Disclaimer One: I don't own Twilight, clearly. I'm just highly high delusional.

Disclaimer Two: The NHL, the Vancouver Canuks, and the AHL are copyrighted by their owners. I use them here with the highest amount of respect.

Disclaimer Three: While, yes, I am a hockey fan, I am NOT a hockey expert. I have never played hockey. I will do my best to be as knowledgeable and precise as possible. However, I also can't promise to not use a little Literary License here and there. When I do you will find my corrections in the bottom authors note. If you see something I miss or something I got wrong let me know nicely in a review and I will do my best to correct it.

OMG. the response to this story has been unbelievable! I'm just in shock. To everyone who reviewed thank you so much and the same to everyone to followed and favorited. I just can't get over this at all. Just thank you so much and I hope you contunie to enjoy.

Much love also to my beta StateofDelusion. She is amazing in everything she does.

Chapter 2 – Number 9

BPOV

Thursday morning—two busy, crazy days after Edward's phone call—I placed my bag into his Volvo and drove to work. My truck still sat in the parking lot. Edward and I both didn't think it would make it all the way to Port Angeles. Beside which, Edward needed his car in Vancouver to get around.

All throughout work that day I was antsy. I was so ready to be in Vancouver. Edward had called me every night and told me how great practice was and how excited he was for the game Friday. I would let him go on and on until finally, he would tell me that he had to get some sleep. I adored my husband, but he did have a tendency to work hard.

I was worried about him. He waited his whole life for this—for so long, if Friday night didn't go the way he wanted, I was worried about what he would do. Edward was extremely passionate, and I didn't want him to be disappointed.

Work that day dragged. Being a pre-school teacher, there certainly was never a dull minute, but that day I just wasn't all there. At least none of the cute little rascals threw up on me. A girl could only handle so much after all, and I didn't want to ruin the dress that I put on either. Dresses weren't my normal thing, but I liked dressing up for Edward. Especially since I hadn't seen him in a week, and so much had happened since.

The hours slowly ticked down, and I waited anxiously for off time. Finally three thirty came, and I was out the door. My coworkers wished us both luck. I thanked them but was barely listening. Adrenaline rushed through my system. I was ready to get on the road.

When I was past Olympia, I called Alice. She was my best friend from school and Edward's twin sister. She and her husband, Jasper Whitlock, one of Edward's teammates, lived in Vancouver. "Ali, I should be able to catch the five o'clock ferry without any problems."

"Good." Alice's voice was high pitched and springy. She was incredibly high strung, but I loved her to death. "That means that you should be in the port by seven, and we can go see the guys at their late practice before we all go get some dinner. Are you picking up our parents?"

"No." The original plan was for me to pick up my and Edward's parents before I went to Port Angeles. "Charlie had to work tonight and Carlisle had to pick up an extra shift. They'll both be coming tomorrow."

"Alright. See you in a couple hours, Bella. Rose and I will be there when you dock"

After the car was loaded on the ferry, I texted Edward.

-On my way. Love you.

It was an hour later when I my phone chimed from Edward.

-See you soon. Love you. :-P

I shook my head. That boy and his emoticons.

I really didn't enjoy the ferry ride, but it was the most direct way to get to Vancouver. I spent most of the ride reading on the deck. I was having trouble focusing on my book, which was surprising. I didn't get many chances to just read anymore. I loved reading, but working all the time had cut into my reading time.

It was slowly starting to sink in what was going on. My husband was going to be playing his first major league game. He would be playing with a team from a city so far from where we lived,. I wouldn't be able to see him every time he came home. I had to work in Seattle. I couldn't just drop everything to come see him like now.

We could always move. I had long ago accepted that I might have to follow him across the country if he got traded. Yale hadn't been my first choice of colleges to attend, and I had gotten lucky with Seattle. Vancouver wasn't a bad city, and I would be happy to be back with my sisters-in-laws, but I was worried about the move. Edward was playing on a temporary basis. If they didn't like the way he worked out, they would send him back to Seattle. If they did that, then we would be stuck in the same position. He would be working in one city, while I lived in another. I knew that some people did it all the time, but I didn't want to. His traveling for half of the season was bad enough. I just wanted to be close to him.

Edward and I had always been this way. Even as teens, when we first started dating, we wouldn't stay away from each long. We would sit in his car when he dropped me off from dates, just because we couldn't bear to be away from each other. It may have been a little co-dependent, but it was just the way we were. When we were in college, I would wear his jersey to bed because it smelled like him. Alright, I may still do that.

It was just that, with everything that I had been through with my parents' divorce and my flighty mother, I tended to cling tighter to the people I loved. It was bad enough losing Alice and Rosalie, but now to have Edward here, as well as my friends—I just wasn't sure that I could do it.

Beyond that, I hated moving. It was more than just the work and trouble that most people didn't like about moving. I had anxiety attacks, had panic attacks, broke out in cold sweats, and had nightmares. The comfort and safety of a home wasn't something I had known for long. Throughout my childhood, my mother had dragged me across the country, from hotel room to hotel room. We only had a real house during the few times she was married, and then not for long. It wouldn't have been so bad, as I did get to see a lot more than other kids my age, but my mother had not been a caring one. She was more worried about her happiness and what she wanted. I was an afterthought, a blip on the radar. She really didn't care what I needed, and I didn't just think that, she had actually told me that. Moving reopened all those old wounds.

I decided that I would bring it up with Edward tonight, or maybe after the game. I didn't want to overwhelm him before his big game. I would decide when I saw him in just over two hours.

I couldn't help but let out an excited little squeal when I realized how close I was. A few people sent me sideways glances out of the corner of theirs eyes, but I didn't really care. I was going to see my husband and our family. The simple things in life were really what made me happy.

For the next hour of my boat ride, I managed to keep my mind off of my worries. I told myself that there was nothing that I could do about it, so why worry about them. This wasn't the time to worry anyway. I was going to celebrate my husband's accomplishments that were a long time coming. I would not ruin this for him.

The sun was just setting across the sound when the boat made it to port. It only took me fifteen minutes to get through customs, and then I was walking off the boat and on to a brightly lit pier. I hadn't even had the chance to catch my breath before there was a tiny, black-haired person throwing herself at me.

"Bella!" Alice Cullen Whitlock squealed as she threw her arms around me. I almost fell over with the force of her collision. For such a tiny little creature—she was barely four foot seven—Alice had a lot of energy. We were best friends in high school, and even then, I had trouble keeping up with her. Still I gladly returned her enthusiastic hug.

"Alice, stop squealing. You're going to blow out her eardrums." I looked over Alice's head to find my other friend and sister-in-law, Rosalie. She was tall, willowy, and drop dead gorgeous. Rose was a year older than I and had always intimidated me a little. We didn't really become close until after she married Edward and Alice's older brother, Emmett. The three of us had been close when we all lived in Seattle. If Edward and I moved here then I would be glad to have my sisters back.

"Sorry." Alice giggled as she released me. "I just got excited. I've missed you, Bella."

"I've missed you too." My voice was embarrassingly thick as my emotions got the best of me. After everything that had happened this week, it felt good to be around family.

"Now, now, none of that," Rosalie soothed as she swept me into a hug. "No tears yet. You can do that the first time one of the big D-men rams Edward into the boards."

I laughed shakily, thankful that they could joke about this. "Thanks. Is it bad that I'm kind of dreading this whole game? I mean, I've seen him play a hundred times, but something about this feels different."

"It is different." Alice began pulling me toward the car pick up area while Rosalie strode along on my other side. I had every intention of unloading my fears and anxieties on them before we went to see Edward. Since both their husbands had been playing professional hockey for a while, I figured that they would understand. "This is the big leagues. The only thing bigger is if they make the Olympic Team. Lots of guys make it here and then bomb out. Other's, though, make it and absolutely shine. Edward will be one of those. He's always done well under pressure."

"I know, but he's one of the oldest rookies in the league. That's going to hurt him, isn't it? And you both know how serious he is about this."

"Exactly," Rosalie interrupted gently. "No offence, but I've known him longer than you. He's always been that serious about hockey from his first pee-wee game. Yes, he's one of the oldest rookies, but it wouldn't surprise me if he's still playing when he's in his forties. Besides, those extra years will help. It gives him some experience, and that time out last season for his shoulder will hopefully have taught him to be patient."

I couldn't help it as a full belly laugh escaped my lips. I had to stop and lean over to brace my hands on my knees. "Edward? Patient? You have to be kidding me?"

Alice rolled her eyes and Rosalie smirked. They knew, as well as I, that was never going to happen. Edward had never been patient a day in his life. "Okay, you have a point," Rose agreed. "Still, I really think he's going to be fine. Better than fine if what Emmett tells me is true."

"Okay, just answer one thing and I will stop worrying, I swear." I addressed Alice, since Edward had been staying with her, but I asked Rose as well. "Is he really doing okay? And I don't just mean physically."

"Bella, he's fine." Alice pulled me into another hug sympathetically. "He's a little nervous sometimes, and so excited that's he's been a little jittery, but I think a night spent with you is just what the doctor ordered. You've always been able to calm him."

"I think the same could probably be said for her too, Alice." Rose snarked. I rolled my eyes at her, but she was right. I would feel better once I could see him, touch him. I needed to assure myself that he really was okay.

"Come on." Alice pulled me ahead again. "Let's go so that we can find our boys."

I pulled Edward's Volvo out of the waiting area with Alice in the passenger seat. Rosalie was in front in a red BMW. Alice instructed me to follow her to the practice rink. She and I chatted during the drive. She asked me about work, and then I filled her in on the latest news about her parents. She hadn't seen them since the season opener earlier that month, while I usually drove back to Forks at least once every couple of weeks.

The whole time we talked, however, the butterflies built in my stomach. My whole body could feel it. I just had no idea why I was so nervous. It wasn't like I hadn't met him before. Hell, I had been married to him for seven years. I'd been in his bed for even longer. I knew Edward, heart, mind, and soul. Did I just expect him to look different, or act different, or what? It wasn't like that much had changed. He was still Edward. He had just gotten a promotion.

No matter what I told myself, however, I could feel myself beginning to shake with nervous energy. I was getting close, closer. My mouth went dry, and it was all I could do to keep still in front of Alice. I must have given something away, however, because she laughed.

"Chill out, Bella. They probably have only just gotten off the ice."

"I can't help it." I groaned as I pulled into a parking spot. "I haven't seen him in a week, and so much has changed."

"Okay, Bella, I'm going to stop you right there." Alice's voice was forceful, but it got me to listen. "You can't go in there like this. You'll physic him out. Not that much has changed really. Think about it. He's still playing hockey. It's just a different organization. He's still Edward, and you're still you. You love each other. You're proud of each other. Nothing has changed. You just might have to move."

I sighed and buried my head in my hands, taking a few deep breaths. Alice was right. I was freaking out over nothing. We were the same as we had always been, just a little older. I forced away the nervousness and uncertainty that was pushing through my veins. I was still excited. I had missed him for the past week—one of the biggest weeks of his life, I might add, but it was still just Edward. The same Edward who had helped me pass calculus, and the same one who used to grin at me from the ice before high school games. It was the same Edward who said "I do" and carried me across the threshold on our wedding night. It was the same Edward who called me every night, come rain or come shine, to tell me good night. It was just Edward, and I was being ridiculous.

I lifted my head from my hands, and Alice smiled. "Feeling better?"

I nodded and smiled back, not quite trusting my voice yet.

"Good. Then let's go find the boys."

We met Rosalie by the door and walked together into the practice rink. It was a cozy place, I decided. The lobby had a marble floor and teak covered walls with old player's jerseys and memorabilia on the walls. Unlike regular rinks, there were no windows that showed the ice. It gave the team some privacy, but I couldn't help but be a little disappointed. I had really wanted to see him on the ice.

I was interrupted by the sound of Rose's voice. "Hey Jake. You guys clearing out?"

I turned, facing them, and saw them talking to a tall, dark haired man. It didn't take me long to recognize that he had that distinctly hockey build—large muscular thighs and biceps, and a tall frame. He was big enough to be a goalie, but there was a sleekness about him that reminded me of speed. I suspected that he was a defenseman.

"Yeah," he answered Rosalie, but his dark eyes flashed toward me. "Who's this?"

"Oh, this is Bella, Edward's wife." Alice took up the introductions and I smiled shyly. "Bella this is Jacob Black. He's Jasper's line partner."

Aw, d-man, I was right. "It's a pleasure to meet you."

"You're Edward's Bella?" he asked. "I've heard a lot about you. Cullen won't shut up about you."

I blushed a bright, tomato red. My cheeks probably felt hot to the touch. Great, Edward was driving his new teammates nuts already, just because he kept talking about me. While that sounded like my Edward, I was beyond embarrassed. Of course, Alice and Rose saw my blush and snickered. Jacob even raised his eyebrows. Great, what a wonderful first impression I was making. "Um, thanks, I think."

Jacob chuckled. "No worries. Cullen's a good guy. Wicked on the ice too. I can handle him talking non-stop if he's that good."

I felt a surge of pride shoot through me. Yes, Edward was a good guy. Edward was the best in my book. I was thrilled that Jacob thought that Edward was as talented as I did. It felt good that someone else thought that my husband was awesome.

I was going to say something to Jacob, thank him or something, but Rosalie interrupted, "are you guys packing up?"

"Yeah, they're just finishing up in there." Jacob inclined his shaggy head toward the hallway he had come from. "You can probably go ahead and go down there. Em, Ed, and Jas were the last ones off the ice. You know them. I'll see you around. Nice meeting you, Bella."

"Good luck tomorrow, Jacob!" Alice called to him as she and Rosalie pulled me down the hallway. The brief encounter with Jacob had startled me, but now I was back on track. I was going to see Edward. Down one of these corridors was my husband and my entire body knew it. My skin tingled, I was shaking, and I was worrying my bottom lip between my teeth. I felt like my heart was beating out of my chest. I needed to find him—now.

As it turned out, Rosalie had texted Emmett that we were here, and they had come looking for us. When we rounded a corner, they were coming from the opposite end. He was standing there in all his hockey glory. His bronzy red hair was a matted, wet mop on his head, his green eyes were bright and lively, and the grin on his face was threatening to split it in half. He was so far beyond happy. He was absolutely jubilant. He had lost his helmet, jersey, and skates, but was still wearing most of his pads. I had to swallow back a moan. The damned things only accented his broad shoulders and thick biceps. It had been far too long since I had seen him like this.

We stared across the hallway at each other in shock for just a moment before we were moving toward each other. The next thing that I knew I was in his arms with his nose buried in my hair. He had me off my feet, easily supporting my weight with his arms gripping my waist, but that didn't stop me from wrapping my legs around his waist and clinging to him like a monkey.

I could hear him laughing in my ear and I nuzzled into his neck. I really didn't care that he was stinky from his practice. He was also warm, and everything felt right in his arms. It was safe here. I would get on to him about the sweat and stuff later.

"I did it, Bella," I heard him whisper into my ear. "I finally, finally did it."

I had to muffle a sob. He was so incredibly proud of himself, and he had every right to be. After last year we just weren't sure if he was going to make it, but he had worked so hard to get here, and he deserved it. I really wasn't sure that I could love him anymore than I did in that second. "I know," I finally muttered against his neck. "I'm so proud of you."

He shook his head, and I felt his nose skim my neck. I couldn't resist the shiver that snaked down my spine. "I wouldn't be here without you. I love you so much, Bella."

"I love you too, Edward."

I didn't know how long I stayed there. We had completely forgotten everyone around us, and I didn't care. I was in Edward's arms and I just didn't care.

Unfortunately our position was becoming a little difficult. Edward may have been able to hold me up indefinitely, but I couldn't hold on forever. My arms just weren't that strong. He chuckled and lowered me down to my feet. As soon as he was sure that I was stable, he cupped his palms around my face, pulling it up and swooping down to kiss me. He used his own lips to nudge mine open and deepened the kiss, sending shivers down my spine. It didn't take me long to catch up to his intensity. Our noses mashed together, our tongues tangled and teased, and our lips collided. My arms went back around his shoulders, but because of the pads, I couldn't get a good grip. I really wished that we could have just been somewhere private so that I could have congratulated him correctly, in bed, with me on top of him, or him on top of me. Either way was good.

The height difference meant that we couldn't do this long without us both getting neck cramps. He pulled away slowly while moving to tuck me into his side. I went without a complaint. It was just good to be back with him. He leaned down again to brush his lips over the crown of my head.

"Bella!" I was broken out of our sweet bubble by the sound of my monstrous brother-in-law. I didn't even see him coming before he was pulling me away from Edward and into a bone crushing bear hug. I adored Emmett, but he didn't know his own strength.

Emmett was a year older than Edward, but they had always been close. From what they had told me, they had both played forward when they were in the pee-wee league, but then someone suggested that he play goalie. He put on those pads and never looked back. His huge six-foot-four, thickly muscled body served him well in the net.

If you knew him, you knew he was a giant teddy bear. I had never really seen Emmett angry anywhere but on the ice. He adored Rosalie and was very protective of Alice and me. He was also a little over exuberant sometimes.

I squealed as he spun me and made me dizzy. "Emmett, put me down!"

Of course, as soon as I complained, Edward was there trying to take me down. He slapped the back of his brother's head and grabbed my arm in the same instant to keep me on my feet. "She's not a doll, jackass," he muttered.

"Sorry." Emmett grinned, but then winked as Rosalie added her own slap to the head. "Just really missed you, shorty."

"I've missed you too, Emmett." I grabbed Edward's hand to keep him close, but I had missed them all. Jasper was over Emmett's shoulder, and I smiled at him. His shaggy blond hair bounced as he nodded. I turned back to Emmett. "And don't call me shorty. You know I hate that nickname."

Emmett just grinned like a mischievous little snot. If I didn't love him so much, and he wasn't so much bigger than I was, I would beat him up. I had had no idea when I started going out with Edward that I was also going to inherent such a large family of characters. Being an only child and coming from a divorced family, it had been a little jarring to begin with, but I had quickly learned that I loved it. I loved that feeling of a close knit family that took care of each other and supported each other. Except for my dad, I had never known that. Obviously I married Edward, but I enjoyed getting his family in the process.

"Yeah, whatever, Shorty," Emmett muttered. "Has my brother been good to you, or do I need to beat him up?"

"He's been fine, Emmett." I leaned back against said brother, and he wrapped his arms back around my waist. It felt good to be back with him. I closed my eyes and felt him brush his lips over my hair. That was what I lived for—the bubble that Edward and I tended to create whenever we were together. It felt like home.

Alice took the occasion to push her way through this time. She had already started to push Emmett and Jasper back down the hallway. Now she grabbed her twin brother's arm from my waist and began pushing him down the hall with the others. "The three of you go and get changed. We have reservations at eight-thirty, and if you don't go get changed, we are going to be late."

Edward shrugged and sent me a wink. "We'll meet you out in the lobby in a couple minutes."

"Unless you and Edward want the showers to yourselves." Jasper grinned manically. "In that case. we'd rather just meet you at the restaurant. Wouldn't want to rush you."

Edward growled and chased his brothers back down the hallway toward the locker room, hollering the entire time. I shook my head. "I had forgotten how childish they could get when they were all together."

"Yeah, they're charming," Rosalie snarked and we laughed.

We waited in the lobby for about ten minutes before the boys showed back up clean and fresh. They were laughing and shoving each other, so I wasn't sure who had won this latest bout, but I really hoped that it was Edward. I didn't relish the thought of having to hear every joke about our sex life. High school was bad enough. I didn't need to deal with all that again.

Edward, his hair dripping water down his face, shouldered his heavy bag and grabbed my hand with his other. "Ready?" he asked, his voice heavy with symbolism. I knew that he meant more than just if I was ready to go to dinner. There was so much to be ready for.

"Yeah," I whispered, looking up at his beautiful green eyes. I was so ready for this. He grinned and it took over his whole face. I didn't want him to think that I was nervous. Besides, he was everything to me. I'd follow him to the ends of the earth.

"Hey, enough mushy." Emmett boomed, clearly forgetting that he was inside. "You're ruining my appetite."

Edward used the hand that wasn't currently gripping mine to flip off his brother off. It took everything in me to keep from giggling. Laughing would only make it worse. They were complete hams.

"Are you sure you still miss them?" Rosalie asked as we walked out the door. I nodded. I had definitely missed this.

I had forgotten how crazy Cullen family dinners could be. Well, these days they were Cullen/Whitlock dinners. Alice, Edward's twin sister, had married Edward's best friend Jasper Whitlock. Alice and Jasper fit together perfectly.

The boys, well, they would be boys. The constant bickering and ribbing was cute only for a little while. It didn't take long for me to want Esme, my mother-in-law, present. She was the one who knew how to control the boys. Rose, Alice, and I did our best, but there was only so much we could do.

Still I got to curl up next to Edward on the bench seat. Our hands never let go of each other. It was perfection.

Since the boys couldn't stay up late because of the game the next day, we turned in pretty quickly. Edward and I headed home with Alice and Jasper since we were staying in one of their guest bedrooms. Edward had stayed up talking to Jasper so that I could take a shower. He was in there while I worked on drying my long, dark hair. The water had shut off a while ago, however, so he must have been done.

I was just starting to wonder what was taking him so long when the door opened and my super sexy husband wandered out.

He was wearing nothing but a pair of boxers—sexy, skin tight, black boxers. They showed off his broad muscular shoulders, the lean planes of his chest, the very impressive eight pack, his hard, thick thighs, and the formed lines of his legs. I had to check myself before I let drool escape my mouth. There was something to be said for all that working out and practicing he did. I bit my lip. It had really been too long since we had been together.

He caught me looking and grinned. Shaking his fingers at me he said, "Na ah. Not tonight, woman. Hands to yourself."

I groaned. Stupid game tomorrow. Damn, I loved that man's body. It seemed like a shame that I wouldn't be able to do anything with it. "We don't have to do everything. Just something, you know?"

It was a good thing that he loved me so much. I had never been much good at being purposefully alluring. He grinned though. "Not tonight. I've got a big game tomorrow."

"Shouldn't you be the one begging me for sex at this point in our marriage?"

"Them's the digs when you marry a professional athlete. You knew that when you married me."

I groaned. Of course I knew that. Didn't mean I had to like it. "What about tomorrow night?"

His grin turned into a leer. "Baby, you know I get horny after big games."

And I often reaped the benefits of it. It was fantastic. "Don't get too excited, lover boy. We're going to dinner after the game with the whole family—your parents and my parents."

I didn't miss Edward's throat bobbing. Police Chief Charlie Swan still scared him a little. It didn't take long for his natural bravado to take over again. "We could play footsy under the table."

"Edward." I rolled my eyes. The truth was that he really would try. He wasn't kidding when he said that he got horny after games. It was all that adrenaline that got caught up in his system. "You will just have to wait for us to get back here."

He grinned, no doubt sensing the challenge in my words. "I bet I can make you scream."

"Ew, Edward, it's not our house, and Charlie will be down the hall."

Edward shrugged, apparently unconcerned. "We've been married for how long, baby? There isn't really anything he can say about that. Besides he wants grandkids, right?"

I froze, the easy atmosphere disappearing in an instant. It was one of our few arguments—kids. Edward wanted them, and it wasn't that I didn't. I could get used to the idea of having Edward's kids. I just didn't think that with him on the road so much and our financial situation, that now was the right time. He had tried to convince me otherwise. In the end we had come to a decision. We wouldn't actively try to have kids, but I did go off the pill, and we stopped using protection.

There was a part of this that had me worried, and I had never told Edward. I went off of the pill and we weren't exactly light on the sex. Yet, there had never been a moment when I thought that I might be pregnant. There were no missed opportunities, and none of those heart-stopping moments when I thought I might have been late. I knew that it was crazy, but I was wondering whether there was something wrong with me. I couldn't help it. I should have been able to shove it down, but I really did want kids with Edward at some point. The thought that I might not be able to scared me.

I felt the bed dip as he sat next to me. "Bella, I'm sorry," he said gently. "I didn't even think. It was just a joke. I am more than fine with our arrangement. You're right things are a little crazy right now, and I don't want to put you in a situation where you're stressed. I'll watch what I say from now on and…"

"No, no." I sniffed trying to keep from crying. "It's fine. I'm just overacting like normal. Stupid, I know."

"Hey." He grabbed my hands and cut off my rambling. "Bella, what's really going on here?"

"Nothing, nothing. It's just stupid."

"Nothing involving you is stupid." He countered. "Come on, tell me what's wrong."

With soft, halting words I explained to him my fears. I could see him fighting a smile and mock punched his hard shoulder as punishment. He just grinned and captured my fingers. "Stop laughing you jackass. It's not funny."

"I know. It's not funny," he said, a laugh still on the edge of his voice. "It's just so you worrying about something that you can't control. Bella, there is nothing wrong with you. People who are trying to have kids take longer and there is nothing wrong with them. When it's time, it'll happen, and if you want to start trying, you know where to find me."

Damn, he was too sweet for words. Rather than answer him, I leaned up and brushed my lips against his. It was sweet and passionate. He captured my bottom lip between his teeth and pulled gently. That boy was going to be the death of me. His tongue slipped into my mouth and tangled in the sweetest symphony. He tasted like mouthwash and Edward.

He pulled away with a smirk. "Not tonight, woman."

"Oh no, you were the one who deepened that, bud."

"Guilty as charged." He shifted so that he was sitting against the head board. He patted the space between his legs and reached over to grab my hairbrush from the bedside table. "Come here."

"You don't want anything to happen, but you want me between your legs?"

He rolled his eyes and pulled on my hand. "Don't be a smart ass."

He settled me between his thighs, my back to his chest, and carefully began to comb out the tangles in my hair. It was an odd little ritual we had developed. He liked combing my hair, and it always left me sedate and happy. The feeling of his fingers moving through my hair as they helped the comb along was erotic like nothing else could be. We chatted lightly while he worked, but for the most part we were silent. It seemed to be at odds, the gentleness with which he worked with me and the absolute ferocity with which he moved on the ice. I loved it. I loved that he was so careful and respectful with me. That didn't mean that we couldn't get a little rough sometimes, but these gentle, quiet times I loved the most.

He pushed hair off of my shoulder and bent down to press a soft, open mouth kiss against my shoulder, nuzzling his nose against me bare skin. I finally just leaned my head against his shoulder while his arms circled around my waist. I placed my hands on top of his and we stayed that way for an insurmountable amount of time.

I didn't know how long we had been there before he picked his head up from my neck and asked, "What are you wearing to the game tomorrow?"

"A pair of jeans and one of your old Thunderbirds jerseys." It had started in high school. The player's girlfriends always wore their partner's jerseys, and I had happily gone along with it. I loved wearing his jersey. I was proud of him, and I wanted to show it. Usually I would wear the jersey of the team he was currently playing for. Although I still had had all of his jerseys dating all the way back to high school, I didn't figure, since this had been such a last minute thing, that they had gotten any of his new Canuk's jerseys printed yet. I would just be patient and wait for a while.

Edward surprised me by kissing me hard and climbing off the bed. He dug through his duffel bag and brought out a clear bag with some kind of blue cloth inside. He slid back in next to me and handed me the bag. "Like I would let you go without," he said teasingly.

"You are making me go without." I snickered, and prepared to give him some more torture, but the words died as soon as I saw what was currently on my lap. It was a blue and white jersey with a huge number nine on the back. Above it was a name, "Cullen." My words died and a sob choked its way out of my throat.

"Wait? Why are you crying?" He sounded genuinely upset. His hand fluttered, trying to find some way to sooth away the sudden emotional outburst. "I thought you would like it."

"I do." I managed to choke out. I hurried to brush away tears before I freaked him even more. "I do, I do. I'm just having trouble believing it. Is this real? I'm not just dreaming right?"

I glanced up to find him watching my fingers tracing the "C" in his name. "I don't know, Bella. When I got the call I just, I was kinda in shock. I was in a daze. I don't think that I remember most of it until I called you. Then everything becomes clear again. I just had to call you, and it all started making sense."

I gave him a watery smile. "I'm so proud of you, Edward Anthony Cullen."

He swept me into his arms, with the jersey crushed between us. I could feel the shoulders that I clung to shake and wondered briefly if he wasn't as calm as he let on. "I wouldn't have been able to do it without you."

I shook my head against his neck. "You don't give yourself enough credit. Are you okay? You're not too nervous?"

He chuckled and I knew my suspicion was right. He was not as calm as he was letting on. His laugh was to too stiff and too dry to be real. I slid my hand across his shoulders and into the hair at the nape of his neck. It had always helped sooth him and I felt him sinking into me. He didn't place all of his weight into me, just enough that I could feel him and the tension snaking through his body.

"To be honest, Bella, I'm a nervous wreck. They could still send me back to the AHL, and I don't wanna go. I mean I've been impressive in practices, but that's just practice. I've got to prove myself at a game, and I've got to do it fast. I just feel like I'm going crazy. Now that I'm here, I need to stay here."

"You'll do fine, Edward." I wasn't about to tell him that I had these same worries. I didn't need to add to his plate. We could talk after the game and before I went home Sunday. For now he needed to stay focused here. "I believe in you, you're family believes in you, and the team clearly sees something in you. You're really awesome, Edward."

I felt him grin against my neck before he pulled us down onto the bed making me squeal. I giggled as he began peppering my face and neck with tiny fluttering kisses. "I thought you said that we couldn't do anything tonight."

He groaned and pulled away. I caught just a hint of a smirk on his face before he reached over to switch off the light. He spooned up behind me, pulling the covers over us. "Go to sleep, Bella."

"It better be good tomorrow." I warned with a smile. But I settled in next to him anyway as his breathing leveled out. I knew in that moment that if that game went well, then I was moving. I was not going to be away from this for too long.

Ok, one of the fun things I did as I was writing was give the player characters the numbers of RL hockey players that I liked and atmired. When it came time to give my star center forward a number there was only one choice.

I was a kid, growing up in Dallas. In 1999 the Dallas Stars won the Stanley Cup and number 9, Mike Modano was the awesomist. He is still my favorite player. Nothing will ever beat Mo. We're even retiring the number in March. I WILL BE THERE!

Ok, EDB's nostalgia time is over. Leave me a review? I promise I won't bite and would love to hear from you! And if you follow hockey, give me some of you're favorite players numbers. Would love to hear them!