Trip to Your Heart - A Hockey Fanfiction

Are You Okay?

Claude wasn't in my office, he wasn't in the locker room, and by the time I'd reached the parking lot, he wasn't there either. The car was gone and most of the players were, too. I hurried back inside to see if anyone on the Flyers had stuck around and could give me a ride since the Penguins had just left. Mason was hanging around in the locker room, putting the rest of his stuff away. I felt bad for what I was about to ask of him, especially after the loss, but I didn't want to call a cab and the house was too far away for me to walk home.

"Hey, Mase," I smiled sheepishly.

"Hi, Stella," he sighed.

"I'm really sorry to ask, but do you think you can drive me home, please?" I asked.

He stiffened, stood up, and turned to face me, "Where's Claude?"

"I'm not sure. I couldn't find him anywhere and the car is gone," I shrugged, my lips tightening into a thin line.

Steve let out a quick breath of air, clearly upset by this information, "I'm not sure you want to go home, Stella."

"He'll be angry if I go anywhere else," I replied.

"Maybe, but you don't want to be around him tonight," Steve adjusted his equipment before dusting his hands off on his pants.

"I've handled losses before, Steve. I know how he gets," I protested. I had already been told not to go to the hospital, and that I should go home, now I was being told go anywhere else.

"You haven't seen him like this, Stella. After a loss, he isn't great, after a fight, he isn't too bad, and even after losing a close game he wouldn't be too horrible, but after that bloody fight with your friend and a close loss to Shitts-" he coughed, "Pittsburgh, you shouldn't be in the same building as him."

"I can handle him-"

"No, Stella. You can't. None of us can. He needs time to cool down. I know you think you can fix things, that is what you do after all, but not this. He needs to fix it himself. You haven't seen him like this and that's for the best. You're lucky this is only the first lost to them in the time that you've been here," the last part was muttered and I barely caught it, but I did, and it sent a chill up my spine. If Steve was right, and he probably was since he'd known Claude longer than I had, then I shouldn't go home.

It took me half a second to make up my mind, "Can you take me to the hospital, please?"

"Oh my God, Stell! Are you okay?" He demanded, rushing to my side.

"I'm fine. I'm fine, Steve, don't worry. My friend is in there, that's all..."

"Oh, okay," Steve looked like he was going to object, especially since he knew exactly who that friend was. I looked at him hopefully, trying to persuade him with my eyes. "You're lucky you're my favorite trainer, Stella," he sighed at last, "I wouldn't take just anyone to the hospital to see the enemy."

"Thanks, Mase, you're the best!" I exclaimed.

"I better be," he grumbled and led the way out to his sleek sports car.

He dropped me off at the hospital and I turned to him before I got out of the car, "Thanks, Mase. You played a great game tonight. Don't be too hard on yourself, you didn't have a lot of coverage out front."

"Yeah, yeah, goodnight Stella," he waved at me to get out, not wanting to talk about the game.

"Night, Steve. Thank you," I climbed out and made my way into the hospital. It smelled like disinfectant and was much too bright for eleven o'clock at night. I approached the front desk and requested information about Robert. I was given a room number and a skeptical glance, but no one stopped me from going up.