Chances Risked

Six days had passed since our game against the Lightning, and the network was talking more about me entertaining the fans than the fact that we managed to pull through and grab a goal to win the game. We won our away game against the Flyers, and then our away game against Toronto.

The boys and I were celebrating in our home locker room after winning our fifth game in a row. Beating the Islanders with the final score of six to one, I was a goal off from getting a hat trick. Penguins were now not only number one in their Division and Conference, but with this win, we pulled passed the Blackhawks and were now number one in the League. The Penguins and the Blackhawks had been fighting this whole time back and forth for the number one spot and since the hawks lost their game to the Oilers tonight, we pulled through and got first place, now we needed to stay there.

After everyone’s celebration was over, we all started to leave and head to the garage towards our cars. I had stayed behind with Sidney and Geno to talk about the game; this was the job of the Captain and Assistant Captains. The three of us were the last to leave, like usual, the meetings never lasted long, twenty minutes at the latest. We just talked about what happened during the game, what we needed to work on, what we improved on, things like that.

By the end of the meeting, the three of us had a plan for what would happen at the next practice. After the three of us have our meeting, Geno and I usually leave so that Sidney could tell Coach what we discussed, but this time, I decided to stay. I went with Sidney as he went to Coach and we sat in his office and talked about things we could work on at the next practice.

It was late; the game had been at seven and was over just before ten. I looked at my watch and saw that it was fifteen minutes after eleven and I was exhausted. Coach told Sidney and I that we were finished and for us to head home and get some sleep. We had an off day tomorrow and then a home game against the Bruins the day after.

Sidney and I were walking in the parking garage towards our vehicles, there were only five there, mine, Sidney’s, Coach’s and then two of the security guards. I heard a noise as Sidney and I walked through the creepy garage and I snapped around and looked around.

“Something wrong?” Sidney asked, but I didn’t turn around, “Mags?”

“Thought I heard something,” I said and I felt Sidney behind me, he placed his hand on my shoulder.

“It’s probably nothing, come on, they’ve got this place pretty secured,” he said and I sighed and nodded my head.

“Yeah, you’re right, I’m probably just tired,” I said and he nodded his head, “I’ll see you later, Sid.”

“Get some rest, Mags,” he said and I smiled and nodded my head.

I walked towards my Escalade and got in, I turned my car on and looked forward, something catching my eye on the windshield. I got out of my car and grabbed a yellow business envelope on the window and looked at it confused and then looked around. I sat back in my car and opened the envelope and pulled out a picture. My eyes widened when I saw that it was a picture of me in my home, in my bedroom and I was in the middle of getting dressed.

‘…What the fuck is this?!...’ I thought and flipped the picture around to see there was an ace of hearts taped to the back of the picture, “The hell?”

There was a knock on my window and I jumped and screamed, turning my head and letting out a deep breath and holding my heart as it was just Coach. I caught my breath and rolled down my window, Coach chuckled and apologized for scaring me.

“Something wrong?” he asked and I looked at him and opened my door. Coach stepped back and held my door. I hopped out of my car, holding the picture in my hand, “Maggie?”

“I found this on my windshield,” I said and handed the picture to Coach, “I highly doubt that this one of the guys playing a prank on my,” I said and Coach held the picture.

“When did you find this?”

“Just now, as I was getting into my car,” I said and Coach looked up and around, “Coach, for at least the last two days, I’ve had this feeling that I was being watched,” I said and he looked at me.

“The time stamp on here says two days ago, Mags,” he said and I nodded my head and he handed the picture back to me and I slid it in the envelope, “Let me take that, I’ll call Mario when I get home and we’ll discuss this.”

“All right, thank you.”

“You want me to call one of the guys to stay-“

“No, I’ll be all right, with three dogs and my brother across the street, I’ll be fine,” I said and Coach nodded his head, “Thanks though, Coach.”

“Have a good night, Mags,” Coach said and I sighed and nodded my head.

I got into my car and headed home, calling Nick when I got home and asked if he would spend the night at my house because I wouldn’t tell Coach, but I was a little freaked out. Emma was down in Texas for this and next week to visit with her family because they wanted to see baby Troy.

“You all right?” Nick asked tiredly as he walked into the house and saw my standing in the kitchen worriedly.

“I don’t know what to think, Nicky,” I said and he looked at me and then hugged me.

“It’ll be all right, we’ll figure out who this sick freak is,” he said and I sighed and nodded my head, “Just go and get some sleep.”

“All right,” I said and then yawned.

I went up to my room, changed into shorts and threw my Penguin hoodie on and climbed into bed. It was after midnight and I was tired; however, I found that my sleep didn’t last long, three hours later I was being pulled out of my sleep to dogs barking, my dogs barking. I just out of bed and ran out of my room, Nick rushed out of the guest bedroom next to my room and looked at me.

“What-“

“Shhh,” he shushed and then stood in front of me, “Stay here,” Nick said and started to head down the stairs and I tried to grab him, not wanting him to go, but he kept going.

I cursed and followed him down the stairs, I saw the light in the living room flick on and heard muttering, the dogs had stopped barking. I saw that Nick had a baseball bat in his hand and I didn’t notice that before. We crept down the stairs and we both let out a breath when we saw Pat kneeling in front of Jazz petting him.

“Jesus, Pat,” I growled and Pat looked at me, “What are you doing here?”

“Surprise,” he said cutely and I rolled my eyes and couldn’t help but let out a giggle, “What’s with the bat?”

“Well, you did break into my sister’s house at three in the morning- Plus apparently she has a stalker-“

“What?!”

“Nicky!” I yelled and Nick looked at me and shrugged his shoulders.

“What?” he asked and then sighed and handed the bat over to Pat, “There, you’re a guard duty
now.”

“Wait- What? Slow down- Reverse- What the hell are you talking about?” Pat asked completely confused.

“There was this envelope on my car that someone put there and when I opened it, there was a picture of me in my home, in my room, it was a picture taken through the window and I was in my underwear,” I said and the look on Pat’s face was pure rage.

“Where’s the picture?”

“Coach has it, he was going to call Mario and see what to do about it,” I said and Pat sighed and nodded his head and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Wait,” he said quickly, “An envelope?” he asked and I looked at him confused and nodded my head, “A big yellow one?”

“Yeah, why?”

“This was hanging out of your door when I got here,” Pat said and picked the envelope up from the coffee table and handed it to me, I froze and looked down at the material, “Is it another one?”

“One way to find out,” Nick said and I looked at him and opened the envelope and pulled out another picture.

I gasped and looked up and away from Pat, biting my lip and shaking my head, I wanted to cry, this was scary, someone was following me and taking pictures of me. This one was me at the gym in the arena, I was in my shorts and sports bra, in the middle of running on the treadmill, it was dated a week ago. I flipped it over and saw the ace of hearts taped to the back.

“What does the card mean?” Nick asked and I shook my head, not knowing.

“Someone is a sick fuck and I’m going to murder them,” Pat growled and I looked at him sadly and threw the picture back in the envelope and threw it on the coffee table.

“Just forget about it, I just want to go to sleep,” I said and Pat looked at me, “Come on, I want to sleep, take me to bed, Pattie,” Pat nodded his head and walked over towards me and wrapped his arms around me, “How long do I have you?”

“Thursday morning I need to drive to Columbus, we play the Blue Jackets that night,” Pat said and I
smiled and nodded my head, it was early Monday morning.

“You’ll be here for our game against the Bruins Tuesday,” I said and Pat smiled and nodded his head, “I would drive you to Columbus, but I leave that morning to fly to Toronto,” I said and Pat nodded his head.

“It’s all right, I’m going to take my rental car,” he said and then pressed his lips against mine, “I missed you.”

“Oh fer fuck sake,” Nick groaned and I giggled against Pat’s lips, “Youngin’ in the room!”

“Go to bed, it’s passed your bed time,” Pat teased and wrapped his arms around my waist and Nick rolled his eyes and headed up the stairs.

“Take me to bed, Pat, I won’t ask again.”

“Yes ma’am."