HA!

I did it! I figured out how to change my template! I love Jumbo Joe Thornton, hence the background. Like it?

Under The Bright Chicago Lights (Brian Campbell; unfinished)

Chapter 1

The lights of Chicago sparkled brightly from below me. I smiled as I stared out of the hotel window and stared out at the skyline. The city was more beautiful at night than it was during the day. I sat on the windowsill and pressed my forehead against the cool glass. A light snow was beginning to fall outside. There was a knock on the door. Sighing softly, I pulled myself away from the beautiful skyline and opened the door to a smiling face and strawberry blond curls. I grinned and hugged my best friend, Patrick Kane, tightly.

“Patty!” I exclaimed. He laughed, and I closed the door as he walked into my hotel room.

“So, what’s up, Rosie?” He asked.

“I was watching the city from my window and trying to get some inspiration for my drawing,” I answered. “So, what happened to you? Did you get turned down again?” I asked.

“She never showed up at the restaurant,” He said, the color fading from his cheeks and the smile sliding off of his face and out of his eyes. I ran at him and tackled him to my couch.

“You know what that means!” I said in a singsong voice. “Ice cream and movie time!” He laughed, and the light returned to his eyes as he picked me up, grabbed my suitcases and art supplies and carried me to his car.

“I’ll be right back,” He said. I sat and waited, and he came back a short time later. “All checked out. Off to my apartment!” He cried. I laughed and we sang along to the radio the entire way to his apartment. We raced each other up the stairs and me, being as clumsy as I am, tripped and fell into his apartment door.

“Ow,” I said, rubbing my head. The door flew open and I fell into his apartment. I gave a small scream as I found myself on the ground at the feet of Pat’s roommate and captain, Jonathan Toews. He smiled and shook his head. “What? Pat and I raced each other up here and I tripped and fell into the door, and then you whip it open and scare the shit out of me,” I explained. He laughed as he helped me to my feet and pulled me into a hug.

“It’s good to see you again, Rose,” He said. Pat came ambling into the apartment at that moment and shielded his face with his hands playfully.

“Not in front of the best friend, guys!” He said. I hit him on the arm playfully.

“Do you want me to stay for ice cream/movie time or not?” I threatened, immediately regretting it. The laughter fell away from his face, his eyes lost their usual sparkle and he reached toward me. I stepped away from Jon and immediately engulfed my best friend in a hug.

“What would you do without me, seriously?” I asked.

“Fall apart,” He responded. “I would seriously fall apart without you.” He hugged me a little tighter and we pulled away, heading to his couch where Andrew Ladd, Brent Seabrook and Brian Campbell sat.

“Okay boys, off the couch. Best friends, chick flicks and ice cream time,” I said. Andrew grinned and shook his head as he got off the couch. Brent and Brian looked at me and shook their heads. “Look, he got stood up by some stupid girl who couldn’t see that he’s totally worth it, so off the couch,” I said. Pat’s grip on my waist tightened as I said the words. Brent got up and sat on the floor in front of the couch, but Brian refused to move.

“Give me a better reason than that if you want me to move,” He said cockily. I rolled my eyes and stared at Pat.

“Brian, please don’t be mean to her,” He said. Brian got off the couch and brushed past me on his way out. “He only messes with people he likes,” Pat said.

“I don’t like him. He’s cocky and he’s an ass,” I said.

“He really is a nice guy, though. Just give him a chance, Rosie,” Pat said. I sighed.

“Fine. But he has to be nice, too, otherwise I won’t do it,” I said.

“You’re the best, Rosie! You two would be perfect for each other, I know it!” Pat said, hugging me as we sat on his couch and started our movie marathon.

Chapter 2

Brian’s POV

“He only messes with people he likes,” I heard Pat say.

“I don’t like him. He’s cocky and he’s an ass,” Rose responded.

“He really is a nice guy, though. Just give him a chance, Rosie,” Pat said. She sighed.

“Fine. But he has to be nice, too, otherwise I won’t do it,” She said.

“You’re the best, Rosie! You two would be perfect for each other, I know it!” Pat said. I shook my head and Jon followed me out of the apartment.

“Jon, why do I always come off as being a cocky, conceited ass?” I asked. He shrugged.

“Maybe it’s in your DNA,” He suggested. I laughed.

“Gee, thanks!” I said sarcastically. He stared at me pointedly.

“You’re doing it again,” He said smugly.

“I know, I know,” I said. “Damn it! Why do I always screw things up?” I started to walk away from the apartment.

“She’ll come around. Remember what she said, all you have to do is play nice,” Jon reminded me. I raised my hand, acknowledging what he had said as I got into my car and drove toward my house. Lost in thought I kept driving, not paying attention to where I was going. There was a squealing of tires, a loud crash, and pain. I saw flashes of people above me, disembodied voices and hands reaching toward me.

“Sir… call someone….?” Someone asked. I struggled to open my eyes. “Sir, do you want us to call someone?” The voice came to me clearer than it had been before.

“Jonathan Toews. Patrick Kane,” I managed, and then I was swallowed up by darkness.

Pat’s POV

Rosie and I were right in the middle of our movie marathon when my phone rang. I glanced apologetically at Rose as I picked it up from the table and flicked it open.

“Hello?”

“Is this Patrick Kane?”

“Yes, it is.”

“This is Jackie calling from Roseland Community Hospital. We were told to inform you and a Mr. Jonathan Toews of an accident involving a Mr. Brian Campbell.” My stomach sank as she said those words.

“We’ll be there in a few minutes,” I said in a shaky voice, hanging up the phone without waiting for a response. “Jon!” I shouted.

“What’s up, Pat?” He asked, coming into the living room.

“We have to go. Now,” I said, getting off the couch.

“Patty Cake, what happened?” Rosie asked. I turned to look at her, my tears nearly blinding me.

“Brian was in an accident,” I said. A tear slid down my cheek, and Rosie moved toward me, wiping it away gently. The front door opened.

“So let’s go,” Jon said, walking out of the apartment. We turned off the movie and headed out of the apartment. I nearly fell down the stairs I was so blinded by my tears. Rosie helped me to the bottom and we followed Jon to his car. He drove quickly out of the parking lot. “Where to?” He asked.

“Roseland,” I responded. He nodded and picked up his speed. We parked in the parking lot and headed quickly inside. Jon went to the desk and told the woman who we were looking for. She pointed us in the right direction and we headed that way.

“He’s still in surgery, we have to wait outside for him,” He said. I sank into a chair, and Rosie sat next to me. I put my face in my hands and felt my shoulders beginning to shake. Rosie pulled me into her arms and I rested my head on her shoulder. She rubbed my back lightly in a calming way. Jon paced in front of us, and I could tell he was nervous and worried. I pulled away from Rosie and wiped away my tears, sending Rosie a shaky smile. She returned it, and I saw a light shimmer of tears in her eyes. I pulled her into my arms and held her against me. We sat there for three hours, waiting and wondering. “I have to leave, I can’t take this waiting,” Jon said, leaving abruptly. Rosie and I stared at each other. I shrugged. The doctor came walking out.

“Is the family of Brian Campbell here?” She called. I stood up.

“No, but I’m his teammate,” I said, walking over to her. She nodded.

“Are you Patrick Kane or Jonathan Toews?” She asked.

“Patrick Kane,” I responded.

“I’m Anna Zuricher. We operated on Mr. Campbell for the last three hours. He lost a lot of blood, and we almost lost him a couple of times. He had some internal bleeding around the brain, but he’s all right now. We moved him to a room in the ICU; you can go and see him now. I’ll lead you over there,” She said, leading us over. I saw him lying there, unconscious. I suddenly felt very small and weak, and I sagged against the wall. The doctor led me to a chair next to his bed. “He’s recovering very quickly. He has a slight concussion and some broken bones, but he looks worse than he is. We put him here because of the amount of blood he lost. He should be in a normal room by morning if nothing goes wrong, and we can release him two days after that if he keeps improving the way he’s been.” I was silent as I stared at him. “I’ll leave you two alone with him,” She said, leaving the room. Tears streaked my face as I reached out to grab his cold hand.

Rose’s POV

I held onto Pat’s shoulder, knowing he was falling apart inside at the sight of his friend and teammate. I was scared for both of them. Brian looked so… cold and lifeless, and Pat was worried out of his mind. I sat next to Pat and sent a quick text to Jon telling him that Brian was out of surgery if he wanted to come and see him. I wrapped my arms around Pat’s shoulders and hugged him tightly. He put his head on my shoulder and wrapped an arm around my waist.

“I don’t know what I’d do without you, Rosie,” He whispered to me. I nodded and held him tighter. He pulled away a little and I turned to look at him. He connected our lips in a soft kiss, leaving me stunned. “I’m in love with you.”

Chapter 3

Rose’s POV

I sat there stunned at Pat’s confession. I could still feel his lips on mine and wondered why he had waited until now to tell me. We had known each other for a long time! And who knows how long he’s been bottling it up? So many thoughts raced through my head it made me dizzy.

“Rosie?” Pat called, shaking my shoulder. “Rosie, are you all right?”

“Yeah… I’m fine,” I said, recovering from my stupor. “I just have one question.” He tensed.

“How long have you been waiting to tell me this?” I asked.

“I’ve waited years for this. I wanted to tell you in high school, but I didn’t want to run away to the NHL and not have time for you,” He admitted, visibly relaxing.

“Yeah? Well, now you’re stuck with me,” I said, pulling him into a kiss. He closed his eyes and moved us closer together. There was a cough from the doorway and we quickly pulled apart, seeing Jon standing there.

“What a happy couple,” He said, smiling widely as he walked in. “What’s the news on Brian?”

“Doctor said they’ll move him to a normal room soon if he’s well enough to be moved and he should be able to leave in a couple of days. They put him here because he lost so much blood,” I explained. He nodded and sat on my other side. We were silent until Brian’s eyelids fluttered open. We all leaned closer to him.

“Brian? Hey, can you hear me? Say something!” Pat said. Silence followed his words.

“Ow,” Brian said at last, smiling up at us. Pat grinned, Jon snorted and I laughed.

“You had us worried,” Jon said as sternly as he could muster before falling into a fit of laughter. The doctor walked in and smiled around the room.

“All right, you need to move out of the way so we can get Mr. Campbell settled into his new room,” She said. We moved out of the way as the doctor stepped toward him, and we followed him up to his new room. It was larger than the ICU room he had been in, and we easily fit into it. We sat around laughing and talking until a nurse came in and told us visiting hours were over. We said goodbye and told him we’d be back and there was no way for him to get rid of us. He smiled and laughed and waved goodbye to us, saying he wished there was a way to get us to leave.

The Next Day

Pat’s POV

I woke up the next morning to find that I wasn’t alone. I was in my bed, but Rose was there, too. She was still sleeping, so I slid gently away from her, trying not to wake her. I grabbed clean clothes and headed to the bathroom. We had all fallen asleep in our clothes after we left the hospital. I went to the kitchen and saw that Jon was already up and making breakfast.

“Morning, Pat,” Jon said.

“Morning,” I responded, sitting at the table. He got out three plates and set them down. Rose came out a few minutes later.

“Smells good,” She said. Jon smiled at her.

“Thanks,” He said. We ate in silence. After Jon and Rose were done getting ready, we left for the hospital to go see Brian. When we went to his room, he smiled widely.

“Hey guys, the doctor said that I can leave!” He exclaimed excitedly.

“Then why are you still here?” I asked. He laughed.

“I don’t exactly have a way home, Kaner,” He pointed out.

“He’s got you there!” Rose said, laughing. I rolled my eyes.

“Ha ha,” I said. Jon snorted. The nurse came in, Brian signed the release papers and was able to leave.

“Let’s go to the zoo!” Rose said.

“Shotgun!” Brian called, running to my car.

“Backseat behind Brian!” Rose shouted, jumping in.

“I’m driving!” Jon called, snatching the keys from my hand and climbing into the driver’s seat.

“Why do you get to drive? It’s my car!” I whined.

“We took a vote and decided we don’t like how you drive,” Rose said.

“Gee, thanks,” I said sarcastically.

“Anytime. Now, onward!” Rose said, and we were off to the zoo.

Chapter 4

Rose’s POV

The drive to the zoo was a short one. We got out of the car and Brian and I ran to the gates together. We stood by them and I started jumping up and down impatiently as Pat and Jon purposely took their time walking toward us.

“Hurry up!” I whined. Pat smirked and raced at me. I screamed as he lifted me up off the ground and carried me over his shoulder. “Pat! Put me down!” I said, pounding on his back and laughing. He laughed too and put me on the ground. He kept an arm around my waist as we walked, and he placed a soft kiss on my forehead. I smiled up at him and laced my fingers with him. I loved being near him like this.

Brian’s POV

Seeing Pat and Rose together as close as they were sent a pang of jealousy through me. I wanted to be the one to hold her like that. I wanted to be the one to be with her. I was jealous of my teammate. It made me feel a little sick with myself.

“Brian, Jon, hurry up or we’ll leave you!” Rose called. Jon patted my shoulder sympathetically as he hurried to catch up with them. I was slower than he was. “Wow, Brian, you move so slowly sometimes!” She laughed. Her laughter caused another pang of jealousy to run through me. I looked over at her and forced a smile. Her own smile faltered a little, but no one else caught it. We headed into the zoo, and the rest of the day was spent animal watching, food throwing and us chasing each other around with toys from the stands they had around the zoo. I was chasing after Pat with one of those animals on the sticks that you can “walk” when the zoo officials caught us and made us leave. I think the highlight of the day was Patty tripping and face planting into his ice cream. We nearly died laughing. After getting kicked out of the zoo, we decided to head back to Pat and Jon’s apartment. Jon and Pat raced up the stairs, but Rose and I hung back. Rose smiled at me, but I avoided her gaze. “What’s wrong, Brian?” She asked.

“Nothing,” I answered hurriedly. I peeked out of the corner of my eye and saw the look of disbelief on her face. “Really, I’m fine,” I said. She rolled her eyes.

“Like I never heard that one before,” She said. I sighed and turned away from her. “Really, Brian, what’s wrong? You can tell me, honest,” She said. Her voice sent shivers down my spine.

“Brian?” She reached out and touched my arm. I didn’t pull away, but I was shaking. “What’s going on?” She was freaking out.

“I… I can’t tell you,” I said. Tears filled my eyes, and I stood and raced out of the building.

Rose’s POV

I stood there, dumbstruck, as Brian literally ran off. He looked so… vulnerable. It scared me a little. Something’s going on here, I thought. I shook my head and decided to go see what Pat and Jon were up to. They’d started an NHL 09 tournament. I rolled my eyes and headed into their kitchen to eat all of their food. I rummaged through the fridge and someone walked up behind me.

“BOO!” I screamed as someone grabbed my waist. I spun around and saw Patrick Sharp behind me.

“Sharpie!” I whined. He laughed and dragged me into the living room. He threw me onto the couch next to Patty. “Hey Pat,” I said, kissing Patty Cake on the cheek. He smiled and wrapped an arm around my shoulders. We watched a few CSI reruns before there was a knock on the door. I stood and got up after no one else did. I saw Brian on the other side of the door. “Brian, hey!” I said. He gave me a weak half smile.

“Rose, can I talk to you?” He asked.

“Sure,” I said, stepping out of the apartment. “What’s up?” I asked, turning to face him. He leaned close to me suddenly and placed a small kiss on my lips.“I love you, Rose. I think you should be with me instead of Kaner.”

Chapter 5:

Rose’s POV

I stood in the hallway, stunned at Brian’s confession. It was almost like the one Pat had done in the hospital. Brian watched me with expectant eyes.

“I… I… I don’t know what to say,” I confessed. “I…I’m so confused right now.” My head was spinning. I staggered against the wall, and Brian caught me, a concerned look on his face.

“You don’t look so good. Maybe you should lie down,” He said quietly. “Hey Kane! Rose isn’t feeling well!” He called, carrying me to Patty’s room. Patty was at my side in an instant, pushing Brian away and reaching for me.

“I need to be alone for a minute,” I said. Patty nodded and backed away. He and Brian left, closing the door softly behind them. I didn’t know what to do! Brian had just made a huge confession, and I was at a total loss. I loved Pat; he was my best friend since we were kids, and he was so much fun to hang out with. I loved Brian, too; he was sweet and loving and caring. I knew the choice should have been obvious, but it wasn’t. I buried my face in Pat’s pillow and wished for an answer.

Brian’s POV

Kane, Tazer and I stood in the apartment, all watching each other with wary eyes.

“Brian, you were with her last. What happened?” Kane asked. I shook my head and averted my eyes, not wanting him to know of my confession. “Brian, just tell me.” I shook my head again.

“You’ll get pissed at me for it,” I said quietly.

“I’m pissed at you already, how much worse could it get?” He asked. I looked up at him.

“Much worse,” I said. “I can’t tell you, not yet.” I turned to walk out of the apartment.

“You like her, don’t you?” I froze in my tracks at Pat’s question. That was all the answer he needed. “I knew it.” His voice went flat with borderline anger.

“Okay, yes, I like her, damn it! I can’t exactly help how I feel about her!” I snapped angrily, storming out of the apartment. I wondered what he would do, what he would say, how he would act, how it would affect his game to know one of his teammates liked his girlfriend of all of a few days. I walked to my home and slammed the door shut. I stood in the hallway for a minute and slammed my hand against the wall. “Stupid, I’m so stupid!” I yelled. I stalked from my front hallway into the living room and flopped onto my couch.

Pat’s POV

I was pissed. I knew I didn’t have any reason to be, but Brian liking Rosie pissed me off big time. Jon stared at me for a while after Brian left.

“I have to go, man,” He said. I ignored him, and he sighed as he left the apartment, mumbling something about needing groceries. I walked over and sat on the couch, wondering what I was going to do about Brian. Rose opened the door to my room and walked out.

“Pat,” She said softly, “don’t make me choose between you and Brian, please. I still want to be friends with him.” I flinched and turned away from her. She sighed, stood up and walked out of the apartment. As the door closed behind her, the sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach told me that what I had just done might have cost me my girlfriend. I closed my eyes and fell back onto my couch.

Rose’s POV

I walked slowly down the sidewalk toward Brian’s house. I was nervous and scared, but Patty’s reaction had told me all I needed to know: If I was going out with him, he wouldn’t let me be friends with Brian. I walked up to his door and knocked on it. He answered, looking absolutely miserable. His face lit up when he saw me.

“Rose,” He said with surprise. “What are you doing-“ He cut off as my lips pressed to his.

“I choose you, Brian,” I said. “As long as I can still be friends with Patty.”

“Of course you can still be friends with Pat! I don’t care who you’re friends with,” He said, and he connected our lips again in a gentle kiss.

Wow, it's been a while....

But here I am. Sorry for being away for so long, in the rush of life catching up to me, this has been collecting dust here. As soon as I can, I will post a new story here.

Alex [I Love You, Baby] Ovechkin one-shot

“Laurie! Come on! We’re late!” I heard my friend Jake call. I sighed softly to myself as I frantically ran around my room in search of my jersey. I finally found it, grabbed it off the hook and threw it on over the bright blue halter top I was wearing with my white jeans. I grabbed my poster from the floor, threw on my white flats with the red and blue bows on them (I had colored them with permanent markers in school when I was bored) and ran downstairs to meet Jake. “Well, look who finally made it!” He joked.

“Yeah, yeah, let’s just go,” I said.

“Awww, don’t want to miss your Ovie?” He teased.

“No, I don’t, actually,” I said, running out to my car and getting in. I wish I’d thought to grab an umbrella, it was pouring rain out. After Jake got into the car, soaking wet, I might add, I put the key in the ignition and drove toward the Verizon Center, home of the Capitals. We parked close to the entrance; being a season ticket holder had its advantages. We ran inside (It was raining harder now) and shook ourselves dry like dogs. We laughed to ourselves, then found our seats in the first row up from the ice, directly across from where the opponent’s goalie was for two periods. We were early, so Jake went to go get snacks and pop, so I settled in and watched around. Getting bored, I finally got up and left to wander the arena. I accidentally walked into someone while I was wandering. “Oh! I’m sorry!” I exclaimed. The person I walked into chuckled a bit.

“That’s all right. I wasn’t paying attention either,” The guy said in choppy English. My head snapped up and I found myself looking into the smiling face and beautiful dark brown eyes of Alex Ovechkin. I smiled back somewhat shyly, and he saw my jersey.

“Oh, you’re a fan, huh?” He said.

“The biggest, I’ve been told,” I responded, mentally smacking myself afterward. Jeez, girl, how stupid can you get? He laughed out loud at this.

“How much more would you love me if I autographed your jersey?” He asked. Inside, I was squealing and jumping up and down.

“More than you can ever imagine,” I breathed, my excitement nearly killing me. He laughed again and pulled a Sharpie from his pocket.

“Turn around for a minute,” He said, and I turned to let him sign it. It took a while, but he finally stepped away. He pulled something else out of his pocket, and put a hand on my shoulder briefly to stop me from moving. He put a piece of electrical tape over part of what he wrote then stepped away. “You can turn around again now,” He said. I debated with myself for a minute, and then I hugged him.

“Thank you so much!” I exclaimed. He laughed again, and I inhaled his scent. It was clean, as though he had just showered. Of course, the game hasn’t started yet, I reminded myself. “I should get to my seat, my friend’s probably worried,” I said, stepping away. He smiled at me again, and I thought my heart was going to stop.

“See you after the game,” He said, and he walked off toward the locker room. As I was walking away, I heard catcalls from the locker room, followed by scuffling and shouts of “Hey!” and “Ouch!” I laughed to myself as I made my way back to my seat. Jake was there already, and he looked worried.

“There you are! I was worried about you!” He exclaimed, crushing me to him.

“Jake, I’m fine! Let go, I can’t breathe!” I said.

“Where were you?” He asked.

“I ran into Alex Ovechkin! Literally,” I said. He laughed.

“Yeah, sure you did,” He said, rolling his eyes.

“I did, see?” I turned so he could see the autograph and message. I would wait until I got home to read it. The game started shortly after this, and I pressed my sign to the glass. Alex skated by and glanced at it. I saw him smile every time he read it. It was in the way of my face, so he couldn’t see who was holding it. After a while, I took it down so I could actually see the game. I moved it just in time to see Alex score. As we jumped up and cheered, Alex leapt up into the glass right in front of me. He winked at me, and I giggled. He smiled wide, and mouthed, “See you after the game!” with another wink. I saw Jake’s jaw drop from the corner of my eye and laughed at him. After the game, I went down to wait outside of the locker room for Alex when one of the security guards walked over to me.

“Hello miss, we were told you’d come here by Alex, and he said to send you in when you got here,” He said to me. I was surprised.

“Oh, all right, then,” I said. I followed him into the locker room. He pointed me toward Alex’s stall. I thanked him and sat in front of it. The guys were staring at me and whispering to each other. “You know, you’re as bad as high school girls with all the whispering,” I stated. Nicklas Backstrom laughed, and soon a couple of other guys joined in. I smiled at them, and Alex walked

over toward us, wearing only a towel.

“What’s so funny?” He asked, and I glanced up at him, then looked away, embarrassed. “Oh! Hi,” He said to me, and I saw his face go red. I smiled back, keeping my head down.

“Hi,” I said. “Sorry to be just randomly sitting here,” I said.

“No problem at all,” He said. We chatted a bit, and Nick came over toward us, followed by Olaf Kolzig.

“Alex, who’s your new friend?” Nick asked. Alex looked at me blankly. I laughed and held my hand out to Nick.

“My name’s Laurie,” I said. He shook my hand, then looked at Alex.

“Jeez, you don’t even know her name? Some friend you are,” He joked. We laughed, and I put an arm around Alex’s shoulders.

“We actually just met before the game,” I said, defending him.

“Oh, all right,” Nick said. “C’mon, Olie, let’s give them some space.” He and Olie the Goalie left. Alex sighed in relief.

“I thought they’d never leave,” He muttered to himself. I laughed lightly, and he smiled at me.

“So, what are we doing?” I asked as he finished changing and we left.

“I was thinking we could celebrate the win,” He said.

“Cool, but I’m going to need to catch a ride with you. I gave my friend Jake my car so he could get home,” I said.

“No problem,” He said, and I smiled as I climbed into the passenger side of his car. We drove to a bar near the arena and found that it was almost full to capacity. We eventually found a table and sat down, talking and laughing before he stood up abruptly.

“Dance with me,” He said, and he grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor. We danced for a couple of songs, enjoying ourselves. We left the place around 1:00 am. He drove me home, and I sat in his car for a bit. “I had a great time,” He said to me.

“So did I,” I said, turning to look at him. He was smiling, I could see. I leaned toward him a bit, and he leaned in to, half closing his eyes. I leaned in farther, and I felt his lips connect with mine. He pulled me closed, wrapping an arm around my waist and putting his free hand on my cheek. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pulled myself closer. After a while, we broke apart to breath. We came together again, kissing each other with gentle passion, and I broke away again. “Wow,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

“I love you,” He said softly to me.

“I love you, too,” I said. We kissed again, and he walked me to my door, holding my hand the whole way there.

Henrik || F r e e F a l l i n' || Zetterberg mini-series

Henrik F r e e F a l l i n’ Zetterberg

Well, tomorrow is a new day, I guess, I thought to myself as I left the locker room after our team’s loss. I was disappointed that we hadn’t beaten the league leaders, though I had scored our only goal of the night. I was starting to get upset, and I threw a pad against the wall in anger. “Kara, calm down,” My friend Melinda said, putting a hand on my arm. I took a deep breath in; let it out slowly. I calmed down after doing this a few times. I smiled at Melinda.

“I’m all right now, Mel,” I said. She smiled.

“Good, now finish changing,” She ordered.

“Yes ma’am,” I said, saluting her. She laughed as we finished changing before the other girls even got into the locker room. We left quickly since the Red Wings were supposed to be playing in the Joe in about an hour. Some of the guys were already starting to get there, notably Nicklas Lidstrom, Pavel Datsyuk and Henrik Zetterberg. I stared as the walked into the Joe past us.

“Wait,” I said, catching Mel’s arm and dragging her back in.

“What?” She said in a hushed voice. I pointed as the guys went toward the locker room. I tried to warn them, but Mel clamped a hand over my mouth and dragged me back. They tried to walk in, but jumped back when our teammates started screaming. Mel burst into laughter. Henrik glanced back and walked toward us.

“You knew they were in there?” Henrik asked, raising an eyebrow. Mel nodded, and I tried to get her to let go of me by licking her hand.

“Ewww! Gross, Kara!” She cried, jumping back.

“Ha! It never fails!” I said triumphantly. Henrik stared at us like we were crazy. “I tried to warn you guys, but she wouldn’t let me,” I explained.

“I wanted to see how they’d react!” Mel said, bursting into laughter again. I smacked her in the back of the head.

“I’m sorry,” I said to him. He smiled.

“No harm, no foul,” He said. I found myself smiling back. “Are you going to the game tonight?” He asked.

“I wish, but we don’t have tickets,” I responded. His face fell. “We did manage to get tickets for the Winter Classic, however,” I added quickly. His face lit up instantly.

“I’ll have to look for you guys then,” He said. “But right now, I have to get ready for tonight,” He laughed.

“Okay then. I guess we’ll see you at the Winter Classic,” I said, waving. He smiled and waved back.

Two weeks later...

I was very excited. Two hours from now, I’d get to see Henrik again! I was practically running around the hotel room looking for my Zetterberg jersey. “Calm down, Kara,” Mel said. “Deep breaths. Check the closet,” She suggested. I did, and there it was, hanging up.

“I love you, Mel,” I said, hugging her. “Except when you do things like that!” I yelled, pointing at her Kane jersey.

“I have to show my Kaner a little love,” She retorted. I rolled my eyes as we left for Wrigley Field. It was packed, but at least we had seats near the ice. We were quiet as the game started, and about thirty seconds into the game the Red Wings scored. I jumped up and cheered loudly along with the other Detroit fans. Henrik had scored. As he skated past, he caught my eye and winked at me. I smiled and waved. ‘See you after the game!’ He mouthed on his way past. I nodded and watched the rest of the game, excited to be able to see him again.

Henrik F r e e F a l l i n’ Zetterberg o2

I raced down to the locker rooms after the game ended in a Detroit victory of 5-4 in a shootout over the Blackhawks. I felt giddy and excited to be seeing Henrik again. I knocked on the locker room door. Pavel Datsyuk answered it. “Who are you here to see?” He asked curiously, leaning in the doorway. I smiled.

“Henrik,” I answered simply. He smiled and stepped aside. I made my way to Henrik’s locker amidst whispers and stares. I glanced around, raising an eyebrow. “Wow, really? You’re as bad as gossiping old women,” I said. Pavel snorted and Nicklas Lidstrom laughed. Henrik emerged from the shower and glanced around.

“What’s so funny?” He asked. His eyes fell on me, and at that precise moment I realized he wasn’t wearing anything other than a towel. His eyes widened, and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks as I turned away. “Ah, hi,” He said, and I saw that his face was as red as mine must have been.

“Hi,” I responded. I was fairly embarrassed, to say the least. This was the first time I’d seen a three quarters of the way naked guy, let alone a hockey player. “Um, I’m going to go over there so you can finish changing,” I said and rushed over to Pavel’s locker space. Henrik smiled at me gratefully as I turned toward Pavel. He smiled at me.

“I don’t think we were properly introduced. I’m Pavel Datsyuk, though I’m sure you already knew that,” He said. I nodded.

“I’m Kara Mastron, nice to meet you,” I said. We talked until Henrik came over fully dressed. I smiled up at him and he smiled back.

“So, are you going to come celebrate with us?” He asked. I nodded excitedly.

“Sure! Sounds like fun!” I said. Henrik looked around.

“Where’s your friend?” He asked. I waved it off.

“Probably in the Hawks locker room,” I said. He looked confused. “She’s a Kane fan,” I explained. He smiled and nodded.

“Well, why don’t we go get them and invite them to come with us?” He suggested. I nodded and we went to the locker room to get Melinda, Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. I knocked on the locker room door and none other than Mr. Patrick Kane himself answered.

“Kara!” He exclaimed, pulling me into a loose hug. I smiled and pushed him away.

"PK!” I said. Henrik looked at us strangely. “Pat and I grew up next door to each other in Buffalo. We went out for about two weeks, but then we realized we were better off being just friends. I haven’t seen him in a while!” I explained. “Oh, Pat, this is Henrik Zetterberg. Henrik, this is Patrick Kane.” They shook hands, but I sensed some hostility from Henrik. I locked eyes with him questioningly, but he waved me off. I felt a bad feeling in the pit of my stomach as I went to find Melinda.

Henrik’s POV


As Kara went off, I turned to Patrick. “So,” I said.

“We’re best friends. I wouldn’t throw that away by trying to go out with her when I know we’re not meant to be together,” He said. I stared at him. He smiled at me. “I can see just by the way she looks at you that being with you would make her very happy. Don’t screw it up, because if you hurt her, I’ll kill you,” He threatened. I locked eyes with him and saw that he was entirely serious about it. I nodded.

“I won’t hurt her, I promise. I think I’m in love with her too much to hurt her,” I said softly. His face cleared as he smiled.

“She loves you, too. Now go get her, tiger!” He said. I laughed as I went off to find Kara.

Kara’s POV


Henrik came over to us, a smile on his face. I stood up and faced him. He opened his arms and pulled me into a hug. “Come on, we’re going to go,” He said. Melinda stood up and Patrick followed us. Jonathan Toews ran after us. I smiled as I got into Henrik’s car. Mel, Jon and Pat got into Jon’s car, since Pat’s car was in the repair shop. We got to the bar and found an empty table to sit at. Pavel and Nicklas joined us a little while later, and we all talked and got to know each other. Soon, the others got up to go dance, leaving me and Henrik alone with each other. As a slower song started, Henrik and I went and danced for a bit. Afterward, he pulled me out of the bar and took me to his car.

“Henrik, what-“ My question was cut off by his soft lips capturing mine. I pulled him closer and we stayed like that until the need for air overcame us both.

“I’m in love with you,” He said, and he captured my mouth with his once more. I thought I’d died and gone to heaven.

Henrik F r e e F a l l i n’ Zetterberg o3 {The End}

After Henrik finally stopped kissing me long enough for us to leave, he drove me to the hotel the team was staying at. He took me up to his room and pressed me against the door, kissing me lightly on the mouth. I placed my hands against his firm chest as he drew me further into his room. Needless to say, it was a good night.

One month later...


I woke up in the morning to a churning stomach. I pushed myself out of Henrik’s arms and raced to the bathroom. “Kara?” He called, following me down the hallway. I threw up violently and Henrik came in, holding my hair out of my face. “Its okay, Kara,” He said over and over, rubbing my back lightly. I finally finished, tears streaking my cheeks. He helped me up and to the sink where I brushed my teeth to get rid of the puke smell. Pulling my hair back into a ponytail, I turned back to him.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. He shook his head.

“Don’t apologize,” He said softly, pulling me against him and kissing my forehead lightly. As soon as my stomach settled, we got ready for the day. He had missed practice because of me, and I apologized to him consistently for it, but he waved it off.

“I’m sure the guys don’t mind if my missing practice is because I wanted to make sure you were all right,” He pointed out. I grudgingly gave in; there was no was to miss that one. I was okay with it for one morning, but when it kept happening for the next few weeks, I decided there was definitely something wrong. One day after practice, I told Henrik I wanted to go to the hospital to see what was wrong with me. He drove me there and I told the doctor my symptoms. He smiled knowingly and told me I was probably pregnant. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. He did a test and confirmed it. I went back to Henrik and told him what the doctor said. He was overjoyed by the news.

Two Months Later

The last few months were hectic as we prepared for the baby as well as mine and Henrik’s wedding before it got too noticeable that I was even having a baby. I told my parents and friends about it, and Melinda was really excited since that meant she could come to the wedding with Patrick and see him again. I was happy that everything was going well.

Three Months Later, Henrik’s POV


I was sitting at the arena, waiting for the game to start. I was anxious; I knew it would probably be the last game I could play until after Kara had the baby and our honeymoon was over. As I sat in the locker room, waiting for the game to start, my phone suddenly rang. It was Kara. “Hello?” I answered.

“Henrik, I think I’m going to have the baby,” She said to me. My heart flipped.

“L-let me change, I’ll meet you at the hospital!” I said. Closing my phone, I got out of my gear and changed into my normal clothes. Throwing my stuff into my bag, I zipped it up, grabbed my car keys and raced toward the locker room door.

“Henrik! Where are you going?” Pavel asked me. I explained to him that Kara thought she was having the baby and he raced off to tell Mike Babcock and Nicklas. Both changed and I heard them following me out of the arena. “We’ll meet you there!” Pavel called as we went to our cars. I raced to the hospital, only to get pulled over by a policeman.

“License and registration, please,” He said. I handed them over, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. “Is there a problem, sir?” The officer asked.

“My fiancée’s having a baby,” I said. He handed my things to me.

“I’ll let it slide for today, but next time, you’ll probably get a ticket,” He warned me. I thanked him and went to the hospital. Running to the desk, I told the woman that Kara might be having the baby, and she led me to the room she was in. I went instantly to her side and she smiled up at me.

“Oh, Henrik, I’m so sorry you had to miss the game!” She cried. I held her hand and told her it was all right.

Twelve hours later, Kara’s POV


Just a little while ago, at 7:15 in the morning, little Adrian Henrik Zetterberg was born. Henrik was thrilled to have the baby named after him. Two weeks after Adrian was born, we were allowed to leave th hospital, and two more weeks after that, Henrik and I got married. I love him with all of my heart, no matter how clichéd that is, and I know I’m going to spend the rest of my life with him.

::Zach Parise:: Can You Ever Forgive Me? ::One-Shot::

::Zach Parise:: Can You Ever Forgive Me? ::One-Shot::

It seemed like we weren’t made for each other. He was perfect in every way. He wasn’t one of the tallest in the league at 5’ 11”, but he wasn’t one of the shortest either. He was always one of the best goal scorers for the Devils, but he didn’t flaunt it much. He was so modest about things. He was really sweet, too, and it was always so easy to get lost in his perfect brown eyes. We had only two things in common: Our love for hockey and we were both born in Minnesota. I wasn’t even one of those people who a guy like him would notice. It seemed strange that, out of all the people in New Jersey, he picked me. It was like a dream when he said it. Those three little words that got my heart pounding: I love you. I couldn’t think straight after that. I don’t know why I did it, I just ran away. I was scared and confused. I left the country completely. I spent the last few years with family in Russia. I’ve been there since then, and that was almost two months ago.

It’s been three years now, three long years since I’ve seen him. I missed him terribly, but I still couldn’t gather up the courage to try and go back to see him. I couldn’t face him. I knew I’d hurt him when I left, but it was too much. I was still unsure on how I felt about him. I could tell that my mother wanted me to go back and ask him to forgive me. I didn’t even know if he remembered me at all. I was too scared, and I started feeling lonely again. I locked myself in my room and hid there for a week. Mom came up and was pounding on the door, trying to get me to come out, but nothing worked. She finally called someone, I’m not sure who.

I heard a knock on my door. I ignored it. The knock grew louder, and I still ignored it. There was a voice, too quiet for me to tell whose it was. It, too, got louder, and I felt my heart jump. It was him! My mom must have called him to get me out of my room!

“Alyssa, Alyssa, please come out. I want to talk to you.”

He was calling for me. I pressed my face into my knees and didn’t answer. I felt my body shaking with my silent tears.

“Alyssa, please come out. I need to talk to you.”

I shook my head to myself. Maybe... I thought. Maybe if I ignore him long enough... I heard him knocking again.

“Alyssa, please come out!”

He was begging now, I could hear it in his voice. I shook more, I was trembling all over now. I heard him outside my door; he sounded like he was trying to break it down.

“Alyssa! Come out now!”

He was shouting now. I cried out in fear. He stopped at the sound. My tears were no longer silent.

“Alyssa, I’m so sorry,”

He was whispering, I had to strain to hear him. I was still crying. I could hear the pain in his voice.

“I have nothing to say.”

My voice was thick, there was a heavy accent from speaking no English for the last three years. I heard him lean against the door.

“Alyssa, please come out. I need you. Please come back to me.”

He was whimpering, I could hear it. I started crying harder, and I couldn’t control myself. I flung open the door and flew into his arms. I felt him instantly take me in them, tightening his grip on me. He was stroking my hair, and my arms were tight around his waist. I buried my face into his jersey and sobbed there. I heard him shushing me gently as he picked me up into his arms. I think I must have fallen asleep, because the next thing I remember is opening my eyes to see his soft brown ones there. He smiled sweetly at me. I looked away, I didn’t deserve such a sweet thing.

“Are you okay, Alyssa?”

I had hurt him and he was asking me if I was okay? Shouldn’t it be the other way around? I shook, and he took me into his arms once more. My answer to his question was simple.

“No. I’m not okay. I’ve been an idiot. I haven’t seen you in three years! And you’re the one asking me if I’m okay. Shouldn’t it be the other way around? Shouldn’t I be asking if you’re okay? I hurt you, I know I must have. And I know that it isn’t something you get over in three years. You must still be angry at me for running away. I would understand if you told me you hated me and that you never want to see me again. Go ahead, say it. I know you want to. It will help you get over me.”

I lowered my head, not wanting to meet his gaze. I was afraid what I’d find there. I was on the edge of the bed now, as far from him as I could be in this small room. He reached out, and I pulled away, standing up, backing away from him.

“Alyssa, I could never hate you. Even after you hurt me, I still loved you, and I still do love you. Come back to me. I need you.”

His voice was soft, gentle. It hurt me more than it would have if he’d yelled at me. I turned away from him and ran again. This time, he came after me. He followed me. I ran and ran until I couldn’t run anymore. I fell to my knees and cried there, rocking myself back and forth. People were staring at me. I heard him come up behind me. He knelt next to me.

“I don’t want you to run away anymore.”

He said to me. I stared up at him through tear filled eyes. I could see the love and forgiveness there. It was more than I deserved, but I could tell he wouldn’t let me go. I stood and stepped forward into his arms. I opened my mouth to say something.

“Zach?”

“Yes, Alyssa?”

“I love you, too.”

And then I leaned up and pressed my lips to his. In that instant, when he kissed me back, I knew we were meant for each other.

Brandon Dubinsky One-Shot (Basically a one chapter story)

The more you see the less you know

The less you find out as you go

I knew much more then than I do now

I knew I loved him. Ever since I had first seen him, I knew it deep down somewhere. At first, it just didn't seem that way; I hadn't been sure what it was. Now I realized it was love. I smiled to myself, remembering the first time I had seen him. It was right after a game in The Joe against the Red Wings. I was always a big Rangers fan even if I had been brought up in a family of Red Wing fans in Detroit. I had always loved going to Rangers games. The first game I went to last season was the first time I'd seen him.

Neon heart dayglo eyes

A city lit by fireflies

They’re advertising in the skies

For people like us

Though I knew it was love, I had never actually met him. I hoped to someday, and I knew I had to just keep hoping and it might happen sometime. I was actually going to New York to see a game in Madison Square Garden. My dream might have finally been realized. A brightly lit city like that would feel like home to me.

And I miss you when you’re not around

I’m getting ready to leave the ground

I was in the airport, waiting anxiously to catch my flight to the city from Detroit. My friend Chris had agreed to pick me up from the airport, and I would get a tour of the city before the game started. My heart was pounding; I was so eager to see the city. When my plane took off, I put my music on to calm myself down so I wouldn't be too nervous when I landed. It didn't seem real to me. It was too much like a dream.

Oh you look so beautiful tonight

In the city of blinding lights

The city was blinding, even in the day. I shielded my eyes as I stepped off the plane. Chris laughed at me and told me I'd get used to it. I got a great tour of the whole Manhattan area before we made our way to MSG. I was nervous again, and I clutched onto Chris's arm. He laughed again and said I'd be fine and that they would love me. I really only wanted one person to love me, but I didn't tell him that. I just smiled and followed him inside.

Don’t look before you laugh

Look ugly in a photograph

Flash bulbs purple irises

The camera can’t see

Me and the guys were standing around in the forum of the Garden when Chris came in, towing a girl none of us had seen before behind him. He introduced her as Kristen and told us she was one of his friends. We all introduced ourselves to her, but her eyes seemed to linger on me the longest. I pushed the thought aside; I couldn't think like that. She was absolutely gorgeous; I hoped Chris was willing to share his friend.

I’ve seen you walk unafraid

I’ve seen you in the clothes you made

Can you see the beauty inside of me?

What happened to the beauty I had inside of me?

Kristen stuck around for a while. I was glad; we had really gotten to know each other in the time we were together. I found out that she was trying to be a fashion designer, and she advertised herself by wearing hand-made clothing. I loved the things she came up with. They were so creative and looked like they'd taken weeks rather than hours. When we were together, she seemed really comfortable and genuinely happy. I was glad I was making her happy. Chris noticed this too; he confronted me after a game against the Devils.

"Hey Brandon."

"Hey Chris. What's up?"

"You seem to be pretty close to Krissy."

"Yeah, she's so nice and she seems great."

"Yeah? You're not planning on taking advantage of her, are you?"

"'Course not, Chris! What kind of guy do you think I am?"

He held his hands up in defense. "Don't get mad, Brandon. I just want what's best for Krissy. I didn't mean to offend you or anything." I calmed down after he spoke.

"Sorry, man. I guess I overreacted a bit."

"No worries, I understand." We finished changing in silence.

And I miss you when you’re not around

I’m getting ready to leave the ground

We were getting ready to leave for a road game in Montreal. Krissy was coming with us, of course; she was sort of our good luck charm. We sat together on the plane and chatted a bit, but then, when we got to Montreal, she had to leave us because we had a press conference. I knew it wouldn’t be long, but it would feel like forever every minute we were apart. Three agonizingly long hours later, I finally got to see her again.

Oh you look so beautiful tonight

In the city of blinding lights

We decided to go out to dinner, just the two of us. She looked so gorgeous in her strapless red dress, with her hair curled and the beautiful red lipstick she wore. She seemed embarrassed that I kept commenting on it, but I laughed and took her hand. We had a great time at dinner, and I hoped we’d have more nights like that in the future. We went back to the hotel content to be with each other.

Time… time

Won’t leave me as I am

But time won’t take the boy out of this man

When we got back to the hotel, I took her to my room. When we got there, she leaned in and kissed me. I kissed her back. It was soft and short, but passionate. She kissed me again as I pulled away, pulling me against her. I could feel every curve of her body as she pressed herself against me. Pulling my key out of my back pocket, I took her to my room for the night.

Oh you look so beautiful tonight

Oh you look so beautiful tonight

Oh you look so beautiful tonight

In the city of blinding lights

It’s been three months since that wonderful night, and I learned today that Krissy is going to have a baby; my baby. We don’t know the gender yet, but we’re hoping for a boy. I’m so excited, and I get more and more so with every passing week.

It’s now been six months since that wonderful night with Brandon, and we learned that I’m having a boy. Brandon was so excited about it, and I was happy to see him so happy. My stomach’s gotten noticeably bigger, so it’s a good thing my parents aren’t here. We’re eager for the baby to be born.

It’s been nine months to the day, and baby Aiden Brandon Dubinsky was born at three o’clock this morning. I named him after Brandon because I knew he’d really like that. He looks so much like his father! I love both of them very much, and I know that Brandon and I were meant to be together.

The more you know the less you feel

Some pray for others steal

Blessings are not just for the ones who kneel… luckily

Three years ago, I met Brandon Dubinsky thanks to my friend Chris Drury. Now, three years later, Chris is the best man at our wedding. We are so blessed to have each other and to have little Aiden Brandon, and hopefully there will be more little Dubinsky’s running around our household with their older brother. We have a happy life with each other ahead of us and nothing can stand in our way.