Got A Secret?

I pick at the Pittsburgh Penguins shirt in confusion, had someone dressed me? Why wasn't I in a hospital gown like I probably should be? I sit up slightly wincing at the pressure in my side, great I had defiantly done something to my ribs once again. I push back a zebra print throw blanket and see a pair of Nike work-out shorts that had pink and zebra print on them. I could see a theme here but none of this clothing was mine. I could feel my sports bra was still on which was a good sign I suppose at least no one had removed that. Then again I barely could get it off myself I imagine they would have cut it off…

I hear the beeping of the heart monitor and see my back-up glasses sitting on my bedside table, my contact lens case beside them. At least they had enough sense to somehow get those out of my eyes.

In the chair beside the bed sat four stuffed animals, the penguin I had gotten from the girls. A stuffed husky, lamb and a hedgehog. The most random assortment of animals I had ever seen. Where the hell did they come from? I ease myself down and search for that call button they always show in movies, I was up and now I wanted to get out of here. I look over one side of the bed seeing a large zebra tote beside it with zebra slippers. Lord almightily who the hell brought all of this zebra stuff? I make a reach for the bag pausing when I hear the door open behind me.

"Ah Ms. Keller we were wondering when you were going to wake up," a deep voice calls, I straighten up slowly and hold back a blush feeling like I had just been caught doing something bad.

"Sup doc?" I ask eyeing him, he was good-looking that much was for sure but maybe if I seemed nice enough then I wouldn't be stuck here.
"Well, the slight swelling in your brain has gone down and you have re-bruised two ribs. Other then that you're doing well, you'll have to stay here overnight so we can monitor your concussion make sure nothing happens."

I groan in annoyance making the young doctor chuckle, he reaches down and hits something making it slowly raise. Once I'm sitting he moves around the side of the bed whit his chart and starts jotting down notes from the machine. Hello curious girl here! Doctor Hot-Pants!

Curiosity finally gets the best of me, "What about hockey?" He laughs, actually laughs, flipping the chart closed. "Your concussion is pretty minor, but still that's two weeks before you can engage in any physical activity. Your ribs aren't as bad as they were the first time from what I've seen in your chart, but I'd give them 3 or so weeks since it’s a repeated injury. It will depend on how they feel, you'll have to come in for a few check ups, I'm sorry but you won't be playing for a while Ms. Keller. You might be ready to go for playoffs, it all depends."

"PLAYOFFS!" I screech, that was more then 5 weeks away it was only the beginning of March for crying out loud!
"I'm sorry Ms. Keller but we don't want to take any chances, if you don't allow yourself to heal fully the injuries could be worst next time. Your ribs probably cracked so easily because you didn't wait for them to fully heal the last time. You went out too early but they seemed okay so they gave you the clear. We're not going to let that happen again".

"But-"
"I know it seems like a long time but just concentrate on getting better and you'll be up and about in no time. If you keep rested you make be able to start some light workouts at the three-week mark. We can have you back on the ice at week 4 maybe but that will only be for skating, no practice and no shooting".

"Some light shooting?" I push trying to flash him a charming grin. I don't know how charming it looked exactly though because I had a slight headache and I'm pretty sure it was more of a grimace.
"No, no pucks stay away from anything that could fly up and hit you in the head."

I sigh and pull the zebra blanket up as the doctor put the chart back at the end of the bed. "Someone will be in to wake you up every two hours tonight, and I know you have some visitors waiting. I'll send them in shortly, until then get some rest."

Yeah, rest…right.
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"What's someone gotta do for a shower around here?" I whine making Mario laugh. He had arrived earlier announcing that he was going to be my stand in father since my family couldn't make it to Chicago, my brother apparently had a hockey tournament in Niagara Falls and he was in the finals.

So since I had been abandon (thought not really) he was going to be taking on father duties and drive me back to Pittsburgh when I got released tomorrow since I wasn't clear for air travel. Yeah 8 hours in a car, somehow this didn't make sense to me because a car ride was a hell of a lot bumpier then a plane.

"They have to get up and shower themselves, I know the boys put some shower things in that bag, they went a little crazy shopping as you can tell," he gestures to the stuffed animals and the other things around the room. They were guilt gifts since the majority of them had flown back home. I don't know who had stayed but Mario assured me that there was a handful of them hanging out at the hotel after refusing to abandon me. By a handful I think it was maybe two of them because that's all Mario really wanted to drive back in his car. I don't blame him.

"I'll do it later I guess, thanks for coming. You really didn't have to you know." I thank him, though I was seriously glad I hadn't been totally abandon. It hadn't really occurred to me that the team would have gone back as planned; I kind of just figured they'd all stay. Then again they had wanted to stay as I was told but there was a charity event in the morning and they all couldn't miss that.

"I didn't, but I figured it would be nicer then sending some driving service on an 8 hour drive and you alone in a car. Sidney and Jordan are back at the hotel and the rest left an hour ago. We'll leave in the morning; it's no big deal Rachel. Just focus on yourself and getting better."

Ahh so Jordan and my boy-toy were the chosen ones. Sidney hadn’t mentioned that he was staying behind when he came to see me earlier.

I nod, no girls in the NHL before this made sense. Of course girls were going to get hurt when playing with guys. They weren't going to change the rules and the fact of the matter was that it really was dangerous for me to be on that ice. I could usually counter it pretty well, anticipate the moves that were being made, and judge how to brace myself for a hit but accidents happen and as sexists as it was. Girls just really aren't as strong as guys. We have different bodies, different amounts of strength and having a 250 pound man come at you, mostly muscle wasn't good especially when he had the speed from the ice and a hockey stick in his hand.

"I have to ask," Mario says after a few minutes, "do you still think this is all worth it? This is the second time you've been hurt this season."

I nod, "It's worth it, I'll just have to work hard, be faster so this doesn't happen again. I wasn't paying attention that was my fault".
He sakes his head, "It's not your fault, we didn't anticipate how different it would be with a girl in the league. Sometimes we forget..." he trails off giving me a small smile. "You're a great player Rachel and I know you will do great things in this league. You've had a bit of a rough start but you're a fighter".

"Are you trying to con me into talking about my contracts?" I tease wagging a finger in his face. Mario laughs and shakes his head, his expression becoming serious.
"You would have signed ours by now if that's what you really wanted. You're weighing your options and I think that's what's best for you especially to grow as a player. I'm not saying that if you choose us you'll be making the wrong decision but your smart to think about it."

I shrug, I hadn't really thought about it too much. He was right though, if Pittsburgh was all that I wanted then I could have signed the contract right away no questions asked. Did that mean I was leaning towards Washington though? Ugh my head hurt and it wasn't just the concussion.
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"Well Keller is recovering, we had a long ride back and she was doing fine. Joking around and laughing in the back seat with Sidney so I take that as a good sign. She sleeps more now, I think her pain meds make her drowsy but she's progressing everyday. She doesn't like not being on the ice but she is still there every day when the team is and sits in the stands for the games. I swear the only thing keeping her off the bench is her ribs, she went on once but got too excited and ended up having to get them re-taped. They miss her out there though, I mean it will be a long journey but she'll be back out there soon. It's only been 4 or so weeks since the injury so all we can do is wait". Mario Lemieux comments on Rachel Keller's injury. A similar situation keeping her out of the game like it kept her boyfriend and Captain, Sidney Crosby out last season.

"Coming through, girl with a concussion. Clear the way, damaged goods, excuse me sir injured hockey player coming through. Yes, don't look at her like that we are Penguins, she's concussed and cracked her ribs!"

I scoff and drop down onto the bench; there was no one around so I didn't see why Max was trying to bait me. He'd been sticking to my side an awful lot playing the role of fussy father once again. That didn't stop him from antagonizing me though, so I got annoying Max all to myself. Well that was when Marc wasn't around and they both weren't hovering around me like parents. It had gotten a tad ridiculous at times over the last few days.

Incident One: Max and Marc invading my shower once again. I had been home for literally 20 minutes before I was bombarded, I don't even know how they got in the house, or how they managed to get past Sidney who I had left in my living room. The bathroom was exceedingly awkward after I screamed and Sidney ran in to find Max and Marc smiling up at him while I stood in the tub the curtain wrapped around me.

Incident Two: Jordan brought over the presents they had gotten me for my birthday; they accompanied him obviously. Max yelled at me and ordered me on to the couch not allowing me to leave the couch the whole time they were there. I made them leave when he ordered Jordan to carry me to the bathroom.

"I'm fine, stop fussing" I order making a grab for the snacks he was holding out to me. I did protective Max sometimes, he got me treats whenever I came to watch practice, he was worst then Sidney though. Sidney always carefully pulled me into a hug treating me like a breakable object and inquired about my health that day if we hadn't already spoken. Max though he treated me the same, well except the constant hovering but other then that he didn't treat me any differently and for that I was thankful.

"Don't be bitter, now drink your Frappuccino and don't give any of those snacks away, I got those for you" he says sternly, I stick my tongue out in response opening the bag of chips with a grin. Max gives a light chuckle and leaves me on the bench to join the rest of the team on the ice, not before patting my head in a condescending manner though.

"I'll break those fingers off Talbot!" I yell as he skates over to Marc no doubly to tell him how I was doing like the mother hen he was. I settle on the bench watching as the guys all skated around doing drills and following Coach's instructions. I was bored and I wanted nothing more then to be on that ice with them, it was almost painful to watch the all suit up while I had to sit here. The doctor I had went to back here in Pittsburgh suggested I stay off the ice for another week, it had been 4 weeks since I had been on the ice and I had to wait one more. I was going to pull my hair out soon.

No ice time, and I had a people treating me like some fragile glass vase. I was getting frustrated in more ways then one and Ovechkin's constant calls weren't helping matters.

"Chip, give me" Evgeni orders from the other side of the bench, I cock an eyebrow at the Russian and hand him one chip looking around briefly to make sure Max was nowhere near to witness.

"More?" he asks pointing at the bag and then his mouth. He was smiling hopefully his dimple showing and I almost gave into his puppy dog look. Almost being the key word, I shake my head with a smirk and purposely eat a chip crunching it loudly, chewing it with an open mouth. Evgeni glares and skates away making me laugh. I look out towards the ice and see Sidney standing in line to do a shooting drill. He was smiling and chatting with Pascal, his hair plastered to the back of his neck with sweat. He had never looked so good to me, I had never really noticed how he looked during games when I was out there with him, and it was now, as I watched him pick up the puck and skate towards the net did I notice how sexy he really was on the ice.

I usually didn't put too much thought into it but I could see why he had as many girl fans as he did, he really was quite amazing to look at. Of course I noticed how he looked often and appreciated his body shamelessly but I usually focused more on him as a person and his personality, his sense off sense of humor and how he never let me put my feet up on his couch if they were bare.

My phone vibrates on the bench beside me, setting my drink and chips down I pick it up pushing talk and bringing it to my ear.

"Hello, you have reached Rachel's voicemail press 2 to continue" I say robotically hearing a snort on the other end.

"You need to work on that, no one believe if you say different thing every time" a now familiar voice says in my ear. I roll my eyes and stand sitting up on the boards.

"And why may I ask are you calling me again? I swear I just talked to you last week.."
"We friends yes? I call, see how you feel. Tell you good thing about Washington"
"When the fuck did we become friends?" I question holding back a slight laugh; I was pretty confused because I really didn't consider him a friend more of an acquaintance. No really, I went on Facebook after I met him and changed my status to 'Just met Ovechkin bitchessss' for all those people I knew from high school and college to ogle over. Not that I went on Facebook much I had about 1000 friend requests and more notifications and messages then I wanted to deal with.

"Same time you become almost team-mate. Now how you feel?" he asks once more, his tone laced with humor and what I think was slight concern.

"I'm getting better, I should be able to go on the ice in a week or so. My ribs are feeling good. Won't be long before I'm out there kicking your ass again" I tease.

Ovechkin scoffs on the other end, which makes me laugh loudly. I could just picture him scowling at the phone wondering why the hell he bothered to call at all. All of our conversations when this way after all.

"You join team, come to Russia in summer. Train with me, be best line ever"
"Still trying to proposition me? Well as nice as Russia sounds…" I trail off feeling someone arrive beside me. Sidney looks at the phone curiously and I frown and stick a finger across my brows trying to convey a uno-brow. You know a universal signal for Ovechkin, well I thought it was until Sidney became even more confused and skated away shaking his head.

"As I was saying" I continue, "I haven't made any decisions yet, you'll have to wait just like everyone else."
"No" Ovechkin says suddenly his voice insistent, "You tell me first when you make decision. "

I let out a deep breath before agreeing quickly and hanging up not giving him time to process the answer. I was almost close to going to sign the contract now just so he stopped calling me. Dan skates over stopping beside me and I give him a smile, "Any chance of me strapping on a pair of skates and joining in coach?"

He laughs, shaking his head, "Not until I get a doctors note Keller".
God dammit