"Long time no see, Julie The Cat."

His voice had grown deeper, she realized. At first she was a little startled that he remembered her name, then again, this was the guy that was probably out to humiliate her and get revenge for stealing his victory last year, "Gunnar." Did her voice really sound as light and breathless as she felt right now? Where were the others, couldn't they see the enemy talking to her!?

The corner of his mouth lifted into a small smirk, "You remember me."

How could she ever forget him? "Of course," she admitted and moved to sit up fully, "you were probably the best player in the tournament last year."

"It was not me that won the game; that was all you."

She swallowed thickly, her eyes closing briefly just knowing this was only the start of his taunting. Julie had known that he would want revenge against her, "If you are angry about what happened don't expect me to apologize."

"What's going on here?"

Julie stood up immediately and Adam came to stand beside her, he had always been the first one to come to her defense, even against his own teammates. Gunnar finally stood as well after watching them closely and Julie couldn't help the way her gaze quickly raked over his body, she hated how attractive he was! Thank goodness for the very dark sunglasses!

"We were reminiscing," the star player from Iceland explained while Adam made a show of putting his arm around Julie's shoulders, "I'll be seeing you Ducks later."

Adam released her as Charlie joined them, all three watching while Gunnar made his way back into the hotel. Charlie moved to grab Julie by the shoulders, "Are you okay, what was that all about? What did he say to you?"

"I'm fine," she told them honestly, "really I am. We didn't talk for that long and nothing happened."

Charlie and Adam shared a wary look, "Well come on Julie, let's go and change for dinner."

She nodded towards Banks and let them escort her back to her room. After convincing them that she really was okay they left her alone and promised to meet with her down in the lobby and travel to the restaurant together. She really loved her teammates, and Julie could tell that they knew something was wrong with her. Some of that spark had been taken from her as soon as her eyes first laid on Gunnar Stahl. She was absolutely dreading their first meeting on the ice.

And she hated feeling so worried, never before had a re-match bothered her. There was just something about Gunnar that put her on edge. With a sigh she decided to remove all thoughts of the deviously handsome Icelander from her mind. Deciding on one of the new dresses for the evening, she pulled the flowing creamy white cloth over her head. Her hair had dried with a few waves thanks to the pool water and not brushing after getting it wet and she decided to leave it down. Glancing in the mirror she could see a small burn on her skin that would quickly fade overnight into the beginning of a tan.

It was getting late and she wondered if Connie had already gotten ready while she was still at the pool with the others. Because it seemed that her pretty brunette friend was nowhere to be seen. Julie turned off the television and donned some low heels to meet up with the boys down in the lobby.

Grabbing her key card for the room, she turned off the lights and walked out into the hall. Taking a couple turns before finding the elevator she stopped as she noticed the one guy that she just couldn't seem to stop running into today. She watched as he pressed the down arrow for the elevator to arrive to their floor. Breathing in deeply she refused to let him dictate her actions, she had to face this head on if she was ever going to get him out of her head. She just wished he didn't look so good dressed in grey trousers and a black button-down, what was wrong with her?

So with sure and confident steps she made her way towards him. She noticed the slight surprise as he turned and noticed her. His body turning to welcome her presence as they both waited.

"Julie The Cat…"

"…Julie or Cat," she interrupted him with hard eyes; he really needed to stop talking the whole third-person thing when addressing her. She was just glad she found some of her backbone again.

It took him a moment to respond as his eyes quickly assessed her. His mouth opened to speak but he was stopped by the dinging arrival of their elevator. Julie watched as the doors opened and he raised him arm in a gesture to let her go first. She walked by him and had to close her eyes, he smelled wonderful and just being near him was making her crazy. Would he hurt her, yell at her? He stepped in right behind her and both of their hands went to push the button that would take them to the lobby floor.

Their fingers touched and Julie certainly could feel a spark run through her body. Immediately she pulled away and he was the one to finally determine where the elevator would take them.

In a surprise move she found that he turned around and slowly backed her against the side wall, her breathing escalated and when he finally spoke his voice was much deeper than she remembered ever hearing, "Julie," he paused for a long moment, her spoken name hanging between them, "earlier you said I was angry at you. You are wrong."

She cursed the way her stomach tightened and her heart fluttered at the sound of her name passing from his lips. This wasn't fair, why was he able to affect her like this!? "You aren't?"

He frowned at the timid sound in her voice. This was not the fierce and skilled goaltender he remembered so very clearly. Slowly he shook his head side to side, "Why would I blame you for making a save?" With wide eyes she saw the truth in his dark silver gaze and he let out a small chuckle before saying, "I've thought about you everyday since that night."

Julie blinked in surprise, "Me? But why?" She couldn't help but to also add on in a whispered voice, "You must hate me."

Gunnar put a hand on the wall beside her head and slightly leaned closer to her, "I could never hate you. The respect for the game and your confidence taught me so much, it is because of you and the Ducks that our team mentality changed."

"Gunnar, I…" the elevator stopped and the doors opened. The way he was looking at her and with his voice so low and deep, she was reacting to him in a way she didn't really want to understand.

He tilted his head slightly yet made no move to get off the elevator; barely had she recognized that he pressed the button to close the doors. She watched as his eyes roamed her face even as he leaned his body in to press gently against her own, and when his gaze dropped to her lips she couldn't stop the shudder of anticipation that went through her.

Suddenly the doors opened again and an elderly couple was making their way in. Gunnar allowed for Julie to make her escape and go around him and he followed after her. At the end of the hall she peered at him over her shoulder. He had his hands deep in his pockets but his gaze was very much on her.

"Julie."

She turned and waited for him to reach her again, "Gunnar, I don't really understand what is going on here," she swallowed nervously and bit at her bottom lip, "is this your way of getting back at me?"

Julie watched as his gaze turned hard and he let out a deep breath, "People can change," he declared, "I'm not the same fool as last year, you don't know me."

She crossed her arms, finally finding that familiar fire that he easily remembered, "That's right, I don't know you. But Gunnar, don't think for one second that you know me either. I will not let you use me in your sick game of revenge."

"I don't care about losing to you Julie," his voice was hard and firm, "things have changed, I changed. I wasn't lying when I said it was because of you."

"Then what do you want from me!?"

He took a step closer and gently grabbed her chin, "I'm still figuring that out."

Julie stood there in shocked silence as he actually kissed her cheek before disappearing around her. After several long moments of standing in surprise her hand flew to the place where his lips met her flesh. He kissed her. Gunnar Stahl kissed her cheek.

"Uh Cat," Connie and Guy had just rounded a corner to see their friend and star goalie standing stock still, blushing beet red with her hand cradling her right cheek, "you okay?"

"Huh?"

Guy started laughing even as his girlfriend frowned, "Come on ladies, surely everyone is waiting for us."

Julie briefly nodded as she tried her best to calm down. Connie took her arm and whispered hotly in her ear, "What happened, I know you didn't get that sunburned."

"I'll tell you later but Connie," she stared her in the eyes, "it has to stay between us."

She agreed with a quick nod and smiled when Guy checked to make sure they were still following him through the hall and into the lobby area. Charlie smiled when he noticed them and quickly tucked Julie under his arm. He successfully got her to laugh over something stupid Wu and Averman did.

And just as promised he, along with Adam, remained by her side as they traveled to the restaurant and sat next to her on either side as well. Connie and Guy sat across from them and Julie found herself enjoying the meal and old familiar banter of her teammates and friends. Still though, nothing and no one could get the thought of Gunnar's lips on her cheek out of her mind. She didn't know what it meant; maybe he really was just thanking her for apparently changing him for the better. Gah! It was just so confusing!

It was after 11 at night before Guy finally left their hotel room. And as soon as he was gone Connie rounded on her roommate with hands on hips and a knowing smile plastered to her face.

"Alright Cat, time to spill."

Julie groaned to herself and fell back on her bed, "I had a run-in with a Viking."

Though the goalie couldn't see, Connie's brows raised, "So what happened? Honestly Cat, you looked like a girl who was just kissed for the first time." At Julie's silence Connie outright gasped and flew to her friend's bed, "Who was it!?"

Letting out yet another long breath Julie eyed her friend carefully, "And you promise to keep this between us? I'm serious Connie, you can't even tell Guy."

"I promise."

Julie let the silence linger between them before finally getting it out, "Gunnar Stahl."

Connie grinned and stretched out beside her friend, "Hooking up with the sexy enemy from Iceland, Cat? I didn't know you had it in you."

She shoved at her playfully, "It wasn't like that; he only kissed me on the cheek. I was just shocked that it actually happened."

"So something must have occurred for him to do that, what did you say to get him to lay one on you?"

"Nothing," Julie sat up and pulled her knees into her chest and hugged them with her arms, "actually I think I insulted him. Then he said he wasn't the same person as last year. I don't know Connie; I think he was…thanking me? Maybe it's normal for people in his country to kiss girls on the cheek in way of thanks."

"Okay slow down," Connie told her and moved to wrap an arm around her best friend's shoulders in comfort, clearly seeing that Cat needed it, "Why would he thank you, weren't you the one that caused their team to lose?"

Julie shrugged non-committedly, "He mentioned that I was part of why he changed."

"Hopefully for the better," Connie noted mostly to herself, "he and that Sanderson goon were pretty ignorant, especially to you and me. Weren't they the reason you got kicked out of the first game against them?"

Nodding, Cat admitted her fear, "I just hope this isn't just some big ploy of his to get revenge."

Connie couldn't help but agree, she hoped for the same thing.