Home Ice

Twenty minutes later, the bathroom light was off.

The storm was still raging outside, howling against the brick of the building, but the apartment was quiet.

They were on the sofa. The television was off. The only light came from the streetlamps filtering through the sheer curtains.

Gavin was lying down, his long legs hanging off the end of the small couch. His head was in Sophie’s lap. He had stripped off the ruined jacket and the bloody shirt, wearing only his undershirt and slacks.

Sophie ran her fingers through his dark hair, scratching lightly at his scalp. Every time she did, she felt a tension knot release in his neck.

"You okay?" she whispered.

"Yeah," Gavin rumbled. His eyes were closed. "Head hurts. But... I'm okay."

He reached up, blindly seeking her hand. She gave it to him. He interlaced their fingers, resting their joined hands on his chest.

"I'm not going back to the penthouse," he said sleepily.

"Okay," Sophie said.

"I mean... ever," Gavin said. He opened his good eye to look up at her. "I'm done hiding from you. I'm done trying to protect you from me. It doesn't work. I just bleed out faster when you're not there."

Sophie smiled. It was a soft, sad, happy thing. "I’m not going anywhere, Gav. I’m right here. I’m always right here."

"Not a sidekick," he mumbled, his words slurring as sleep finally dragged him under. "You're the whole damn team, Soph. You're the whole game."

Sophie watched him as his breathing evened out, deepening into the heavy rhythm of sleep. She traced the line of his jaw, the heavy brow, the lips that were usually set in a scowl but were now relaxed.

She realized she had been wrong all these years. She wasn't the supporting character in his story. She was the plot. She was the destination.

The Monster was asleep, and the boy was safe.

"Goodnight, Gavin," she whispered.

She leaned back against the cushions, listening to the wind, and for the first time in a long time, Sophie Miller didn't feel like she was watching life from the bleachers. She was right at center ice, exactly where she belonged.