Don't Make Me Spell It Out For You

ROSELYN’S POV

I exited the shower quickly and fully clothed after that to see Kris and Hoss, and Seabsy talking quietly. Andrew was nowhere to be found.

“Hey guys,” I smiled. “Where did Andrew go? The shower is open.”

“To get ice. Oh, there he is,” Hoss smiled tensely as the man himself walked back in with a bucket of ice.

“Why ice?” I questioned.

I heard a groan and I saw another body lying on Kris’s bed. Tomas Kopecky was lying there his face cut up and bloody.

“What the hell happened?!” I screamed.

They all turned to me and I stared. They all looked a little beat up with forming bruises and cuts.

Andrew gave the ice to Kopy who just let it rest on his entire face. “I called Tazer up with Clint,” he said plainly. “Apparently he has a first aid kit.”

I found my cousin in front of the mirror taping up his hand. “Fight with a few Canucks fans is all,” he said shortly. “Rose, you’re not staying here tonight; I’m sorry. I already called Hjalmarsson, Kopy’s partner. You’re staying with him tonight. He should be here in a minute. Get your things together.”

“What?” I stared. “Why can’t I stay here? What happened?” I turned to Seabs who shook his head and grabbed the hotel first aid kit off the desk.

There was a knock and the defense men poked his head in. His face was dark as he saw the group looking not so hot. His eyes met mine. “Ready Baby V?” he asked.

My temper flared at what they weren’t telling me. I looked at Andrew who looked away. So he knew.

I grabbed my bag and stalked past all of them without saying a word. Why wouldn’t they tell me what happened? Why they were all beat up?

Hammer caught up with me in the hall. “Don’t be mad Baby V,” he said quietly.

I shook my head and waited for him to open up the door. He closed it and I threw my stuff on my new bed. “Why won’t they tell me? And I know you know too, so don’t even pull that card.”

He sat down on his bed and sighed. “I can’t tell you. Steeger made me promise not to tell you. Don’t worry about it, okay? They’re just protecting you.”

“I don’t need protecting!” I threw my hands up. “I need to know I can trust you people! We’re on the same team for God’s sake!” I sighed angrily before walking out, key card in hand. I had already closed the elevator when Hammer scrambled after me, worry etched his face.

Screw them all.

I walked the streets of Vancouver, my hood up to block the wind and to stay invisible even though it was already dark.

Hell, I need a drink.

I slipped into a bar and the replays of our win came on the screen. “Stupid Blackhawks got lucky,” one drunk man responded to the video.

“They have a girl on the team though. Look how smoking hot she is,” his friend commented and my cheeks turned pink. “If only I could tap that.”

My anger flared up again but I stayed quiet. It wasn’t worth it and especially since I was there alone, I was not going to win.

“How are your hands man?” another friend ask the second guy.

He laughed. “Good. I didn’t think the Hawks would be so easy to beat up.”

My ears perked up at the sound of that.

His friends laughed. “You say one thing about their stupid girl and they try to go at it with you.”

“Man, but you had a freaking broken beer bottle,” his third friend asked. “They didn’t have a chance. If you didn’t have that, you might be in a coma.”

“Whatever,” was his response.

I shot up and turned to leave when the guy grabbed me. “Whoa, whoa there lassie. Where are you going?”

“Let go of me,” I said icily.

“What, you a Hawks fan?” he asked and I could feel the smirk.

I didn’t say anything.

“Well let’s see what you look like without that hood of your’s,” and he yanked my hood down, revealing my blonde curls. He spun me around and I kept my stony glare turned on him. He smirked. “You’re that goalie girl.”

I shoved him away from me. “You’re an idiot. Stay away from my team, understand?”

“After we have a little of fun, sure thing sweets.”

My temper was boiling. Only Andrew had ever called me sweets and I did not like the idea of someone else, especially some drunk guy calling me that. “Let go of me.”

“Come on man, let her go,” his friends tried to reason with him.

“It’s like my dreams come true. Here she is, ready to have some fun,” he wiggled his eyebrows.

I didn’t think.

I just did what my body did.

Raised my foot up and smashed my foot onto his, making him yelp and grab my wrist harder. “Bitch!” he seethed.

I went to punch him in the nose, but he caught my hand, but I still had my knee to jam into his family jewels. He released me before vomiting up all the alcohol he had drank before and I stood there watching him. “Don’t you ever mess with me or my team ever again.”

“Blackhwaks Bitch!” he hissed.

“Damn right. Don’t you dare forget it,” I said before walking out into the cold air, feeling stronger than I had ever felt.

The hotel room was empty when I slipped in. I took off my shoes and fell into an uneasy sleep.

~~~~~

“Get up. Now,” a venomous voice ordered me sometime that morning.

I opened my eyes and saw Kris staring at me with such an angry look I wanted to slap it off him. “What Kris?”

“Look at who made television.”

I sat up and saw that the bar I was at made the news. And the guy I had beat to a pulp.

“So?” I mumbled, dragging myself out of bed.

“What happened?!”

I looked him in the eye. “Really?”

“Rose!” he cried exasperated. “You could have been seriously hurt!”

“Just like you guys last night?” I threw back.

He looked surprised. “Did you really go out looking for trouble because we didn’t tell you every detail of last night?”

“Kris, I went out for a drink because I was so mad at you I couldn’t think straight. He was bragging about beating you guys so I left. He recognized me and I beat him up. You happy?”

His face softened slightly. “This is why I didn’t want you to know. Your temper can fly.”

“Well it flew because you didn’t trust me enough to tell me. Where are the guys? Are we doing anything today?”

He shook his head. “Coach said today’s a day off before we go at it again tomorrow.”

“Where did Hammer go? He wasn’t in when I came back.”

“Yeah, he was running around looking for you.”

A wave of guilt washed over me. “Where are the boys?”

“Our room.”

I walked in and saw Seabs and Hossa passed out on the beds while Andrew and Kopy were talking quietly in the corner.

Kopy saw me first and stopped talking. Andrew turned around and he looked like he didn’t sleep at all. He saw me and he breathed a sigh of relief. “Hammer is in the bathroom.”

I waited in silence until the bathroom door opened and I threw myself into the defense man’s arms. “I’m so sorry for scaring you. I didn’t mean to. I came back like an hour later.”

He laughed a little. “It’s okay Baby V. You’re okay and that’s all that matters. Go talk to Andrew,” he whispered quietly in my ear. “He was the most worried.”

I let go and shuffled over to where Andrew kept his stony eyes trained on my every move. He shook his head and looked back at Kopy. “He looks better, doesn’t he?”

I was taken back and I just looked at him surprised. Then I tore my eyes away from him and to the beaten up Slovakian. I turned his face with my hands, examining every cut. “It wasn’t fair. He was armed with stupidity and a beer bottle. If it was just him against you with only fists he would be in a coma.”

He smiled, wincing when I gingerly touched the cut above his eyebrow. “No stitches needed fortunately.”

“I’m kind of torn between just saying thank you and saying that it was a stupid thing to defend me like that.”

“Why wouldn’t we defend you?” Hossa yawned.

“Yeah. I mean look at you. You’re like our little sister. If one dumb ass says even one bad thing about you, they’re gone,” Seabs agreed with his teammate.

“So, what happened exactly?” I asked, sitting down on the edge of the bed.

“Well,” Andrew surprised me by starting off. He had been in the corner talking with Kris about something very quiet. “Those dumb shit’s were talking smack about how they wanted to tap you and well Kopy was the least drunk apparently so he exploded on them but then the guy broke a beer bottle and he had the advantage.”

I turned to Kopy who rolled his eyes. “I did not explode. I was just sick of hearing them say those things about one of my teammates. You do not speak like that about a woman.”

Seabs laughed. “We know. It took all three of us to get them off the ground. Man Kopy, you were bleeding more than when that stick cut your face open.”

“So what happened after you stormed out of the hotel and scared everyone shitless?” Hammer asked.

I blushed a little, embarrassed by how I acted. “Well I pulled my hood up and walked around a little until I got cold and stopped for a beer.”

Kris nearly choked on his glass of water. “You drink?!”

I rolled my eyes. “Kris, I’m not a freaking saint. Yes I have taken a sip before. I just don’t overindulge.”

“Oh. . .”

“Anyways, I overheard some guys, presumably the guys who beat up Kopy with a broken beer bottle, bragging about some fight and I figured it out.”

“So you beat him up? Logical thing to do of course. Lose your temper and beat up a guy three times the size of you,” Andrew said, his voice filled with sarcasm.

I stared at him with hard eyes. “Actually, I turned to leave, but he grabbed my arm and yanked down my hood. He refused to let go of me and I panicked. My body reacted to the situation and then I left. I came back here and fell asleep. I didn’t even think about why Hammer wasn’t in the room or else I would have came and found him to tell him I was fine,” I said never letting the eye contact waver.

The door opened and Nemo, Burish, and Sharp stuck their heads in. “How is everyone here in the mental ward?” Burish asked.

“What do you two want?” Hossa groaned.

“To see if anyone wants to go out for a little stroll around Vancouver?” Sharp asked.

“I would love to,” I said shortly, putting on my jacket and shoes. I walked by and even though Andrew wasn’t in my way, I shoved past him, nearly sending him into the dresser. For a girl, I could really shove.

“What the hell?!” he exclaimed, regaining his balance.

“Beating him up was the logical thing to do by the way,” I hissed.

“What if you got hurt?” he challenged me.

“ I wouldn’t have.”

“You’re not invincible!”

I spun back around. “Try me Andrew Ladd. I dare you.”

“All right. Fine. Where’s the nearest gym?” he barked at the group gathered in our room.

Silence. No one wanted to speak up.

“Two blocks from here,” Nemo said. Everyone glared at the goaltender. He merely shrugged. “If they want to duke it out, who are we to stop them? Obviously he’s still stressed out from worrying and her temper is still flaring. Let them get it all out.”

Sharp sighed. “There goes seeing the town.”

“Instead we get to see a fight,” Burish shot his teammate the thumbs up.

We got to the gym and saw it completely deserted. “Go change,” Kris ordered both of us and soon we each came back wearing shorts and a Blackhawks work out shirt.

“Grab a partner to warm up with,” Kris ordered and walked away.

I was about to grab Nemo or Sharp when someone else spun me around to face them. “Johnny Toews?” I questioned.

“Stretch,” he demanded.

I did as he said. “How did you find out?”

“I’m captain of this team. I kind of know everything.”

“That’s good to know,” I said, jumping around a little. “You mad?”

“I’m mad because I was skyping with my girlfriend and it was interrupted by you idiots getting beat up.”

“Oh,” I said. “Sorry. Tessa?”

He nodded. “Laddie’s sister.”

“He talks about her sometimes. She lived with him and Steeger before I moved in?”

“Yup. She lives with me now.”

“I’ve never met her.”

“She’s focusing on her boutique right now, not leaving much time for anything else.”

“Got it,” I nodded.

“Steeger called me actually,” he changed the subject back to why we were originally there.

I gave him a doubtful look. “Why would he call you?”

“To talk some sense into you two.”

“Oh. Well it won’t work.”

He sighed. “Don’t kill each other. We are in the play offs in case you didn’t remember.”

I patted him on the cheek. “My dear Johnny Boy, of course I remember.”

He tossed me some tape and some boxing gloves. “To soften to the blows on each other.”

ANDREW LADD’S POV

I quickly warmed up, Sharp by my side, handing me the tape and the gloves. “You two are idiots,” Sharp declared.

I rolled my eyes.

“Seriously. This will accomplish nothing.”

“Shut up Sharpie,” I muttered before stepping into the rink where Rose was already warming up a few punches. I watched her form and I tried not to laugh out loud. If that was how she was going to fight, then boy was I right.

“Ready?” Steeger said, walking to the middle of the ring. He was exhausted, stressed, and all around not in a jolly mood. “How do you guys want to do this?” he asked wearily.

Rose looked at her cousin and bit her lip. She knew that we were hurting him too, but I saw her pride strike through and she was back. She wanted to prove that she could beat me. She was a perfect goaltender. Determined to win every battle. To prove herself even though she had already proven herself countless times. She thought she could win every fight.

Good luck with that sweetie.

“Whoever admits defeat first loses,” she said.

“Sure,” I agreed. “Don’t get too comfortable guys. We’ll be out of here in a minute or two.”

She held a smirk on her beautiful face. “You seem like you’re all talk and no walk Mr. Andrew Ladd.”

“Ready? Go!” Steeger said and we both circled each other for a moment.

She leaped forward and I was surprised by how quick she was. I jumped back and her glove went right by my face, the air pushing back some of my hair.

I grabbed her wrist and we stopped for a split second before I saw a trace of a smirk on her lips. She spun so that it was my arm that was backwards, before she whipped her arm around, making me lose her wrist and sent me stumbling a bit.

Her glove hit my back with a lot more force than I expected and then it was like I had no air left to breathe.

I landed on my hands and knees and rolled before she could deliver the death blow and managed to get up again, just for her to swipe my legs out from underneath me.

I laid there, staring up at her. She stood there, not even breathing heavily, watching me breathe. Her stance was flawless. “You were messing with me,” I said as it dawned on me.

She smiled a little. “I took self defense for three years. You didn’t stand a chance.”

“I lose,” I said.

She threw her gloves to Tazer and held out her hand to me. A peace offering perhaps?

I took it and she yanked me to my feet. We stared at each other. “Well, who wants to go see Vancouver?” I asked, my eyes still on her’s.

ROSELYN’S POV

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief and started for the exit. “Good thing you guys fixed this up,” Kris still stayed along with Tazer and Kopy before he left.

“Let me see your face,” I said and Kopy rolled his eyes, nonetheless letting me see. “Not too bad. Still hurt?”

“I’m a hockey player Baby V. I can take it,” he laughed and then it was just Andrew and me.

“I’m sorry,” we both said at once and I laughed. “I’m sorry for nearly running you over in the room.”

“And I’m sorry for being an ass to you. You can defend yourself.”

“Damn right. Don’t you forget it.”

“You’re not shy at all anymore, do you know that?” he said after we changed and started walking out.

“What?” I laughed.

“Seriously. You’re so much more outgoing. So much. . . like you.”

I blushed a little. “Thanks.”

We walked out together to find the rest of the team attempting to read a map of Vancouver. Finally, it ended up with Toews calling up Kesler and him laughing hysterically at us.

It didn’t matter what we saw. All I could stare at was Andrew. All I could think about was when he almost kissed me the night before.

And how much I wished he did.