Becoming Mrs. Seguin

For the next three weeks that Tyler was in the hospital, I stayed by his side. My things were temporarily left at his house and I took a shower there every morning, too.

I spent most of the day keeping him company, and it made me so happy to see him slowly recovering over time. He had lost a lot of weight, though.

On Friday morning, Tyler was finally released from the hospital. The doctor gave him medication and specific instructions on what to do and not do with his leg in order for it to heal.

Unfortunately, he'd have to wear a walking brace for the next four months, which meant that he wouldn't be able to play hockey until November.

Tyler was clearly upset about that, especially since the Winter Olympics were in February, but I reminded him how lucky he was to have survived the accident in the first place.

"She's right. You're one lucky guy, Tyler. And you know what else, this ex-girlfriend of yours is something special. I've never met anyone that was willing to spend three weeks of their summer in the hospital before," the doctor remarked.

"Yeah, about that...Christine and I are back together now. It's all good," Tyler explained. "In fact, she's going to move in with me."

I was?

Immediately, I began to burst with excitement, my body doing all sorts of things. I fought the urge to jump into Tyler's arms because god knows what that'd do to him. The rest of his bones would probably break.

"Well congratulations then. She's definitely a keeper," the doctor said, giving Tyler a pat on the back.

"Trust me, I've heard that before," he replied, giving me a wink.

After saying our good-byes to the doctor and nurses, Tyler and I left the hospital. He had to use my weight as support since he could barely even walk. Being outside surrounded by the fresh, ocean air awakened his senses as he took a deep, relaxing breath.

"God, I'd almost forgotten what it felt like to be outdoors," he spoke.

"I bet. Oh, and by the way, did I tell you about how much Marshall and Miller miss you? They haven't left your bedroom in days," I told him.

"I know, I missed them a lot too," Tyler said, "but they sure are going to be happy knowing that they get to see their mommy everyday from now on."

"And what about their dad?", I asked him, playing along.

"He's just as happy about it as they are."

I smiled then grabbed Tyler's face, pulling it down towards mine as we stood there kissing, lost in our own little world. When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against his, the both of us slowly catching our breaths.

"Let's get you back to your house," I said quietly.

"Our house," Tyler corrected with a grin, placing a kiss on the tip of my nose.

God that sounded nice.

When the both of us got home, we were greeted by a very excited Miller, whose tail wouldn't stop wagging. He nearly knocked a crystal vase over with it.

I went to grab some pillows from Tyler's room, only to find Marshall fast asleep on the bed. It was absolutely adorable.

"Where's Marshall?", I heard Tyler ask from the living room.

"In here."

Tyler slowly limped over, his face contorted in pain with each step he took. I immediately rushed to his side and grabbed his waist, draping one of his arms over my shoulder.

"Here, lie down on the couch," I suggested.

Tyler let out a deep sigh the moment his back hit the cushion, and I adjusted the pillows to make him comfortable. He looked up at me with a tired, defeated look.

"I feel so useless," he groaned.

"Don't say that. It's not your fault this happened," I said, stroking his face with my hand. "Your ribs still hurt too, don't they?"

"Not as much as before, but yeah, I'm still really sore," he replied.

"You probably will be for a while. That reminds me, you need to take your pain medication."

I headed to the kitchen and filled up a glass of water and brought it back to Tyler, along with the pills. He took a nap afterwards and I cleaned up around the house before going to make lunch.

That night, we were lying together in bed, my head resting on his chest. I had finished unpacking the last of my things earlier, including my clothes which now hung in the closet that he and I shared.

I still couldn't believe that I'd get to wake up next to him every morning for the rest of my life. Well, at least that was what I hoped. We weren't married yet.

"Christine?", Tyler spoke, interrupting my thoughts.

"Hmm?", I mumbled against his chest.

"What did I ever do to deserve a girl like you?", he asked, brushing away a stray piece of my hair with his finger.

I remained silent, not sure of how to respond.

"You take such good care of me and never complain about it. If this accident had happened to you, I have no idea what I'd do with myself.

"I don't know what made you decide to come back, but I'm just so grateful you were at the hospital that day. Because honestly, I don't think I could live without ever seeing you again," Tyler said, his face clouded with emotion.

I felt tears beginning to fall down my cheeks as I looked into his eyes.

"I couldn't leave the man I loved," I whispered.

Tyler moved his hand to cup my chin and then placed his soft lips against mine. The kiss started out slow, but then grew urgent as we let our current emotions take over. I poured all of my feelings for him into the kiss, wrapping both of my arms around his neck.

It was obvious that we wanted to take things further, but Tyler's current physical health wouldn't allow us to have sex. Reluctantly, I pulled away from him then draped the covers over our bodies, snuggling close to his side.

"Good night, Tyler," I said before falling asleep in his arms.

***

Over the weeks, Tyler slowly made progession with his leg. The doctor said that he only had to wear a walking brace outside of home.

It was a breezy, autumn day in September and I had just gotten back from an early morning jog in the neighborhood. I sure missed running. It reminded me of my days as a track superstar back in high school.

I went to the kitchen where Tyler was making coffee and breakfast. He gave me a kiss on the cheek then I grabbed some juice from the fridge.

"TD Bank called while you were out," he informed.

"Are you talking about the actual bank or the Garden?", I asked.

"The bank. I spoke with one of their executives. Apparently, Harvard told them about your leadership skills and how good your grades were."

"And?"

"It looks like you got a job offer," he finished.

My face instantly lit up. I had planned on looking for a job sooner or later, but I guess I didn't have to.

"Oh my god, that's awesome!", I exclaimed, throwing my arms around Tyler's neck. He chuckled.

"They want you to work in the management department. If the boss likes you, you might even get a promotion later on. But listen, you don't have to work if you don't want to. I'm perfectly capable of supporting the both of us with my salary."

"Are you kidding me? Tyler, this is the reason I went to Harvard. To be able to have opportunities like these once I graduated," I immediately objected.

"I knew you'd say that. You were always the independent type. I mean, you wouldn't even let me pay for your swimsuit back then," Tyler said with an amused grin.

"Well, that's how my parents raised me. So, when do I start?", I asked.

"Tomorrow. Looks like I'll be home all alone then. God, I can't wait to get back on the ice. This stupid leg...,"

I seriously felt terrible for Tyler. Just last week, we went to visit his teammates while they were practicing and the look on his face as he watched them from the bench almost made me want to cry.

This season in particular was important because of the Olympics. All of the players would be fighting in a tight race for a chance to represent their nation in February. Nothing would make Tyler happier than getting to play for Team Canada on home soil, since Toronto was hosting the Olympics.

He had played in the last two and managed to win a gold and bronze medal. But winning gold in his birthplace of Ontario would be something special.

"It'll be November before you know it. In the meantime, you can work on exercising your leg," I said, trying to cheer him up.

"I will," he replied with a heavy sigh, pulling me into his arms as he kissed the top of my head. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ty."

***

The best part about coming home from work everyday was getting to see Tyler. He made dinner for us both on the weekdays and I was surprised at well of a cook he'd become.

By the third week of November, the Bruins had regained their best forward. It was Tyler's first game of the season against the Ducks and I was at home, watching it on TV as I made dinner. Now that he was back to his busy schedule, I became the main cook again.

At first, it was hard getting used to not having him around during his away games. But as the months went by, I grew accustomed to it.

Tyler's performance on and off the ice was incredible. Nobody would guess that he'd missed a whole month of practice back in October. He was currently tied with a San Jose Shark forward for most goals scored in the league.

In January, Team Canada selected Tyler to play not only as one of their forwards, but he was also named captain of the entire roster. It was a huge honor for him and his family as well.

Speaking of which, my family had known about how I moved in with Tyler for a few months now. They told me that as long as I was happy, they were, too. My mother even said that if we ever planned on getting married, she'd give us her blessing.

There was no doubt Tyler and I loved each other very much, but we never really brought up the subject of marriage. When he felt like the time was right, he'd propose. But for now, I was perfectly fine with the way things were.

***

This was it. The final hockey game of the Olympics between Team Canada and Team Finland. Both were battling for the gold here at Wilson Arena in Toronto. The rink had recently been built last year just for this special occasion.

For the past two weeks, I'd been cheering for both Team USA and Canada. Although Tyler was Canadian, I'd always remain most loyal to the red, white, and blue. The US won bronze yesterday against Sweden and I was absolutely thrilled.

Tyler's mom and I were sitting in the lower level seats, both sporting our red Canadian jerseys that had his name on the back.

The atmosphere of the arena was like none I'd ever experienced. Attending a gold medal hockey game had always been on my bucket list ever since I was a child. And now here I was, surrounded by thousands of cheering fans on the final night of the Olympics.

Team Canada completely dominated the first period, scoring a total of three goals and blocking every single attempt Finland made at the net. Tyler hadn't scored yet but did manage an assist on two of the goals.

Things took a turn after Finland shot two power play goals during the first ten minutes of the second period. Everyone was up on their feet, anxious to see if they could make another one and tie the game. Their captain ended up scoring right before the buzzer went off and the Finnish fans went wild.

The remaining twenty minutes would determine the fate of both teams. In the first half, Tyler was sent to the penalty box for hooking. Luckily, Finland didn't score a goal.

The game remained tied and before I knew it, there were only fifteen seconds left. I mentally prayed for Canada to score so that they didn't have to go into overtime. My eyes remained glued onto the ice, Tyler in particular, since he was the one in current possession of the puck.

He skated into the offensive zone and skillfully handled the puck, shooting at the upper right corner of the net. I couldn't tell if it went in or not since a Finnish defender was in the way, but once the crowd stood up and started cheering, I knew that it did.

Canada won!

Words couldn't describe how surreal it all felt. Tyler and his teammates threw their hats, gloves, and sticks onto the ice in victory as the Canadian fans clapped and hollered, including Jackie and I.

I was unbelievably proud of Tyler. He had led his team to the gold medal game and scored their winning goal. I could only imagine how ecstatic he felt right now.

The medal ceremony was held shortly after and I noticed the tears in Jackie's eyes as they played the Canadian national anthem. I couldn't help but cry tears of joy as well.

People were getting ready to leave a while later when a commentator spoke through the PA system.

"It looks like the captain of Team Canada has an announcement to make."

Everyone stopped moving then directed their attention to Tyler, who was standing at the edge of the rink with a reporter. He was given a microphone then began to speak.

"Christine, can you come down here real quick?"

I was in shock for several seconds and looked over at Jackie. She motioned for me to go and I began to make my way towards Tyler.

What was going on?

The crowd immediately grew silent when I got to him and I felt everyone staring at us. Tyler stood there making eye contact with me, his face still drenched in sweat. But what I didn't get was why he looked so nervous.

"What are you doing?", I mouthed to him.

To my surprise, he suddenly got down on one knee. My lips began to tremble and I covered my mouth with my hand as realization dawned on me. Tyler was going to propose.

"Ever since you wandered into my life, you've done nothing but brought me joy and happiness. I know our relationship hasn't exactly been a smooth ride, that I've made mistakes in the past, but there's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with than you.

"You're the only girl I've ever loved, and I promise to love you until we both take our last breaths. Christine Miller, will you marry me?"

Tears began to cloud my eyes as I looked down at the handsome face that I loved so much.

"Yes," I whispered, my entire body shaking.

Tyler slipped the magnificent four-carat diamond ring onto my finger then stood up, his face beaming with happiness. I jumped into his arms and he picked me up effortless as we shared a passionate kiss.

Everyone in the arena went "aw" and then the sound of cheering and whistling filled the air. Tyler's teammates immediately skated over to congratulate us, including the coaches.

This was a moment I'd never forget for as long as I lived. The day Tyler Seguin publically proposed to me after winning the gold medal on home soil.

Our wedding was held in August and consisted of a morning church ceremony and evening reception at one of the fanciest hotels in Boston by the beach. All of our friends and family were there. It was by far the happiest day of my life.

I'd never forget the expression on Tyler's face when he walked me down the aisle and how breathtakingly handsome he looked in his black suit.

As for me, I wore a custom-made white Vera Wang gown. Tyler and several guests had told me that I was the most beautiful bride they'd ever laid eyes on. But in my opinion, every girl looked beautiful on their wedding day.

After spending a week in London for our honeymoon, Tyler and I flew back home and resumed our daily lives. I got promoted to manager just after working at TD Bank for a year. It was probably my biggest achievement yet, apart from becoming Mrs. Christine Tiffany Seguin of course.

***

It was a cold, winter night in January as I lay in bed, scrolling through the TV. Tyler had been on the road this past week for his games but was coming home in a little bit. I had the biggest news to tell him.

I heard the sound of the front door open and quickly ran out to greet Tyler. His face lit up and he gave me a huge hug after setting his bags down.

"I missed you so much," I spoke into his chest, inhaling his familiar scent.

"I missed you too, honey," he said, leaning down to kiss me.

"I have something to tell you," I mumbled against his lips.

"Can it wait? I've been dying to get you in bed all week," he said with a smirk.

"Tyler...I'm pregnant."

"Are you serious?! Christine, this is amazing!", he exclaimed, picking me up and spinning me around in his arms.

Tyler placed me back on my feet then bent down so that he was kneeling in front of my stomach. He untied my robe then kissed my belly, sending tingles down my spine.

"Thanks to you, I get to be a daddy," he said to our 'kid', his face illuminated with happiness and pride. I threw my head back and laughed. Tyler was just too cute.

"So...you said something about wanting to get me in bed," I spoke in a suggestive tone, playing with the zipper of his jacket.

Tyler grinned mischievously and I grabbed his hand, dragging him to our bedroom. The rest of the night was history.

Nine months later on October 15th, I gave birth to Alicia Claire Seguin. She was the most beautiful baby girl I'd ever seen. Her hair was dark brown like mine, but she had her father's eyes and chin. Anyone that laid eyes on her could definitely tell that she was Tyler's daughter.

For the first time in my life, I was a mother. As I lay on the hospital bed, cradling Alicia in my arms, tears of joy fell down my face. She had only been born for less than an hour, but already, the love I felt for her was immeasurable.

I looked over at Tyler, who was sitting on the bed next to me. He had tears in his eyes as well.

"Can I hold her?", he asked.

"Of course. Be careful," I said, gently shifting Alicia into his arms before leaning my head against his shoulder.

Tyler placed a kiss on my cheek and then the both of us started making baby faces at our daughter. We couldn't care less how funny we looked.

"Well, well if it isn't Daddy Seggy himself," a familiar voice spoke at the door.

Tyler and I both looked up to be greeted by Milan Lucic, Patrice Bergeron, and Brad Marchand. Apparently, they had just got done with their game at the Garden.

"What are you guys doing here?", Tyler asked them with an amused expression.

"To see your baby. Man, who knew Boston's famous party boy would become a father one day?", Lucic teased.

"We're seriously so happy for you, though," Marchand added, playfully punching Tyler's shoulder.

"These men here are your uncles," I whispered to Alicia, giving all three of them a smile. "So, which one of you wants to be the godfather?"

"Milan of course. He's got the most kids out of all of us," Bergeron replied, giving his teammate a slap on the back.

"Looch, you ok with that?", Tyler asked.

"You bet. I'm gonna teach Alicia all she has to know about being a hockey player," Lucic said proudly.

"What's Tyler gonna do then?", I remarked.

"Oh, I forgot. He can teach her how to party like a hockey player."

We all burst out laughing and then eventually when it was getting late, the three of them left.

After a few days, I was able to leave the hospital. Tyler had worked on our baby's nursery for the past few months during his offseason and it looked amazing. The walls were painted a bright sky blue and the theme was a flower garden. Alicia would sure love it.

That night in bed, I replayed everything that had happened to me these last couple of years. I couldn't have possibly asked for a better life.

The best part, though, was getting to share it with Tyler. Although fate had tore us apart, it still brought us together in the end. And I would forever be grateful for that.

Sixteen Years Later

"Which one of us is going to pick Alicia up at the airport?", I asked Tyler.

Our daughter was coming home today after spending her spring break in Florida with her friends. Meanwhile, my brother and his wife were visiting us here in Boston, along with their son, Drew.

Two years after I had Alicia, her younger brother, Sean, was born. His features mostly resembled mine, but he'd inherited Tyler's hockey genes. Although Sean was only fourteen, he was already playing on the varsity hockey team for the second year in a row.

"I'll go get her," Tyler offered. "Sean can come with me too since he has to pick up a new pair of skates."

"Ok, sounds good."

Tyler went to take a shower and I folded the laundry in our bedroom. My phone suddenly rang a while later and Alicia's name popped up on the screen. I put her on speaker.

"Hey sweetheart, did you arrive yet?", I asked her.

Tyler had just finished dressing and came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist.

"Yeah. You wanna hear something unbelievable?"

"What?", Tyler spoke.

"Oh hi dad, you're there too? Anyways, I just met Jackson Stamkos. He even asked me for my number!", Alicia exclaimed.

"Steve Stamkos's son? He plays in the NHL doesn't he?", Tyler asked.

"Yes, he's like my all-time favorite player. And oh my god, he's so hot. Who knew I'd end up him meeting at the airport? I mean, how random is that?"

"Trust me sweetie, I know exactly how you feel right now," I said, giving Tyler an all too knowing smile.

Looked like our daughter's love story was going to start out just like mine had.

The End

*FINAL STORY NOTES*

At the age of forty-five, Christine became the first female CEO of TD Bank. After retiring from the NHL, Tyler became a sportscaster for NBCSN, along with his former Bruins teammate, Milan Lucic.

Alicia Seguin played professional soccer and ended up going to the Olympics at the age of twenty-two. Hockey just wasn't her best interest. As for her brother, Sean, he followed in the footsteps of his father.