Sight

Someone had aimed and fired, Kalani immediately ducking as Patrice held his hand steady below. Jamie held his hands over his head as Jonathan jumped down. Brad screamed, as Addy's fingertips ran millimeters beside the piercing bullet.

Going straight for the direction of Alexa, the unknown bullet seemed to chart its course in the slowest motion possible, and this was the time. The line between living and dying. Faith and sight. Brandon lept in between Addy and Alexa, as the bullet entered him and he dipped back towards the ground, wounded.

And everything seemed to be at normal pace again.

Patrick's gun was by his side as he looked at Sienna, whose gun was up in the air, freshly shot. A twisted smirk was stuck on her perfect face.

Addy's excited, overwhelmed face morphed into a horrified and grief stricken expression, as Jamie pulled a heavily breathing Alexa out of the way. Kalani's eyes welled with furious tears. Her mom had fired that shot. Patrice got up and immediately put the gun to Sienna, face to face.

A crumpled Brandon was founded on the ground, slightly bleeding out, but still faking a smile through the sniffles of his injury. Addy cried as she held her hand under his head and tried to stop the bleeding.

"Brandon" She put her head against his chest and sobbed hysterically. "Oh my god. Come on Brandon, please." Brad rushed to Addy's side.
.
"I'm fine Addison, I'm fine. I love you. And I want you and your sister to go home and live. And I want everyone to play hockey again. I swear. You don't have to see it to believe it, just know in your heart, this life is yours."

Brandon's limp hand patted Addy's heart, as she nodded through her tears and moved up to his lips to kiss him passionately, one last time.

After the commotion, Jonathan climbed through the window, on top of the counter, and to the SkyBox with a jersey on.

"Get out." Patrick barked at him.

"Leave." Sienna rolled off her tongue.

"Well, the group of guys down there told me that there's supposed to be a full count at practice today, it is October 28th after all, and we have a huge tilt against the Dallas Stars in a few hours. Opening night. So drop the guns, and let's play hockey." Jonathan said calmly.

"Stop telling me what to do, you have no authority here!!" Patrick shouted.

Patrice threw his gun to the floor and looked at the stunned Patrick and Sienna.

"He kind of does. Jonathan's your Captain now." Patrice smiled as Jonathan pointed to the C on his sweater.

Patrick stomped out of the SkyBox and down the stairs, into the locker room.

Sienna still was appalled.

"You have no right to boss a lady around." She muttered.

"You still want to be the Senior Communications Officer, right?" Jonathan smirked as he picked up Alexa's headset off the floor and gave it to Sienna.

"The press box is calling." Sienna threw her gun down and also took the elevator to reach the press box level.

"And as for all of you: especially here in Chicago, sometimes we lose sight of our purposes. Mutinies occur. Meanness, protectiveness, and excessive behaviors. There's no such thing as Grounders. Just a cowardly communications officer desperate to suck up to Patrick, one of the most talented players on the ice for our team. Off the ice? Well, you've seen him. And he doesn't really own the ice like I do, because I'm captain. But the past few months have been out of hand, and on behalf of our organization I would like to apologize. Never again. We're sending all of you home to your respective cities free of charge with a flight. Safe travels, and see you soon." Jonathan spoke with a clear and simple voice as Patrice shook his hand, along with Jamie.

"Thank you."

"Thank Brandon. I think he truly taught us how to live." Jonathan walked into the SkyBox and knelt besides the motionless Brandon, as he turned his wrist over and saw the tattoo that read:

Live by faith, not by sight.

And with three fingers, he pressed down on the ink.

The SkyBox was a luxury suite for cooperate events who went to games or the more high end people. But this time, the SkyBox shifted into a glass kingdom of silver.

Silver everywhere, lining the furniture and whole room, all coming from Brandon's inner arm, as the figures of Milan Lucic, Tom Wilson, Tyler Seguin, Adam McQuaid, Artemi Panarin, Marian Hossa, Duncan Keith, Tuukka Rask and many others skated, fought, saved, hit, shot, celebrated, laughed, cried, and raised the Cup, performing actions that seemed all too real in front of the eyes of the captivated small crowd.

The room suddenly turned several different colors, with several different goal horns and play by plays, as Addy looked towards the illuminated sight, tears rolling down her cheeks out of amazement. Alexa held onto Addy, as Brad wrapped a shoulder around Alexa, and Jamie stood there smiling. Kalani and Patrice also watched on, witnessing the color changing jerseys from trade and silver skates continuously swirling on the ice. Suddenly, in the shape that the players made, emerged two new ones.

Brandon Carlo and his heroic smile, skating in front of Addison and Alexa, as yellow orbs fell over Addy's head like snow shavings, as she tried to reach for them. Jordie Benn also skated in the air, making his way over to Patrice, Kalani, and lastly Jamie, as he head butted the air in front of him, and Jamie laughed, his hand reaching up as well for a brotherly interaction again. Brandon was no longer on the ground anymore.

Jonathan was running practice, Patrick was practicing, Sienna was in her press box creating a morning skate video, as the SkyBox was back to itself again.

The heart and soul of hockey was starting to be discovered again.

Notes

feels