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.”
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.
