Weapons of War

Riley was holding onto Noah, her hands on his back, as he stood on the edge of the boards and watched warm ups. He had both of his hands pressed against the glass as he followed all of the Preds players zooming around on their half of the ice. She looked up at him and watched as he grinned and giggled when Pekka stuck his tongue out at him from the net and then Noah looked down at Riley and he asked, “Daddy?”

“He’s around here somewhere.” Riley stated, and then, as if on cue, a body slammed into the glass in front of them, making it rattle and Riley jumped.

Noah exclaimed happily, “Daddy!”

Riley looked at Shea as he looked at her through the glass, and he grinned at her, she rolled her eyes but smiled nonetheless. She watched as Shea took a few moments to interact with Noah, before he pumped his gloved fist against the glass and skated away. Riley then lifted Noah off of the boards and onto her hip, before she told him, “Wave by and say good luck daddy.”

Noah waved, and Shea waved back, and he said, “Luck daddy!”

Riley knew Shea hadn’t heard him, but she smiled over at him, and he smiled back before he turned away to get focused on the game. So she carried Noah up to their seats, eight rows from the glass, she had specifically asked Shea to see if he could round up two seats in the crowd. As much as she knew she was missed in the wives room, it was the playoffs, it was an important game, and she couldn’t imagine not being down with the crowd for it.

As the players headed down the tunnel Riley filled Noah’s plastic straw cup with the bottle of water she had bought upon arrival and she handed it to him. He took it, holding it carefully with both hands just like he had been taught, and he sucked up a big mouthful of it, and Riley chuckled when he swallowed three times and then coughed.

She reminded him, “Slow buddy.”

He nodded his head and took another, much, much smaller mouthful before he handed her the cup again and settled into his seat for the time being, eventually, when the game started he would be sitting in Riley’s lap so that he could see better and that in the event that he might fall asleep, doubtful but possible, he wouldn’t slouch over against someone else.

Riley leaned against the arm rest between them and she asked him, “Are you excited?”

He nodded his head and said, “Daddy!”

Riley chuckled and nodded, “We’ll go down and see him as soon as the game is over okay?”

Noah pouted, “Now.”

Riley smiled softly, brushed his hair from his forehead and told him, “We can’t go now. They’re gonna be out here soon to play. But as soon as the game is over we’ll go see him okay?”

“Promise?” He asked her, looking up at her with big, wide brown eyes.

She nodded and responded, also taking the opportunity to correct his use of w instead of r and said, “Promise.”

He nodded his head and then he got down off of his seat and crawled up onto her lap with her help. She lifted him up and adjusted where he was sitting, before she held his cup for him and he took another drink. He then leaned back against her to wait for the game to start. Riley pulled her phone out of her pocket when it buzzed, and she found a picture waiting for her from Quinn.

It was Peyton peering over at Isla in her bassinet, with the caption ‘best friends already.’

Riley smiled and snapped a picture of the side of Noah’s face, intently watching the tunnel that he knew the guys would come out of soon and sent it to Quinn before she slipped her phone back into her pocket and Noah jumped when the lights went out and the strobe lights came on to welcome the players back onto the ice. Riley leaned forward and kissed his head softly before they both settled in to watch the game.

Riley had been so thankful that James had scored with a minute left in the game to avoid going to overtime, she wasn’t sure Noah could handle overtime; he was already struggling not to fall asleep now as she navigated her way down to the locker room after the game. He was slouched against her, head resting on her shoulder as he slowly opened and closed his eyes. She ran her hand over his head, smoothing his hair out as she walked.

“So, what’s it like being back finally?” Brooke asked her the minute Riley walked into the lounge outside of the locker room.

Riley didn’t take the empty spot on the couch between Kelly and Brooke, she simply shifted Noah so he was sitting a little more comfortably on her hip and she slowly moved back and forth as he grumbled into her neck. He was going to be cranky tomorrow, but Riley knew it would be worth it, he hadn’t stopped grinning at her the whole game.

She told Brooke, “I’ve missed it.”

“Told you so.” Kelly stated, not looking up from her phone, making Brooke and Riley chuckle.

Brooke reached out and rubbed Noah’s leg, and when he turned his attention to him she asked softly, “Tired?”

He nodded and whined, “Daddy.”

Riley kissed the top of his head, but Pekka surprised her, walking up behind her and he told Noah, “He’ll be out soon.”

Pekka ruffled Noah’s hair, kissed Riley’s cheek before he dropped into the spot between Brooke and Kelly and he reached out and loudly kissed Brooke’s cheek, making Kelly and Riley laugh when she made a face and jokingly pushed him away from her. Riley asked him curiously, “Media stuff?”

Pekka nodded, “You know how it is. Gotta keep the captain for an hour after a big win just to talk about all the little things we did wrong.”

Riley rolled her eyes and muttered, “Figures.”

Pekka chuckled and told her, “Don’t be such a hockey wife, it’s the media’s job to be kusipää.”

Riley smiled, thankful that he had at least switched over to his native tongue for what she knew was a swear word. She definitely didn’t need any help with Noah learning bad words around their house. She shifted him again, her arms getting tired and that was when Noah was swooped right out of her arms by Roman, who held him against his own hip and asked, “Did you have fun?”

Noah nodded and rested his head against Roman’s chest, and Roman glanced at Riley who reached out and rubbed Noah’s back and told Roman, “He’s really tired. It’s not you, I promise.”

Pekka joked, “It’s totally you.”

Roman rolled his eyes as Brooke reached out and pinched Pekka’s arm, telling him, “Be nice you big jerk.”

Riley stuck her tongue out at Pekka and then said, “Hah.”

Brooke glanced at her watch and she asked Riley, “You want me to stick around and wait with you?”

She shook her head, “No, it’s fine.”

So they got up, and Pekka took a moment to wrap Riley into a gentle hug and he told her, “He’s trying to get out of there as quick as he can, he knows you guys are waiting.”

She nodded, kissed his cheek and told him, “Congratulations by the way.”

Pekka grinned at her and he ruffled Noah’s hair once more before walked Brooke out to her car. Craig was the next one out of the locker room, he walked right past Kelly, who rolled her eyes, and took Noah right out of Roman’s grasp. He gave Riley a one armed hug as she congratulated him as well, before he bounced Noah up and down, making him giggle.

Finally he handed Roman Noah back and went over to hug Kelly, and then he asked Riley, “You know if Webs is planning on coming out with us tonight?”

She told him, “If you guys are going out yes, he is going.”

Roman and Craig chuckled, and Roman stated, “I love how you just decided that for him.”

She shrugged and told him, “If I don’t force him he won’t go, and he needs to.”

Craig nodded his head, “This is very true.”

Kelly smiled and reminded Craig, “You should probably take me home now so that you’re not late meeting the guys.”

Kelly stopped to hug Riley, and squeeze Noah’s outstretched hand before she and Craig left. This time Riley did take a seat on the couch, and placed Noah in her lap before he told her, “I’m gonna head home.”

She nodded and grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze before she said, “Tell Bianca I said hi.”

Roman nodded and left her alone, though she wasn’t alone long because before she knew it Pekka was dropping onto the couch beside her. He explained to her as she raised her eyebrow at him, “I’m gonna drive tonight. At least there, and then make sure everyone takes a cab home.”

Riley smiled, “Ever the responsible one.”

“Someone has to be.” Pekka joked with a grin. Riley smiled again, and she rubbed Noah’s back as he rested his head on her chest and fell asleep, his tiny breathing shallowing. Pekka looked down at her and he asked, “You okay?”

Her brow raised, “Yeah?”

He chuckled and explained, “I just meant with… this Quinn thing. I wanted to know how you were.”

“Working on it.” She admitted to him with a small sigh. Then she curiously asked him, “James told you guys?”

Pekka nodded his head and he wrapped an arm around Riley, pulling her into his side so that she could relax as well as he told her, “Yeah, a few days ago after practice.”

“Don’t treat her any differently, okay?” Riley asked him, and when his brow raised she went on to say, “I mean it Pekka. She’ll hate it, and she doesn’t need anyone else treating her like she isn’t still Quinn.”

He nodded his head and he told her, “James was saying how he didn’t want to tell us right now, because it wasn’t our situation to deal with mid playoffs, but that he couldn’t lie to us about it. Honestly, if anything, I think knowing this makes us all play harder. It makes us want to win this whole thing, for both of them.”

“You guys are all pretty great, you know.” Riley said with a small smile. Pekka smiled and nodded his head and she glanced at his watch before she looked over at the locker room door and stated, “Boy, someone in there sure talks a lot.”

Pekka chuckled and nodded, “I’m surprised Shea hasn’t just told them he was done.”

“He does not do that!” Riley exclaimed, and when Pekka laughed she asked him, “Does he?”

“Sometimes, when he knows you’re waiting on him. Honestly, he does a lot longer post-game interviews than I do, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.” Pekka stated, and then both he and Riley said at the same time, “That’s why he’s the captain.”

They both chuckled, and got up off of the couch when Shea walked out of the locker room with James slightly behind him. Shea smiled at Riley, who handed Noah to Pekka before she cross the small distance between them, wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him as Shea leaned down, arms wrapped around her waist and lifted her up off of the ground, smiling against her lips. When they pulled apart she told him, “I’m so proud of you.”

He grinned down at her, kissed her and then made her laugh when he instantly darted around her to take Noah from Pekka’s arms. He shuffling woke the two and a half year old up, and he rubbed his eyes tiredly and then looked over at Shea, and instantly wrapped his tiny arms around Shea’s neck the best that he could. Shea hugged him tightly, and Noah said quietly, “Bed time.”

Shea let out a laugh, kissed his head and nodded, looking over at Riley as he said, “Bed time is right.”

She smiled and approached them, Shea shifting Noah to one arm so that he could wrap the other around Riley, who reached out and brushed Noah’s hair off of his forehead before she told Shea, “He stayed up the whole game for you.”

Shea stated, “He’s gonna be tired tomorrow.”

Riley smiled and said to him, “It’s worth it.”

Shea leaned over and kissed the side of her head before Noah reached for Riley, so she took him and rested him on her own hip as Pekka asked Shea, “Ready dude?”

Shea glanced at Riley apprehensively and she laughed, telling him, “Go. You deserve to go out and celebrate, have fun but be careful.”

He nodded his head and kissed her quickly once more, leaving a kiss on top of Noah’s head as well before James asked Riley, “Do you mind giving me a lift? I’ll drive Quinn home from your place.”

Her brow raised and she asked him, “You’re not going out?”

He shook his head, “No, I’m gonna go home.”

Riley nodded her head slowly, and motioned for her to follow him, before she turned to face where Pekka and Shea were heading toward the players parking lot and she called out, “Hey Weber!”

He turned over his shoulder and smiled, “What?”

Riley covered Noah’s ears as she said to him with a grin, “Keep it in your pants tonight okay? At least until you get home.”

James and Pekka made faces, and Shea grinned at her, promising, “I won’t be out long.”

Riley smiled gently and she led James out to where she had parked, buckling Noah into his car seat as James got into the passenger seat. The ride home was silent for the first half, and then James asked her, “Have you talked to Quinn yet?”

“A little during intermissions but she hasn’t answered since the third.” Riley told him, adding in, “She’s probably asleep.”

He nodded slowly, and leaned back in the seat, fighting with his words for a few moments before he asked Riley, “She talks to you… is she doing okay?”

Riley turned to glance at him as she came to a stop at a red light, and she told him, “She’s working on being okay. I know it’s frustrating that she doesn’t like to talk to you about this, but try to see where she’s coming from. She knows what’s coming, and all she wants is to spend the next few months with you and Peyton and… she wants it to be happy memories, not sad ones.”

“I know. I just wish she would talk to me more.” James said quietly.

Riley patted his hand gently and told him, “I don’t think she really knows how to. She doesn’t really know how to talk about any of this stuff with anyone James, even me.”

“I’m worried I’m not around enough for her.” He admitted, his voice soft and his cheeks flushed as if he was embarrassed or ashamed to admit this. Riley smiled gently at him and gave his hand a squeeze before she put both hands on the wheel and hit the gas pedal when the light changed. James continued, “And I’m really worried that when she… when it… happens… that I won’t be around enough for Peyton. That I won’t be the kind of parent she needs.”

“James.” Riley spoke softly, and when he turned to her she told him, “Don’t worry about any of that. You’re doing everything right, Quinn needs you to keep doing your everyday things because she doesn’t want you to not know what to do when she’s gone. And don’t worry about Peyton, she’s gonna be fine, you’ve got all of us, and you don’t give yourself enough credit. That little girl is gonna be fine.”

When they arrived home James took Noah inside for Riley, and she found Isla asleep in the bassinet, and Quinn asleep on the couch with Peyton on her chest. Peyton, who was awake, looked over at Riley and made a noise that stirred Quinn, who sat up and smiled at James, “I told you that you had nothing to be worried about.”

He smiled as he glanced at Riley and then back at Quinn and he said, “People seem to be telling me that a lot lately.”

Quinn smiled gently, and she got up, and James handed Noah off to Riley before he took Peyton, and Quinn told Riley, “You might be in for a long night, she’s been out for hours.”

Riley shrugged, “Part of the deal.”

With James and Quinn gone, and Noah in bed Riley went up to the bedroom. She crawled into a bubble bath right up until Shea text her to say that he was on his way home. She could tell by the amount of spelling mistakes he had made that he was at the very least tipsy and she couldn’t help but laugh.

She got out of the tub, dried off, and then she stood in the closet wrapped up in a towel staring at her pyjamas for a few minutes. When she heard the front door open and close she discarded the towel and wrapped a robe around herself and she came out of the closet at the same time as Shea walked into the bedroom.

He tossed his suit jacket onto the dresser and told her, “Damn I’m one lucky guy.”

She chuckled and rolled her eyes at him, before she crossed the room, wrapped her arms around him and leaned up to kiss him. When she pulled back and dropped onto the heels of her feet she told him, “And I am one lucky girl.”

He grinned down at her, leaned down and grabbed the backs of her thighs and lifted her up. Riley let out a squeak, but wrapped her arms around his waist tightly, and then the tie to her robe loosened and Shea got a glimpse at just how much skin was hiding underneath it he slid his hands from her thighs right up to her butt and his brow raised, “What’s this?”

Riley smiled down at him, kissed him softly and then told him, “I’ve been waiting for you to get home.”

He smirked at her, “Well then, I’m home now.”

As he pushed the shoulder of her robe off of her skin and he pressed his lips against her skin he let a laugh bubble out of his mouth and against her shoulder as Riley couldn’t help herself from saying, “Oh captain, my captain.”