Weapons of War

"What are you doing?" Shea asked with a raised eyebrow as he walked into the bedroom to find Riley with her hands in his road trip suitcase.

She jumped at the sound of his voice and turned, pulling the stuffed Gnash out of the suitcase to hold it up. She informed him, "Noah wants you to take this with you."

"But he doesn't watch games without him." Shea stated and Riley nodded.

She stuffed it back into the suitcase and then zipped it up and told Shea with a small smile, "I know, but he says that daddy should have him for good luck."

Shea smiled to himself as he looked down at his watch, his smile faded and he sighed, "I have to go."

Riley nodded and she said, "I know. Come on."

He followed her down the stairs, and she stopped only to grab Isla, cradle her in her arm before she and Noah lead Shea outside to the driveway.

Shea's brow raised when Riley tossed him a set of keys, "Take mine."

"You want the truck for three days?" Shea asked her in surprise.

She nodded and looked down at Noah, ruffling the hair at the very top of his head before she said, "Go help dad put his bags away."

"'Tay!" He exclaimed, leading Shea to the back of the vehicle. Riley stayed where she was, waiting and she grinned when Noah let out an exaggerated scream. He came running around the back of the vehicle yelling, "Mama!!!"

Shea simply looked down at the Tigger tail hanging out of the back of the SUV, and then over at Riley in amusement as Noah jumped up and down and dragged her to the back of the car. He pointed and Riley pretended to be surprised, "Well how did that get there?"

"Help!!" Noah yelled, tapping his hands against the back of the car.

Shea leaned over and opened it up, and Noah gasped to find the back empty. He looked up at Riley, who said, "Oh no."

"No!"

Shea couldn't help but smile in amusement as Riley told Noah, "Say bye to dad and then we'll go Tigger hunting okay?"

Noah nodded and turned to Shea, hugged his legs and said, "Bye daddy."

Shea laughed when Noah instantly started up the driveway to the house. He turned to Riley and told her, "You're mean."

"Don't worry I have a Tigger stuffed animal hidden in the house for him to find." Riley assured him.

From the front door of the house Noah called out, "Mama! Have to find!"

"Just a second bud." She told him, shifting Isla before Shea leaned down and kissed her tiny cheek and then he straightened up and Riley smiled up at him. She smoothed out his polo shirt, adjusted his suit jacket and told him, "Go win us a game yeah? Bring it back here so we can cheer you on."

Shea smiled at her, "I'll try."

"Do better than that." Riley told him firmly with a smile. She leaned up and kissed him sweetly, dropping back onto the heels of her feet before she said, "You should go, because I should be Tigger hunting right now."

Shea grinned and pulled the tail off of the the back gate and tossed it into the cargo area before he tossed his bags in and closed the back. He turned back to Riley, and gently ran his hand over Isla's head, before he leaned over and kissed Riley once more.

She stood outside the car door as Shea started the car and rolled the window down. He told her, "I'll see you in three days."

She nodded and they both laughed when Noah called out, "Mama?"

"I love you." Shea told her.

Riley leaned into the vehicle to kiss him once more and she told him, "I love you too. Get going. Good luck, kick some ass."

He grinned at her as he backed out and she waved with her free hand as he left the street and eventually she headed back into the house to let Noah run around the house in search for Tigger.

"Where should we look first hmm?" Riley asked as she found Noah on the floor looking under the couch.

He shrugged, "No know!"

"How about the kitchen?" Riley asked him. She placed Isla in the bassinet by the couch and Noah followed her into the kitchen.

He hid behind her legs while she opened each and every cupboard door, and when they came up short at the very last cupboard Noah let out a breath and threw his hands up, exclaiming, "Not here!"

"Where is he then?" Riley asked him.

"Him gone." Noah said softly.

Riley smiled and asked, "How about we look upstairs?"

Noah went running up the stairs, so fast that it was a good thing Riley was directly behind him because he tripped more than once. Each time she caught him she chuckled. Together they checked both the master bedroom, and the hall closets before Riley steered Noah into his bedroom.

He looked under the bed, inside the trunk full of toys, and then Riley said, "What about the closet?"

Noah giggled, "Tiggers don't hide there!"

"No?" She asked, and when he nodded she told him, "I have it on good authority that they most certainly do like to hide in closets."

So Noah approached the closet slowly, but he waited for Riley to open it, she and Shea had yet to take any baby proofing mechanisms off doors of any kind yet. He hid behind her legs as she pulled the door open and when front and centre in the closet was a stuffed Tigger he yelled out, "Oh boy!"

Riley watched with a smile as Noah wrapped his arms around the stuffed animal that was nearly the same size as he was and grinned up at her proudly. Riley reached out and ruffled Noah's hair and she asked, "Can I carry him downstairs for you? So you don't hurt yourself?"

He was hesitant but eventually he handed Tigger to her and said, "Otay."

- - -

When Quinn arrived at the house the next night with Jess in tow Noah was sitting on the floor with Tigger beside him. Quinn's brow raised when she walked in and she asked him, "Hey buddy, what do you got there?"

"Tigger." He told her. He glanced at the stuffed animal beside him before he turned to Quinn and said, "Got him."

Riley clarified for her, "We went Tigger hunting after Shea left yesterday."

Jess sat down on the floor next to Noah and asked him, "Where was he hiding?"

So with Noah occupied Riley told Quinn the story of Tigger hunting before they all settled on the couch to wait for the game to start. Curiously Riley asked Quinn, "Where's Taya and James' family?"

"They're at home watching the game. James' mom was very adimant that I come here to watch it." Quinn told her.

Riley admitted to her, "I may have something to do with that."

"What does that mean?" Quinn asked her with a raised eyebrow. She glanced at Jess, who was a little too enthusiastic talking to Noah and Quinn asked her, "You knew about this?"

"I knew there was something happening but not what." Jess stated.

Quinn looked at Riley, who handed her an envelope that was stuffed full. She told her, "It's from all of us; the guys, the wives. We wanted to do something for you guys."

Quinn opened the envelope, pulled a card out and a stack of various restaurant gift cards fell out, along with a folded up piece of paper detailing packages from a day spa. Her brow raised, "What is all this?"

"The guys all thought maybe getting you guys gift cards to order in would be helpful. Less time in the kitchen and all that." Riley explained, and then as Quinn read over the folded up paper she told her, "That's for you, Jess, Taya and James' mom and sister. A whole day to spend time together and relax."

"This is… really sweet but not necessary Riley." Quinn told her.

She nodded her head, "We know but we wanted to do it. The spa thing was Shea's idea actually."

Quinn's brow raised, "Yeah right."

"No seriously. We were brainstorming and he asked about it. I said massages would be good and the next thing I know he's booked a bunch of stuff." Riley told her with a small smile.

Quinn wiped at her cheeks and told Riley, "I don't know what I ever did to deserve friends like you guys in my life."

Riley patted her leg and told her, "We're the lucky ones."

"Games about to start." Jess stated and Noah jumped up from the floor, dragged his Tigger to the couch and climbed up onto Quinn's lap.

Riley rocked Isla back and forth in the bassinet as she fussed, and Jess took a seat on the couch with Peyton to occupy. Riley looked over at Quinn and asked her, "Are you nervous?"

Quinn nodded, "I was a mess saying goodbye to James yesterday."

"I know. I wanted to go so badly but little miss over here would not be very happy on the plane." Riley stated, glancing at Isla.

Quinn nodded, "Yeah, I was trying to figure out how to go but James got mad at me. We got into a big fight over it, and eventually he won... like usual lately."

Riley smiled gently, and reached out, clasping her hand around Quinn's hand and giving it a squeeze as she said softly, "He just wants to keep you safe and healthy as long as he can."

"I know. That's why I don't argue about things too much lately." Quinn admitted softly.

When they did a close up of Shea on the bench a few minutes into the first period Noah threw his hands up in the hair and exclaimed, "Daddy!"

His sudden noise caused Isla to stir and fuss again but before Riley could get to her Jess got up and picked her up, saying, "I got her. Don't worry."

So with a grin Riley leaned back into the couch and stated, "Oh, I will never refuse help with these two again."

"Learned your lesson huh?" Quinn asked with a grin.

"What? Almost ruining my marriage with this insane need to control everything? Yes, lesson learned." Riley stated with a chuckle.

Curiously Quinn asked her, "Was it really that bad?"

Riley nodded her head and admitted, "Honestly? Yes. We were talking about divorce and our options."

"Why didn't you say anything? You never told me it was that bad between you two." Quinn stated, looking at Riley in surprise.

Riley shrugged her shoulders, "Honestly it was scary, and I was embarrassed and I didn't want to tell anyone that it was that bad because part of me didn't want to believe it."

"So what changed?" Quinn asked her in curiosity.

Riley hesitated to answer, but eventually she looked at Quinn softly and said, "I think we learned that life isn't perfect, and it's short and the last thing we should be doing is treating each other the way we had been. It was either fix things or end them, and we decided it was worth it to fix things."

Riley knew that Quinn knew she was eluding to her and James' situation, and it was clear that she knew when Quinn asked her, grinning like mad, "So basically I saved your marriage?"

Riley and Jess laughed, and Riley shrugged her shoulders, "Yes, you and James saved our marriage."

"I expect for you to say that at my funeral you know." Quinn told her with a smile, she went on to say, "I'm serious. Get up and say 'Shea and I owe our whole marriage to Quinn.'"

"That's not funny." Jess told her with a sharp look.

Quinn shrugged her shoulders, "I never said it was."

"Quinn-"

"Please stop." Quinn told her, making sure she was speaking to both Riley and Jess when she said firmly, "There is absolutely no point in beating around the bush. I'm dying. It's happening. It's going to happen. I do not want to spend the rest of my life, especially given how little there really is, watching what I say and not being myself all because maybe something I say might make someone upset or make them cry, because I'm the one who's dying Jess."

Jess sighed and told her, "I know... I guess it's just hard to accept it."

"You're telling me." Quinn stated sadly. She then took a breath in, and told them, "Look, all I'm saying is that if James can spend all morning talking about funeral plans and what I want when I'm gone and then get on a plane and play a game six elimination in the Stanley Cup finals I think you guys can handle me being myself. This is my way of coping with this, I don't want to think about what comes next because it scares me, so just... let me deal with this my way and if it bothers you that much just ignore me, it's not like you didn't before all this anyway."

Jess let out a laugh, and Riley simply told her, "You get to deal with this however you want."

Quinn nodded, "And so do you guys... just please don't make the next few months so sad for me. I know I shouldn't ask you guys to keep how you're feeling to yourself but... please."

They both nodded, and their attention was stolen back to the TV when the goal horn went off. Noah jumped up onto his feet on the couch, wobbling so bad that both Quinn and Riley reached out to steady him as he exclaimed, "Uncle James!"

Quinn looked over at the TV, and surprising all three of the adults in the room it was like the water works went off. With tears quite literally streaming down her face Noah wrapped his tiny arms around her neck and told her, "No cry."

Quinn shook her head and hugged him tightly, telling him through her tears, "Oh, no buddy I'm just so happy. These are happy tears."

He reached up and patted her cheeks, his attempt to wipe her tears, and he asked, "Happy?"

"Extremely." Quinn promised. Noah nodded his head and he sat back down on the couch between she and Riley, and Quinn got up, excusing herself to go find a box of tissues.

Riley knew not to go after her, and she knew that likely Quinn would miss the rest of the period, whatever had clicked within her seeing that goal was something that she was sure everyone around Quinn had been waiting for. The dam had finally broken.

So, to cut through the awkward silence in the room Jess asked Riley, "How did you and Shea meet anyway?"

Riley laughed, "In high school. I was just starting tenth grade, and he was starting twelfth grade. We met through friends at a party, he introduced himself to me like he hadn't already met me the school year before."

Jess let out a laugh, "Shut up."

"I'm dead serious. Like... A week left in the school year and me and a friend of mine were hanging out after school and Shea and a few of his friends were goofing off playing pick up and he tossed the basketball and nailed me right in the back of the head. Like I almost fell on my ass he hit me so hard, and then of course he came running over all red faced and apologizing and he wanted to walk me home or take me to the hospital. It was adorable really... now... then it was super annoying." Riley told her with a small smile.

"And what... he just forgot about it and introduced himself again a few months later?" Jess asked in amusement.

Riley shrugged her shoulders, "I went through this crazy growth spurt over the summer. All of a sudden I had these massive boobs, and a big butt, and I grew I think like three inches or something. I guess I looked really different, because yeah he tried be all Mr. Slick and introduce himself to me and I'm almost positive I called him a dick and walked away."

Jess laughed, "It sounds as though you and Shea got off to the same kind of start James and Quinny did."

Riley nodded with a smile and said, "Yeah, I guess they say opposites attract."

Hours later the three adults sat on the couch holding each others hands watching as the clock dwindled down from the final minute of the game. The guys were up one nothing, but they all knew how fast that could change. Noah was asleep between Quinn and Riley, and Peyton was out cold in the portable play pen next to Isla's bassinet. It was well past their bedtimes, but Riley knew pretty soon they would likely all be up and that they would be dealing with cranky babies soon. But in her opinion it was worth it.

"Oh my god I can't look." Quinn stated, pulling her hand from Jess' to cover her eyes. She made a crack between her fingers to look before she groaned and said, "I can't do it."

Riley laughed and Jess said, "Twenty-five more seconds."

"Would it kill them to get the puck out of their own end though? Damn." Riley muttered, making both Quinn and Jess laugh.

"Such a typical hockey wife." Quinn said with a grin.

"Ten seconds."

"Holy fuck." Riley stated, the other two ladies nodding in agreement.

When the buzzer went and the guys all went to each other to celebrate Quinn threw her arms around Riley and exclaimed, "They did it!"

Riley grinned and then said, "Still have one more game to win though."

Jess laughed and affirmed Quinn's former statement, "Such a hockey wife."

"But at least that game will be here in Nashville, and we'll get to be there." Quinn stated and Riley nodded.

"I'm already nervous." Riley told her, laughing at herself as Noah shifted and woke up, rubbing his eyes. Riley smiled down at him, and she smoothed his hair out before she said, "Hey buddy, guess what? Dad won."

"Win?" He asked in excitement.

"Yeah they won." She told him, watching as he jumped up from the couch and ran across the living room to Tigger.

He picked him up and ran around the living room, "Won!"

Riley smiled over at him, and grabbed her phone to snap a picture of Noah with his big wide grin and then one of Isla sleeping, and she sent them to Shea.

One kid thinks the game was so exciting. The other found it very boring. You wife on the other hand wants to know what you were thinking with that penalty in the last 2 minutes of the second period. You guys did so good tonight, get your butts home to us and win us that cup okay? I love you, and I can't wait to see you tomorrow.