August 2015

Caroline Del Zotto walked around her summer house in Thunder Bay, Ontario in a Flyers Jersey as she threw everything she saw in sight into boxes. "MICHAEL." She couldn't believe her husband thought now was an appropriate time to take a nap with their boys when they had to leave the house in two hours. "MICHAEL DEL ZOTTO GET UP." Caroline hated being the bad cop but if they were going to get out of Canada in time to get back to their Greenwich, Connecticut house to get settled in, she needed to reign with a iron fist. "I am up babe." Michael Del Zotto ran down the stairs and smirked at the sight of her. "What?" She glared at him. "I just never thought I would see you in a Flyers jersey, pant less. Ever. I am going to have to get you an Isles one." He strutted over to her and kissed her, his hands running through her chocolate brown hair. "Stop it, we need to get ready! And I just threw this on, I've been busy. And I could get it dirty and I wouldn't care." She smirked this time. "That hurt." She shrugged. "I am going to go see if Kaner and Tazer are up from their nap." He kissed the top of her head and walked back upstairs. They loved the names Patrick and Johnathan, knowing that John would be Jack. But the minute their teammates heard Patrick and John they immediately started calling the twins Kaner, and Tazer. Like in Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews. Yeah they didn't really think about it when Caroline was screaming her head off in child birth.

She heard a heavy knock on the front door and then two loud, obnoxious voices. She walked into the Foyer and almost slapped Stu Bickel and Brandon Prust. "We have two sleeping baby boys upstairs and if you wake them up I will murder both of you." They laughed at her. "Uncle Stu and Uncle Brandon wanted to see our favorite nephews! And why are you in a Flyers jersey? Didn't Michael sign with the Isles like almost two months ago?" She slapped Stu's arm. "All my clothes are packed. Please don't judge me. And now that two of my favorite Ex-Rangers are here. Help pack?" The two Enforcers nodded as they started helping her pack up the kitchen as Michael came downstairs holding their two boys. "Tazer!" "Kaner!" Stu and Prust said at the same time as they rushed over to Patrick and Jack. "They have names! Patrick and Jack!"

She really hoped their names were not going to be Kaner and Tazer, Toews and Kane already had huge ego's now that everyone in the NHL were calling their sons them, and Kaner and Tazer aren't names. "Their getting so big! How old are they 6 months?" She nodded. Those darling children were born in March of 2015, one month before the Stanley Cup Playoffs started. She played in them, she couldn't believe she did that. The Rangers lost in the Conference Finals to the Penguins, she hated seeing her brother Brady parade around her but she was happy for him that he won the Cup. "Where's your brother?" Bickel asked as he taped up a box. "Which one?" She had three, and multiple surrogate brothers it was tough to keep track. "The one that's the Captain of some team named the Rangers." Brendan had been named Captain right after Ryan Callahan got traded almost two full seasons ago. "Next door at the Thomas Compound, we are heading over there after we are done packing." Stu nodded. "Well I'll see you when you come over, I got to see Brendo ASAP." He walked out. "Same gotta go." Prust walked out after him. "What's with them?" Michael asked. "Who knows, probably girl drama."

Two hours later, With two babies on their hips Michael and Caroline completed the packing, and with the help of four Staal Brothers got everything into the truck that was on it's way to Greenwich. Relief. The Family of four walked over to her parents house and into the gigantic backyard where everyone was talking, swimming, partying, and barbecuing. "Michael did I tell you again how happy I am you picked the Isles?" Marcus Thomas said hugging his son in law. "Yeah a thousand times." John Tavares came over and kissed her, kissing Patrick and Jack too. "Sorry bro I am not kissing you. But I am happy I recruited you. It'll be like playing Juniors again in London." Michael smirked. He hadn't been this happy since he played for the Rangers. "I am just happy to be going home again. Brooklyn isn't too far off from Manhattan. It's still going to be hard, because of Me and Caroline's schedules." Yes there were a lot of times they were home, but then a lot of times this season they were going to be single parents. Taking Patrick and Jack to practices, and games alone. Thank god they had their families, friends, and teammates wives to help out. "You know we got you guys Aryne, John's fiance said hugging her. "I know, that's why we love you guys!" Patrick started crying and reaching out for Michael. "Well I guess we know who he loves today." They swapped children as Jack reached out for his grandfather. "Wow I am chopped liver." Everyone laughed. She was baby-less. "We should be going. We both have captain's practice's in the morning. JT I'll see you there?" JT nodded. "Leaving in a little while." The couple made their rounds, saying goodbye to everyone. "Lunch tomorrow?" Caroline asked Lindsay Staal. "Yes! We'll see you guys soon." The Staals and Del Zotto's were neighbors. "Perfect! Come on Uncle Brendan we're leaving!" Brendan was 27 single, and living in their guest room. It was kind of perfect, Brendan helped out with the kids and him and Caroline were closer then ever. "Coming!" He said goodbye to their parents who would be back in Greenwich, next week.

The five of them were about to leave when Cody Hodgson and Steven Stamkos came running into the backyard. "DID THEY LEAVE YET?" The two yelled. Michael and Caroline laughed. "Just about to.." Steven gave them his signature crooked smile. "We couldn't not say goodbye to our god children, and our best friends." Two of their 4 best friends picked up Patrick and Jack from their arms. "Jacky work on your slapper? Understand?" Steven muttered to him, Caroline laughed. "Patty you need to work on your speed, Uncle Carl can help you with that!" She missed Carl Hagelin and couldn't wait to see him later that night. "Their just 6 months old!" Michael screamed, laughing. "Gotta start them up early if their going to be the Next ones." They handed their children back to them. "Have a good season, we'll see you around. Love you. Don't get injured." It was the same goodbye every August. Short, and sweet. Even though they were all holding in their tears. This was how they coped with leaving their little summer getaway.

And with that Michael, Caroline, Brendan, Jack and Patrick headed back home to Greenwich, CT. Another season for Michael, Caroline and Brendan was on it's way, another chance to hoist the cup at seasons end. But this time, Michael was wearing a new jersey, his fourth in almost three years. He would never tell this to Caroline, but he prayed every night that he would not get traded. He needed the Islanders to work, he couldn't be away from her and the kids ever again. If he ever got traded, his heart would be torn out.

"Hey guys did you ever realize that you have a 2 on 2 back here." Caroline turned around in the passenger seat to see Brendan sitting between Jack and Patrick. "What?" She was confused. "A 2 on 2...like in hockey. Jacky and Patty against you and Michael. a 2 on 2." She turned around and smiled. "Yeah I guess we have our own 2 on 2." She laid her hand on Michael's thigh. He buckled up his seatbelt. "Greenwich, Connecticut here we come." He laid his hand on her thigh and squeezed it. "Hopefully we have a 3 on 2 soon. I would love a little girl." He whispered in her ear. She smirked. For right now a 2 on 2 is all she could handle right now, on the ice and off.

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