Chapter Seventy Eight
-Milan-
We ended up sweeping the Penguins, won Games one through four, there was no need for Game five through seven. We found out that for the finals, we would be playing the Blackhawks. The NHL world was in shock because everyone thought that in the finals it would be Pittsburgh vs. Chicago, glad to know that we shocked everyone.

Alyssa’s condition was getting worse, a lot of the guys didn’t know, they could just tell that she was in pain a lot. She was still playing but not as well as she was before, a lot slower than she was and not able to play as long as she used to, but she was too damn stubborn to get the surgery that she needed.

Right now we were back in Boston at the Garden working out, well some of us were. Alyssa was on the treadmill jogging and I was leaning against the wall watching her, she wasn’t going as fast as she normally does, and she had a pained look on her face.

“She’s pushing herself again,” Nathan said as he came up next to me and I sighed and nodded my head, “Have you tried talking to her?”

“At least seven times, she won’t do it, says she’ll get the surgery after the season,” I said and Nathan chuckled and shook his head.

“She’s definitely a stubborn one,” he said and I nodded my head.

“She always has,” Brad said as he walked over towards me, “You should have seen her when she needed to get her tonsils taken out.”

“What happened?”

“It was towards the end of the peewee hockey season and she needed them out, could hardly breath, but she wouldn’t do it until after,” Brad said and I sighed.

“I’ve tried talking to her, maybe you should try,” I said and Brad shrugged his shoulders.

“Won’t matter if it’s you, me or anyone.”

“Maybe Big Z should do it,” Nathan said and I looked at him and then looked towards the weights and saw Chara lifting.

“Maybe,” I said.

“If he talks like a Captain, she might listen,” Brad said and I sighed, “Look Looch, we’re going into the finals, I love her to death- She’s like a sister to me, but she’s slowing us down. She needs that surgery.”

“I know,” I said and then sighed and looked down, “Trust me, I know,” I rubbed my face and then turned around.

“Where ya heading?”

“Talkin’ to Z,” I said as I headed over towards Chara.

“Looch.”

“Cap, can we talk?” I asked and looked over towards Alyssa to see that Tyler was talking to her.

“This about Red?” he asked and I sighed and nodded my head.

“I’ve tried talking to her, she won’t listen to me,” I said and Chara nodded his head.

“I’ll handle it,” he said and I nodded my head, “Look, I know that you’re just trying to protect her, it’s all right, I’ll handle this.”

“Thanks man, I just don’t want her getting hurt.”

“I know,” he said and then sighed and looked at me, “It’ll be all right.”

-Alyssa-
I showered and changed after working out, I was leaving when I heard my name and turned around to see Chara and Patrice walking over towards me.

“What’s up guys?” I asked and Chara closed my car door and placed his hand on my back.

“Take a ride with us,” Patrice said and I looked at them confused but followed them. I was brought to Chara’s SUV and Patrice placed me in the back seat and then sat in the front with Chara.

“Where are we going, Z?”

“Somewhere,” he said and I sighed and looked out the window.

“I feel like I’m being kidnapped.”

“It’ll be all right, Red,” Patrice said and I sighed and nodded my head.

Soon I found that we were pulling into the hospital and my eyes widened, “Why are we here?”

“Because, you need to see what’s going on inside of you,” Chara said and I snapped my head towards him and shook my head.

“I’m fine, Zdeno!”

“No, you’re not!” Patrice said as Chara parked the car and turned around in his seat to look at me.

“You might think that we don’t hear you still getting sick, but we do. You’re not yourself and if you don’t go through with this surgery, then I’m benching your ass.”

“Why?” I asked and Chara sighed.

“Because we’re in the finals, Alyssa! We’re going up against the Blackhawks! The NHL didn’t even think that we would get this far!”

“If I have this surgery then I won’t even be able to play!”

“You don’t know that! You haven’t even found out if it really is your gallbladder!” Chara said and I sighed, “Will you at least get the tests?”

“I have gotten the tests!”

“Get them again!” Chara said and I growled, “Alyssa, I’m only doing this because I care- We all care! Even if you don’t finish the season, you’ll be here next season!”

“What if you win the cup and I’m stuck in rehab? Or what if it goes wrong and I’m not able to play anymore?!” I was getting a little emotional, my eyes were watering up.

“Are you afraid?” Patrice asked and I growled and got out of the car, wanting some air. Patrice followed me and placed his hands on my shoulders, “AJ?”

“I’m terrified,” I breathed and Patrice hugged me.

“Alyssa, you have to try,” Chara said as he walked over.

“But what if-“

“What if everything goes well and you’ll be back next season?” Chara asked and I sighed and wiped my eyes, “Just take the test , please. You don’t know what the answer might be.”

“All right,” I said and Chara nodded his head and he and Patrice walked inside the hospital with me. We walked over towards the check in.

“Can I help you?” the receptionist asked.

“Our trainer called for an appointment for Alyssa Brace,” Chara said and I looked at him shocked.

“You knew I was going to say yes?”

“Or I was going to force you,” he said and I rolled my eyes and sighed.

“Ms. Brace?” I heard, turned around and saw a nurse walking over towards us, “We’re ready for you.”

“Good luck,” Chara said and I sighed and nodded my head, “It’ll be all right.”

“AJ,” Patrice said and I looked at him, “It’ll be all right.”

-Milan-
I was sitting at Nathan’s house playing with his kids when my phone went off, I looked to see that Chara was calling me and rushed to pick it up, “What’s goin’ on, Cap?”

“She’s in getting tests as we speak,” he said and I breathed a sigh of relief.

“How’d you do it?”

“I didn’t give her a choice,” he said and I chuckled, “You’re getting’ too soft Looch.”

“Tell me about it,” I laughed and saw Nathan walk back into the room, “You want me to be there?”

“Naw, I got this.”

“I owe ya one, Cap.”

“You owe me more than one,” he chuckled and I smirked.

“All right,” I said and then sighed, “When will she get the results?”

“Hopefully today, but I don’t know,” Chara said and I nodded my head, not like he could see it,
“Thanks Cap.”

“Any time, she’s a friend and a teammate,” he said and we both said bye and hung up our phones.

“What’s up?” Nathan asked and I sighed.

“He got Alyssa to get the tests done again,” I said and Nathan nodded his head.

“Good, she needs it,” he said and I nodded my head, “We need her for the Hawks, so I hope she doesn’t have anything wrong.”

“Yeah but, we know something is wrong,” I said as I looked down and sighed, “Something has to be wrong.”

“I know man, but we can only hope that she can play,” Nathan said and I nodded my head.
I sighed and grabbed my phone and sent a text to Alyssa, [Whatever happens, I love you]