Begin Again.

*Tuukka's P.O.V*

I landed in Boston around ten in the morning, a little groggy from lack of sleep. It's not like I could've possibly slept anyways...I had too much on my mind.

I was praying to god she was okay. I just wanted to see her and tell her how sorry I was for letting this happen to her after I promised I wouldn't. It made me feel like complete shit and I couldn't wait to beat the fuck out of that bastard. I started quivering angrily as I speeded to the hospital at the thought of what he did to her. He hit her, tried to kill my girlfriend. And he kissed her, for christ's sake. My emotions were an unhealthy mix of anger, sadness and hope that Steph would be okay.

I pulled into the hospital and ran to the front desk and asked the receptionist was room Stephanie Souza was admitted in.

"She's in 412, but I don't think visitors are allowed right now," She started but I rolled my eyes and ran torwards the elevator. "Hey you come back here now!" She shouted angrily but her yells faded away as the elevator door closed.

I walked into the fourth floor and frantically looked for 412. I saw a girl with a mess of dark curls, and awfully dressed up to be in a hospital.

"Erika?" I called out, hoping it was her because if it wasn't it sure as hell would be embarassing.

Luckily she turned around and ran torwards me. "Tuukka!" She cried out and gave me a hug, starting to cry in my shoulder.

"She's okay!" She exclaimed, and I realized she was crying happy tears. "She's gonna be okay."

"Thank god," I breathed, sighing relief. "Can I go see her?"

Erika nodded and wiped tears from her eyes, "She's right in there." She pointed to a door two doors down that read 412. "I'm gonna go to the cafeteria." I nodded and said goodbye, then headed to Steph's room.

I stood outside it for at least two minutes, contimplating if I really wanted to see her like this. I knew the image of her all beaten would stay with me forever because it was something I hoped I'd never had to see. I took a deep breath, gathered up the courage and slowly opened the door and closed it behind me.

Then I saw her.

She lay there propped up on her hospital bed in one of those gowns they make you wear, her hair tousled up into a bun on top of her head, a few curls escaping and framing her face. She watched the TV that was mounted on the wall and it sounded like it was last nights game. She had a bruins blanket wraped around her and slowly forked mac n' cheese into her mouth, chewing slowly and never taking her eyes off the screen. She had a purple bruise on the left corner of her forehead, most of it hidden by her hairline. She also had a slight gash on her lip, but nothing to serious. She was so perfect.

"Stephanie?" I said softly to her. Her eyes snapped away from the screen and she looked at me and excitment filled her face.

"Tuukka!" She cried out and put the mac n' cheese on the table. She opened up her arms and I ran torwards her, hugging her close. We both started crying as we held each other. I was so happy to see her and so happy she was okay. And Steph...well I didn't exactly know why she was crying.

"What's wrong?" I said as I pulled away and wiped her tears.

"I'm just really happy to see you." She breathed and smiled at me.

That was when I leaned in and kissed her. I kissed her with everything I had and felt the sparks fly everywhere, and she kissed me back. I was so hopelessly in love with this girl. She pulled me on top of her then winced.

"Ow, ow, ow." She groaned. I got up off her quickly, scared.

"What happened?" I asked nervously.

"I forgot my rib is broken." She giggled. "Whoops."

I rolled my eyes at her playfully. Steph is the type of girl that would forget her rib was broken. "What else it wrong?"

"I have a minor concussion," She pointed to the bruise on her head. "One broken rib, a little cut on my lip, and I rolled my ankle I think." She shrugged. "Nothing major."

"I'm so sorry baby." I said as I pulled her into me. "Once I find this asshole he's going to pay."

"That won't be nessicary." She said then pecked my lips. "I think I've already done enough damage."

I raised one eyebrow. "What do you mean.."

She rolled over to a bedside table and picked up a clipboard and cleared her throat, starting to read:

"Patient; John Barboza." She cocked and eyebrow at me. "Major concussion, damage to the testicles so bad he probably can't have children, some lovely new scars all over his face and a broken wrist." She closed the clipboard and beamed at me.

"Whoa." I breathed. "That's my girl."

She laughed at me and pointed to the TV. "You played great last night, baby." And slowly leaned in to kiss me slowly. I was literally the sexiest thing ever, but I pulled away because I didn't want a doctor to walk in or something. She slowly kissed down my neck and I felt a bulge rising in my pants. Shit.

"Not here, honey." I said as i gently pulled away. She pouted at me and pointed to the I.V. in her arm.

"These fucking meds are making me so fucking horny," She explained to me. "But I can't like do anything, I can't have sex for like two weeks cause of my ribs and shit. It's awful."

"Well the second you can have sex," I said then pecked her lips. "We'll have sex."

"Good sex?" She asked.

"Great sex."

She bit her lip. She wan't making the two weeks thing easy for me, that's for sure.

My phone started ringing and I looked up, seeing it was Brad.

"Hello?" I said into the reciever.

"Hey um.." He seemed nervous. "What room is Steph in?"

"Uh.." I looked at her. "412..but she's not really supposed to be taking visitors right now so-"

"SUPRISE!!!!!" The entire Bruins team bursted through the door, holding balloons and stuffed animals and flowers. They were all smiling and laughing, trying to get her to smile. And it was working.

"Oh my god!" She exclaimed happily and covered her mouth with her hands. Her smile went from ear to ear and it was absolutley adorable. "You guys are so sweet!"

"You guys came with me?" I asked, bewildered.

"Of course," Lucic said cheerfully.

Chara placed the cake on a table, it was huge, covered with pink frosting and baby blue flowers. McQuiad scattered balloons throughout the room and Seguin handed her a bruins pillow pet; she squealed and pulled him into a giant hug. Everyone was talking and chit chatting, telling Steph funny stories, trying to get her to laugh. Brad and Erika walked in hand-in-hand and handed me a bouqet of flowers and motioned to Steph.

I handed them to her and she almost started to cry she was so happy. She kissed me, right in front of the boys and the all started cheering. When she pulled away her face was blushing red and mine probably was too. We stayed there for hours, Coach and the wives even stopped by and then night rolled around and it was just Steph and I laying together in the darkness.

"Tuukka?" She whispered into the night.

"Yeah?" I said half-asleep.

"I just want you to know that you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." And she quickly kissed me. "And I love you. That is all."

I felt the butterflies in my stomach and felt like a teenager again. "I love you too, Steph." And with that, we feel asleep in each other's company.

Notes

HEY GUYS. I'm so so so so sorry I haven't updated, I've been so busy with school and whatnot. Thank you for staying loyal and continuing to check for updates even though I don't post often. You guys are great and I really appreciate it. I hope you really like this story and please give me some feedback.

Love you guys!