Beside You

“Marc! Put me down!” I yelled, pounding on my brother’s back as he’d slung me over his shoulder. “MARC!”

“You’re not going,” he told me in a growl.

“Put me the fuck down!” I demanded loudly again.

“Madison!” we heard Mom call from the kitchen and I let out a grunt. “Let your sister down, Marc.”

“Thank you!” I exclaimed, glad to be back on my own two feet again. As I went to open the front door again, Marc stepped in front of it. “Seriously?”

“You are not going,” he repeated firmly.

“Yes, I am!” I gave him a dark, defiant look.

“Madison Grace.”

“She’s going to go whether you want her to or not,” Jordan sighed at his older brother. “C’mon, let’s go, Mads.”

“You’re taking her?!” Marc glowered at the only truly blonde Staal.

“Yup,” Jordan grinned slightly and opened the front door for me. “After you, milady.”

“Very kind,” I grinned back at him and skipped down the stairs. “I’m wearing the back protector, Marc, just so you know.”

“You’re impossible! Are you really going to get on a horse again?! That’s just not right!” Marc huffed.

“You gonna tell Sid not to play hockey again just cause he got hurt playing the game?” I shot back smartly and Jordan started laughing his ass off. “Don’t even think about trying to keep me from doing this, Marc.”

“Nice one,” Jordan nodded approvingly and offered me a fist bump. I got into the passenger seat and held my helmet on my lap during the short ride to the stables. “Jared and Eric are already there.”

“Is everyone going to be there to watch me?!” I sighed and he let out a chuckle.

“Yep.”

“Ugh.”

“Sounds about right,” he smiled lightly. “Please be careful.”

“I will be,” I promised seriously. “I’ve got my helmet and the back protector is in your trunk.”

“I know, I checked.” I let out a laugh.

“You’re doing the protective older brother very well, Jord.”

“I’m trying my best,” he grinned happily and stopped the car. I jumped out and waved at Eric and Jared, running straight to Theo’s box.

“Hi baby!” I grinned and slipped inside. Theo snorted contently and leaned his head into my hands. “I missed you!” I gave him a rub all over, extremely ecstatic to be back here, smell the horses, the hay, feel his hair under my hands...

After having a cuddle with my horse I led him outside to clean him and get him ready for my first attempt at riding since the accident. It was a big day, so I could kind of understand that my brothers and parents wanted to be there, but it didn’t really help to calm my nerves. A while later Theo and I were both ready, I wasn’t sure if the same could be said about my family though. Mom still looked like she wasn’t sure if she wanted to watch or not and Dad appeared to be on the verge of giving up.

“You’ll be fine,” Abby assured me with a smile and I nodded. She held Theo as I put my foot in the stirrup and then swung my body onto his back. I took a moment to adjust and get comfortable in the saddle. Reaching for the reigns I glanced over to my family for a moment and saw the different reactions. Mom was crushing Dad’s arm with her hand, Eric looked undecided, Jared and Jordan were grinning and giving me thumbs up. I let out a small laugh and gently pressed my calves into Theo’s side, causing him to walk towards the paddock slowly.

Mr. and Mrs. James had come out to see me ride as well, Matt was as always not present. Somehow he’d managed to avoid me completely since I’d come back to Thunder Bay, which I wasn’t too sad about to be honest. I’d run into him last week when I came to check on Theo, but it was almost like I had a contagious disease with the way Matt ran off immediately. Asshole.

As I rode some circles around the paddock, Mr. James came inside and gave a few instructions, helping me with my posture and just giving me encouraging words. I was sure that Theo could feel my tension, but he was such a mellow, well-behaved guy that he didn’t get out of line. Maybe he could tell I was a little scared after all and wanted me to feel better.

A fast trot was all we got up to for now, but when Abby led Theo back to the stables so I could get off and we could clean him again, I had to flex my hands a few times from holding onto the reigns so tightly. My heart was beating hard and fast in my chest and I knew that it’d take me a while to be completely comfortable on a horse again. It was a good start though.

“You looked great,” Abby smiled at me. “And you have an extra visitor.” She nodded over to my family. I turned my head and heard her laugh as a large smile spread on my face. Next to Marc’s red head, there was also a dark brunette now. I slid off Theo carefully and patted his neck, thanking him for a good ride. “I’ll do this, go,” Abby told me then. I threw her a quick grin and hurried over to my adoring public.

“You’re here!” I beamed at Mike, throwing my arms around his neck in a hug. He laughed and squeezed me.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world,” he smiled and slowly let go. “Looked good up there.”

I grinned happily and stayed tucked into his side gladly. “Thanks. Theo’s the best.” Which didn’t mean that I didn’t miss Lady though... “Speaking of... I should go help Abby clean him.”

“I’ll be right here,” he assured me. I let out a laugh.

“Yeah, if my brothers haven’t killed you in the mean time,” I smirked. Mike frowned slightly and my brothers laughed. “I want him in one piece unharmed when I get back, you guys!”

“Ahaha, that’s what you think, Maddie,” Jordan smirked back at me. I made the I’m watching you motion at them and ran off.

“Where’s Matt? Cause you should totally show off,” Abby grinned at me when I got back to her and Theo. I shrugged and took the hoof pick she handed me. Sliding my hand down Theo’s hind leg I glanced back over to my family and could tell that my brothers were giving Mike shit about something. Oh well, he was going to have to get used to that, came with dating the youngest Staal and the only girl at that...

After cleaning Theo again I brought him over to the meadow so he could be outside and enjoy the grass and the weather. I was just watching him run all over the place a bit when I felt a hand on my back. Looking over my shoulder I gave Mike a smile.

“Nice surprise,” I grinned happily, he hadn’t told me he was going to come. He knew I was going to ride today though.

“Wouldn’t have missed it for the world,” he repeated and wrapped his arms around me when I turned to him. “You okay?”

“Bit shaky,” I admitted quietly. “But it’ll get better the more I do it.”

“I think Marc died with every move that Theo made,” he grinned and I laughed.

“I know. He tried to carry me off so I wouldn’t go earlier,” I shrugged and my boyfriend laughed, too. “You’re in one piece, that’s good.”

“They know you like me a lot,” he smirked good-naturedly.

“Oh really? Where’d you get that idea?” I joked but gladly held still for the small kiss he gave me.

A lot had happened since that walk in Central Park. Mike got a few very firm talks with Dad and my brothers, but that didn’t keep us from texting and emailing up a storm every day. It didn’t take long until he became my lifeline, keeping me from being so bored and doing wonders to help rebuild my confidence and self-esteem. For a long time we managed to keep it secret, but when I went back to Thunder Bay, it got harder. When the Rangers lost after the first round in the playoffs, Marc came back home and kindly let me know that he was on to us. Didn’t take long after that before the secret of Mike and I was no longer a secret.

So far things had been amazing. His concern for me never really got out of hand and he always made me feel like the most important girl in the world. He was funny, good looking, good at hockey, knew my family, had been my friend before... For all intents and purposes he was perfect.

“C’mon, let’s meet Theo,” I suggested then and easily climbed over the wooden fence. Mike followed suit and stuck close to me as I walked through the meadow towards where Theo was peacefully grazing now. I let out a small whistle and almost immediately the horse came over to me. From a pocket in my vest I pulled a piece of apple and gave it to him. “Gimme your hand.”

Mike did as I'd told him and so I placed another piece of apple on his flat hand for Theo to have. Theo sniffed Mike’s hand for a moment before he took the apple and then nudged Mike’s hand for more.

“He wants more,” I laughed and handed Mike another few pieces. “Just make sure your hand’s flat so he doesn’t accidentally bite you.”

“Ok,” Mike nodded a little hesitantly, but followed my instructions perfectly. While he and Theo bonded in that way I got busy running my hands over the horse’s neck. When Mike was out of pieces of apple Theo quickly turned to hang his head over my shoulder. Mike let out a laugh.

“He loves doing that,” I chuckled and pushed Theo back gently. “You’re all crazy about cuddles, aren’t you, baby?” I cooed to the horse and kissed his nose.

“Should I be jealous?” Mike joked and we both laughed. Theo moved his head to nose at my pockets, wanting more treats.

“Nope, I’m all out. Sorry, bud,” I shook my head and he snorted. “Bye.” I rubbed his nose and then took Mike back to the driveway, our linked hands swinging between us.

.

.

“Are you about done in there?!” Jared knocked on my door impatiently.

“Stop with the impatience, Jared!” Abby yelled through the wood and I could practically hear my brother roll his eyes. “This takes time!”

“You’ve been in there for three hours, how long can this take?!” he huffed but then his steps disappeared.

“Men,” we both said at the same time and Abby went back to carefully doing my eyeliner. When she was finished she stood me in front of the mirror inside my wardrobe door.

My hair had grown quite a bit since they mostly shaved it off for the surgery, but it was nowhere near the length I was used to. Abby had made the most of it with a pretty headband encrusted with crystals. The soft rose colored dress I was wearing was from New York, so were the heels I’d picked to go with it. The flipflop sandals I was going to wear for most of the night were Abby’s though. I was not insane enough to wear the heels for longer than my ‘big entrance’.

“You look great,” Abby nodded approvingly, smoothing her own red dress down. She’d always been a little more fashion forward so it didn’t surprise me that she’d picked a bolder color. Her own short hair was carefully disheveled and she had a black clip at the side with a small silk bow on it. We looked pretty good.

“We rock,” I grinned at her through the mirror.

“Damn straight,” she agreed, grinning back. Stepping into her own shoes she went to the door and opened it. “Michael!” she yelled down the stairs. I laughed and listened for my boyfriend to run up the stairs. “No, no, no. You stand at the bottom, stupid!” Mike thundered down the stairs again, everyone laughing. “Good. Grand entrance everyone!”

“Jesus, you make this feel like prom!”

“Shut up,” Abby rolled her eyes at me. “Wait till I call for you, okay?” She didn’t wait for my answer, just went down the stairs in her heels carefully.

I waited by the side of the staircase until she called for me and then very carefully, holding onto the banister, made my way down. It was really like prom, Mike stood at the bottom with my brothers and parents. Everyone told me I looked beautiful, my brothers grunted in disgust when Mike kissed my cheek and then they all scurried off quickly.

“You look very handsome,” I grinned at Mike, smoothing down his dress shirt’s collar a little. When Abby and Jordan had brought up the idea of having a belated birthday slash Maddie-is-fine-after-her-giant-accident party this summer, I hadn’t wanted a party this big or this fancy, but I didn't really get a choice. Once Mom and Tanya got on it as well, it was out of my hands. I got to choose the flavors of the cake and the overall theme (summer, duh), but that was about it. Now the guys were in dress pants and button ups and the girls were in nice cocktail dresses. They’d put up a party tent outside, complete with a dance floor and my guess was that there were about seventy guests, but I’d lost count after a while.

“Thanks, I tried,” he grinned back and kissed me on the lips lightly. I closed my eyes and slid my hand around the back of his neck to keep him there. If I’d thought Matt was a good kisser, Mike was a whole other universe.

“Okay, gross,” someone commented from behind. I let go of Mike and turned around.

“Whatever, Sidney,” I rolled my eyes at the grinning forward and pulled Mike with me to go outside as well. Next to family and friends from T-Bay, there were also people from all over Canada and the US here, basically all the teammates I was close to from my brothers’ teams. Since I’d spent the longest time in New York, the Rangers made the biggest group. It was funny to see Mike get ribbed by everyone, so that was great. There already were plans for a small pickup game tomorrow morning. If everything went according to my wishes, it’d be Staals against the world. Well, Staals with a Crosby goalie and a Del Zotto defenseman.

I knew that the party would be much different from what I thought it would be, when Tanya suggested getting a photographer to take pictures. Mom loved the idea and so we hired one. She was a discreet person, signing the confidentially clause without much hassle and just blended in very well throughout the course of the night. Of course we had to take family and group pictures eventually though.

“Would you just stop?!” I turned to Jared and punched his shoulder. We were trying to take a group shot of the siblings, but someone kept pinching my side.

“I’m not doing anything!” he huffed. “It was Jordan.”

“You!” I wagged my finger at my other brother, who just grinned, and everyone laughed. Finally the photographer managed to get some good shots and even a few funnier ones as we were yapping at each other. Abby and I had a few pictures taken as well and I knew that one would definitely make its way onto my nightstand.

Later that night, when the party was over, we took all the sleeping bags and air mattresses we could find outside and had a giant camp under the tent. My brothers made Mike lie at the other end of the tent from me, and with Abby on one side and Jared sharing the slightly bigger than normal mattress with me, they deemed the situation ‘safe’. I just rolled my eyes and was content to lie between my two best friends.

“Did you have fun?” Jared whispered at me quietly. Our other brothers and a few friends were far from settling down to sleep. Abby was out light a light already.

“It was great,” I whispered back. “I had a lot of fun.”

“Good.”

“Wanna hunt down the water bombs early tomorrow morning?” I suggested then and heard him laugh quietly.

“Yep.”

“Good.”

“Sleep well, Maddie. I love you.”

“Love you, too, Jare,” I replied and closed my eyes. Surrounded by all the people I loved, I was more than content to go to sleep now. “Don’t snore or I’ll kick you.”

“Eric snores,” Jared gave back dryly and we laughed. I snuggled into my pillow and let out a deep breath slowly.