The Captains

After the convention, Jon and I didn't do much for a few weeks. We spent most of our time going to the Lake Michigan beach, walking around in Lincoln Park and Millennium Park, going to the Cubs and White Sox games, hanging out with Patrick, Cassie, and Scarlette, and just lounging around our apartment. About three weeks after the convention, Jon's dad called and asked us to come up to Winnipeg. We didn't have anything better to do, (not that we would've said no) so we went. Jon wanted to spend about two weeks there, which meant leaving two days after Jon's dad invited us. The two of us packed our things and started getting everything ready. Jon bought the plane tickets while I looked for out passports. Since we were going for two weeks, I stuffed my biggest suitcase and a Vera Bradley duffle bag I'd use as my carry-on. Jon would only be bringing a medium sized suitcase that wasn't even completely filled. Men. The next day, we went to go see Patrick and Cassie. The two of us got ready and then drove to their house. When we got there, we found them getting lunch ready.
"Hey guys!" Cassie said, wiping Scarlette's face.
"Hey Cas." I said, walking over to her and giving her a hug.
"I need to put her down for a nap, then we should be ready to eat." she said.
"I can do it if you want me to." I said
"I'll help." Jon said, coming over to us after talking to Patrick for a minute.
"Thanks guys." she said, already doing something else. Jon picked Scarlette up from her high chair and we brought her back to her room. He shushed her and bounced her until she was asleep. He laid her down in her crib, turned on the baby monitor. We stayed in there for a few minutes and made she sure she was asleep.
"You're pretty good at that." I said, resting my head against his shoulder.
"Hopefully it'll work on our kid." he said. My head shot up and I stiffened.
"Jon." I said
"Sorry." he said back. We agreed a while back not to talk about having kids because I felt uncomfortable with the whole topic. Its never been something I've wanted to experience or whatever. We grabbed the baby monitor and left Scarlette's room then joined Patrick and Cassie again in their kitchen. The food was all ready so the four of us fixed our plates and went out to their deck to eat. When we were finished, we stayed outside and talked for a while longer. About an hour later, we heard Scarlette crying through the baby monitor. That's when Jon and I left. We drove back to the apartment and got our last few things for the trip ready. We watched TV for a little while and then went to bed pretty early, our flight was pretty early.
**********
The next morning, my alarm went off at 5:00 a.m. I quickly turned it off so I wouldn't wake Jon up. I needed more time to get ready. I went to the bathroom and jumped in the shower. When I got out, I put on a t-shirt and nike shorts. I let my hair air dry and put on a little makeup. After that, I quietly went to the kitchen and started some coffee. When it was going, I went back to our room and shook Jon softly until he woke up.
"Hey Jon, its time to get up. We need to be at the airport in an hour." I said when he opened his eyes. He sat up and gave me a quick kiss before standing. Before he claimed the bathroom for his shower, I got all of my things I needed for the morning and packed them in my suitcase. Jon then went and took his shower. I took all of my bags from our bedroom and put them next to the door. I went back to my room and got my phone charger, earphones, wallet, phone and sunglasses and put them in my Kavu backpack. I then grabbed one of Jon's hoodie and slipped it on. I was ready, and just had to wait for Jon. I got a mug and filled it with the freshly brewed coffee. I sat on my couch and sipped on it until he was ready. When he was, I got up and rinsed out my cup, grabbed the boarding passes from the counter, and then we left. Jon put alll of our bags into the trunk of his car. We got in and drove to the airport. Jon found a good parking spot and we got out, got our bags and went inside. We checked our bags in, went through security and then found a place to eat breakfast near our gate. The place had a few pretty comfortable couches so we hung out there until it was time to board the plane. We heard the announcement over the intercom that first class would begin boarding. We grabbed our carry-on bags and made our way to the line. The attendant scanned our tickets and we got on the plane. I let Jon sit on the inside so people wouldn't stop and stuff when they were walking down the aisle. He turned his head to look out of the window so really no one could see his face. After about 30 minutes, the plane was pulling out and heading to the runway. When we were in the air and able to turn electronics back on, I put in my ear-buds and turned my music on. Jon put his arm around me and I leaned into him and fell asleep a little after. He woke me up when we would be landing soon. Not long after that, we were off the plane and headed towards baggage claim. Luckily, ours were some of the first out so we were able to catch a shuttle for the rental car place without standing in a long line. The car we got was once again, a big Cadillac Escalade. We put our suitcases in the trunk and then made our way to Jon's childhood home.
"You must really like these things." I said while we were on the way
"They're pretty nice." He said. About 10 minutes later, we pulled into the driveway of his house. We got out of the car and made our way around the house into the backyard, where Jon's mother, father, and brother were talking at a table. David, Jon's brother, was the first person to see us since he was facing the way we came in. He got up and came over to us, his parents following.
"I've been waiting to meet you." David said to me after hugging Jon.
"I'm Chelsea." I said to him. He pulled me into a quick hug.
"Its great to meet you." he said. Then, Jon's dad Bryan came and put his arm around me.
"Good to see you again Chelsea." he said, giving me a hug.
"Its been too long." I said in return. Then his mother, Andree, came over to me and pulled me into a very tight hug.
"You're even more beautiful than the last time we saw each other." she said
"Oh stop." I said, blushing and smiling. The 5 of us sat down at the table outside and caught up for a little while before going inside for a late lunch. After eating, Jon and I talked a little more with them before going to our hotel. We got checked in and went up to our room. Jon and I just watched TV and rested for the remainder of the day, ordering room service for dinner. I ended up falling asleep pretty early, I was pretty exhausted from the long day.
*****************
The next day, I woke up to the sound of a coffee pot brewing and a sink running. I inhaled the sweet smell of the coffee and rolled out of bed. I found Jon at the bathroom sink wearing just a towel and spreading shaving cream all over his face. I came up behind him and wrapped my arms tightly around him.
"Don't shave." I said
"What?" he asked with a chuckle, then turned so we were now facing each other.
"I like your scruff." I said, getting a hand towel and wiping the shaving creme off.
"Alright then, no shaving." he said. I laughed a little and then buried my head in his bare chest.
"Go be getting ready. We're gonna go explore all of my childhood haunts today." he said
"Childhood haunts?" I asked
"Joking, but I'm showing you around." he said. I then went to my suitcase and picked out some clean clothes and got everything I'd need for my shower. I quickly ran through it and got out, only realizing I'd forgotten a towel. The hotel put them in the cabinet under the sink, outside of where the shower was. I opened the door and peaked my head around the door.
"Jon?" I called out. He came around the corner and was brushing his teeth. He raised his eyebrows.
"Can you get me a towel?" I asked. He then proceeded to pull off the one he was wearing, exposing his naked body.
"Jon, as good as you look, I'd rather have a clean towel. The risk of getting staff infection from hotel towels is greater than at your own house so I'd rather not increase that risk by using yours." I said
"So you're saying I have germs?" he asked, reaching under the sink to get me the towel.
"I'm saying everyone does, we all have staff bacteria and strep bacteria all over us, so yes." I said, taking the towel and wrapping it around my body.
"I love it when you talk medical." he said. I just laughed and dried off and got dressed. I then did my makeup and dried my hair. Jon and I then left the hotel and got breakfast before starting our day in Winnipeg. We drove around the city, Jon pointing out all of his favorite places to go as a kid. We ate lunch at his favorite diner and then went to Kildonan park. We walked on the paths before finding a gazebo with a bench and sitting down for a while. When it was around 4 p.m., we left and went back to Jon's car and drove to his parents house again for a barbecue. We went inside and I found Andree in the kitchen preparing everything. David and Bryan were outside at the grill. Jon grabbed a beer and went outside with his dad and brother. I stayed inside and helped Andree get everything ready.
"Chelsea, you know Jon really loves you." she said, making me smile.
"I've never felt happier with anyone else." I said in return
"Jon hasn't looked at anyone else the way he looks at you." she said
"What are your thoughts on marriage?" she asked. I paused for a few seconds to gather my thoughts.
"Well about 2 years ago, I made a promise to myself that I'd have to be dating the person for at least a year before getting engaged." I said
"I think that's very smart of you." she said
"thanks, Andree." I said with a smile. We finished getting stuff together while the guys finished grilling. A few of Jon's close family friends came over and I got to know them a little bit. After dinner and everyone was gone, Jon wanted to go on a walk. The sun was low in the sky and it felt really nice out, so I agreed. We walked around his neighborhood and we found a playground. We walked up to and I got on the swing-set and Jon started pushing me. When I was going pretty high, he told me to jump out, like he did the one time we were in Pittsburgh.
"I'll break something this time." I said
"C'mon, Chels!" he said
"My insurance won't cover it in Canada!" I said
"Don't worry about it!" he said.
"Fine Jon." I said. I went back one more time and then forward again, and jumped out towards Jon. I hit him and then we fell, and as soon as we hit the ground, I felt something in my leg that didn't feel right. It didn't feel right at all.
"Fuck Jon!" I said clutching my leg. The pain pulsed through it and it hurt really, really bad. When I fell, my leg twisted funny under Jon's weight and my weight at the knee. I gently pressed around on the spot to see if I could feel where it was broken. Being a physical therapist gave me some benefits. My leg was definitely broken.
"Fuck you Jon." I said cringing.
"Is it broken?" he asked
"Yeah! Call your mom to come pick us up." I said. Jon got out his phone and called someone to come pick us up. About 5 minutes later, his dad pulled up. Jon picked me up and carefully and put me in the back seat. Jon got in the front and his dad quickly drove us to the nearest hospital. When we got there, Bryan pulled up to the emergency room entrance and Jon quickly carried me in. The nurse gave us paperwork and we were let in as soon as we were done filling it out.
"Don't put your insurance stuff down, I'll just pay for it." I said when Jon got to that part
"No, it was my fault and I'm letting you pay for it." he said
"But I can take care of it." I said
"I can take care of it more, you know, profession hockey player here." he said
"Whatever Jon." I said. A nurse came out with a wheel chair and Jon set me in it and then I was taken back to an x-ray room. They put the vest over me and helped me stand. They took to x-ray and then rolled me to an examination room. They brought the x-ray picture in when it was developed and a doctor came in and showed me where it was broken. They decided I didn't need a plaster cast, but just a brace. They also gave me crutches and set me up for an appointment before I left Winnipeg. A nurse put the brace on and helped to stand up on my crutches. The nurse walked with me while I hobbled out to the waiting room and found Jon and his dad. Jon worked out the insurance for payment and then we left. We stopped by his parents house to get our things and then drove back to the hotel. When we got there and were on the elevator, Jon stood against one wall and I against the other. He crossed his arms and gave me a smirk and he got some glares from me.
"I hate you." I said
"You love me." he said
"You are a mean man Jonny Toews." I said as the door opened for us to get out. He was going to step out before me, but I popped one of my crutches out and stopped him then stepped out before him and walked towards the room. He of course beat me there though, which made him laugh. We went inside and I clumsily laid down on the bed. I couldn't bend my right leg at all due to the brace, and it would really hurt. He helped me change into more comfortable clothes and we watched TV on the bed for while. I laid flat and he was using my stomach as a pillow.
"You know what this means right?" I asked him
"What" he said
"You're gonna have to help me shower and get dressed." I said
"I'm okay with that." he said
"But it also means no sex." I said
"Why not?" he asked
"One, you made me break my leg, and two, my leg is broken. How do expect that to work?" I said.
"Fine." he said. A little later, we turned the TV off and went to sleep.
*************
Jon and I spent the next few just getting used to my new condition. I kept bothering him about it and making him feel bad. I didn't mind too much since I wasn't working, and I would be healed by the time the season started.

When I was pretty used to walking on the crutches, Jon and David wanted to go golfing. I didn't want to spend all day outside, so I went with. We went by Jon's parents' house to get their clubs and we drove to the course. David went and rented the golf cart and drove it back to us. He sat in the back with the clubs while Jon drove and I sat in the passenger seat. Jon and David golfed while I watched and enjoyed the weather. When they were at the 9th hole, my phone started ringing and Sidney's contact showed up.
"Sidney!" I said when he picked up
"Hey Chelsea," he said
"What's up?" I said
"Not much. I was wondering though, are you at a gold course in Winnipeg?" he asked
"Uh yeah, why?" I asked
"Are you wearing a blue t-shirt?" he asked
"I sure am" I said
"Well turn around" he said. I turned the best I could and then saw Sid in the golf cart about 20 feet behind me
"Sid!" I said. He got up from the cart and jogged over to me. I set my crutches on the ground and was about to stand up.
"Here, just let me help you." he said. He took the crutches and set them up against the golf cart. He held me by my fore-arms and pulled me up, bringing me into a tight hug, picking me up slightly.
"What're you doing here?" I asked
"Visiting some friends, but what happened to you?" he asked, keeping a hold on me but pulling out of the hug.
"I was on a swing-set, jumped out, Jon and I fell funny and yeah."
"Did he tell you to jump?" he asked
"Yeah." I said
"So it was his fault?" he said
"Sidney." I said condescendingly.
"Well I mean," he said with a scoff.
"It was an accident." I said. Then, Jon and David walked over.
"I can hold her." Jon said, wrapping his arm under my shoulders and holding my weight.
"So you did this to her?" he asked
"We fell." Jon said coldly.
"You told her jump." Sid said just as cool.
"It's no big deal." I said
"It is a big deal, you got hurt because of him." Sid said
"It can happen to anyone." Jon said
"I would've never risked it." Sid said
"You risked her, and look where that got you." Jon said
"Jon." I snapped
"I'll see you later Chelsea." Sid said, turning away. I grabbed his shoulder.
"No. Look at me Sidney." I said harshly. He turned back around.
"Listen to me, the both of you." I said, looking between Jon and him.
"You guys are going to start getting along. It isn't fair to me to have you guys constantly going at each other. You don't have to like each other, but you're not going to bicker around me. You don't even have to talk to each other around me, but you're going to get along. Since you both love me, you can do enough to be civil with one another, understood?" I said. I got nods from the both of them.
"I'll see you , Chelsea." Sid said again, this time me letting him go. He got back into his golf cart and him and the person he was with took a different path. Jon helped me sit back down and him and David got back in the golf cart and we drove to the next hole, then finishing the course. When we got done, Jon and I drove back to the hotel and hung out there for a while. Jon went down the street and got a pizza for us for dinner. After we ate, we watched TV and talked until we fell asleep.
********
The rest of our time in Winnipeg, I wasn't able to do much. I did as much as I could with him, but if there was something I couldn't do, I would stay in the hotel room or go over to Jon's house and hang out with Andree. Sidney and I met for lunch a few days, and I had my doctor's appointment. They said my leg was doing well and was on the right healing track. They called a doctor in Chicago for me and set up an appointment for it. Jon and I spent our last night in Winnipeg at a nice restaurant with his family that overlooked the city. The next morning, we got and flew back to Chicago, where I was glad to be home.

Notes

Done! Really hope this isn't boring you guys. I'm hoping to get caught up to the 2014-15 season during the off-season, I'm tired of being behind. I'm considering skipping the 2013 season until the Finals, so tell me what you think about that (I'll have a chapter about it just won't be long and detailed) and I'll have some chapters in the lockout. I may also skim over the 2013-14 season until the playoffs. Just let me know!! Thanks for reading!!

***2014-15 SCHEDULE BEING ANNOUNCED SUNDAY JUNE 22ND***