Jack Hughes imagines

Drafted

"The New Jersey Devils are proud to select with the 3rd overall pick, Y/N Y/LN!" Martin Brodeur, the former Devils goalie announced. I heard the blood rushing through my body. I stood up hugged my mom, dad, and my big brother and went to the stage. It felt so surreal. Me a girl, a woman being drafted. If you would've told me that a few years ago I would've thought you were crazy. Being on the stage, receiving the jersey, putting it on and taking pictures...it all was in slow motion. Then the press conference. I was nervous. So nervous. What if I mess up?

"Y/N, how does it feel to get drafted as a woman?" some reporter asked. "To be honest, I still can't describe it. I'm afraid that I'll wake up and this was all just a dream," I answered with a small laugh. "But it feels good to know you're writing history," I continued. "You aren't the tallest, so who are you afraid to play against?" someone asked. "Uhm...probably Chara, I mean he's the tallest active player. But I'm not afraid. I just have a lot of respect for him," I said. "Since you're being very secretive about your private life and us not knowing much about you, when did you start to play hockey?" Amanda Stein of the New Jersey Devils questioned me. "I started when I was around 6," I responded. "Who are you most excited to play with?" another reporter asked me. "To be honest I don't know. And I if I knew I wouldn't say it, so I won't offend anyone. Sorry," I apologized with a small smile. They asked me a lot of other questions before I could go back to my family. 

All of that was months ago and now is October. The beginning of the season. All of the players are very nice and accepted me right away. Although there was one player that I got along better with. Today on October 2nd would be my first game. The lineup against the Winnipeg Jets today will be:

me trying to be Amanda Stein:3)

The game will begin shortly and I'm so nervous. I'm very happy that I was on a line with Janne and Jack because both of them helped me the most during the last months and weeks. We have good chemistry and I guess the coach must've noticed that. "Hey, are you alright? You're looking a little pale," Jack asked me with an encouraging smile, sitting on my right side. "I'm fine, just a bit nervous...okay, maybe a lot nervous. Jack, how am I gonna survive this game? everyone is so much taller and stronger. What did I think of coming here? I don't have a chance in this league...I mean look at me. I'm only 5'4(ca. 1,62m)," I answered. "Look Y/N, you've come so far. Do you really wanna give up now?" Janne said to me while taking a seat on my left. I shook my head. "See. Jack and I will be protecting you." Janne tried to take away my fear and padded my shoulder. Both of them hugged me once more before we had to go down the tunnel.

So far the game went well ist was 2-1 for us. It's the beginning of the third period. I haven't been hit of any kind, because Janne and Jack really tried to protect me. "Second Line is on!" Coach screamed. Jack, Janne and I got ready to jump on the ice. The third line skated towards the bench and we hopped on. Carrick passed the puck to Jack right away. Janne and I followed. Jack passed to Janne still in the neutral zone. Two players of Winnipeg skated to Janne and he looked for a free player. Jack was next to me but was watched by their defense. Janne looked to me smiled at me and nodded to calm my nerves and shot. The puck touched my stick and then I was hit. I felt a piercing pain and then it went black for what felt like just a second.

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Jacks POV

I looked to Janne, shaking my head. If he passes to Y/N it'll be a suicide pass. I won't be able to get there in time and neither will he or Connor Carrick or Matt Tennyson. And then I saw him launching the puck in her direction. Everything was suddenly in slow motion. I saw how Neal Pionk was skating towards her. I saw him getting ready to hit Y/N. I skated as fast as possible. When I almost got to her, she was still in the air slowly falling. When Neal hit her, her helmet flew off her head due to his power. Then her head was the first thing to hit the ice shortly before I got to her. 

"Y/N!" I yelled, "No, no, no. This can't be happening. Not on her first game!" I waved so they'd know something is wrong. Players immediately helped the coach and doctors on the ice. I held her hand and rubbed my thumbs in circles over it. 

Behind me, I heard Janne screaming at someone: "What did you think? Hitting her like that? are you nuts? You can't hit someone that is six inches shorter than you with a power that you use with grown men!" And then I heard punches. The refs were trying to get them apart and had a real hard job doing so. But all I could concentrate on was Y/N with her eyes still closed. I felt guilty even though there was nothing I could've done.

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I tried to open my eyes. As my eyes were open I saw players and the staff kneeling and standing around me, looking worried. "What happened?" I asked slowly. "You were hit and your head hit the ice first, then you passed out for two minutes," Jack explained. Then I noticed it, my Jack was holding my hand"Miss we'll have to get you to the hospital to get you checked," a doctor said. "Do you think you can walk?" The coach asked and I nodded. With the help of Jack and the doctor, I got up and skated off. The crowd was clapping and cheering for me.

In the hospital, they made a CT scan of my head. Then back in my room, someone entered. It was Jack. He brought flowers. "Hey..." he said carefully. "Hey, so how was the game?" I asked. "It was tense after you left. Janne got 5 minutes for fighting. He was really mad. And in the end we lost 4-3 in the shootout. I should've been there for you!" Jack said and blamed himself for what happened. "It wasn't your fault. I'll play again. This will not stop me! I just have a concussion that's all!" I said almost screaming. "Look there was nothing you could've done. I played at my own risk! And I knew that okay? Don't worry. I'll be on the ice in no time. Maybe a week or two. I'm not mad at you and you shouldn't be either, okay?" I tried to convince Jack. I made some space for him next to me on the bed. "And now come here before you'll grow roots!" I told him.

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Jannes POV

In the morning after the game, I wanted to visit Y/N in the hospital. So I drove there with breakfast and some coffee. "Excuse me, could you tell me in which room Y/N Y/L/N is?" I asked the nurse at the desk. "She is in room 215 on the second floor," she told me. I thanked her and made my way to her room. When I knocked no one answered, so I just opened the door carefully. And then I found Y/N and Jack cuddling in the bed and sleeping.