The Maze To Your Heart

I sat there smiling at my boyfriend who was preparing for his All-Star Interview. It was an interview that they gave asking for their thoughts on them being voted to play. The funny thing that happened for Kristopher though was that he wasn't even on the ballot. I guess some dedicated, loving fans kept putting his name down. In the end the NHL asked him if he would play and he was estatic.

"So, Kris All Star Letang, how do you like the name?" The man had asked. He had some papers in his hands. We were in the arena, but in one of the secluded office spaces. There were a couple of people around here, they were part of this man's film crew or company.

Kristopher pursed his lips. "I don't really like it at all." He admitted modestly. The two shared a small laugh.

"So, Kris Letang is what you prefer?" He asked surprisingly.

"Yup." Kris assured as he took off his hat to fix his hair a little. He ruffled it around before putting his cap on backwards, as usual. This look was a casual him. "I'm still the same guy I was before. I don't want anyone think different of me." He smiled honestly. I knew that's what he tried to focus on.

I did figure that if Magnon, Elliot or any of the others saw this interview, they'd think differently. I know how he was a little, 'too busy' for them. It wasn't that, he was just so busy. I do have to argue the fact that he had enough time for me. To him, I was his priority from what it seemed.

"Staying down to earth is always a good thing." The man said agreeing. "People have wondered if you ever look at the stats or do you follow them?" He asked as he looked down at his papers for a few moments before looking up at Kristopher.

Kristopher just shrugged. "No, I don't look at them at all. People wil try to tell me, but I don't usually pay attention to it. What helps though is that my girlfriend, she won't let me see them either. Brooksy and her always say, 'Just play the game and hone your skills and it will come to you.' I like to go by that motto a lot. They're my two biggest inspirations." He had told the man, who's name I have yet to know. I felt him tugging at my heart when he had said that. I inspired him to play the game he loved.

"It's been said that your girlfriend is Mavel Maze: one of the big contributors to the Canadian Women's National Hockey Team at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver. Is that true? I mean it's understandable that she can be a huge influence and inspiration if she is. She's arguably one of the best female hockey players right now." He had ranted. Couldn't this not be about me? The man had glanced over at me as I observed. This was about Kristopher getting well-deserved credit for his amazing hockey play. This was him time to shine.

Instead of him pushing the topic away, he happily laughed about it. "Well whether she was a hockey player or not, I think she would be a huge influence no matter what. And yes, if you're wondering, she is my girlfriend." He embraced a moment like this. He was a confusing guy to understand.

The man smiled. "Yeah, you're absolutely right. So tell me a little more how Brooks Orpik has helped your play develop on and off the ice." The guy had started.

Watching the interview was fun, though it didn't last very long after that. I had enjoyed some of Kristopher's witty comments along with some of his answers.

I looked over at the two after the camera was done rolling. "Thanks for the interview, Kris." The man had said shaking his hand. The two soon walked towards me.

"Oh-- Josh, this is my girlfriend Mavel." Kris had said introducing me. I smiled and politely shook his hand.

"Nice to meet you. So how's the hockey coming along?" The man had unintentionally asked. I bit the inside of my lip. It was such a bad habbit. The look on his face was priceless, to be honest. He was waiting for an answer, that I just didn't know how to answer.

"I'm currently injured." Was all I managed to get out. I assumed he got the hint because he awkwardly nodded his head and Kristopher was busy trying not to laugh.

"Well, I hope you feel better." He politely added. "She's beautiful, you're a very lucky guy." Josh had said to Kristopher who smiled happily. God, I couldn't get over how he looked right now. He was just so, hot. That was the only way to describe it. Jeans, a great shirt that had some brand name on it and his Penguins hat.

"Yes I am." He replied.

"I better get going though. Good luck at the All-Star Game. It was nice to meet you, Mavel." Josh had said before turning to his crew. They started to clean up their some what of a mess.

"Can we just spend time together now?" I said playfully pouting. He just laughed at me and threw his arm around my waist. He pulled me closer to him and he led me out of the building.

* * *

January 1st, the day Sidney had suffered his concussion. I haven't seen him since. He had been busy; healing. I knew the procedures he had to go through. I was in his position before. I watched him as he look on ward to the empty ice. He sat there in the stands; just thinking. I could see some distress in his facial expression. I decided to join him.

I walked down to ice-level almost to go say hello. It's been over a month. His attention was still onto the ice, or maybe somewhere else that I couldn't pick up. I took a seat right next to him on the chair beside him. He turned his head to me.

"Mavel." He croaked out. His dark brown, almost black hair and dark drown eyes were still the same. His masculine body was still the same old. His aura was just more dampening.

I smiled. "Sidney, it's been a while hasn't it? I hope you're feeling alright. I can understand your emotions right now. I went through the same thing." I said to try comfort him. He just looked down to his feet and took off his baseball cap to ruffle his hair. His little sigh was a huge hint.

"It's horrible. I feel like I could be doing something more for the guys and all." He said speaking his mind. I looked at him, but he didn't dare to look me in the eyes.

"You're doing all you can do right now and that's getting better." I told him. He didn't even move or reply. It was silent.

"Do you ever think of going back?" He asked out of nowhere. I didn't even know what he was talking about. His head turned to me to face me, finally. My eyebrows furrowed.

"What?" I asked.

"--Playing hockey again. Do you ever think of trying to play again?" He asked intrigued. I was frozen. I knew the answer, but I didn't want to tell him what I was really wanting to say.

I have dreamt every single night, day and second since the accident. It was the one goal that I haven't been able to achieve. It was a risky choice that I had secretly wanted to take. What was stopping me though? There was nothing really. It wasn't Kristopher, my family, nor any of my injuries. Now that you think of it. I'm just scared.

I took a breath. "Sidney, you don't know how much I have wanted to play. It's been forever-- but I'm just scared." I admitted. He stared at me intensily.

"Scared of what, Mavel?" He had asked. I grew to be good friends with Sidney, but we never had serious conversations with each other. I never had serious conversations with anyone. I didn't have someone I could to to about this; not even Kristopher. Now it felt like a load has been lifted off my shoulders and it felt great.

"I'm scared that I won't be the same. I won't be able to play as good. What if I let everyone down? Then what, do I just retire?" I kept asking rhetorical questions. I was slightly mad, but I attempted to hide it.

His brown eyes were staring in my green eyes. "Mavel, do you want to play hockey again?" He repeated yet again. Why did his facial expressions have to be so hard to read?

I was quiet. "Yes-yes, I want to play hockey again." I managed to say. He just stood up and smiled. He got up to the aisle and head up the stairs.

"Are you coming?" He said as he turned around. I was looking up at him confused.

I followed him. "What are we doing?" I asked confused. We ended up in the corridor and we walked through we passed offices and medical rooms. I seen some of the guys, but no Kristopher. I didn't spend too much time with him when we were at the arena. He was usually busy with hockey.

"I'm going to teach you to play hockey again." He stated as we left the huge arena. We came upon a black SUV, which I knew was his. He opened the doors for me and we drove off.

Damn it, Kristopher will be looking for me and I know it.

* * *

"Is this really necessary?" I whined to Sidney who was leaning over the boards to watch me skate. He had wanted to make sure I knew how to skate, 'properly.' Sidney had taken me to some arena he knew of. He wanted to me my personal coach. I had my equipment on and everything. He wasn't allowed to skate, courtesy of his medical staff so he just coached over the boards.

He laughed. "Yes it is, now skate." I got onto the ice and I just realized: it's been almost a year now. A year since I've skated. I was dusty I know that for sure. I needed to get back into shape again. But, was I really doing this? Not consulting anyone, hardly Sidney either.

"Okay, I'm skating. Now what, Coach?" I said jokingly. This arena was so secluded, though there were guys running it. It was just us two in here.

"Just shoot around and skate. I just want to observe right now. A coach, I like the way that sounds. Okay, I am now Coach Captain Canada." He said jokingly. He had his track suit on.

"Shut up, Sid." I said sternly and he rose his hands back in surrender. "My knee feels a little different, but it feels a good different." I told him as I took long strides to stretch it out.

Soon enough I was having a blast out on the ice. I missed it so much. I think Sidney could tell from my expressions. My horrid dancing was a hint too. I was happy dancing on the ice. It was something I used to always do in hockey. It's been my thing since I could remember.

"Come here," Sidney ordered. I skated over. "There's a little part messed up on your helmet. What a classic Easton mistake." He said grinning. I hit him playfully as I sat down to let him fix it.

His face was close to mine. Our eyes didn't really meet. I just watched him fix the little button part on the side of my helmet. I could feel his breath on my face. He finished and he stared at me. I just stared back at him. Our eyes were both scanning each other's. His brown hair was still in a hat hair style, due to the fact that he had wore his hat all morning. He moved his hand to my cheek, and he moved his lips closer to mine. I felt myself move in before pushing him away.

"I have a boyfriend, Sidney." I told him sternly and he knew that I did too. "What I have with Kristopher is amazing. I wouldn't toss it away for anything." I told him as he backed off a respectable distance.

He sighed slightly. "I knew, Mavel. I'm definitely jealous of him." He said to me as he had a smirk playing off his pink lips.

"Can you get ready to take me home?" I asked. I just needed to get away from him for a little while. I could barely process what had just happened. Had I actually wanted to kiss him? No I didn't. It was a spur of the moment thing.

"Sure."

* * *

I pulled my phone out of my bag to find that I had two missed calls and one text from Kristopher. Inside I felt guilt pouring through. Was it right that I had come here alone with Sidney? I don't know, but it sort of felt like it was. Should I tell Kristopher what Sidney tried to pull? I don't know, it may ruin the team relationship.

I decided to call Kris. It rang three times before being answered. "Mavel! Where are you?" He asked through the cell phone.

"Sidney took me out to eat some lunch." I said lying to him. I knew that by telling him this lie, I was stuck with it. God, Mavel why do you have to be so stupid sometimes?

"Oh?" Was all he said.

"Yeah, where are you?" I asked trying to change the subject.

"At home now. I was looking for you at the arena, but I decided to come home thinkinG you went out somewhere." He said to me. I kept walking around this small change room. It had benches all around the perimeter. It had a door that had led to showers too.

"Sorry, but I'll be home in like twenty minutes."

"Alright."

* * *

I walked in through the door in a hurry. "Kristopher!" I called as I put my hockey bag down by the door. I took off my shoes and jacket at the door.

"I'm in the bed room!" I heard a very faded voice yell knowing that it was Kris.

I walked up the stairs to find him laying in the bed wearing shorts and a shirt. He was watching some sitcom. I didn't recognize it right off the bat. I went in crawled into the bed and laid next to him. He put his arm around me as I snuggled into him.

"So, where did you eat out?" Kristopher asked, hardly paying attention.

"Primantis." I rushed out. It was the first restaurant that came to mind, mostly because that's where the team liked to eat a lot.

"Oh nice." Was all he said. He was hardly paying attention to me.

Kris had turned over and decided he wanted to be frisky. He moved his body so that he hovered over me. I just smirked happily. His heavy, but toned body was on top of mine. He leaned down so that he could kiss me and just as he was about-- I pulled away.

"What's wrong?" He asked.

"I need to tell you something." I said awkwardly. His mood changed greatly. He got off me and stared at me intensily as we were now sitting next to each other on the edge of his bed.

"What is it?" He asked trying to get to the point.

"At the arena I was talking to Sidney about our injuries. We went to the arena in Morrison. Kristopher I'm planning a come back." I said before pausing deciding how to phrase what I had next. "I was just practicing at the arena. You know shooting around and what not. Sid was fixing me helmet for me and he leaned in to kiss me--" I said before getting cut off by a furious Kristopher Letang.

"Mavel, I can't believe you!" He yelled angrily.

"Kristopher! I didn't even get to finish what I was saying." I told him and he decided to calm down. "He leaned in to kiss me and I pushed him away. I told him that I wasn't going to cheat on you because I didn't want to ruin our relationship. He was understanding and then after that I asked for a ride back home." I said explaining the rest of the story.

He smiled and he came closer to me and he crashed his lips into mine. I kissed him back, just like it was our first; nine years ago. Everytime him and I touched, I still got the tingles and butterflies. We rolled onto his comfortable bed. Our lips moved together as his tongue joined my mouth. In a summary, we made out on his bed.

We broke apart. "Mavel, I love you." He said to me as he kissed my cheek.

"I love you too. Please don't get angry at Sidney though, Kristopher." I asked pleading for him to agree and he just rolled his eyes.

"Yeah." He said unconvincingly. Kristopher and I were now laying on the bed together.

"Fine, I promise. If he tries to touch you again. I'm not making any promises." He said haggling for a better offer.

"Alright." I agreed.

"Now tell me about this come back thing you mentioned." He said.

Notes