The Memories

"Later, buddy. I'll be back in a couple of days." Patrice promised Troy, ruffling his hair as the little guy hugged him in the doorway.

Brad was honking his horn furiously in the driveway, and Patrice was anxious to get on the road, too. It wasn't that he didn't like his new home, but he had always looked forward to road trips. They were the times teammates really got to bond with one another, and he liked it.

"Bergy, let's go!" Brad called from hid car, and Patrice gave Troy a kiss on the head.

"See you tonight little man." He grinned as he turned and walked down the driveway.

A grinning Troy shut the door after him and ran to watch him from the window.

Patrice had promised Ashlyn ans Troy that he would skype them from the hotel that night, and Troy had stopped pouting immediately.

"What's up buddy?" Patrice grinned as he hopped in the front seat.

"Not much." Brad responded. "Ready to go?"

Patrice nodded, and the car jolted as Brad violently jarred it out of the driveway.

"Holy shit dude, you trying to kill us before we get on the ice?" Patrice shook his head as the car sped away from his home at top speed.

**********

"Sup boys?" Called Brad as he and Patrice walked into the dressing room together.

"The stars are in the building! Everyone calm the fuck down or you get kicked out!" Joked Tyler from his stall.

He was loading his carry on bag for the plane, and smiling broadly.

"Talk dirty to me!" Brad wailed, and Patrice shook his head.

"We are never to speak of this moment again." Tyler said, trying valiantly to hide the smile creeping onto his face.

"Alright, guys. Grab anything you're gonna want from here. Either bring it with you or put it in the bin in the middle of the room. We'll pack it all up and meet you guys at the airport. Bus leaves in twenty. Be there." Called an equipment manager, walking into the dressing room and hauling two bags of equipment out the door.

Patrice headed out the door and turned down the hallway towards the VIP entrance.

"Hey, Patrice? You want to be featured in the first episode of Bruins Insider?" Called one of the Bruins media crew.

"Love to." Patrice grinned, pushing open the door and heading down the red carpet that had been lay out toward the Bruins bus.

"Patrice!" Fans screamed.

"Why didn't I get the memo we were having a party out here?" Patrice laughed.

He signed various autographs before boarding the bus. He headed back to his seat, which was a window seat. The baggage compartment above the seats was open, and he tossed his bag into it. His seat was located beside Dan's seat, for the bus trips. That meant they could still carry on their tradition of watching movies and TV while traveling.

"Patrice, they have food!" Called Brad, peering into the bus.

"No shit?" Patrice laughed, running to catch Brad.

He emerged from the bus again and Brad led him to a table of food. They each grabbed a sandwich from the table, and Brad began to talk to a fan. Patrice decided to go back into TD Garden and make sure his teammates were getting on alright with their packing.

**********

"Alright, everyone on?" Called the driver of the bus, as the doors closed with a hiss and the bus lifted itself up higher on the wheels.

"Where's Bergy?" Called Dan, noticing the absence of his friend from the seat next to him.

"Look at that asshole. Just strollin down the aisle like it's no biggie." Brad laughed, pointing out the window.

Patrice was walking down the carpet towards the bus, but hadn't seemed to notice it was leaving. The fans were screaming and pointing to the bus to alert him, and one fan tried to stand in front of the bus to stop it from moving.

"Sorry, boys." Patrice said as the doors opened and the bus lowered itself again. "I had to grab my stick wax."

"Jesus christ, Bergy. There's gonna be a shit ton in Toronto." Brad laughed. "Way to hold up the entire bus like a douche."

Patrice laughed and climbed the spiraling staircase to the top of the bus before making his way down the aisle to his seat.

The doors closed and the bus lifted up again, taking a second to make sure that everyone was on board before pulling away from the mass of fans wishing them luck on the upcoming game. They were off.

Notes