Emador- Glad you liked last chapter. I hope this chapter kinda brings everything full circle.

Flowersc781- You are like the president of the Bah fanclub, LOL. I hope this chapter answers all your questions.

Meadow567- I bet if you relax, they'll play better! Also, you're on the right road about the story.

Prettypinkcheer5- Yes, you are on the right track. I don't know how much you know about the Penguins, but you're thinking right.

Lia06- I hope this chapter makes you feel better about Craig. I was trying to show that even though he is older, all men have similar urges and such! LOL

Disclaimer- The title of this chapter is a Don Henley lyric. I own no part of the song and give Henley full credit for an awesome song!

December, 1979
Minneapolis, MN

We'd been home from the IHL game a few days. I'd avoided Craig as best I could and he didn't push me. The boys seemed more relaxed now that Harrer was back to playing with just the Gophers.

I knew that I owed Craig and explanation. And I knew that he and I needed to talk, rather than me avoid him like I was in Junior High. I hoped that Craig would understand when I explained everything to him. Jake had told me in my dream that Craig would understand, but I was still reluctant to talk about it.

It was Friday night when I finally worked up the courage to go talk to Craig. I knocked on the door to his apartment, not even sure if he'd be home or not. I hadn't talked to him in a few days and had no idea what his plans held.

Craig opened the door. "Kylah…is everything okay?"

"Can we talk?" I asked.

"Yeah, I think we need to." Craig said and let me into his apartment.

I went and sat on his couch and he joined me.

"I'm sorry that I haven't talked to you in a few days. It's just been hard for me to work up the courage to talk to you after Milwaukee." I said.

"It's okay. You needed a few days to yourself; I'd never begrudge you that." Craig said.

"And I am sorry that I ran out on you in Milwaukee." I said.

"That's my fault. I moved entirely too fast and was impatient." Craig said.

"No, I think you were well within reason. I mean, we've been dating awhile…of course you want to follow the natural course of action." I said.

"But I didn't have the right to unload all my frustration on you." Craig said.

"Well all that aside, I still feel I owe you an explanation." I told him.

"You don't have to explain anything. I'll just wait until you're ready and you come to me." Craig said.

"No, I feel there are some things you need to know. I think you have the right to know them and it would greatly help you understand the other night." I said.

"Well go ahead." Craig leaned back.

"Remember I said I was uncomfortable with sex in general?" I asked. Craig nodded. "Well truth is…I'm not quite a virgin."

Craig raised an eyebrow. "Well…I didn't expect that but it doesn't change how I feel towards you. I'm not a virgin either." Craig said. "But what do you mean 'not quite a virgin'? Either you are or you aren't?"

"Well, I'm not but just barely not." I said. "I've only sorta had sex once."

"Kylah, I don't follow." Craig sighed.

"When I was in high school…..the year after Jake was killed, I was in a bad place emotionally. Well one Friday night, I went to our high school's bonfire pep rally. Rick Deveraux was there; he was a running back on the football team. I'd had a mild crush on him for years. Well at the pep rally, Rick invited me to go to a party with him. I went; it was at another football player's house." I explained.

"And you got drunk and woke up with a hangover and no clothes?" Craig asked.

"No. Anyway, we get to the party and Rick came on a bit strong. We ended up in the den. I knew we were going to have sex. I wanted it at the time. I wanted to feel close to someone because I'd felt so empty after burying Jake just a few weeks earlier." I said.

"So you had a one night stand in high school because you were grieving." Craig stated.

"Not exactly. You see, I was nervous to start with….and Rick wasn't patient or gentle at all. I asked him to slow down but he didn't and I wasn't sure what to expect. I remember asking him to be careful because I'd heard first time's hurt for girls, but he wasn't. I started crying because it hurt and I was scared. Rick got mad and said I'd ruined it for him by crying. He got off me, masturbated into a garbage can, redressed and went back to the party." I explained, without realizing it I had started wringing my hands. "So, I cleaned myself up as best I could. There was blood all over my thighs from….well you know. Went home and never spoke a word of it to anyone until now."

"Kylah….I'm sorry. I didn't know." Craig said and took my hand. "No woman should ever have to go through that, especially not someone as sweet as you. No wonder you're afraid of sex."

"I've learned to deal with it as best I can." I said.

"Kylah…what that boy did you…..sex is never supposed to be like that. It's not supposed to hurt and cause fear; it's supposed to be enjoyable for both people involved." Craig said.

"I know that…but I'm still scared." I said.

"Baby, what you've experienced wasn't making love as it should be. That was barely sex…it was about a step away from rape." Craig said and ran a hand down my cheek. "No one should ever treat you that way. And I never would."

"I know you wouldn't. And I'm sorry that I ran out on you in Milwaukee, I just didn't know how to tell you why I was apprehensive." I said. "I must sound like such a victim."

"No, you don't. The fact that you can talk about it, and haven't allowed it to keep you from dating at all speaks volumes." Craig said.

"Whatever you want to do from here, I'll understand." I told Craig.

"What? Kylah, I'm not going to leave you over this. That would make me as big a bastard as that boy was." Craig said. "I don't think dynamite could get me away from you."

I gave a small chuckle. "I'm glad to hear that….but I can't make any guarantees. I mean, yes I am going to want to have sex eventually. But I don't know when that will be." I said.

"I'll be okay. I am willing to wait." Craig said.

I smirked. "What about your hot water heater?"

"It can stay dormant." Craig winked. "Listen, I am really sorry about those comments."

"It's okay. It's kinda nice to know you think about me that way." I said.

"Well it's true. You're very pretty, and you do things that are such a turn on and you don't even realize you're doing them." Craig said.

I took a deep breath." Craig, what happens if down the road, you decide I'm not good enough in the bedroom for you?"

"Will you quit worrying about that? Sex is pretty much the same at any age, unless you're so old that you have to get one of those geriatric alternatives books. And I am not that old yet." Craig winked. "Besides, I don't expect you to swing from the rafters, beat me with a whip and then urinate down my back."

"What kind of people does that?" I was appalled.

"Scary what you learn living in a big city." Craig shrugged.

"So you forgive me?" I asked.

"Nothing to forgive. I understand completely." Craig said.

I hugged him and realized that Jake had been right all along.

"It's Friday night…want to catch a movie?" Craig asked me.

"Sure, got a newspaper so we can see what is playing?" I asked.

"No, but we'll head out there. If there is nothing we like, we'll drive around town and look at the houses decorated for Christmas." Craig smiled.

"Sounds great…..Craig, thank you for being so understanding about everything." I said.

"Nothing that happened was your fault, and I care enough about you to accept everything in your past and let things work out." Craig said.

I smiled, and hurried to my apartment to get my coat. Craig was waiting for me when I returned. He helped me with my coat and scarf. I wasn't used to this kind of cold weather, but was enjoying it.

"Ready to go?" Craig asked.

"Yeah. Let's go." We started walking down the hall.

"What do you mean my cologne is cheap?" Janny suddenly stormed into the hall.

"I think it stinks and is not going to help you tonight." Verchota said from across the hall.

"You're all wasting your time. I am going to win this, hands down." Silk said from his room.

"What is going on?" I asked Cox, who was standing in the hall shaking his head.

"Some of the boys are going out tonight to that bar down the street and they have bets going on who will get the farthest with the girls they hit on." Cox explained.

"Put me down for $5.00 on O'Callahan." I giggled.

"You'd bet on OC over me?" Janny whined.

"OC is good looking and has a silver tongue." I smiled.

"Obviously she's been talking to my past girlfriends." OC sauntered into the hall.

"Uhhhhh, Craig and I are gonna go. Have fun tonight boys." I said and walked out with Craig.