Title: A Dozen White Roses

Author: Bluehaven4220

Summary: Alex Aubrey has many secrets, though the one that threatens to destroy her relationship with Jack O'Callahan is the one she can't bear to face.

Disclaimer: All toys other than Alex and her friends and family belong to Disney, I'm only playing with them.

This is my new story, starring Jack O'Callahan. I do hope you enjoy, and feel free to leave a review.

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Alex Aubrey opened the door to her 1978 Pontiac Civic. Turning the key in the ignition, she slapped the steering wheel as the fuel gauge hovered on EMPTY. Perfect... now she had no gas and no money for a cab. Refusing to lose her head she took her keys, turned the engine off, and entered the Boston University arena.

She found herself walking through the dressing room corridors. There had to be a payphone around here somewhere. She pushed open a door and came face to face with the sight of 21 hockey players working through a scrimage.

"Miss, you can't go through there..." an arena hand by the name of "Aaron" blocked the doorway. She could see over Aaron's shoulder, and she locked eyes with someone who had stopped at the boards.

"I'm sorry," Alex smiled, her red hair falling in her face. "I was just looking for a payphone..."

"Just turn around and walk right back out those doors. Down the hall and back outside; there's a phone out there..." he pointed and blocked the door. Alex had no choice but to turn around.

When she finally found a payphone, she opened her purse and rummaged for a quarter. Suddenly she heard the soft click click click of skates on corked floor and a ping as a coin was sent flying her way. She caught it and looked at the player's retreating back.

"Thanks," she offered as he went back through the ice pad door.

He turned to look at her, a twinkle in his eye. He smiled and got back on the ice.

Alex dropped the quarter into the payphone and called home.

"Hey, Jason?"

"Hi Alex," her best friend, Jason Collins, lived on campus as her roommate. She'd had no qualms about moving in with him. After all, she was sure he and his boyfriend Mark had plenty of other things to do with their time then worry about her car. "What's up?"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm sleeping, what's up?"

"My car's being a bitch again," she exhaled sharply. "Can you come get me?"

There was the soft sound of someone else breathing on the other end. Great, she knew what had happened here. She'd just woken Jason up after sex.

"Uh, on second thought, never mind," she hung the phone up and went to sit outside under a tree. She'd just cracked open her book when some 21 hockey players carrying heavy bags came through the door. She didn't even look up as one of them came toward her.

"Is this seat taken?" he asked, setting the equipment bag down.

"Nope," she answered, turning another page in her book.

He sat down beside her and leaned forward. "You know, I saw you in the arena earlier."

"Fascinating." Her eyes continued to scan the pages as he fell silent.

"Do you always speak in monosyllables?"

"Okay, this is just stupid," she leaned back and slammed her book shut. "Either ask me what my name is or I'm leaving."

He was silent.

"I'm Alex Aubrey," she stuck her hand out.

"Jack O'Callahan," he gripped her hand and shook it. She bent forward and stuffed her book into her backpack. "So, uh, you not from around here?"

"Oh," she looked up as she zipped up the bag. "No, it's my first year so..."

"Not sure where a lotta stuff is?"

"You could say that..." she chuckled as she brought her backpack up on to her lap. "Damn you, you stupid..." she fought with the teeth on the zipper. Finally, it relented and she set it back down.

"You waiting for someone?" Jack asked as he checked the zipper on his equipment bag to avoid a similar dissatisfying situation.

"Nah, my car's outta gas and my friend's got some stuff going on so... I gotta wait."

Jack looked up as Alex stood and slung her backpack over her shoulder. "I can drive you..."

Alex looked over her shoulder, and turned to face him. "No, I don't think so..." Alex turned back around and continued walking. She'd just met the guy; there was no way she was getting into his car.

"Can I take you out sometime?" he called after her.

As she walked she shook her head. When she looked back she saw him pick up his bag and stick and sling it over his shoulder.

It took her about half an hour, but she finally made it back to her dorm room. Quietly opening Jason's bedroom door, she saw him asleep with his arm around Mark.

Smiling to herself, she shut his door quietly. Stationing herself in the communal living room, she sat down on the couch. Opening her backpack once again, she cracked open her book and forced herself to scan the paper. All of the sudden "Accounting and You" didn't seem all that interesting.

When both Jason and Mark woke up and were sitting at the table, Alex's nose was still buried in her book. There was an unexpected knock at the door. Looking to Jason and Mark, who obviously hadn't heard the knock, she put her book down and went to the door. She looked through the peephole and saw Jack O'Callahan.

Alex smirked and turned to Jason. Suddenly she felt her eyes go wide and her face flush. Jason smiled at her and pointed to the door.

"Let him in, Alex."

"That's Jack O'Callahan..." she hissed through her teeth.

"The hockey player?" Jason got up from the table, suddenly intrigued. Upon shoving Alex out of the way and looking through the peephole, he whistled. "Oooh hooo, he's cute!"

"Hey!" she heard Mark over at the kitchen table with a mouthful of coffee. "I'm sitting right here!"

Alex rolled her eyes and opened the door. She half expected him to be holding a bouquet of roses, but he wasn't. He was holding a key ring, attached to it was a little leprechaun.

"Irish, are you?" he asked, holding it out for her. She'd thought it was odd when she had reached into her pocket and not heard a jingling sound. She could've sworn she had it in her pocket.

Alex smirked in response, reached out, and took her keychain from him. Stepping out into the hall and closing the door behind her, she held up her hand.

"Thank you, I thought I'd lost them."

He smiled, shook her hand, and went back across the hall. "I'm just across the hall, so if you ever need anything..."

She smiled at him and went back to her room.

When she re-entered the room, she saw Jason and Mark sitting together at the table, hands wrapped around steaming mugs of coffee.

"Did you know Jack O'Callahan lives in one of the rooms across the hall?"

Jason looked back at her and shook his head. He and Mark, when they weren't in class, didn't really go out much. The fact that they were gay wasn't very widely accepted. Of course, people didn't really understand that being gay wasn't just about the sex, it was about having feelings for another person, same as in any other relationship. Until they both felt comfortable enough they weren't going to say anything, except for the people who already knew. They weren't hockey players, so of course they would never have met Jack O'Callahan, or known where he lived for that matter.

"I saw that look on your face Alex, I know you like him," Jason got up. "Just ask him if he wants to go to the bar with you sometime."

"And make him think I'm that desperate? I don't think so." Alex glared at him as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"Then I'll talk to him," her best friend smirked.

"Oh Jason, no," she shook her head, pleading with him. "No, he's not going to go out with me."

"Oh don't worry..." Jason took her hand. "You'll be bar-hopping with hockey players in no time." He let go of her hand, and opened the door before Alex could stop him.

Alex rolled her eyes. Seeing her distressed led Mark to get up from the table, walk over to her, and pull her into a tight hug. "Don't worry, sweetheart, he'll get you set up in no time."

"I don't want to be set up Mark," she insisted. "The last time I did there was too much at stake, and I fucked it up, badly, I might add." There were tears welling in her eyes.

Mark smiled in reassurance. When he let go, Jason came through the door with a piece of paper held triumphantly over his head.

"Alex, you are going to love me!" he proclaimed, handing it to her. "I told you he wanted to go out with you, didn't I tell you that?"

Taking it, her mouth droppen open. "How'd you get it?"

"I knocked on his door and asked for it, how do you think I got it?" Jason rolled his eyes. "I may be gay, honey, but he's not my type..."

She couldn't help but laugh. Jason was a great guy and an amazing friend, he and Mark always knew how to make her feel better. Only Jason and Mark would completely ignore her excuses and go out and get someone's phone number for her when she still felt vulnerable.

"Call him..."

"No, he'll call me," Alex answered, stuffing the paper into her pocket. "If he wants to take me out sometime, he'll call me."

The days went on as usual, but Alex didn't see Jack again. She knew her way around campus a little better, and Jason had found a way to gas up her car, so she had a way to get along. Both he and Mark had their own things to take care of, they didn't need to worry about her.

Finally, as she was waking up from an afternoon nap (her classes had finished early, and she hadn't really felt like studying just yet), there was a knock at the door.

Rubbing the sleep out of her eye, she went to answer the door. No looking through the peephole this time, the only reason someone would be knocking on the door would be if they were locked out and needed a place to stay for a while. That, and she wasn't coherent enough to do so.

It was a bit of a surprise to find Jack O'Callahan standing outside her door. Did this guy ever go to class? All she'd ever seen him do was play hockey. He didn't give up, did he? Of course, she knew Jason had traded their number to get Jack's, and Jack had called her many times, but she'd never picked up the phone or returned his messages.

He looked up and smiled. "Do you always take this long to answer phone calls?"