Part 20

"Yes. You start by letting me in."
"How about you reach up, grab the spare key from the door frame and let yourself in." she said rolling back into a ball laying the phone beside her.
"I can do that but-"

She didn't wait to hear what he was about argue about. She shut her phone and smashed her face into the pillow just as Alexander appeared in the door frame.

"Not nice to hang up Brooklyn." he said.
She couldn't stop the smile that his broken English made appear on her face. "You're lucky your English is so damn cute, I hate being woken up."
"What you do about it?" he said tilting his head in a tough guy kinda way.
"You don't have to act tough to make friends, Alexander." she shook her head, laughed and rolled out of bed. "I'm getting a shower."
"Was that an invitation?" he smiled.
"If you have a death wish, yes." she said looking over her shoulder.

He rolled his eyes and walked away.

"I'm eating you food." he called to her from the kitchen.
"Whatever." she called back before turning on the shower water. "Don't touch my Cheerios, I went out at midnight last night to get them!"

She sighed, shook her head, and shut the bathroom door behind her. The steam from the shower was already fogging up the mirror. She ran her hand slowly across the glass to reveal her reflection. Her eyes red from lack of sleep, her lips a little more red than normal. The bruise wasn't bad, starting to turn yellow, but still highly noticeable. She clenched her teeth and backed away from the mirror. She slid onto the floor once she felt the cold tiled wall behind her.

"Fuck you Brody." she said to no one. "That's the last time I let you ruin my life."

She pushed herself up, undressed, and stepped into the hot running water. She danced around under the water, she had no where to be, why not dance the time away. She wrapped her hair up in a towel, actually put make-up on for the first time in over a week. Put on a pair of American Eagle jeans with a white tank top. She did a quick messy French Braid, and met Alexander in the living room. He was lounged out in grey sweat pants and a red team Russia hoodie, one arm was behind his neck pillowing his head, the other resting on his stomach holding the remote.

"Gee make yourself at home." she said seriously, then smiled to show she was kidding.
"I would. But Nicky might kill me." he smiled and sat up to give her some room on the couch.
"What do you mean?" she asked a little confused.
"Nothing. Not important." he said turning the TV up a little louder.
"No." she said taking the remote, muting the TV. "Tell me."
"We're close. Right?"
"Of course Alexander. You're my favorite of the guys."
"I'm just-jealous, I guess."
"Of what?"
"Nicky."
"Oh." she said softly, looking at the floor.
"Yeah. I no help it. When I came here, I say only Russia girls, but everything it changes when I see you."
"Sometimes I lay in bed at night, when I can't sleep and think about why I feel so hard for Nicklas. Scandinavian girl falls for Scandinavian boy, how original right? Well don't get me wrong I love Nicklas more with each beat of my heart, but I want more excitement. He's so calm and down to earth. I want to be wild for a night, just let loose. Make regrets. Maybe with a Russian."
"Make regrets? Russian? Wild?" he smiled. "I can do that!"
"Oh shit. I forgot you were Russian." she smirked. "Bring it Russia."
"Oh you'll enjoy this." he said as he pressed her onto the couch.

Part 19

"So how long are you gone again?" she asked him as he lifted her from the kitchen chair, and rested her onto the counter so they were face to face.

"Well" he said before kissing the bridge of her nose. "We go to Detroit, then LA, to Colorado, then Tampa."
"And you're gone till..."
"Tuesday."
"Wonderful. What am I supposed to do. I'll starve!"
"No you won't" Nicklas cooed laughing.
"You ate all my damn Cheerios!" she laughed back, then tried to be serious.
"Sasha isn't going. Hang with him."
"He's not hurt. He's faking. Plus he'll kill me. He doesn't understand his hugs hurt my ribs."
"Well when I see him jumping rope I'll believe you."
"If he kills me, you stay away from my funeral. I'll haunt your ass for letting him babysit me."
"Oh Brooklyn." he laughed and pulled her into a hug. "He won't."
"You already told him to come over didn't you?" she said laughing and pushing him away.
"Maybe. I just-I don't know. I don't feel right with you being alone."
"Nicklas-"
"No. Just hang with him until I come home. It'll help me."
"Fine Nicklas." she said rolling her eyes. "You better score some goals for me. Hold the Russian fights please."
"Tee Hee."

He kissed her, then pulled away laughing.

"What?" she said tilting her head in confusion.
"I-I gotta pack." he said through his laughs.
"Oh good lord!" she sighed jumping off the counter, taking his hand, her car keys and walked out the door.

--------------------------------------

"Wheres your other bag?" Brooklyn called to him from the back of his closet.
"Umm in your trunk." he said parting the clothes to see her face.
"What am I looking for again?"
"Black practice jersey."
"Whats wrong with your red one? Orange one? Grey one?" she said holding up a finger for each color.
"Luck dear, luck"
"Can't you be like Crosby and just not let anyone touch your stick after its taped?" she said after he let the clothes go, covering her again.
"What is it with you and that boy?"
"Boy? He's older than you. and Nova Scotia duh. It infects you." she said parting a row of clothes throwing a black and grey long sleeved jersey out to him. "Anything else while I'm in here?"
"Nope. Done. and it only took 2 hours and -" he checked his phone. " 47 minutes."
"Yeah. Only."
"Oh you love me." He said grabbing her waist throwing her down on the pile of clothes covering his bed, then layed on top of her.
"Love? Is that what they call this feeling now a days?" she said her lips curling in to a smirk.
"Now I have a few-um rules for Mr. Semin-" he started.
"Nicklas-" she said stopping him "Don't and I have a hanger poking my spine."
"Oh! My bad" he laughed and pulled her up with him to her feet. "It's getting late."
"Do you need me to fold and pack these too?"
"No." he said dryly. "I think I can handle it."
"Don't cheat on me." she said stopping only for a quick kiss. "I know how those Tampa girls are."
----------------------------------------

Brooklyn woke the next morning to her phone vibrating non stop.

"Can I help you Alexander?" she said a slight annoyed tone in her voice.

part 18

She woke the next morning from the morning light shining through the open blinds. She reached up to feel her throbbing face, but found an ice pack instead. She sat up holding the now water bag in her hands. She groaned and flung her legs over the side of the bed and sulked out to her kitchen. She found Nicklas sitting on her counter shoving a bowl of cheerios down his throat.

"Morning beautiful." he said through a mouth full.

She didn't respond, just threw the icepack back into the freezer.


"Good morning Nicklas" he mocked to himself.
"Morning." she mumbled her lips pressed to his cheek.
"Did you put that on my face?"
"Yeah." he said shoveling another spoonful in his mouth. "You kept spazing and groaning when you rolled over on it."
"How does it look?"
"Remember how my eye looked?"
"Yeah. It's still kinda yellow."
"Well, it's almost that bad." he said then tipping his bowl to drink the left over milk.
"Are you serious?" she said, her eyes wide.
"Mmmhmm." he said still drinking the milk. "Almost."
"Mother Russia!" she screamed, running into her bathroom.


He followed a few moments later and found her sitting on her knees on the bathroom sink, her face pressed to the mirror. She had a shadow of purple running from the corner of her lip up the left side of her face that ran into her eyebrow. Her lip was cut, dark red surrounding the cut.

"It's not that bad." he said watching her.
"I look like I got hit by a bus." she said back to his reflection.
"No you don't." he argued back. "Now get down, you're sitting on the toothpaste."
"You know," she started as she turned around on her knees. "You're very insensitive today."
"I'm not insensitive. I just don't think you should be worrying about it. Like you said last night, it's nothing a little make-up and ice can't fix." he said rubbing her knee. "Stop staring at me like that."
"You're phone is ringing, Dr. Phil." she said with a smirk.

He left her there alone to moan at the mirror. He found his phone ringing on the living room table.

"Hey Sasha."
"Nicky. You call me?" Alexander Semin said in his broken English.
"Yeah. I gotta talk to you."
"Oh! Something wrong?"

He held his hand over the speaker part of his phone. "Brooklyn! I'll be right back!"

He walked out of her apartment towards the elevators. He didn't get on them, but paced the hallway instead.

"Okay so Brooklyn went home to see her parents yesterday while we were in New York, and her mental ex boyfriend...um."
"What Nicky?"
"He hit her." he finally said.
"No! Why? Is she hurt?"
"No, she's okay. She's worried about the bruises though. She thinks people will think it was me."
"No. You'd never hit her."
"I know, but she's worried."
"So, why you need me?"
"I know you're not going with us to Detroit since you hurt your ankle again, I was wondering if you'd stay with her, keep her company."
"Of course I will."
"Most of all, make sure her ex doesn't come back." he said through clenched teeth. "You can't know how bad I want to kick his ass right now!"
"Don't you hurt no one Nicky."
"I'm not promising anything, come over around noon. She should be up. If not call her until she answers."
"Okay. I be there."
"Thanks Sasha"
"No problem."

He hung up and quickly walked back into Brooklyn's apartment.

"Planning something?"
"No. It was my mom."
"Mmmm. Where's my Cheerios?"
"I don't know. But I know where the empty box is." he said holding back a smirk.
"You're lucky your cute." she said reaching for a box of frosted flakes.
"Oh yeah? Or what? You gonna beat me up?"
"Whats that? Was that a challenge?"
"Only if you think you can win."
"Don't test me."
"Bring it."

With that she jumped on him, her face in his, her legs wrapped around his hips.

"Is that all you've got, Canada." he said staring at her.
"Roar." she laughed at her horrible Dinosaur sound.

She kicked the back of his knee causing him to fall to the floor, she pinned his wrists down with her hands, and pressed his hips into the floor with hers. She pressed her lips to his neck as if she were going to bite him, vampire style.

"I win."
"You wish."

He lifted his hands as if there were nothing holding him down, and flipped her over so she was lying on her stomach. Her hands pinned down at her sides. He mocked her biting to the back of her shoulder.

"Scores tied at 1." he laughed.
"I can't move."
"Good means I win, you forfeit."
"To a Stubborn Swede." she laughed. "Never!"

Some how she managed to squirm out of his grasps and flip him on to his stomach. She got up and ran to the bedroom, him right behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pinned her to the bed, and pressed a hard kiss to her lips.

"Are you trying to kill me?" she sighed when they finally parted lips.
"I might."
"I'd die this way, any day." she said pulling him by his shirt back to her.
"Watch your hands" he said into her mouth. "Unless you're going to finish the job.

She laughed, and pulled him down on top of her.

part 17

"What?" she asked not turning completely around. "I don't know what you're talking about."
"Woah." he said sitting up."I was gonna joke about you being here 3 hours after me but now that you made a big deal about it."
"I didn't make a big deal." she said holding the bruise on her cheek.
"Okay then." he said his hands up in surrender as he walked to hug her. "I missed you."
"Yeah I missed you too." she said falling into his arms careful not to rest her hurt side on his chest.

She was glad the only source of light was the dim glow of the TV. After a few short moments of comfort, just standing there listening to his heartbeat, her breaths in sync with his. He reached up and pushed her falling bangs off her eyes. She winched back in pain.

"Woah Brooklyn." he said holding her at arms length away. "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"
"No." she lied.
"There's that lying again." he said flicking on the lights. "Oh my god. Brooklyn!"
"It's nothing!" she barked turning away towards her bedroom.
"The hell is isn't!" he said grabbing her wrist pulling her back to her. "What happened up there?"
"Nothing Nicklas. I-I tripped."
"Yeah and you're not dating a professional hockey player and I'm not dating the girl of my dreams. Tell me! Now Brooklyn!"
"Fine!" she said as she stomped to the couch, flopped down sitting cross legged looking towards the sliding glass door. Even though it was way to dark to see out of. She let out a long deep sigh.
"Well..?" Nicklas asked sitting down next to her.
"So remember that voice you heard when I was on the phone with you?" she asked turning to face him.
"Yeah."
"Well that was my ex best friend slash ex boyfriend, Brody Carson."
"He hit you!?!" He interrupted.
"Are you gonna let me tell you?!"
"Sorry." he said holding his hands up, in surrender, again.
"Anyway...I guess he saw my car in the driveway and he stopped by. We got to talking and this lead to that and he pushed me up against the wall, I hit him, he hit me back and I told him to leave."
"What were you talking about? Something that bad that made you hit him."
"Nothing important."
"Brooklyn. I want to know."
"When we were still in high school, we starting dating. I figured I've known him since I was 12 it would work out. I was wrong. Almost 3 years later he cheated on me. He told me he was staying home to watch his Nephew one Friday night. So I figured I'd go to a friends party she was having. I was having fun, just talking to new people, you know. Since I hadn't gotten out much when he was around. I went to get another drink and I saw her sitting up on the kitchen counter, with him in between her legs making out with her. I ripped him off her and he just laughed and said 'oh I guess I'm busted' anyway I dumped him. I guess it didn't help much that I had to see him everyday at practice." her voice trailed into a mumble.
"How does that lead to this." he said reaching for her face but dropping his hand to find hers.
"He brought you into it, and you had no place to be there. He called me easy and shoved me against the wall. I pushed him away but he wouldn't let me go. So I did the only thing I could do. I didn't think he'd ever hit me back. Guess I was wrong." she said dropping her head looking at her feet, not wanting to catch his eyes.
"That's why you left..." he whispered.
"Yeah. It was bad enough my mom came home to me bleeding, I know my dad would've hunted Brody down and killed him for touching me."
"Oh he's a lucky boy. If I was there...you don't even know how pissed I-" he said through his teeth.
"You know what the worst part is?" she said cutting him off.
"What could possibly be worse Brooklyn? You go home to spend time with your family, and your mental ex boyfriend hits you for moving on!"
"Nicklas! People will think you did this!" she said standing up violently. "No one but you knew I was going home! No one was there! No one will believe me that my ex did this!"
"Oh this could be a problem." he said his eyes wide. "But I'm not worried about that. I want to make sure you're okay."
"I'm fine. Nothing a day of ice and some make-up can't fix. I'm going to take a shower. I need sometime to think." she said as she walked toward her bathroom.
"Brooklyn." he said quietly.
"Yeah babe." she said turning around to face him.
"I love you." he said looking straight into her eyes, watching the smile form on her face.
"With all my heart." she responded back.

part 16

"Brody? Brody Carson?"

Brooklyn just nodded her head.

"Why baby?"
"He came over, I guess he saw my car or something? And he asked about Nicklas and he got mad, pretty much called me an easy whore, I punched him, and he hit me back." she whispered sliding her hand across her bleeding lips.
"Brooklyn! You just wait until I tell your-"
"No! Don't tell him. Don't tell anyone. I just- Can I have some ice please?"

She didn't answer the questions that her mother asked her. She didn't even lift her pounding head from the table. Her ice bag was dripping onto the white tiled floor. It had long since melted from the heat of the bruises that were forming on her cheek up into her eyebrow. What would she tell Nicklas? The first night she was away from him she goes and gets herself hit. She never thought he would hit her, Brody, the boy she claimed as almost a brother since she was 12 years old. He didn't even hit her when they played pick up games. Why did everything change all of a sudden. Was he jealous of Nicklas? He had no reason. He was the entire reason she had ended their 3 year relationship. And with some trashy excuse for a blond. She was surprised that girl could see through all the eyeliner she smeared on her manipulative blue eyes . Whatever, she was over it. Him-on the other hand, she couldn't say the same. She was half way to sleep, on her water bed pillow when she felt her back pocket vibrate the chair under her.

"Hello?"
"Hey babe" Nicklas said, his voice bringing a painful smile to her face.
"Gaa how was the game?"
"Okay. We made it to the shoot-out and since we can't win those to save our lives we lost."
"What was the final?" she said throwing her melted bag, basketball style into the trash bag.
"2-3. Not that bad."
"Beats a shut out."
"Brooklyn? Are you okay? You sound...different." he asked obviously concerned.
"yeah I'm okay. I'm heading home soon."
"Wait? You're not staying? You just got there."
"I just don't want to be here, that's all"
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Yes."
"Brooklyn..."
"Nicklas. I'm getting ready to leave. I'll probably get home around the same time as you."
"Okay. Bye Babe."
"Bye."

"Brooklyn are you sure you don't want to stay?" her mother pleaded as she walked with her to Brooklyn car. "I mean...you haven't even seen your father yet? You know how he worries about you all the time."
"No mom." she said sliding into the drivers seat. "Don't even tell him I was here."
"Aw Brooklyn I love you" her mom said, reaching into the car to hug her, tears in her eyes.
"You too mom." With that she pulled back out of the driveway.

Down the long paved road spotted with amazing 3 story houses on each side. Their lights shining making them look as though they were smiling, happy, filled with loving families, as hers used to be. She couldn't help but still blame herself for the way her family had fallen apart. Everything had always been about her. Her hockey. Her school. Her. Her. Her. Her parents never had time for themselves. Maybe she was self centered.

It was a little after midnight when she pulled into her parking spot under the sheltered parking garage. Nicklas' silver BMW parked next to hers. The snow had stopped falling, the wind had fallen silent too. She walked as slow as possible into the lobby and to the elevator. She had no clue what to tell Nicklas. The truth would be a good place to start. She hoped he had fallen asleep waiting for her. She let out a heavy sigh as she slid her key into the lock. She could hear the living room TV, other than that nothing but silence. She quietly dropped her things on the kitchen floor, and smiled another painful smile at her Nicklas wrapped up on her couch under a dark green blanket. His right arm pillowing the back of his head, that hand wrapped in his curling blond hair. His left hand clutching his phone, as if he were waiting for an important call, his arm lying on his chest, raising and falling slowly with each deep breath he took. His feet placed over the top of the opposite arm of the chair. He was obviously too tall to be sleeping there. A soft delicate smile resting on his angelic face.

She let out another soft sigh and tiptoed across the room to him. She bent down and placed a soft kiss on his forehead. She turned to her bedroom, debating if a shower would wake him.

"You know." Nicklas said with a long deep yawn. "You're a horrible liar."

part 15

She spent the next half hour sitting cross legged on the middle of his bed, ducking every now and then as he threw a pair of over priced jeans out of his closet.

"You know you're coming back tomorrow, right?" she asked chewing on a cereal bar she found while raiding his cabinets.
"Nothing to wear!" he responded as if she hadn't spoke.
"You're worse than a girl, I swear!" she said getting up, grabbing him by his shirt. "Move."

She threw him down onto his bed and kicked the pile of "not to wear" clothes out of her way.

"Look." she continued holding up a pair of jeans and a hollister shirt. "Your ass looks amazing in these jeans, and your arms in this shirt...hello!"
"Shoes?" he asked taking the outfit she picked out.
"What's wrong with the ones you wore today?"
"They're wet."
"It's called a dryer."
"Smart ass." he said grabbing her wrist and pulling her onto his lap, and in to a kiss.
"You like it."
"Maybe that's why I keep you around." he said pushing a loose hair away from her eyes.
"Thanks that makes me feel wonderful."
"What are you going to do while I'm gone."
"Um..party...get drunk...mess around. You know good stuff I don't get to do while you're around."
"mmmm."
"I'm kidding. I don't drink." she said holding back a smile. "I'm going to go back home for a few days. I haven't talked to my parents in a while."
"Are you driving?"
"No, I'm gonna walk to Canada." she sassed raising one eyebrow.
"I thought you might fly there." he said giving her the same look she was giving him
"I miss my jaguar."
"I'd miss it too, maybe you should trade me."
"Gee I'll miss you too baby, I hope you have a wonderful time with your parents!" she mocked.
"Oh baby" he mocked back pulling her into a to tight hug. "What am I going to do while your away from me?"
"shut up." she laughed pushing him off her.
"Oh no." he said pulling her back to him." I've got about an hour to kill.
"Don't you wink at me."
"Watch, I can use both eyes."
"No love that's call blinking."
"Is that your phone ringing?"
"No. Mines on vibrate."
"Hold on."

He pushed her off him onto his bed.

"Yes Sasha, Okay, No, I'll be there, Okay, Why? No I'm not arguing. Okay. I'll tell her. Bye"

He threw his phone on top of his bag that was over flowing at this point.


"So it looks like were leaving a little early. Apparently there's a lot of snow up there."
"..and I bet a lot of snowmen too." she said standing up to walk into his opened arms.
"Yes Brooklyn." he laughed placing a kiss on the top of her head. "Let's get you home so you can pack, I'd help but you'd end up going naked."
"I don't think that's what my parents want to see, I can hear my mom now. Oh My God she's only been in D.C. a few months and she's already a hooker, I told you not to let her go!"

She laughed so hard she had to muffle her snorts in his chest.

"Let's go."


After a short 2 minute drive home and a long 10 minute good-bye kiss, she was alone in her apartment. She spent 15 minutes lying on her back in her closet floor staring at her clothes.


"When did this closet get so big?" she asked herself. "where's my duffel bag?"


She rolled onto her stomach to look under her bed. She pulled out a few boxes and her bag after that. She picked the dust bunnies that made a new home off the straps and threw enough clothes in to last till the weekend. She waved to Mr. Patterson, who nodded his hat. Slid into the drivers seat of her Jaguar and headed back home.


She didn't know if she should have called or not as she shuffled up the long missed sidewalk to her parents house, her bag dragging behind her. She couldn't keep the smile off her face, or the tears from falling. She missed it here. Home. Her friends, her team. The team she built from nothing. Her family that helped her through everything. Held her hand when she was struggling to walk after her knee surgeries, made her laugh when her goldfish died, laughed at her when her cheeks puffed up after getting her wisdom teeth out. She hated to admit it but she even missed him, Brody, her ex. After growing up together its hard to just let someone go that easily. Sure he cheated on her right in front of her face, but that wasn't enough to make her let him go completely. She was happy with Nicklas, Brody could never change that, but there was something there with Brody that Nicklas didn't have. What that something was, she wasn't sure yet. She shook his memories from her head as she reached the front door. She took a deep breath and rang the door bell, waiting for her mother to rush out, tears streaming down her face...but nothing. She rang it again. After the 4th time she dug for her key.


"Hello? Mom? Dad? Rachael?" she asked her echo. "yeah Brooklyn, like the cats going to answer back."


She dropped her bag on the floor and quietly latched the door behind her. As she walked to the kitchen, she smiled at the last family picture they all had taken together 3 Christmas eves ago. She ran her hand over their smiling faces. She missed those days. When had it gotten so bad? She forced herself to look away. She had forgotten how big her house was. Well compared to her tiny apartment. As from habit she opened the huge fridge, grabbed a bottle of water and headed up to her old bedroom. Just like she did when she was little she counted the stairs on the way up. 23...24...25...turn...26...27...28...there. She laughed at herself and slowly pushed open the bedroom door. Her light red walls, almost pink, covered in pictures from the last 17 or so years. Autographs of heroes, and cards from family and friends. Her message to herself, elatus sinun johtaa jalkeilla, still written on her mirror. It was cleaner than how she had left it. No towels laying on her bathroom floor, the shower curtain closed. Apparently her mom had spent sometime in there. She sat on what used to be her bed, looking out the window she had spent so many rainy days in front of. She had just gotten comfortable when her phone vibrated in her back pocket.


"Hello" she said holding back the stammer of tears in her voice
"Are you okay?" Nicklas asked.
"Fine. How was your flight."
"Okay. Quiet actually."
"Is that not normal?"
"With Sasha and Alexander together...no."
"I can imagine" she laughed.
"That's what i like to hear." he said with a smile in his voice. "How was your homecoming?"
"I don't know yet. I'm here alone."
"Is that weird?" he asked.
"Not really. It is Friday. They both work. I'm hoping someone gets home soon."
"You know, maybe I should call my parents."
"I'm such a wonderful influence."
"Sure. You can call it that." he joked.
"Brooklyn?" a formilar voice called.
"Who was that?" Nicklas asked confused.
"It sounded like..."
"Brooklyn? Are you here?" the voiced asked again.
"I'll-Ill call you back" she studdered running down the hall.
"How about I call you after the game? It should be starting soon."
"Alright. Good luck baby."
"Bye Babe."

She slid to a stop at the top of the stairs. "Brody?"
"Brooklyn Lidwell." he said meeting her at the last step.
"Brody!" she screamed jumping into his arms.
"It's about time you come home, it's been months you know!"
"I know. But I fell in love with D.C."
"Or a boy in D.C...."
"Maybe." she said looking away.
"It hasn't been that long since you broke up with me." he said pulling her head up by her chin.
"You mean since you cheated on me..." she snapped pulling away.
"Brooklyn. You can't blame that whole thing on me."
"Oh you mean...I made you go to that party....I made you flirt with that sluty blond all night...I in some magical way made you make out with her. Do you remember what happened next? or should I remind you again?"
"Maybe if you put out once and a while I wouldn't have needed to go to all those parties."
"Parties? More than once?"
"Duh Brooklyn. I though we were passed this?" he said pulling her back into his arms.
"No Brody." she said pushing his arms away. "I though we were. But then I remembered how much of a harkko you are."
"Don't speak your Finnish to me. I came here to make things better. Apparently your new man changed you."
"His name is Nicklas, asshole."
"Aw Nicklas. Let me guess." he said pushing his dark brown hair back. "He has blue eyes and blond hair. Oh and he plays for that team...umm the Capitals."
"How did you know that?"
"Your easy Brooklyn."
"Yeah that's why you didn't get any from me." she said pushing past him towards the kitchen.
"Watch your mouth." he said pushing her up against the wall.
"God! You're so self centered!" she screamed trying to wiggle out of his arms. "Get off my back!"
"Stay off yours!." he said only half an inch from her face now.

Before she knew what she was doing the punch was already thrown. She didn't hit him hard, nor, did she want to. He stepped back a few steps his hand over his cheek, shaking his head. She turned again towards the kitchen but his hand stopped her. Her face stung from her eyebrow to her lip. She ran the back of her hand across her lip. The blood already dripping.

"Leave." she whispered. "NOW!"

She was still standing in the living room when her mother walked in the door a few hours later.

"Brooklyn baby your home..." she stopped when she saw the fresh blood on Brooklyn's hand. "Baby! Oh my god! What? Who? Was it that boy down in D.C.?"
"No mom."
"Who baby."
"Brody."

part 14

As they drove towards A.O.'s neighbor hood, Brooklyn smiled at all the children, apparently on a snow day, play out in the still fast falling snow.

"Do you remember being that young?" she asked him just has he reached over to interlock his hand in hers.
"Yeah, good times. Me and Kristoffer used to have snowball fights all the time, I always won of course."
"I'm sure you did. You being so big and manly." she joked running her thumb over the back of his hand.
"Yeah...I've been working out." he said as he made a muscle.
"Don't hurt yourself Hercules." she laughed. "Are you kidding me? If he messes up my snow I'll kill him!"

A.O. was out in his front yard, Alexander was watching him from the porch. He threw a snowball at Alexander, who ducked, the snowball hit the front window.

"Hey! Take it like a man Sasha." A.O. said rolling another ball in his palms.

He threw it again, completely missing Alexander, hitting the post.

"Alright, A.O. quit ruining the snow." Brooklyn said as she got out of the car.
"It not like the sky will run out." he responded rolling another ball, this time throwing it towards Nicklas. He shut the car door just as it smashed right where his face would've been.
"You never know, look at California." she said pulling her hood up.
"I'm pretty sure we'll be okay for another few hours." Nicklas said wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, making an ear to ear smile appear on her face.
"Aww young love." A.O. said leaning up against his stairs.
"Must be nice." Alexander said.
"I'll be sure to let you know when I find out." She said turing to kiss Nicklas before he could understand her joke.

She twisted and fell to the ground pulling Nicklas with her.

"Gah! What was that all about?" he said pushing himself to his elbows.
"Snow angels duh." she said placing her hands on both sides of his face. "But while were here."
"Mmm I like where this is going."

She pulled him to her kissing him hard.

"Ahem! We still here." Alexander sassed.
"You know," she said completely ignoring Alexander. "Forget the snowman, I just want to lay here like this."
"Hell no, I'm freezing."
"It's going to be colder in New York."
"I almost forgot!" he almost screamed "Sasha what time do we leave?"
"Well." A.O. said looking at his watch. "Maybe 4 hours."
"What?!" he then screamed jumping up, pulling Brooklyn with him. "That's all I have? 4 hours?"
"4 hours is a long time baby." she said brushing the snow off her hoodie.
"Not when you haven't packed anything yet!"
"Well that's your dumb fault, love." she said turning to brush the snow off his jacket.
"We need to go."
"No! Do you see a giant man made of snow anywhere, cause I sure don't."
"Brooklyn, I promise when I get back we'll make snowmen and snow angels and slushies until you pass out."

She just stood in front of him with her arms folded across her chest.

"Fine." she said unfolding them as she walked to his car. "I'm gonna hold you to that promise."
"I promised you, and I always keep my promises."
"Mmmhm you better." she said slamming the passenger door closed behind her.
"She's a keeper" A.O. joked as Nicklas shook his head shutting the drivers door.

part 13

"Brooklyn?" he has his eyebrows pulled down in confusion. "What are you talking about?"
"I can't take it! Everywhere I go some blond girl is whispering about me!" she barked pushing out of his arms as he tried to comfort her. "First I had to sit in front of them the entire Penguins game, now they're in my apartment! What next Nicklas? Huh?"

He slowly sat down next to her on the couch that she had just thrown herself face first down on. He lightly rubbed his hand up and down her back trying to comfort away the sobs that were quietly coming from her.

"Babe?" he whispered into her ear. "Listen to me."

She turned to face him, tears running down her cheeks.

"Don't ever let them get to you." he continued. "If this is going to work, and I hope it does, you have to understand that people will talk. They'll make up things you never though existed. Just know that I'll always know the truth."

She smiled a little and he ran the back of his hand over her tear stained cheek.

"Thank you."

he smiled. "I'm not into blonds anyway."

"Shut up." she said smiling and holding his hand in both of hers.
"It looks like there's about 4 inches of snow out there. Snowman time."

She jumped up before he had a chance to pull his arm away. She drug him into her closet and was digging through her winter clothes to find something warm. She pulled out a dark blue long sleeved t-shirt, a white hollister hoodie and jeans. She ripped off the t-shirt she was wearing and put her new ones on. The jeans next and two pairs of sock after that.

"Now that is winter weather clothes." he said laughing as she tried to balance as she put her shoes on. "I didn't bring snowman clothes so we're going to have to stop by my place."
"Since you're still only in a towel? Yeah that would be smart."

With that he pulled her onto his lap facing him.

"If that's what you want have fun taking off my four layers of clothes." she kissed him pulled away and tucked his curling hair behind his ear.

"I like a challenge." he said laughing and standing up. "We can save that for tonight. Whose car are we taking?"
"My jag doesn't share my love of snow."
"Guess that means I'm driving."
"After you change out of that towel. It's highly distracting."
"Now I know how to get your attention."

He dropped his towel, her mouth hit the ground. He smiled picked up his duffel bag and strutted to the bathroom. She swears he did a little pose at the end.

"Not cool Nicklas Backstrom!" she screamed as he shut the door.
"You'll get your chance." he laughed back through the closed door.

After he changed, she joined him to brush her teeth and pull her hair up in a messy ponytail. He just ran his fingers through his bed matted hair-must be easy being a guy. When the elevator door's opened on the ground floor Brooklyn clenched her teeth.

"There's your fan club."

He sighed took her hand in his and stepped out. The girls giggled and whispered. He said hello and half smiled at them before turning to the main doors.

"Mr. Patterson." he said in his polite voice.
"Mr. Backstrom, looking forward to the game tomorrow night, the Rangers are tough." the doorman answered back tipping his hat.
"Yes they are, Sir. Should be fun."
"Have a nice day, Mr. Backstrom, Ms. Lidwell."
"You to, Mr. Patterson." she said with a thanking smile.


He wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer as the cold air hit both of them. The closed in parking garage wasn't much of a shelter from the cold air as the hurried to his car on the second floor.

"Are you kidding me? It's freezing." he said jumping into the drivers seat blasting the heater.
"It's not that bad." she laughed but joined his hands in front of the vent.
"Please." he sassed as he backed out of his parking spot beside the hummer.

It wasn't that far of a drive to Nicklas's apartment he pulled into his parking spot.

"I'll just be a minute, here call Ovechkin." he said handing her his phone.
"For what?" she asked taking it.
"Whose yard are we gonna use?" he said leaning it to kiss her. "I don't know about you but I'm not building one in the middle of a D.C. street."

He smiled shut the car door and jogged up to the main doors of his apartment building. She sighed and searched his contacts list for A.O.

"Backy!" A.O. said in cheerful but hard to understand russian
"Not quite, it's Brooklyn."
"Brooklyn!" he responded in the same cheerful tone.
"Hey A.O." she laughed.
"What can I help with you?"
"Well," she said after she rearranging his sentence to understand his question. "Can Nicklas and I use your yard?"
"My yard? Like My grass?"
"Yeah." she said trying her hardest to hold back her laugh.
"Of course, but for why?"
"I wanna build a snowman and Nicklas doesn't want to play in the street." she snorted a little.
"It's snowing?"
"Yes dear."
"No way!"
"We'll be there soon."
"Sasha, you know it snowing?" he said asking Alexander who she was guessing was somewhere near him.
"Yes I know I see sky." Alexander sassed back.
"Bye A.O." she said not waiting for his answer.

Just as she hung up he jogged back out the door. He was in a dark blue bomber style jacket with jeans and tennis shoes on. His blond hair was curling out over a white beanie-it make her heart skip a beat, or four.

"What?" he asked as he slid into the drivers seat.
"Nothing." she said turning the other direction.
"No tell me."
"Nope."
"Brooklyn Lidwell."
"Fine, Nicklas Backstrom." she said leaning in so she was only a few inches from his face. "You're sexy."
He smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. "I know."
"Way to ruin that moment, cocky." she laughed and turned up the heater.
"So Finland does get cold?"
"Nope, your fingers are purple. I did it for you."
"Sure, we'll go with that."

"You know." she said as he pulled out of his apartment parking lot.
"Huh?"
"I think A.O. might be a little slow."
"Yeah." he said laughing "but that man is a hockey god"

part 12

"Brooklyn!" Nicklas said shaking her slightly. "Brooklyn! Wake up!"
"Go away, sleepy time Nicklas!" she said with a groan.
"Brooklyn! It's snowing!"
"Gah!" she screamed throwing the blankets off her jumping out of bed.

She ran to her balcony door throwing it open so fast Nicklas gasped at the thud. She ran out onto the balcony holding her hands out to catch some falling snow.

"Aren't you cold, my love?" he asked leaning up against the sliding glass door frame, his arms crossed over his chest keeping them warm.
"Cold?" she asked licking the fresh snow off her hands.
"You are kinda half naked." he said pointing to her shorts.

She pushed past him ran into her closet. She grabbed a hoodie and slid on a pair of flip flops.

"Oh wow cause that'll keep the hypothermia away." he said shaking his head at her new attire.
"I can't believe your Swedish and you get cold ." she said pressing her cold hands up against his cheeks.
"Well I guess were not as tough in Sweden as they are in Finland." he said jerking away from her hands before taking them in his own.
"Ah" she sighed lying her head on his chest. "I missed this."
"Me too love" he said running his fingers through her still bed matted hair. "Guess what?"
"I give up."
"No practice today, I get to stay home all day."
"I'm thinking that couch sounds like a good place to get comfortable."
"Will you make me hot chocolate, and cuddle under the blankets with me?"
"No." she said smiling kissing his collar bone.
"Jerk." he replied with a kiss on the top of her head.
"Gah!" she said breaking the comfortable silence causing Nicklas to jump a little. "I wanna build a snowman!"
"Is gah your favorite word now? and I don't think there is enough for a snowman just yet, they're calling for snow all day though."
"Yes it is, next to Mother Russia."
"Well I'll help you build the biggest snowman ever imagined."
"Deal."

After a few minutes of listening to his heartbeat, she stepped back to catch more snow. He watched for a while laughing as she leaned over the balcony to try and catch the fast falling snowflakes on her tongue. He decided she was quite content with her snow that he could slip away to the shower and be out before she even noticed.

"Look I got one" she turned around with a perfect snowflake resting on her nose. "Nicklas? Figures he runs off after I catch one."

She shook the snow out of her hair, kicked her flip flops off and plopped on the couch. Either he was a horrible singer or he was talking to himself in Swedish. She turned the tv up as she heard the shower water cut off. He walked out with a towel wrapped around his waist, his hair still dripping onto his shoulders. She couldn't tear her eyes away from him.

"Do you know where my bags at? Brooklyn?" he said waving his hands in her face.
"Huh? Oh. Um in your car I'm guessing. You didn't bring it up with you last night did you?"
"Are you serious? And I'm in a towel."
"Where's your keys, I'll get it."

She took his keys and walked to the elevator. She hit the ground floor button and counted the floors as the went down. 4...3....2.....1....the door opened on the 1st floor and two girls, around her age, got on.

"oh my god." a pretty blond whispered to her slightly darker haired friend.

They stood towards the back of the elevator. Whispering something she didn't care to understand. All three of them got off on the ground floor. The two blonds waited by the front desk.

"Where are you off to?" the cute tiny old doorman asked her. "This isn't jaguar weather, Brooklyn."
"Do you think I'm dumb enough to drive around in this?" she said pointing to the sky. "Nicklas forgot his bag in his car, spoiled boy needs clean clothes in the morning."
"Who does he think he is?" the doorman said with a wink.

She ran outside to the parking garage. She had no clue where he parked last night, he usually pulled in next to her but that spot was taken.

"How hard is it to find a silver BMW?" she asked herself but only got her own echo in return. "Oh hes got an alarm."

She pressed the red panic button on the remote key entry. The entire parking garage was filled with the sound of his car alarm. She looked up at the ceiling to where the alarm was coming from.

"are you kidding, I have to go up there?"

She sprinted up the slope to the next floor. She hit the unlock button to turn the alarm off once she saw his car pulled in next to a yellow hummer.

"oh my" she said to herself laughing. "It looks like a matchbox car next to that!"

She unlocked the trunk and pulled his duffel bag out. She slammed the trunk shut and waddled back down the slope towards the main entrance.

"Is it heavy sweetheart?" the doorman asked holding the door for her.
"I swear this boy has more clothes than me! Thanks Mr. Patterson."
"You're welcome sweetie."

She gave up on trying to carry his bag and instead threw it on the floor and drug it by the shoulder strap.

"O-M-G! They're definitely dating!" the light blond said whispering from behind her hand.
"Duh that's his stuff in that bag. He must be staying the night." the darker blond whispered back.
"Gah! Go away!" Brooklyn screamed at them before slamming her palm into the "close door" button on the elevator door.

She stormed down the hallway, into her apartment, slammed the door shut, and slid his bag across the floor.

"Next time!" she said pointing a finger at his bag. "You get your own bag, snow, rain, hurricane, towel or not!"

part 11

She woke the next morning to the sound of his laughter.

"What's so funny?" she asked trying to rub the sleep from her eyes.
"Well." he said still laughing. "look!"

She pushed herself up on her elbows. She was taking up more than her fair share of the bed, she was still in just her jeans; with one sock on the other lost somewhere in the bed sheets. Her shirt was still laying on the floor beside the bed. She looked up at him who was in only his boxers.

"Woah!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah." he laughed. "way to be a blanket hog."
"Sorry. "
"Well, I'd rather have you be a blanket hog than be a grouchy bitch in the morning." he said with a joking grin.
"You could've woke me up , you know."
"and interrupt your snoring? Hell no."
"I don't snore."
"How would you know when you're sleeping?"
"Whatever Nicklas." she barked pulling the blankets over her head rolling in a ball.
"Get up!"he said pulling them back down. "we've got practice to get to."
"At 7 o'clock?!"
"Umm sweetheart, it's almost 11."
"damn." she responded sitting up straight.
"Move it!"

She jumped up wrapping her arms around his neck, matching her lips with his.

"I could get used to waking up to that" he said when she finally pulled away. " well you know without the morning breath."
"Shut up" she said running to the bathroom with her hand over her mouth.

She brushed her teeth and changed. He was already dressed and ready waiting by the front door.

"Alright pushy let's go."
" 'bout time."

They walked to his car with his arm around her waist. They were the last ones to the practice center. Everyone was already on the ice warming up.

"Well hello!" Mike Green said sliding up against the boards.
"Didn't think I'd let you have all the fun without me did you?" she said shooting him a crooked grin.
"No way!" Alexander Semin said in his hardly audible Russian accent. "I no not think you would come"
" I thought this would be a good time to show off." she said smiling at his horrible but adorable English.
"Don't hurt her" Nicklas warned them both.
"I no think of it" Alexander responded holding his hands up palm first.
"Why would we do that?" Green asked trying to hide a grin.
"Because I remember quite well my first practice here. Pretty sure I still have those scars thank you Sasha."

Green and Semin looked at each other a slow mischievous grin forming on both their faces.

"Alright boys" Brooklyn said sporting the same grin. "Let's go."

She wasn't half way to center ice before Ovechkin slid into her pulling her into a tight bear style hug.

"GAH! A.O.! I. Can't. Breathe!" she gasped.
"Good!" he said laughing as he twisted her in the air.
"Break it up! Ovie stop trying to crush her." Nicklas said stepping in to pull her out of his grip.

He let her down slowly onto the ice. She gave him a quick playful punch and took off. She found Green towards the far end of the ice shooting goals with Brooks Laich on Olie Kolzig. She snorted with a rebound hit Laich smack in the shin.

"Ouch damn!" he screamed. "Something funny Canada?"
"Well first of all" she said still laughing. "It's Finland, and you do know you're supposed to move."
"Ah" he said rubbing his shin. "This is gonna be a fun practice. Hey Backs, Ovie, Sem, were starting a pickup game. Who wants her?
"Ohhh!" Alexander said excited. "Me!"
"I meant on a team."
"Oh" he said disappointed, looking down at the ice as Nicklas gave him a look.
"How bout this" Ovechkin added in. " Me, her, and Sasha play you, Greeny, and Backs."
"Alright" Laich said acceptably. "Pick your goalie."
"Kolzig!" Brooklyn shouted before anyone else could take him.
"Woop!" Kolzig shouted back.
"Johnson, you're ours." Green said.
"All right wonder-boy you're on." she said high-fiving Alexander and A.O.

They took their positions on the ice. She took the first face off from Laich and let him win. Or so she says. Laich passed straight to Green and slapped in straight to Kolzig's opened glove.

"You're not supposed to aim for his glove, my dear." She said as sassy as she could.
"Keep it up Canada!"

She showed her stuff on the second face off. Laich did a double take as she flew by him laughing as she passed it to Ovechkin, Ovechkin passing it to Semin, Semin back to her again. She jumped back on her skates as Nicklas met her around the back of the net. She was surprised by the soft moan that escaped her lips as he slammed her softly into the boards.

"I don't like to lose." He laughed in to her ear.
"Yeah?" she laughed back. "Then next time...hit me harder."

With that said she slid out from him, and easily stuffed the puck in past Johnson. She beamed as the Alexes squished her in between their hug.

"Nice!" Laich threw at her. " If you weren't a girl I'd slam you into the boards right now."
"What an excuse." she shot back popping her head out from A.O.'s massive arm. "I've been slammed into the boards my entire life.
"I bet you have." Green said with a sly grin.
"Hey now! Dirty."

He smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.

"I'm just kidding. You're a good girl. Nicky is lucky. Be sure to stick around."
"I was planning on it." she said smiling at Nicklas.
"Well." Kolzig broke in. "I hate to break this yuck feast up, but Carson has a doctors appointment I need to take him to. Brooklyn, love you kid!"

She made a nerdy heart with her gloved hands. Green high fived her, Laich tapped her thigh with his stick, Ovechkin slapped her butt with his stick and Semin full out grabbed it. Nicklas rolled his eyes.

"I'm used to it" She said noticing the look he was still giving Alexander.
"I'm not" he said smiling at her.
"Aww my baby is so protective." she said in a baby voice before kissing him on the cheek.
"That's my job. Eww was that your stomach? It sounded like a mountain lion!"

part 10

It was beautiful out as they walked back to Nicklas's place, hands swinging back and forth like preteens. A warm breeze blew as the sun set under pink clouds. They stopped at his door only for him to sweep Brooklyn off her feet into his arms he carried her in and laughed as she kicked the door closed behind them. He sat her on the kitchen counter, his hands running up her thighs, his lips searching her neck. She ran her hands up his back and back down. She brough his shirt with her on the way back up. She almost gasped when she saw what he was hiding under those sweaters. There may have only been 6 but they were amazing. He laughed took her in his arms again and laid her down softly on his bed.

"Nicklas. I don't know."

She sat up straight on his bed.

"What's wrong?" he asked looking a little worried.
"Nothing! It's just...I dont know. Tonights been great but.."

he smiled sat down besider her took her hand.

"Brooklyn." he said kissing her cheek. " It's okay. We don't have to do anything you don't want to do."

She smile back and threw him to his matress. He pulled her on top of him taking her shirt with him. He flipped her so her head was on the pillows, his hand behind her neck he kissed her forehead and slid beside her. He tucked his face on her shoulder one hand still under her neck the other resting on her hip.

"You should with me tomorrow." he breathed quietly in her neck.
"Where?" she wispered back.
"Morning skate."
"Why." she laughed pulling his arms so he was closer to her. "wanna show me off?"
"Maybe, maybe not."
"Maybe, Semin wants to see me play anyway. Just don't cry when I kick your ass again."
"I promise no tears til we get home."

She laughed quietly he kissed the back of her neck and they both quickly drifted to sleep.

part 9

Brooklyn woke the next morning watching her ceiling fan spin. She flipped around trying to wrestle out of her blankets that were tightly wrapped around her legs. When she finally got to her phone to check the time, 1:27, she noticed the 12 text messages waiting for her. Two from her parents, three from her aunt and cousins, one from her coach and six from her former team mates, all wishing her a happy birthday.

"Oh baby" she said to herself jumping out of her bed"It's my birthday!"

She skipped to her kitchen and opened her empty fridge.

"I hope he makes me food"

She shut the fridge, popped a granola bar in her mouth and danced her way back to her bedroom. She stopped to grab her ipod and speakers. She turned it up full blast and jumped into the shower. It was the first time in a long time that she shaved her legs to Fall Out Boy. After she dried her hair, she threw in a few curlers as she did her make-up. She wanted to look good but not over done. She dug through her over flowing closet for a white polo with red stitching-Capitals colors. She put on her favorite pair of jeans-the ones that made her butt look amazing, and a simple pair of white tennis shoes. She pulled the curlers out and stepped back to look in the mirror. Her hair was perfectly waved, her eyes-the brightest green she had ever seen, and her ass-hello! It was almost 3:20 when she finally walked across the street to the Verizon center. She saw Nicklas standing with his arms crossed across that perfect chest his left leg kicked out slightly in frustration. He was wearing a gray and black argyle sweater over a white long sleeved polo, his light washed jeans had a hole over the right thigh; obviously bought that way.

"You're late" he said with a slight attitude.
"Don't you get sassy with me, it's my birthday!"
"Fine" he said letting that attitude go. "only cause it's your birthday. Wow...you..look..wow amazing, and you're hair..it's down!"
"Thanks" she said twisting her hair around her finger. "you're looking pretty sexy yourself."
"yeah" he laughed "are you hungry?"
"Duh"
"There's a nice little Italian place up the street"
"Sounds good to me."

They walked hand and hand to the restaurant, they sat down and the waiter took their order right away. He got chicken Alfredo and she ordered a plate of simple spaghetti.

"So" he started after he thanked the waiter for their plates. "you watch the game?"
"Yeah" she said a little confused. "why wouldn't I?"
"I don't know, you're not a Caps fan."
"No, but that Backstrom kid is kinda hott." she said throwing him a grin across the table.
"Psht! He thinks he's so good." he mocked throwing a grin right back.
"well you know some times you have to be a little cocky to get what you want."
"This coming from a teenage Canadian" he said with a laugh "So how old are you? 15..16?"
"Oh golly tee-hee. I'm 20 thank you"
"Good at least this isn't illegal."

She roller her eyes and kicked him softly under the table.

"So how's it going so far?" he said rubbing his shin.
"Well...I still haven't made out with a Russian yet."
"Ouch!" he said his hand holding his right eye.
"I'm kidding" she said reaching over to pull his hand down. "It's been great. Thank you."
"Well it's not over yet." he said just as the waitress took their plates.
"It's not?"
"Nope"

Nicklas thanked the waitress and took Brooklyn's hand and walked back down the sidewalk to the verizon center.

"Okay now." he said dropping her hand. "Wait here. Don't move."
"Alright pushy."

He ran into the lobby of the Verizon center said something to the lady at the front desk and quickly ran back out.

"Okay now" he started. "give me your hand, close your eyes and don't peak! Promise?"
"I promise!"

He took her hand and guided her onto the rink.

"Okay Brooklyn. Open!"

She opened her eyes and her mouth dropped. She was standing on the middle of a large mat that was covering the entire ice. Hundreds of tiny tea lights covered the tops of the boards, her favorite song; Crushed by Rosette, was playing softly over the loud speaker, the lights were dimmed to a soft glow.

"Nicklas." she stammered, her eyes filled with tears. "This is...beautiful.

The song started
-I told myself today was gonna be the day;
No more excuses 'cause I knew exactly what to say;

"How did you know?"
"I made a few calls to some very helpful girls back in Canada"

-was gonna make my play but just like yesterday;
my mind erased and I let the moment slip away.

"Ms. Brooklyn Lidwell" he asked offering his hand. "May I have this dance?"
"Yes you may" she replied taking his hand. "Mr. Nicklas Backstrom."

With his hand in hers, the other on the small of her back, hers resting on the back of his neck, she let her face rest on his chest. She looked up just as a single tear ran down her cheek.

-another night got me sitting her all on my own;
picking up the phone, but I can't get past the dial tone,

"Nicklas?"
"Yeah sweetheart?"
"Thank you."

He kissed her forehead and gently swayed to the music. Another tear quietly rolled down her cheek. She laughed as he wiped them away. He took her chin in his hand and lifted her to face him.

"Happy birthday Brooklyn."

He softly kissed her and pulled back to watch the smile form on her face. She wrapped both hands around his neck and as he pulled her closer.

"Now I hope those are happy tears, love."
"No one has ever done anything like this before, how did you get all this done in 2 days, when you were in Detroit most of the time."
"I know people, who know people, that has cousins, you know." he said bushing a stray hair from her face. "You're amazing, you know that right? I'm almost glad you almost killed yourself with your duffel bag that day."
"Almost?" she said with a grin. "I think I would've starved to death if you didn't come along."
"I wouldn't let that happen. Are you ready to go?"
"Only if were going back to your place."
"I think I might be able to make that happen." he said a sly grin forming on his face before Brooklyn removed it with a kiss.

part 8

She didn't wake up the next day until a little after noon. She felt horrible; her head was pounding, her eyes itched, and she didn't feel like moving. She figured a long hot bath would help. As she drew her water she couldn't help about that last kiss. God her lips still tingled. She popped two Advil and let her mind clear as she sunk into the tub. It was almost 2:30 when she finally snapped back into the real world. She put on her favorite robe, threw her hair into a towel, and plopped onto the couch. She flipped straight to the pregame just as Ovechkin and Nicklas were getting interviewed.

"So Nicklas" the interviewer began. "You've looked amazing lately. Scoring game winning goals, fighting Russians (Brooklyn laughed). what happened?"
"well.." he tried to begin.
"He gots himself a giiirrrlfriend" Ovechkin shoved in.
"Oh really?"the interviewer sounded interested."What's her name?"
"Brooklyn."he said quietly."Shes amazing"

She felt her face heat up.

"Oh yeah" Ovechkin said again. "she's purrdy."

Wait! Did he said girlfriend? and he didn't deny it?

"So are you officially off the market Mr. Backstrom"
"well...yeah."
"Ohhhh! Sorry ladies!"Ovechkin just had to add.

Well I guess she now had herself a boyfriend.

"And how does this Brooklyn feel about that black eye?" the interviewer continued.
"She was there" Nicklas said laughing. "She pretty much nursed me back to heath."
"How did she do that?" the man asked.
"Ohh well...you know"Ovechkin said giving Nicklas a playful shove.
"Oh really now?"the man asked again.
"no." Nicklas said blushing a little "She helped me relax, held ice on it. That sort of thing"
"BOOORRRINGGGG!." Ovechkin said with a fake yawn.
"well" the interviewer said holding back a laugh, trying to act professional. "You both better get going, you've got a game to win. Good luck to you both!"
"thank you" Nicklas said politely.
"I'm sure I'll be talking to you again after the game." Ovechkin said with a toothless grin.

After that the pregame went to an interview of Zetterberg, but she was to high on clouds to even notice. Once she came down she threw a pizza in the oven and finished getting dressed. She sat down with her plate just as the game was starting. It went by pretty quick. She figured they wouldn't win, I mean it was the Red Wings. They lost 2-3, but at least there weren't any fights this time. She turned off the TV as the post game was starting, it was 5:30.

I wonder if they'll let me use the rink? she thought to herself.

She grabbed her duffel bag and made her way to the rink. She met a security guard at the door.

"Think I could use the rink?" She asked with a smile.
"You Backstrom's girl?" He asked in a deep voice.
"Yeah..sure."
"Well of course then."he replied with a smile

She returned his smile, and made her way to the main rink. She remembered his ankle trick as she laced up. There were pucks lying around and a goal was set up on one end of the ice. She shot around for awhile. She was bouncing a puck off the end of her stick when she heard a voice from the stands.

"Hey" a pretty blond said.
"Hey"
"Are you Brooklyn"her voice heightened when she said her name.
"Yeah"she replied trying to sound friendly to the stranger.
"Hi! I'm Danielle, Mike Green's girlfriend, it's nice to meet you!"
"Oh! Hi, it's nice to meet you too!" she said not having to fake her voice this time.
"Soooo, what are you doing"Danielle said in a peppy cheerleader voice.
"Just taking a few shots, I was bored at home."
"Oh yeah. Mike said you were a player" she laughed"He's so jealous of Nicky"
"I've heard that a few times,"she blushed, and changed the subject."what are you doing here?"
"Oh mike left his jacket here the other night, psht Michael is always forgetting something, but then i saw you were here and I thought I should introduce myself. Plus I was lonely with everyone being gone."
"Yeah me too"she agreed."It's not easy killing 6 hours"
Danielle laughed"you can say that again!"
"So how does Nicklas usually take a loss?"
"Umm I'd say pretty well, better than most of the guys."She said nodding.
"Anything I shouldn't do?"
"Just act normal, you'll be fine."
"That I can do."Brooklyn said with a small smile.

They talked for another 10 minutes about anything and everything.

"Oh my!"Danielle said suddenly. "It's almost 10, their plane will be landing soon, I've got to get to the airport"

They exchanged numbers and Danielle walked towards the door.

"Call me if you ever want to hang out, or go shopping!" She said all bubbly.

A few minutes after she left Brooklyn gathered her things too and left. She just walked in the her door when Nicklas called.

"Well hello there lover boy!" she said happily.
"Hello beautiful!" he returned the happiness.
"Well! That's a new one"
"How was your day?"
"Well." she started. "I watched your game and the interview. Umm I went to the rink, met Green's girlfriend."
"Ah" he interrupted."Danielle, she's a sweetheart"
"Yeah"she continued."She seemed nice. How much money did you lose on this flight?"
"Oh my!"he laughed"You're a funny one my love, but none. I slept the whole way home"
"Good! You're going to nee that money when you buy me breakfast"
"Oh man! Sorry I can't. Tomorrow is someone's birthday. I have to throw a lame party, pretend I care you know all that junk!"
"Tee hee! Who's the funny one now? and no parties! I mean it!"
"Hmm" he paused."how about this, you meet me at the rink tomorrow. Say...3 o'clock"
"Okay"she agreed."oh my golly, just whatever shall I wear?"
"jeans and a white polo?"he suggested.
"only if you wear an argyle sweater"
"deal"he agreed.
"so"she said changing the subject."you're not coming over tonight?"
"no. I just got home. I'm gonna take a long shower and sleep till noon."
"sounds good to me, well the sleeping till noon part. I guess I'll see you tomorrow at 3."
"goodnight babe"
"goodnight lover boy"

She hung up the phone with an ear to ear smile on her face. She then decided that she should turn in for the night too.

part 7

"wait!" she called out just as his hand reached the doorknob. "So I don't get breakfast?"

He ran back to her, leaned her against the counter and gave her a kiss that took her breath away.

"yeah...thanks" she could hardly speak.

As he shut the door behind him, Brooklyn slid onto the kitchen floor, still gasping from his last kiss. She had never experienced all those emotions at one time: happiness, comfort, safety. Can't forget her favorite; the feeling, no the WANT of throwing him up against the wall and showing him exactally what she could do. She pulled herself together and up off the floor.

Looks like I'm having burnt toast, she thought to herself. Where did that boy put my toaster?

She dug around for a while before she found it above the microwave. She made her toast, only burnt on the sides, she was becoming a professional. She sat crosslegged on the kitchen counter pushing the toast around her plate, she suddenly wasn't hungry. A quiet tear rolled down her face, she was falling for him. Hard.

It was 11 o'clock that night, she was curled up on the couch watching Jeopardy when her phone rang. She didn't bother to see who it was, but smiled when she heard that perfect accent.

"hey babe" he said over the loud background.
"hey" she said her cheeks warming.
"How are you? You sound tired, did I wake you?"
"No! I've got a headache, changing seasons are bringing my allergies. How was your plane ride?"
"Good I guess. I lost $ 50 to Sasha playing poker. Damn he can keep a straight face."

The background was getting louder as more players entered the hotel lobby.

"sounds like you've got a room full" she said shifting on the couch.
"yeah, I'm rooming when Ovie and Semin, how and why, I don't know." he said fighting off a laugh
"Oh midnight pillow fights?"
"yeah right." he said letting the laugh escape. "It's a 3 o'clock game, I'm sleeping my life away tonight."
"so when are you coming back?"
"Um I think our plane leaves at 9 tomorrow night, we should be home around 11."
"great." she sighed. "I guess I'll have to settle with watching you on TV. By the way, my burnt toast completely sucked!"
"how about I promise to take you out for breakfast the morning after I get back?"
"yeah you better, concidering its my birthday."
"mmm well then I guess i better start planning your surprise party that you have no idea about."
"HUH UH! no parties! I don't enjoy them since I can't drink here"

She could hear Ovechkin in the background yelling.

"tell your woman good-bye and get to bed!" he ordered. "We've got a game to win tomorrow!"

"Well" she laughed, "I guess you better go before your mom gets mad"
"yeah I better. I'll call you when our plane lands tomorrow"
"Okay" she sighed.
"Bye babe"
"Bye"

She smiled and hung up the phone. As she curled back up in her blanket she tough quietly to herself: Maybe he's falling for me too.

part 6

Her phone woke both of them the next morning. She fumbled to reach it without throwing Nicklas off her.

“Hello” she said trying to hide the anger and tiredness in her voice.
“B?” her father asked.
“Hey Dad.” She replied with a little more emotion.
“It’s been four days and no phone call?”
“Sorry, I’ve been pretty busy with things. Do you know how big D.C. is? How are things back home?”
“As good as they can be I guess. You know. Just wanted to make sure you were still alive. Miss you and love you. Sorry I woke you up, I know how much of a grouch you are in the morning.”
“Mmhm love you too Dad, Bye”
“Bye B”


She groaned and threw her phone on the floor completely missing the table. Nicklas laughed.

“Screw it!” She said flopping her head back down onto the arm of the couch.
“Well, Good morning to you too.” He said obviously a morning person.
“Sorry, I’m no where near a morning person. Good morning…lover boy”

He laughed and sat up stretching.

“What time is it?” he said with a long yawn.
“Uh…7:15. Good Lord.” She said with a groan pulling the blanket over her face.
“You’ll never get anything done with that kind of attitude,” he said as he pulled the blanket off her face. “Did you sleep okay?”
“Yeah actually.” She said, as she forced herself off the couch. “Like a rock.”
“Yeah me too”
“Except I have a major wedgie. I can’t sleep in jeans.”

They both laughed as she ran into her room. She came out in a Finland hoodie, a pair of green plaid shorts, her hair pulled in a high messy bun and her very nerdy black plastic rimmed glasses. He let out a small laugh, but coughed it away when she narrowed her eyes at him.

“You’re so damn cute”
“Yeah yeah. Breakfast?”
“What do you got” he ask as he met her in the kitchen.
“Well.” She said opening her fridge. “There’s burnt toast. Eggs, with your choice of over done or still raw. Oh bacon, not going to go there.”
“It all sounds so...appetizing, but how about we skip breakfast” he said with a small laugh.

He wrapped his arms around her waist; she in return wrapped hers around his neck.

“How’s my eye look?” he said leaning down towards her.
“Looks like you got hit by an angry Russian.” She said trying to hold back a laugh.

She smiled and tucked a loose piece of hair behind his ear. He laid his forehead against hers and pulled her in closer to him. Her heart was racing as he leaned into her. Their lips met in a soft kiss. She let out a soft sigh as he pulled away.

“I thought I should do that before I leave for Detroit tonight” he said tracing her jaw line with the back of his hand.
“What? Detroit? Why?” she stammered.
“Yeah.” He said wondering why she didn’t know. “We have a game against them tomorrow. Were leaving tonight.”
“Oh…” she said allowing her head to fall out of his hand.
“Aw Brooklyn” He said pulling her back into a hug. “I promise I’ll call, but I’ve really got to go. I was supposed to be at the rink 5 minutes ago.

He kissed her again before walking to the door.

part 5

She woke up the next morning expecting to feel Nicklas under her, but she was alone in his apartment. She stumbled out of bed itching her eyes. She was kicking herself for sleeping with her contacts in, but it was worth it. She found a note laying on the kitchen counter, next to a box.

Brooklyn,
I had a morning skate at 9; I’ll be home around 12. Help yourself to the fridge.
p.s. the box is for you.



She dug around for a pair of scissors to open the box. She pulled out 2 jerseys: a white Kolzig, and a red Backstrom. Under that a practice jersey with just the number 19 on it, and a ticket to tonight’s game, right behind the home bench. She smiled and put everything back into the box. She went back into the bedroom made the bed and grabbed her clothes, phone, and walked home. She didn’t know he was only 2 blocks from her apartment. When she got home she lay on her couch and flipped on the TV. She was almost asleep when she heard her phone ding: text message from Nicklas.

-Figured you stick around.

She smiled and replied.
-Aw are you disappointed?
-Maybe…at least you didn’t talk about Gretzky last night.
-Jealous I don’t say your name?
-You’ll say it eventually.
-Ohhhh wanna make that a promise?
- haha I would but I’ve gotta run. Sasha wants to practice a little more. Game starts at 7, I’ll see you there.



She turned to look at the clock. 1 o’clock. What was she going to do for 6 hours? She ran through her DVD collection and threw in Slapshot.

-You’re such a nerd-

Half way through, she was getting bored. She hated sitting around waiting.

“Maybe I should go for a run” she said to herself. “I feel so lazy”

She dug through her closet for her duffle bag, and pulled out her white under amour shirt. So it was a little tight- it showed off her abs she worked so hard for. She grabbed a pair of dark blue baggy running pants, her ipod and out the door she went. At first she avoided the Verison Center, she didn’t want it to seem like she was trying to run into him, but she had to past it eventually. He laughed and shook his head as she stopped running and pulled out her earphones.

“yes lover boy” she said with a smile.

He was standing outside the main doors with Alexander Ovechkin, Alexander Semin, Olie Kolzig, Mike Green, and Brooks Laich.

“Showing off those abs” he said smiling back.
“Maybe” she said rubbing her stomach.
“So you’re the girl our Nicky is head over heals for?” Green said moving a little forward.

She blushed a little.

“Aw she’s cute Nicky” Ovechkin said in his heavy Russian accent.
“I’ve never seen him like this, he’s even better on the ice.” Laich said giving Nicklas a playful shove.
“We hear you’re a hockey star yourself.”

She smiled and looked at the ground.

“We’ll I wouldn’t say star” she said looking up. “By the way Olie, I love you, I’m a huge fan, ever since I was I little girl.
“Aw thanks sweetheart” he smiled and gave her a hug.
“You should come by and practice with us.” Semin said in his worse English then Ovechkin.
“Yeah right” she said with a laugh “I almost died trying to keep up with Nicklas.”
“We’ll go easy on your” Laich said with a smile.
“Well maybe then. I’ve got to get. I’ve got another mile to do, and it’s almost 5 o’clock. I’ll see you guys tonight.”


She smiled and gave Nicklas a quick kiss on the cheek, popped her earphones back in and ran back towards her apartment. She got home around 5:30 and jumped straight into the shower. By the time she was done doing her hair- which she straightened and let down- and her make-up it was 6:30. Thank God it was right across the street. She took her seat, which was right behind the middle of the home bench, as the announcer was announcing the players. She smiled as Nicklas sat down right in front of her. He turned and gave her a gloved wave. She laughed as half the bench turned and did the same. She heard some girls behind her gasp and mumble something about wishing they were her. She got pretty into the game, she usually did, but it was different this time. The first period went by 0-0, and was pretty boring except for the almost fight between Malkin and Ovechkin. At the end of the 1st the girls behind her were getting pretty anxious.

“So which one are you dating?” a tiny blonde asked.
“Well were not really dating.” She tried to explain.
“It’s Backstrom, isn’t it?” an obviously fake brunette asked.
“Yeah but were not really together, well kinda.”
“Lucky you,” the blonde said again. “I heard he’s huge.
“Oh my gosh” the brunette joined in. “I heard that too, you can so tell.”
“Yeah I wouldn’t know” she said holding back the anger in her voice.
“Oh my gosh, you mean you haven’t done him yet?”
“No”

Sick of where that conversation was going she turned around, just as the 2nd period was starting. As the players where sitting down Nicklas turned to her;

“Score me a goal” she lipped.

He smiled and nodded.

“Oh he SO wants you” one of the girls behind her said.

She rolled her eyes and focused on the game. The period was scoreless with 2:30 remaining. It was a 4 on 5 thanks to a trip from Staal. Nicklas took the face off and won. Green took it and passed to straight to Ovechkin. He tore down the ice like he was the only one there and shot it in right past Fleury. The crowd jumped to its feet as Ovechkin jumped into the glass. She saw Nicklas look over at her and shrug his shoulders. She smiled and nodded. 1-0 going into the 3rd. 30 seconds into the 3rd Crosby came from nowhere and tied it up. Just like him to do that. There was a lot of physical play that period and the wait for overtime was killing her. Finally Clark and Crosby took the face off; Semin who passed it to Ovechkin who got boarded by Malkin stole Crosby won by it. They fought for a while till Ovechkin slipped it to Nicklas who was waiting by the goal. He slid around the back and stuffed it in right past Fleury. Goal. Caps win. As the rest of the caps joined them to celebrate, Malkin broke through and pushed Nicklas up against the boards. It was hard to see anything with 2 full teams on the ice, but it didn’t last long. Nicklas came off the ice holding his left eye, Ovechkin followed holding his stick. Green stopped at her seat.

“Come on” he said taking her hand, helping her from the stands.

She followed him back to the locker room, she sat next to Nicklas who was holding an ice pack on his eye, and his bottom lip was cut.

“I said score me a goal” she said moving the ice pack to see his eye. “Not fight a Russian.”
“I didn’t do anything to him” he said reapplying the ice pack. “He came after me saying something about tripping him and then he punched me.”
“He’s just mad you won.”
“Oh yeah” he said with a smile “I forgot about that.”
“You’re cute.”
“Are you going to take care of me?”
“Lucky for you I find busted lips highly attractive” she said brushing his cheek.
“I’m guessing that’s a yes?”
“Of course.”
“Hey lover boy!” Ovechkin jumped in.
“What is it with that name lately?”
“We got interviews to do. Give your woman a kiss and get out here!”
“I better go to that.” he said turning back to her. “I’ll text you when I’m done. I’ll meet you at your place.”

She nodded; he kissed her on the forehead and she walked home. She couldn’t help but feel bad for him. She hoped he wasn’t embarrassed, to be honest she was really turned on by the whole thing. When she got home she knew he’d be a while. So she made a sandwich, grabbed a bottle of water and settled on the couch. After flipping through the channels 10 times, she flipped back on Slap shot. An hour later she heard her phone ding.

-On my way.

She was still curled up on the couch when he walked in. She heard him lock the door. She smiled and thought to herself – I guess he’s planning on staying. He came over wearing a skin tight under amour shirt and baggy running pants, and she looked up and smiled at his bruised eye and busted lip.

“Aww poor baby, come here.”

She made a small amount of room on the couch; Nicklas laid on her, his head on her chest. She ran her fingers through his hair still flattened from his helmet. She let her hand run down his back. She could feel every muscle relax as he breathed in and out. She heart started to beat faster; she needed to take her mind of it.

“How’s your eye?” taking her hand back to his hair
“I feel like I got hit by a bus!” he groaned.
“Aw do you want some aspirin?” she replied with a sarcastic pout
“Yes, please”

She was hoping he’d say no so she wouldn’t have to move, but she’d do anything to help him feel better. He sat up and left her slid out from under him. She went into the kitchen and got a bottle of water, aspirin and a bag of ice. She sat down next to him and handed him the aspirin and water.

“Thanks babe” he said downing the pills.

She smiled and lay back down; he lay back on her chest and laid the ice over his eye.

“Thanks for scoring me a goal.” She said finding his hair again.
“Anytime”

She flipped through the channels and stopped on the post game

“Wanna watch Malkin kick your butt?” she asked with a laugh.
“Hey I hit him back!” he said defensively.
“Mmhm, I didn’t stick around to see what damage you did.”

He gave a small laugh. They laid there, their breaths matched, until he drifted to sleep. She threw a blanket over them both, clicked off the TV and soon fell asleep too.