Next Year

Sorry about the shortness and jumpiness… I guess I’m just getting back into the feel of this story lol. Hope you still like it =D!!

Aberleigh’s legs were wrapped around my body, pulling me into her, encouraging me on. I thrusted in powerfully, unable to do anything but moan contentedly against the feel of her body surrounding me. “I love you so much baby…” I moaned into her ear, breathing in the sweet smell of vanilla shampoo she always used. I pulled back and looked down at her.

She smiled up at me as her perfect full lips opened and she began to beg. “Fuck me harder Max…”


I sat bolt right up; breathing hard as I glanced beside me at Aberleigh. She was resting peacefully, laying on her side with her mouth slightly opened; the same mouth that had just called me Max. What the hell kind of dream was that?
I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself as flopped back down on the bed. “Max!” A woman screamed, causing me to sit up again. Ok… that I did not dream.

Abby stirred beside me, her eyes opening with a sigh. “Marc? What’s going on?”

I let out an angry huff as I threw my legs - and cast - over the side of the bed. “Max took someone home with him.” I spat, grabbing my crutches off the floor and heading for the guest room.

I stopped outside the slightly closed door; rolling my eyes as I heard the repeated thumping of headboard against wall. “Ugh! Yes… yes… YES!” The girls voice sounded through the crack.

“Comme ca?” I heard Max’s voice replied; husky from exertion.


“MAX!“ I yelled, not wanting to open the door any more than it already was.

“… merde…” He sighed. I heard the room fall quiet as someone’s feet planted on the ground. “Salut Flower…” Max said, giving me a sheepish grin as he pulled the door open fully.
The brunette laid out on the bed, didn’t even have the decency to cover herself up. She turned her head to glare from me as I turned my attention back to Max.

“Êtes-vous sérieux?” I spat, unable to believe this was happening.

Max sighed deeply and stepped out into the hall, his pants barely staying up around his hips. “Flower, look. I love you and I love Abby… but I haven’t had sex in three days… my dick is about to fall off. I need a dick to play for the Stanley Cup Flower… if I don‘t have one, we‘ll loose. Do you want us to loose?”

“… please don’t even try to make this seem like it’s my fault. You can’t take some random girl back to my house Max!”

He reached out and put his hands on my shoulders; I tried not to think what they’d been touching minutes before. “You’re upset… I can see that. I’ll take her home when we’re done.” I continued to stare at him, teetering on my crutches. “Ugh! Fine! Hey Candy…” He called over his shoulder, “get dressed, we’re leaving.”

“My name’s Mandy!” She shot back, sounding more amused than upset.

“Sorry!” He said again, holding up his hands in truce as he headed back into the guest room; this time, closing the door.



I sat in the doctor’s office beside Abby, waiting for the man with the saw to come in and finally cut off my damn cast. I glanced over at her as she started to giggle again. “I really don’t see what’s so funny about this.” I snapped, causing her to laugh harder.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry… I know you’re tired but, my emotions are so messed up right now and, that’s just hilarious.”

I exhaled loudly, not bothering to argue with her; at least one of us was in a good mood.
Tomorrow night the guys would be playing against the Blackhawks in the Stanley Cup finals. Without my cast on I had no excuse left not to play, but I knew they still wouldn’t put me in. I had missed too much time, was too rusty.
It was going to be hell watching that game.

Once I was given the ok; the crazy hack-saw man went to work on my cast, pulling it apart piece by piece.
I shuddered as each tiny increment of skin became viable; I had lost so much muscle, it was going to take forever to get back in shape.
The upside was that I’d be able to start helping more around the house, and Max would finally be able to go home. It wasn’t that I wasn’t grateful for everything that he’d done, I was just never going to be able to trust him again with a key to the house. Ever.



The worse part was, I felt slightly relived as Jonathan Toews hoisted the Stanley Cup up above his head; the sea of red and white fans screaming thunderously around Abby and I, as she gently squeezed my hand.
It wasn’t that I wanted us to loose, I obviously didn’t feel that way. With or without me I wanted my friends, my team-mates to win; they deserved it.
I didn’t want to allow that small sigh to escape my lips, the one that threatened to betray almost everyone I trusted.

Of course I wanted Johnson to do good; but I wasn’t a good enough person that I wanted him to do better than me.
I had really begun to come out from under all the critics after we won the cup last year, and I didn’t want to go back to being an inconsistent player. I didn’t want them to assume; if the back-up goalie can win, maybe the Pens did’t need Marc-Andre Fleury, don’t need Marc-Andre Fleury.


Abby followed me down the back hallway; one hand secured in mine, the other wrapped tightly around her tiny baby bump - protecting it from the crazy people running around us.
I took a deep breath before pushing open the door to the visitor’s room. It was a completely different feeling than the world that was echoing around us.
Where the streets of Chicago were erupting with celebration, the black and white locker-room was deafeningly silent. I shivered slightly as I caught sight of Sidney’s face.
No one took losses harder than Sid, not even me. He looked like he was doing everything he could to keep from crying; every now and then running a shaky hand across his eyes. “We’ve been here before.” He said quietly, but even so, it echoed loudly across the room. “We’ve also been there before…” He continued, his eyes glancing at the door Abby and I had just come through.
“Remember this, but also remember that. We are champions. This year wasn’t our time, we all saw that… but it doesn’t mean the time of the Penguins is over.
I believe that we are worthy enough, good enough, strong enough to fight again, and to win again.
This game doesn’t mean that they’re better than us… no matter who’s got our cup right now… I don’t believe that. I’ve seen what’s inside each and everyone of you… and I wouldn’t trade a single person in here… not for anyone.
We’re a team. We play as a team, we loose as a team and next year, we will win as a team.”

“Here, here.” Max said loudly, earning echoing responses from the players and family surrounding us.

I watched as everyone went back into their own worlds. Some talking to each other, some sitting in quiet contemplation.
Sidney was heading towards us. “Don’t worry Flower. I remember how hard it was to miss the third period last year, to watch you guys fight without me. Next year though… next year we’ll get her back and you can feed the two little monsters Cheerio’s from the cup.” I nodded in agreement, giving Sidney a small pat on the shoulder.

Next year…I thought, my mind wandering off into the future. As long as they’re both still here next year…