My Kingdom

"I think I just made my decision." He spoke softly into the phone, his mother on the other line. Jon had been weighing his options out, having slept no more than 2 hours last night after he got the phone call. What would have been the easiest eight months ago seemed so hard now, he actually had to think about what would be best for him, and just for everything.

"Well, what are we doing?" His mother asked curiously into the reciever and Jon let out a sigh before telling her his answer. He ended the phone call short and quick after, picking up a few dry cleaning items he headed over to the girls dormetories, the rain weighing his clothing down as it soaked through the fabric.

When he finally reached the destination Cale wrapped her arms around him with a smile before closing and locking her door behind her. Jon took a breath, taking her hand in his and lead her out of the building and down the packed streets of Grand Forks. The couple sat on a park bench wuietly, Cale had noticed something off about Jon but he had shrugged it off, the entire time he looked as if he were fighting an internal battle, which he was but refused to say anything until they were sitting.

"I got a phone call today." He started to explain, watching as Cale nodded slowly still obviously confused by his elusivness but listened nonetheless. Jon took another deep breath, keeping his gaze on the sand as he spoke softly, "Chicago wants me to play for them next year."

There was a silence before Cale finally spoke, "Oh."

"I said yes." Cale turned to him, smiling as she pushed her bangs back from her eyes making Jon watch her curiously, she was taking this a lot better than he had thought. Surely Cale had known they wouldnt be spending all of their college years together at UND but she hadnt expected the past months to go by so fast.

"That's great Jon. Im proud of you. You didnt really think I was going to tell you not to go did you? I wouldnt do that, I know hockey is your number one and I wouldnt try to change that, this is an amazing opportunity, take it." She said, making Jon smile, wrapping his arms around his girlfriend releived.

"Thank you. But you're wrong you know..." Jon told her, making Cale scrunch her eyebrows in confusion before he went on, "I never thought I'd say this but you're my number one, not hockey."

Cale's face broke out into a grin before she slapped Jon's shoulder and finally let her body give way to kiss him, when they pulled apart she leaned against them as they watched the kids run around the playground the rainbow from the previous rain storm setting a beautiful scene before them that had both of them thinking about the future.

- - -

Six weeks later both Jon and Cale were packed up for the summer, Cale's items already sent with Lizzie's parents, who she was spending the summer with, and now she sat on Jon's bare bed as he loaded the last bit of his things into a bag and turned, surveying the room that he had lived in for 2 yeras, that held a lot of memories, he could still see where he and TJ carved their names into the wall by the window, he could remember the times they had stumbled in drunk late at night and all the times they had kicked each other out for girl time over the years and even the time they had spent doing community service after being charged with under age drinking, and thinking back on it it was sad for him to walk away from it all, but he forced himself to turna round, sending his girl a smile before they both solemnly walked to his truck, where both his parents and Lizzie was waiting by their respective vehicles.

Andree Toews embraced Cale sweetly, knowing this was hard for both her son and the girl she considered her own daughter before Cale was wrapped in a warm bear hug from Bryan Toews. She send David a smile and a wave, to which he returned before looking back at the game he held in his hand. After Jon threw the last bag in the box of the truck he turned to his girlfriend, embracing her softly and kissing her head as Cale closed her eyes and let them well up with tears but refused to let them fall in front of him.

"I'll call you when I get home, and maybe you can come up for my first game." He spoke softly while the couple pulled back within arms reach. Jon dragged his thumb pads under Cale's eyes and she let out a quiet laugh.

"I wouldnt miss it for the world." Jonathan smiled at his girlfriend and kissed her quickly, resting his forehead against hers before connecting their lips together again.

"Get a room!" Cale pulled back and laughed at David who rolled his eyes at the couple and Jon stuck his tongue out at his brother, wanting to do a lot more if his parents werent standing in front of him. Cale smiled, walking away from Jon momentarily and nearing the truck window. David had never really taken to Cale, because in the time of his brother being away Jon rarely had time to call home and he never asked for David, and once Cale came in the picture the phone calls and answered texts became few to none.

"Do me a favor?" Cale asked, not caring that both Jon and David were watching her oddly but David nodded anyways, Cale held out her hand, pressing a small peice of white paper into his open palm, "dont let Jon see it. If UND's your choice, give me a call, I'll take you out and buy you a beer."

She watched as David smiled at her, nodding and pulling her into a hug from inside the truck surprising Cale and even herself as he began to talk softly so no one could hear, "I'm sorry I was so rude, I just thought you were taking my brother and he never wants to talk to me as it is so I was angry."

Cale nodded at him, watching David smile as she mouthed 'see you soon' before she joined Jon again. He smiled at her uneasily and Cale laughed, "What was that all about?" He asked making her shrugg.

"It doesnt matter, call me when you get home?" Jon nodded hugging Cale once more and she stood on her tip toes to whisper in his ear, "I love you, and be nice to David for me okay?"

She felt Jon nod against her shoulder before she spoke, "I love you too./" Jon kissed his girlfriend one more time before he headed to his truck, where his mother wrapped her arm around his waist and Cale smiled watching as Jon threw his arm around his mothers shoulders and couldnt help but giggle when she noticed how tiny Andree looked beside her son..the giant.

Lizzie linked arms with hers as the two walked to her small car and got ready for the rather short ride to Minot. It was going to be rough couple of days, both girls knew but there was something for each of them to count down to.

Lizzie was anxiously awaiting the day she would take her road trip to Moorehead to see Chris.

And Cale was coutning down the days until October, when she got to watch her whole world put on that 'Hawks uniform and play his heart out and she knew she would be more proud than ever.