Chances Taken

“Good guy everyone,” Coach said as he got onto the bus that was going to take us to the airport so that we could fly home back to Pittsburgh, just winning our away game in Winnipeg.

I was sitting next to Kris just looking out the window; things were getting too different too fast. Kris and I were barely talking, he looks like he’s afraid to sit next to me, let alone be on the same team as me. I just ignored it, pretended that I didn’t notice it, but things were starting to get noticed by the team, and guys were asking questions. I would just smile and say that everything’s all right, but we all knew that it wasn’t, the only thing that I was waiting on was for Kris to finally tell me what I already know.

We were going to be arriving in Pittsburgh in the early morning of Christmas Eve, later that day we would all go to Mario’s to exchange our secret Santa gifts and have a good time. We all picked our names out of a hat and we weren’t allowed to tell each other who we got. I ended up picking James’ name out of the hat and already knew what I was putting in his Christmas present. I begged Mike to tell me who he got, but he wouldn’t tell.

After we landed in Pittsburgh, the bus took us to the Consol, and we all went our different ways from there. Emma and Mike followed me to my Escalade and I drove to my home. I wondered on the way home if Kris was going to come to my place like he did last year, but I highly doubted it. I sighed, we had been together over a year and so much had changed.

Emma went home to Texas for Thanksgiving to see her family, so she was staying here for Christmas, deciding to spend it with us. I walked into my house and greeted my dogs, I was waiting for Mike to come in and take Stanley home, but was surprised when he petted his dog and was pulled up the stairs and to Emma’s room. I smiled at the fact that my brother finally got the girl that he’d been crushing on for a long time.

I knew that if I went to my room I wasn’t going to be getting any sleep, so I grabbed the dogs and went downstairs into the basement, collapsing on the couch and looking at my phone, ‘…Wonder if Pattie’s up?...’ I thought and send a text and then saw that it was just after two in the morning, ‘…Maybe I shouldn’t have…’

I sighed and turned onto my stomach and saw Bella looking at me as she sat on the floor. I smiled at her and she leaned forward and licked my cheek, I backed away quickly because I didn’t like when dogs licked me. I laughed when I felt Jazz jump up onto the couch and make himself comfortable on my legs and then laid his head on my butt. I heard my phone buzz and looked to see that he returned my text; I am now, what’s up?

“Oops,” I giggled and hit rely.

Just got back from Winnie, couldn’t sleep.

I hit send and then laid my head on my arm and sighed, ‘…It’s funny how close I’ve gotten to him. Never thought I would actually like him…’ I giggled and then heard my phone buzz and saw that I was getting a Facetime call, “What too lazy to text me?”

“You do know it’s two in the morning?” he said and I smirked, see his light turn on and having to bite my tongue at the fact that he was shirtless and in bed, “So what’s up?”

“Like I said, couldn’t sleep,” I said and he chuckled, grabbing a pillow and shoving under his chest and leaning against it.

“Well, what can I do to help?” he asked and I smiled.

“I don’t know really,” I giggled and he shook his head.

“How are things going? Did he tell you?”

“No, and things are just getting awkward,” I said and Pat sighed.

“You should just tell him that you know and end it already, you’re just hurting yourself,” he said and I looked down and nodded my head.

“It’s Christmas though,” I said and he sighed.

“Mags, you’re going to be unhappy anyway,” he said and I looked at him, “Just- Just bring it up.”

“All right,” I said and Pat nodded his head.

“Watched the game, nice goal,” he said and I smirked.

“I’m just that good,” I giggled and Pat scoffed.

“Ok, so what are you doing for New Years?” Pat asked out of the blue and I smirked and looked at him.

“What?”

“New Years, what are you doing?” he asked again and I sighed and pulled up the schedule on my phone.

“We’ve got an afternoon game on New Year’s Eve in New Jersey,” I said and then went back to the video call.

“You wanna come to Chicago after the game?” he asked and I looked at him surprised, “We don’t have another game until the second.”

“I don’t have one until the sixth,” I said and he smirked.

“So come to Pittsburgh, have fun with us!” Pat said and I smirked, “Please Maggie!”

“I’m sure you’ll find plenty of girls to party with on New Year’s,” I said and he looked at me.

“Come on, we’re all going out, and I know the team would love to have you, I would love for you to be there,” he said and I giggled, “Besides, we never showed you Chicago’s night life, it’s pretty sick.”

I laughed and then looked down and then looked up towards him and sighed, “You better book my flight soon.”

“Awesome!” he said and I laughed and nodded my head, “You’re gunna have so much fun!”

“I’m sure I won’t remember it,” I said and he laughed.

“Don’t be such a lightweight!”

“Hey! I’ll have you know that I could probably out drink you! Lightweight my ass!” I said and Pat laughed.

“I’d like to see you try and outdrink me!” he said and I giggled.

“It’s a challenge then!”

“Well challenge accepted!” he said and I smiled, “Good to see you smiling, Mags.”

“You seem to be the only one to bring a smile to this face as of lately,” I said and then thought about what had just come out of my mouth.

“Well ya know, I’m just that good with women,” he said and I smirked and rolled my eyes, “You know they’re started to talk about the All Star game for next year. You think you made it?”

“Oh course I made it, they’d be stupid not to have all this on their team,” I laughed and he smirked and rolled his eyes.

“Wonder if we’ll be teammates again,” he said and I shrugged my shoulders.

“Well if they’re smart they’ll make sure they do, even Tazer, the three of us made a damn good line last time,” I said and he smirked and nodded his head.

“We’re just that good.”

“Damn right!”

Pat and I talked for at least two more hours, by the end we were both yawning so much that we had to end the call and get some sleep. I looked towards the clock on the wall and saw that it was almost five in the morning, I sighed and looked towards Jazz on my legs, Bella was on the floor next to me and Stanley was on the other couch snoring.

-Kane-
We were all at the rink, it was Christmas Eve and we were having a party for the players and their families. I was leaning against the boards with Jon watching as the guys skated around with their kids, wives or girlfriends.

“Did I tell ya that Mags was coming for New Year’s?” I asked and Jon looked at me surprised.

“Really?” he asked and I nodded my head, “You gunna do something while she’s here?”

“Probably not,” I said and Jon laughed a little, “What?”

“You, Patrick Kane, are not going to try and sleep with the girl you’ve been practically drooling over for almost a year,” he said and I looked at him and then towards the ice and shrugged my shoulders.

“She’s havin’ a hard time in Pittsburgh, I just want to bring her out to have a good time,” I said and then looked at him, “I think I really like her.”

“Dude, when was the last time you had a bunny?” he asked and I had to think about it.

“Uh, fuck, when was the last time? I haven’t gotten laid in like- Shit, since summer!” I said and Jon laughed and then slapped my back, “What?”

“Dude, you’re like whipped! You’re totally in love with her!” Jon laughed and I rolled my eyes.

“I like her, I don’t think I’m in love with her!” I said and Jon shook his head.

“Ok, you two talk all the time, she came to you about the boyfriend thing before anyone else, you haven’t been with anyone in like months, AND you’ve got that lost puppy dog look in your eyes every time you even talk about her,” he pointed out and I scoffed.

“I do not have a puppy dog look-“

“Come on, dude,” he said and I looked at him, “You’re not fooling anyone but yourself here.”