by April Cronin
No one was going to ruin Peter's evening with the Stanley Cup. If anyone deserved this time, it was Peter. And though he had invited Harmony and her father, he wasn't sure if she was going to come. Bill had taken him up on his offer, and was bringing his girlfriend with him, but he hadn't said whether or not Harmony was coming too.
Peter hoped she would.
After their encounter late in the previous week, Harmony had taken to ignoring his calls once more. He just didn't understand her. One minute he was sure she believed in him, and then the next it was as if she were convinced he was a liar. Frankly, he was tired of all the back and forth, and this from a woman who was supposed to be so outspoken!
The Harmony he had first met, though tongue-tied as she had been, which was really endearing to him, had turned out to be a real chatterbox. Peter was glad he had been able to understand the English language as well as he had, because the way that girl talked, it was as if she would never be quiet. Until he kissed her.
Harmony seemed to come even more alive if that were possible, when she was in his arms. It was a tale as old as time, primitive even. Their bodies responded to each other in a way that only soul mates could. And Peter knew that deep down Harmony believed in him, the way she melted in his arms was proof of that, but when she dared listen to her logical side rather than the physical responses of her body, she thought too much, and it destroyed whatever fragile trust she had built.
And that was just it, Harmony had a hard time trusting people, anyone for that matter. Peter had had a pretty good conversation over the phone with her father. Bill told him when Peter had called to invite him to the party that Harmony was having a hard time with this, but that she usually had a hard time with anything new, it wasn't just Peter.
Harmony's mother had apparently been just as distrustful, and though she had grown up in a loving environment, she had turned out to be anything but loving herself. She didn't know how to express her feelings, and Bill had often wondered how he had fallen in love with her to begin with. No, he had said, that wasn't fair, Harmony's mother had been a tender lover, and though he had apologized if the conversation was embarrassing, he continued.
He told Peter that when Harmony's mother loved, it was with her whole heart, and her entire body. She gave to him in the most primitive ways, and she was a very physical creature, and that was why Bill had fallen for her. But when she'd had the kids, Craig and Harmony, she pulled away, and their relationship had been strained.
Bill told Peter that he'd been in love with another woman for the last ten years or so of his marriage, although he hadn't done anything about it until his wife's passing. She had struggled in the end, and was in a lot of pain once the cancer started ravaging her body, and Bill was duty bound to take care of her. He knew deep down she still loved him, she had even insisted on her deathbed that he find someone that wasn't afraid to love him the way she hadn't.
Peter hadn't understood why Bill was telling him all that, until Bill said Harmony was a lot like her mother, if not in different ways. Peter again didn't understand. Harmony was anything but cold, and she had no problem telling you what she thought or how she felt about something, at least, she hadn't until this whole mess had happened.
And then it dawned on him.
Harmony was like her mother in the fact that she didn't trust easily, and when it came to matters of the heart, she did have a hard time explaining her feelings. But when you touched her, she came alive, her body had no problems telling you how it felt. Perhaps that was why Bill had told him all that, and maybe that was why Bill insisted Peter not give up on her. He knew Harmony cared for Peter, was in all honesty, probably head over heels in love with the boy, but it would take a gentle hand to lead her down that path.
And Peter had no intention of giving up. He had loved Harmony from the moment he'd met her, it was like a spark of recognition, one soul remembering the other and the times they had loved before. And maybe that sounded foolish, but Peter knew they were meant for each other, and that their souls were a mated pair, had been for centuries. He'd be damned if he would allow her to evade their destiny.
The party that night was a success. Every member of the Slashers team and staff had made it, with the exception of Francois' wife Denise. She was still in Canada, not yet ready to travel with the baby, and though France missed her deeply and wanted nothing more than to be with his new family, training camp started in one week, and Denise had promised to be back in Savannah with the baby by then. The team had hoped to get in a couple of practices before training camp commenced, play a little with the roster as it was now before all those that had been invited for a tryout invaded their territory.
France wasted no time though showing off pictures of his beautiful Arabella, who already looked so much like her mother she was sure to give her father a heart attack when she was older.
Dean and Abby were as always, all over each other, and though still early in the pregnancy and thus not showing yet, Abby simply glowed. Even more so under the loving attention of her husband. Peter was thoroughly jealous of them and their happiness, though of course, he held no ill feelings towards them.
Donovan and Lacy set to arguing that night about pretty much everything and anything, which seemed to be their way of making love, for if they weren't teasing one another they were having a hard time keeping their hands to themselves, just one more reason in a long line of them for Peter to feel envious that night.
Despite it all though, he had to admit to himself that he was having more fun than he had had in a long time. It was great to be surrounded by people who cared about him. His friends, no, his family. And not once during the entire evening did anyone mention the terrible accusations. They simply didn't exist.
As the evening wore on, and those members of the Slashers team and organization that were of age to do so, drank one alcoholic concoction or another out of the Stanley Cup, laughter and cheers filled the little Scottish Pub. Peter himself had taken a strong vodka, and poured it into the cup, he and Viktor drinking the Russian beverage together and singing a song of their homeland, albeit a little off key in their strong brogue, but nonetheless enjoyable as they rambled on.
Peter was having such a good time that he almost missed the fact that Harmony hadn't shown up.
Almost.
Bill could give him no reason as to why that was, and promised to speak to his daughter about the matter when he saw her again. He was sorely disappointed in her, last they had talked, Harmony had not made a decision one way or the other, but he had suspected that she was leaning towards coming.
And though it hurt it, though his heart was breaking, Peter managed to make the best of things, and enjoy the rest of the night spent with his family of friends and the Lord Stanley's Cup. Besides, there was plenty more alcohol on Dean's dime that needed drinking. And plenty to be celebrating as well.
Andre had been given a one-year bridge deal, there were a few other roles in need of filling, and thus he would get a better contract throughout the season, but as of now, he would be returning with the rest of the team. Just one more reason for everyone to get drunk! He might regret this in the morning, but for now, he was content to knock them back with his teammates, Harmony be damned, he'd enjoy his one night of freedom!
Harmony sat at home that night, Lupus with his head in her lap as she scratched him absently behind the ears, wondering if she'd made the right decision. She knew this night meant something to Peter, and thus because she wasn't nearly as ready as she thought she was to confront him with her feelings, decided that it would be best if she didn't attend. Peter needed this time to let loose and enjoy himself, have fun with his friends and just be the carefree guy he was.
She didn't want to ruin his night by confounding his feelings. No, it was best that she'd stayed away.
Her father was going to be there, and so was Chelsea, and though he had begged her to come, told her Peter needed her there more than anyone else, she just wasn't ready to face him.
Trust didn't some easily to Harmony, it was something that took years to culminate, hell, she barely trusted Kate and Chelsea and she'd known one for nearly a decade and the other for close to 4 years now! Surely there was something about Peter though?
Yes. She had felt it from the first.
As soon as his icy gaze had turned on her and warmed, she had known there was something there. And that first time he'd touched her, really touched her, it was if her entire being had recognized him on a cellular level. Perhaps she didn't believe in such things, or maybe it was simply that she didn't want to, but somewhere along the line she had realized that Peter had an old soul, one that knew her own intimately.
And that scared her more than anything. Because hadn't Peter proved already that when things got tough he wasn't willing to be forthcoming and openly honest with her? It was true that in this case there simply was no easy or right way to go about things, she probably would have had the same reaction had he told her in the beginning, but it was the principal of the thing! He wasn't willing to trust her when it mattered, so why should she be forced to give him the benefit of the doubt?
Harmony had gone over all the talks she'd had in the past week, from Kate to Chelsea and even her father, but she was no closer to making a decision one way or the other. She had resigned herself to facing the press, but of course, they gave up on her after that one article and she hadn't seen anyone at her door since.
She'd been kind of disappointed too, not only would it have been hilarious to watch Lupus scatter them like the vultures they were, she was looking forward to the confrontation. It might have been the kick in the pants she needed to get over the rest of her mental hurdles and come clean with Peter.
Not tonight though. No way. She wasn't going to ruin Peter's night with the Cup, he'd given up his week with it already, he was owed this much.
Chapter 20
DNA
Peter nursed a hangover for most of Thursday. His head felt like it was split in two, and his body ached in ways he hadn't known possible, but god what a glorious night it had been! Well worth losing a day in bed feeling like he'd been hit by a bus.
By Friday he felt fine, and was surprised to get a call from the lawyer’s office telling him the results from the rape kit were back and that he could pick up a copy at the office if he were so inclined.
Why yes, he'd like that very much. He had thought to himself.
Andre had stopped by for a quick bite to eat, Viktor was a damned good cook, and though he had moved out, he hadn't forgotten it, and thus agreed to drive him there afterward.
It was a quick trip, and after going over the results with one of Ms. Paulino's associates as she was in court for the afternoon, Peter sighed a breath of relief. He had been assured by Erin's partner, that with definitive proof that the accuser was lying, there would be no way Peter could possibly face charges at this point. Their office was confident that the DA would announce their decision to dismiss the girl's absurd claims and exonerate Peter.
And with Training camp only a couple of days from now, it couldn't have happened at a better time! It had felt as though the weight of all of Russia had been on his back, and now he could breathe easily again. There was simply nothing she could do to him now, even her lawsuit would be dismissed he had been told. Although the partner had already been under the impression that the civil suit was going nowhere fast.
Apparently, the girl's lawyer had dropped her case, and no one else seemed inclined to pick it up. Now with these results coming to light, surely no one would. Peter was free, free at last to live his life again.
After dropping Peter off at home, Andre headed for Pooler, Georgia, a desolate little whole in the wall town he had never even heard of until Peter had told him that was where Harmony's grocery store was. And god had it been difficult to get even that out of him!
Andre had some unfinished business with the lady, but he didn't think Peter would approve of it so he'd tried to be as sneaky as possible when inquiring about Harmony and whether or not she might be at home today. Peter hadn't known for sure but having stopped there first and determining that she wasn't in, he was sure glad he'd had the sense to ask about her job.
So here he was, in the middle of a crappy little town, okay, so maybe that was only his opinion, because it actually looked like a nice little up and coming neighborhood, just not some place he could see himself living in. He found the grocery store easily enough, and winced as his precious car hit a pothole the size of a small swimming pool.
There was a lot of construction going on around the little market, looked like a couple of buildings going up on either side of it, and the parking lot was in a state of disarray because of it.
After finding a spot that didn't make him grimace, Andre headed inside in search of the little woman, hopefully she was here. Andre was going to be truly pissed off if he'd driven all the way out here, alright so it was only like ten miles from the outskirts of Savannah, but still, it was a good half hour with all the morning traffic, and he was going to be irritated nonetheless if he'd made the trip for nothing.
Upon entering the quaint little store, he did a scan, and came up empty, she was nowhere in sight, and though he was already becoming a little annoyed, he knew that just because he didn't see her didn't mean she wasn't here. So he went up to the first person he came across and asked them if she was working today.
Success!
The girl, a pretty little blonde whom Andre probably wouldn't have minded getting to know better, told him she was in her office and she'd go and get her. So he waited at the customer service desk while she disappeared into a door behind it.
Not a minute later Harmony appeared.
God, she looked like crap! Okay, so she was beautiful, any idiot could see that, but one could just as easily see she wasn't sleeping well, and no amount of makeup was going to hide the dark circles under her eyes. She and Peter were truly two of a kind, killing themselves this way. Too stubborn to just admit their feelings for each other. Well, he'd just do it for them!
“Andre?” Harmony said, walking out from behind the little enclosure. “What are you doing here?” A look of concern crossed her face as she got closer, her eyes going wide as different scenarios ran through that pretty little head of hers.
Good. He thought to himself, he hoped she was thinking about all sorts of horrible things that may or may not have happened to Peter!
“I needed to talk to you about something. Can we use your office?”
“Of course,” she nodded, indicating with her hand that he should follow her. “Is everything okay?”
Once inside the room off of the customer service area, she led him to another room and closed the door behind herself, crossing to the large desk that sat in the center of the office and leaning back against it. After a brief look around, Andre made himself comfortable in a chair that sat in front of the big oak desk a few feet from where she leaned against it.
“Is everything okay?” she asked again, irritation creeping into her voice. “Is it Peter?”
“You could say that,” Andre remarked, his eyes landing on hers once he had surveyed enough of his surroundings to be satisfied. It was a nice office, though impersonal really.
Harmony gripped the edge of her desk, her knuckles going white, and noticing it, Andre grinned. So she did care.
“What's wrong with Peter?” she nearly cried.
Andre pulled a piece of folded up paper out of his pocket, tossing it on the desk next to Harmony. She followed the motion with her eyes, never turning her head and quickly glancing back at him.
“What's that?”
“The DNA results.”
Harmony looked at the paper half open now on her desk, then back at Andre. She wasn't sure what to make of his presence here. He made her nervous. Which was silly, because he was just sitting there. With a shit eating grin on his face!
She folded her arms in front of her chest, “Why did you bring me that?” Harmony asked,
her voice cracking as she tried to maintain her composure. She had the strongest urge to pick up the piece of paper and look at it, and an even stronger urge to shred it instead. Her mind wanted answers, her heart wanted to trust him.
Andre shrugged, then stood and gave her a once over. That smirk making her feel distinctly uneasy as his gaze roamed over her business-like stance. “Thought you'd want to know.”
“Know what?” She didn't like the way he kept evading her questions, this game of cat and mouse was getting old. “Why don't you just tell me what this is all about Andre? I'm not very good at guessing games.”
His smile turned genuine then, his chocolate brown eyes crinkling as they warmed. “Do you think he assaulted that girl?” he asked, his head tilting, one eyebrow cocking.
“No.”
“Have you told him that?”
She shook her head, looking down at the floor now, at the scuff marks under her feet. “No.”
Andre sighed, clearly frustrated. “He's not going to wait forever Harmony. Peter loves you, and if I'm not mistaken, you love him too.”
Harmony's head shot up, her eyes drawing into little slits, her fists clenched. She was growing tired of everyone and their advice all of the sudden, and Andre seemed like the perfect person to let off a little steam with. “Don't you think I don't know that?” She spat, her anger rushing at her like the waves to the shore, there was simply no holding back now. She threw her hands up in frustration, moving away from the desk, “Damn it Andre, do you think I need a lecture from you? I'm a grown woman!”
Andre scoffed.
“Go to hell,” she shot at him, turning her back and leaning over the desk trying to tamp down the rage that boiled inside her. “I don't need you, or my father, or anyone else telling me how I feel about Peter! I know how I feel.”
“And how do you feel?”