"You're seriously still gonna keep this going? Come on, he was your best friend, Jonny — he is. Patrick's not a bad guy... just forgive him."

I was hoping it would be easy, just a bit of sisterly advice until he'd agree to try to forgive and forget. It'd taken him barely a day to get over it around me, but with his best friend he couldn't even attempt to be civil.

"Why should I forgive him? You seriously think he regrets what he did?"

"You think I do?" He fell silent, glancing at me as though it were to be implied I'd regretted anything and everything to do with Patrick. So, maybe that was why he'd gotten over it in regards to me. I stood up from my stool, walking around the counter until I was facing him, elbows rested on the cool marble. "If you forgive me, you've gotta forgive him, Jon... You guys are best friends; it's not his fault I didn't tell him I was your sister. You've got more of a right to hate me than him. And if you do hate him, you can't make me feel the same way."

"You think I'm not still pissed? But you're... young, girly — I don't know, he should have known to end it after that. You think you would have kept it going if he wouldn't have continued to pursue you?"

"You think girls can't 'pursue' too?" I smiled lightly, and he attempted to return it, resting his head in his hands.

"I don't know, Ali. I mean, everything's just... different."

"Hey, that's not his fault."

"Even if you didn't keep it secret, even knowing he's... knowing you two — just the fact you two were something."

"What if we are something?" I mumbled, immediately regretting it as he snapped his head up.

"So this is why you're bringing it up? Did he say something?!"

"No, no! I just..." I held out a hand, hoping he wouldn't storm off or something. "Would it be so horrible if we were? If I missed him?" I ran a hand through my hair, groaning as I leaned down, pressing my head against the counter. "I don't know, Jonny. If you hate him so much, then I know I should, but I don't really think I could ever hate him," I gave up, eventually looking up at him.

His expression almost softened, sighing as he must have realized that this wasn't something that either of us could just move on with. "To be honest, I don't think I could either."

---

"Is this some sort of trick?" I was standing there, in front of Toews, staring at the questionable hand he'd extended, not having said a word to him all throughout practice until now.

"No."

"You're not just gonna punch me?"

"No."

"It's not gonna shock me?"

"Damn it, Kaner, do you want to end this or not?!"

I quickly grabbed his hand with mine, shaking it from a safe distance. We remained silent for a moment, not taking our glances off one another. Eventually, he cracked a light smile, pulling me into an unexpected bear hug. "I'm sorry, bud," I mumbled, smirking as he patted me on the back.

"I know you're not, you fucker," he laughed, almost as if nothing had been going on the last two weeks. "But I can't blame ya — she's something else."

"Why couldn't you just have a brother? Or at least an ugly sister?" I joked, both of us smirking at each other as we pulled away from the hug. I knew this wasn't just going to disappear, but I was comforted knowing that I wouldn't have to worry about being randomly assaulted on the ice or in the locker room.

"I've actually been asking myself that lately," he smirked, shaking his head. "Just... next time you try anything, at least let me know — unless it's something I don't want to know about my baby sister. And I swear to God, if I hear you talking about her or anything you two have done in this change room, I'm gonna kick your ass into next season."

"I don't doubt that," I smirked, patting him on the shoulder as we walked out together.

---

The Blackhawks won 6-2 against Carolina, playing one of their best games in a while. And, an especially good game from Patrick Sharp, who'd scored twice, tapping his heart before pointing at me after each one with a laugh, earning shoves from both Jonny and Pat. And, once Kaner scored the final goal, he came crashing into the boards, imitating Sharpy, drawing the jumbo-tron to be several times throughout the rest of the game.

It was obvious the two had finally patched things up and the dynamic duo was back together, crashing into each other with a bear hug. "What girls," Hailey smirked, following behind me as we headed down to the changeroom area as usual, frantically checking her phone. "God, Andrew hasn't texted me back — will you text him? Is he out?"

"He's coming to pick us up! Jeez, you're like a crazy, stalker girlfriend except you two don't actually do anything."

"Oh, yeah, about that..." she mumbled, looking forwards before slapping my phone out of my hand, and when I looked up from bending down I was facing Patrick, not Hailey. Sorry, babe! my phone lit up.

"She's pretty quick, huh," he laughed, looking down as if unsure of what to say.

"Clearly when she wants — it took her two hours to get ready," I smirked, a hand lifting to brush through my hair. "Good game, by the way," I patted my heart, pointing to him before bursting into laughter.

"You liked that, huh?" he took a step forwards, pointing jokingly at me as he tapped my nose.

---

Her expression softened, and I found myself caught, hands slipping into my pockets as I looked at her with what must have been the goofiest smirk.

"Loved it," she laughed, "... so, was there a reason I was abandoned by Hailey, or just an opportunity to spend some time with the real Patrick Kane?"

I smiled, chewing lightly on my bottom lip, "I just wanted an excuse to talk to the real Allison Toews, actually." She shrugged, sporting a mock expression of pride, "Well, that and I wanted to know if you wanted to go out... or not go out. Up to you."

"Going out, or not going out, sounds pretty good actually. I'm not gonna have to break up a fight between you and Jonny, right?"

"Let's hope not, I smirked, rubbing at the back of my neck as I took a step forwards, watching as she did so as well, the two of us fairly close now. "Which one are you up for?"

She canted her head, thinking for a moment, leaning in to brush her lips over his ear with a smirk, "How about tomorrow night at six."

She began to pull away, but I slipped an arm around her waist, holding her in place, "Promise?" I smirked, holding up a pinky as she glanced up at me with an amused look. She slipped her pinky around mine, standing up on her toes to close whatever gap had remained between their lips.

Our mouths crashed against each other's, my tongue gliding across her teeth, a smile curled onto her mouth as she rested her hands on my chest, curving against me. "Promise," she breathed against my lips, my mouth twitching in a smirk before she pressed one last kiss, her hand combing through my hair before she stepped back from my grip, smirking as she winked at me, turning on her heel to exit the same way Hailey had earlier. "Tomorrow!" she called back and I nodded, watching as she disappeared around a corner.

Notes

this one wasn't the greatest i know but i tried to make it a transition chapter! the next one should be a little more developmental in terms of patrick & allison, not just teasing and making out.

and possibly some toews just shaking his head tbh