The Captains Log

"Where's Alex gone?" Called Mike Green, running around the Washington Capitals dressing room in a panic. "His equipment isn't here!"

"What?" Shouted Nicklas Backstrom is surprise. "His stall's empty!"

"Alright, who locked Alex and his equipment in the closet again?" Joked Marcus Johansson.

"No, this isn't a joke. He's gone!" Mike shook his head in disbelief.

He walked over to the whiteboard, and there was a message scrawled on it.

"Hey boys. Thanks for all of the good times." Mike read aloud, as a crowd of his teammates gathered around him. "I've enjoyed every second I've spent with every one of you. I couldn't have asked for a better organization to spend the first chunk of my career with. I want you boys to all play hard, and I hope to see you in the Stanley Cup Finals."

He glanced at the bottom of the message, and there, unmistakably, was the Los Angeles Kings logo. His heart sank. Alex had been traded.

**********

"Oh my god." Mike whispered, wiping a tear out of the corner of his eye.

He was disappointed. Things like this were bound to happen, but not to Alex. Not to their Captain. Not like this...

He turned, and walked out of the dressing room, down the tunnel toward the ice. He needed to think, and to be alone.

Alex had been such a great part of the team, and he would definitely be missed by the entire team. The thing that disappointed Mike, was that he never got to say goodbye. Just yesterday, they had been signing autographs side by side, and now...

"Don't think about it." He muttered under his breath.

The next time he would See Alex, was in a month and a half, when the Caps and Kings met in DC.

"Hey Mike." Nicklas Backstrom came up behind him, and patted him on the back. "I know how you feel. We're all in shock, but you can't let it get to you that much. Remember, we've got a game tonight, and you don't want to disappoint all of our families."

Mike had completely forgotten about family. What was supposed to be a day of joy and fun, had taken a turn for the worse.

It was family weekend, where all of the players families traveled to DC, to watch their boys play 3 games over the weekend. Mike only had his girlfriend there, because the rest of his family was at a funeral.

Mike wanted to be there, with his family, but his contract held him to playing tonight.

"Mike." Marcus looked depressed.

"What?" Mike asked quietly.

Marcus held up a jersey, with a C on it. Mike looked at the number. #52. It was unmistakable. He was the Captain.

**********

"Mike, I need to talk to you." Said Ted Leonsis. "Your girlfriend, Emily, has just won the draw. She will be dropping the puck for the ceremonial puck drop tonight, and you, being the Captain, will be present for the ceremony."

Mike felt a wave of guilt wash over him.

"It shouldn't be me." He said, not making eyes contact. "It should be Alex. I can't follow in his footsteps."

"Mike, we got an offer that we couldn't resist. We had to take it!" Ted began to explain.

"Who did we get, then? Doughty? Brown? Quick?" Mike tried to hide the anger in his words.

"Not exactly." Ted replied, shifting nervously from foot to foot.

"Draft picks?" Mike asked, becoming angrier.

Ted simply shook his head.

"Money." Mike finally came to a horrifying conclusion. "You gave away the best player in the world, our Captain, our leader, FOR MONEY?"

He screamed the last bit, letting every bit of his anger and resentment reside in his words, as he turned and stormed away.

"Wait, Mike! It wasn't even my decision! I'm not the General Manager!" Called Ted after him.

Mike didn't care. He stormed into the room, and began to take his equipment out of his stall, throwing each piece into his bag.

His phone buzzed, and he stopped briefly, to check who was calling him.

The caller display read OVECHKIN, ALEXANDER.

"Hello?" Mike answered, all of the rage leaving his voice.

"Hey Mikey." Alex said. "I heard you got named Captain."

"Yeah, but I'm not accepting. I'm leaving." He replied, trying desperately to stop the water pooling in his eyes.

"What? No! Mike! You gotta stay there! The team needs you!" Alex sounded panicked, and Mike stopped throwing equipment into his bag.

"I don't want to play here. They were selfish. They don't care about the players. We needed you, Alex. Now we have no chance."

In a private jet, 20,000 KM above Minnesota, Alex smiled. Mike had used the word "We".

"They traded you for money, Alex. Money!" Mike said, the resentment creeping back into him.

"Dude, don't ruin this for yourself. You have the ring?" Alex said.

"Yeah, why?" Mike replied sullenly.

"Well, then do it!" Alex cried. "Come on, man! This is your chance!"

Alex had been helping Mike plan to propose to Emily. They had planned for the party, after the game, but Mike grinned for the first time since hearing about the trade.

"Don't worry about me, man." Alex told him. "I'll be fine!"

"Alright." Mike sighed. "Thanks, man. For everything."

"No problem. See ya, bro." Alex said, and the line went dead.

**********

"Ladies and Gentlemen, joining the Captains at center ice, for our ceremonial puck drop, will be Mike's girlfriend, Emily Belanger!"

Mike smiled at her, as she came down the red carpet.

"Hey, you." He hugged her, and posed for the photo.

She dropped the puck, and he picked it up.

"Here you are!" He grinned, handing her the puck. He shook hands with her and Jonathon Toews, and she headed back down the carpet.

"Wait, Emily! Come back!" He called, remembering why he was so nervous.

He'd thrown up three times before the game, but he hadn't though about playing for a moment. Adam Oates' speech had gone in one ear and out the other.

"What?" She turned around, and the PA system kicked in again.

"Mike has a very special ceremony to perform, so if you would keep your attention directed to center ice, Mike, it's all on you now."

"Emily, I remember the day we met." Mike's voice boomed around the arena, because of the wireless microphone he was wearing. "You were so gorgeous, and I knew I liked you. I didn't know just how much I liked you though. Nothing has changed. I still love you as much as the first time we kissed, and I wanted to..."

Mike's voice trailed off, and he shook his head, vowing that it wouldn't happen again.

"I just wanted to ask you something." He said, producing the small velvet box from under his jersey. "Emily Belanger, will you marry me?"

The arena roared, and Mike could only compare it to a picture perfect proposal in a Disney movie.

She nodded, and he slipped the ring onto her finger, before standing up and kissing her.

It was a good day.

**********

"Mike, you've been moping around all day! Are you that depressed about losing?" Emily asked incredulously.

"No. I'm just sad that Alex isn't a part of our team anymore." He replied.

"Don't you care that we just got engaged?" She asked, anger rising in her voice.

"No, no, babe! It's not like that! I love you, and I'm really happy about us getting engaged! I just can't quite cope with the fact that Alex isn't here!"

"That's it! We're done Mike!" She threw the ring on the ground, and stormed out of the house.

Mike chased after her, but it was no use. She was gone.

"Fuck." He swore under his breath.

He picked up his phone, and dialed an all too familiar number.

"Hello? Alex?" He said into the phone. "Can I ask one more favor of you?"

**********

Emily Belanger was listening to music on her smart phone, when it rang. The caller ID said OVECHKIN, ALEXANDER.

"What?" She whispered.

Why would Alex be calling her?

"Hello?" She asked.

"Hi. Emily?" The thick Russian accent questioned her.

"Yes, this is Emily." She said.

"Hello. I'm Alex Ovechkin. Mike's old teammate."

"I know who you are. Why are you calling me?" She asked sharply.

"Listen, just because Mike's upset, doesn't mean he doesn't love you." He began. "I talked to him, and he's really upset that you left. You should go back and talk to him."

**********

"Hello?" Mike answered the phone on the first ring.

"Hey Mike. She'll be over soon." Alex told him.

"Thanks so much Alex. I can't thank you enough."

Alex laughed.

"What are friends for?"

"Thanks buddy." Mike said, and he hung up.

There was nothing to do now, but wait.

**********

"And do you, Michael Green, take Emily Belanger-"

"Yes." Mike interrupted. "Who wouldn't?"

There was a roar of laughter from the crowd, and they turned to face each other.

"I love you." Mike whispered, and their lips met.