Got A Secret?

"I think I speak for the whole team when I say we're going to kick some Gryffindor ass!!" Keller exclaims in our pre game interview. She was flanked by captain Alex Ovechkin whos arm was taped to hers, with what I was later told was at least a roll of hockey tape. [They ended up having to go find someone to remove it with a knife]. "It's a bonding technique," she explains gesturing to the tape, "Mike Green bet us we couldn't do it, we're trying to prove him wrong".

Ovechkin looks down at his teammate shaking his head, "I get 50 dollar if I don't kill Keller. Good deal for me, and her. She get on my nerve today with her nerd talk. She not careful I keep her on bench". Captain Alex Ovechkin tells reporters. Keller stomps on his foot making the Russian grunt. "She try and scare me. Not working, I bigger and better looking."
"Oh as if you Russian troll!" Keller laughs leaning away from him as far as she can.

I never expected to see it myself folks but the rumors and other reports are true. Keller and Ovechkin have managed to put everything behind them and are getting along quite well. The question remains. What will come of the tolerance between the two? Can they keep it up?

The game was well underway and I was feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins. I had never felt this way during a game before but I think I could narrow it down to one fact. Playing against Sidney. Yes, I had played with him but I had never been put against him in this setting before. I felt alive, rejuvenated, challenged.

However we were loosing and I was reminded briefly why I hated Ovechkin before when he hissed at me to stop...actually I didn't really hear what he said I kind of tuned him out. I think it was something along the lines of 'Pay attention' but it's hard to tell with all the Russian bullshit that spills out of his mouth. Hey, we're cool, not best friends. Besides, he called me a hobbit just before we skated out.

"Sidney!" I yell tapping my stick on the ice. I smirk when the puck is passed to me, a reflex; the look of shock on his face was nothing short of priceless. Seems to me like someone forgot I wasn't on his team. Man am I brilliant or what? I pass the puck back towards Ovechkin giving Sidney a smirk and a wink before tearing down the ice after my teammate.

"Their truce? I guess you could call it that. They were pretty good but I think being taped to Keller put some strain on Ovechkin's...tolerance? By the time they got cut away from each other they were a little less buddy-buddy and I heard quite a few comments coming from Keller that involved the word Neanderthal" Mike Green tells us with a shrug, "I guess we shouldn't have expected such a change over night but we'll see how they play together today."

I give Max a slight push as I fight my way towards the net, receiving a shove in return.
"Wanna fight Talbot? I'll kick your ass Mudblood"
"I don't even know what that means" he groans as I give him a light shove back. He was trying to keep me away form the net and assisting Alex. Well his distraction technique wasn't going to work on me. We were already loosing.

"Playing against Keller, HA! I spend enough time with that woman to know her weaknesses. All someone has to do is distract her long enough, should be easy. We all just want to have fun this weekend so she won't be too focused. I think we will manage." -Max Talbot

I sit on the bench and watch as my friends and other teammates battle for the puck. I wink at Taylor Hall as he skates by our bench hoping to distract him. I didn't though, I turn and watch the clock as it counts down the seconds. 5, 4, 3, Jordan had the puck and was on a breakaway, 2, he shoots, 1, Marc saves it. Never have I actually cursed Marc's ability to save the puck until this day.

"Oh balls, really?”
Marc Staal returns the sediment and we both plop down on the bench, tip our heads sideways and our helmets bang together. We both sit there for a moment with what I’m sure was a defeated expression on our face.

"Your ass is mine Keller!"
"Oh dirty" I smirk at Sidney as he skates by in celebration. Guess I lost that bet.
____________________________________________________________________________

"The game was amazing, I got to play with new people. I got to play against some of my teammates which was also just so great and I got black-mail material on others. You know what I'm talking about Toews!" Keller laughs easing back in her chair, "I got to meet some players that usually want nothing more then to pound me and discovered they are great guys. Take Ovechkin as an example, he still finds me very annoying I assure you but we have a better understanding of each other I guess you could say? I think we play pretty well together and I think I could tolerate him long enough to play on his team again sometime".

When asked about after the game Keller laughs, "Jordan and I discovered that Team Crosby was an exclusive club. We spent a good ten minutes banging on Max's room door before they let us in that night. It was all in good fun, I lost my bet to Sidney obviously and still don't really know what I'm suppose to do. Probably laundry or something equally annoying."

"Stop staring at me pervs" I snap grabbing my sweat pants and pulling them on under my towel. Yeah no underwear, last time I brought those to practice they disappeared. Max still hasn't given them back and frankly I don't think I want them.

"I think you should hurry up for your meeting with Mario, you know get fired quickly"
I scoff, get fired my ass. They couldn't fire me, but that didn't stop the guys from teasing me. I grab for my sweater that I left on the hook only to find it missing. Really?
"Funny, real funny guys" I deadpan grabbing the shirt that was beside Marc and pulling it over my head letting the towel drop.

"Hey th-"
"You let them take it, your fault" I interrupt him grabbing my stuff and shoving it into my gym bag. I could hear Sidney laugh from across the room and struggle not to smile at the sound. Grabbing my bag I give a brief wave before leaving the locker room .

"Sneak a peek in the locker room? Of Keller? Hell no, that's how you get castrated!"-Jordan Staal

"You wanted to see me?" I ask a little apprehensively as I walk into Mario's office. He looks up from his computer a small smile on his face.

"Ah yes, Rachel. Sit down please"
"Oh, uhh. I didn't do it?" I say jokingly, I totally meant it, I felt like I had been sent to the principals office. Mario laughs loudly and shakes his head before putting a small typed out list down in front of me.

"What's this?" I frown. Names, they were all team names. Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Calgary Flames, Montreal Canadians, the Hurricanes, Bruins...

"The offers started coming in the week after the All Star game," he says quietly, I look up at him confused. What was this? Were we playing hot potato with the female player now? Rotation schedules? "Rachel, they all want to sign you. The minimum offer being a three-year contract. We don't want to loose you either of course, and will be willing to match or better the highest offer, but I wanted you to know you had options". The mood in the room taking the serious rout, we were both quite as I look down the list seeing offers in point form.

Options? I had options...
"You don't have to decided now of course, you'll finish off the season with us as your contract states. I just wanted you to be aware that you've made us all proud and whatever you decide you'll always be one of us".

I nod, still staring down at the list, before looking up. Mario looked conflicted, but his face was as friendly as ever. He had been the one that approached me, he managed me, opened his home to me and I trusted him. "What would you do?" I ask quietly.

"I have some of the contracts, I'll help you go over them of course. Including ours". The room suddenly felt huge. I had options, I could play hockey for whichever team I wanted almost. I could continue doing what I loved...Did I want to leave though? Could I leave them? My boys? I wouldn't see them as much; practically never if I left. Just if I played against them, or after the season was over.

Who would sneak out of the hotel with me after curfew at away games when I wanted pizza if Jordan wasn't there to act as a bodyguard as we braved the night and big cities?
"They are uhh.. grounded?" Marc Andre tells cameras before the game, we watched a very somber Rachel Keller and Jordan Staal arrive at the arena being lead forward by an amused Pascal Dupuis. "Pascal caught them sneaking in the hall last night, and uhh. Actually I don't know what happened. I just heard Kelle-"

"You can't ground us! We're 22! And last time I checked my last name wasn't Dupuis, you ain't my father!" Max Talbot interrupts his team-mate in a high voice drawing the attention of Keller who glares at the duo.

Who was going to come see bad movies with me when we were on the road? Or come shopping with me when no one else will?

"Actually Talbot and Keller were late to meet us back at the hotel. Coach wasn't impressed they ended up taking a taxi to the arena and caused a bit of a mob out front. Some worker at the front wouldn't let them in because she thought they were trying to trick her. Not a good choice on her part... Either way, they did eventually make it. Keller came in with an obscene amount of shopping bags. Just as Dan was going to scream at them she pulled out this new hat out of this fancy box and says, 'Stay classy'. She's a sneaky girl, smart but sneaky." -Pascal Dupuis

Who would come drag me out of bed for morning skate when he knew I was grumpy? Who would drive me to the rink when I was tired or put up with me when I was being a heinous bitch but ignore my remarks? Who would understand that I needed things done a certain way and not laugh when I arranged the trinkets in their car while I sat in their passenger seat. Tie my skates?

Sure these were all things I could do with other people, but did I want to leave? That was the question.

"Keller's a Penguin no doubt about it. She's become a part of the team, apart of the family. She can't get rid of us now. I better get back in there though I saw her eyeballing my jock, she's been trying to throw it out all season, if I'm not careful she'll hide it somewhere in the dressing room and I don't feel like flying back to Toronto tomorrow to find it". Sidney Crosby laughs before turning away from our cameras.