Determination

ONE WEEK LATER
Los Angeles, California
 
I took off my sunglasses, coming into the arena so that the team doctor could give me “check up.”
 
I sat down as he ran some tests. “How would you feel about getting on the ice again today March?” I’m going to play against the Kings tonight? My head was feeling better anyway, why should I miss this game? But before I even had the chance to say anything he clarified, “I mean you won’t play against the Kings tonight, but you’re going home tomorrow afternoon, so that’s a travel day, and then you have a day off the day after that. Then you play the Bruins, then you play the Capitals at home and then you have two off days, and then you all play the Ducks at home and if all goes as planned we can probably be back for the game against Anaheim.”
 
“Yes!” I screamed louder than I had planned.
 
“But you’ve been inactive for two weeks, so I want you to choose two guys to help you get back in shape.”
 
So I’m not in shape? I tried my hardest not to let that one slip, I really did. Luckily, I was able to keep my sarcastic comment to myself. “So, you mean I have to have like personal trainers?”
 
He laughed, “Yeah that is the idea. Try not to choose the captain. I know how he gets, and I don’t want him under pressure with you as well as the whole team. He gets panicky, which isn’t good for his body when he plays. And I also know how he gets with stress like that, and he won’t be amused if he finds out that you need two of his team mates to waste their energy to help get yours back.” He joked.
 
“Oh thanks, now I feel bad!” I said with a chuckle. In reality, I think Sidney might find it very funny if he found out that I need two team mates to help me out. He might be infuriated if he found out he wasn’t allowed to be one of them though.
 
*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *
 
I decided I needed to ask one guy who would push me past my limits. Even though I’m not exactly comfortable with his constantly changing attitude towards me, Evgeni is the man for the job.
 
I wandered over to the locker room, and there were a few guys milling around outside already ready for practice. “Have you guys seen Geno?”
 
Craig said, “Nah. I didn’t even see him inside. Pascal?”
 
Duper answered, “Yeah, actually he and Sid the Kid were trying to break into the gym. But Geno always tries to break into the home gym when we play on the road. Sometimes he succeeds, sometimes he fails and sometimes he gets caught in the act.”
 
I laughed, “Those two clowns are trying to break into the gym? Oh come ON they are dumb and dumber!”
 
Pascal and Craig both laughed at me and Tanner walked out just as I referred to Sid and Geno as dumb and dumber.
 
“Who’s dumb who’s dumber?”
 
Pascal said, “Tanner Glass is the dumbest.”
 
He shoved his friends’ shoulder with a friendly grin plastered on his face.
 
I replied, “Sidney and Evgeni. Dumb and dumber. Where’s the gym? I have to ask Geno something.”
 
James walked out next, “I can take you message, he and Sid both are going to the gym and I’m going to join them.”
 
I shook my head, “Nah, I’m good, but I think I need to talk to Geno about this myself.”
 
Pascal and Tanner both made the same face and then looked down at the ground. “Not like that you pervs! Dear God! What is with it with you male hockey players? It’s all sex, sex, sex and more SEX!”
 
James snorted trying to keep his laughter in and I shoved his shoulder. “Want to come with me to the gym and ask Evgeni your sex question?”
 
I slapped his chest, “Sure asshole.”
 
He smiled and we said a quick goodbye to Craig, Pascal and Tanner who were still snickering as I walked away. Once we were a fair distance away James asked, “So, how did the doctor go today?”
 
“Great! If all goes well I should be able to play against Anaheim when we play them at home. On one condition. I have to have some guy help me train and get my old body back so I can play. Geno will push me to my limits and past them, so I think I’m going to ask him. See? It’s not some creepy sexual question!”
 
James just laughed and laughed. “Want me to help you out? You could use some guy who’s not going to kill you as well as someone who will.”
 
I nodded, “Sure, that could work too! So it’s you me and Geno.”
 
James chuckled, “What a group, huh?”
 
“That’s quite a crew,” I agreed.
 
We walked down the long hallway in the Kings home arena until we got to a doorway with a huge Kings logo on it. “Yikes, we have a major case of COPY CATS.” James said, staring at it. He sounded like a total idiot when he said it, but I just nodded in agreement.
 
We opened the doors to see Geno, Sidney and Marc Andre standing over some machine. All three of their heads snapped up in surprise as we entered the room. Sidney even let out a relieved laugh.
 
“Oh my God what the hell did you two dumbasses do this time?” I asked the captain and his two right hand men.
 
Flower stuttered, “Uhh, we may or may not have broken one of the LA Kings treadmills. We even had to get some dude to open it for us because we were trying to break in! And then he called us dumbasses and told us not to break anything.”
 
“Oops.” James said, laughter in his greenish blue eyes that remind me of some really clear ocean or something like that. However, I don’t even know if that makes sense, so I haven’t said it to his face. Even if I knew whether is made sense or not, I wouldn’t tell him that, because in secret Sidney and I are dating.
 
All three of them stood up. Sidney asked, “How was Doc earlier?”
 
“Good!” I said in excitement. “He said that if all goes well and as planned I should be playing against the Anaheim Ducks at home in like a week or so!”
 
Sid obviously has the schedule down because without even thinking he broke into a huge smile and says, “Eight more days and three games until we have our girl back on the ice with us!”
 
Evgeni crouched down beside the big tread mill again. “We can no fix it, just leave it broke.”
 
Devious.
 
Marc Andre said, “Okay sounds good.” He walked back over to a different tread mill. “But I haven’t been doing my regular Wednesday morning mile, so here we go.”
 
“You run a mile on Wednesday mornings?” Sidney asked in disbelief.
 
James answered, “Yep! He gets up at like 4 in the morning, runs a mile, stops at Starbucks and then comes back and watches games from the night before.”
 
I looked between Marc Andre and James. “You are both crazy. James you’re crazy because you seem to have Marc Andre’s Wednesday morning schedule down and Sidney’s crazy because he has the whole seasons scheduling down. So Sid you’re crazy too. Marc Andre, you’re mentally insane because you get up at 4 o clock in the morning on Wednesdays to run a mile. And Geno you’re crazy because…” I studied him intently, “Hm, you are crazy because, oh I got it! You’re crazy because according to Duper and Craig you break into the home teams gyms when we play on the road!”
 
All four had big smiles lighting their faces now and I said, “Okay let’s get to work, don’t use that one tread mill!”
*          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *          *
We exercised for over two hours. I was sweating, and sweating a lot. My arms and legs were begging for me to stop getting back to my regular schedule so soon after being inactive for a little bit over two weeks.
 
Sidney was the one to stop me. “March, you’re going to kill yourself. What are you doing? No, I’m sorry this is my fault I should have kicked you out of here forever ago I’m so sorry!”
 
I jumped off my exercise machine, my muscles already feeling the strain from the planned 45 minute workout that had turned into an over two hour event.
 
Sidney looked me over and I did the same. None of the others were paying attention, they were all blaring whatever kind of music they like as loud as they could in their ear buds through their expensive iPods.
 
He was sweating, his hair falling over his eyes and his chest falling up and down rapidly. His cheeks were pink and droplets of sweat were covering his whole body. This sweat suit was sticking to his body, outlining his figure.
 
“How do you feel? Answer me honestly, no lies.” He said, a small smile creeping on to his face.
 
I told him honestly, “I feel like I just ran a freeing marathon. I feel like I’m dying. I’m really going to be sore in the morning, but you will let me do whatever I want in the morning, I can exercise in the hotel’s fitness room if I want and I can swim as many laps in the hotel pool as I want!” I said, trying to look determined but I broke into a huge smile.
 
“You make that look good you know.” Sidney said. What? Did he hear what I said or not?
 
“I make what look good? Nothing!”
 
Sidney said quietly, “No one is supposed to look good covered in sweat and breathing hard and yelling at me telling me that I can’t protect you from like killing yourself. But to be honest, you make that look good.”
 
I giggled, and felt the urge to kiss his cheek. But that story would go viral around the world if James saw it and got mad about it. I could feel my cheeks turn a deep shade of red. "I couldn't kill myself if I tried. Especially with just some exercise."

Sidney captured my lips in a kiss, and I kissed back but I broke it quickly knowing that we weren't alone. But it was too late. Marc Andre turned his head away when I looked up. He kept his head phones in his ears as he took his water bottle and pushed past us as quickly as he could.

"Fuck," I muttered.

Honestly I'd rather it be James see Sidney and I kissing. He wouldn't be as... Sad. Marc Andre looked pretty sad and James would be more... Pissed off I guess. I don't know. James is unpredictable. He could be either sad or pissed off, I just don't know with him.

I said to Sidney, "I'm done, you can stay if you want though."

He kissed my forehead and said, "I'll be out in a few minutes."

"Stay as long as you'd like."

I rushed out of the gym as fas as I could, looking around for Marc Andre, but having no luck.

MARC ANDRE'S POV

She can date whoever she wants. She can date whoever she wants. She can date whoever she wants.

I stepped onto the ice without goalie gear. I can already feel my muscles screaming for a release, but burning calories is the best way for me to fix anything right now. It's not even a fix, it isnreally just something to take my mind off of what I just saw.

The clean, obviously newly zamboined ice was empty, and no one was in sight. I skated as fast as I could around the rink twelve times until I couldn't take it anymore. My throat burns, I need some water.

"Hey! Marc Andre! Marc Andre please!" March called, and I looked over at her. She was already in skates, and she skated down towards me. She was still sweating and I couldn't tell she hadn't had the shower she so badly needed.

I skated over to her and sat on the bench. "Sorry..." I gasped, "Just need... Some rest and water."

She sat down next to me and handed me a green gatorade bottle. "It's water." March clarified.

I took a huge swig of it and we just sat there together; each having our own thoughts.

"What are you thinking?" March asked my gently.

I looked into her beautiful emerald eyes, "I don't even know March. Truth be told my mind is on the game later on and getting my nap and a huge meal in before it starts. What about you?"

She shrugged, "I don't really know either. I guess about how my cousins are coming to this game because they aren't hockey fans and they thought I was going to play tonight. Ugh I miss playing! And what does that say about me? First woman in the National Hockey League out with a concussion after the first two and a half weeks of the season!"

I couldn't help but laugh at her. "March, they all think you're crazy brave and courageous and most of all, they all think that you're determined."

She smiled, "That's really sweet. Thank you."

One thing I love about March is that she can take a compliment, which is really different from a lot of other girls. She's just great. And it just hurts that Sidney Crosby wins again.

"I'm tired and hungry. How do you feel about room service and a quick nap?"

"I think sure." I said with a smile.

SIDNEY'S POV

I looked up at the scoreboard. Tied at three with a minute and fourty three seconds left to go in over time. Four on four.

I got down for the faceoff against Anze Kopitar. I won, passing the puck out to James. I stayed on James's right side and Deryk Engelland and Paul Martin both stayed up high as James and I passed the puck riskily through the center. I took a shot, but Jonathan Quick covered up.

I skated in for a line change. A minute and eight teen seconds left. The line is Evgeni and Pascal with the same defense men, Deryk and Paul.

They played really, really well, and there are suddenly thirty two seconds left in the over time.

A new line closes the game. Shootout. In my opinion, shootouts are incredibly stressful. But some guys really like them.

The line skated over and hopped on the bench. "Nice play tonight guys. You killed it out there. I think that the three goals thatthey scored were inevitable situations. Good job tonight boys. Great play tonight Flower!"

We all looked over at Marc Andre, who didn't appear to be paying attention.

I was shooting first. I went in for my shot, confused by the fact that Jonathan Quick didn't come up to meet me. As I skated I waited for him to move, but he didn't. I was all out of time so I tried the top shelf with no luck. He only moved to catch the puck in his glove.

Drew Doughty was up next, and missed. He tried to go five hole to no avail.

James Neal. He fakes bottom left and goes to the right top shelf. Shoots and scores! He comes around and we all give him fists.

Justin Williams. He shoots up, but he's too high! I hear the ding as the puck collides with the cross bar.

Evgeni Malkin goes in for five hole and some how gets it in. I could have sworn that he had quickly covered it up.

We win! We go to celebrate, and Marc Andre just gives me a little nod and a quiet, "Nice work tonight Siddo."

I replied, "Thanks."

I showered, and then most of us went out to a bar. James was our designated driver, so I could drink whatever I wanted with my two bottle limit.

If only I had been the designated driver.