New Beginnings

Kirsten's POV
I wave goodbye to Tyler, and walk out the door. I look down the hallway, and see two people in the elevator that really shouldn't be seeing me. Val and Jamie are in there. They clearly see me, and hold open the door, so I have no choice but to go down with them. As soon as I'm in the elevator, Val speaks up. "So, what happened with you and Segs?"
"Nothing, really. We played video games, and I stayed over. We didn't even sleep in the same bed. He slept on the couch." I tell them both.
Jamie then speaks up, "Really? Nothing happened? Tyler made it seem like we were both getting laid." His tone is accusatory.
"No, he didn't get laid. Trust me, I wouldn't put my brand new job in jeopardy." I say, stressing the point that nothing happened.
Val speaks up on my behalf, "Ty did say nothing happened, but he also said she went home."
"For real! Nothing happened, I promise. But I'll see you guys at the rink in a little while." I say, and go out to the lobby while they continue to the garage.
I walk down the block and take a left to my apartment building, and I see that James is nowhere to be found. Weird. I go up to my room, and get changed into my black Nike yoga pants, a plain green v-neck shirt, and my black and white tennis shoes, because I wasn't told a uniform! I put on a little makeup, and throw my hair in a ponytail, when my phone chimes.
Ty: Hey, I'm outside! I hope you're ready
Me: Be down in a sec
I grab my bag and head down, and James asks, "Where are you off to, Miss Kirsten?"
"Well James, I got a job! I' the new athletic trainer for the Dallas Stars! It's my first day! I better not be late. I gotta go!" I say with a grin.
"Congratulations!" He says as I walk through the door. I see Tyler in his Jeep, and am still grinning.
"Why so happy?" He questions.
"Because I got this job, even though I have minimal experience." I answer truthfully.
"Not because of anything that went down last night?" He says with a wink.
"No! Ty, yeah it was fun, but we have got to keep this to a professional relationship. Val and Jamie saw me," I explain, and thinking about that takes the smile right from my face, "in the elevator, and they accused me of doing you. So I need you to make sure they're really convinced that we didn't. Because I kind of want to keep this job for a really long time, thanks!"
He looks taken aback. "I'll make sure they think we didn't. Calm down babe, it's not a big deal." He tries to soothe me.
"Please don't call me babe, I'm not your girlfriend, and second, I have a right to be worried. They're not gonna fire you, are they now?" I say sarcastically as we get closer to the rink. We pull up to the rink.
"Look, I'm sorry. Don't get all pissy at me because you got caught coming out of my room. That's not my fault." Tyler says, and then I get mad.
"Woah, there's no need to be a dick. Yeah, I know it's my fault they saw me, but you don't need to act like you're so high and mighty. Yeah, we fucked, but you do very well know that that could be the last time, just as sure as it was the first." I say, and get out of his car and slam the shit out of his door. I storm up to the doors, where I compose myself before walking in. I go to the bench where I was the other day with Dave. I find him there, and he greets me cheerfully as always.
"Hey Kirsten! Great to see you! I'm so glad you said you could start today." He tells me.
"Wel, I'm glad I could start today, too! I'm so excited to be here, and I just wanted to say thanks so much for giving me this opportunity. It means a lot." I say, meaning it.
"Look, I hate to spring this on you, and if you can't go, I understand, but we have a road trip to Florida. We are playing Tampa the day after next, and Florida the night after that. And also we leave tomorrow morning. I was really hoping you would be able to make it. Since my last assistant got fired, it's been hell around here." He tells me.
"I'm here to help in any way that I can! And yes, I can totally come to Florida! I don't exactly have any prior commitments. I am here and ready to work. Is there anything I can do now?" I ask.
"That's great news! Yeah, go see the players that need taped up, and take care of that. I'm going to go check all of our bags to make sure we have everything we need. I trust you can tape them up without my help?'' He says.
"Of course!" I answer, and he walks away. I go back to the locker room, where the players are getting hanged. I have full access back here, and I'm not too afraid of walking in and seeing some guys junk. As soon as I go in, Kari jumps right in front of me, because he can't get his pads or skates on before I tape his ankle up. "Take it easy, okay? It looks better, but I want to look at it after practice." He nods and walks away. I call Demers over and look at his wrist. "How does it feel?" I ask him.
"Not much better, to be perfectly honest." He says.
"Did you do those stretches I showed you?" I question.
"Sorta," He says sheepishly, and then looks down.
"Damn it, you do know if I tell you to do something, usually it's to benefit you. I'll tape it up, but you do really need to try and protect it. Really. I can make you sit if you don't." I threaten, and then I tape his wrist up. I walk over to John Klingberg, and ask him, "How is your shoulder feeling?"
"Uh, actually worse." He says.
"Well, if you're doing it right, it may hurt at first, but I want to see you after practice as well." I say, and as if anyone else needs taped. Nobody does, yet. After they all leave the locker room, I walk out behind them, and Tyler, Jamie and Val don't make any comments about me. And I'm so thankful for that. I stand and watch practice, looking to see whose sore where, and chatting with the massage therapist about who he works and where, so I can get a feel for their weaker spots. And then it happens. Jordie is skating the same was as Tyler, and they are on different teams for the scrimmage, but Tyler stops, and Jordie tries to fall, or make himself stop, but all of his momentum carries his body straight into Tyler's numbers. Tyler's back arches unnaturally, so that he falls and lands on his back as well.
I take that as my cue, and look around for Dave, but he is nowhere to be found. I walk gingerly out onto the ice, and over to where Tyler is laying on his back. He had the wind knocked out of him. "Tyler? Hey. Ty. Can you hear me?" And he gives a small nod. "Can you get up for me?" I ask, and he uses me fr support, and gets to his feet. One of the coaches that was on the ice skates over to help him off the ice with me. Once we are at the bench, I take even more of his weight, and lead him to an exam room. I sit him down on one of the tables, and make him take off his hemet, practice jersey and chest protector. And he hurts too much to even make a comment about he asking him to undress, and that's bad. I make him lay down on his stomach, so I can look at his back. I put pressure starting at his neck, then slowly working my way down, pretending to not notice his muscles, or admire his tattoos. This is just business. I get to the middle of his back, and he winces. "Ty? I'll be right back. I'm going to get some ice for you." I go get a bag of ice and some flexi-wrap. I make him sit up again, and he seems more with it, and less hurt.
After I wrap the ice on the middle of his back, I set a timer for 20 minutes. "Ty, we can go watch the rest of practice, but you have to sit the bench, clearly. I'll take off your ice in 20 minutes, and then after practice I'll take a look and see how it's doing." I explain.
"Fine. As long as I can play in two days." He says.
"That's up to me." I tell him.
"Whatever." He says, and then continues. "Look, I'm sorry for being a dick in the car. I had a great time last night, and I just want to be able to do it again, but I can't if my teammates suspect you. And I don't want to jeopardize your job. And I want to know you more. I just started being a jerk for no reason. Sorry again." He says.
"It's fine. I get that way too. And I had fun last night too. I don't think there's anything serious wrong with your back." I say, bringing the conversation back around to work. "I think there is trauma, and there will be bruising, but as long as that's it, you should be able to play." I say. We chat until my timer goes off, and then I cut off his ice, and toss thee bag and the flexi-wrap in the garbage. I walk back, and look at his back again, seeing some bruises start to form, and I tell him that.
"It's no biggie, let me go back on the ice, seriously." He tries to persuade me.
"You're hilarious!" I say, making it clear that he will NOT be going back today. "You get to sit here with me. And if you're really okay, then you'll get to skate next time. But definitely not today. In another 20 minutes I'll ice your back again." I say, and then Jordie skates over, because they have a water break.
"Hey man, I'm so sorry! I tried to stop! It was an accident." Jordie explains.
"No prob. Don't worry about it, shit happens. I'll be fine." Ty shrugs off his apology, and Jordie goes back to practice. Then I finally see Dave. He walks over to me, and hands me a pile of clothes, and a pair of shoes.
"You handled that perfectly. These are your clothes that you can wear to the games, and practices while we're on road games. You can wear those black pants, as long as there's no logo showing. But you did a great job taking care of Tyler, and the guys in the locker room. Damn, it's gonna be nice to sit back and relax a little! When they're in the hotel and need their trainer, I'm just going to tell them all to go to you!" He laughs.
"That's fine by me, that's what i signed up for Dave!" I say laughing with him. I replace Tyler's ice, and then practice is over, and I go to the locker room to cut off people's tape, and talk to the ones I wanted to see, and we go eat. Dave keeps me after the players have gone, and asks me to help get everything ready, so we don't have to be rushing around or anything tomorrow morning. He also tells me we are leaving at 9:00. I tell him I'll be ready, and go back to my car.

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