FLASHBACK

"Babe. Aren't you hanging out with Jon today?" Rachel asked coming back to the living room. It was an off day, a Sunday and also my birthday.
"I guess. He said he's picking me up. I think we're going to go watch a game or something."
"That sounds like fun. My day consists of babysitting and maybe hanging with the girls. Tell Jon I say hi." She said heading to get changed. No, of course I didn't say that I wanted to spend my day with her and not Jon, no I hadn't even mentioned my birthday, nobody had. Maybe she didn't actually know, I thought to myself.
"Yo Kaner, let me in." Jon said knocking on the door.
"Hey." I said looking up.
"Ready to head out? "
"Why not." I said unenthusiastically and grabbed my coat and wallet before following Jon out to the car.
"Why the long face?" Jon asked as we drove away from my building.
"Just a little bummed."
"Hmmm?"
"I think Rachel forgot my birthday. It's nothing but it kinda sucks ya know."
"Shoot! It's your birthday?" Jon said wide eyed. "Just kidding. Awee give her a bit of a break. It's been a bit stressful for her I'm sure she didn't mean to forget."
"Right." I chucked. "I need a beer."
"You sure you're old enough for that? The legal age in America is 21 for your information."
"Shut up." I said shaking my head as we pulled into the sports bar. We ordered wings and beer and watched the Pittsburgh, Bruins game.
"Man it feels like yesterday when we used to do this all the time." Jon chuckled.
"Then girls happened." I said.
"Then the right girls happened." He corrected.
"And then Bella happened. God I feel so old."
"Wow, you're in worse shape than I thought. You should probably go see a doctor if you're having those kind of thoughts." Jon joked.
"And then they'd prescribe me what?" He raised his eyebrows. "Haha never, I'll always be great. " I said laughing shaking my head.
"I'll have to ask Rach in 40 years what she thinks." Jon said laughing.
"God. Stop talking." I said laughing.
"Stop moping then."
"Ughhh fine. But only because I have another birthday next year."
"Good. Now let's watch the rest of this game. We play both teams in the next two weeks. "
"Alright." I said sipping my beer. We stayed for another couple hours. The Penguins ended up wining 4-3 in a shootout. Crosby had been the only one to score, typical Crosby I thought.
"Where to next Jonny boy?" I asked as we paid the bill and headed back to his car. He was looking at his phone.
"Oh, right sorry. A friend invited me to a party you in."
"A party? It's only like 4 in the afternoon!"
"So, it's your birthday." He said shrugging.
"You are weird." I said laughing. "Why not, it's better than spending the day alone. "
"Perfect. I think it's going to be fun Great location too."
"Yeah?"
"Yah that rooftop club. Apparently they got the place rented out and everything. You want to swing by your place and change? I'm going like this."
"Nah, I'm good.."
"Plus you can probably invite Rachel too. I'm sure Ellie will look after Bella, then atleast you can maybe get some action on your big day."
"I'll give her a call. Good idea."
"Hey Rach."
"So you up for a party? Nope we're going right now."
"Oh you're still with the girls. I really wanted to spend time with you today."
"I guess tomorrow we can go out."
"Yah. Don't worry about it. I'll see you at home later. Have fun at the spa.
"Yup love you too, bye."
"She's not coming."
"It was last minute. Plus I can't say anything after all it was Amanda who dragged her off to the spa in the first place."
"Yah you suck." I said pouting. "Lets go party." I said, and he put the car in drive.

END FLASHBACK

"Wait. So I didn't even remember your birthday, and I blew you off for the spa? Like a spa? The hell, I sound terrible." Rach said eyes wide staring at me as we talked on the bed.
"I wasn't finished." I said laughing. "Stop interrupting." I winked and dove back into the story.
FLASHBACK

"Thanks." Jon said handing his keys to the valet.
"It's nothing Mr. Toews., Mr. Kane. Go on right up." We nodded and made our way to the elevator.
"We could get in anywhere, no invites or anything. This must be a fairly open party." I said chuckling as we pressed the button we needed.
"Yah, my friends made sure we'd get in."
"Right." We got off the elevator and made our way to the "bouncer" type person.
"Hey." Jon said walking up to the door.
"Ahhh Mr. Toews, we were informed you were coming. Go ahead…Mr. Kane. He said nodding and smiling as he opened the rope for us and we pushed the door open.
"Jon, there's no one here." I said as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. Sure there were a few coats, but no people.
"Haha right." He chuckled. "Where are you looking I see tons of people."
"I think it's time for you to get those eyes of yours checked."
"RIght. anyways this is just the reception part, the party is on the other side, you door." Jon said shaking his head.
"Oh. I didn't know." I said shrugging as we walked towards the other set of doors.
"I know. It was funny." Jon said laughing.
"I'll remember this." I said giving him a joking glare.
"That you will." He said grinning. "Go ahead." He said pushing me through the door.
"SURPRISE!" Shit I thought as I was met with my friends and family's smiling faces.
"I'm going to F-ing kill you Jon." I laughed as he came through the door, acting all innocent. I greeted everyone, I mean everyone was there. A lot of my family had made their way down. My oldest friends also made the trip. Then there came the Blackhawks, everyone was here.
"Yo. Amanda where's Rach at?"
"Ahh right. She went home, wasn't feeling good, she said not to worry."
"That or she's right behind you." I heard a familiar voice causing me to smile.
"I hope it's the second option." I said chuckling, and wrapping her up in a hug. "You totally had me fooled." I said giving her a few quick kisses.
"That was the plan." She giggled softly.
"You did all this didn't you?"
"I had help of course." She said grinning.
"Hmmmm let me guess, Jonny?"
"Maybe." She said innocently.
"Well thank you." I said twirling her around.
"Your welcome, now grab a drink and hang out with your friends. I hope you don't mind I had to ask your mom about all your friends."
"Ahhh, I think I'll get over it. Love ya babe." I said smiling as I headed over to socialize with my eldest friends.
"I like her." Markone of my oldest friends said as I walked up to the circle of guys I used to hang with all the time.
"Yah, she's cool Pat." Mike another one of my friends said patting me on the back. "You are one lucky bastard to have scored that. Sweet, caring, and fucking sexy as hell."
"Oh I'm aware." I said grinning as Rach was laughing at something Sharpie had said.
"Thanks for you know keeping us updated on the whole kid situation!" Mark said. "Had to find out from the TV."
"Uhhh.. sorry." I said pulling a face. "It's been a stressful few months. You should of come to Thanksgiving." I said winking. "Nahhh we didn't want to tell many people before we got used to it. It's only been a couple of months. I was going to bring her around for Christmas, but hey this works."
"We're just giving you shit man. Your sisters showed us some pictures. We were just waiting for you to tell us. " Mike said clapping my shoulder.
"I'm going to ignore the fact that my sisters have been hanging out with you." I said shaking my head. "Just know I will hear everything." I said glaring at my Buffalo friends, before laughing. "No seriously."
"Yah, yah we got it. Sooooo how'd you and the missus meet?"
"Well… I met her where I normally meet girls, but under different circumstances."
"So you met her at a club." Mark said rolling his eyes.
"Duhh, where else does he pick up girls?" Derek said laughing.
"Good point."
"Atleast I have one," I said sipping my beer.
"Yes, only Pat would go to a club with one girl, and leave with another that will end up his true love."
"How the hell is she with you. I mean dude she's like a 12 and well you, you're…" I slugged him jokingly on the shoulder.
"Stop checking her out!"
"Oh, Pat. You shouldn't have gotten such a smoking girlfriend. I'm surprised that all the guys have't made any moves on her."
"You have no idea." I exclaimed. "She never had to pay for a drink when we went out last year."
"Speaking of the devil." I felt her coming behind me before she wrapped her arms around me.
"Food's ready boys." She said pointing towards the full tables of food. They all left, going to fill their plates.
"So you like my surprise?" She asked grinning.
"Love it. "
"I've got a few more presents, but we are opening them after. "
"Are we?" I said grinning. "I want to open them now." I said fake pouting.
"Nope." She said leaning down and whispering something in my ear. Damn this girl doesn't know what she does to me, I thought putting my mind back on to the food getting the image of my girlfriend walking away after all that out of my head.
END FLASHBACK

"Well then what happened? Anything interesting after the dinner?"
"Nahh, it was just your typical party. Music, food, friends and lots of fun." I said grinning.
"Did you atleast like my presents?"
"Yes." I said smiling. "You could tell you knew me. You got me a watch, as I was complaining and admiring one for like a month. Same with the coat, I was procrastinating on going shopping for one. Then you got me the photo over there developed and framed, and well threw me the party. "
"But that's not it is it hubby?" She said poking me with a look on her face. "You were blushing telling the story. I better have made that birthday memorable."
"Oh you did believe me. I still have the picture on my phone."
"Ahaha that isn't something I would usually do." She said looking at the picture. "You must have had some sort of power over me or something." She said laughing. "I never put in that much effort with Mike. Well atleast the years I remember."
"Right well… are you ready for tonight?"
"Changing the topic huh? Wouldn't have anything to do with me being in your bed talking about how I seduced you on your birthday?" She said grinning. "But yes I should be fine tonight."
"Nope not it at all. Just wanted to know how you were adjusting." Not a complete lie I thought to myself.
"Right." She said laughing. "You must be dying right now. I got him." She said getting out of the bed.
"Comme on lets go see daddy. I think he needs you as a distraction."
"Daddy would love nothing more." I said giving him a kiss. "But daddy has to go to morning skate." I said pouting.
"Oh, right." She said. "Do you want some food, or you going to eat after."
"Well, I'm tight for time. Got lost in telling that story. We can eat after. Do you want to come?"
"Nah, I'm good." She said smiling. "Go practice. I'll watch the kids."
"Alright, love ya both." I said smiling before running down to the car.
**
"Dude, you got to stop being late. You remind me of like 21 year old you."
"I'm like five minutes late, give it a rest Jonny." I said laughing. "21 year old me you would have to have given Coach the he's not feeling good this morning card."
"True. So how's the wife?"
"She's great, but it's so friggin hard to take a step back and not even touch her. Like I can get away with a small hug. A hug." I said pouting.
"Haha this is so killing you." Jon said laughing. "I'm proud of you though man."
"Yah. I'll be fine. But damn I just want to kiss my wife."
"So where's she at?"
"Home. Probably sleeping. She didn't get much sleep last night. Or looking after the kids, only mini me was up."
"I'd say you're making progress. She totally let you sleep with her last night. Well in the bed atleast otherwise you wouldn't have come in here pouting about not being able to kiss her." Jon said laughing.
"Yah I guess. She seems more comfortable, less rigid around me. She loves my family, well for a second time, and they never stopped loving her so I think that was nice for all of them last night. She's laughing, and joking around too so it's looking positive yes."
"I'm happy for ya. It's been too long, and I missed my best friends."
"I'm aware. Let's go play some hockey, so I can get back home." I chuckled and we joined some of the others on the ice.
**
"Damn babe. You're looking good in that jersey." I said looking at the jersey with my last name, and her number.
"I thought you'd like it. I figured I should wear my actual jersey tonight."
"Yes. Good idea, plus you look f-ing hot. I missed seeing this."
"Meh, nothing special but thanks. I'm sure you're used to seeing people in your jersey."
"Ahh but that is not my jersey." I said grinning.
"Oh. I guess your right." She said laughing. "Must have something to do with the last name or something. Ooops." I laughed. It was still so easy between me and her. Nothing even this could ever change our love for each other. Hell reading articles on the internet about this sort of thing had scared the crap out of me. Some people literally shut everything out, and changed over time due to memory loss. But Rach, well she was a bit more reserved but she was still the carefree, happy girl I had fell in love with.
"What ya thinking about?"
"You, and how well you are taking this."
"Don't get me wrong. I am scared shitless half the time. My heart tells me one thing, while my brain tells me something else. I know you were looking up things, I saw the history. The difference between me and those people is that they didn't have someone like you. Damn I crush your heart in that hospital room and the next day you try another angle to help me see you in a different light. I fucking asked for my ex, that cheated on me huh? Yet you didn't give up. Those people didn't have someone that would cal their parents and their wife's parents and get them down here as soon as possible. And the fact you got me right on the ice just proves to me how well you know me. Its the only place I can truly think, and be myself. So believe me I honestly could be freaking out right now, and shutting down like those other people but whats the point? I can tell that what we had was special, I mean we've got kids. Whats the point in becoming depressed over not knowing? I would never do that to you or anyone, not even myself. Damn I'm starting to realize just how great my life was before the accident, why give it up just because I don't remember." She said shrugging. "Oh and if you don't know, you're doing great on the whole showing me why I loved you in the first place." She said smiling.
"I love you Rach." I said giving her a hug and kissing her forehead.
"Pat, you know I do too. Somewhere deep down inside it's there. My heart knows it, frig it gets sketchy whenever you're around. I just need my brain to figure it out." She said sincerely. It wasn't the typical I love you I would have normally gotten back, but I sure as hell won't complaining. It was better than an unresponsive Rachel on a hospital bed.
"Awwwwe I make you nervous." I said chuckling.
"Yes, and my brain doesn't know why. With everyday that passes it's starting to understand why."
"And why would that be?" I asked chuckling.
"Because you're my knight in smelly hockey armour. You never gave up on me, and you're there when I need you most. From what I've seen so far you're prefect." She said grinning.
"Oh I'm far from perfect believe me. But you bring out the best in me." I said winking.
"Right, don't tell your mom it wasn't how she raised you that caused you to be who you are today." She said laughing. "Let's go drop the kids off."
"I won't tell if you don't. Which one do you want? Mini me or Bella?" I figured for sure she would take Bella, but she surprised me and picked baby Patrick.
"I don't want him to hate me forever." She said laughing like it was the most obvious thing in the world as she headed into the nursery.
**
"Ahh all my kids are here." My moms said opening the hotel room door with a huge smile on her face. "Kids, grand kids. How are we doing today?"
"I'm doing great, Rach…"
"We are doing great." She said smiling. "Now I've heard that grandma here is the best babysitter in the world."
"Well maybe not the world, that's pushing it. But definitely best in America."
"Perfect my mom can keep her Canadian title, for best babysitter." Rach said laughing.
"Come on in guys." Mom said laughing. "Any change Rach?"
"Not yet, but Pat's been going over what I'm missing."
"Yeah?"
"Yup. Apparently I threw a surprise 26th birthday for him. 21 year old me would have never done that." She chuckled.
"I remember that. You organized everything, got all the phone numbers so you could invite everyone."
"Must be true then."
"Yes it was a great night, but you kids better be off. Can't have you being late now Patrick. Rach we'll see you in the box after you're done with the face off."
"Thanks." She said smiling and handing over the sleeping baby to my mom.
"Have fun." She said waving as we left the room. Getting to the car was easy, and in merely a few minutes we were on route to the UC.
"Sooooo…how'd I end up with two kids?"
"Well….didn't your parents ever teach you about the birds and the bees?" She hit me in the shoulder.
"You know what I mean you idiot!"
"Well Bella was like a huge surprise. Your body decided not to show many of the regular symptoms, and you didn't gain much weight at all. You actually found out two months before her due date and then she came just over three weeks early. Like I said, surprise but a good one. As for mini me, I think it was after you had gotten sick. March you got a bad cold and so you had to take antibiotics to get rid of it as quick as possible so you could get back on the ice. The doctor said it would have messed with the other pills, and well voila it obviously did. "
"Oh, sorry about that." She said.
"For?"
"Surprising you not once but two times."
"Enhhh. It's all good. Worked out perfectly too. Family is whole again."
"So you weren't mad when you found out about the kids? Not even Bella?"
"Hell no. Sure at the start it felt like I should have known sooner, but not even you knew. Then holding her in my arms and seeing the little face staring back at me made me melt and forget about all the worries, and other emotions. Mini me, is well me but mini. Now we've got two future hockey superstars. I would never be mad you know that right? Never."
"Alright, but I've grown up with guys. They can go off pretty easily. Sometimes Mike, and the guys I dated before him could get mad over nothing. It was never bad, just scary to see them change. It seems like I don't have the best track record. Mike cheated, Baptiste and I were never anything more than fun, and the guys before that were just jerks over the fact I was better at hockey than them, or that I spent too much time focusing on hockey."
"I'm not mad." I said chuckling. "But it is funny. We both had said no more kids until you were done hockey, otherwise known as a long long time, but look how that turned out."
"Haha, obviously not great eh? Ah well we'll get through it. Were our families mad?"
"Not really. I mean your brothers I'm pretty sure wanted to punch my face out for the first day or so, after that we were fine. My mom was friggin over the moon."
"Really? I would never have guessed. She loves you too ya know, it's obvious when she looks at you her eyes light up."
"I know. I love her too. But she loves you just as much, you're another daughter to her and my dad. My sisters love you too, they think you're cool." I said laughing.
"What I'm not cool?"
"Nah, you're hot." I said smirking earning an eye roll and a small grin.
"You must have made all the ladies swoon." She said laughing.
"Only one recently. The others just wanted my fame, and the ones before that were just high school crushes that ended up like yours. "
"Well thank you for making me laugh. Even old me hasn't laughed as much as I have these past few days."
"The Patrick Kane charm." I said grinning.
"Friggin gets me every time, and I've only been up for like 4 days.
"It seems like a lifetime. 4 happiest days I've had in a while."
"Haha no pressure or anything. I'm glad I have someone like you in my life. Someone that loves me unconditionally, and one that doesn't get upset when I can't say it right back."
"Don't worry about me. Worry about getting better alright? I'll get through it."
"You know you don't have to worry so much about not touching me. I see how hesitant you are to even hug me. I might not remember but I'm also not fragile. I'm not going to break on you that easily. " She said touching my arm.
"Do you even realize what you doing that does to me?" I said looking down at her hand and back to her eyes for a second before focusing back on the road. I hoped she could see it in my eyes how conflicted I was.
"Sorry, I can stop." She said retracting quickly.
"No." I said catching her hand and lacing it with mine.
"Alright then." She chuckled. The rest of the drive passed quickly, with each of us holding the other's hand.
"See yah out there." I said giving her a hug in front of Stan's office before heading back to the change room.
"So is she looking forward to her welcome back tonight?" Jon asked falling in stride with me as we walked to the locker room.
"Well she didn't seem too nervous. She's taking it pretty calmly."
"That's good. Tonight will be fun."
"It will be." I agreed. "Especially once we beat her favourite team." I chuckled.
"Haha I know. Amanda's coming tonight too. Fucking Ottawa." Jon said chuckling.
"Don't let either of them hear you say that."
"Wasn't planning on it. I want to live just a bit longer."
"Yah. We need you if we want to win cup number four this year." I said winking.
"Haha the cup or my life. Great priorities there Pat. Let's focus on winning this game before we think about the playoffs."
"Well it is you, and well the cup. Hard choice." I said jokingly.
"Funny… now lets go warm up."
**
"And now we have the ceremonial puck drop. We've got a very special guest with us tonight to do the honours of the puck drop. Some call her wife, others call her a friend, team mate, mother, sister, but up here we just like to call her Rookie…"
I saw the jumbotron starting the video they had captured the night before, and a bit they had obviously done before the game.
"And now help us welcome one of our own back to the ice, your #91 Rachel Kane."
"Shit." Jon muttered beside me on the bench. He was responding to the standing ovation my wife was receiving from the crowd as she walked out on to the carpet smiling and waving back.
"Unreal eh? I don't think they hate her anymore." I said chuckling as Jon skated over to take the face-off. I could see the three over at the face-off dot laughing and it was a sight for sore eyes. "Nah, definitely don't hate her." I said softly laughing to myself. Oh how things have changed. The face off was over, she turned and waved back to the thousands of wild fans before leaving the ice. If seeing that wasn't motivation enough, I thought as we took our spots for the national anthem. I don't think the smile left my face, even when the Sens scored. It didn't matter, Rach was alive. My Rach was here, on her own two feet watching. We won the game anyways so the two goals against us didn't really matter in the long run. I got one easy tap in goal. One of the four goals scored on the night. Jon was definitely trying to prove our team was better. I knew just the reason why. He ended up with two goals and an assist. I had one assist on one of his goals, got to love power plays.
"Could you be anymore obvious that you have a wife to go home to?" Sharpie joked.
"I've gone home to her every game. This is just one of the first ones she's actually been off the hospital bed." I said not amused in the least. I should get to be obvious.
"Ehhh now. I'm just observing. I like happy Kaner." He said patting me on the back.
"You still coming tonight?"
"Yup, we've got a sitter."
"Haha us too. Momma Kane in the house." I joked.
"She better be wearing a Sharp jersey." He said joking about the game his mom had worn my jersey and not his.
"Not tonight." I said laughing.
"Damn." He said shaking his head. "One day Kaner, one day."
"Nah she'll wear Rach's jersey before she wears yours. Sorry."
"S'okay." He laughed. "See ya later, that chick Crow was crushing on coming?"
"Maybe." I grinned. "But it's been like six months since the wedding, plus I don't know where the whole boyfriend thing stands. Usually Rach was the one to talk to her." I said laughing.
"Crow is going to flip." He said laughing.
"Say what now? Did I hear my name?"
"Yah, you coming out tonight?" I asked.
"Yup."
"Alright." I grinned, as Sharpie laughed.
"What?"
"Nothing important." I shrugged him off.
"Nothing important?!" Sharpie exclaimed laughing. "It's only the first time he's going to see his girlfriend in six months. Not important pffhhhhh."
"Girlfriend?"
"You know that girl you're always talking to. I mean the flirting, a little bit overkill don't ya think?" Sharpie said laughing.
"Well I'm going to grab Rach and get out of here."
"Does she know you're going out tonight?"
"Not a clue. Not a word." I said chuckling and looking between the two.

"I don't have a girlfriend." I heard Crow call as I walked down the hallway. It was 10 o'clock on a Wednesday night. Our next game wasn't until Saturday which mean't we had a little bit of time for ourselves and I was damn well going to use it.

Notes

OVERTIME >>>> HAWKS GAME!!!!! Lemme know whatcha think xoxoxox Jordan