Northern Lights

Competing against the Chicago Blackhawks was always fun for TJ Oshie. It meant seeing one of his best friends from college again and playing against him to show him who was really the better player. It was the middle of January when they met up for the first time and the game was to be played in Chicago.

"Nice to see you man," Jonathan said, giving TJ a man hug. TJ smiled widely and took a short glance around the locker rooms.

"Nice to see you too," he smiled. "You gonna take me out for drinks when I win tonight?"

"You actually think you're gonna win? Damn Teej, they must have really brain washed you in St. Louis," he laughed.

"Oh, I know I'm we're gonna win," he grinned.

After a short practice, TJ decided to walk around the streets of Chicago. Jonathan joined him as soon as he was out of his own practice. They stopped for some famous Chicago pizza and wandered the streets.

"So how's the NHL been treatin' ya, Osh?" Jonathan asked.

"It's been good. It's weird being away from NoDak though, ya know?" He told his friend.

"I know what you mean; it was so weird being here for my first year. I can't tell you how many times I woke up thinking I was gonna be late for class," Jon laughed.

"Me too dude!" TJ chimed in.

They spent the day in the city, well- as much as they could anyway. Chicago wasn't exactly known for it's warm climates in the winter, and the frigid air forced them to retreat back to Jon's apartment. There they continued to hang out and catch up on a few things.

The University of North Dakota was special to both boys. It was a place where they partied, played hockey, and made lifelong friends. Both were drafted into the NHL before they could finish their full four years at the school, and sometimes they even missed waking up early for classes. Ultimately though, they were happy with where they were in life.

"Any chicks in St. Louis?" Jonathan asked his friend with a smug look. TJ Oshie was well known in college for getting with his fair share of girls. He never really ever had a problem finding a girl who was willing to get with him, therefore earning him the title of the team whore. Not that he really minded that title anyway.

"Dude," TJ grinned. "You're talking to me." And that seemed to be answer enough for Jonathan.

The rest of the day was spent in Jonathan's apartment. Once five o'clock rolled around, both boys set off for the rink and got ready for the game separately.

"You ready to kick your friend's ass?" Patrik asked TJ once most of the team was in the locker room. TJ let a hardy laugh leave his lips as he pulled his under armor on over his head.

"You bet your Swedish ass I am Bergs," he replied with a grin. Once he had pulled on all of his under armor, he started walking towards the athletic trainer’s office. He needed his wrist taped for the game, he had hurt it slightly in practice the other day and he wanted to prevent it from getting worse. Upon walking into the room, he realized Steve, the athletic trainer to the Blues, was nowhere to be seen. He furrowed his eyebrows and turned to see Ray Bennett, his assistant coach, standing there with a smile.

"He's out sick today. He's got that flu that's been going around," he told TJ.

"So where do I go to get my wrist taped?" He asked.

"The Blackhawk's trainer agreed to help us out today," he said, nodding in the direction of the opposing team's locker room.

"Alright, thanks Coach," TJ said with a small nod of his head. He turned around once again and made the short trip to the Blackhawk's training room. He pushed the door open to see a few of the players there and a short light head headed girl attending to Marty Havlat's ankle with her back to TJ. All eyes went to TJ and as the girl finished wrapping Marty's ankle, she turned around to look at him as well.

TJ's entire world stopped for a few brief seconds as he looked at the girl standing only a few feet in front of him. Ava Lawler was the girl that broke TJ Oshie's heart without him even knowing it.