Chances Taken

If anything was to go wrong, it did, we were totally dominated by the Capitals in the early afternoon game with the final score of three to zero. So much fighting, so many penalties, we barely had any shots on goal, too busy trying to get back at David Steckel for his hit on Sidney in the Winter Classics on New Years Day. I knew it, Sidney knew it, even Coach knew that it was going to be happening, but we all looked over the tape, over the hit, it looked like an accidental hit, neither of them were looking at each other, so I didn’t understand why the guys were doing this.

I angrily got out of my gear and hit the showers, none of us seemed to say a word to each other as we were changing in the locker room, and then it was a silent ride home back to Pittsburgh. I sat down next to Kris because Mike seemed to want to sit with Emma today; actually, he’s been hanging around her a lot, which brought a smile to my face.

Today was Super Bowl Sunday, and this morning I couldn’t wait to win this game and then head home to watch the game, but now, I wanted nothing more than to just go to bed, frustrated with myself and my team. When we finally got back to Pittsburgh, the game had started, they silently left to head back to their homes to watch the game, I sighed and headed inside the Consol.

I grabbed my bag as it came off of the bus and headed for the locker room; I threw my bag in front of my stall and started to take my gear out. I slipped out of my dress and started to put my spandex shorts on and then threw my sports bra and Penguins shirt on. I sat down and started one by one to put each piece of gear on, having no interest on going home to watch the football game, wanting nothing more than to take my frustrations out on the ice.

I grabbed my stick and a bag full of pucks; I walked out of the locker room and towards the ice, empting the pucks onto the ice and lining them up. One puck after the other, I started to slapshot the pucks towards the empty net, replaying the game in my head and each puck I shot, anger releasing from my body.

I heard a whistle halfway through the pucks and turned my head to see Coach by the benches. I sighed and skated over towards him, “Puck for your thoughts,” he said and handed me a puck. I smirked and looked at him, “What’s up?”

“We played horribly today,” I said and Coach sighed and nodded his head, “No Sid, no Geno- We acted like we’ve never played together before, like a bunch of hotheaded rookies,” I growled, Coach just looking at me, “Too many rolling pucks and too many turn overs, our defense and offense too busy trying to throw punches rather than actually getting the damn puck into the back of the net.”

“Sid and Geno are probably going to be out for the rest of the season, Sid’s concussion doesn’t seem to be healing and G needs to go for knee surgery,” Coach said and then sighed.

“Damn,” I muttered and Coach nodded his head.

“You the only one here?” he asked and I nodded my head.

“Everyone went home, I guess, I don’t think that they really know that I came inside,” I said and Coach nodded his head, “I just needed to let off some steam.”

“Don’t wear yourself out, Mags,” Coach said as he patted my shoulder and then turned around and started to walk away.

-Kris-
I looked towards the scoreboard to see that we were down by three against the Blue Jackets. Two days had passed since our horrible game against Washington; we still didn’t seem to be doing well.

“Maggie, calm down,” I heard and looked down the bench to see that Jordan was looking at Maggie and I saw that her leg was bouncing up and down, that either meant she was nervous or angry and I highly doubted that she was nervous right now.

The clock hit zero, the horn blew, another loss, the final score four to one, Columbus. We headed back to the locker room feeling defeated. Each of us collapsed in front of our stalls and started to get undressed out of our gear. I kept stealing glances towards Maggie to see that she looked really pissed; I knew that we weren’t playing like we were able to. The only goal was scored by Maggie with the only assist being Marc, our goalie.

Maggie was out of her gear and just looking at the ground, Coach walked in and went to Maggie, he stood in front of her and she looked up at him. Coach handed something to her and then turned around and walked out of the room.

“What is it?” Mike asked his sister, Maggie looked down and her eyes widened. She shot up and headed for the door and left.

“What was that about?” Cooke asked and everyone shrugged their shoulders.

Maggie walked back into the room and sat at her stall, she looked at Mike and held up a letter, everyone’s eyes widened, “It’s only temporary, until Geno comes back,” she told her brother and he smiled and patted her shoulder, Maggie was the new Assisted Captain until Geno came back.

We all headed for the showers to get changed and head home, though, I wasn’t going to go to my home. Maggie and I needed to talk, we haven’t really been doing anything, we seemed to be growing apart. I don’t know if it was the pressure of the season, with no Geno or Sidney, the fact that there was only a few weeks until playoffs, or that she might be worried on how we’ve been playing the past two days.

I pulled into Maggie’s driveway and saw Mike walking out of the house with his dog Stanley. He took a deep breath and shook his head, Mike looked up and saw me and froze, “I wouldn’t man, she’s pretty pissed.”

“Why?”

“We were down by three the past two games, how are you not pissed?” he asked and I sighed.

“I am, but I’m trying not to let it affect me too much,” I said and Mike sighed.

“Maggie’s got a hard time on doing that,” he said and I nodded my head, “Good luck.”

“Thanks,” I said and walked towards the door and knocking on it before opening the door. Maggie yelled something in German as I walked in, she turned the corner and paused when she saw me, “Sorry, I don’t understand German.”

“Sorry,” she sighed and walked to the living room, “Thought you were Mike again.”

“No, I’m pretty sure you scared him off,” I said and she rolled her eyes, not taking my joke, “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing,” she said and sat on the couch.

“Maggie, something’s wrong, have I done something?” I asked and she looked at me and then shook her head, “Then what? Why are you shutting me out.”

“I’m not,” she said and stood up, getting defensive, “I’m sorry if I haven’t been in the best of moods!” she growled and I gulped, “I’m a little worried about our team!”

I sighed and walked over towards her, “It’s going to be all right.”

“What if it’s not?” she asked and I pulled her in for a hug, “I don’t want to screw up like last year.”

“You didn’t screw up, Mags! You need to let that go,” I said and cupped her face.

“Mike and I were brought on the team to help you win the Stanley, we didn’t help or win the Stanley,” she said and I kissed her forehead.

“Mags, you were adjusting to the team, no one expected you to be great coming in with only two months left in the season,” I said and she looked at me and sighed.

“I’m sorry,” she said and placed her hands on my arms, “I’m not good at controlling my emotions.”

“You’re a girl,” I chuckled, “It’s kind of in your DNA.”

“Shut up!” she shouted and playfully slapped me and I laughed and pulled her in for a hug.

“I love you Mags, if you’ve got something bothering you, we can talk,” I said and she nodded her head against my chest. I kissed her head and she looked up towards me.

“I’m sorry we haven’t really had time together,” she said and I shook my head.

‘…I understand now…’ I thought, the whole way over to her place I was wondering why we haven’t spent time together, I was just glad I didn’t do anything.

-Maggie-
I smiled brightly as we managed to clean up our act and win our home game against the Kings, the final score being two to one, Kennedy getting the winning goal in overtime. Everyone had showered and changed into our suits and I was in a dress. Girlfriends and wives walked into the locker room and over towards their boys. I heard the door open again and turned to see Sidney walking in, but then holding the door open for Geno, who was on crutches.

“Geno,” I smiled and walked over towards him and hugged him, I was happy to hear that it was only a season ending injury and not a career ending one. He hugged my back the best he could and then patted my shoulder, congratulating my on becoming Assisted Captain, “It’s only until you come back.”

“I told Coach that you would be good for the job,” Sidney said and I looked over towards him and smiled.

“Thanks.”

“Naw, you deserve it. Between you and Kuni, you’ll be able to run this team,” he said and pulled me in for a side hug.

Tonight was the first night that I supported the A on my left shoulder; the press had interviewed me before the game on the ice. I looked towards Sidney and Geno and smiled, “You two need to get better.”

Sidney chuckled and I hugged him, “We’re trying Mags.”