‹ Prequel: Run the Show
Sequel: Written in the Stars

Mini-Me

1/1

Rolling her eyes at the less than G-rated look that Luke sent her from the ice, despite the fact that they were surrounded by a sold-out Air Canada Center, Katie couldn't keep a smile from spreading across her lips. The Leafs were having their skills competition that night and standing at the end of the bench, leaning slightly against the brick wall beneath the stands, she couldn't help but feel incredibly proud as she watched him out there, the famous Maple Leaf crest on his chest.

"You two are as loved up as the first day I met you," Amanda Bozak stated from right next to her, causing her to jump slightly.

"Shut up," Katie blushed bright pink as she pushed her hands into the pockets of her dark jeans and kept her gaze out on the ice. Despite having been together with Luke for over five years, she was still not used to people talking about them, about her, and…people talked…

"I'm serious," Amanda laughed as she wrapped her arm around the blonde's waist. "This place is packed with people and you still only have eyes for each other," she pointed out with a look.

"And you and Tyler don’t?" Katie arched her eyebrow in her friend's direction.

"Maybe we do," Amanda shrugged innocently, dropping her arm from around her friend's waist. "But we don’t have a line of people out the door just waiting for the other to screw up so that they can be the ones to snatch up the broken mess."

"And we do?" Katie asked amused. She would never get used to the fact that they were photographed when they went to dinner, that there were girls/women out there who were just waiting for her to do something stupid and hurt the man she loved with all her heart, or the fact that there were actually websites dedicated to show pictures of her in a bikini…

"You know you do," Amanda nodded once.

"Watch your hubby instead," Katie ordered her with a smile as they both turned their attention towards the ice where Tyler was attempting to earn himself and the white team some points in the Freestyle Shoot-out.

"All I'm saying is that you're one of the most adorable couple I know," Amanda said simply, leaning back against the concrete wall, only to clap her hands as he husband managed to get the puck in the back of the net.

"Thank you," Katie mumbled, not quite able to keep a blush from her cheeks this time either. "Oh, and before I forget, again," she rolled her eyes at herself, "have you thought any more about maybe modeling my clothes for the look book?" she asked, looking over at her friend as the players moved about the ice, switching both goalies and shooters.

"I did," the brunette nodded slowly. "And I would be honored, but don’t you want someone with some…I don’t know, experience?" she checked. "I mean, all ive ever posed for is goofy vacation pictures and Tyler and my wedding pictures."

"You'll be fine," Katie stated simply. "Trust me."

"Alright," Amanda nodded slowly, still not fully convinced, but trusting her friend nonetheless. "Just text me the dates, times, places."

"I will," Katie promised. "I'll probably know more tomorrow already so…" she trailed off as she glanced away from the ice as another woman joined them where they were watching; one of the PR-managers for the Leafs, Theresa.

Continuing to watch the competitions under silence, all of them clapped as Fratts finished his try at the challenge, earning the white team – that both Tyler and Luke were on – some much needed points.

"That has to be the cutest thing I've ever seen," Theresa spoke for the first time since greeting them, causing the two of them to look back in the direction she was motioning. The sight greeting them caused Katie to break out smiling and she would be lying if she claimed that she didn’t feel like the luckiest girl in the entire world in that moment.

Watching Luke stand with one knee on the ice, tightening the strap on his son's helmet before saying something that caused Mini-Me dressed in pads and a white jersey bearing both Schenn and a large 2 on the back, as well as the A on his left shoulder, hurtling towards the net where Reimer was still hanging around.

"Oh, wait! I think we have another shooter," the familiar voice of the commentator of the competitions echoed throughout the arena, causing everyone who wasn’t already looking at the small boy to turn back towards the ice where Jamie was covering ground at an impressive speed for his four years.

Ever the proud mama, Katie watched her son and clapped her hands alongside her friends even though a part of her was scared that he was going to trip and fall flat on his face. But then again, being his father's son, if he did fall he would most likely just get back up and continue his way towards the goal. She'd said it many times before, but Jamie really was a tiny version of Luke, and out on the ice it was obvious for the world to see.

"Come on Jamie! Show 'em how it's done!"

Amanda was a surprisingly quiet person for being married to Tyler Bozak, but judging from the laughs coming from the crowd around them; Katie knew that her friend's voice had carried further than just the first couple of rows behind them.

Stick handling the puck just like his uncles had taught him, Jamie managed to puke it into the net between Reimer's skate and the pipe, earning himself a standing ovation from the crowd, as well as a very loud goal horn.

Clapping her hands as her son made a beeline for his daddy, Katie blushed slightly as she caught Luke's eye from where he was waiting out on the ice, just on the other side of the boards, knowing that they were most likely being shown in the jumbotron in that very moment.

The two of them had had to grow up pretty quickly when Jamie came along just over 4 years earlier, but the familiar look in her fiancé's blue eyes assured her that they had by no means grown boring in that time…

Watching her only child skating his little heart out on the very same sheet of ice that his father played on a few times every week, she couldn't help but smile. Ever since she first felt him kick she'd known that he was going to grow up a daddy's boy. Maybe even follow in his footsteps one day, even if he took after Brayden more when it came to his stick handling in the sport he already absolutely loved and adored.

She'd had a hard time even keeping him away from the ice ever since Luke had taught him how to skate just the previous winter…



- x -

Closing the door to the driver's seat on the black Volvo XC90, Katie walked towards the trunk of the car, finding Luke and Jamie already elbow deep in bags and other stuff that they just never got around to bring into the house with them when they arrived home.

"You ready to get out on the ice?" she asked her three year old boy who was all but bouncing on the spot as he was dressed in enough warm clothes and tiny hockey pants to make him look a little round…and a too-large toque pulled down over his forehead to the point that she had to question whether or not he could actually see…

"Yeah!" Jamie exclaimed as he looked up at his mother, having to tilt his head really far back to actually see her.

"You are one goofy kid, Jamie," she smiled at him, kneeling before she moved his toque slightly upwards so that he would be able to see at least something.

"Everyone ready?" Luke asked them as his arms were filled with skates and he slammed the trunk shut, only smiling widely at the slight glare his fiancée sent him as she stood back up and picked up their son from the snow-covered ground.

"I was born ready," she told him with a smile, a smile that grew as he laughed out loud at her before they walked across the parking lot and towards the MasterCard Center where the Leafs usually held their practices, the Marlies did as well. But for that afternoon, there was no practice, just a family skate.

Especially for the Schenn-Johnson family, as Luke felt that it was about time that their son learned how to skate…

Personally, Katie wasn’t quite as sold on the idea, thinking that it could wait a little longer, maybe till the next winter, but talking to her older sister a few weeks earlier she was bluntly informed that it didn’t matter if he learned now, the next season or in five years, she was still going to be as worried and as opposed to the idea as she was right then. It was what being a mother was all about, worrying like crazy about your child and feeling as if your heart was constantly walking ten feet outside of our own body.

To which she shut up and gave in, agreeing that they should go skate as soon as possible.

The Leafs had an off-day after a long West Coast trip and instead of letting it waste away on the couch, Luke was determined to spend the Thursday afternoon teaching his three year old how to really skate. Jamie already tried the whole walking-in-skates thing on the small pond behind his grandparents' house up in Saskatoon a while earlier, but Luke wanted him to properly learn.

And walking through the large complex that he knew almost as good as the back of his hand, the little boy was so excited that Katie had to fight to keep a hold on him with how much he was squirming. Walking passed a number of doors, leading to locker rooms and other rinks, they soon reached their destination; the rink where the Leafs usually practiced, but for the day had been rented out for them and their families.

Pushing the door open and walking into the cool rink, he set down all their skates by the bench as Katie put down Jamie on it, beginning to remove his small boots. Catching her by surprise, he pressed a quick kiss to her lips and sent her a wide smile as he told her to get her skates on and he would get their son ready.

Doing as requested, she sat down on the bench next to her son and undid the laces of her own boots as Luke replaced Jamie's with a pair of small Nike skates that cost way too much in comparison to their size. Dropping her own boots to the concrete ground that was covered in rubber mats, she pulled a pair of knitted socks from her bag and slipped them onto her feet, stuffing the cuffs of her jeans into them as well before reaching for her skates that were laying on the ground next to Luke's much larger ones.

From the second his skates were on his feet and Luke had expertly tied the laces, Jamie was bouncing up and down on the bench, causing his parents to laugh softly at him.

Standing up from the bench once she was done, Katie could only roll her eyes as she noticed that Luke had already shed his boots and had both skates on, one of them already tied. Helping Jamie down from the bench, she held his hands as they slowly walked towards the opening in the boards.

"Ready to skate like daddy?" Luke asked as he joined them, stepping out on the familiar ice first before sharing a wide smile with his fiancée, who only just returned it before he held out his hands and their son fearlessly launched himself at him.

Following the two boys that looked so identical that there could never be any question of their relation, Katie easily stepped out on the slick surface, catching her bearings before she even knew what she was doing.

Between Luke's eagerness to teach his son how to skate and Jamie's general excitement, they were the only ones there yet and for a moment Katie was happy about it. She loved the friend's she'd made on the team, as well as their girlfriends/wives as well as their families, but sometimes alone time with her own family; just the three of them was worth so much more. Time that wasn’t interrupted by Thomas the Tank Engine, the dryer being done or some other obscure thing that just needed to be tended to right in that moment…

Taking his son's hands in his own, Luke smiled encouragingly as he slowly moved backwards on the ice that was like his second home, pulling the small boy along across the rink. Katie was mere feet away from them, knowing better than to interfere with their father-son-bonding time.

Having already learned how to keep his balance – sort of at least – Jamie was doing a great job of moving forwards on his own, without lifting his feet too much. A few times he even managed to push away just like his father was urging him, but more often than not it was by sheer luck and not actual skill. Not that his parents were planning on telling him that…



Time passed quickly and with each passing minute out on the ice the younger Schenn was getting better and better. Holding his hands in hers as Luke was getting something or another from their locker-room at the rink, Katie complied with her son's request of skating the length of the ice.

Reappearing just moment later, with a stick in his hand, Luke gave his fiancée a quick kiss before telling his son about his plan and holding the blade whilst the young boy took the other end, they were soon covering ground at an alarming speed. At least in Katie's mind, but she knew better than to voice her concerns. First of all it would cause Jamie's attention to shift and then he would inevitably fall even if when he usually fell – especially out on the ice – he only stayed immobile for a moment or two before pushing himself up if no one did it for him and then simply carried on like nothing had happened.

The grin across Jamie's face was unmistakable and she picked herself up from the ice where her son had all but tackled her as she'd crouched down to catch him, Katie smiled and waved as she recognized the people starting to filter in, making their way towards the very ice they were currently on.

Luke coaxing Jamie to move towards him on his own, sneakily moving further backwards with each stride the small boy took, he didn’t notice his teammates' arrival until one of them called out to them.

"My man!" Tyler Bozak's familiar voice echoed throughout the rink. "Looking good!"

The familiar voice caused Jamie to wobble on his small skates before falling onto his behind, but true to his heritage, he was soon back on his feet, struggling to get across the large rink in the shortest amount of time possible.

Skates already on his feet, Tyler opened the door in the boards and stepped out on the ice, easily gliding forwards and picking up the small boy that was the coolest kid on the block, at least according to him.

Jamie's excited squeal and the laughter that followed bounced off the walls around the rink and caused both his parents to smile as they watched him attack the brown-haired center man.

Apart from his dad, Bozie was Jamie's favorite Leaf and it was a feeling that was reciprocated from the older man, usually a bit awkward around kids that weren't his relatives; he was a big softy around the small blonde boy.

The rest of the team, including wives, girlfriends, children and even the odd friend here and there trickling in during the following hour, the family skate was soon in full swing, all of them having a great time interacting away from the games and the charity work they were all involved in.

When they left the rink several hours later, Jamie was so exhausted that he was asleep before they even made it out the front door and placing him in the car seat in the back, Luke buckled him in as Katie placed their things in the trunk. Making sure to not slam the door to hard and wake him up, Luke walked around the large car, wrapping his arms around his fiancée as she was removing any leftover ice shavings from the blades on their skates.

"I love you," he mumbled against the side of her cheek, the light stubble on his chin scratching her smooth skin.

"I love you too," she smiled as she put the skates down and turned around in his arms, leaning up and pressing her lips against his. "And you were right," she grumbled slightly, hints of a smile still spread across her lips.

"About…?" he looked at her, an amused spark in his blue eyes.

"He wasn’t too young to learn how to skate," she rolled her blue-green eyes at him. "And you're a good teacher," she had to give credit where credit was due.

"I am, aren't I?" he smirked at her before capturing her lips in a slow kiss.

"On second thought, it's probably genetics," she mumbled into the kiss, trying to ignore the fact that they were outside and it was in the negative twenties with a slightly wind. But then again, his arms and his lips were a pretty darn good distraction…




- x -

Shrugging on her dark wool coat and pulling her hair from under the wide collar, Katie picked up her large tote bag that was filled with everything she might even need it seemed and moved it onto her shoulder before she pulled a small toque from the pocket and pulled it onto Jamie's head, making sure that his ears were covered from the cold winds.

Sharing a smile with her fiancé she pulled open the door to the restaurant and let him step out into the cold night before she followed him, lightly skipping down the ice-free steps.

Team White had lost the skills-competition earlier in the evening and whilst it was a disappointing loss, it wasn’t the end of the world and most of the team had gone out to dinner afterwards, just to spend some time together. Families of all ages were there; the single guys had left early, the couples without kids were still there and the families had started heading home just a while earlier.

It'd been a long day, no more so than for Jamie who was currently sleeping soundly in his father's arms. He'd fallen asleep in Katie's lap right after dessert and they didn’t want to wake him up so they'd dressed him before dressing themselves, Luke picking him up and cradling him to his chest as they said bye to their friends and slowly left the restaurant.

"So your mother call me earlier today," Katie mentioned as they slowly made their way across the parking lot that was still littered with cars of all shapes and sizes, most of them belonging to the players on the Maple Leafs.

"Is everything okay?" Luke looked over, concern flashing through his blue eyes.

"Yeah," she nodded quickly. "She just wanted to know if we'd started planning for Christmas yet," she revealed. "If she should expect us to turn up in Saskatoon on Christmas Eve or not," she smiled slightly as she reached out and brushed away a stray snowflake from her son's cheek.

"What did you tell her?" he wondered curiously. They'd talked about the holidays, if only just, and they were leaning towards having the whole family coming to their place instead of them having to travel cross-country and back for just a couple of days, days that wasn’t completely hockey free for neither him nor his brother.

"I said that we were still thinking about it," she told him, digging up her car keys from the disaster zone that was her bag. Unlocking the large vehicle before them, she opened the backseat door on the passenger side so that he could put Jamie in his car seat.

"What do you think?" he looked over at her as he did up the number of straps in the small seat and buckled them.

"I think…" she trailed off as she watched him pull off Jamie's boots and drop them on the floor beneath the car seat and undo most of his jacket. "I think that we should suggest having the Christmas dinner at our house," she said softly as he stood up and closed the door, looking over at her.

"I think so too," he smiled at her, leaning over and pressing his lips against hers. "I guess this means that we're really growing up," he said as he took a step back and took the offered keys from her hand and she pulled the passenger side door open and climbed in, rolling her eyes at him.

"I'm pretty sure that having a baby meant that we were growing up," she sat down in the light colored leather seat.

"True," he shrugged a wide smile across his lips as he climbed in behind the wheel and buckled his seatbelt. "Should we invite everyone?" he thought out loud as he put the key in the ignition and turned it.

"I know that Kris mentioned that they are going to Elijah's parents this Christmas," she remembered as they reversed out of the parking lot and began the drive across the city, familiar streets of downtown Toronto passing them by. "Has Brayden mentioned what he's doing?" she wondered as she looked across the car, knowing that the younger Schenn brother had had a few troubles settling in his new city, even if he wasn’t actually living in Philly, having opted to find a place to stay in southern New Jersey where most of his teammates were living.

"No," he shook his head. "But I'd imagine that he's thinking about heading back home if he can find the time," he added as an afterthought.

"Toronto is a lot closer than Saskatoon," she smiled at him, from personal experience knowing how much it would mean to him if the whole family could celebrate the holidays together.

"I guess its Christmas at our house this year then," he returned the smile; his blue eyes sparkling even in the dark of night.

"I guess it is," she agreed as she looked back out the window, watching the dark streets pass by on their way back to the house they'd lived in for what seemed like forever but was just over four years. A house she was slowly realizing that she would have to decorate for the upcoming holidays…maybe having the whole family over wasn’t such a good idea after all…

Feeling Luke's warm hand wrap itself around her much smaller one, any doubt disappeared as soon as it arrived. They were a family, a very happy family, and Christmas was a family-oriented holiday. A holiday that would be celebrated at their house that year…
♠ ♠ ♠
Skills-night

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