The Ice Queen

Chapter Seventy Nine
-Alyssa-
“So what are the results?” Milan asked and I smiled and handed him the piece of paper that the hospital had faxed to Doc, and Doc gave to me, “What is it?”

“Well, I do have gallbladder issues, and I’ll have to get it removed,” I said and Milan nodded his head, “But I can wait until after the seasons over.”

“What about the pain?” he asked and I smiled.

“They prescribed me a medicine that I’ll take before each game, practice, workout, it’ll help me,” I said and Milan looked at me confused.

“Steroids?” he asked and I sighed, “You’re going to take steroids?”

“No, they’re not steroids, but it’ll help me improve my game until I get the surgery,” I said and Milan shook my head, “What?”

“I don’t like this,” he said and I sighed.

“Milan, it’s the only way, Doc said that it won’t hurt me, it’ll help,” I said and Milan sighed and nodded his head.

“I still don’t like this.”

“But I’ve been approved to play and I have no pain,” I said and Milan took a step forward and kissed my forehead.

“Just as long as you’re all right,” he said and I nodded my head.

Right now we were in Chicago, we had a game against the Hawks tonight, and I was so ready for the game. We were in the locker room, after I finished talking to Milan, I went back into Doc’s office so he could give me a shot of medicine. I wasn’t entirely sure what I was given, but it worked during solo practice yesterday, so I’m not going to say anything.

“All right, hold still, Red,” Doc said as he got the needle ready and cleaned the inside of my arm, “Ready?”

“Just do it,” I said and he nodded his head. I flinched when the needle went into my arm, but took a deep breath and dealt with it.

“Hey Doc, can you look at my-“ Dougie walked into the room and stopped when he saw the needle in my arm, “Oh, that’s a- a- a…”

“Kid, you all right?” Doc asked as he looked at Dougie and my eyes widened when he just fell to the ground.

“Dougie!” I yelled and Doc finished with my medicine and threw the needle away. I hopped off of the table and knelt down next to Dougie, “Hey, hey, hey, Dougie?! Dougie?!”

“What’s wrong?!” I heard and looked up to see Tyler.

“He just passed out!” I yelled and Doc ran over and placed some smelling salt under Dougie’s nose and I needed to back up because it smelled.

Dougie shot up and was coughing, his eyes wide and teary and he looked a little shaken.

“Hey man, you all right?” Tyler asked as he bent down and looked at Dougie.

“Yeah, I just- I just, whoa,” he said and held his head and started to fall back but I caught him and laid him on my lap, “Saw a needle.”

“You’re afraid of needles?” Tyler chuckled and I glared at him, “Where’d you see a needle?”

“Doc was giving me my medicine,” I said and Tyler looked at me confused.

“Help the kid up,” Doc said and Tyler and I nodded our heads and helped Dougie up and placed him on the table, “Hammy, look at me,” he said and tapped Dougie’s cheek, “Take a minute, son, you’ll be all right.”

“I just, everything just started spinning,” he said and Doc smirked.

“You’ll be all right,” he said and Dougie nodded his head and I walked over towards him and placed my hand on his knee.

“You faint at the sight of a needle?” I asked and Dougie sighed.

“I’ve never liked needles,” he said and smirked, “Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s all right,” I smiled and then patted his knee.

“Why’d you need a needle anyways?” Dougie asked and I looked down.

“Yeah, AJ, what’s going on?” Tyler asked as he came up behind me.

“I have to take medicine if I want to play,” I said and they both looked at me confused, “Milan, Brad, Chara, Bergy and Nate know, but you can’t tell anyone else! I have to go to surgery after the seasons over.”

“For what?” Dougie asked.

“I need to have my gallbladder removed, I’m not able to digest food properly,” I said and then sighed, “This medicine is allowing my body to be normal for a short period of time, and it’s letting me be able to push back the surgery and play hockey.”

“What are you talking?” Tyler asked and I shook my head, “AJ, what-“

“It doesn’t matter, it’s helping me and you can’t tell anyone else!” I snapped and Tyler looked at me and then at Dougie. They both sighed and nodded their heads, “This season is almost over and I plan on giving it my all until the horn rings for the last time. As soon as that happens, I’ll go for my surgery.”

“I don’t like this Alyssa, this is a really bad idea, what if something happens?” Tyler asked and I looked at him.

“What could happen?”

“I don’t know, the medicine backfires?” he asked and I sighed.

“I have to go-“

“Alyssa!”

“No Tyler, I have a game to get ready for, and I suggest you do the same!” I snapped and then looked down, “I’m sorry, but I want to play, I’ve worked too hard to have this moment.”

I walked back to the locker room and sighed, leaning against the wall as I was at the door, the one side effect to the medicine was that my vision got a little blurry at times, but I didn’t tell anyone that. I took a moment to catch my breath and then walked into the locker room and gathered my gear and started to get ready for the game.

-Milan-
We all cheered as Alyssa scored a goal against Corey Crawford, we gathered around her and hugged her, the buzzer rang and the game was over, the final score being four to three, Boston taking Game one.

“I’m so happy we didn’t go into overtime!” Brad yelled and we all laughed and then skated over towards Tuukka and congratulated him for a good game.

We headed back into the locker room, Alyssa did some interviews with reporters, they were asking how she was feeling after her stomach problems. I didn’t pay attention after I knew that I wouldn’t be able to hear her answers.

“Hey Dougie, heard you fainted before,” Brad chuckled and I looked towards him, “What happened?”

“Nothing, just saw a needle,” he said and I smirked and shook my head.

Everyone showered and changed into their suits, Alyssa had come in late after being interviewed and was still in the shower. I was packing up my things when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around and saw Tyler there, “What’s up, Segs?”

“Did you know that Alyssa’s on steroids?” Tyler asked and I looked at him.

“She said it’s not steroids.”

“I can’t think of any medicine that you need to be given through a shot,” he said and I turned back around and looked at him surprised, “Yeah, that needle is why Dougie passed out- Anyways, I know she played great and everything, but she can get in a lot of trouble if anyone finds out.”

“Do you know for sure that they’re steroids?” I asked and Tyler sighed and shook his head.

“No, I don’t know, that’s why I came to you and not Coach,” he said and I nodded my head.

“I’ll talk to her- I’ll talk to Doc first,” I said and Tyler nodded his head, “Why would she lie to me if she is taking steroids?”

“I don’t know, she’ll do anything to make sure that she’s still in the game.”

“Yeah, that’s what I’m afraid of,” I said and then sighed and snuck out of the locker room and headed down to Doc’s office to see him and Coach talking.

“Looch, what can I do for ya?” Coach asked and I looked to see that Doc was holding Alyssa’s file.

“Um, I need to talk to Doc,” I said and Coach looked at me.

“About what?”

“Something,” I said and Coach sighed.

“I have an idea on what it’s about,” Coach said and I looked towards the ground, “Brace?”

I nodded my head and then watched as Coach nodded his head and then left the room, patting my shoulder on the way out.

“What can I do for you, Milan?” Doc asked and I walked into the room and made sure to close the door.

“I just need you to answer one thing for me,” I said and he looked at me, closed the file and placed it on the table.

“What would that be?”

“Is Alyssa on steroids?”