Love. Sex. Magic.

On Wednesday, Aria showed up with Brandon Bollig at a bar the team liked to frequent. She left with Johnny Oduya and they shared a cab, dropping Aria at her building before Johnny went on to his own home. Thursday Aria didn’t see any of the other Blackhawks, instead grabbing take out and having Patrick come over to her place for dinner and a movie on the couch. On Friday, Bryan Bickell picked her up from work and took her to an art show and then dinner before heading for a local bar. They met Patrick and some of the other players there. Aria excused herself to use the bathroom and made her way through the bar. Patrick cornered her when she exited, pulling her into a dark corner of the hall and kissing her.

“My teammates love you.”

“They love you because you’ve sent me out with half of them.”

“Are you ready for tomorrow?”

“I guess; who is taking me?”

“Viktor.”

“What?! I can’t go with Viktor! That is so wrong! He’s seeing my friend.”

“I know. That is why Leia and I agreed he is the best choice.”

“Leia is on this?”

“Of course. I’ve been bouncing ideas off of her all week. It was her idea after all.”

“Oh my god...”

“Viktor will pick you up around two. I’ll see you there.”

“Patrick, are you sure this is a good idea?”

“Positive.”



Aria swallowed hard as she and Viktor made their way up to Jonathan and Whitney’s condo. She clutched his hand and Viktor smiled down reassuringly at him. “You okay?”

“No.”

“Do you want me to take you home? I will if that’s what you want. You don’t have to do this.”

“No, its okay.”

“Why are you even doing this, Aria? It’s crazy.”

“I know but....it makes Patrick happy.”

“He’s crazy for asking you to do this. He should not be sharing you.”

“He’s not sharing me. Everyone has been super respectful and no one has tried to do anything. Besides, you’re one to talk.”

“Like I had a choice up against, Leia.” Aria giggled. “Look, we’re going to have to make this believable for Whitney to buy it. She knows I like Leia so anything I say or do should not be held against me. Probably they should never be repeated either.”

“O-kay,” Aria said slowly.

“I’m going to kiss you, Aria.”

Aria stopped walked and stared at Viktor who continued forward before stopping and facing her. “I’m sorry. What?”

“I’m going to kiss you. And I’m going to need you to not fall in love with me when I do it because I really like your friend. You’re a cool chick and all but well, I like Leia and Patrick really likes you.”

“You’re going to kiss me?”

“Yes.”

“Does Patrick know?”

“No.”

“When?”

“I can’t tell you. I need you to have an honest reaction to it.”

“What if my honest reaction is to slap you?”

“You won’t. I've been told I am a fantastic kisser. Very skilled.” He walked back to her and hugged her. “You’ll be fine. You’re in good hands with me.” He kissed her forehead and put an arm around her shoulder, tucking her in at his side. They moved forward and when they reached the condo, Viktor knocked at the door before swinging the door open.

“I have arrived!” he announced loudly.

“Viktor!” they heard Whitney's voice call out. People began to part as Whitney moved through the crowded room to reach Viktor. “I’m so glad you’re here! Did you bring... You brought Aria?”

“Hi, Whitney!” Aria said brightly.

“I brought Aria,” Viktor confirmed. “Doesn’t she look hot?” Aria giggled and turned her face into Viktor's shoulder as he hugged her against him. “We’re gonna go say hello to everyone,” Viktor grinned, steering Aria away with him. Whitney watched as Viktor worked the room, walking right up to Andrew and joking with him. Aria hugged him and kissed his cheek lightly before Viktor pulled her back against him. They chatted with Andrew and were soon joined by Corey and Ray Emery. Aria smiled brightly and hugged Corey tightly, before leaning up and whispering in his ear. Corey smiled back and whispered back to her. They laughed before he introduced her to Ray. She shook his hand and settled back into place beside Viktor.

“Go talk to Johnny while I go find us something to drink,” Viktor said close to Aria’s ear. She nodded and moved across the room while Viktor walked off in the other direction.

“Hey, Johnny!”

“Aria!” He pulled her into a hug. “How are you?”

“I’m good, thank you. How are you?”

“Better now that you’re here,” he winked. Aria blushed.

“Such a charmer.”

“Its how us swedes do.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you something about that.”

“Shoot.”

“Is there something in the water in Sweden? You’re all so good looking. Viktor looks like a model, you’re features are completely swoon worthy and well lets face it, Lundqvist might be the hottest man walking the face of the earth. I don’t even follow hockey and I know who he is.”

Johnny laughed. “You’re insights into life make my day, you know that? We need to hang out more.”

“I’m okay with that; you’re pretty cool.”

“Are you over here sweeping her off her feet with your swedish charm?” Patrick asked as he walked over.

“Yes,” Aria replied, leaning against Johnny. “How could I possibly resist this face?”

“Try harder,” Viktor said, handing Aria a beer. “I’m way hotter.”

“You are pretty cute,” Aria agreed.

“Cute? I’m hot.”

“I love it when you get all cocky.”

“I’ll show you cocky,” he returned, pulling her hard against him. He let his hand cup her ass while he casually took a pull from his beer. Aria’s eyes went wide at Viktor’s touch but she quickly relaxed against him.

“You’ll need to save that for later,” Aria told him, running her hand down his chest. Behind her, Patrick frowned while Viktor smirked.

“What if I don't want to wait until later?” Viktor said huskily.

“Would you quit it with all the swedish charm and sex appeal? Jesus...” Patrick muttered. “You’re not supposed to make her fall in love with you.”

Viktor grinned at Aria. “She promised not to.” He reached his hand out to touch her face, tracing a finger down her cheek. She shivered at his touch. “Let me warm you up,” Viktor whispered to her. He leaned down and brushed his lips over hers before pulling her in and deepening the kiss. Johnny whistled and Patrick fumed as they broke apart.

"What the hell was that?" Patrick shouted.

"A kiss," Viktor shrugged, holding Aria close.

"You weren't supposed to kiss her! That wasn't a part of the deal!" He stepped up to Viktor and shoved him hard. Jonathan intervened and stood between them.

"Knock it off, both of you," he warned. "It's my house and I don't care how much Whitney loves either of you. I will kick you out and never have you over again."

“You’re fighting over her?!” Whitney yelled as she stormed over. “A fucking dirty girl? Have you both lost your fucking minds? I mean, what the fuck, Viktor?! You never bring around dirty girls yet here you are! What are you thinking?!” She turned to Aria. “And you! I knew there was a reason why I didn't quite trust you. What about your friend? She doesn't matter? Is Viktor just a stepping stone to someone else?”

“It doesn’t get much better, does it?” Aria asked. “Unless your Johnny is suddenly going to become available.” She waved her fingers at him with a flirtatious smile.

“Don’t you dare flirt with my boyfriend in my home! Who the hell do you think you are? Fucking dirty girls!”

“Dirty girls are the best kind of girls,” Patrick piped up, recovering from his anger as he watched Aria, a slow smile forming on his face. “You get what you need, they get what they need. It’s a win-win.”

“Dirty girls are not the best kind of girls. You need someone who will not put up with your bullshit and will set you straight when you deserve it, and will be there for you, no matter what, for anything and everything.”

“So is that why you took out a personal ad then?”

“I...what?”

“Is that why you took out a personal ad, Whitney. Its a simple question. My best friend needs a girlfriend? Dirty girls need not apply?”

“How....How do you know?”

“Tell me why, Whit. Why did you do it?” Everyone stopped to watch and listen. Jonathan put an arm around Whitney and held her against him.

“Maybe we should all talk about this later,” Jon suggested.

“No, we should talk about it now,” Patrick said. He pulled Aria away from Viktor and to his side, lacing his fingers with hers. “Why did you take out a personal ad to find me a girlfriend, Whitney?”

She looked down at Patrick’s hand holding Aria’s tightly. “What the fuck is this? Pat, no! She’s a dirty girl. I know you love dirty girls but not her!”

“Stop it, Whitney. Aria is not a dirty girl. Quit saying that.”

“She’s been out with half the team this week!”

“I know.”

“You know?”

“Yeah; I set up each and every one of those “dates”. Because I know where you’ll be so I sent Aria wherever I knew you’d be. Every single one of those was a setup meant for you to see. Leia has been helping me plan every part of this after Viktor sold you out.”

“You told him!” She yelled, slapping Viktor across the chest.

“He showed up at my house with Aria and Leia! Aria already had it halfway figured out. I just filled in the blanks. I tried to tell you it was a bad idea. Taser did too.”

“Wait, wait, wait,” Patrick Sharp interjected from the crowd. “There’s really a personal ad?” He laughed. “I have to find this...” He pulled out his phone and began searching the internet.

“Are you two...are you together?” Whitney finally asked.

“Yes,” Patrick said. “Aria is my girlfriend.”

Aria peered up at him. “I am?” she asked him.

“You’re not?”

“We never talked about it.”

“Oh. I didn't know we had to. I just thought you were.”

Aria shook her head. “You have no idea how to be a boyfriend, do you?”

“Not a clue. You’ll have to keep me in line and teach me everything I need to know.”

Aria giggled and kissed his cheek. “You’re lucky I think you’re cute.”

“When did this happen?” Whitney demanded, arms folded across her chest.

“Come on, Whit. Let’s talk,” Patrick replied. He took a step towards Whitney and guided her from the room. Aria turned to Viktor.

“I know you said you were going to do that but I didn't actually believe you.”

“I never lie,” Viktor told her.

“I will keep that in mind from now on. But why? Why did you kiss me?"

"I knew it'd be the only way to get Kaner to stop playing this game. And I knew it would set Whitney off. They'd have to talk and this would all be in the open."

Patrick closed the bedroom door behind Whitney and turned to face her. “A personal ad, Whit? Are you fucking kidding me?”

“Me?!”

“Stop, Whit. Don’t try to turn this shit around on me. You went behind my back and took out a personal ad to find me a girlfriend. You interviewed women. You tried to set me up on a blind date. What were you thinking?”

“I just want you to be happy, Patrick. I want you to have what I have with Jon. And I’m sick of all the no good, slutty fucking girls you bring around and then call me for help getting rid of. I wanted to find someone that was worthy of you, someone that wasn’t a dirty girl and that you could show off and no one would be embarrassed to be seen with.”

“I have made some really questionable choices in life.”

“Some?”

“A lot. Look Whit, I appreciate how much you care about me but this was a little much.”

“It was a great plan. If it had been anyone else, you would’ve been all over it with me.”

“Yeah, probably,” Patrick laughed. “You need to apologize to Aria, for what you said before. She made me work really hard. I found her by accident at the coffee shop and I apologized and she let me fucking have it.” He laughed as he recalled that day. “You would’ve approved of everything she said to me actually. I sent her flowers a few days later and she still wouldn’t give me the time of the day. I was lucky enough to stumble upon her in a bar getting creeped on and saved her. She let me buy her ice cream and we had a really nice conversation. She finally agreed to a date but she wouldn't give me her number and he wouldn’t tell me where we were going. She planned the whole thing and somehow, I won her over and she let me in and I’ve been thanking my lucky stars ever since. She is the best thing to ever happen to me. Ever.”

“You sound really happy, Patty Cakes.”

“I am. Aria makes me happy. Whit, I moved my TV out to the balcony and we watched a movie under the stars and fell asleep. And that’s all we did! Sleep! It was perfect and amazing and everything I never knew I wanted.”

Whitney’s face softened and she threw her arms around Patrick and hugged him fiercely.

“Pat, you’re falling in love!”

“I am?”

Whitney laughed. “You have so much to learn.”