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"It has to be one of you boys," GM Stan Bowman told the boys sternly, as he sat motionless in his black leather chair in the far corner of his office. Patrick could see that Stan didn't want to do this. Neither did Patrick, and simply, he wanted Jonny to dread this situation even more than him. Bowman fiddled with his pen as he stared blankly at his newly-furnished desk.
"Why?" Patrick asked, a pang of annoyance rising up in his throat as anger built up inside of him. Kaner and Tazer knew that Buffalo have been rising severely in the Eastern Conference, and the league period, from the end of last season 'til now, late August. Buffalo is the team that the Blackhawks think either Jonathan or Patrick will feel most comfortable in, also considering the fact that Buffalo was Pat's hometown. Pat had always wanted to play for the Sabres since he was little, and still sometimes feels that longing. Having grown up there, Pat would be able to see his family more, much more. Even though, Patrick always ends up understanding that Chicago is his true home now, and honestly, Patrick really likes it in Chicago.
"Our salary cap's reached the maximum it can go to keep both of you on the team, and even though you two have been our biggest priorities this off-season, I'm sorry boys, we just can't keep both of you," Stan said solemnly, running a hand through his nearley-bald head. "You're both outstanding players, and I and all of Management wish that you both could stay in a Blackhawks Jersey for--well, forever, but as we all know, that isn't the case. Coach Quenneville and I have tried reasoning new contracts for you both with your agents and the league, but as we also know, nothing new has been decided upon." Stan hung his head as he finished speaking. Pat didn't know what he wanted, and confusion coarsed through him, until Jonny started speaking and he didn't even know what to think.
"Kaner---you go," Jonny finshed speaking, his voice cracking. Honestly, Jon looked like he was going to cry, and honestly, Patrick felt like crying, even though he didn't know why.
"What?" Patrick choked out, his throat becoming dry. He didn't know what to say. That's all he could say.
"Pat----I know that you've always wanted this, and I know how much you want to win the Stanley again," Jonathan paused for a second, and it looked like tears were welling up in his eyes as he spoke. "With Buffalo, you can do that, Kaner. Better you go than me. You've got the skill that they need."
Patrick couldn't believe what he was hearing. Pat couldn't speak. He could only stare blankly up at Jonny as he spoke.
"You----you're an incredible player Pat, in more than one way," Jonny smirked at his remark. "Pat, the Sabres need that kind of talent on their roster. As in, they need you. We both want to win as many cups as possible, and if that means switching teams, then I would do it. I think you would too."
The Sabres are on the rise right now, Pat. We both know that. They're becoming huge Cup Contenders this year. With you Pat, they'll get pretty damn far into the playoffs. Don't you doubt it. You know it's true." Jonny's gaze didn't leave Patrick from when he started talking to when he finished, his gaze becoming sterner as he went on. To Pat, it felt as if Jon's eyes were needles, piercing his, and once his eyes left Pat's at last, the hurt would less, somewhat. But Pat didn't look away. He wouldn't look away. He couldn't.
It stayed like this in the office, quiet and extremely solemn and distant, for a while, until Stan thankfully broked the silence. Patrick still wasn't in it, and was not at all prepared for what came next.
"Boys, I'm gonna phone the Pro Scouting Director in Buffalo, and try to reason a contract for Pat," he said matter-of-factly as he picked up the telephone from the dock on the corner of his desk and dialed the number into the landline.
"Yes, hello. I was wondering if Jon was there. Yes. Jon Christiano, the Pro Scouting Director for the Buffalo Sabres. This is the secretary, right?" Stan asked in a quite obvious tone, making it seem as if whoever he was talking to had no experience in their job at all. Jonathan chuckled quietly to himself at Stan's eye roll, but Patrick couldn't get anything through his head. It should be Pat who's laughing at a time like this. He's the one who's being traded to a newly made top 3 team in the National Hockey League this off-season. The Hawks have had a lot of time to think about what to do in the off-season, which was pretty much the entire year, you could put it, because there were only 48 games last season, because of the lockout. God. That was Jonny and Patrick's sixth year in the NHL. Wow. Six years with that crazy kid. Ha! Pat thought to himself. How could he stand it being himself, perfectly annoying and incredible at the same time?
"Five-in-a-half-million? That's Bullshit!" Pat heard Jonny's voice ring throughout the entire office as he came out of his thoughts, as Pat swallowed hard.
"Why don't we do 6.3, eh?" Stan asked, showing his Canadian roots. Pat always laughed at Jonathan for doing so, saying "eh" and those Canadian stereotypes. Patrick tried to grimace to himself, to reassure himself, but nothing will stop him being moved to Buffalo now.
"It's what we pay him now," Stan added on.
"No," Jonny said sternly. "7 and a-half or more, or no deal at all." Jonny finished, speaking loud enough so Stan, Kaner, and Cristiano could definitely hear.
"So, uh---7.1 million?" Stan suggested sounding quite doubtful as Jonny glared at pretty much everything on or in the desk infront of him, including Stan. Nothing was really sinking in for Patrick. "That's great. He'll be over in the next day. Nice doing business with you." Stan's tone lightened up as he put down the phone.
What the hell just happened? How? Why had it happened? What had Pat done? But most of all...why did Jonny do all that? Give him a huge salary cap, a spot on a huge cup contending team, and a great chance of seeing his family so much more. Expecially when Jonny wanted that spot so much. Why?
When the deal was done, Patrick was as confused as ever, yet he knew exactly what happened and he didn't stop staring blankly. He couldn't. He was too stunned.
"Wanna go grab something to eat? You know, before your flight!" Jonny asks him with a tint of--enthusiasm?--bringing him out of Pat's trance then raising his eyebrows to add a dramatic effect after they left Stan's office.
Jonny wrapped an arm around Patrick's left shoulder. Pat didn't know why, but that gesture and Jonny acting so calm made anger build up inside of him.
"How can you act so casual?" Patrick nearly screamed at Jon. "I just got traded! Oh, do you want me to spell it out for you, Toews?! And guess why I got traded? Because of you!" Patrick felt like crying. He didn't even know if he could say anything else, so he just stared at the newly-furnished groundm as he blinked back tears. Jon's arm was knocked off of Patrick's shoulder during Pat's talk.
"Pat--," Jonny started as he brought a hand up to Patrick's face, but Pat quickly swiped it off, feeling a bit guilty, but it didn't matter.
"Why?!" Patrick cried, as Jonny looked at the ground, pretending he didn't hear what Pat said.
"Huh?" Jon asked, acting stupidly.
"I asked why, Jonny!" Patrick shouted this time as tears began flowing down his face.
"I--I...I thought that it was what you wanted," Jonny said quietly, looking hurt as he started glancing up and down from the floor ro Patrick's face again. Jonny couldn't even look back at Kaner when he choked out a "What?"
"Kaner---I'm so sorry," Jonny said as a small tear slid down the side of his cheek, wiping it off. "For everything." Jonny finished his sentence finally, looking into Patrick's eyes for one last time before he said. "Well, we've got practice soon---I should go. Plus, you've gotta get packing and get on that plane so that you can impress that Sabres management!" Jonny tried to say with enthusiasm, faking a smile. 'What have I done?' Jonny asked himself. He put out his hand to shake with Pat one last time until they meet again. And when Patrick pulled him into a hug and when he buried his face in the crook of Jonny's neck, Jonathan wanted the 13th of December when the Blackhawks faced the Sabres for the first time this season to come so badly, it wasn't even funny.
**********************************************
"Dude, hurry your ass up!" Patrick heard Myers' voice coming from his room on the other side of their hotel room.
Tyler was his roommate on the road with Buffalo. He was also one of his best friends now, since Jonny...
Patrick had to stop. He couldn't stop. Everything was perfect. Nothing was wrong: He got on the team he wanted to play on in the NHL ever since he was a kid, he got to see his family every week, everything was perfect, but it wasn't---right.
He couldn't stop thinking about his old team, Duncs, Seabs, Sharpy, Coach Q, Jonny...
The only question Pat's been able to ask himself for the past four months: Why?
Pat packed his bag and shouted back to Myers. "Just packing my bag, man."
"Good. Thought you were in daydream land, dude."
"Nah, I'm good." Pat said as he saw Tyler smile from across the room.
Tyler had been a real good cornerstone for him in Buffalo. He was American too, which was good. He'd played hockey ever since he was little, and he was the best friend anyone could ever want, but he wasn't Jonny. And Patrick wasn't content with that, and that killed Patrick. To have a friend like that, who sticks with you through everything, and somehow it wasn't good enough for him. And he hated himself for it. He also hated the fact that he missed Jonny so. Damn. Much.
It hurt like hell, but at the same time, Pat didn't really want to see Jon again. It would be too painful. Having to know that he would only be able to see him, what? Two, three, four times a year during the hockey season? And probably not even during summer. Jonny would always go to Winnipeg for the summer, and Pat would always go to Buffalo...God. Sometimes Jonny would even visit him. But he didn't even have a thought to ever go visit Jonny. That was another thing Pat regretted. God, he regretted so much these past four months.
Pat sighed and picked up his bag, said "Let's go." To Tyler, and they head out the door of their hotel room to meet Cody at his car for practice before heading back to Buffalo on the plane. Going to practice early in the morning was a typical Saturday morning for them.
Except today was the 12th. The 12th of December. The day before he'll have to see Jonny again. Well, of course he'd seen Jonny, if watching all of his games counted.
Myers hated it, but understood. Cody got it. Having been traded and missing his old team so much. Pat and Cody talked about how Vancouver and Chicago were. Their salaries, their coaches, players, and their captains. All Pat could say was that, he would never forget his. Because honestly, if he admitted it to himself, Jonny would always be Pat's real captain, even if he never wanted him to be ever again.
The boys headed off to practice for 11:30. Coach greeted them, throwing a tight grin in Pat's direction and Patrick answered with a small smile and a nod of the head.
Ron had always tried to be as appealing to Pat as he could, even if he knew Patrick would probably never be able to really truly return the favor. Ron could tell how attached Pat had become to the Hawks. Everyone on the Sabres had.
Some judged Ron, but he could see and hear so much and make so much of all of it, even if there was really not that much to make of at all. That's what made him such an incredible coach.
Of course Ron had heard about Jonathan Toews before, he would be shocked if someone didn't, but he didn't know that much about him. He did very well know his statistics. Two World Junior golds, scoring on his first NHL shot, chosen third overall by the Blackhawks in '06, etc., but he didn't really know that much about him, but that was before September. In the past four months, he'd learned nearly as much as Cody and Tyler about the captain of the Blackhawks.
He didn't mean to at times, listen in to Patrick's conversations with the players, but he watched over him for some reason. If Pat had a problem, or something that bothered him, Ron had to be there for him. As a coach, and like a second father. Ron knew that's what Coach Quenneville was like for Patrick, and he knew he had to try his hardest to be like that with Patrick, even if it wouldn't nearly be enough.
You see, the thing that Ron noticed sufficiently about Patrick, is that Pat had a tendency to keep his feelings inside of himself, even if no one else could see, Ron could. He was like that when he was younger. His experience was nothing like Patrick's, but he knew how Patrick felt, even if no one believed it, he did know.
Cody watched as Pat laced up his skates before practice. He admired Patrick, he truly did. But he could be so out of tune sometimes. And honestly, it seemed as if he was praised for it. Of course he had skill, but Cody couldn't really piece out what he thought was wrong. When he was in Chicago he seemed so much more devoted to hockey. As if there was so much more to play for. But shouldn't there be so much to play for in Buffalo? Kane was right in Buffalo with his family and had Myers and Hodgson. Cody couldn't put it together, but he knew there was something so obvious, he just had to dig a little deeper.
"Hey Pat," he asked.
"Ya?" Kane looked up at him.
"Uh--what was your favorite part about Chicago?"
Once Hodgson said it, he regretted it. He could see the light drain from Pat's eyes, even his face became expressionless. Pat tried to open his mouth to answer, but it seemed as if it was painful to even say. All he did was end up shrugging.
His eyes were blank for a bit, but then they darkened and looked back up at Cody.
"What was your favorite part about Vancouver, Hodgson?" Patrick asked him, raising his eyebrows questioningly.
Cody was speechless.
"I-uh-don't know."
Patrick just nodded and tightened his skates.
"See you on the ice, Cody."
Cody nodded as Myers waited for Patrick by the dressing room door.
Hodgson had to get answers. He just felt obliged to find out what was wrong. Patrick had told him so much about Chicago, but nothing sounded wrong. In fact, all of Patrick's memories of Chicago were nearly--perfect. Maybe that was the problem: Nothing was perfect for Patrick Kane anymore.
"Hey coach." Hodgson said after practice.
"Yes, Cody?" Ron answered.
"I was wondering if you know what might be bothering Pat. He's acting--different."
Ron sighed. He knew this would come from one of his players sometime.
"You noticed?" He asked Cody.
"Noticed what exactly, coach?"
"Patrick's--behaviour, I would say, Hodge."
"Well, I wouldn't say noticed, more experienced it, I guess."
"Are you talking about the, somewhat stare down you two had in the dressing room before practice?"
"I guess...he just seems so sensitive when we talk about Chicago...like, how he feels about it, but when he talks about it normally, it seems as if it was the happiest times in his life--ever. I just can't understand clearly." Cody explained as coach sighed.
"Do you know what happened in his trading process, Cody?"
"Uh--he got told he was gonna be traded, unexpectedly...?"
"Ha, no. Would you like me to-tell you? Under the condition that you do not mention this to anyone, or Patrick and my--let's say knowings, would be figured out, and let me put this nicely: Patrick would not handle it well. It would affect the entire team if this gets out."
"As in--him going on a rage...?" Cody asked, chuckling.
"This is not a laughing matter. And no, Cody. I don't mean Patrick going on a--rage. I mean, Patrick going into severe--pain. I honestly think that it would really affect him and that he might become extremely depressed over this subject."
"I won't tell anyone. I swear coach."
"Well there's no need for promising anything Cody, just the fact of not telling anyone anything. Alright then. .
The day of Patrick's trade, Jonathan Toews and him heard that one of them had to be traded." Ron started. "Well, let's say, neither of the boys took it well. Neither did Stan Bowman, but it was his job, to keep the Hawks organization alive. So, Jonathan wanted it to be Buffalo. He might act serious and seem emotionless at times, but all he wanted during that trade process was for Patrick to be happy, no matter what happened.
Ever since Jonathan met Patrick, Pat had always told Jon about how he had dreamed to be on the Sabres ever since he was little, how he missed his family, after leaving home at 15 for hockey, etc.
Anyway, Jonathan rallied for Patrick to get on the Sabres that entire day, rallying his salary cap up to--7.1 million. Jonathan wanted everything to be perfect for Patrick. And Patrick wanted everything to be perfect too of course, but what he could never get was why would Toews would do all that, when he wanted the spot on the Sabres roster so much, but somehow cared more about Patrick winning the cup than himself.
Right outside Stan Bowman's office was where the boys said goodbye, just minutes after Patrick's contract was made. I guess, Patrick just wanted an explanation of everything, a good why, how, maybe? He was just never completely content with what happened that day, and even more, that he had wanted to play in Buffalo forever, but when the opportunity came, he honestly wanted to stay in Chicago. With Jonathan." Ron explained. "I feel like I ruined something also, like it's partly my fault that Patrick is hurt by this...anyway, you should go have some fun today, then get good sleep for tomorrow's game, huh?" Ron said as Cody just tried to figure out where he should put his eyes.
"It's against the Hawks...weird world, I guess." Cody said, forcing out a chuckle. "Thanks coach." Cody added, shaking Ron's hand, then nodding in his coach's direction, and dismissing himself from the office, feeling as terrible and confused as ever.
******************************************
It felt weird for Patrick. Calling himself a Sabre...he felt like being a Sabre should be like...a second home...but that was always Chicago, Patrick thought to himself, but then mentally slapping himself again, knowing that nothing should be this way, he should feel comfortable, but he's not.
He's not comfortable. Not one bit. And Patrick couldn't stop feeling so guilty about it. He knew he had to let loose. He called Tyler up and asked him if he wanted to come over and play video games--a loose activity before they got rested for the game the next morning, but then again, Patrick thought video games were good for pretty much everything.
Tyler was on his way.
Patrick remembered all of the times he would go over to Jonny's to play video games, now it seemed like he was the go-to guy for pretty much everything, as Jonny was. Speaking of Jonny, the Hawks plane had probably just landed and they were probably gonna go for a night practice, just like they used to.
It had been a while and Myers was still not there. Oh well, It was fine.
His neighbours were usually pretty loud, because he lived in a duplex and they had company over often, that's probably why he heard so much shouting outside, but it seemed pretty close to his door...whatever. Patrick was fed up. He barged towards his front door, and opened it harshly.
"Shut the hell--" the sight that met Patrick's eyes was astonishing. They were all there. All of them. Coach Q, Duncs, Seabs, Sharpy, the whole team. Everyone, but not Jonathan.
He was shocked. They were right at his front door, just standing there, smiling like idiots.
"Well are you gonna invite us in or not, Kaner?" Duncs shouted above the silence. Patrick chuckled, remembering his old nickname the boys gave him.
"Nah, I'm gonna leave you all outside like the jackass I am." Patrick laughed as he gestured for them to come inside.
Pat felt a bit bad because the T.V.s were already taken and the boys were already playing Mario Kart like old times when Tyler came by. He said it was alright though, and told Pat that he'd see him the next day at the game.
Pat searched through the crowd of Blackhawks, fist bumping and hugging dudes and being thrown "nice to see ya's" and "I've missed ya, buddy's" while Pat looked for Sharpy, until he finally found him in a corner, drinking a beer, of course.
"Hey, uh, Sharpy?"
"Ya, man?" Sharpy said, giving his arm a firm bump, as Patrick chuckled a bit.
"Uh, where's Jon...do you know?"
"Don't be too surprised if he doesn't come Pat, sorry."
"Wait--what?"
"He'll be damned before he comes..." Sharpy kept on mumbling to himself.
"Wait, what the hell happened, man?" Patrick asked.
"Tazer didn't wanna come because apparently it would be "too painful" and you would "hate him forever"!" Sharpy acted out.
Pat needed to tell Sharpy. He had to let out what he'd been feeling for the past four months, what's been tearing him apart.
Someone opened the door, but he didn't care. It probably didn't matter anyways.
"No I won't! Jonny's an idiot, for fuck's sake! I--I love him!" Patrick shouted as everything went silent.
"For real, man?" He heard a voice coming from his front door. The voice that had haunted his dreams--and nightmares, just to be fair--for the past four months.
Pat turned and was met with Jonny's simple emotionless expression that he remembered from forever. Pat was speechless, and just stood there like a moron.
"I--" Patrick started but before he could finish, he felt the weight of tense lips pressing up against his as his moulded along with them.
When Jonny pulled back, Patrick pulled him into a tight hug, yearning to never let go.
"I love you too, man." Jonny whispered in Pat's ear.
"Thanks." Pat said, and heard laughter around him, as he soon began to laugh also.
That night, the boys had a Mario Kart marathon, and of course Jonny got 1st, with Pat not far behind. Patrick of course had to also put the boys through New Moon, because it was his favorite and he loved torturing Jonny with it. But honestly, the boys took it like a reunion gift and didn't complain hardly as much as usual.
Jonny decided that since they don't get to room together anymore, he had to stay the night, and also to keep Pat on track of his eating habits. Patrick always despised when Jonny worried about him, but then again, he pretty much died without him.
"Dude, what's my team gonna say when I walk into the dressing room with a Hawk, huh, Toews?"
"Well, if they give a shit about me being there to you, I'm gonna torture them by making them watch me workout on the Arp." He said matter-of-factly like he always spoke during practice, being captain and all.
Pat was a bit confused.
"But you don't have one here..."
"Helll ya I do, Kaner." Jonny said as Patrick laughed his head off, because Jonny was honestly telling the truth.
"So...how's Chicago?" Pat asked as Jonny pursed his lips.
"Different. A lot different, since--you know--you left." Jonny said, shaking his head. "Damn," Jonny said quietly.
"I'm so sorry, Kaner."
"It's okay, man. You didn't know, and plus, my life is probably 100 times more pathetic than yours. God, Tyler and Cody are the best buds ever...but it's not right."
"What do you mean..?"
"...They're not---you, Jonny. They're just not--not you." Pat said quietly.
Tears seemed to fall easily that night. Even though, it ended with Pat curled in Jonny's arms, quiet and quite content, wishing that this moment would never end, and that maybe one day things could go back to exactly the way they were. Him and Jonny against the damn world.
The next morning was calm and peaceful.
Jonny was awake by seven, not surprisingly. He was Jonny.
He'd made a protein shake for himself, classic Tazer.
"Hey Pat!" Jonny called to Patrick when he awoke. "Want a shake?" He asked so casually that Pat had to laugh, reminding him of old times.
"Ya--what the hell, man." He answered.
"What's this I hear?" Jonny asked. "Is this Patrick Timothy Kane Jr. being a daredevil? No!" Jonny acted as if the world was the craziest it had ever been, like he was gonna die, which Pat laughed at, but god, if Tazer actually did die...Pat refused to think like that.
"Alright Pat, we gotta get to the rink in 30. Get your clothes on, man!" Jonny laughed a whole-hearted laugh as Pat stuck his tongue out and got ready.
Pat thought that him bringing Jonny into the locker room would bring a really offensive tone to him and Jonny, but all they got were blank stares and subtle nods in their direction.
"Morning Patrick! And--Jonathan Toews...?" Ron asked , even though he knew who it was.
"Yes, sir. Coach Rolston?" Jonathan acted dumb, getting a laugh out of some of us.
"Uh-if it's okay, could I lace up my skates with Pat--"
"Coach," Patrick but in. "Tazer's gonna lace up his skates with me today, thanks." He finished off as Jonny sent him the you're crazy look, but all he got in return was a simple lace of fingers from Patrick. To Jonny, that was honestly the world.
The boys did get a few unhappy stares, but if they did, Patrick would glare at them or Coach Ron would tell them to get back to putting on their equipment. Jonny ended up putting on actually all of his equipment in the Sabres dressing room, but Patrick couldn't care less, he was there with Jonny.
The Sabres won in a shootout, with Kaner doing his famous spinerama, one of the moves that he was well known for in Chicago, one that Jonny teased him about obsessing over all the time. He would stay practicing his spinerama just as Jonny would stay and practice his skating and shooting some more after training or practice. Jonny would always spend hours after practice perfecting his stride or his angled shots, that was one of the ways they got to know each-other more in their first few months with the Hawks in '07.
Jonny scored in the shootout too, using one of moves he used against the U.S. in the semis at the World Juniors.
After announcing the three stars (Pat was first), he went back into the hallway which lead to the Hawks change room. He knew because, well, he honesty savoured every moment he had with the Hawks--but really never thought he would ever be going anywhere.
The dressing room was loud, but not nearly as loud as when he was there. The boys used to yell at him for not passing the puck--no, that was Jonny. Of course.
The dressing room always calmed down when Coach Q started talking.
Pat stood near the door, where he could see in easily enough, but so that no one could see him. Pat always used to bring Jonny to spy on the Coach and Stan talking, and this was how they did it.
"Quiet down, kids! Listen here!" Coach Q began. "That was one of the hardest fought games since Pat--left." There were murmurs, but Coach just sighed and continued. He wouldn't usually let things like that go.
"Anyway--you guys played damn hard out there! Don't any of you think that you didn't deserve two points tonight! The only thing that beat us was Kane's damn spinerama move or whatever, and he's not with us anymore boys. We've gotta just keep out heads up. Oh, and Jonny, where were you pre-game?"
"He was with Kane--"
"Shut up, moron!" The voices rang and different opinions were sent everywhere, echoing through the dressing room.
Kane just laughed to himself.
"Does all of this mean that now I'm an unwanted threat, Coach Q?" Patrick asked from the doorway, as he strolled into the dressing room.
Then, there was silence again, as Coach Q spotted a small smirk on his face, along with Pat. Kane could see Jonny smiling as bright as he'd ever seen him.
"Of course not, Kaner. You're still our Chicago boy, kid." At that, Patrick grinned as the boys came up to him and wrestled him to the ground like they had in the Cup Final in 2010.
Coach Ron had noticed that Pat wasn't in the dressing room, so Coach Ron excused himself from the boys quietly. Ron felt horrible. He knew that Pat would never stay the same without the Hawks--and that Jonathan Toews.
Ron spotted Pat across the hall, walking towards the Blackhawks dressing room. He followed quietly and slowly. He saw Pat stop in the doorway, and knew that Patrick was listening in, but didn't want to be seen. Ron waited til Pat went into the dressing room, then followed.
"Does this mean I'm an unwanted threat now?"
"Of course not Kaner. You're still our Chicago boy, kid." And Ron heard the shouts, and the love that the boys showed for Kane. Ron thought about it, but concluded that he needed to do this.
He walked in to see Patrick under a pile of players on the ground.
"Patrick--may I see you for a second?" Ron asked as he walked in through the doorway of the dressing room.
"Uh--sure--coach." Patrick responded, getting off of the ground.
"Don't worry, Pat," Ron began speaking to him. "Listen...I know that the past four months have been tough for you-"
"I'm trying, I really am coach."
"I know, Pat. But, there's no way of changing the fact that I feel like a complete piece of crap for taking you away from what seems--your second family." He said as he and Patrick laughed as they looked into the dressing room to see the boys wrestling on the ground and placing bets to see who will win.
They were all in the middle, except for Jonny, who sat in the middle of the bench, with pursed lips, looking as expressionless as ever.
Ron could see how Patrick worried about Jonathan, and the way that Jonathan looked at took care of Patrick, and honestly didn't know how to take it, but he knew that their relationship was something special, and something that doesn't happen everyday. Hardly any day, truly.
"And Patrick, there's no way of changing how you feel about them, how you need them in your life. Especially that one boy." He pointed at the bench. "You know who, Pat. You need Jonathan, and from the way he's been sneaking glances and worrying about you sick these past days, I would think, he really needs you in his life too. So, Patrick, I'm offering you a contract back to the Hawks. You'll be back by Christmas Eve. Just promise me one thing." Ron said to Patrick, as all that Pat could do was nod.
"Work your ass off at our next game, ok? And please help me get some decent players in the process. Just practice with the team for the rest of the week, then you're free to go. The team can get you a moving service that sponsors us, and everything will be okay. I'll tell everyone that the reasons were confidential, if you want."
"Actually, tell them," Patrick began. "Tell them that things just weren't the same, I couldn't feel the chemistry, and that I missed them. I can handle it." He said, honestly. And Ron nodded, and smiled at Patrick assuringly.
"It was great working with you Pat." Ron said as he pulled Pat into a right hug.
"You too. Thanks Coach." Pat answered him.
"Call me Ron." Coach said as Patrick smiled.
"Ron."
Patrick entered into the room quietly.
Jonny couldn't help running up to him and asking what happened.
Pat whispered into Jonny's ear:
"He just wanted to talk to me, and tell me--I'll be back with you guys by the 24th." Pat pulled away, grimacing.
"Wait..." Jonny went, sporting a small smile. "Guys...he's getting traded Christmas Eve."
"What the hell?"
"To where?"
"I'm coming home, boys." Patrick answered, slinging Jonny's arm across his shoulders.
Christmas Day was remarkable. Patrick decided that it would be a good idea to live with Jonny for a while in his house, with everything that went on, and of course, because that would make Jonny happier.
First Duncs and Seabs showed up at their door, then Hoss, then Shawzy, followed by Coach Q and the rest of the boys. The team all thought that a night of Mario Kart, group gossip and beer wouldn't do them much harm, considering it was one of the best nights of their lives in quite a while.
Patrick and the boys were finally back together, and for once, Patrick knew he had found something with these guys in this locker room, that wasn't even hockey:
Family.