Angel

“My heart's on my sleeve, but it's turning black.
(I guess I know what it feels like it to be alone)
Without your touch I'm not gonna last.
(I know you know that I need ya just to carry on)
It feels like my walls are caving in.
(You'd always hold me before I left you hanging on)
And I'll do anything to have you here again.”
Stay by Florida Georgia Line


Cam POV

The next day the Penguins had a home game against the Islanders before they had four days off for Christmas. I knew it was going to be a physical game, especially since last time they played, James sent Comeau to the ground. He ended up having to get stitches but was overall fine. No major injuries. I sat in the WAGs box with all the other girls but mostly kept to myself. I was worried about James, I knew he could defend himself but that didn’t mean I wasn’t worried.

I was on the edge of my seat the entire time and the moment we were all waiting for came 15 minutes into the second period. Blake launched himself at James and he went crashing into the boards. They had been chirping at each other all night but since James wasn’t anywhere near the puck when he was checked, Blake was sent to the locker room for the remainder of the game.

Luckily, James was ok and got up after he got his bearings. I watched the replay of the hit on the jumbotron and winced as I saw James went into the boards head first. He shook it off, but I wished he would’ve gotten a concussion check, just in case. I’ve seen concussions ruin careers and hoped he didn’t have one. Playing with one would just make it worse.

“It freaks you out too?” a woman next to me asked.

“Yeah,” I recognized her as Tyler Kennedy’s new girlfriend, Bayley.

“I just hope that never happens to him, it’s hard enough trying to console him after they lose a game.”

“I know what you mean.”

We were quiet for the rest of the game, but it was nice to know I may have a potential friend. They ended up winning 5-3 and James ended up scoring two goals with an assist on Geno’s goal. James came out about twenty minutes later but told me the press wanted to talk to him and gave me the keys so I could go ahead to the car. That was his first mistake.

James POV

I had been talking to the press for about ten minutes and I really wanted to go home, but they seemed to have unlimited questions tonight. I was in the middle of answering a question when Tim Wallace barged into the room.

“James, I need you to come with me.”

“What do you want, Wallace?”

“Please?”

“What, you wanna beat me up too?”

“It’s your girlfriend.”

I immediately grabbed my jacket and followed after him. He led me into the parking garage where his teammates were crowded around Cameron and one of them was pressing his sweatshirt onto a wound on her forehead. I crouched down beside her.

“We already called an ambulance, they’re on their way.”

I drowned out the rest of them as I inspected the rest of her body. She had bruising around her cheek and a busted lip but other than that I didn’t see any other injuries. Until the paramedics arrived. Once they moved her out of the shadows, I saw finger marks around her neck. Someone tried to choke her? Imma kill this guy. He better be far away by now.

The paramedics asked me if I wanted to ride along and I nodded after tossing my keys that I found on the ground to Tim Wallace. They shut the doors before I could hear his response.

The ride to the hospital seemed to pass in an instant. They took her into surgery straight away as a nurse led me to the waiting room. It wasn’t until I saw other families crying that I noticed a steady stream of tears running down my own face.

Ten minutes later, the entire Islander team streamed into the waiting room. They approached me but didn’t ask any questions as they all stood or sat near me.

“Does your team know?” John Tavares asked me.

“Crap. No.”

“Do want me to call them for you.”

“Could you just call Geno?”

“Yeah, sure.”

I handed him my phone after unlocking it. My wallpaper was Cam and I, she was making a silly face while I kissed her cheek. I faintly smiled as I started to cry once again.

I faintly heard Tavares voice on the phone.

“Malkin?”

“...”

“No, this is John Tavares.”

“...”

“Yes, James is fine.”

“...”

“It’s Cameron.”

“...”

“We’re at UPMC Mercy.”

“...”

“Yeah, see ya.”

He walked back over and handed me my phone, “He’s on his way.”

Twenty minutes later the waiting room was packed with two rival hockey teams with more balloons and flowers in their hands that I knew even existed.

What felt like hours later a doctor finally walked through the doors, “Family of Cameron Benn.”

‘Crap I forgot to call her brothers.’

I stood up and Geno came with me.

“That’s me.”

“You’re related to her how?”

“He’s her husband.” Geno responded.

I shot him a grateful look.

“Well Cameron had some internal bleeding that we fixed. We also stitched her head wound and put some gauze over neck wounds. She also had a fractured left wrist which we put in a splint, she shouldn’t use it for the next couple weeks. She is still asleep from the medication we gave her, but you can go see her if you want. Just try not to overwhelm her. Room 263.”

“Thank You.”

I immediately started walking towards her room. I opened the door as I paused looking at her fragile body and another round of tears started making their way down my cheeks. I pulled a chair up to the side of her bed and gently clasped my hand onto hers.

“Hey baby. I don’t know if you can hear me or not but that’s ok. I just wanna tell you that I will never stop fighting for you and that I’m sorry. I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you. Your brothers are gonna kill me. Everyone’s here to see how your doing, I know you think they hate you but I’m pretty sure after you wake up you’ll never wanna see a flower again. I’m gonna step out so everyone else can say hi but I’ll be right back. I love you. So much. Keep fighting baby.I need you.”

I stepped into the hall and let them know that three people could go at a time. I had grabbed her phone from the hospital bag and clicked Jamie’s name.

“Cam?”

“No, actually this is James.”

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“...”

“James? James? What’s wrong? James, what is wrong with my sister?!”

Fleury saw I was struggling and took the phone from me, “Hey, sorry about that. This is Marc-Andre Fleury, I’m calling to inform you that Cameron has been in an accident and you may want to be on the next flight to Pittsburgh with your brother.”

“...”
“Yes, of course. We’ll be here. Thank you.”

“...”

“Goodbye.”

He handed me my phone back and said “They’re on the next flight. Be prepared for some angry older brothers.” He shot me a smile and patted my shoulder before he walked off.

I walked back into Cam’s room and silently sat next to her and took her hand. I kissed her forehead, “I’ll stay, Cam. As long as you need. You’re not getting away from me that easily. I’ll fight, Cam. I’ll fight for you, for us.”

*********

I woke up to the sound of running footsteps down the usually silent hallway. Not a moment later the door burst open with two scared brothers on the other side. I silently stood up and gave them the chairs.

Jordie silently walked over and took the chair while Jamie stormed over to me and pinned me up against the wall, “Where were you, huh? You’re supposed to protect her! You weren’t supposed to let this happen! You-”

I cut him off, “You think I don’t know that?! You think I’m not beating myself up for this?! I’m killing myself?! But it isn’t my fault, it’s that sick psychos who hurt her. But I’m still gonna blame myself for this each and every day!”

He released me with a glare but turned his eyes onto his battered sister who to both of our surprises was looking at us with confused eyes.

I immediately went to her side, “Hey baby. How ya feelin’?”

“I’m ok. Did you mean what you said earlier?”

“Which part?”

“You said you’d fight for me. And you weren’t gonna let me go, is that true.”

“Yes. Of course it is. I don’t know what I’d do without you. I love you so much.”

“I love you too James and I wouldn’t want anyone else fighting for me.”

Notes