Not too much damage from the tomatoes....so here's part 2! Enjoy!!
We
Interaction between Kirsten and Brennan was short and kind of awkward for the next couple of weeks. Every conversation they had was work related, nothing was ever brought up about that late night conversation, even though it was never far from either one’s mind.
Brennan kept trying to figure out ways to convince Kirsten that he couldn’t and wouldn’t break her heart. He knew from the first time that he ever met Kirsten that she was ‘The One’, call it cheesy, call it whatever you want, but Brennan knew. He also knew the internal battle that Kirsten was fighting with herself, he knew she was scared, he knew she’d been hurt, but he’d also seen the way they interacted, the way she opened up that night and the way she looked at him. Brennan knew what Kirsten was going through, he’d been there before too. He knew the first time afterwards was the hardest and yes, the chance of getting your heart broken a 2nd time was the scariest thing in the world to think of, but he also knew that what he felt for Kirsten he’d never felt before and he’d never feel again. Brennan was nothing if not patient and persistent.
Kirsten told herself it wasn’t worth it, it would never work and that she was happy with her life right now. What would happen if Brennan broke her heart? Would she be able to survive it again? How would she be able to go to work and see him everyday? The questions constantly plaguing her....would she? could she? The unknown is what scared her the most.
Spring rolls around and the conference tournament comes to town. At the staff meeting the week before the tourney, Jake informs that because of this year’s tourney involving five Top 25 teams he was assigning two reporters, so along with Kirsten, Brennan would go to cover half of the games.
‘How am I suppose to do this? I can’t do this....I won’t, I can’t, I’ll tell Jake I want Lindsey to come with me, that I want her to get the experience. No, I’ll be ok... Kirsten, come on, you can do this....just treat him like any other guy...think of him like you think of Ollie, yeah, that’s what I’ll do....treat him like I treat Ollie’ Kirsten tells herself.
All the while Brennan is watching Kirsten, seeing all the different emotions play across her face, knowing what is going through her head. He’s happy for the chance to get to work with Kirsten because she is one of the best sports journalists but cursing the fact that he has to be so close to her while not being able to say anything about how he feels.
This year’s tournament is one of the most exciting to be played in the past couple of years--five Top 25 teams, 4 All-American’s and two seniors that all of America has fallen in love with.....Thursday’s games go pretty much how everyone has expected, with all the higher ranked seeds winning easily. Kirsten and Brennan spend the evening writing in silence, the only sounds being the clack of the keyboards and the random question asked every once in a while. Brennan was still reeling from being at a major conference tournament, from being so close you can hear the coaches giving instructions during the timeouts, feeling the intensity roll off the court, interviewing the players after the games. He’s in awe of Kirsten, you can tell this is where she belongs, there’s a look in her eye that she’s never had before, an intensity to her writing that’s never been there and for the first time since that cold, windy night she’s really, truly happy.
‘I don’t think I can write another sentence, I’m too tired. I don’t know how you do it Kirsten; I’m going to bed, g’nite’ Brennan unfolds from his chair, stands up and stretches.
‘G’nite Brennan, see you bright and early tomorrow,’ Kirsten looks up and smiles a real smile at him, the kind where her whole face lights up.
Brennan closes his laptop, grabs his Dr. Pepper and starts to head back to his room when he hears Kirsten go ‘Hey Brennan?’
‘Yeah?’ he turns around and looks at Kirsten.
‘You wanna know how I can do this....because this is the one month out of the whole year when my life makes sense. It’s not about me, my life, or my problems...it’s about the game and the love of the game and how these guys go out every game and give everything they have for their team. One chance, one shot, one game and it all can change.....it all can end. This one month is what makes the 11 other months a year a little bit more manageable.’ She says with a sad smile.
Brennan is so taken back by the intensity and emotion of what he just heard that he doesn’t know what to say, so he just looks at Kirsten and tries to convey some of the emotion he’s feeling. He turns and walks to his hotel room, filtering through what Kirsten just told him and realizing once again how badly he wants to know the girl behind that pretty face.
Kirsten smiles to herself as she remembers that conversation, that weekend was really the turning point in their relationship. The championship game was the peak, Brennan had never seen a game like it and to watch him get caught up in the intensity, joy and heartbreak was like nothing else. As the game ended, Kirsten was on her feet screaming with the rest of the fans cheering for their team, Brennan turns to her with wonder and amazement written on his face and says ‘I get it....I totally get it.’
Getting caught up in the moment, Kirsten takes a step and throws her arms around him; without even thinking about it, Brennan lowers his head and kisses her. Kirsten doesn’t even try to fight it, it feels too right, and when she pulls back with tears in her eyes and a shy grin on her face, Brennan leans over and whispers in her ear, ‘I’ll never hurt you Kirsten......just trust me, I’ll be whatever you need me to be.’
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erincamille04- ErinCamille04