Complicated

Chapter Eleven: No One Else

I want you
Or no one
No one else for me
You, or no one
'Cause no one else is strong enough, strong enough
To slow me down in time to set me free

Rachel Yamagata - I Want You

The ice rink at the Rockefeller Centre was strangely quiet for the evening time. Grace thought that it was due to the fact the temperature had dropped yet again. The snow had come down at some point late last night so fresh heaps of it outlined the outside of the rink. Above them the trees were decorated with silver fairy lights illuminating the rink in such a way that it appeared romantic. Grace had never thought of the ice rink as romantic, at least not until now.

Don was sitting along side her on the bench, hunched over as he retied the laces on his skates. He was clad in navy blue denim jeans that hugged the contours of his lower body. Underneath his dark brown leather jacket he wore a black long sleeved T-shirt that showed off his muscle definition.

Today was their evening off, their case had caught an early break when Adam had gotten a confession from the Deputy Mayor's son Jake Kaplin. She'd seen the emotional toll it had taken on her friend during the interrogation, what had happened with Jake had cut too close to home. It had taken Adam years to lean how to cope with his OCD. Grace had offered to take him for a drink after work but Adam had declined, he was going home to be with Beth tonight.

"So how long exactly has it been since you last skated?" Don asked Grace, a boyish smile spreading across his handsome features.

"It's been a while." Grace admitted as Don adjusted Grace's lavender scarf. "But it's kind of like riding a bike right?"

Don ran his tongue over his lower lip as he sniggered at the uncertain expression upon Grace's features. He rose to his feet before taking her small hands in his.

"Come on." Don said, pulling Grace to her feet.

"You won't let me fall right?" Grace questioned as he led her to the edge of the ice.

Dimples appeared on Don's face as he took a step backwards onto the ice. He was a natural, she had known the first time that she'd seen him play Hockey that he belonged on the ice.

"Have I ever?" he asked her, drawing her onto the ice with a gentle tug."You've never ice skated before have you?"

"Not since I was twelve." she muttered as Don pulled her along slowly.

"Just move your feet a little more." he advised, picking up the pace. "Your getting the hang of it now."

Grace looked down as her blades moved across the ice. Don was beaming at her as he released her hands and skated just out of reach. Grace shot him a worried glance as she concentrated on the movements of her feet.

"I can't believe you've never been here before, I used to come here all the time as a kid with my old man." Don said, skating beside her.

Grace cast a coy smile in Don's direction as he took her hand, their fingers entwining into something more intimate as they skated together.

"You know me, I prefer being on the baseball diamond as opposed to playing in snow forts."

"Is that where you met Brendan?" Don returned, his voice nonchalant.

Don tilted his head towards her with a knowing look as Grace let out a deep sigh.

"People talk Gracie." Don reminded her.

"I was going to ask you to the ball but we had that fight and he asked me out." Grace explained squeezed his hand lightly. "I was just so mad at you because I was finally trying to take a step and you were shutting me out. I wanted to stay over that night but I got the call out and you were so upset I couldn't explain."