Sight

Brandon impatiently sat outside, sniffling. He was never this weak, especially for Addison. But something wasn't right, and it clearly made him sad. There was practically no NHL anymore. Hockey players were being killed, mercilessly. And in the future, that's how everything aligned. Trades, injuries, death. The infinite cycle. And just the sight of witnessing it struck Brandon. The ink embedded into his right arm whenever he touched it, he found strength to live by faith and not by sight anymore. Never before, and never again. He needed to separate the hierarchy and save the innocent ones. He needed to dwell on the past first, and find the old ones.

His gear. Holding the gear in the palm of his hand, he pressed a button on the inside. A floating, celestial image circled the upper area of the deserted staircase, flying up and down the stairs. This was Adam McQuaid, and his active self buzzing about. A second image flashed: the presence of tough and serious, but gentle and understanding. It was Milan Lucic's turn to glide around the vision of Brandon, the rookie seeing the hazy blue and white light multiply as Tom Wilson and his life size attitude heavily hit around the walls of the area like they were boards. And last but not least, Tyler Seguin himself, and his brightly shining aura, skated around like everyone else without a care in the world. Brandon reached for all of the ghosts before he placed his hands over his forehead, muttering to himself.

"Go, Brandon." Lucic's voice echoed as Brandon stood.

"Live. Most importantly, by faith." McQuaid's voice beckoned.

"Not by sight." Wilson added.

"It's what Addy would want you to do. Save them and show the weak how to live." Tyler's voice was clear in his head as the four orbs swirled out of Brandon's gear and into the ink of his tattoo with the exact same words.

With the grit of Milan, the compassion of Adam, the bravery of Tom, and the character of Tyler, Brandon tossed his gear down the stairs and with all of his might, opened the door to the SkyBox.
With a divided movement, the elevator also stopped at the SkyBox, and Jamie, Kalani, Patrice, and Alexa stumbled out.

Addy's head turned back as she squirmed, Brad also looked too. Alexa made eyes with the both of them, and instinctively ran towards them.

Jamie grabbed Alexa's hand. "Stop!"

Sienna raised her gun, sitting on the right ledge of the counter. Patrice loaded his and pointed it at Patrick, as Patrick did the same to Brad and Addy.

"Lovely to see you again Alexa, looks like there's a party and it's all in your honor!" Patrick laughed, as Sienna laughed too. Jonathan's camera was pointed towards the SkyBox as it was projected on the Blackhawks HDX, so even the crooning players could watch the confrontation between everyone.
Patrick closed in on Alexa, as Jamie squeezed her hand.

"Look at how far everyone's come, for you. It would be a shame if you didn't remind them about your life now... What's the point in coming home, when this is your home?" Patrick added, turning the gun on Alexa now.

Sienna found Kalani, and waved sarcastically.

"Hey sweetie! Heard you found the eyeblack! You're grounded, I honestly thought you would never try and convert these savages. But that one is cute." Sienna pointed to Patrice, as Patrice's hand motioned to shoot Sienna.

"Who goes first?" Patrick asked Alexa. "Unless you want to stay here. Aren't you happy here? What's so different about the other title town? You are the reason hockey is successful here."

"I'm not happy here." Alexa was the least bit compliant, she was not going to talk to Patrick.

"Whatever your game is, you and your magic, you caused me to fall in love with the person I now hate with every fiber of my being. You can't live like this, killing players in the penalty box and slotting your way into a nonexistent bracket for nonexistent playoffs for a nonexistent Stanley Cup anymore, with a system of warriors you call Grounders to kill them off for you? If it's not someone you want to love, you ruin them! Why do you ruin them?!" Alexa yelled through her stinging tears.

"You ruined me and you're scarring the people who want the regular NHL back. I'm nobody. I'm just a journalist. A journalist who got laid off who moved to Boston with her little sister and actually fell in love with a rat. And mistook a monster for a man. And that's okay. It's not okay to rip me away from the people I love, and force me to be your Blackhawk. I'm not a queen. I'm just Alexa. And you know what? I've stayed silent for so long, whatever. Maybe I am the one. You got me back. Do whatever you want to me. But don't touch Brad or Addy or anybody else in this room who knows the truth." Alexa took a breath in as she slipped away from Jamie's hand, and took a step closer to Patrick.

Patrick was in awe by her response, as Kalani was crying with her arms folded, Addy had some tears, Brad kept squirming and swearing through the tape, Jamie kept his eyes on Alexa, and Patrice held the gun at Patrick. Brandon was low to the ground and observant in all of this, doing nothing.

And in that moment, Jonathan swiftly escaped the press box and ran down to the lodge section, where he had an idea. He helped untie Brad and Addy so they could move their arms and legs, without the people in the SkyBox realizing this.

"That's my girl." Patrick leaned in to kiss Alexa, wrapping his arms, and the gun around her. Alexa broke away and sniffled, as Jonathan completely freed Brad and Addy.

Addy, without hearing Alexa's plea, darted to the middle of the room to hug Alexa as she screamed, rejoicing for her sister,

"Alexa!!"

Brad had only turned his body around a few degrees before he saw Alexa, and Addy run towards each other as his features curled into a smile of content bliss.

Click.

Click.

Boom.

Notes

this chapter was probably one of the hardest to write and it is so powerful, just wait. i love every fiber of this omg