Off The Ice // A Patrick Kane Fanfic

Worrying

“Will you relax?” I say for what feels like the millionth time.

“No,” Kailey answers for what feels like the millionth time.

I don’t bother to go beyond that, since it’s pretty pointless. We’ve been sitting in the meeting place for close to an hour since the game ended, and with every minute that passes that Jonathan doesn’t come out of the locker room, Kailey gets more and more anxious. She started off just not being able to sit still. Then she moved on to braiding her hair. Repeatedly. That was when I knew things were about to go bad. About fifteen minutes after she started braiding she gave up and started pacing instead. Ten minutes ago she started muttering to herself too. I swear if he doesn’t come out soon she’s going to have a full on panic attack right here in the meeting area. It doesn’t help that every other player has come out to meet up with their guests, and none of them will give her any kind of update. They won’t even look at her.

That does not bode well.

The door opens again, but pauses half way open. We can’t see who’s on the other side, but there are only two players left inside, and either one would be acceptable at this point. Although for Kailey’s sake I’m hoping it’s—

“Hey.”

—Not him. I sigh internally but externally smile at Patrick. “Hey,” I say back. Kailey just stares fixatedly at the door, willing it to open. She’s finally still and I’m not sure I like it.

“He’ll be out any minute,” Patrick tells us carefully. He gently puts his hand on Kailey’s shoulder. “He’s alright, don’t worry.”

“Liar,” is all she says. She still won’t take her eyes off of the door. It’s kind of creepy how still she is. There’s this fragility to the stillness, like if she moves she’ll shatter into a thousand pieces. It worries me.

It obviously worries Patrick too, since he lets go of her slowly, like she’s going to break if he moves any faster than he is. He backs away just as slowly, coming to stand next to me.

His breath stirs my hair when he leans down to whisper in my ear. “Has she been like this since the game ended?”

I push aside the weird fluttery feeling in my stomach and focus on his words. This is about our friend, and how scared we are for her. “The scary quiet motionlessness is new. She’s been restless up until now. The terror isn’t anything new though. She’s so scared for him.”

“She shouldn’t be,” he moves closer, in order to keep his voice down more. “He’s fine now. He needed a few stitches, but the docs checked him for a concussion and he’s fine. They’re gonna do another check tomorrow to be sure, but they cleared him. He’s good to go, should be out any minute.”

“You can tell her that all you want, she’s not going to believe it until she sees him herself.”

“You think hearing it from his mouth will help?”

I snort, quietly. “No way. She’s going to conduct her own tests to make sure. Only when she’s positive that there’s nothing wrong with him will she be able to breathe easily again.”