Chances Taken

“No, no, no, no! Do not hand that to me! Maggie! Maggie, stop! Come on! You know I hate cats!” he yelled and I laughed and shook my head as I held the fluffy little kitty in my hands

“But she’s ‘so’ cute, Mikey!” I cooed and he shook his head and gave me a hard look.

“No.”

“But Mikey.”

“No!” he said and I laughed, shook my head and walked back over towards the area where they had all of the animals that the team was going to be taking a picture with.

Penguins and Paws was officially happening and I was so happy to see the view around her, all of the guys were melting in front of the puppies and kittens. I laughed as Jordan held a Yorkie and Max had a Basset Hound, Sidney was given a Golden Retriever and Geno had a Bulldog.

“Ms. Marshall,” I heard and turned to see a woman, “Hi, actually we got mixed up, this is the animal you’ve been assigned,” she said and I looked down and saw a little puppy, “This is Bella, she’s a Bernese Mountain.”

“I have a Greater Swiss at home, she looks just like him,” I said as I melted at the sight of her and only thought of Lilly.

“They’re closely related; although, Bernese have heavier coats. Mr. Marshall is actually getting this little girl,” the woman said and motioned for the cat in my arms.

“Oh, that wonderful,” I laughed and handed over the cat, “Actually, you should have our Coach give it to my brother.”

“All right,” she said as I bent down and picked up the little puppy.

“Hi baby girl, awww, you’re so pretty,” I smiled and laughed a little as she licked my face and nibbled on my nose a little. I sat on the grass and she was on my lap trying to lick me.

“Uh oh,” I heard someone say and turned my head to see Sidney, Geno, Kris and Jordan looking at me.

“Jordan, you look so manly right there,” I laughed as he held the Yorkie with the pink bow on her head.

“I see puppy love right there,” Max said as he came over and bent down next to me, “What’s the name?”

“Bella,” I smiled and kissed her head.

“MAGGIE!!!” I heard and laughed a little, knowing it was a very angry Mike.

“Hide me,” I giggled and the guys stood at my back.

“I’m gunna kill her,” he grumbled and I looked in-between the guys’ legs to see he was struggling to hold the cat that Coach had given him, good thing they were all on leashes and collars.

“What’s up, Mikey?” Sidney asked and Mike growled at him.

“I know you’re right there Mags, I’m gunna kill you! You told Coach to give me the cat!” he growled and I laughed, stood up and stuck my tongue at him.

“What’s wrong with the cat?” Kris asked, knowing that Mike didn’t like cats.

“I hate cats,” he muttered and looked down at the cat who pawed him the face, “Stop that,” Mike said and tried to move the cat but was hissed at, it only made us laugh at him, “Shut up!”

“All right Penguins! Can we have you go to your scenes so we can get this shoot started?” someone’s voice was heard through a megaphone.

“Let’s go guys,” Sidney said and we nodded our heads and followed Sidney.

“Why do you get the puppy- Oh no, no, no, no, Mags, don’t tell me you’re going to adopt her?!” Mike said and I smiled towards him.

“I think I will,” I said and Mike groaned, “Come on, Mikey! Look at her!” I said and held her up, “Jazz needs some company at home anyways, he get lonely.”

“You just want a puppy,” he said and I smirked and shrugged my shoulders.

“Maybe.”

“I’m gunna kill you,” Mike growled and I smirked and stuck my tongue out at him as I walked away towards where I was supposed to be.

-Kris-
I had to give back the cat that I was assigned to hold for this year’s Penguins and Paws. I was walking over towards the team when I saw Maggie sitting by the tree, she was holding the puppy that she was assigned to looking like she was thinking hard.

‘…Probably wants the puppy…’ I thought as I walked over towards her and then sat down, “She remind you of Lilly?”

“Actually, her personality is the completely opposite of Lilly’s,” Maggie said and then sighed, “I just miss her.”

“Are you going to get her?” I asked, nudging my head towards the puppy, “This is where I got Hulk.”

“I’m honestly considering it,” I said and Kris smiled.

“What’s her name?”

“Bella,” Maggie said and smiled towards me, “Wanna hold her?”

“Sure,” I said and Maggie handed the puppy over towards me and she just wanted to jump up and lick my face, “Oh she’s a lover.”

“I know,” Maggie laughed and then leaned against me, “She’s so cute and I know Jazz needs some company when I’m not home, Stanley’s not enough.”

“Oh so you’re the dog whisperer now?” I asked and Maggie laughed and nodded her head, “You should get her.”

“What?” she asked and she looked at me.

“If she makes you happy, then get her,” I said and she blinked at me and then smiled.

“I think I will,” she breathed and I smiled towards her.

“So what are you still doing over here?” I asked and she giggled and watched as I stood up. I pulled her up and she was really close to me, I could smell her shampoo as I handed Bella back to her. I gulped and watched as Maggie headed back over towards where we needed to give back the animals, ‘…Can’t believe she’s getting another animal…’ I smirked and shook my head as I headed back over towards the parking lot.

“Well, that’s one thing off the list of things to do,” Coach said as I joined the group in the parking lot, “Are we all here?”

“Missin’ one,” Max said and Coach looked around.

“Who?”

“The only girl on our team,” Sidney smirked as he leaned against his car.

“Where’d she go?” Coach asked.

“She was bitten,” I said and the guys looked at me surprised.

“No!” Mike said, the only one seeming to get it, “She’s not getting the damn dog, is she?”

“Oh, she’s getting all of them,” I said, wanting to mess with Mike.

“MARGARET MARIE MARSHALL!!!” Mike yelled as he started to run back to where I knew Maggie to be.

“That’s a lot of M’s,” Tyler Kennedy said and we laughed a little.

“Is she really getting all of them?” Geno asked and I shook my head.

“Just the pup, wanted to mess with him,” I said and the guys laughed.

“He went all full name on her ass,” Tyler said and I smirked and shrugged my shoulders.

I started to talk to Geno and Max, we were waiting for the twins to come back because Coach had some announcements. When we heard German, we knew that Mike had done something to piss Maggie off, because she was the one mostly yelling.

“Big man,” Max said and patted Geno, “Go break up the siblings.”

Geno nodded his head and headed down towards Maggie and Mike, Maggie holding the puppy along with some kind of bag.

“Might be a little hard to pick her up this time,” Sidney said and I sighed and nodded my head.

Geno kind of blocked Maggie and pushed her over towards us and then separated the two, Maggie stood near me and muttered some German and I smirked and watched as she smiled towards the puppy and petted her head.

“All right, all right, it is extremely important that you’re at the arena tomorrow at seven sharp, the bus leaves at seven-thirty to head to the airport where we start off our week trip,” Coach said and I heard Maggie next to me sigh.

“I forgot about that,” she said and looked down at the puppy, “I’ll be away from you for a whole week.”

“Seven-thirty!” Coach stated.

“Sharp,” the team yelled and Coach smiled and nodded his head, saying other things that had to deal with today and then for the away games against the Predators, Blues and Lightnings.

“All right, get out of here,” Coach said and we all scattered back to our vehicles.

I watched as Maggie went over towards her SUV and placed the puppy in the back seat and smiled towards her, I smirked and shook my head, happy to see her smiling. Some of the guys walked over towards her, wanting to see the puppy as well.

“So, Mags got pup,” I heard and turned to see Geno next to me.

“Yeah,” I said and laughed a little.

“When are you gunna tell her?” he asked and I looked at him confused.

“What?”

“You like her,” Geno said and I sighed and rolled my eyes, “Yes you do,” he said and patted my shoulder, “Go get her.”