Caroline
As December moves along the team does good. I decorate my little apartment with a Christmas tree and lights and vanilla scented candles. I wouldn't be here for the holidays but I still wanted this place to feel like home. I even got to bring Hawk back home with me to enjoy his first Christmas in Canada.
We had a game against Montreal coming up in a week and I was really excited for it. My dad was going to come down and watch and we were going to have some fun. These planned visits are a lot more fun than when he just decides to drop in like usual. We were going to go to the pier and mess around and see all the Christmas lights. I couldn't wait.
Until then it was business as usual and I go into morning skate ready for work. I sit up in the stands and wait for the guys to come out. I wait and wait and wait some more but it felt like forever and still no one was on the ice. Finally someone comes out but I see it's just Q.
"Hey Roy, can you come down" he yells.
"Yeah, just give me a second" I insist as I pack my things away.
I walk down to the ice and over to the doors.
"What can I do you for" I wonder.
"Waite is sick and can't come to the game tonight. I was wondering if you wanted to be on the bench for the game and help coach" he asks and my eyes go big.
"Seriously" I gasp and he nods.
"Yeah. There isn't a single person out there I trust more than you to fill his shoes. So if you're up to it I would love to have your eyes for the game" he says and I smile big.
"I would be honored" I whisper.
"Well then it's time for you to track suit up. There's one in your office ready for you. Grab a pair of skates and let's do this" he says and I smile big.
I get changed and lace up before hitting the ice. Jonny was the first one to approach me and he has the biggest smile on his face.
"Coach Roy, I like it" he says and I laugh.
"Who would have thought I would be coaching in the NHL before my dad" I ask.
"I'm not surprised. I think Waite has got some competition" he teases.
"Sure. If the competition is who can fit into a suitcase" I joke.
"You're funny... I'll give you that" he smiles.
I skate over to the crease and talk to Emery for a while. Eventually Corey comes out on the ice and drags himself over to us.
"Woah dude... you look terrible" Ray says and he hits his pads.
"I've had a rough few days" he admits. He finally takes his eyes off the ice and they find me. His face softens and his lips pull into a smile. I couldn't help it but smile back at him.
"What are you doing here... in a track suit" he laughs.
"I'm the goalie coach for today while Waite is getting drugs pumped into him" I explain.
"Really" he gasps and I nod. "That's awesome. I'm so happy for you" he says.
"Thanks Crawford. Now let's get to work" I insist.
After a brief 20 minute morning skate we were all done. Q ends the practice and we all go our separate ways. By 5 everyone was back at the United center ready for the game. Everyone was suited up and ready to take the ice.
With about 2 minutes left in the third we were up by one goal. The other team pulls their goalie for a extra attacker and send six guys into our end. The guys defend their ice and show some grit blocking shots.
I look up to see how much time we had left and see that the time was winding down. We go to clear the puck but it comes flying into the bench.
"Duck" someone yells and I look away from the scoreboard to see what's going on. Before I know it there's a hard thump on my head and everything turns black.
"Is she dead?"
"No she's not dead you idiot."
"She took a puck to the head... you don't know that."
"She's not dead Crow."
I slowly start to open my eyes and try to sit up. Someone softly lays me back down as I look around a bit confused.
"What... what happened" I groan reaching for my head. There was a ice pack on it and plastic wrap keeping it there.
The team doctor appears in my line of sight and looks into my eyes. He puts a flashlight into my eyes and I let out a groan.
"Hello Ms. Roy. You were hit by a puck during the game and passed out" he explains and suddenly my eyes were very open.
"Did we win" I ask and he laughs.
"Yeah, we did" he assures me.
"Sweet, I'm 1-0" I joke and he shakes his head.
"How are you feeling" he questions.
"Given the circumstances pretty good. I have a terrible headache but I can see fine and I know who I am and what day it is" I assure him. I've seen the concussion process many times before, I know how this goes.
"Alright. I'm not going to send you to the ER right now but I'm not going to let you go home alone. You took a blast to the head and defiantly have a concussion of some sorts, but if it's not operable there's nothing the doctors can do. Is there someone who can watch over you and make sure you wake up every two hours" he asks.
"Does my cat count" I ask and he shakes his head.
"I'll do it" someone says and I see Jonny and Corey sitting in the corner. Corey steps up and the doctor nods.
"Are you okay with that" he asks me.
"Yeah, considering my other option is possibly slipping into a coma" I laugh.
I get my things and Corey drives me back to his place. He turns the radio off and the lights down so my head doesn't hurt so bad. He helps me up to his apartment and surprisingly enough, in the almost four months we've known each other, I've never been inside of here.
We get up there and I lay down on his couch. I wasn't in the right state of mind to ask questions. Honestly the longer I went on the more my head hurt. I took some ibuprofen but the ice had melted so that was no help.
"Lift your head up" Corey instructs and I do my best. He sits down on the couch and rests my head on his lap. He slowly removes the wrap that was keeping the ice there and takes away the bag of cold water. "Woah, Hoss really got you good" he says as he studies my wound.
"Am I still pretty" I tease.
"Beautiful" he assures me and I smile a little. My eyes fall closed as my head falls heavy in his lap. "Can I take your hair down? It will help" he insists.
"Yeah" I reply softly. I feel him undo my hair and it fall limp. He was right, that did help a little.
We sit there for a little and he runs his fingers through my hair. I was just about to fall asleep until there was a knock on the door.
"Shit" he mutters causing me to awaken a little.
He softly gets up and rests my head onto a pillow. I hear him walk to the door and open it.
"Honestly I forgot you were supposed to come over tonight" he starts.
"That's okay, we can still hang out" another voice says. Someone who I assume is Julie. I haven't heard her say much but I'm not sure who else it would be.
"Actually we can't" Corey says and I hear her let out a huff.
"Why not" she pouts.
"I have some things I have to take care of and it wouldn't work out with you here" he explains.
"Is that girl here" she asks.
"That girl has a name, it's Caroline, and yes she is here but it's not what you think" he says.
"Why the fuck is she here" Julie yells and I start to cringe. Ouch.
"Please don't yell. She has a serious head injury and I agreed to take care of her" he insists.
"She's a grown woman, she can take care of herself" she defends.
"That is true, but if you even cared to watch my games you would know she got a puck to the head and someone has to wake her up every two hours" Corey explains.
"Oh I'll wake her up... to tell her to go back to whatever hole she crawled out of" she claims.
"You will do no such thing" Corey says raising his voice and it gets quiet. I wasn't sure if she left or they both did or if I died.
"Why do you care about her so much? Because you love her dad or you love her" she asks.
"She was my friend way before I knew who her dad was. And she is someone who means a lot to me. I know for a fact that if it was me on that couch she would do the same for me. Because even though I haven't been the greatest to her she's a great girl who deserves nothing but the best. I will never be able to give that to her, she deserves so much more than me. But I'm still going to try to stay in her life because I still want to see her do good. I know for a fact you couldn't be capable of taking care of someone that's not yourself or even consider doing half the things that this girl doesn't think twice about. I'm sorry you feel like I am your property and shouldn't be helping out someone who needs it but that's how it's happening. Now if you would please be so kind to leave so I can check up on my friend and we can talk tomorrow" he pleads. I hear the door slam shut making me jump. I try to stay still as I feel a hand on my head.
"I know you heard that" he says softly.
"I'm sorry" I say trying really hard not to open my eyes. I know if I see his brown ones I'll break.
"Caro it's not your fault. You've done nothing wrong" he assures me.
"I'm just... I'm sorry."