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.