I Can Be Your Hero

I lay in my bed, icy tears rolling down my cheeks as I stared out the window. Damien had fallen asleep on the couch again, which meant I could cry without fear. Silent sobs racked my body, and physical pain made the shaking hurt more than it would have normally. I felt so alone and so afraid, and I knew that one day Damien would kill me. I both dreaded and longed for that day; I was terrified, but it would mean that my pain would be over. I didn’t know what had gotten me in the position I was in. I was an accomplished student, having graduated with honors from the University of Chicago with degrees in both biology and geology. I had been offered jobs all around the world, but out of fear I had turned them down. Now I realized that those jobs could have gotten me away from Damien forever, but it was too late. That had been over a year ago, and now nobody would be interested in a battered, cowardly college graduate with no working experience other than a few internships over the summers. My mind then turned to Patrick, the daring, brave, handsome young man who had come to my rescue so easily. I had no clue how he found out where I lived; I had never told him. I was sure that he didn’t even know my last name, although I had realized with a jolt what his was last name was. Damien had been watching the Blackhawks game earlier, and when I glanced at the TV, the camera had focused in on Patrick, who had just scored a goal. I almost dropped the pan in my hands, and I was glad that I didn’t because that would have set Damien off. Those eyes… I thought, and then I knew that the extremely talented, womanizing hockey legend known as Patrick Kane was the same Patrick that had asked me for my number only days ago.

“What are you looking at him like that for when you’ve got me?” Damien barked, and I peeled my eyes away from the TV. Damien let out a satisfied grunt and returned his focus to the game while my mind began to wander.

Eventually I reached for my phone, the only lifeline I had left, and dialed Patrick’s number. It rang a few times before I was connected to his voicemail.

“Hey, this is Patrick. I can’t get to the phone right now but leave me a message and I’ll get back to you,” the machine said, and I hung up with a heavy sigh. What was I thinking, calling a guy like Patrick? I’m sure he had more interesting things to do than talk to a useless, ugly, battered girl like me. I eventually fell into a fitful sleep, and that night I dreamed of Patrick Kane.

Patrick’s Point of View

I woke up with a groan, not looking forward to a long, hard practice after having such a late night. My knuckles were bruised, but that was about it, and I quickly showered before beginning to cook myself breakfast. I downed a shot of vodka with my morning OJ, scarfed down my ham and cheese omelet, and headed for the door. I quickly remembered my phone, and ran into the bedroom to retrieve it before starting off once more for the garage. I read through a few drunken texts from Marian Hossa, chuckling to myself, before I checked my call log. I had one missed call from Elizabeth, and I furrowed my brow before calling her back. I wasn’t surprised that she didn’t answer; she had seemed pretty keen on getting rid of me the night before despite everything I had done to help her. Shrugging, I tucked the phone into my pocket, got in my car, and headed off to practice.

After practice my phone began going off, blasting LMFAO’s Sexy and I Know It throughout the locker room. A few guys shook their heads at me, but I wrapped my towel around my waist and answered the phone quickly.

“Hello?” I asked.

“Patrick…it’s Elizabeth. I’m calling from the diner…Damien checks my call history…I just wanted to thank you for helping me out last night. I really appreciate it,” I heard Elizabeth say, and I smiled.

“It’s not a problem. Shit, I’d say come live with me. You need to get out of that situation,” I said, grabbing my boxers and shimmying them on before dropping my towel.

“I-I appreciate that, but you really don’t understand. God, you must think I’m the biggest idiot in the world for staying, but you don’t know Damien. He’s incredibly jealous, he’s over controlling…he’d kill me if I left, and I mean that in a literal sense. I know we hardly know each other, and that it probably makes no sense, but I can’t leave Pat. I can’t do it,” Elizabeth said, her voice hardly above a whisper. I heard the clatter of dishes and someone called her name.

“I have to go Patrick…thanks again,” Elizabeth said.

“Wait! Can I…can I come see you at the diner?” I asked quickly.

“No…that wouldn’t be a good idea. Sometimes Damien stops in. But…I’ll call you from here again soon. I promise. Now I really have to go. Goodbye,” Elizabeth said and before I could said another word she hung up, leaving me speechless.

“That girl again?” Jon asked, shooting me a knowing glance as I put my phone down and pulled on my jeans.

“Yeah,” I said quietly, my brows furrowed. I wasn’t going to try and fool anyone by saying that I knew what was going on in her head; all I wanted to do was help her, and I didn’t even know why I felt like I needed to so badly.