Frozen Hearts

Chapter 11

******** Cliffhanger warning ********

[Flashback]

Barry closed his eyes as he relished in the sound of the crowd. When he opened them again they shone about as bright as the spotlights that followed the skaters on the ice. The blue atmospheric light gave the arena a magical touch and his face was plastered with a permanent smile that nothing could shake off. It was their first ever competition and he couldn't be more excited. A sudden movement next to him drew his attention and he turned around to find Iris standing next to him. Her hair was up in a bun and the corner of her eyes sparkled with tiny rhinestones. She was wearing (what to Barry) looked like a glittery, light purple, kiddies swim suit with a barely there skirt attached to it. He thought she looked pretty.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," she held her tummy with both her hands as she looked at the rink. One of the couples they were competing against was on the ice and Iris looked petrified with every jump, throw and twirl performed.
"Hey. Iris. It's OK. We've done this a billion times. You don't have to be scared." he reassured her with a smile. She turned to him, her face still that of a girl afraid so in a last attempt to make her calm down Barry hugged her. That always seemed to make her feel better. Iris closed her eyes and tried to relax. She trusted him and she knew that no matter what happened out there he'd always be there to catch her.

"I'm here with you Iris and I'll always be here to protect you OK?" she noded her head with unsure eyes.
"Let's just go out there and have some fun. Don't think about the crowd or the lights, just imagine that you're back home with me and everything will be alright." he reassured her and just then the couple ended their routine. They were up next. They made their way to the entry point of the rink, shook hands with their opponents in a polite exchange of 'well done / goodluck' and uncovered their blades. Their names were announced and Iris took a deep breath plastering her most radiant smile onto her face. They stepped onto the ice together and Barry gave her hand a slight squeeze calming her down a bit. Back - to - back, they paused in the middle of the rink and Iris closed her eyes to clear her mind as she waited for the music to start. Barry was filled with anticipation and when the melody of Sleeping Beauties waltz finally hit his ears he spun around took Iris's hand in his, turned her around to face him and when their eyes met all else faded. It was just the two of them and their love for the ice. They waltzed around on the ice, gliding through it like it was second nature to them.

The routine flowed out of them, each spin, dip and dive carefully choreographed yet executed with such grace that its seemed spontaneous and natural. Iris completely forgot that it was a competition and let her self have fun, sassing things up as she let go of Barry and skated away pretending that she was mad. It was all part of the show. She counted the beats in her head till he held her again and she turned around with a bright smile. She jumped into his arms and he lifted her into the air with one strong push, spinning her around as she maintained her stance. He brought her down slowly, her body sliding down against his (though at that point in their youth it was an innocent action) the tip of her one skate hit the ice, followed by another and they stood there exchanging heavy breaths for a second before he spun her out then pulled her back in so that her back hit his chest and her arms were crossed infront of her. They looked up with triumphant smiles and the crowd went wild...

[Barry]

She was in his arms again and nothing in the world had ever felt so right. She was meant to be there. Meant to be so close to him that they heated each other up on the ice. The routine was over and she'd performed it as beautifully as she did the first day they competed. He thought she'd let go and put some distance between them but instead she stayed in his arms as they both caught their breaths. In a bold move he spun her around to face him, suddenly with out warning. Her hands fell on his chest and he planted his on her waist.

She looked at him in shock, taken by surprise by his action and no doubt by the sudden intimacy of the moment. He leaned into her, slowly and trapped in the moment she didn't resist. Instead she closed her eyes and waited for the inevitable meeting of their lips. Her perfume took over his sences, a mixture of milk and honey, and he slowed his approach in order to trully appreciate it. His heart hammered in his chest, he'd waited for this for so long, to hold her again, kiss her again, except that this time he wouldn't let her walk away. Her breath played on his lips that were a mere sheet of paper away from hers and time seemed to slow down...

BANG!