yes. Talked about it with her? No."

The elevator doors opened and the two men shoved inside with their bags. "Well now maybe you can have that conversation," Tyler said simply with a shrug.

"Yeah, that's as easy as you talking to Savannah about all your past relationships. Or one night stands in your case," Jamie replied. "You need to do something big to get her over your past," he said, looking straight forward, waiting on the elevator to reach the lobby, which it finally did, and the two men piled out and walked towards Jamie's car.

Tyler mulled over Jamie's words as Jamie got in the driver's seat and started their drive to the arena in order to get on the bus to head off to their flight. "Something big like what?" Tyler asked several minutes later, and it took Jamie a bit to figure out what Tyler was referring to.

"Hell if I know, but something that says she's not just another one night stand like you claim."

"She isn't a one night stand!" Tyler exclaimed, and Jamie laughed at how defensive his friend was being. "You know I don't let girls stay over, and she's done that on more than one occasion. Plus she's still there now," he explained.

Jamie glanced over at Tyler when they were stopped at a red light. "You've got it bad, man," he commented. Tyler sighed and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't even argue with Jamie. He was completely right. "I mean, I've known that. I think when you freaked out when she was in the hospital I realized that she was different," Jamie remembered.

Tyler looked over at Jamie, narrowing his eyes at him. "Like you wouldn't have reacted the same way if Alex was in the hospital?" he questioned.

"I'm not saying that," Jamie said, turning another corner. "I definitely would have been worried if it were Alex in the hospital. But, there's a big difference between me and Alex, who have been dating for over a year, and you and Savannah, who have been dating or sleeping together or whatever for a few weeks. I'm not saying you shouldn't be worried, I'm just saying be careful."

Tyler looked over at him confused. "You think we're moving too fast?" Tyler questioned.

Jamie shook his head. "No, I think you're falling hard and fast. And you don’t do that. So be careful."

"So what do you think I should do?" Tyler just wanted him to give him a straightforward answer instead of trying to be the wise captain with sage advice like he always was. If he could just tell Tyler a step by step plan, it'd be much easier.

"I think you should do something to show her that you're in this for the long haul, because that's not usually how you are."

"You're not really helping," Tyler muttered.

Jamie laughed loudly. "Sorry, buddy, you have to figure out what that big gesture is. You're the one that's dating her, you know her, you know what's going to prove that to her better than I do."

Tyler pouted next to him, unhappy with Jamie's response. Deciding to get a little under Jamie's skin, he said, "So when you gonna go look for engagement rings."

"Shut the fuck up," Jamie muttered. Tyler just smiled, happy he had won their little spat, but still unhappy that Jamie hadn't given him a plan for what he should do with Savannah. Apparently, Tyler would have to figure that all out on his own.

Notes