Love on Ice

Chapter 23 - James

I place Liv's phone in my back pocket once I'm confident she's over the worst of it.

"She's on her way to pick you up, she'll be here in 15, she's getting an Uber," I say, "can you stand Liv?, Let's get you to my office."

She nods her head gently before placing one of her hands on the floor, keeping her other hand gripping mine as she slowly rises to her feet.

Her other hand instantly grabs hold of my forearm as she closes her eyes and starts to sway.

"I feel faint," she mutters.

Shit.

"It's alright, it's alright," I say as I move down and place one arm under her knees and one across her back before lifting her into my arms, "I got you Liv."

I unlock the door and head out of the corridor with Liv in my arms.

She has her eyes closed and is nuzzled into my chest.

I can feel the weight of her in my arms, not her weight but the feeling that she's clearly weak and tired.

I make my way to my office and use my hand behind her back to gently open the door, making sure not to disturb Liv too much.

I lay her down on the sofa and push the hair that's fallen across her face.

She opens her eyes slightly before taking a large breath and closing them again.

I grab the throw at the other end and lay it over her, engulfing her whole body.

I sit down on the floor in front of her face as I gently caress her cheek.

I can feel the tears filling my eyes.

What the fuck just happened?

And why did Megs know exactly what to do?

This must have happened before.

15 minutes has passed when I feel Liv's phone vibrating in my back pocket.

I pull it out and see Megs name.

"Megs, you alright?" I ask as I get up from the floor.

"I'm in the arena James, where are you two?" she asks.

"My office," I give her the directions and head to my door.

I stand between the door and the corridor, holding it open with my foot as I see Megs running down the hallway towards me.

"Is she alright?" she asks as she reaches me.

"I think so, she's out for the count," I nod towards her as Megs steps into the office.

Megs crouches down besides Liv and gently shakes her arm.

"Liv, Livy wake up, it's Megs," she says softly.

Liv doesn't move, she stays completely out.

Meg looks up at me, face defeated.

"I don't think she will be waking up anytime soon," she starts as she rises and walks towards me, "sometimes she drops like a fly after these things and doesn't wake up for hours after," she states as she glares back at Liv's sleeping figure.

"Sorry to bombard your evening James, but do you mind driving us back to the house? I don't really want to have to carry her in an Uber like that," she states as she points to Liv.

"Of course I can Megs, I think Liv's bag is in the arena, let me grab it and we can head off," I say as I walk towards the door.

"Okay, thank you James," she states as she returns to Liv's side.

I find Liv's bag exactly where I thought it would be and make my way back to my office.

I walk in and find Megs in the same position I was 5 minutes ago, crouched down and caressing Liv's cheek.

She rises as I enter, before taking Liv's bag and starting packing up her bits.

I move the blanket from Liv and bring her back into my arms, "ready?" I ask Megs.

"Yep, I'll get the door," she says as she open's it up for me.

Once I've placed Liv into the back seat of my truck and buckle her in, I round the car and make my way into the driver's side as Megs sits in the passenger seat.

As I pull away Megs runs her hand through her hair and lets out a breathy sigh.

"Do you know what caused this?" she asks me, "like what situation was she in when it happened?".

"Connor, one of the team, mentioned to me how she acted weird when he saw her before practice" I start, "I noticed she barely took any photos and her mind was completely elsewhere, I caught up with her as she was coming out of the bathroom after training, and she went all weird and defensive on me," I say on a sigh.

"Shit, I probably came off to hard or pushed too much but I could tell she wasn't right, and I was so worried."

Megs turns in her seat and looks at me, "James, I really don't think you would have caused this, I just wanted to know as I try and make note of what situation she is in so I can avoid it with her, if possible, in the future, you know," she adds.

"How often does this happen Megs?" I ask, I can feel my pulse in my ears.

"Not that often...but often enough," she sighs as she settles back in her seat.

"Why?" I ask, "why does this happen to her?"

Fuck, was that a dick comment?

I didn't mean it that way.

"I didn't mean it that way, I meant..."

"I know what you meant James, and to be honest," she stops before continuing, "it's not my place to say, if Liv wants to tell you then she will, just promise me you won't pry anything from her," she replies.

Shit, what has this girl been through?

My heart is physically breaking at the thought of Liv going through something.

"I won't, I promise, I just want to make sure she is safe and well, okay," I add.

"Just give her time James, she will come around, she trusts you, I can tell," Megs replies.

I can't help but smile inside knowing that Megs thinks Liv trusts me, all I want to do is be there for her and help her through whatever it is she's going through.

We reach the house and I carry Liv inside, Megs asks me to take her straight to her bed so she can wake up in a comforting environment.

I follow Megs up to Liv's room and place her down before I step back.

I watch as Megs tucks Liv under the duvet and pushes her hair behind her head before muttering quietly 'love you Livy'.

We make our way downstairs and I thank Megs for the help this evening.

She returns my thanks and tells me she's so grateful Liv had someone with her.

Just as I reach the door Megs calls from behind me, "James, can I give you my number so that if something like this ever happens again you can just phone me?".

That would be a good idea.

Especially if Liv doesn't have her phone on her.

"That sounds like a good idea," we both exchange phone numbers and I ask Megs to text me in the morning if Liv is alright before we say our goodbyes.

I take a seat in my truck and rest my head on the steering wheel.

Fuck.

Driving away knowing what just happened was the hardest thing.

But I need to give Liv space.

That way, she will open up to me.

My Livy.