"Dane, don't!" I shouted before the goalie even moved.

I had known Dane for years. Because he was the goalie he didn't always have the opportunity to fight, but damn, he loved it. And The Wall could so easily fill up a net with his six foot six inch, two hundred fifty pound body. Having all that mass and all that rage coming towards a person must've been terrifying.

In comparison to Hudson, the toned snowboarder, he was a mountain of muscle.

Dane didn't care, never did. He would fight anyone who wanted it. And Hudson was already knee deep in a war he hadn't started, but now he had fired his first bullet.

The goalie was almost delighted to return the favor, delivering a hard blow to Hudson's cheek. It was so fast that Hudson didn't even have a chance to block it or dodge it. The snowboarder stumbled back, only able to catch himself on the bar stool that he had been sitting on before just seconds before. If only he had remained sitting.

"Dane, stop!" I shouted as people in the bar began to turn and stare. But no one cared enough to intervene. It was just like this was a brawl on the ice. They were here for entertainment.

But I wasn't going to let that happen to Hudson. He had no idea what Dane was like, but I did. I didn't feel like the dainty damsel who couldn't meet his eye anymore. I wasn't screaming for help, or begging them to stop. I leapt off the stool, ready to physically break up the fight.

But neither man cared about what I was saying or the action I was taking to stop them. Hudson recovered from the punch to his face and swung back at Dane. I can't imagine Hudson had much practice with fights. It didn't seem like something that would be a common occurrence on the slopes, but that didn't stop his enthusiasm.

Dane was well versed in this though. He grabbed a hold of Hudson's wrist before it landed on him. And then he slammed his closed fist into Hudson's gut. It was typical of a hockey player. Hit where there was no padding. Once the helmet was off the face became a target, but the stomach was just as unprotected. Hudson crumpled when Dane let go of his wrist.

"Stop!" I screamed, thrusting my body in between the two of them before either of them could make another move.

I could hear Hudson groaning and wheezing from behind me, probably clinging to the bar stool as he tried to catch his breath and bearings. Dane was in front of me, his arm drawn back, ready to hit him again. Those furious eyes met mine. I wondered what would happen if he hit me, if these useless onlookers would interject then.

"Get out of the way, Penny," Dane ordered through clenched teeth, his eyes still locked on this opponent. The only people who broke up dane's fights were refs. There were none here, leaving only me to protect Hudson.

"Why?" I demanded, taking a step towards him. He didn't move back like I had wanted him to, but his fist lowered slowly. I narrowed my eyes up at him, hoping that- though I was tiny comparison- I was a little intimidating. "Your problem isn't with him. It's with me. I'm the one who left Connor. I'm the one who decided that I had more worth than letting someone cheat on me. I'm the one you should be fighting."

"Penny-" he began, suddenly no longer able to hold my eyes.

I didn't want to hear it. "Come on, call me a slut again. Tell me about how awful I am because I wanted something more. Tell me that i'm a whore because I decided that I need to care about myself too." Tears were in my eyes now, but I refused to look anywhere but his face. I wanted him to see how much this had destroyed me. "I've spent weeks hiding. I had to move out of my apartment and avoid all the restaurants I used to love because I knew you guys were all like this. But it didn't matter, because you found me anyway. So are you happy, Dane? Do you feel like you've done a wonderful job protecting the man who cheated on me with multiple women?"

Dane opened his mouth to reply, but a big, burly man grabbed his forearm. The bar security glared at him, daring him to open up a challenge. "You need to leave. Now. Or we are calling the police." Those strong, stern eyes flashed to me. "You get him out of here, too." A less concerned nod was directed at Hudson.

"Of course," I whispered. I moved back, stepping away from the goalie that I used to admire so much.

Security kept a tight grip on Dane as he was pulled out of the bar. For a moment it looked like he was about to protest, but his shoulders slumped and he allowed himself to be tugged around.

Since it was clear that our end had been diffused, Hudson and I were given a few moments to collect ourselves. He was rattled, but not too hurt that he couldn't move himself about which I deemed good. I called a taxi, knowing that we were both too intoxicated to drive, then wrapped an arm around Hudson and led him outside. We were both silent and buried in heavy thought or just too drunk to process what had just happened.

"Come on," I whispered when the cab pulled up to the curb just outside of my apartment complex. "Let me clean you up. It's the least I can do for you right now."

"It's alright," Hudson murmured, his eyes closed and his head leaning back against the headrest.

"Come on, taking this taxi to Canmore is going to cost a leg. We can figure out everything in the morning."

Hudson grunted, but got out of the taxi while I paid the driver.

Before we had gone out tonight I had denied his offer to come and pick me up at my door. I had been embarrassed with the state of my home, worried that it was messy and small. It would give away how much I was struggling. Now, I just held onto his wrist and pulled him up the stair wells, down the hallway and through my door without a thought.

Hudson and I both winced at the bright light when I flicked the switch in the entrance.

"Go sit on the couch," I instructed, already kicking off my shoes. "I'll go grab my first aid kit."

"Don't, please. I've already caused so much trouble for you. I should just go home," he muttered.

"Hudson, in one night you've done more for me than anyone has in years. Please, just let me do this for you. I want to make sure you're okay," I replied, already half way in my bedroom. When I didn't hear any protesting I entered the small space and got down on my knees and patted under my bed, waiting for my fingers to touch the metal of the case instead of carpet. When I found it I made my way back into the main area where Hudson was sitting on my couch, his eyes closed and his head tipped back the same way he had been in the back of the taxi.

"Alright, let's take a look," I breathed, switching on the lamp closest to him. I thought I would gasp in horror and reel backwards. Dane certainly knew how to throw solid punches. And Hudson did look a little roughed up, but it certainly wasn't that bad. At least nothing looked broken or crooked. Just some swelling and the skin had split along his cheek bone, leaving a little bit of blood.

After years of being with a hot headed hockey player this was minor. I cracked open the first aid kit and settled myself on the arm of my couch.

"Turns out that hockey players kind of know how to fight," Hudson laughed, his head still leaning back and his eyes closed as I began cleaning the dried blood off his cheek.

"It's kind of part of the sport," I murmured. "It shouldn't be, but it is."

"Not a violent person then?"

"Not even a little bit," I whispered, leaning over him. "It causes so much brain damage and facial injuries. As if there wasn't enough contact in the sport already."

Feeling my weight shift, his eyes fluttered open. For a moment, my drunken state caused me to freeze. With the light shining above him and his lips parted so slightly he was so handsome it made me stop and just stare. My eyes followed every movement as his tongue drifted out, slowly running across his lips.

It sounded like his breath got stuck in his throat, but I couldn't be sure.

"I promise I'm not an angry drunk," Hudson said, his eyes falling shut again.

At that I had to laugh a little bit, despite the way my heart was fluttering in my chest. "I know. Your kindness is one of the things I love about you."

"Oh? What else do you love about me?" he teased.

"You're always smiling, always so happy about everything. You're also super thoughtful. Even if you show it by nagging me about my car tires. Plus, Max is a super cute dog so that gives you bonus points."

The corner of his mouth quirked up as I set down the cloth I was using to clean off the blood. Those eyes opened again and I was swept away by the warmth in them as I always was. I felt my body tipping towards him again.

"Penelope," Hudson began, his voice sounding raspier than it was before. The softness in his eyes was slipping away as his gaze settled on my lips. His hands lifted out of his lap and settled on my thighs. "I know that you don't want to date your clients, but-"

I didn't let him finish. I placed my hands on top of his and leaned down, my lips on his.