Northern Lights

The Blues won. And TJ scored the game winning goal. Needless to say he was ecstatic as he walked back into the locker room. Probably even more so because he knew a certain red-headed girl had been watching the whole game.

He got did his interviews, got undressed, showered, and then put on his suit. He and Jonathan, along with a few other teammates had plans to go out that night. And TJ certainly hoped Ava was involved in said plans.

As he walked out of the locker room, he typed Jon a text simultaneously- he wanted to know where to meet his friend now that he was showered and ready. He stood outside his locker room for sometime while he waited for a text telling him where to go. After five minutes of standing around and looking stupid TJ decided it was best to just go back to his hotel first. He wasn't gonna go out in a suit anyway. Just as he was about to walk out towards where the bus was parked that was bringing them back to the hotel TJ heard a familiar voice.

"Timmy!"

If her voice wasn't indication enough, TJ would have known it was Ava because the only other person who ever called him by his real name was his mother. He turned around to see Ava's smiling face walking towards him. Her hair was placed in a messy bun on top of her head and she was wearing a huge Blackhawks hoodie.

"Hey," TJ smiled down at the girl.

"Where are you going?" She asked him curiously.

"Back to my hotel, Toews hasn't texted me back yet," he explained shortly, ruffling his messy fading blonde hair.

"I'll drive you," she offered. "Then you can come back to my place while we wait for the slow poke to get ready," she smiled. TJ nodded back and smiled.

"Okay, sounds good," he said. Ava grinned widely and wrapped her arms around his arm tightly. She walked close to his side as they exited the United Center.

"You played a pretty good game tonight," Ava told him as they reached her car.

"Thanks," TJ said, buckling his seatbelt.

"It reminded me of being back at NoDak a little," Ava said, sending a short smile over to TJ before throwing her car in reverse and backing out of her staff parking spot. "Seeing you and Jon out on the ice together again was great."

"Yeah, we kinda have the old crew back," TJ joked. "Minus about ten of the other guys."

Ava's infectious laughed filled the car, "I know! We should all get together this summer or something. That'd be so much fun," she beamed. TJ nodded in agreement and the rest of the car ride was filled with more memories and laughter. Upon arriving to TJ's hotel, Ava let him know that she'd wait for him in the car while she tried to get in touch with Jonathan or even someone else on the team. TJ agreed and ran up to his room, rushing to get ready. When he came back down to Ava's car she let him know that she had gotten in touch with Patrick Kane, but not with Jonathan.

"But it doesn't really matter," she told him as they neared her apartment. "They're practically attached at the freakin' hip. Where Kaner is, Jon is nearby and vice versa."

"So where are we going?" TJ asked curiously.

"Patrick said we can meet them at this little restaurant downtown. It's this cute little place, no one really ever bothers them there and everyone's really nice," she explained. "I gotta change first though, you can come up to my apartment with me."

They arrived at her apartment soon thereafter and after looking around her apartment for a moment, TJ realized he expected no less from Ava. Her apartment was small, but homey. He knew she had spent a lot of time decorating it and he even saw his own face on her walls a few times.

"Are you looking at all my pictures?" Ava asked as she walked back out into the living room, pulling an oversized grey sweater over her small body.

"Yeah, you have so many. I didn't even know some of these existed," he said, running his fingers along the glass of the sort of collage like ensemble she had hanging on the wall.

"I'm good at candid shots," she grinned. TJ smiled and turned around so he was facing the tiny red head.

"Did you ever think you'd get here? Like, working in Chicago I mean..with Jonathan," he asked. Ava looked like she was thinking for a moment, her lips pressed together before she broke out into a small smile.

"Nope," she said. "But I'm glad I got here."

TJ couldn't help but wonder if she was talking about her whole life, or just being in Chicago. Ava Lawler was an open book to most, but when it came to TJ Oshie she was a fucking mystery.