Past Lives

Ads and I had screamed at the top of our lungs as our boys beat the Caps in game seven. Flower had been amazing against Ovechkin. I dared anyone who had been bashing him to say anything against him after he gloved an Ovi breakaway everyone was sure was in the net before the puck was on his stick. Flower hadn't stopped grinning that night. No one blamed him. When we all went out that night, Flower bought drinks for everyone. He had a new-found confidence that was awesome to see. We had missed him being his chipper self.

No one missed Sid's excitement either. It was blatantly obvious that he was pleased about beating his media-born, Gary Bettman-encouraged rival. The Kid didn't stop beaming the entire way through the celebration party. There were girls flocking to him and we hid him the best we could. I smiled as Brooks grinded with Ads. I really hoped he could convince her to stay before everything went horribly wrong and she decided to move to Boston. It killed me that she wanted to leave, but I understood why...

But I didn't want to accept it.

I moved back into my house. I was still paying rent on it, I needed to live in it. The first few nights back were terrifying, but I wasn't about to admit that to Craig. He'd never let me stay at home alone again. No, my best bet was to keep my mouth shut and sleep with the lights on.

It was hard to miss Jordan's excitement over playing against his brother. We could all tell that he just wanted to beat Eric. After all, that rivalry had existed since Jordan learned to walk. It was only natural. Jared hadn't had the opportunity to compete for the Cup yet and Marc was gone. Jordan obsessed over Eric.

"I don't even know! He just get's under my skin!"

"Jordan, shut up. It's the Canes."

"That doesn't mean anything, Gods! He's a sneaky bastard."

The guys all laughed over the beer and pizza we had all been consuming on Gonch's floor. He was having a night for the guys and their women. Ads sat between Brooks' legs and he wrapped his arms around her. Ksenia sat next to Sergei, his arm around her waist. Vero and Marc's legs were tangled together. Geno and his Barbie doll may as well have been naked; Sid pretended to gag. As I walked back from the fridge with a new beer, Craig grabbed me before I could sit next to him and pulled me into his lap.

"Seriously, if you only knew his ninja-like moves..."

"Somebody got a few too many wedgies from the ninja as a kid," Billy G interjected.

The laughter exploded. Jordan blushed. Clearly he was thinking about those ancient wedgies.

"ADSYYYYY!!"

Ads and I jumped up and down screaming as the puck slid over the goal line. I could never go back to Boston - I was completely behind another black and (vegas) gold now. I'd be disowned. I hadn't so much as batted an eye when the Bruins' playoff run ended. Now my heart bled with every Penguins loss. I felt popcorn hit the back of my head from the pissy Canes fans behind me. Whatever, they'd learn to deal.

I hugged Ads while I jumped up and down - Craig had scored the final nail in the coffin for the Canes season. A Pens fan next to me looked at my jersey and smiled. "That's your man!"

She had no idea how accurate that was. I just smiled and hugged her, still screaming. She didn't need to know.

My phone vibrated and I tripped over my feet and fell into my seat from laughing at the text Ads had sent me. That's not the only goal he's gonna score tonight.

"Are you ok? Are you drunk?" The woman next to me was concerned. I shook my head, tears streaming down my face from laughing.

"I'm fine!" My smile was plastered on. "I'm fine! I'm just really excited!"

She laughed and high-fived me. "That's understandable!"

I wanted to run down to the ice and congratulate him in every way possible right then and there. Something told me the crowd wouldn't appreciate that one...and the guys would just laugh. No, I'd save Craig's reward for later that night. Which goal he was more excited about would be up for debate. I'd met him. If there was one thing Craig loved a little more than hockey, it was our sex...or so he'd told me. Granted, we were both inebriated that night.

As the game ended, Ads and I rushed the glass with other fans. We wanted to see the Prince up close. I thought back to the year before when Sid had refused to touch it according to superstition. Would he risk that superstition or would he...

What was I thinking? This was Sid. He'd hold up that superstition to the ends of the world. I'd never met someone that superstitious. That man was almost neurotic in his superstitions. It was kind of scary sometimes. Craig and Brooks made fun of him all the time. They nailed the way he'd only use a certain tape, how no one could touch his stick; they got him on not talking to certain people before games or how he had to have spaghetti. Sid was their favorite target for abuse.

"Oooh, Jamie, look at it!" Ads squealed as the Prince of Wales made its appearance. We watched, wide-eyed, as Sid skated over and grabbed the trophy. I looked at Ads in disbelief.

"Who's that and what the hell did he do with Sidney Crosby?"

Ads shook her head, clearly as shocked as I was. We had no idea what was going on. After a second, I said, "If things go badly-"

"Don't," Ads cut me off. "Don't even say it."

I nodded and we screamed along with the other Pens fans. Tonight was amazing. I could only hope it wasn't the last trophy Sid would hoist this season. The boys skated to the locker room and Ads and I headed downstairs to wait for them. We knew the booze would be flowing that night.

We watched the media flock to the locker room and I looked over at Ads as we waited on a bench. "So Ads..." I needed to ask her. I needed to know.

"Yeah?" Ads was distracted. Something told me she was plotting her every move with Brooks that night. I shuddered. I really didn't want to know what she did to Brooks behind closed doors. We tried to spare each other the gory details of our sexcapades. Unfortunately for Ads, she'd had to hear some of mine when we lived together.

I bit my lip. "How's the job?" Some of the other girlfriends were milling around and I didn't want them to say anything. The last thing I needed was for Vero to say something to Marc or Oksluta to Geno. Granted, when Barbie and Geno had time to talk between practice and fu-

"I don't know, Jamie..." Ads said lowly. I turned to face her and she shook her head. "Scuds made a really good point."

I rolled my eyes. "Why the hell are you taking advice from him? I feel like that's not one of your better decisions." Shaking my head, I added, "Scuds isn't known for amazing ideas."

She shrugged. "He said that Brooks has his dream job, why shouldn't I?"

I couldn't argue. That really was a fair point. But I was selfish and wanted Ads in Pittsburgh with me. And Scuds and Ads were left out of the loop on the important factor that there was a very beautiful, very expensive Cartier ring waiting for Ads as soon as Brooks was ready.

She had to stay in Pittsburgh.

Brooks walked out of the locker room and wrapped his arms around Ads. He whispered very quickly into her ear before heading out to the bus. I looked at Ads' bright smile and shook my head. "Somebody's gettin' laaaaaiiiid," I sing-songed. Ads shoved me but didn't object. I wasn't an idiot; I knew what that smirk meant. Brooks was getting lucky tonight. Something told me Ads wouldn't be able to walk tomorrow.

Gonch and GoGo came out next followed by Max and Bouche. Garon, Cookie and Eaton all appeared discussing the various liquors they were going to consume at the bar. Gill, TK and Tanger all came next. They were an odd trio with the mix in of Gill. I usually saw him with Jordan. Oh well.

I heard Jordan's voice in my ear and jumped. "Do have access to a wheelbarrow and some ice?"

Turning, I gave him a look of confusion. "Do I even want to know, Jordo?"

Gronk smirked. "Because from what I heard in the locker room just now while Craig was shoving his way past guys to get dressed, you're gonna need it tonight." I shoved him and he saluted me as he walked backwards towards the door.

"Good luck with the mobility thing later!" I flipped him off as Craig's arms wrapped around my waist.

"Baby, I really hope you don't want to fuck Jordan. I don't share well with others." His voice was already thick. I didn't know if he'd make it back to the room.

Ads laughed. "I'll go to Brooks' room tonight." I gave her a thankful smile and Craig did the same.

"You're a great friend, Ads."

"Yeah, yeah. Just stay the hell away from my stuff, assholes." She pulled out her phone and texted Brooks regarding the rendezvous. I couldn't help but laugh. I just really hoped she chose Brooks over Boston. I knew it was her dream, but I remembered a night back in college when Ads had been fantasizing over marrying Brooks.

I walked into the room after a long day of classes. I had been showing some freshmen around the production studio as well, something that always made me want to shoot myself. The little twerps all pissed me off to no end. They all though they were going to be the next big thing. They needed to get off their high horses and realize that things didn't work that way.

Ads sat on her bed with a magazine and I popped over her shoulder. "What ch'ya reading, Ads?"

She slammed the magazine shut and shoved it under her butt. "Nothing!" she squeaked.

I rolled my eyes. "It it's Playgirl, I suggest telling Brooks he sucks."

Ads shoved me. "Trust me, he doesn't," she replied with a smirk.

"I don't want to know about Brooks' other hockey stick." I pulled out the evil trick and started tickling Ads. She was off the bed and on the windowsill within a millisecond. I wondered if I'd even touched her. I grabbed the magazine as Ads tried to grab for it. I smirked as I held it out for her to see the cover. "'Brides', Ads? You not telling me something? I thought you said I was your maid of honor. Now I'm not even privy to information? I'm hurt, Adisyn Hunter."

Ads blushed furiously and grabbed the magazine. "You're not missing anything." I could sense that she was slightly annoyed by that fact.

I put my arm around her. "Aw, Ads. Don't worry. You two are perfect for each other. He'll ask eventually."

She glared at the magazine. "I just...I want this," she said as she pointed at the perfection. She sighed. "I want a nighttime wedding outside. I want the aisle to be lined with flickering candles. I want the most important hundred or hundred and fifty people there to watch. I want," she added, looking at a picture of Brooks and her, "to see him at the end of the aisle waiting for me."

I hugged her. It was all I could do. "I know, hun. Just give him time."

I just wanted Ads to be happy. I wished I could tell her that she would get her perfect night in time...I just hoped she didn't run away before Brooks had his chance to make their lives perfect. I felt helpless. I knew both sides of the stories and I couldn't tell the other.

Craig squeezed my waist and lowered his lips to my ear. "I'll see you in about an hour, love." He kissed my neck and gave my ear a quick nibble. I wanted to rip his clothes off in the broom closet by the doors. It was as if he knew what I was thinking...or he had the same thought. "Soon."

Ads and I raced back to the hotel to get ready. She ran off to Brooks' room and I started on ours. I wanted everything to be perfect. My laptop sat in the corner playing music. I almost died as Nickelback's "S.E.X." came on. It was too perfect. It was too bad Craig wasn't here yet.

I heard a knock on the door about five minutes later and slipped over to the door. I was wearing a teeshirt of Craig's I had stolen and my long hair fell around my shoulders. Peering out the peep hole, I opened the door slowly for Craig. He shot inside and locked the door in one fluid movement before crushing me between the door and his solid body. His lips wasted no time in finding my neck. My hands didn't wait for him as my fingers undid the buttons on his dress shirt. He had come straight from the bus.

As his shirt hit the floor, I moved to his belt. I had made his life easy - teeshirt, boyshorts, done. But nooooo, Craig couldn't help me out. As I pulled the belt from its loops, he pulled my (well his) shirt from my body and pressed himself into me. He was ready to go and I hadn't need to do much of anything. He really did want this. I yanked off his pants without a second thought. Tonight was going to be amazing.

--

The next morning, I heard Ads walk through the door and groaned. I was in Craig's arms and had no desire to leave behind the dream Ads had cancelled out. She gave me a little wave, grabbed Brooks' jersey and left the room.

I didn't even want to know.

--

Craig, Brooks, Ads and I sat around a table at Mallorca when we got back to Pittsburgh. It had been way too long since we'd had a double date and Ads and I had insisted. The guys were happy to oblige. Food and a possible lay that night? They were all in.

As we waited for dinners, Brooks looked over at Ads. "Hey, I wanted to discuss something with you."

Ads looked worried. "Such as?"

Brooks smiled and put his hand on her knee. "Your mom's never seen Pittsburgh and she loves hockey. Let's have her down for the Detroit series."

I fought back a smirk. I knew exactly what was going on. Craig and Ads were in the dark, but I knew what Brooks was up to. He gave me a little nod as I caught his eye. He wanted Ads' mom here when he proposed. He was going to do it soon, then. I smiled as Ads grinned.

"Brooks, that's a great idea! She'd love to come down here!" She kissed Brooks. "I love you."

He kissed her nose. "I love you more."

Craig and I were meant to be. We both gagged at the same time.

Brooks and Ads both flipped us off.

Dear Lord we had found the right guys.

...I only hoped it all worked out.