Four weeks, one month.

That was how long it had taken Caroline to recover from the Concussion that Calvin de Haan had given her on Opening night. One month of concussion tests, one month of watching every home game from the trainers room, or the lounge. One month of not being able to join the team on road trips, one month of bonding she had missed. But there was a flip side like in everything she got to spend much needed time with Michael, Patty and Jack and she got to know some of the Islanders girlfriends and wives, which was nice. But they still talked behind her back like she was some alien, because she too was a professional athlete who so happened to play for their rival.

She was just happy to be back in the locker room and rejoining the boys again. She swung open the doors to the locker room in the training facility and skipped into the locker room. "So mother fuckers who missed me?" She shouted as Dominic Moore picked her up and twirled her around, putting her down in front of her stall. "You passed the last concussion test? You're okay to go?" She gave him a tiny smirk. "Just have to go see Rammer Jammer and I'll be fully off IR and back in this locker room for the game tonight." He messed up her hair and kissed her cheek. "Thank god, we've missed you Carol." She missed them more. They were her brothers, her uncles, her family. "Where is he?" She asked him. He motioned for the stick room. "He's seeing if the new ones are up to his standards." She let out a laugh as she walked out of the locker room, swinging a left and standing in the doorway of the Rangers stick room.

"So did you get an endorsement deal with Bauer yet? They really need your flow in the line up." Carl Hagelin looked up from examining his new Easton sticks. "What the fuck?! You're back? You didn't tell me this at breakfast!" He walked up to her and picked her up. "What is with you boys and picking me up?" She shouted as he let her down. "And I wanted it to be a surprise! I have to cleared by Rammer first. So it may not be a definite but it's a let's hope so." He nodded his blonde head in agreement. "Is Michael happy you're back?" Michael had liked the fact that she took care of the boys when he went to practice, games and road trips. That he had his three favorite people and Hags his best friend to come back to when he got home. She loved it too. And she knew she wanted to be a full time mother, but at 21 she wanted to also be a hockey player. And she wasn't ready to give that up just yet. "Yeah he's happy, if I am happy." She said weakly. "Well I should get to the trainers room, and you need to get your ass in equipment before Mac Truck kills you for being late." Carl kissed her forehead and the two parted ways.

---

"Give me good news Jim Ram." Caroline yelled when she walked into the trainers room. Rammer had Derek Stepan on a table, taking the stitches out of his ankle. She sat on the table next to him, giving him a low high five. "You cleared yet Liney/bestie/roommate?" Since Caroline had been out of the lineup, he, and Carl weren't meshing with Chris Kreider, they needed her back. "Hopefully." She batted her eyelashes at Rammer and gave him puppy dog eyes. "Stop that! If you are ready, you will be cleared. Let me just finish off Steps and then we'll get you tested." She motioned a fist pump and laughed as she laid down looking up at the ceiling, little notes to Rammer from various Rangers players, thanking him for helping them heal and get back out on the ice filled it. She laughed more as Derek kept making gnarly faces at her as Rammer finished taking the stitches out. "Alright Steps you're good to go. Please don't take another slapper to the ankle for the next little while. Let it fully heal!" Derek nodded as he got off the table and walked over to Caroline's table, sitting on her feet while she laughed. "Get cleared Thomas Del Zotto we need you back liney. I miss your face." She smiled. She missed Derek's too. "Okay, get outta here." She got up and walked over to Rammer ready to ace this test.

---

Caroline suited up next to Hags and Steps later that night in the Rangers locker room in the Garden. She laughed as the new rookie Ryan Bourque and Chris Kreider along with Mac Truck and Steps sang the Rangers hockey chant they came up with using the format of the USA Hockey chant. "OH Mama don't you cry, Rangers Hockey is do or die, take a hockey stick in my hand, go on off to a foreign rink, Sather said I'd be a star! Rangers hockey will go very far, take the gatorade in your glass, we're about to kick your fucking ass!" The Rest of the boys chanted along as they learned the verses. "Come on Del Z join in!" She started singing along as AV walked in and motioned for them to silence he music.

"This is a big game for us, a huge game for us. The penguins are in town, Caroline and Brendan are playing their brother and we need a win. I am not enjoying this losing streak, I know you guys aren't either. So let's start off guns blazing, get into the dirty corners. And do not rest on your laurels this game. Crosby will destroy you if you start getting comfortable. Understand?" The team nodded. "94 thank god you're back." He mumbled as he passed her back to his office. She smirked. She liked being needed. "Well let's get it done boys." She grabbed her helmet, checked her stick one more time to make sure it was up to par, and tied her skates. "Don't go too hard, too fast tonight? Understand me? You are just getting back from IR, we don't need you back on it." Mac whispered in her ear as they lined up in the hallway. "I know, I know. Don't worry." This was a huge game for the team and she needed to contribute right away, she needed to be apart of this team again.

---

Michael Del Zotto sat behind the Rangers bench as the team made their way onto the ice for warmups, Patrick clinging to his lap, and Jack sitting down quietly next to him. "Ma! Ma! Mama!" Jack squealed as Caroline skated over to the bench and waved to them, sending her three boys air kisses. It was always exciting for him to bring the boys to see her play, they were getting older every day, Jack beginning to talk, Patrick beginning to walk, and they enjoyed going to the Barclays Center and MSG and watching their parents to what they love. He got up, putting Patrick on his hip, and taking Jack's hand. "Come on guys lets go get a puck from mommy." They walked down the stairs, right up to the glass and he put the two of them on two of the foldable chairs. Carl skated over and tapped the glass making the two boys go crazy. "Ca! Ca!" Patrick was beginning to get annoyed as Jack was beginning to talk before him. "It's alright bud. You'll be able to say mushed up words one day soon." He kissed Patrick's forehead as Caroline skated over with two pucks in hand, she motioned for him to meet her at the door leading off the ice, and into the locker room. He grabbed the boys and walked over. She skated off and gave the pucks to the boys. "You guys look sooooo adorable." She said kissing them both. They did look like cuties in their Del Zotto 94, and Del Zotto 4 jerseys. "Hey you." She pulled him closer to her and kissed him. "If you score on the ice, you'll score off it later." He winked at her. "You are terrible." She laughed as Henrik came up behind her and messed up Patrick and Jack's hair, slapping Michael on the shoulder. "Miss you Mikey!" Michael missed him too, Michael missed this whole team. He missed Steps, and Brass, Dom, JMoore, Hags, Mac, Staalsie, G, Hank, Kreids, and Talbot. He missed his boys. He wished things had ended differently. "Go kick some Penguins ass tonight." He muttered as she kissed his cheek. "Remember dinner with Brends and Tuck after!" He nodded.

"Let's go up to the box guys and watch Mommy show Sidney Crosby how it's done." He was more proud of her then she could possibly know.

Notes

Sorry it's on the shorter side!