Forbidden

Dawn's point of View--

My first NHL game and where was I? The trainer's room. Just as I suspected. It's not even like I cos do anything there. At least at the home rink I could take inventory or do some towels or something. Here I was bored, bored, bored. The game was on a monitor. It was the middle of the second period and the boys were down 2-1 to the Sharks. I had left the room to go to the washroom when all of a sudden I heard Mike the head trainer yelling down the hallway.

"Dawn! Kes is down!" Dave one of the assistant trainers called to me. "He hit his head" he said to me with a lot of worry in his voice.

"Oh shit" I said in a whispered voice furiously clearing off the closest table. "Loss of consciousness? Blood?" I asked curiously.

"He's awake but groggy. He'll need a cat scan." Dave said. "Rock, paper, scissors who has to go to the hospital?" He asked me. I wondered how he could be so calm. I suppose after years in the league that happens. Kes was wheeled down the hall on a stretcher.

"I'll go." I said as I grabbed my coat and purse. Dave had busied himself grabbing Ryan's personal effects so that they didn't get lost in the shuffle. He handed them to me. Climbing into the back of the ambulance was a little frightening. Kes was awake but looked very unaware of his surroundings. A paramedic took his vitals and asked me to quiz him on some questions that both Kes and I would know the answers to.

"What is your name?" I asked.

"Rrrryyyyaaannnn Kesssssssler" he slowly slured.

"Do you know where you are?"

"An ambulance? Come on ask me something harder." He said slowly.

"What's your wife's name?"

"You should know your own name baby." He said and smiled.

"I'm not Andrea. Ryan can you see ok?" I asked concerned.

"I'm kidding. I just wish you were my wife" he said with a grin.

"He's fine" I said stone coldly to the paramedic who was in stitches by now. One cat scan and a few rounds of pain medication later the doctor came back in.

"Mrs. Kesler?" He asked looking at the chart.

"Oh no, I'm his team's trainer." I said with a worried look. "Dawn Jennings."

"Well Ms. Jennings, Mr. Kesler has suffered a minor concussion." He said "He will need to stay with us until tomorrow night but he can't fly for another three or four days."

"Three or four days? But we have a flight leaving tomorrow for a game on Saturday" I said. It was probably foolish of me to say seeing as I knew just how delicate concussions were. "Somebody will have to stay with him I'm guessing?" I asked as Ryan slept comfortably, like a baby lightly snoring.

"That is something I'm sure you can figure out." The doctor said. "There's some people waiting for you in the waiting area. Maybe you should let him rest and go see them." I followed out to the waiting room to see Kevin Bieksa and Chris Higgins waiting, still in their post game suits.

"Dawnie," Chris said "how is he?"

"Mild concussion. He can be discharged tomorrow. He's going to have to stick around though for a bit, no flying or really much of anything but rest." I said looking at be concern in his eyes.

"I called Andrea," said Kevin. "She's worried sick. She wants to know who'll be looking after him and when he can come home."

"I'm volunteering to stay. I'm the most expendable." I said sitting down on a couch nearby stroking my forehead. I was getting a headache that was probably almost as bad as Ryan's.

"Oh boy, Andrea's gonna love that one." Kev said shaking his head with a laugh.

"Hey, it's up to him what he tells her who is nursing him back to health" I said holding my hands up in the air in surrender.

"But what about your fiancé?" Chris asked. "What will he think?"

"Well I think..." I started "I think he will get over it." I said pulling my phone from my purse. " I'm gonna give him a call right now. I'll be back" I said. In truth I was thinking how I could avoid saying anything. This was not going to go well from what I could foresee. I dialed the number praying for a machine. One ring...two...three..

. "Hey babe" his voice rang through the speaker 'damn' I thought. "I miss you."

"Well I miss you too but you may have to miss me a little longer." I said gritting my teeth in anxiety. "Did you see Kesler's injury tonight?" I asked.

"Yeah, looked pretty rough. How us he?" Brett asked sounding concerned.

"Mild concussion. But you know nothing. I shouldn't even be telling you. But I will have to stay for a few days until he's cleared to fly." I said worried for an outburst. Brett didn't have the easiest temper

. "Oh" was all he said. Then there was an uncomfortable pause.

"Promise me something?" He asked.

"Anything babe." I said genuinely

. "Stay in your own bed." He said to me with a serious voice. "I trust you, but not him." He added.

"Brett, we have been through this" I said putting a hand over my forehead. "I'll call you later tonight. I love you." I said and hung up.

----

Ryan was released the following day at 6pm. The rest of the guys had already left for home. I was to stay in a hotel with Kes for three days until he could be cleared to fly. We were given a suite to share. He got the master bedroom, a king sized bed, tv and chair in his room while I stayed out in the living room area on a pull out couch with my own tv as well as faux fireplace.

"Here we are my dear, the honeymoon suite." He said opening the door as I brought our bags in. At least he hadn't lost his sense of humour.

"Ok, into bed mister." I said walking into the bedroom drawing heavy blackout drapes to help with his headache. "And no tv" I said stealing the remote before he had a chance to protest.

"Yes mom!" He said rolling his eyes. "Ow, that hurt." He said rubbing his forehead.

"Then don't roll your eyes dumbass" I said laughing at him. "I'll let you change." I said as I sat on the couch catching up on business emails. It was a rather small suite, I'd had dorm rooms bigger believe it or not. Such a shame to be stuck indoors in California. I'd gotten a text from Chris asking how Brett had taken things. 'As well as can be expected' thought to myself before replying saying he'd get over it. I had just slipped into a pair of lulu lemon pants and a blue racer back tank top when I heard Kes call from The other room.

"Dawn? Could you come here?" He asked.

"As long as you're decent Kes." I said opening the door. He was laying across his bed diagonally his head buried in his hands.

"Could you rub my back?" He asked. "My headache is really bad and I can't take anymore meds yet right?"

"Not for..." I leaned over and checked the clock "two more hours. I'll rub, you try and sleep." I said getting comfortable on the bed, Brett's words haunting me in my head. But this was my job, I wasn't doing anything unprofessional, was I?

"Can you unplug the clock? And maybe turn off my cell?" He said. "The Light bothers me" he added. Unplugging the clock i asked

"what if somebody needs to get a hold of you?"

"Anybody important knows to call you." He said. "Except for Andrea. She was told to call management." He said with a grin. "I love her, but part of what makes our marriage work is time and space apart." He added as I placed my hands at the base of his neck rubbing. "You have very soft hands." He said to me as I continued to rub up and down his spine. "Not like the other therapists." He added. "But then again you also have boobs" he added. I laughed and thanked him.

"You should try and sleep now." I said getting up from the bed.

"Dawn...stay" he said turning over

. "Ryan, I promised my fiancé I'd"

"Stay" he interrupted me as he sat up moving closer to me.

"This really isn't professional." I said as he covered my hand with his.

"Stay." He said his face inches from mine.

"Alright." I said settling against the pillow as he laid his head on my abdomen.

"I won't tell if you won't." He said to me placing a hand on my stomach.

"Deal" I said running a hand into his crazy hair. I had just signed my deal with the devil.

Notes